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.

Rangers can finally replace Davis in swoop for "gifted" £5m starlet

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in signing the talented young midfielder.

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 16, 2024

أعلن نادي ميلان الإيطالي، رحيل لاعبه الدولي الجزائري، إسماعيل بن ناصر إلى مارسيليا الفرنسي، خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية.

في اليوم الأخير من ميركاتو الشتاء، خرج بن ناصر من ميلان، إلى مارسيليا الفرنسي للعب تحت قيادة الإيطالي روبرتو دي زيربي، في إطار منافسة باريس سان جيرمان على اللقب.

طالع أيضًا: ثاني صفقات الروسونيري.. رسميًا | ميلان يعلن تعاقده مع سانتياجو خيمينيز حتى 2029

إسماعيل بن ناصر عانى مع ميلان منذ الموسم الماضي بسبب الإصابات التي لاحقته وأبعدته عن العديد من المباريات، ورغم انه كان يشارك في الموسم الحالي مع المدرب كونسيساو، لكن النادي الإيطالي وافق على إعارته.

وأعلن النادي عبر موقعه الرسمي، أن بن ناصر انتقل إلى مارسيليا على سبيل الإعارة مع خيار الشراء في نهاية الموسم، إذا استوفى بعض الشروط خلال الـ6 أشهر القادمة.

بن ناصر انضم إلى ميلان من إمبولي في صيف 2019 بعدما تألق في أمم إفريقيا التي أقيمت في مصر وفاز بها منتخب الجزائر، وتوّج إسماعيل حينها بجائزة أفضل لاعب شاب.

وتمكن بن ناصر من قيادة ميلان للفوز ببطولة الدوري الإيطالي عام 2022، بعد غياب أكثر من 10 سنوات عن جدران الروسونيري.

Chelsea have been warned why Cole Palmer joining Manchester United "would make sense" by former Red Devils striker Louis Saha.

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• Palmer on fire at Chelsea
• Only player to have 50 G/A in PL since 2023-24
• Saha wants Palmer to join the Red Devils

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 22-year-old has already amassed 50 goals and assists in the Premier League since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, a feat no other player has achieved. Currently ranked as the third-highest scorer in the English top flight, Palmer has cemented his place among the league’s elite players and his meteoric rise has seen linked him with a move to Real Madrid, the reigning European champions.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT SAHA SAID

  It is no secret that Palmer has been a United fan since childhood and Saha believes that his boyhood affinity for the Red Devils could make Old Trafford a plausible future destination, however, the Frenchman also admits he is more likely to join Real.

  Speaking to Saha said: "Palmer to Manchester United would one day make sense because he grew up being a fan of the club, but there is only one club I can see him going to after Chelsea. I can see him being on a trajectory to Real Madrid and I don’t think the move would phase him, he never doubts himself or thinks about things for too long. He wants to enjoy his game and he’s having fun. I’m very jealous of Chelsea because he is a huge star and I think he’d be a big success if he went to Spain."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saha believes United missed a golden opportunity to secure the dynamic forward when he was put on sale by Manchester City in 2023, with Chelsea sealing the deal for £42.5m ($49.5 million). The former striker hailed Palmer's fearless approach, describing him as a player who thrives under pressure, a trait that he finds missing in the current crop of United players.

  "In hindsight, it’s easy to say that Manchester United should’ve signed Cole Palmer from Manchester City, but it wasn’t so obvious at the time," he said.

  "Looking at him now you can see that he lives for the game and he always wants to play and improve, he is constantly proving people wrong and there is no limit to what he can achieve. I’m a huge fan of his mentality and his consistency, United don’t have that at the moment, they also have the headache with the director of football, it’s not easy."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Given his exceptional form and status as one of the Premier League’s standout performers, any future transfer for Palmer is expected to surpass the £100 million mark. Moreover, he has a deal with Chelsea until 2033, which hands the Blues an advantage during negotiations with any potential suitors.

“The world stops a little bit,” a visibly emotional Tim Seifert said as he recounted his experience of testing positive and then being treated for Covid-19 in India earlier this month.Seifert, the only overseas player to test positive during IPL 2021, has since recovered and is currently serving his isolation period at a hotel in Auckland after flying back from Chennai, where he was for around two weeks.”That was the toughest time, getting told that I have Covid,” Seifert said during a media interaction on Tuesday. “The world stops a little bit. I couldn’t think what was next. That’s the scary part. You hear about the bad things, I thought it was going to happen to me. It was tough.”Related

• Tim Seifert is prepped and ready

• Saha, Mishra, Krishna recover from Covid-19

• Covid-19: Remembering the ones we have lost

• Could Sri Lanka potentially host the remainder of IPL 2021?

• When and where can IPL 2021 be rescheduled to?

With the IPL postponed indefinitely after 29 matches in early May following a number of positive cases in some of the team bubbles, Seifert was all set to return home with the other members of the New Zealand contingent. They were flown to Delhi on a chartered flight after returning negative tests on May 6. But Seifert tested positive when another test was done the next day, prior to their flight to New Zealand.”I had a tiny cough, at the time I thought it was just a bit of asthma,” he said. “My heart sank straightaway, really (when the test came out positive). I just went up to my room while everything kind of got sorted out, what were the processes next.”Reality hit him hard when the rest of the New Zealanders, who had cleared their tests, left India. But, the fact that he had an exciting few months to look forward to after his recovery, helped him cope with the situation.”You only really hear about the bad things – watching the media or talking to people”•AFP/Getty Images

“That was kind of when it sunk in, when everyone left and I was the only overseas player left in India, that’s when it got real for me,” he said. “Once a few days had gone by, everything had kind of calmed down a little bit, the New Zealand boys had gone, then I just knew it was a time of getting through it, looking at the positives – getting married in two months, so that’s exciting.”And I think my fiancée is quite happy that I’m back a bit earlier so I can help planning for that. So you had to look at the positives, it was just the tough time of the unknown really.”India has been hit by a massive second wave of the virus, with the surge in cases leading to a shortage of beds and oxygen in hospitals across the country. The depressing updates made it worse for Seifert, but opening up to people about it helped him, he said. As did not having to actually spend time in a hospital.”The news is all about a lack of oxygen, you don’t know if you’re going to be in that situation,” he said. “It’s just the whole unknown of what Covid is, how you’re going to react to it. I was healthy. I had the energy to get out of bed. I was happy with the situations and plans.”One of the toughest bits on being told I had Covid was you only really hear about the bad things – watching the media or talking to people. It’s always the negative side of it. But a lot of people that have got over it, talking to people that have had it helped me as well.”I’m feeling good. Lucky enough through the few weeks now, feeling good the whole way through. On the whole, physically and mentally feeling good. It’s been tough some days being in quarantine. Been in a hotel room about 25 days straight, that has had its toll sometimes mentally.”Seifert could barely hold back his tears as he thanked Knight Riders coach Brendon McCullum and the Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming, both New Zealanders, for staying in touch with him and helping him through their network of friends in India.”It was the first time being involved for me in IPL in India. They [McCullum and Fleming] had all the connections. They were the closest guys other than the players that I felt comfortable talking to about the situation. They were there for me,” he said. “It definitely was hard and I couldn’t thank Brendon and Fleming enough, they made everything a lot easier.”Making sure things would be put in place and the KKR, the CSK support staff, management, CEO of KKR, they made life easy for me to know that everything would be alright and when that time was to come home, they would do everything to get me home safely and on time.”

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.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest in Nottingham Forest's pursuit of another signing this summer as they look to hand Nuno Espírito Santo a squad capable of pulling well clear of the Premier League relegation battle this season.

Nottingham Forest keen to make signings

With a month left in the transfer window, it was suggested that Nottingham Forest would be looking to make five new signings before the window slams shut, with the reliable John Percy explaining that the Premier League side were on the hunt for "two wingers, a forward, a left-back and another goalkeeper" before the August 30th deadline.

Since then, they have added those two wingers, with Jota Silva arriving from Portuguese outfit Vitória S.C, while more recently they completed a move to sign Paraguayan forward Ramon Sosa on a five-year deal.

Perfect for Sosa: Nottingham Forest could land their own Foden in £35m ace

The Reds have already had a proposal rejected for the talent this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 17, 2024

“Ramón has been coveted by many clubs but was so clear in his desire to join Nottingham Forest", Forest's Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson explained. “We could all feel his energy, emotion, pride and excitement to be here from the first minute he arrived".

Now, attention is turning elsewhere, with the club understood to be keen on signing Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno on a season-long loan deal to provide cover at full back. They have also been linked with a move for Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, so the final thing on the agenda is a new centre forward.

Romano issues update on striker hunt

Now, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Garibaldi have seen a bid turned down for Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez as they look to bolster their frontline.

As it stands, they have both Chris Wood (who scored in Saturday's draw) and Taiwo Awoniyi to call upon, but they are looking for further firepower and have identified the Mexican as a potential solution. Gimenez was thought to be on the radar of Tottenham last season as he enjoyed an excellent campaign, and he has started the new season in similar vein with two goals and an assist in two outings.

Santiago Gimenez 23/24 season
Appearances	30
Goals	23
Assists	6
Yellow Cards	2

As per Romano, sharing news from Mexican media outlets, Forest are still in negotiations over a move for the talented forward, having seen an initial 25m euro (£21m) offer rejected. It is added that the offer is "not enough for Feyenoord to accept" and that they are holding out for a higher fee, but the Reds haven't given up and are pushing ahead to agree on a new number.

They will be in no rush for Feyenoord to sell the Mexican, with Gimenez still having three years left to run on his £29,000 a week deal with the Eredivisie champions. But with Wood now the wrong side of his peak and Awoniyi unreliable fitness wise, his addition would be a massive boost for Forest if they can get it over the line.

MatériaMais Notícias

O término do ano está próximo e com ele chegará também a temporada de especulações e possíveis negócios, com o Corinthians não será diferente e a Fiel torcida tem motivos de sobra para ficar ansiosa. Além de ficar mal acostumada com a agressividade do clube em 2021, ela vê dois ídolos livres no mercado como Paulinho e Dentinho. No entanto, se depender da atual diretoria, apenas um deles deverá vestir a camisa alvinegra em 2022.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansFagner celebra marca, Jô ‘garçom’ e Cantillo se impressiona com a Fiel: as reações após vitória do CorinthiansCorinthians08/11/2021Futebol InternacionalApós uma década no Shakhtar Donetsk, Dentinho deixa o clube ucranianoFutebol Internacional08/11/2021CorinthiansWillian inicia período de transição no Corinthians; Renato Augusto fica na fisioterapiaCorinthians08/11/2021

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2021 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

GALERIA
>Veja até quando vai o contrato de cada jogador do Corinthians

Embora os dirigentes do Timão e as pessoas próximas de Paulinho neguem o avanço das negociações, o volante tem encaminhada sua volta ao Parque São Jorge. Os termos já foram debatidos e são conhecidos de ambas as partes, mas ainda não foi assinado, nem oficializado, já que ele não poderá jogar neste ano e só será inscrito a partir da próxima temporada, quando receberá salários.

Segundo apurou o LANCE!, confirmando informação do GE, Paulinho já está usando as dependências do CT Joaquim Grava para seu condicionamento físico. Na última sexta-feira, Gil relatou a visita do meio-campista, que agora será diária, mas ainda sem vínculo, que deverá ser assinado em janeiro com duração de dois anos, com possibilidade de renovação para o terceiro.

O termo usado é “deve”, pois ainda não é possível cravar o acerto 100%. Uma das preocupações é garantir a vaga na Libertadores para ter mais segurança financeira para abrigar o elenco atual, com Paulinho e outros possíveis reforços pontuais que a comissão técnica venha a pedir para a próxima temporada.

E uma dessas possíveis contratações não deve ser a de Dentinho, que ficou livre de contrato com o Shakhtar Donetsk, da Ucrânia e pode assinar com outro clube. O atacante virá ao Brasil para analisar ofertas, mas ele não deverá encontrar uma com papel timbrado do Corinthians. Neste momento, o Timão não coloca o Filho do Terrão como alvo de seu interesse na janela de janeiro.

Depois de praticamente uma década fora do Brasil, Dentinho sempre foi um sonho da torcida corintiana e da própria diretoria do clube em alguns momentos. No entanto, nunca foi uma negociação fácil, que sempre esbarrou na dureza de postura do Shakhtar Donetsk, que nunca abriu mão do jogador.

Atualmente, o consenso é de que o elenco conta com jovens promissores na mesma posição e que podem perder espaço com a chegada de um jogador com o status de Dentinho. A ideia é focar na busca por peças para reforçar setores mais carentes, como um centroavante e um zagueiro, além de reposições que possam amenizar o desfalque de seus “medalhões”.

Dessa forma, Paulinho está mesmo muito próximo de retornar ao Corinthians, mas o mesmo não se pode dizer de Dentinho. Com ambos livres no mercado, o clube vai apostar suas fichas no meio-campista, fortalecendo ainda mais o setor, cada vez mais com nível de Seleção Brasileira. No entanto, essa confirmação ficará para os próximos meses. Não há pressa para definição.

continua após a publicidade

The batter has a grade one strain and will look to return to action next week

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2021

New Zealand will have their fingers crossed that Ross Taylor’s injury isn’t serious•AFP via Getty Images

Ross Taylor has been diagnosed with a grade one calf strain after he limped out of New Zealand’s first training session ahead of their departure for England with a calf injury.*He was batting in the marquee that has been built at the high performance centre in Lincoln to enable the squad to train over the next couple of weeks. An update from NZC on Tuesday said he would remain with the squad for his rehab.”Taylor will to return to batting and running next week before linking up with the Test squad ahead of their departure for England next weekend,” a statement said.Taylor said he had felt the tightness last week as he continued the rehab from the hamstring injury which disrupted the end of his home season but was confident he had time to get right before the England Tests.”Pretty happy with where it is, timing has been really good,” he said. “Would like to be injury free, obviously, but timing-wise it’s not too bad.”New Zealand coach Gary Stead admitted any injuries this close to a tour were a concern. “You are always worried when any injuries happen but someone of Ross’s standing and calibre as a Test player you always have a little bit of a concern,” he told reporters on Monday. “Fingers crossed everything is good and we still have time on our side, but we’ll just have to wait and see what the medical team say.”Related

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The New Zealand squad are due to depart for England in the middle of May ahead of the two-Test series that begins on June 2 to be followed by the World Test Championship final against India in Southampton.Stead hinted that even if there was some doubt over Taylor’s immediate fitness he would likely make the trip. “Ross has a great Test record behind and we want him in our team,” he said.New Zealand are likely to be without their IPL-based Test players – Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner – for at least the first match against England and potentially both given the strict quarantine rules now in place for arrivals from India that require 10 days isolation.They have named an expanded squad of 20 for the two England Tests which will be trimmed to 15 ahead of the WTC final.Devon Conway is in line for a Test debut while the uncapped Rachin Ravindra has also been included. All the players in New Zealand have had their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and will have their second before leaving.Monday was the start of two training camps they will have prior to departure with conditions created to as closely resemble what they’ll encounter in England as possible.”We’ve got two open wickets, the groundstaff have done an amazing job in getting the facilities up pretty close to what I think English conditions would be like then we have the marquee as well,” Stead said. “We are still a month away from playing England so there’s still four weeks of good, solid preparation so today is the start of that for us.”11.52pm GMT, April 3 – the story was updated with details of Taylor’s injury

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may not be able to call upon a "warrior" in his squad for the rest of the 2024/2025 Premier League season, with a decision on the matter seemingly looming.

Arsenal prepare for Tottenham after 1-1 draw with Brighton

The north Londoners have two vital Premier League games awaiting them right after the international break, with trips to both north London neighbours Tottenham and title rivals Man City on the horizon.

Sporting director names Tottenham as potential 2025 move for £25m star

The north Londoners have a key advantage over every other suitor.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 3, 2024

Arsenal will also be looking to put their first dropped points of the season behind them, following their disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Brighton last weekend, when they also lost star midfielder Declan Rice to suspension.

Rice picked up two yellow cards during the encounter, and was perhaps harshly sent off, after his second bookable offence for kicking the ball away. The England star will therefore miss Arsenal's all-important clash against Tottenham, dealing a big blow to Arteta who must now cope without such a crucial player in his starting eleven.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

As well as Rice, Arsenal will be without summer signing Mikel Merino for nearly two months, after the Spaniard fractured his shoulder in his first ever training session at London Colney – not exactly the ideal start to life in London for him.

Arteta now has to decide how they will cope without both Rice and Merino. Some reports suggest that Arsenal are planning to slot Havertz into midfield with Sterling as a false nine, and as Arteta contemplates this tactical tweak, he must also decide on his final squad for the season.

Kieran Tierney could be ineligible for the rest of Arsenal's season

The deadline for each club to submit their full and final Premier League squad is September 13, and left-back Kieran Tierney will be a point of much debate within the club in this regard.

While the former Celtic star has now been included in their Champions League squad, which was seen as a shock choice considering he hasn't played for them for a year, Arteta still has some thinking to do in regard to Tierney as a domestic choice.

As relayed by London World, Tierney may not be included in Arsenal's final Premier League squad, and that would make him ineligible for the rest of this Premier League season domestically.

While the £120,000-per-week ace could return from his hamstring injury after the international break, and could be available for Spurs, it is a point of contention whether Tierney will even be selected in Arteta's final Premier League draft.

If Arsenal opt to leave the Scotland international in Premier League limbo, they must inform him soon, so he could potentially decide to chase up a move to Greece or Turkey if he doesn't want to solely be a squad player for Europe.

The Turkish and Greek windows remain open until the end of next week, so a loan move abroad would be a solution for the 27-year-old who's suffered from a plague of fitness issues in recent years – despite some praise.

"He has been solid," Ashley Cole told Sky Sports in 2021 (via The Metro). "I think he would have liked to see more game time, he’s had a few injuries that hampered his season. When he’s in the team, they are a different team, he’s willing to defend, he’s that kind of leader and warrior they need in this team.

"There were those questions marks over him and his ability to come from Scottish fooball and adapt to the Premier League. But I think he’s adapted very well.

"He’s got those leadership qualities which are needed along with the younger players in there. When he doesn’t play they miss him on he left. for me, he can defend which is a plus."

Captain of defending champions handed possible T20 World Cup chance

David Hopps08-Jun-2021Dan Christian, captain and inspiration of defending T20 Blast champions the Notts Outlaws, has pulled out of the group stages on the eve of the tournament after winning an international recall at the age of 38.Overseas withdrawals from England’s flagship T20 tournament are a fact of life, such is the crowded nature of the calendar, but this one counts as the most unexpected.Christian has not played for Australia for nearly four years – a T20I against India in Ranchi – but he now returns to Australia ahead of the tour to the West Indies wondering if he can gain an unlikely selection for the T20 World Cup.Related

Stokes set for Blast comeback as white-ball players return

Allen braced for trial by spin as he prepares for Blast debut

For Notts, this is more than just another overseas drop-out. Arguably no overseas player has been embedded into a county T20 side to such good effect.Christian has featured in their last seven campaigns and took over as captain as 2016, supervising their development into the most powerful T20 side in England. He has since led the Outlaws to four Finals Day appearances in five years, winning the trophy in 2017 and 2020.Nottinghamshire’s head coach Peter Moores said: “It changes things for us late in the day ahead of the tournament, but first and foremost you can only be really pleased for Dan.”To be called up again by a nation as strong as Australia, and for that to come on the back of playing some of the best cricket of his career and at the age of 38, it’s a great achievement for him. We’re proud, as a club, of the role we have played in that.”It’s going to be strange not having Dan around. He’s been here for every Blast campaign since 2015 and he’s led the side brilliantly as well, but what it will do is create opportunities for other players to step up.”Steven Mullaney will step up to captain the side, whose tournament begins on Wednesday evening against Worcestershire Rapids at New Road. They are regarded as favourites for the tournament, with considerable batting depth, but they are an ageing side and Christian’s departure will be a considerable blow.Christian said: “Getting picked by Australia again is a significant ambition fulfilled for sure, and particularly exciting in such an important year of T20 cricket heading into the World Cup.”It’s disappointing that I won’t get to don the Notts jersey this year. It’s become a big part of my life in recent times and I’ll miss it. But there is depth in our squad and a huge amount of experience in there as well.”Australia’s expanded preliminary squad also includes Ben McDermott, the wicketkeeper-batter who was due to feature in the Blast with Derbyshire. His call-up is a further blow to Derbyshire, after they lost Australia fast bowler Billy Stanlake to injury.