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As if things were not bad enough at Celtic right now – amid Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation on Monday night – they’re enduring a major injury crisis.

During last Thursday’s Europa League victory over Sturm Graz, both Kelechi Ịheanachọ and Alistair Johnston hobbled off in the first half, before Cameron Carter-Vickers departed the scene on a stretcher, with Rodgers later revealing that the United States international had suffered an achilles injury that’ll see him sidelined for five months.

Meantime, Jota remains in the treatment room due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and Daizen Maeda is also a doubt for next Sunday’s Old Firm in the League Cup semi-finals.

On top of this, Sebastian Tounekti, one of the few attackers who has looked dangerous this season, will miss matches over Christmas, including the New Years’ Glasgow derby, due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Thus, in summary, the Hoops are not in a good place right now, eight points adrift run-away Premiership leaders Hearts, after the Jambos’ 3-1 victory over the Celts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

So, with Falkirk visiting Parkhead on Wednesday, before that aforementioned massive clash with Rangers at Hampden on Sunday, should interim boss Martin O’Neill give one summer signing an opportunity to stake a claim?

Is Johnny Kenny good enough for Celtic?

Earlier this year, Celtic had both Kyōgo Furuhashi and Adam Idah as centre-forward options, but the pair have been sold without being replaced.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

So, with Ịheanachọ and Maeda currently unavailable, Johnny Kenny was the man tasked with leading the line in Edinburgh for Sunday’s top of the table clash.

Well, the Irishman made little impression on proceedings, touching the ball only 17 times during an hour on the field, losing possession on nine occasions and failing to muster a single shot.

During his loan spell at Shamrock Rovers, Kenny showed genuine promise, scoring 26 goals for the other green and white hoops, of which seven came in European competition, on target against Víkingur Reykjavík, Larne, The New Saints, Rapid Wien and Borac Banja Luka, an eclectic list of clubs.

Since returning to Celtic though, in limited minutes, he has so far scored just twice in 17 outings, on target during a 5-1 demolition of Aberdeen at Pittodrie in May, as well as in August’s 3-0 win over Livingston.

Following Sunday’s defeat to Heart of Midlothian, Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman asserts that he ‘lacks the proper gravitas of a Celtic number nine’, while Ben Banks of Glasgow World believes it is a ‘big ask for him to be the leading man with the team in its current guise’.

So, while Kenny may be the best centre-forward option at the minute, a damning indictment on Celtic’s summer squad build, should O’Neill give an alternative the opportunity to showcase what he can do against Falkirk?

Celtic's new Daizen Maeda

Celtic signed 11 new senior players this summer, including four during the final few hours of the deadline, so the arrival of Shin Yamada in mid-July for around £1.5m has rather been forgotten.

He has seen just 177 minutes of action in hoops so far, his sole start coming when Rodgers heavily rotated against Livingston in August, with the half an hour he saw off the bench at the weekend actually his second-longest appearance.

Nevertheless, at previous club Kawasaki Frontale, he was certainly a key figure, helping the Sky Blue and Blacks reach their first-ever AFC Champions League Final earlier this year, dumping out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the semi-finals, before a 2-0 defeat to Al-Ahli in the final, a match in which Yamada was introduced off the bench at half time.

The striker was at his best during the 2024 J League season, as the table below documents.

Yamada 2024 J League stats
Stats	Yamada	J League rank
Minutes	2,012	156th
Goals	19	3rd
Shots	80	12th
Shots on target	37	5th
Shots on target per 90	1.66	3rd
Goals per shot	0.21	5th
Big chances missed	14	8th
Stats via FBref & SofaScore

As the table notes, only two players, namely Brazilian duo Anderson Lopes and Léo Ceará, scored more J League goals than Yamada last season.

This is despite limited minutes, as well as the fact he attempted just 80 shots, leading to an impressive goals-per-shot ratio, the best of anyone to score 12 or more goals.

Upon his arrival in Glasgow, manager Rodgers labelled him a “strong player who can score goals and create goals for others”, impressed by his “power, athleticism and intensity”.

Meantime, a report by Target Scouting described him as a ‘pure goal poacher’ while, despite his small stature, he relishes a ‘physical battle’, concluding that his primary attribute is his ‘exciting… off-the-ball movement’.

These all sound similar characteristics to those of a certain Daizen Maeda, who hit the ground running when he arrived in January 2022 under Ange Postecoglou, scoring four minutes into his debut against Hibs, having bagged 23 goals during his final J League season with Yokohama F. Marinos, four more than Yamada last year, but in 800 more minutes.

Yamada has very much not had a similar instantaneous impact but, due to limited options, definitely deserves a chance to stake a claim.

When compared to Kenny, the Japanese forward has proven himself in the J League which, according to Global Football Rankings, is the 15th strongest league in the world, while the League of Ireland, where Kenny impressed, is outside the top 75.

For context, that places Ireland’s top division below the SPFL Championship, while the Scottish Premiership is 32nd, just above the Saudi Pro League.

Thus, with O’Neill back in the dugout on a temporary basis, he should give Yamada a chance when Falkirk travel to Glasgow this week and, who knows, if he impresses he could earn a starting spot against Rangers on Sunday.

Rodgers could unearth his new Daizen Maeda in Celtic's rarely-seen "animal"

With Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Ịheanachọ injured for Sunday’s top of the table clash with Hearts, Brendan Rodgers should unleash Celtic’s “animal”.

By
Ben Gray

Oct 25, 2025

Aston Villa are poised to wave goodbye to a “wonderful footballer” pretty shortly, as a new report reveals this week.

Aston Villa turn corner under Unai Emery after disastrous start

It took Unai Emery’s side five Premier League games to score their first goal of the season, with Matty Cash’s long-range pile driver against newly-promoted Sunderland finally opening their account.

After a very difficult summer transfer window marred by issues with PSR, their severe lack of attacking impetus had many supporters fearing the worst, but in a huge sigh of relief for the Villans, they’re starting to hit an excellent run of form.

Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle

Brentford 1-0 Aston Villa

Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace

Everton 0-0 Aston Villa

Sunderland 1-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham

Aston Villa 2-1 Burnley

Since Cash burst the net at the Stadium of Light, Villa have sealed two wins from two of their opening Europa League games, whilst securing precious back-to-back Premier League wins against Fulham and Burnley.

The recent departure of Monchi, who left his role as Aston Villa sporting director, also marks the beginning of a new era, with former Real Sociedad chief Roberto Olabe brought in as Villa’s replacement.

Aston Villa's president of football operations, Monchi.

In one of his final acts as the club’s ‘president of football operations’, Monchi agreed to let midfielder Enzo Barrenechea join José Mourinho’s Benfica on loan with an obligation to buy.

Enzo Barrenechea on the verge of permanent Aston Villa exit to Benfica

Interestingly, according to A Bola this week, the conditions of his loan-to-buy clause mean that Barrenechea is just one game away from becoming a permanent Benfica player and leaving Villa Park for good.

Apparently, all requirements for the permanent option to be triggered are nearly met, including appearances, and Villa are about to receive a £10 million payment for the Argentine, on top of the £2.5 million loan fee they got in the summer, right after he makes another cameo.

Indeed, once Barrenechea is given his next nod for Benfica, he’ll have met the 15 games required to activate his permanent move to Portugal.

The 24-year-old joined Villa in a swap deal last year with Douglas Luiz heading the other way to Juventus, but he hasn’t made a single appearance for Villa.

He was sent out on loan to Valencia in his debut season, where he seriously impressed for the La Liga side, though it is now Mourinho who’s poised to snap up Villa’s forgotten “wonderful footballer”.

“You called me to talk about my favourite player,” said coach Andrea Bonatti, who worked with the player at Juve’s youth academy.

“He is a wonderful footballer. He has many virtues. He is very technical, he controls the ball very well under pressure, he has that ability that comes from futsal, which allows him to have good ball coverage. He has an excellent short game with both legs. And a great long movement, when you have to give speed to the game.

“He is very brave in aerial play, in heading. He is very helpful in defensive and offensive actions in the air. He covers a lot of ground, he is a 6 that gives a lot of balance, that frees up a lot for the teammate next to him. He is always on alert, with a great tactical sense, giving orders to avoid transitions against the rival team.”

Cole Palmer is set to miss the next six weeks for Chelsea with head coach Enzo Maresca warning that the club’s medical staff are “not magicians”.

The 23-year-old has been struggling with a groin injury for much of the season and has not played since being taken off 20 minutes into the 2-1 defeat by Manchester United on September 20.

Maresca shares Chelsea injury blow on Palmer

Prior to the international break Maresca said he had hoped to have Palmer back for Saturday’s game at Nottingham Forest but, when asked about the progress of the injury, he admitted:

The injury, which first presented when he was forced to withdraw from the line-up minutes before kick-off in the 5-1 win over West Ham in August, will not require surgery.

“He looks relaxed,” said Maresca. “He’s doing all the therapy that he needs to do. He looks good.”

Caicedo, Fernandez and Neto also Chelsea injury concerns

There was mixed injury news elsewhere in the squad with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto, who featured against Liverpool, all doubts for the trip to the City Ground.

However Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana are set to return to ease Maresca’s selection issues in defence while Andrey Santos is also back.

The competitive La Liga fixture, to be held in Miami, comes after years of conflict over a possible match outside of Europe

Welcome to the footballing apocalypse. This is the thing that Europe was so, so afraid of. As a continent, they gatekeep their sport so expertly. Soccer is for them, not for the world – at least, in person. Or many in the European game, anyway, would have you believe.

So much for that. 

What started in 2019 – and had been in gestation since far before then – has become reality. A European league will play a competitive soccer match in the United States. After years of flirtation, months of talks, and weeks of complaints, we have the details. The match will be played in Miami, between Barcelona and Villarreal, on Dec. 20. La Liga have signed off. Other parties have reluctantly agreed. 

The logistics, then, are fairly simple. Two football teams who routinely play matches overseas every summer will do so again. In one sense, this isn't particularly new. Except for one enormous caveat: this game actually matters. Three points are on the line. For Barcelona, it could be a crucial result as they look to retain the La Liga title. For Villarreal, it will surely be pivotal as they push for European football. The teams currently sit second and third in the table.

And that's where the tension lies here. The problem is not that a game between two Spanish teams is being played on American soil. The issue is that it will count. It should also be noted that La Liga isn't alone – Serie A confirmed that a fixture between AC Milan and Como will be played in Perth, Australia in early 2026, another groundbreaking moment in the sport’s globalization.

Specific to the Miami match, there are two camps: those for an American-based game, and those against. Their disagreements are fundamental and unlikely to be resolved no matter what argument either party puts forth. This raises larger questions about the soul of the game that simply cannot be answered in one fixture or even one season.

But what is clear – and perhaps far more pivotal – is what comes next. December's fixture, it would seem, could open the floodgates to something that simply cannot be stopped. The thirst for soccer in America is real. And now the game can be transplanted anywhere.

• Getty Images
  

  The Premier League flirts

  The soccer world has been confronting this possibility for a while now. In 2008, the Premier League officially proposed playing a 39th fixture outside of England. The idea, then, was football as imperialism. Owners saw that there was a global appetite for the game, and suggested that 10 fixtures be played in a weekend in January, with staggered start times around the world. Proponents wanted individual cities to bid, and even earmarked the 2010-11 season as a potential start date. 

  That notion was quickly dismissed at all levels. The managers of Liverpool and Manchester United showed a rare moment of solidarity – they joined in their opposition. Supporters' Groups were outraged, and fought back. Even Sepp Blatter, then FIFA president, looked like a good guy, earning favor with fans for suggesting that not only was the idea misguided, it could also be detrimental in England's hopes to host the 2018 World Cup (a bid they lost, anyway). 

  Since then, it has simmered. The Premier League reportedly thought about it again in 2014, and chatter has remained constant about the possibility of a game being played in the U.S., especially given expanded American ownership in England's top flight.

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• AFP
  

  La Liga gets serious

  The Premier League, then, cooled its interest. The reasons are myriad. Fan pushback was serious. Owner power took over. And certainly a bumper TV deal that brings billions of dollars – and millions of eyes – onto the league every week, made an "away" game less necessary for their wallets.

  But La Liga got serious. And that makes sense. This is, in many ways, a financial decision. It's supply and demand. The league and its teams know that foreign fans will pay a premium for tickets. Sell out a game at hiked-up prices in Miami, and a handsome payday will, in theory, be the result. La Liga's TV deal is tidy – every game is now carried on ESPN+ in the U.S. – but they are steps behind financially relative to the Premier League. 

  This has long been a gripe of league president Javier Tebas. He has railed again and again over the Premier League's apparently unchecked financial power. And he has a point. English football's revenues massively eclipse those of Spanish sides. Transfer fees in England are massive. Mid-table clubs outspend most of La Liga's elite. 

  No single game in Miami will amend that. But for La Liga, it seems a decent start. They originally tried to have a Barcelona-Girona game in Miami in 2019. Last year, they tried to play Barca-Atletico Madrid in the same city. Both of those attempts were brushed off. But the sentiment stayed alive. Tebas spoke often about wanting a game on foreign soil.  

  "This is strategic for us. It is very important for us to make sure that people understand that we as La Liga are willing to be bold, are willing to be innovative, are willing to try things in a different way, and we're gonna try," Nicolas Garcia Hemme, La Liga North America Managing Director, told GOAL this week.

• Getty
  

  The lawsuit

  But it all seemed a bit like flimsy attempts at manifestation. There were blockers. UEFA and FIFA's regulations around playing domestic competitions in foreign countries are pretty water-tight. And then there were the legal battles.

  Relevent Sports, a match promoter that had helped organize preseason friendlies for La Liga teams, sued both FIFA and the United States Soccer Federation, claiming that the two bodies had violated antitrust laws by conspiring to bar domestic leagues from playing games abroad. What followed was a complicated legal case, with suits being dismissed and then appealed, back and forth.

  But in April 2025, there was a significant breakthrough. Relevent Sports settled its antitrust lawsuit with the U.S. Soccer, a development that came a year after Relevent and FIFA reached their own settlement to drop FIFA as a co-defendant. The terms of that settlement were not disclosed, but FIFA said it would form a working group to analyze rules about how and where domestic fixtures could be played.

  And you could have seen what was coming next. One-by-one, the appropriate governing bodies submitted. UEFA, FIFA, USSF, and CONCACAF all had to sign off on a U.S. match. With pressure mounting, they did so – despite some rather public reluctance. The door was open. 

  Then, it was a simple question of logistics. Barca pulled out of the friendly in 2019, realizing where public sentiment was focused in the soccer hive mind. But with money on the table, and the Blaugrana still strapped for cash, they jumped in. Atletico and Real Madrid were both out. But Villarreal slotted in with glee.

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• Getty Images
  

  Milan, Como, and Australia

  And they're not alone in this effort. America isn't the only country eager to host competitive fixtures within its borders. Australia, admittedly, has been a less lucrative market for foreign clubs in preseason tours. East Asian tends to be targeted. But going down under isn't as common as it used to be. 

  That hasn't stopped Serie A and Milan, though. They will face newly promoted Como in Perth in February, another fixture that UEFA admittedly reluctantly approved. Fans were admittedly furious, but Como outlined their reasoning: the league needs to do these things to stay alive: 

  "Sometimes sacrifice is essential, not for individual benefit but for the greater good, for growth, and above all, for the survival of the league itself," they said in a statement. They went one further, insisting that they might lose some – if not all – of their best players if the league doesn't take advantage of their opportunities.

  "We must ask ourselves honestly how we can retain our best players, build competitive teams, and attract the world's elite to Serie A if we do not adapt," the league said. 

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) legspinner Ravi Bishnoi doesn’t know why he didn’t get a fourth over against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) despite returns of 3-0-18-2, but feels the captain, Rishabh Pant, would have had his reasons.LSG were defending 166 at home against CSK, but fell short after a rare off-day for Nicholas Pooran as Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni finished the job with three balls to spare by taking down LSG’s pace bowlers in the death overs.”I didn’t really talk [to Pant] about it, but I went to the wicket a couple of times [to check] and I think he had plans in place he wanted to execute,” Bishnoi said at the press conference after the game. “In such situations, the captain is better placed, and he keeps wicket, too, so he understands things better. According to me, he took the decision he thought was better.Related

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“He was clear in his mind and it’s better in such tense situations that the captain thinks with a clear mind.”Bishnoi had dismissed Rahul Tripathi and Ravindra Jadeja in the ninth and 13th overs respectively, and nine of his 18 balls had been dots. He didn’t bowl his fourth, but the less experienced Digvesh Rathi and part-time spinner Aiden Markram finished their quotas.”There was a lot of time when I thought about bowling him [Bishnoi] that [fourth] over,” Pant said after the game. “But we discussed with a lot of players and just couldn’t let him bowl. We thought let’s take it deeper, and that didn’t happen for us today.”Rathi and Markram had finished bowling in tandem by the 15th over when CSK needed 56 runs from 30 balls, and Dhoni had just joined Dube. Dube’s presence, and his reputation as a six-hitter off spin, might have forced Pant’s hand.

Bishop: ‘I wonder why Rishabh didn’t go for Bishnoi’

3:43

Bishop: LSG quicks lacked execution in the end

At the ESPNcricinfo studio, it was a major point of debate, with Abhinav Mukund saying the game was lost on that decision, and Wasim Jaffer calling it “a major point” for LSG going down.”I know Dube was batting, but Dube couldn’t get hold of him [Bishnoi] before that anyway. And he has that googly,” Ian Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut. “I wonder why Rishabh didn’t go for Bishnoi – 2 for 18 from three [overs] just stands out like a beacon in all of that.””If you got a wicket there, and you’ve got Jamie Overton to come, I felt it was very defensive to go for the faster-bowler strategy at that point, because you are actually thinking that you didn’t want Dube to get a couple of sixes off Bishnoi,” Abhinav said. “This is something that you see in the IPL, or any form of cricket, where captains tend to sort of… they like a certain type of bowler because they are uncomfortable against it, and sometimes the converse also happens.”As a left-hander, possibly Rishabh is thinking, ‘I can smash Bishnoi out of the ground, so I don’t want him to face off against Dube. ‘ Just a hypothetical theory I am planting here.”Whether that’s what Pant had on his mind or not, he had got the ball changed after the 16th over and switched to his faster bowlers. “Bowling Bishnoi to Dhoni and Dube at that point wasn’t a gamble because [with 44 needed in four overs] the way this game has gone, we didn’t see a 20-run over,” Abhinav said. “You were still in the game. It was the best time to make that call and then decide what you want to do after that.”But Pant stuck to his pace-bowling options, even though a lot of captains have turned to spin against Dhoni in the death overs, especially in CSK’s last three chases.Sanju Samson had given the 18th over to Maheesh Theekshana in Guwahati when CSK needed 45 from 18 and Theekshana conceded just six runs. Axar Patel bowled himself in the 17th over – which was his first that day – when CSK needed 72 from 18, and gave away just five runs. In CSK’s last chase, Shreyas Iyer handed Yuzvendra Chahal the 17th over with 68 to win from 24 and he gave away just nine runs. In all these cases, Dhoni failed to hit a single boundary against the spinners.Since IPL 2020, Dhoni has struck at only 94.23 against spin, with 14 fours and nine sixes in 243 balls.To Pant, perhaps, the set Dube appeared a bigger threat. But once Dhoni got pace on the ball, he ended the 16th over, bowled by Avesh Khan with two consecutive fours, dispatched a Shardul Thakur slower delivery on the leg side for six even as one hand came off the bat, and hit his next ball, from Avesh, for four. The game tilted in CSK’s favour when – with 24 required from 12 – Dube started Thakur’s over with a four and six to the deep-third boundary and it turned out Thakur had also overstepped for the second ball.

Chelsea are now willing to pay nearly £87m to ensure they win the race for an “unbelievable” attacker in 2026, having identified him as a major target.

Blues willing to spend big on "unbelievable" attacker

With Cole Palmer recently spending time on the sidelines due to a groin injury, Joao Pedro has moved into a slightly deeper role, playing in-behind striker Liam Delap, but the Englishman has also now been ruled out for an extended period.

Enzo Maresca has confirmed Delap is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, saying: “Hopefully it’s not long, but this kind of case can be six, eight weeks.”

Subsequently, the Blues have now bolstered their attacking options even further by bringing in Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season.

However, given the nature of the deal, which does not include an option or obligation to buy, Buonanotte is unlikely to be a long-term solution in attacking midfield, and the west Londoners are now prepared to spend big to win the race for a Premier League star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now willing to pay almost €100m (£87m) for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, with a new approach for the attacking midfielder being planned for 2026.

Rogers was identified as a target during the summer transfer window, but they were unable to prise him away from Villa, who have set an asking price of £100m to deter potential suitors, with Tottenham Hotspur also thought to be keen.

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Several elite clubs are in the race for the 23-year-old, with the west Londoners identifying him as a major target off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, but the Villans are hoping to retain their prized asset, suggesting negotiations could be tricky.

"Unbelievable" Rogers would provide Maresca with great depth

Buonanotte could be considered a strange signing, given that the 20-year-old has only joined on loan, but it may actually be a savvy move, given that there are few players in the world capable of displacing Palmer in the starting XI.

Consequently, it makes sense to have a younger back-up option, who may be more content with receiving limited game time, but that is unlikely to be the case for Rogers, who has established himself as a Premier League star at Villa.

Indeed, the attacking midfielder has received plenty of plaudits for his performances in a Villa shirt, with agent Hesham Bilal-Hafiz singling him out for particular praise.

Given that the England international is capable of playing on both wings, scoring 21 goals in 85 appearances on the left, he could also push for a starting spot out wide, meaning he would provide Maresca with great depth in attack.

The allrounder had held out hope of a recall but the selectors went for youth on the Sri Lanka tour

AAP12-Jan-20250:40

Connolly: ‘I like to be aggressive while I’m playing red-ball cricket as well’

Glenn Maxwell has admitted he would have made the same call as the Australian selectors as he reflected on their decision that’s likely ended his Test career.Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh were among the high-profile absentees from the 16-player squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, with uncapped 21-year-old Cooper Connolly picked ahead of the experienced allrounders.Related

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Maxwell, who last played first-class cricket 18 months ago, had been eager to add to his seven Test appearances. But the 36-year-old holds no grudges over selectors looking to the future, with Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final already secure.”It’s just selection,” Maxwell said. “There’s always going to be people wanting to be there and I made no secret that I desperately wanted to be on that tour, but I can completely understand their reasoning.”The fact that they’re already in the World Test Championship final, they’ve got a couple of Tests in Sri Lanka and there’s going to be some sub-continent tours over the next few years, so they get to look a few new guys in those conditions.”What an experience for those guys to go over there – Cooper Connolly on his first Test tour – I certainly would’ve made the same decision as they have.”Glenn Maxwell’s form has help keep Melbourne Stars’ season alive•Getty ImagesMaxwell has not played Test cricket since 2017 and appears unlikely to regain his spot in the national side in the longest form of the game.All of his Test appearances have come in Asia, with selectors previously valuing his spin bowling and ability to bat against the turning ball.Maxwell would have almost certainly gone to India for the Border-Gavaskar trophy series in 2023, but broke his leg at a friend’s backyard party only months before.But he was in no mood to make a big call on his Test future after blasting 90 from 52 balls in Melbourne Stars’ BBL derby win over Renegades.The result kept Stars’ finals hopes alive with one regular-season match left to play, against Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday.”I’m not making any future plans right now,” Maxwell said. “I’m looking forward to a week off and Sunday.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin revealed that Hamza Igamane was unable to come on as a substitute against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

The Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw away from Ibrox, needing a goal from substitute Findlay Curtis, and they were unable to call upon the Morocco international from the bench.

Speaking after the game, Martin said: “We had a bid this week for Hamza, we rejected it. All was fine. Trained fine yesterday [Saturday], warmed up fine. I turned around to him at 60 minutes because I wanted two strikers on the pitch. Hamza told me he was injured.”

With just under a week left to go before the end of the summer transfer window, it will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the Moroccan frontman.

Euro club make approach for Rangers striker

Whilst Martin has already confirmed that an offer has been rejected for Igamane, there is no concrete interest from a European club in one of their other forwards.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to L’Arena, as relayed by Calcio Hellas, Serie A side Hellas Verona have approached Rangers about a deal to sign Cyriel Dessers before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Italian outfit are looking for a loan whilst the Gers want a permanent exit for the Nigeria international, and that a compromise could be made with a loan leading to an obligation to buy next summer.

It adds that the experienced forward would cost a fee of around £3.4m, but it remains to be seen whether or not Hellas Verona will press ahead with a deal at that valuation.

Why Rangers should cash in on Cyriel Dessers

Whilst it is not exactly how these situations work, Rangers should look to cash in on Dessers ahead of Igamane if possible, as he is a worse option in the centre-forward position for this season.

If the Gers can get the Morocco international on board with Martin’s project, Rangers could have an electrifying striker who could be a real difference-maker in the final third.

Dessers, meanwhile, has been the first-choice striker for two seasons at Ibrox and has blown hot and cold. Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness went as far as to describe him as “marmite”, “invisible”, and “frustrating” for supporters.

The Nigerian forward has scored 34 goals in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in just over two years at the club, but the underlying numbers suggest that Igamane has the potential to offer even more to the team as the main number nine.

Appearances

35

33

Goals

18

12

Big chances missed

20

6

Big chances created

2

10

Assists

2

1

Ground duel success rate

34%

40%

Aerial duel success rate

32%

39%

Dribbles completed per game

0.3

1.3

As you can see in the table above, Igamane was significantly more efficient with the ‘big chances’ that came his way, whilst being more creative, more effective in duels, and offering more as a ball carrier.

These statistics suggest that the Moroccan star, who played off the left wing at times, could offer more to the team as a clinical goalscorer and a creative threat as the main number nine ahead of Dessers at Ibrox.

This means that a move to Hellas Verona for the former Cremonese marksman could open the door for Igamane to be the main man up front for Rangers, which could provide him with a platform to showcase his talents and attract even more interest in future transfer windows.

Martin could make that point to the striker and dangle the carrot of being the main man for the Light Blues this season in a post-Dessers world, despite interest from elsewhere in the current window, in an attempt to keep him at Ibrox.

As well as Aarons: Martin must drop Rangers lightweight who lost 100% duels

Russell Martin must drop this Rangers lightweight as well as Max Aarons.

ByDan Emery Aug 24, 2025

Therefore, in an ideal world, Rangers could cash in on Dessers and tempt Igamane to commit to the team as the main man. However, life is not always simple, and there could be a world where the Light Blues lose both of them in the next six days, which would be far from ideal.

Out of the promoted three that soared out of the Championship last season, Sunderland could well be the side that’s most well-equipped to secure immediate safety in the Premier League if their whirlwind summer activity is anything to go by.

Of course, Leeds United have flexed their muscles as well with the recent £12m pick up of Sean Longstaff from Newcastle United sticking out, but that’s nothing compared to the millions continuing to be splashed by Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats.

Minus Reinildo joining on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid, Sunderland has amazingly forked out £12m+ on every other signing so far this summer, with that spending unlikely to slow down.

Sunderland closing in on another new signing

Nobody can knock Sunderland’s ambition since promotion was achieved gloriously, knowing time is of the essence if they want to recruit well and attempt to stay afloat in the Premier League.

Yet, the Black Cats haven’t quite added in proven Premier League quality to their ranks, like Leeds have managed with Longstaff, but that could soon change emphatically.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, the latest development from Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg via X reveals that a verbal agreement has now been reached between the Wearside outfit and Bayer Leverkusen over the signing of ex-Arsenal warrior Granit Xhaka.

If the deal goes through it would see Xhaka join the Stadium of Light ranks until 2028, and talks are now ongoing to finalise a move. One sticking point could be the midfielder’s £17m price tag.

A further report from Keith Downie, however, says that Sunderland are actually “close to completing a deal.”

How Xhaka can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Xhaka is definitely worth pursuing for that amount, with the potential here for the 32-year-old to be Le Bris’ next statement buy, much like when Le Fee joined the building last summer.

Le Fee immediately showed off his class last season as Sunderland gunned for promotion back to the Premier League.

Not fazed by his new daunting environment whatsoever – having already been a classy performer in others top divisions such as Ligue 1 – Le Fee managed to pick up one goal and three assists for his troubles from 18 outings, with the ex-Lorient midfielder picking up two of those assists in crucial moments during the Black Cats’ tense, but ultimately, successful playoff journey.

Xhaka also proved himself to be the man for the big occasion when plying his trade for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, as seen in the Basel-born battler collecting two mighty FA Cup triumphs when still situated in North London, on top of his many Premier League appearances for Arsenal as a regular member of the first team.

Games played

33

33

Goals scored

3

2

Assists

0

7

Touches*

110.5

94.5

Accurate passes*

91.0 (92%)

75.8 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

6.0

5.4

Total duels won*

3.5

3.9

In total, 225 of Xhaka’s 297 appearances for Arsenal came in the demanding terrain of the top-flight, with his combative style helping the Gunners get through some testing times, which should also stand him in good stead on Wearside if a relegation dog-fight is on the menu.

Staggeringly, across that extensive back catalogue of Premier League clashes, Xhaka would throw himself into 1001 duels, with 368 tackles also attempted, leading to Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm labelling him as a “monster.”

Fortunately, that same bite has followed him to the Bundesliga, too, with his standout numbers across his last two seasons in the German top division showing off a star that’s still at the peak of his powers.

He also has a moment of magic just waiting in his locker like Le Fee, with a combined goal and assist haul of 67 from 396 games for Arsenal and Leverkusen, further making him a statement signing worth getting over the line.

Football journalist Henry Winter has even hailed the potential signing as “inspired”, with Xhaka just one part of the ongoing jigsaw that might allow for Sunderland to thrive up a level.

Dream Bade alternative: Sunderland ready bid for £22m star after Xhaka

Sunderland could go after this defensive ace instead of securing Loic Bade’s signature.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 23, 2025

New Zealand will tour India for three women’s championship ODIs later this month. The series, part of the women’s FTP for the current cycle, had been postponed indefinitely in July last year due to a crowded calendar, where India hosted England and Australia.All three ODIs, on October 24, 27 and 29, will be played in Ahmedabad, with both teams expected to fly in straight from the women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series.The late addition to the cricket calendar means a number of first-choice players across both sides, including India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia and D Hemalatha could miss at least the first few games of the 2024-25 WBBL season.Mandhana was among the WBBL’s big-ticket pre-draft signings by Adelaide Strikers. Meanwhile, Sophie Devine, the New Zealand’s captain and Mandhana’s WPL team-mate, will also be unavailable for the first few games of the tournament for Perth Scorchers.Related

• Mandhana joins Adelaide Strikers to complete pre-draft signings

With eight wins in 18 matches, New Zealand are currently placed sixth, a spot below India, in the women’s championship table. With West Indies and, theoretically even Bangladesh, capable of leapfrogging them on the points table, the series is crucial for New Zealand as far as direct qualification is concerned.The hosts along with five top-placed teams will earn a direct entry to next year’s 50-over World Cup in India. Two others will be identified through a global qualifier, where the bottom four from the championships and four associates will compete.New Zealand last played ODIs in India in 2015, during the first iteration of the women’s championships. Back then, New Zealand overturned a 1-0 deficit to clinch the series.