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Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is certain to be without a “very strong” player for their trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday, with star winger Son Heung-min also very likely to miss the Premier League encounter.

Tottenham beat AZ Alkmaar as Postecoglou returns to winning form

Spurs narrowly scraped past Dutch giants AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday evening, courtesy of Richarlison’s first goal of the season, and the win makes it two from their last two games after a rampant 4-1 victory at the expense of West Ham last weekend.

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It is a perfect response to their regrettable 3-2 fumble at Brighton just before the international break – a result which Postecoglou will want to forget as soon as possible considering Spurs’ two-goal lead – but the Lilywhites’ past two outings are doing wonders to put it behind them.

Next up, Crystal Palace await Postecoglou’s side at Selhurst Park, with Eagles boss Oliver Glasner under intense pressure and looking to secure his first win of the new campaign.

Richarlison and Wilson Odobert will both be available for the south London clash, with the latter coming off the bench against AZ and making his first appearance in weeks after recovering from a hamstring injury.

However, the same cannot be said for Son, who is a huge doubt for Palace. The South Korea international will not be able to train this afternoon, and is therefore unlikely to make a return on Sunday.

“Sonny is still not right or feeling 100 per cent,” said Postecoglou in his press conference today.

“He won’t train today and so unlikely for the weekend and we’ll see how he is beyond that.”

The 32-year-old will be a big miss considering his importance to Postecoglou in an attacking sense, having stood out as one of their key players since the Australian took over from Antonio Conte last season.

Tottenham without Djed Spence for Crystal Palace through injury

Alongside Son, Postecoglou won’t be able to call upon right-back Djed Spence. The Englishman suffered a groin injury in training last week, and it is believed Spence will be absent for Tottenham’s trip to Crystal Palace as a result, but he isn’t expected to be out for much longer.

Spence was recently awarded a new deal at Spurs, owing to the redemption arc he’s undergone since being sent out on multiple loan spells last season. Italian media praised Spence for his form out on a temporary spell at Genoa last season, and he’s now brought that home to N17.

The “very strong” defender, as he was called by Gabriel Martinelli, is now a member of Postecoglou’s first-team squad – and could play a role as Tottenham seek to end their 16-year wait for a major trophy.

“I said a couple of days ago and consistently say, most of a players future is in their own hands,” said Postecoglou on Spence.

“They’re as much in control as anyone else. I think sometimes footballers forget that. With Djed, it could have been easy for to go out on loan again. But when he came into preseason, he was determined to make a career for himself here at Tottenham rather than wait to be loaned out.

“He did everything right in training, his attitude was great. He’s a good footballer, I think the way we play suits him and he’s knuckled down to that. And he’s earned himself a spot on the roster in our squad.

“The rest is up to him again. Because it’s an easy decision for me to make when I see that. Like I said, sometimes footballers think their fate is in other peoples’ hands. For the most part, it’s in their own. If they’re doing well and doing everything right, the future tends to take care of itself, whether that’s where you currently are or you move on. And Djed’s certainly done that.”

Manchester United have been warned against bringing club legend Wayne Rooney back to the club as part of Ruben Amorim’s coaching team.

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Red Devils legend out of work at presentUnited in need of an attacking sparkAmorim warned against turning to iconFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Rooney, who is the Red Devils’ all-time leading goalscorer, finds himself out of work after seeing a 25-game spell in charge of Championship side Plymouth brought to a close. He previously lasted just 83 days alongside NFL icon Tom Brady at Birmingham.

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The ex-England captain is enjoying a welcome break with his family for now, but is leaving himself open to punditry and coaching offers. Rooney has revealed that he would be prepared to fill Under-21 and backroom posts, leading to suggestions that he could return to Old Trafford in order to work with a misfiring attacking unit.

WHAT PAUL PARKER SAID

Ex-United defender Paul Parker, who won two Premier League titles with the club, is not convinced that a move should be made for Rooney. He has told GOAL while speaking in association with : “Given the age he is, I think him [Amorim] and Wayne would have come across each other at some point – he might have played against Braga.

“I don’t think he’d put himself in that position, I don’t think anyone would, to bring back someone like Rooney. Rooney hasn’t done great as a manager, it hasn’t worked out at all, but to bring back someone like him… he let [Ruud] van Nistelrooy go because he knew he didn’t need that.

“In this situation, you will get fans that say ‘use him, he’s this, he’s that, he knows the club’. Wayne does know Manchester United. Does he know about coaching? It’s been proven he doesn’t know enough at this moment.

“To bring Wayne back, to even coach the centre-forwards, isn’t really going to work. He has been at Salford City, doing something there. But he is going to have to go backwards to go forwards again and learn a bit more.

“He has accepted to go into jobs when you look at his coaching experience, he hasn’t got enough there for him. It’s not the way to go. He’s going to want to do it his way. If it’s on fire, he would rather be putting it out himself rather than letting someone else do it for him.”

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Parker added: “Sir Alex Ferguson was like that, he wasn’t scared of having anyone. If that person was a good coach and he believed that person was going to make his team better, he went and got them. He changed coaches all the time. But he knew if that coach could improve the team and the players, he would keep saying thank you to him.

“Everyone would talk about him and what he’s doing, Sir Alex, and the coach would get a mention but he wouldn’t have to worry about that aspect. He was fearless in that way, it didn’t bother him. In today’s world, Wayne Rooney or any other coach comes along, the media will jump on it.

“I don’t see Amorim going down that road. He has got all his people with him, he trusts them to help, but even they have got a limit with what they can work with. You look at it and it has become the most difficult job in top-level football, Manchester United.”

The teenager is the latest American to break through in the Bundesliga and he looks like a player with the ability to stick around for a long time

Noahkai Banks wasn't given time to be nervous. He would have been and probably should have been if this was a normal debut, but this was anything but normal. The 18-year-old defender was being thrown right into the thick of it with no time to think and, more importantly, no time to feel those nerves.

The American teenager's Bundesliga debut for Augsburg came as a 29th-minute injury substitute. There was hardly any time to warm up or get ready. Nope, Banks was into the game and expected to step up. Sink or Swim. Augsburg ultimately lost the game, falling 1-0 to Stuttgart, but there's no doubt about it: Banks swam.

Now, less than a month since, it feels like the young center back has already arrived. He's started twice for Augsburg since coming off the bench back on Jan. 12, showing signs of why many see him as a future U.S. men's national team star. That future may not be too far away, either. USMNT center back spots remain up for grabs and, if these first few weeks are any indication, Banks is a player that could grab it sooner than many think.

Many see Banks as a potential USMNT center back of the future. His performances in the Bundesliga show that those believers may be right. Banks has stepped up to the challenges so far with a unique combination of size, skill, and composure that make him look like the ideal modern center back. It's early days, yes, and Banks still has a lot of proving to do, but you only get one crack at a first impression, and Banks' was about as impressive as it could have been.

Getty Images SportWhere it all began

Born in Honolulu, Banks' soccer education didn't really come in Hawaii — it came in Augsburg. Since joining up with the club at the U-10 level, Banks has been pushing towards everything that has gone on over the last few weeks.

Since joining the German club, the defender has battled his way right up through the ranks. He made it to the U-17s in 2021 at just 14 years old. It didn't take long for him to make it to the U-19s and, ultimately, the reserve teams, too. FC Augsburg have always been high on him. The club has always seen him as a key prospect. It's why it tied him down to a long-term deal last summer in a move that signaled that his first-team arrival was imminent.

 “Noahkai is a very talented center back who we believe can make the leap to the Bundesliga," sporting director Marinko Jurendic said at the time."He showed last season that he can adapt quickly to a higher level and his performances in the U23s have earned him his place in the first team. We are delighted to be able to promote yet another player from our youth academy to professional football. We will continue to work with Noahkai individually, and give him the best possible support for his personal journey towards becoming a Bundesliga player."

Banks' success hasn't just been limited to Augsburg, either. On the international level, Banks is eligible for Germany but has exclusively featured for American youth national teams so far. In 2023, he was a member of the U.S. U-17 squad for that year's World Cup. In that team, he joined highly-rated American prospects like Nimfasha Berchimas, Keryol Figueroa, and Cruz Medina as the U.S. fell in the Round of 16 to Germany, coincidentally. The teenager has represented the U.S. up to the U-20 level, providing an assist against France last year with that group, but turned down a call-up to that team last summer to focus on preseason with his club team.

"I’m delighted to be given the chance to prove myself in the first team," Banks said. "It’s a childhood dream come true for me, and I’ll do everything I can to make it to the Bundesliga with FCA."

It ultimately worked. It took a few months but, as we moved into 2025, Banks has arrived in Germany's top flight.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe big break

It showed a strong level of trust from manager Jess Thorup. When Maximilian Bauer went down with an early injury, Thorup needed a replacement in the left side of Augsburg's back three. He turned to Banks, throwing him right into the game with little time to mentally comprehend what was happening.

“As everything happened so quickly, I didn’t have much time to feel nervous,” Banks told FCA TV. “I was happy to be on the pitch and focused on my game."

Banks looked relatively unfazed. He completed 32 of his 36 passes, including two of his three long balls. He won two tackles, had two interceptions, and won three of his five duels. Tossed right into a tough Bundesliga clash, Banks didn't look overmatched, which is all you can ask of a young center back.

It proved to just be an introduction, though, Banks was just getting started.

Getty Images SportHow it's going

Banks' debut against Stuttgart was solid and, for a teenage centerback, solid is basically spectacular. After two more substitute appearances, though, he was finally given his first start against Heidenheim on Jan. 25 and there's no caveat about that game: Banks fit in perfectly.

Banks went 70 minutes in that match, looking every bit like a USMNT star of the future. He completed 52 of his 53 passes, including all seven of his long balls. He has a whopping 11 clearances. He won two tackles and all three of his ground duels. Most importantly, Augsburg didn't let in a goal while he was on the field, going on to earn a 2-1 win. His performance earned him a spot in WhoScored's Team of the Week, and it was fully deserved. That was his true breakout performance, the one that officially put him on the USMNT radar not for the future, but for the present.

His next appearance was somewhat of a step back. Back in the XI against St. Pauli, Banks was credited with an unfortunate own goal. There wasn't anything particularly bad to it, as Banks was punished for attempting to make a heroic clearance off the line, but it was an own-goal nonetheless. Outside of that, the passing numbers still pop, as he went 51 of 54 in that metric, although he did struggle a bit more with the physicality in that second start.

Still, it's easy to see what Banks is and what he can be, particularly if he continues to get these Bundesliga chances.

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Getty Images SportBiggest strengths

There's something you notice quickly about Banks, and it's very obvious: his size. His 6'3" frame makes him stand out even among players significantly older than him. It's that frame that allows him to compete defensively against top-level attackers in one of the world's best leagues. He's tall enough to win headers, but also fast enough to outpace them.

Banks isn't all physicality, though. In fact, when you really watch, his game is very much about finesse.

In his brief Bundesliga run, Banks has already proven to be an elite passer of the ball. In his 250 minutes played so far, he's completing 94.6 percent of his passes. These aren't just sideways, either, as he's also completed all but one of his 12 long passes. In that way, Banks is a prototypical modern center back — tall enough to swat attackers away, but skilled enough to be the player that kickstarts an attack.

Despite his age and lack of experience, Banks already has some key tools for success, but, as expected with an 18-year-old defender, he's still anything but a finished product.

أعلن ظهير أيمن الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي باريس سان جيرمان، أشرف حكيمي، التحدي بعد الخسارة القاسية أمام ليفربول في ذهاب دور الـ 16 من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ونجح ليفربول في حسم لقاء “حديقة الأمراء” يوم أمس، الأربعاء، بنتيجة 1-0 وأحرز الهدف البديل، هارفي إليوت، رغم سيطرة باريس سان جيرمان على مجريات المباراة.

اقرأ أيضًا | ثنائي باريس سان جيرمان: كنا نستحق الفوز على ليفربول.. وسنتأهل من آنفيلد

وقال حكيمي في تصريحات بعد المباراة عبر المركز الإعلامي لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا: “نحن محبطون، لكن لن تكون هناك مباراتان مثل هذه أبدًا، هذا أمر مؤكد”.

وتابع: “لقد سيطرنا وخلقنا العديد من الفرص، بينما سنحت لهم فرصة واحدة فقط وسجلوا”.

واستمر: “لعبنا بشخصية قوية ضد ليفربول، سيطرنا طوال المباراة، أنا متأكد من أنه لن تتكرر هذه المباراة ولن تكون هكذا في الإياب”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “إذا كررنا هذا الأداء الرائع في المباراة المقبلة، سنتأهل إلى الدور التالي”.

وعن اعتماد ليفربول على الأسلوب الدفاعي: “يعرفوننا جيدًا ويحترموننا، لقد كانوا يبحثون عن نتيجة إيجابية قبل مباراة أنفيلد لتحقيق الفوز فيها”.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a welcome injury boost, as one of his key players could return to full fitness earlier than anticipated.

Arsenal's full injury and absentee list

The north Londoners play host to newly promoted Leicester City in the Premier League this afternoon – their first home game this month – after a trio of challenging away games in the space of a single week.

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Arteta’s side took the North London derby spoils with a 1-0 victory at Tottenham two weeks ago and secured their first Champions League point of the season away to Atalanta just a few days afterwards, largely thanks to David Raya’s heroic double-save in Bergamo to keep it 0-0.

Arsenal were then unlucky not to beat title rivals Man City at the Etihad Stadium, holding a 2-1 lead for the majority of the game despite having just 10 men after Leandro Trossard’s sending-off.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Riccardo Calafiori’s screamer and a header from Gabriel Magalhaes cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener, but a late leveller from John Stones in added time ultimately broke Arsenal’s hearts.

On paper, Leicester shouldn’t pose as much of a threat on home turf at 3pm, but Arsenal won’t be able to call upon a few key players for the occasion. Club captain Martin Odegaard remains sidelined with ankle ligament damage, while Takehiro Tomiyasu’s knee injury means he is yet to appear this season and won’t be back for Leicester.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is out for weeks alongside Odegaard as well, and it is believed Kieran Tierney is still out after suffering a hamstring injury during the Euros with Scotland.

Goalkeeper David Raya is also a doubt for Leicester City, with the Spaniard facing a late fitness test to determine whether Arteta can call upon him this afternoon. Leandro Trossard is suspended for Arsenal’s clash with the Foxes.

Arteta handed Mikel Merino injury boost at Arsenal

The game also comes too soon for summer signing Mikel Merino, who is yet to make his debut for the club after fracturing his shoulder in training.

Initial reports claimed Merino would be out until mid-October at the earliest, and the Spain international would be forced to wait until after the international break next month to make his return to the fold.

However, in a boost for Arsenal, manager Arteta has confirmed that Merino could now return from injury as soon as next week.

“Tomorrow [against Leicester] is too soon. Next week we’ll see,” said Arteta.

“He had partial training today. He’s been working so hard. It’s looking good. It’s about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact basically. We are trying to keep him in the cage, because he has been pushing everybody – all the physios, all the doctors, everybody!

“He is ready to go and he really wants it. I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him with contact and he looked really good in training.”

Having the 28-year-old back as an option will be pivotal for the left side of Arsenal’s midfield, as it gives Arteta a fantastic option in defensive and offensive departments.

Merino bagged eight goals and five assists across 45 appearances in all competitions for Real Sociedad last term and won more duels than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues (OptaJoe).

On a high after their emphatic series win at Edgbaston on Sunday, New Zealand will now have plenty of selection headaches to deal with for the World Test Championship final against India starting June 18 in Southampton. With a combination of injuries and their decision to rest a few players, New Zealand made six changes to their playing XI for the second Test, and still showed enough depth in both batting and bowling to beat England by eight wickets.If most or all of their injured players recover, New Zealand will have numerous options for only a few spots available. How are some of their players on the fringe of a permanent spot in the playing XI coping with that competition?”I try not to put any pressure on myself,” spinner Ajaz Patel, one of the six inclusions for the second Test, said. “Faith is a big factor for me, which allows me to stay grounded and be comfortable with whatever is thrown at me. I make sure I’m still working hard, developing my game and continuing to grow so when the opportunity does come, I make the most of it.Related

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“There is no added pressure, whenever I put the cap on, I look at it as a privilege. [I] try and have fun because that’s why we play cricket. It’s still reliving a childhood dream, representing New Zealand and putting that black baggy on. We take a lot of pride and privilege in that. Every time I get the opportunity, I try to put out there what I’ve been working on while I’ve been away. Sometimes you have to take a back seat, and sometimes you’re thrust in the front.”New Zealand’s incredible discipline on the field, and subsequent success, has roots in the culture that the team has bought into over the last few years.”It was probably six or seven years ago, the leadership group sat down and thought we want to play a brand of cricket that was true to us as Kiwis,” New Zealand’s stand-in captain Tom Latham said. “Something that we could hold our head on. The change came around that World Cup time in 2015. To try and enjoy cricket, enjoy each other’s company. That’s something we hold true to this group.”Patel also alluded to that culture as an influential reason in New Zealand’s recent success. “The culture around this team is very good. Everyone is quite positive, there is no negativity, and that breeds so much success we have. Everyone backs everyone, it doesn’t matter which XI is playing. Everyone has been putting in a 100% and it was from the guys that weren’t playing to the guys that were in the playing XI.”I was carrying drinks last week, there was a different group carrying drinks this week. We had a lot of seniors players carrying drinks and they still did the job for the team and I think that shows our team culture and how we go about our cricket, and what it really means to be a part of this team for everyone. There’s no ranks in here and everyone does what they need to which is a great environment to be in.”Even though the Ageas Bowl in Southampton favours spin as the match progresses, New Zealand will probably have to choose between Mitchell Santner and Patel for the WTC final. “We have some good conversations about spin, a lot of in-depth analysis and tactics that we can use while we’re out there. We have a good healthy competition but at the same time, we work well together as well. Competition is always good, we’re growing together,” he said.”I’ve done my part, my preparation. Now it’s up to the selectors. My foundation of faith allows me to be at peace with whatever happens. For me, it’s about preparing and whatever happens from there, happens from there. I wouldn’t want to be a selector right now because there are some pretty tough decisions. It has been highlighted in the last couple of games how much depth we really have.”Patel took four wickets at Edgbaston, while also performing the role of a holding spinner. He bowled eight maidens in 23 overs with an economy rate of well under three in both innings, and chipped in with the bat as well in the first innings with 20 useful runs at No. 10 which helped New Zealand in taking an 85-run lead.”I tried to make use of whatever was out there. Being able to bat, that was fun. Mark Wood bowling some serious pace, trying to take your block off isn’t the most amusing. It’s something I’ve been working on, it was nice to showcase that. But also doing a job in the second innings where conditions start favouring you a bit more.”

Wayne Rooney has got his Plymouth players training harder after a run of one win in 11 that leaves the Pilgrims fighting Championship relegation.

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• Plymouth sit 23rd in Championship
• Rooney under increasing pressure
• Pilgrims host Middlesbrough next

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It's been a hugely disappointing season for Rooney on his return to management with Plymouth. The Home Park outfit are 23rd in the Championship, having lost each of their past four games – a run in which they've conceded 14 goals.

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  Rooney is not only fighting to keep Plymouth up but also to save his reputation as a manager, having failed in his previous stint with Birmingham. The Pilgrims face a hectic festive period, with four games in 12 days, but he believes now is the time to up the intensity of training in a bid to improve Plymouth's fortunes and potentially save his job.

• WHAT ROONEY SAID

  "We've actually stepped the training up to train harder," the Manchester United legend told BBC Radio Devon. "I feel it's really important from now until mid-January that we step the training up because that gives your body a resilience to try and prevent injuries.

  "We're trying different things to make sure we get the players in the right condition to get through the next three weeks."

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• TELL ME MORE

  "I spoke to the players and I feel it's something we need to step up," Rooney added. "Yesterday we trained a lot harder then we normally would on that day because this time next week we'll be playing a game.

  "We have to get our players' bodies into a shape and routine that they're ready for that hit every three or four days going up towards mid-January really, to give them that almost mini pre-season to get them through to the end of the season."

Glasgow Rangers summer transfer activity has yet to appease the supporters as Philippe Clement has failed to really build a squad capable of challenging for the title.

Players such as Connor Barron and Mohamed Diomande, who both joined permanently this summer, look like superb signings, but aside from that, it feels fairly underwhelming to say the least.

Failing to qualify for the Champions League group phase will impact what money Clement will have to spend between now and the end of the month, but it won’t be much.

Unless a few players are sold sooner rather than later, the Ibrox side may not be able to make another permanent transfer, with Clement having to rely on the squad he currently has.

Several players appear to have no future at the club, with Todd Cantwell one who could be on his way out.

Todd Cantwell’s future is still unclear

Following a semi-decent season in 2023/24 which saw the former Norwich City midfielder score eight goals and grab seven assists in 44 matches, it looked as though Cantwell could emerge as a key player this term under Clement.

The duo took a while to build a positive rapport, yet as the season progressed, the 26-year-old began to play in his favoured number ten role and began to truly showcase his talents.

Metric

2022/23

2023/24

Goals

6

7

Assists

4

5

Big chances created

5

7

Key passes per game

1.3

1.7

Successful dribbles per game

1.5

1.2

Shots on target per game

0.6

0.7

Via Sofascore

An injury towards the end of the season disrupted his progress, but with a solid pre-season behind him, it looked as though he could impress from the word go.

That was until Clement spoke to the media following a friendly defeat to Birmingham City last month, bringing up Cantwell and his future, saying: “Todd Cantwell came to my office a while ago. We have a really good relationship and we talked a long time about that. He came a while ago to say he feels ready for another adventure, that he wants another challenge.

“I wanted to give him time also, so that’s why the last couple of weeks I didn’t speak about it. But he came back with the same request.”

After four games of the current season, Cantwell has not been involved in any squad so far, clearly suggesting his time at Ibrox could well and truly be over, just 18 months after he joined.

Given how short Clement is for attacking midfielders, it would be a real shame to sell him, but if the player can command a solid fee, it could help with new signings.

He might not be the only player who could leave, as a Giovanni Van Bronckhorst signing from 2022 might be on his way out of Ibrox…

Rabbi Matondo is attracting interest

According to Football Scotland, Rabbi Matondo is a player who is attracting some attention as the transfer window draws to a close.

Indeed, Leeds United appear to be keen on making a move for the Welsh winger before the end of the month, either on a permanent deal or a loan with an option to buy clause inserted.

With Clement keen to secure some funds between now and the window closing, Matondo must be sold this summer, especially if the price is right.

The winger currently earns £23k-per-week at the Light Blues, which is even more than Cantwell, who is currently taking home around £22k-per-week. With just three substitute appearances between them this term, the Belgian is clearly keen for both to depart in order to raise some much-needed funds.

Despite Matondo arriving in Glasgow with a wealth of talent at his disposal, it hasn’t quite worked out for the former Schalke starlet during his time in Scotland.

Rabbi Matondo’s Rangers statistics

Following a season where the club won the Scottish Cup and reached the Europa League final, Van Bronckhorst was determined to bolster his side in the summer of 2022 ahead of the new campaign.

The likes of Antonio Colak, Ridvan Yilmaz, and Tom Lawrence all signed that summer, but it was a deal for winger Matondo which looked like one of the most exciting.

He would certainly add plenty of pace to the attack, while he clearly had a keen eye for goal, having scored ten goals for Cercle Brugge during the 2021/22 season.

Unfortunately, his maiden campaign was a poor one, disrupted by injuries and lack of form, which saw the player make only 28 appearances in all competitions, registering five assists.

It looked as though Michael Beale was ready to move him on last summer, but a solid pre-season gave him some confidence, and he scored his first ever goal for the Light Blues against PSV Eindhoven in a Champions League qualifier at Ibrox. Perhaps he had a future after all.

Indeed, it wasn’t a bad season at all. Considering he started just 12 games all campaign, Matondo netted six times while chipping in with four assists.

His memorable goal against Celtic during the 3-3 draw at Ibrox was voted as the goal of the season by PFA Scotland, showing Matondo at his very best.

After just three brief appearances from the bench so far this term, it is now the right time for the Gers to ruthlessly cash in on the liability to free up funds to further bolster the squad.

There is no doubting his qualities, especially when he is running against tired legs, but his consistency was a problem last term, and this is something which Clement needs to improve upon for this season.

It will be interesting to see just how much the Light Blues will demand for the winger, given that he still has two years left on his current contract at Ibrox.

If a deal could get done quickly, it should give the Belgian coach time to bring in another wide option to replace Matondo.

With Cantwell close to leaving, the Welshman could soon be the next figure close to the exit door at the Gers, as Clement aims to cash in during the final few weeks of the window.

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ByRoss Kilvington Aug 16, 2024

Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls ensured the target was knocked off with ease

Andrew McGlashan19-Mar-2021New Zealand laid down an impressive marker on their return to ODI cricket for the first time in a year with a thumping victory over a disappointing Bangladesh. Trent Boult top and tailed the wicket-taking as the visitors’ batting was overwhelmed on a surface offering bounce then Martin Guptill briefly peppered the grass banks as the target was hunted down with more than 28 overs overs to spare.Only Madmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim passed 20 for Bangladesh as the line-up was challenged by the University Oval surface which was exploited perfectly by New Zealand after they bowled first. In a sign of the hold they had with the ball, there were only eight boundaries (along with three sixes) as they bundled the opposition out with eight overs remaining when Boult claimed the last two wickets in three balls. Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner claimed a tidy brace each.Guptill picked up his T20 form from the series against Australia, sending seven of his 19 deliveries to the boundary, including four for six, in an opening stand of 54 in 5.3 overs. His fun was ended when he had a huge swing at Taskin Ahmed, who bowled with good pace, and edged behind although Guptill wasn’t sure and used up a review.With no scoreboard pressure Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway, the latter of three New Zealand debutants, went along at a leisurely pace. Conway departed with a handful of runs needed, picking out deep square leg, but it allowed fellow debutant Will Young a brief stay at the crease and his consecutive boundaries wrapped up victory, leaving Nicholls one short of his fifty.This was New Zealand’s first ODI since their aborted tour of Australia last March and just their fourth since the 2019 World Cup final. For the first time since 2012 they handed out three new caps in the same game with allrounder Daryl Mitchell joining Conway and Young. Mitchell wasn’t needed with bat or ball and his one chance to get on the scoreboard was spurned when he was distracted by Tom Latham diving across him as Matt Henry found the edge of Liton Das in the sixth over. It was New Zealand’s only error of the innings.The opening scoring shot of the game was a six as Tamim Iqbal upper cut Boult over backward point, but the contest was soon won by the left-armer with a classic set-up: after twice beating Iqbal with late away swing he made one hold its line which thundered into Iqbal’s pads to earn the lbw. Three balls later and Boult had his second when Soumya Sarkar played a poor stroke against a shorter delivery, popping a catch into the off side.Das shaped up well in challenging conditions as he tried to commit either fully forward or fully back, but his hard work was undone when he got a leading edge to mid-on in Neesham’s opening over.The scoring rate rarely got above three an over against a relentless New Zealand attack. Kyle Jamieson, who struggled in the T20I series against Australia, went wicketless but at times Bangladesh could barely lay a bat on him as he gained troublesome bounce from a reasonably full length.Rahim played solidly to try and give his team some chance of building a foundation but became Neesham’s second wicket when he was cramped for room playing a cut and found gully. That was the first of three wickets to fall for nine runs in six overs.Bangladesh’s woes were compounded when Mohammad Mithun was run out backing up after a firm straight drive from Mahmudullah flicked the finger of Neesham into the non-striker’s stumps. Mehidy Hasan then moved too far across his crease against Santner and had his leg stump tickled.Debutant Mahedi Hasan marked the occasion when his first scoring stroke in ODIs was a huge 94-metre six over long-off but an attempt to repeat it four overs later offered a catch to mid-on leaving Bangladesh seven down with 18 overs remaining.Madmudullah and Ahmed formed a 10-over stand although large parts of it was purely survival before Madmudullah, attempting to inject some impetus, picked out midwicket where Santner timed his leap perfectly. Boult did the rest.

Wrexham have reportedly been offered “a dozen to 20” players ahead of the January window, with it possible that an “international striker” will join.

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Red Dragons in the market for goalscorerHollywood co-owners making funds availableAmbition makes it easy to attract talentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons have made it known that they are in the market for more firepower. With Jack Marriott and Steven Fletcher nursing knocks, while Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is only working on a short-term contract, Phil Parkinson is looking to land another proven goalscorer.

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He has the likes of Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer at his disposal, with record signing Mo Faal waiting in the wings, but greater depth is being sought at SToK Racecourse. Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are prepared to make funds available at the start of 2025.

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Club director Shaun Harvey said at a recent Kick4life charity event in New York: “Rob and Ryan have always supported Phil’s ambition. We will be active in the transfer market during January, because we’re in a position of strength.”

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With that in mind, reports that a number of players have already been offered to the Welsh outfit. A lot of those “want to sign” and the club’s “pulling power” means that ambitious chairmen “could dip into the foreign market to sign an international striker”.