O Fluminense segue imparável no Campeonato Carioca feminino. Na tarde deste domingo, o Tricolor goleou a Cabofriense por 6 a 0 em partida válida pela 4ª rodada da Taça Guanabara, a primeira fase da competição, em Xerém. Ronaldinha e Bia fizeram dois gols cada, enquanto Jessica Bahia e um tento contra completaram o placar.
Foi a quarta goleada do Fluminense em quatro jogos disputados. Consequentemente, o clube das Laranjeiras chegou a 12 pontos. A questão é que todos os outros três grandes do Rio – Botafogo, Flamengo e Vasco – também venceram as quatro primeiras e ficam à frente do Tricolor pelo saldo de gols.
O Tricolor construiu a goleada ainda no primeiro tempo, indo para o intervalo com 4 a 0 de vantagem no placar. Na etapa complementar, o Fluminense baixou o ritmo, mas suficiente para aumentar os dígitos e confirmar uma importante vitória.
Na 4ª colocação, o Fluminense já retorna aos gramados na próxima quarta-feira às 15h nas Laranjeiras para enfrentar o Serra Macaense, que ainda não venceu no torneio estadual.
Sporting CP have confirmed that Manchester United want to pay Ruben Amorim's €10m (£8m/$11m) release clause to appoint him as their new manager.
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Amorim poised to replace Erik ten HagDutchman sacked earlier this weekSporting issue statementFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
Sporting CP have issued a statement confirming that United will pay the €10m release clause in Amorim's contract as they bid to appoint him as the replacement for the sacked Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman was relieved of his duties earlier this week and the club have moved quickly as they attempt to secure a successor.
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Sporting's statement read: "Manchester United FC expressed an interest in hiring coach Rúben Amorim, with the Board of Directors of Sporting SAD referring to the terms and conditions set out in the employment contract in force between the Company and the coach, specifically the respective termination clause and the amount of Euro 10,000,000.00; 2. Manchester United FC expressed an interest in paying Sporting SAD the amount of the aforementioned clause."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
United are hoping to finalise the appointment of Amorim ahead of Sunday's Premier League showdown with high-flying Chelsea at Old Trafford. Ruud van Nistelrooy will take interim charge of their Carabao Cup tie against Leicester on Wednesday.
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WHAT NEXT FOR AMORIM?
Though he was tight-lipped when previously asked about the United job, Amorim is expected to provide a clearer update on his future after Sporting's League Cup quarter-final with Nacional on Tuesday night.
Everton will want to build on their 15th-placed finish in the Premier League next season, with the club needing to dip into the market to improve Sean Dyche’s squad.
The Toffees produced a great end to the campaign, winning five of the last eight matches to secure another season of top-flight football, despite receiving a total of eight points deducted during the 2023/24 campaign.
However, the club’s biggest issue on the field was highlighted, with the lack of goals evident during the 38 outings in the Premier League.
Dyche’s side only managed to score two or more goals in a game on ten occasions, accumulating a tally of just 40 goals – an average of just 1.05 goals per game, the second-lowest in the division narrowly ahead of relegated Sheffield United.
Only two players within the squad managed to score more than five goals, with £25m signing Beto failing to reach such heights following his big-money move to Goodison from Udinese last summer.
However, the Merseysiders are already targeting attacking alternatives ahead of the summer window, including one player who could prove to be excellent value for money following his impressive stint in England during 2023/24.
Everton interested in signing £8m talent this summer
According to Sport BILD via Sport Witness, Everton are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing TSG Hoffenheim forward Jacob Braun Larsen this summer.
The Danish talent scored six times during his loan spell at Burnley last season, finishing as the Clarets’ top scorer in a campaign where they suffered an immediate return to the Championship.
The Toffees aren’t alone in the pursuit of the 25-year-old, with Julen Lopetegui’s side also interested in bringing Bruun Larsen back to England ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Unlike his move to Turf Moor, a deal for the former Borussia Dortmund man is likely to be a permanent one, with the report claiming he’s on the German club’s ’cut list’ and could be available for as little as €10m (£8m).
He would certainly be a shrewd addition to Dyche’s side, transforming his attacking and finally allowing the Toffees’ boss to forget about one player who failed to shine on Merseyside.
Why Bruun Larsen would be an upgrade on Jack Harrison
Jack Harrison spent the previous campaign on loan at Goodison from Leeds United after the Whites dropped back into England’s second tier after three years back in the top flight.
The 27-year-old Englishman featured 29 times for the Toffees in the Premier League, scoring just three goals in an all-round disappointing season for the forward.
However, after Daniel Farke’s side failed to claim promotion in the play-off final a couple of weeks ago, it was reported that the Toffees would look to re-sign the wideman on loan for next season.
Given his lack of impact and the availability of Bruun Larsen, Dyche’s side simply must forget about a reunion, with the Danish attacker producing high tallies in the vast majority of areas last term, proving why his former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre claimed that he "has the nose [for scoring opportunities]".
How Bruun Larsen and Harrison compare in 23/24
Statistics
Bruun Larsen
Harrison
Games
32
29
Goals + Assists
6
6
Shots per 90
3.1
1.4
Percentage of shots on target
33%
27%
Pass accuracy
72%
65%
Goals per 90
0.4
0.1
Stats via FBref
When comparing the duo on FBref, they both have produced the same amount of goals and assists combined, but the former Burnley loanee has a higher goal per 90 average – a real key for Dyche’s side given their recent lack of goals.
Bruun Larsen also averages more shots per 90, whilst putting 6% more of his efforts on target, potentially having the ability to transform the Toffees’ dire record in front of goal.
The “superb” forward, as dubbed by ScoutedFTBL, has impressed in the Premier League and with the quality in the Everton ranks, he could be able to thrive once more, with the £8m fee touted a bargain for a player of his talent.
Everton can forget about Broja by signing £40m "goal machine"
The club have been targeting reinforcements for their attacking department this summer.
Manchester United ended the 2023/24 season in perfect fashion, with a historic FA Cup final triumph over Mancunian rivals Manchester City. It was their famous academy which ultimately decided the game, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, both Carrington graduates, scoring the goals which won the Red Devils their 13th FA Cup.
Outside of that impressive triumph, last campaign was quite bleak overall for United. The Old Trafford side did manage to qualify for European football, but through their FA Cup triumph rather than accomplishments in the Premier League; their eighth-place finish was initially not enough to secure them continental qualification.
There are still question marks over Erik ten Hag’s future as manager, too. As per Tyrone Marshall of the Manchester Evening News, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team are still conducting their end-of-season review surrounding the Dutchman’s performances across the 2023/24 season. Those in charge of making the final call want to 'make sure it is a considered decision'.
Unsurprisingly, this has stalled United’s summer transfer business somewhat. Moves for the likes of Michael Olise are not progressing as they would have hoped. However, there is one player United are targeting who could be a relatively easy deal to complete.
Man Utd target Ligue 1 defender
The player in question here is OGC Nice and French defender Jean-Clair Todibo. The 24-year-old France international is thought to be a target for the Red Devils and could leave INEOS-owned Nice to join another of their clubs, the newest acquisition United.
According to a report from L’Equipe, United are one of several clubs interested in signing Todibo this summer. The Frenchman is valued at around €25m (£21m), which is considerably less than the £55m that the French side wanted for Todibo in January.
Nice centre-back Jean-Claire Todibo.
United will have to beat off interest from four other clubs in the summer if they wish to sign Todibo. Firstly, two English clubs are interested in the 24-year-old, namely Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur. The report suggests that Italian side Napoli and Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid are also considering testing the waters for Todibo.
Given United and Nice’s co-ownership, it might make the deal easier for the Red Devils to get over the line. However, the amount of competition makes it more complicated, and not a guarantee that United bring Todibo in this summer.
Why Todibo would be a good signing
Todibo was a key player for Nice last term, featuring 33 times in all competitions, with 30 of those games coming in Ligue 1. The 24-year-old helped to keep 15 out of Nice’s 17 clean sheets in the French top flight, which were the most in the division.
If there is one aspect of Todibo’s game that stands out, it is his work when in possession of the ball. Football analyst H described Todibo on X as a “top technician” who is “unbelievably calm in possession”.
This certainly reflects when looking at his Fbref stats. The Frenchman averages 5.09 progressive passes per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe. Not only that, he averages 75.64 passes completed per 90, which ranks him in the top 6%.
The 24-year-old, who has two caps for France, is also a confident ball-carrier. He averages 76.28 carries per 90, and 1.09 progressive carries per 90. This places him in the top 2% of centre-backs and the top 17% of centre-backs across Europe respectively. Furthermore, Todibo’s 0.92 attempted take-ons per 90, and subsequent 0.54 successful take-ons per 90, rank him in the top 6% and the top 4% respectively amongst centre-backs in Europe. He oozes confidence on the ball, as his stats reflect.
Defensively, the 24-year-old is a good dueller. He averages 1.97 tackles won per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 17% of centre-backs. Whilst this isn’t necessarily the best metric to measure centre-backs with, it still shows he is confident when making a tackle or competing for a duel. This is further proven by the 3.26 combined tackles and interceptions that Todibo averages per 90, something which ranks him in the top 19% of centre-backs.
One of Todibo’s biggest strengths as a defender is ball recoveries. He is a quick defender, capable of defending wide areas well, and this is demonstrated in his very impressive ball recovery numbers. On average, the Frenchman wins 7.20 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 3% among centre-backs.
Jean-Clair Todibo
Statistically, his weakest area defensively comes in the air. Standing at 6 foot 2, this may come as a surprise to some, yet, Todibo’s aerial duel win rate is surprisingly poor. He wins just 1.32 aerial duels per 90 on average, which ranks him in the 13th percentile.
This may not pair well with United’s first-choice left-centre-back Lisandro Martinez, who Todibo would surely partner. As per Fbref, the Argentine averaged just 1.36 aerial duels won in the 2022/23 Premier League season, which ranks him in just the 7th percentile.
However, it could still be a complimentary duo. Martinez is a fantastic defender and in 2022/23, averaged 6.98 ball recoveries per 90, 2.17 blocks per 90 and 3.70 combined tackles and interceptions per 90. This placed him in the top 9%, 6% and 14% respectively amongst Premier League centre-backs.
Stat (per 90)
Todibo
Martinez
Ball recoveries
7.20
6.98
Tackles and interceptions
1.97
3.70
The World Cup winner is also a superb progressive passer. He averaged 0.3 through balls per 90 in the 2022/23 campaign, which ranked him in the top 1% of centrebacks. His line-breaking passes have been crucial for United, as shown in the stats.
With Martinez’s supreme progressive passing and Todibo’s impressive carrying skills, it could be a defensive pairing that suits United well. Their deficiencies in the air could be an issue, but the Red Devils could hope to mask that with tall midfielders such as Scott McTominay.
If this is a deal United can get over the line, they could be looking at their centre-back pairing for the next seven years in Todibo and Martinez. For a fee of just £21m, it could prove to be a superb piece of business from INEOS.
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The Man Utd target netted 16 goals in his league last season.
Ambati Rayudu has a minor hamstring niggle, which will likely keep him out of the Chennai Super Kings’ third match of IPL 2020, against the Delhi Capitals on Friday in Dubai. However, ESPNcricinfo understands that the Super Kings are optimistic about Rayudu and allrounder Dwayne Bravo, who has a knee injury, being available for their fourth match, which will be on October 2 in Dubai against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.Rayudu, who was shunned by national selectors for the World Cup and subsequently retired from international cricket, announced his form and intent with a match-winning 71 in the tournament opener against the Mumbai Indians. However, he was absent from the Super Kings XI on Wednesday, in the defeat against the Rajasthan Royals. At the toss before the second game, the Super Kings captain MS Dhoni only said that Rayudu was “not 100%”.It is understood that Rayudu picked a minor niggle in his right hamstring in the Mumbai match and has been rested as a precautionary measure for at least two matches.As for Bravo, who arrived with a knee injury from the CPL, he has recovered sufficiently. However, the team management had already decided that Bravo would be available to play from the Super Kings’ fourth match, with Sam Curran performing the overseas allrounder’s job well for the moment.The Super Kings are the only team to play three matches in the first week of the IPL, which shifted to the UAE as India grappled – and continues to deal – with the Covid-19 pandemic.They have also been hit by a series of incidents since landing in Dubai on August 21. First up, 13 members of their contingent tested Covid-19 positive, including two players – Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad. While Chahar recovered soon after and has played both the team’s matches, Gaikwad played his first match on Wednesday as Rayudu’s replacement.The Super Kings, the three-time winners who were runners-up in 2019, are also without two of their most senior Indian players in Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who both opted out for personal reasons.
With the summer window just around the corner, Sean Dyche potentially faces his toughest task as Everton manager, with the next couple of months playing a huge part in the club’s ever-present Premier League status.
Outgoings are needed if the Toffees are to comply with the Premier League’s PSR rules ahead of the June 30th deadline, which could result in yet another points deduction should they be in breach of the losses permitted.
Everton boss Sean Dyche
Jarrad Branthwaite is undoubtedly the most likely player to depart Goodison Park, unsurprising given his form for the Toffees that saw him claim the club’s Young Player of the Season award for the 2023/24 campaign.
Amadou Onana is another player who has been linked with a move away from Merseyside, with Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham United side previously touted with a move for the Belgian international midfielder.
Everton's home stadium, Goodison Park.
With the prospect of any potential outgoings from Goodison this summer, Dyche will have the job of piecing together a squad capable of securing top-flight safety once again, but on a limited budget to prevent further punishments.
His side have already been credited with an interest in one player, who’s previously showcased his talents but has struggled for any form over the last 12 months.
Everton interested in signing one-time £45m talent
According to Sky Sports, Everton are interested in signing Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
The 28-year-old joined Pep Guardiola’s side for £45m during the summer of 2022, but his stock has fallen rapidly in recent months, following a disappointing loan spell at the London Stadium that saw him feature just eight times for the Hammers, which also included a red card against Nottingham Forest.
Kalvin Phillips' stats at West Ham in PL 2023/24
Statistics
Tally
Games
8
Goals
0
Assists
0
Minutes played
307
Yellow cards
1
Red cards
1
Average rating
6.10
Stats via FotMob
He may not appear to be the player he was upon his move to the Etihad, but one thing is for sure, and that is that he’s desperately lacking confidence, with Dyche potentially one of the best managers to rediscover his previous form.
The Yorkshire-born talent has failed to be named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for the upcoming European Championships, with Phillips able to have the whole summer to reset before any potential move to Goodison.
Should he make the move, he would follow in the footsteps of one player who thrived during his time on Merseyside after a disappointing spell elsewhere in the Premier League.
Why Phillips could be Everton’s next Gareth Barry
Back in 2013, Everton signed midfielder Gareth Barry on loan from Manchester City, after the experienced midfielder fell down the pecking order following the heavy investment at the Etihad.
He eventually joined the Toffees on a permanent basis the following campaign, going on to make 118 appearances for the club – cementing himself as a fan-favourite amongst the fanbase, while being hailed as "one of the best English players ever" by then-boss, Roberto Martinez.
That praise was also backed up by Martinez's assistant, Graeme Jones, who said of the midfielder: “Gareth Barry was our most important piece of business. He was the brain of the team".
11 years later, the club are presented with the same opportunity for Phillips, with Dyche’s side needing to take a gamble on a player who has previously showcased his talents in the Premier League.
The “absolute beast”, as described by former footballer Nigel De Jong, would hugely benefit from the loyal support from the Everton faithful and consistent game time under Dyche – potentially allowing him to return to his previous performance levels as demonstrated by Idrissa Gueye this season, with the midfielder posting his best ever goalscoring campaign.
Kalvin Phillips for West Ham
It’s understandable that some supporters may be against the signing of the 28-year-old, but given their current financial situation, it could prove to be a shrewd move to sign a player of his calibre.
An England international, like Barry, he’s won 31 caps for his nation over the last four years and had multiple years playing in the top flight – providing valuable experience to a squad that could be faced with another relegation battle in 2024/25.
Phillips hasn’t turned into a bad player overnight, but he needs a fresh start to reignite his career, with Goodison potentially the perfect move for him to get back on the right track after a disappointing 12 months.
Everton struck gold on "top-class" signing who's worth more than Phillips
He’s catapulted himself into a key player under Sean Dyche this season.
Liverpool are looking to beat Manchester United to a summer transfer signing that could cost them more than £50m.
Liverpool transfer rumours
The 2024 summer transfer window is expected to be a crucial one for Liverpool and new manager Arne Slot. The Dutchman will no doubt be keen to put his own stamp on a squad that has been moulded over nine years by Jurgen Klopp.
Slot will have to make some big decisions on the outings front, with Darwin Nunez's future reportedly up in the air. But it is the incomings that will likely prove key to the Reds' success in the forthcoming season as they look to push for the Premier League title once again after faltering late on last term.
Liverpool are hoping to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko this summer, who has been valued at £43m by the Dutch Eredivisie champions. The Reds are also thought to be leading the race for Atalanta's Teun Koopmeiners, with Chelsea and Juventus also in the mix for the Dutchman, who has been valued at €60m (£52m) by the recently crowned Europa League champions.
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Elsewhere, Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for Brajan Gruda, who could cost as much as €20m (£17m) to lure away from Mainz 05 this summer, while a few names from Arne Slot's past could find their way to England in the near future. Former Feyenoord captain Orkun Kokcu and current Feyenoord shot-stopper Justin Bijlow have both been tipped to make the move to Anfield.
Liverpool enter race to beat Man Utd to sign £50m+ ace
Now, as per journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Liverpool have joined Real Madrid and Manchester United in the race for Lille centre-back Leny Yoro.
It has previously been reported that the youngster will depart Lille this summer despite their qualification for European football, and could cost anywhere between £50-85m, even though the stopper is about to enter the final 12 months of his current contract.
Man Utd transfer target Leny Yoro in Ligue 1 action for Lille.
Despite only being 18 years of age, Yoro has already racked up 60 appearances for Lille's senior side, including 44 in 2023/24. His ability to shine at a top level at such a young age has earned the Frenchman comparisons to the likes of William Saliba.
"At Marseille, I knew Boubacar Kamara, at Saint-Etienne, William Saliba and Wesley Fofana, and now there's Leny Yoro," said Lille teammate Remy Cabella. "He has all the qualities and potential to do something huge. He's very humble, and that's another of his strengths."
Moreover, manager Paulo Fonseca has also praised the defender, with his comments suggesting that he has a mentality that belies his tender years.
He said: "To me, the players don’t have age, they have quality. Because here we don’t have the possibility to buy very expensive players, we find a way to make the young players grow.
"I believe Leny [Yoro] in the next year will be at one of the best clubs in Europe. He started here at 16 with us. He is very ambitious, but very disciplined. He grew a lot but he is a kid with a big maturity, with big quality.
"I have no doubt in modern football he will be one of the best central defenders in the world."
No outfield player featured for more minutes than Yoro in last season's Ligue 1 campaign, highlighting the trust that the manager has in his player. Therefore, perhaps this is why the price tag is so high despite Yoro's contract situation.
South Africa’s limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka, which was scheduled for the first half of June, has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The teams were set to play three ODIs and three T20Is during the tour, with results from the former counting towards points in the ICC’s new one-day league.”It is very sad that we have been forced to take this step and we will re-schedule the tour as soon as cricket returns to a sense of normality and our international fixture list allows,” Cricket South Africa acting chief executive Jacques Faul said in a statement.”Our Proteas would not have been able to prepare properly taking our own lockdown situation into account and, more importantly, health considerations for our players, which are always paramount, were the over-riding factor.”Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, had also earlier indicated that players would need six weeks of preparation time before embarking on a tour, given the ongoing global lockdowns.South Africa’s next assignment is a two-Test, five T20I tour to West Indies in July-August. A decision on that tour is expected mid-May.The inaugural ODI league was due to run from May 2020 to March 2022, featuring the 12 Test-playing teams and Netherlands – the 13th ranked ODI side, which qualified for the league from the World Cricket League Championship. The top eight sides from the league will qualify automatically for the 2023 World Cup.”[This series] would have been a particularly important tour for us with the three ODIs counting for the new ICC one-day league and the T20 programme being part of our preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for Australia later this year,” Faul said. “It is very frustrating for the players who want to build on the good form they showed at the back-end of our home summer against Australia.”This is the second one-day series with ODI league points at stake to be postponed, after Ireland v Bangladesh. The ICC is yet to officially comment on how the schedule will be rejigged to accommodate series that are part of the ODI league and the Test Championship, but more is expected on this following high-level meetings on Thursday.Two series that count towards the Test Championship – Sri Lanka v England and Bangladesh v Australia – have also been postponed due to the pandemic. The men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November, another tournament that is in doubt in current circumstances.
Andy Flower has been named as St Lucia Zouks’ new head coach for the 2020 CPL season.The Zouks were sold to KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited, the owners of Kings XI Punjab, last month, and Flower was named as Kings XI’s new assistant coach on Saturday.ALSO READ: St Lucia Zouks sold to Kings XI Punjab ownersThe appointment mirrors the one made by Red Chillies Entertainment in 2019, who named Brendon McCullum as Trinbago Knight Riders’ head coach and Kolkata Knight Riders’ assistant coach. McCullum was later announced as KKR’s head coach, after the franchise decided he merited the top job.Flower coached England from 2009 until 2014, and stayed at the ECB until October last year as ‘technical director of elite cricket’. He stepped down from that position in 2019, and coached Maratha Arabians to the Abu Dhabi T10 title in his first role since his departure. He is currently coaching Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League, who are top of the table with five wins from seven games.James Foster coached St Lucia last season, and Brad Hodge held the role in 2018. The franchise last reach the knockout stages of the CPL in 2016.”I am excited to lead and coach this team,” Flower said, according to a press release. “I am a fan of the Caribbean Premier League and would love to be the coach to be associated with the team to bring victory home to the fans in St. Lucia.”Satish Menon, Kings XI Punjab’s CEO, said: “I am delighted to have some one of the caliber and eminence of Andy Flower; we sure look forward to a great season ahead. [sic]”
Glasgow Rangers have five remaining matches left to turn their season around and secure the Scottish Premiership title at Ibrox ahead of their rivals.
The Light Blues are currently three points off the top of the table and the Glasgow-based outfit still have a trip to the team top of the division to come in their last five games.
Philippe Clement's side have slipped up over the last three league games, with two draws and one defeat, and could point to a lack of a goal threat in their most recent 0-0 draw with Dundee.
Rangers have scored 72 goals in the Premiership so far this season, which is eight fewer than Celtic, and this could result in the Belgian boss and Head of Recruitment Nils Koppen looking to dip into the market to add more firepower to the attack later this year.
The upcoming summer transfer window will provide the Gers pair with an opportunity to bring in fresh talent, and they have already been linked with an impressive attack-minded midfielder.
Rangers interested in £13m maestro
It was recently reported that Rangers are one of the teams interested in a summer swoop to sign Krasnodar's mercurial playmaker Eduard Spertsyan.
HITC's Graeme Bailey claimed that the Light Blues have been made aware of his potential availability ahead of the summer transfer window, and they are tracking his progress.
Rivals Celtic were also said to be keen on the Armenia international and could, therefore, provide Clement's side with competition for his services.
However, the biggest stumbling block on the track is that HITC reported that a move to the Netherlands, or somewhere else in mainland Europe, is more likely for Spertsyan at this moment in time.
Eduard Spertsyan
It was stated that Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord are all eyeing up the talented attacking midfielder, and they seemingly have the edge over Rangers and Celtic in the race for his signature.
Earlier this season, the player himself claimed that the president of Krasnodar values him at €15m (£13m), although it remains to be seen whether or not that is the exact current valuation over his head.
It also remains to be seen whether or not Rangers or Celtic are prepared to go as high as £13m to secure his services this summer, particularly as they will also have to battle it out with several Dutch clubs, which could drive the price up further if an auction is created for his signature.
If the Gers can get a deal over the line for the Premier Liga star, though, then Clement could land a massive upgrade on current attacking midfielder Tom Lawrence.
Tom Lawrence's struggles at Rangers
Signed on a free transfer from Derby County in the summer of 2022, the Welsh attacker has struggled to provide consistency, in terms of both his availability and his performance levels when fit.
Since the start of last season, the 30-year-old whiz has missed a staggering 56 competitive matches for club and country, with an Achilles and a muscle injury.
Meanwhile, Lawrence has only made 38 appearances for Rangers in all competitions during that period, which shows that the former Championship star has been absent for more games than he has played.
23/24 Premiership
Tom Lawrence
Appearances
20
Goals
1
Assists
3
Big chances created
4
Dribbles completed per game
0.6
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the experienced midfielder has not provided consistent quality at the top end of the pitch as a number ten for Clement, with one goal contribution every five games on average.
He had scored 11 and ten goals respectively in his last two Championship seasons for Derby before his move to Rangers, yet has only managed three goals in 25 league matches for the Gers since the start of last term.
Tom Lawrence
These statistics show that Lawrence has not been an impressive performer for the Scottish giants, with his injury issues seemingly taking a toll on his displays, and that is why Clement should now look to land an upgrade on him this summer.
At the age of 30, there may not be much development left in the Wales international and signing a younger, better, alternative could be the way to go for the Light Blues ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Why Rangers should sign Eduard Spertsyan
The Ibrox side must swoop to sign the Krasnodar star, if a deal is financially viable, as he has the quality to be a massive upgrade on Lawrence in a number eight or ten position.
Spertsyan, who Ajax director Sven Mislintat lauded as "special" last year, has the ability to score and create goals on a regular basis when at his best, after an incredible 2022/23 campaign for the Russian side.
Last season, the 23-year-old gem racked up ten goals, 11 assists, and eight 'big chances' created in 28 league games in the Premier Liga, which speaks to the impact he can make in the final third.
23/24 season
Eduard Spertsyan (Premier Liga)
Tom Lawrence (Premiership)
Appearances
23
20
Goals
9
1
Assists
2
3
Big chances created
2
4
Dribbles completed per game
1.0
0.6
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Armenian star has also been directly involved in seven more league goals for his team in only three more appearances.
Since the start of last season, the £13m-rated ace has scored or assisted 32 goals in 51 league matches for Krasnodar, which is a goal contribution every 1.52 games on average.
Lawrence, meanwhile, has been directly involved in eight goals (three goals, five assists) in 25 Premiership outings for Rangers, which is one every 3.12 clashes on average.
These statistics suggest that the Gers target has the potential to be a massive upgrade on the Welshman in the middle of the park, as he could score and create goals far more frequently.
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ByBen Browning Apr 23, 2024
The Armenia international has also only missed four games through injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which also suggests that he would be a significant upgrade from an availability perspective, as the young star rarely misses matches.
This means that Spertsyan could be far more reliable over the course of a season, due to his durability, whilst also offering more quality on the pitch than Lawrence when fit.
Therefore, Clement and Koppen must now work hard to swoop in for the Krasnodar star and win the race for his signature ahead of Celtic and the Dutch sides over the months to come.