Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin has plenty of challenges facing him in his new role at Ibrox.

First and foremost, strengthening the squad is a priority. Ianis Hagi, Tom Lawrence and Leon Balogun all left at the end of last season following the expiration of their contracts.

Elsewhere, the likes of Ben Davies, Rabbi Matondo and Kieran Dowell may also be surplus to requirements ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, after spending time out on loan last year.

Add in the fact that Vaclav Cerny, Rafael Fernandes and Neraysho Kasinwirjo all returned to their parent clubs. This leaves Martin short in several areas, notably in defence.

At the time of writing, the only senior centre-backs at the club are John Souttar, Leon King, Robin Propper and Clinton Nsiala.

King and Nsiala are only 21 and played just 18 games between them during 2024/25, highlighting the need for another centre-back or two this summer.

How Martin would love to call upon a player who could command the backline with their sheer presence. Someone who would strike fear in opponents due to their sublime defensive abilities and excellent reading of the game.

Someone like David Weir, for example…

Why Weir was one of Walter Smith’s best Rangers signings

Smith made a host of superb signings during his two spells in charge of the Glasgow giants. Paul Gascoigne, Brian Laudrup and Stuart McCall, to name a few, are all legends at the club who were signed by Smith.

Fast-forward to his second stint and Smith landed talents such as Lee McCulloch, Nikica Jelavic and Pedro Mendes, among others. They all played their part as the Gers won three league titles in a row between 2009 and 2011.

Weir, however, must go down as one of Smith’s most important signings. The veteran centre-back arrived at Ibrox in January 2007 after he left Everton.

It was only meant to be a six-month deal in order to help Smith steady the ship. What followed is the stuff of legend.

Weir made a total of 226 appearances for the Light Blues between January 2007 and January 2012, scoring five goals in the process.

His leadership traits eventually led the club back to the summit of Scottish football, while he was a key part of the team that reached the UEFA Cup final in 2008, playing 61 matches that campaign.

Season

Games

Goals

Trophies

2011/12

1

0

0

2010/11

53

0

2

2009/10

51

0

2

2008/09

44

2

2

2007/08

61

3

2

2006/07

16

0

0

Never one blessed with pace, Weir was wonderful at reading the game and didn’t have to rely on matching an opponent for speed, especially with his excellent footballing brain.

While Weir is an anomaly, Martin could look to repeat Smith’s transfer masterclass by moving for a veteran defender who has spent the previous few years playing in England.

Rangers search for a new defender

Since Martin was appointed as the new Rangers manager, several defenders have been linked with a move to the club.

Harry Darling – who played under Martin at MK Dons and Swansea City – was one. As to was Ipswich Town centre-back Cameron Burgess.

While both would be solid signings, adding some depth to a problematic area, the Gers are interested in someone who has far more experience than those two.

According to Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie, the Gers are keen on a move for English defender Conor Coady, with a deal said to have already been “explored”.

While Coady echoes Weir in terms of leadership and a solid ability on the ball, at 32, might Martin perhaps take a deeper look into younger targets.

Weir, however, didn’t do too badly when he signed at the age of 36. Might Coady follow in his footsteps?

Why Rangers must sign Conor Coady

Souttar needs someone next to him who can play to his strengths. Last season, Propper struggled to cope with the physicality of Scottish football, making mistakes and often being rag-dolled by opposition forwards. He himself admitted he had “underestimated” the demands of Scottish football.

Transfer Focus

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

Coady shouldn’t have a problem in this regard. The Englishman played 22 times in the Premier League last season for Leicester City.

While the Foxes may have been relegated, Coady finished the season with a 91% pass completion percentage, along with winning 53% of his ground duels and losing possession just 4.7 times per game for the club.

When compared to his positional peers across the top five European leagues, Coady’s pass success rate ranked him in the top 15%, while he also ranked in the top 5% for shots blocked (1.26) per 90.

Considering the fact that he was playing in a poor team, plus his advancing years, there is still plenty to like about Coady and what he could offer Rangers next season.

The defender has plenty of experience at the highest level and even won ten caps for England under the leadership of Gareth Southgate.

Southgate handed Coady the captain’s armband during just his second appearance for England in October 2020. Against Wales, he scored his first-ever England goal and was even dubbed “infectious” by the boss following his display.

The 32-year-old has just one more year left on his contract at the Foxes and, with their relegation to the second tier, will he be willing to drop a division, especially with plenty to offer?

Martin should act accordingly in order to try and secure a deal for the defender this summer, as he could well have competition for his signature.

On a short-term deal, Coady could potentially have the same sort of impact that Weir had upon arriving in Glasgow in 2007.

It sounds like a real no-brainer of a signing and one that could ease Martin’s fears about the state of the defence heading into the Champions League qualifiers.

Watch this space.

Big Propper upgrade: Rangers keen on signing "outstanding" CB for Martin

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ByBen Gray Jun 13, 2025

Mohamed Salah signed a two-year contract extension in April to keep him at Liverpool for the upcoming two seasons, ensuring Arne Slot has usage of his talisman as he looks to plunder further riches after an incredible term.

Liverpool won the Premier League in their first season since Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his post, and Salah was the main man. The Egypt international, who turned 33 last week, scored 29 goals and added 18 assists en route to the title, becoming the first man to achieve 47 goal involvements in a single 38-game English top-flight campaign.

However, as he gets older, Salah could do with some cover, especially with Federico Chiesa looking to return to his Italian homeland. Thus, a new right-sided forward should be signed.

How curious that Salah might be replaced by Liverpool’s next version of Sadio Mane.

Liverpool lining up new winger

What a summer this has been for the mighty Reds already. Florian Wirtz is expected to arrive in a jaw-dropping £116m deal, joining from Bayer Leverkusen alongside Jeremie Frimpong, while Milos Kerkez is set to sign from Bournemouth too.

Who could be next? Well, it might be another English-based player according to reports.

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool have entered the race for Southampton star Tyler Dibling, who is likely to leave St. Mary’s this summer. Chelsea are also keen, however, no official talks have taken place yet.

RB Leipzig have already seen a €35m (£30m) bid rejected for the England U21 international, with relegated Saints instead holding out for something more like €60m (£51m).

With so many teams in the race, Liverpool will need to act quickly to ensure they secure the signature of a teenage prospect who has the potential to become a superstar.

Why Liverpool should sign Tyler Dibling

Described as an “unreal talent” by analyst Ben Mattinson, there’s certainly something special about Dibling’s style, with his flamboyant dribbling, fast pace and capacity to manoeuvre out from tight spaces underscoring his potential in the Premier League.

Southampton endured a miserable campaign as they crashed back into the Championship, but the 19-year-old Dibling was a breath of fresh air, dynamic and positionally flexible, while simultaneously showing an attacking instinct which could be sharpened into something deadly over the coming years.

Who knows, given he has made his name with Southampton, Dibling might even prove Liverpool’s next version of Mane, certainly boasting the elasticity and electricity of the Senegalese legend, if not yet the crisp ball-striking.

Tyler Dibling – Southampton Stats by Position (24/25)

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Right winger

13

1

0

Attacking midfield

7

1

2

Centre-forward

5

2

1

Right wing-back

1

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

Mane joined Liverpool from the southern outfit way back in 2016, in a deal worth £34m. Mane, 24 upon signing, had spent two seasons with Southampton, scoring 25 goals and laying on ten assists.

He had pace and skills and all the rest, but it was under the Anfield lights that he became a superstar, Klopp fashioning him into one of the world’s best.

Now, Dibling could do the same, but with a new man at the helm. The English youngster has even been called by former Saints Under-21 head coach Adam Asghar a “special” and “fearless” talent who “is an unbelievable ball-carrier and is always impacting games.”

He’s like a young Mane in that way, and indeed, would actually be making the move to Merseyside five years the left-sided forward’s junior, when he made the leap from Southampton.

Dibling would provide relief for Salah while proving himself useful across a range of different positions as Liverpool look to challenge for silverware across multiple fronts.

He’s the real deal, and Liverpool need to bring him over before they lose him to a divisional rival.

Related Their new Mo Salah: Liverpool favourites to sign "incredible" £84m striker

Liverpool are planning to sign a new number nine in the summer transfer market.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 16, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are entering a new dawn under Thomas Frank and are in talks to bring one of Europe’s most talked about youngsters to North London, according to a report.

Tottenham's pursuit of attacking talent continues

In a freak turn of events, Tottenham were dealt the hand of having to deal with an injury crisis last term and subsequently had to field a line-up that sometimes lacked an effective balance between defence and attack.

Reacting on the market by looking to bolster their offensive depth, Brentford pair Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are Spurs targets, even if the Bees may be difficult to deal with in light of already losing their manager to the lure of N17.

Despite interest from Manchester United, The Mirror’s John Cross believes Tottenham would be the best fit for Mbeumo to truly take his talent to the next level under Thomas Frank.

He stated: “Bryan Mbeumo should go to Tottenham. The Brentford forward is a serious player and moving to Tottenham, with his old boss Thomas Frank, would propel him to another level into the Champions League.”

Of course, it remains to be seen how much Spurs’ interest is determined by external parties egging on a transfer pursuit, but their admiration for the Cameroon international is certainly an indication that attacking talent will be prioritised this summer.

Tottenham preparing bid after Frank tells Levy & co to sign £20m midfielder

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Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert has been lined up by the Lilywhites as an alternative to add flair out wide. However, it remains to be seen if a deal is viable to sign the Netherlands international.

Either way, Frank appears to have big plans on his mind, though he may steer away from the Premier League in his hunt for goals and creativity.

Tottenham hold talks to sign Roony Bardghji

According to TBR, Tottenham have held talks to sign Copenhagen sensation Roony Bardghji as the Sweden international enters the final six months of his deal in the Danish capital.

Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Manchester United have also been involved in discussions surrounding the future of the youngster, who has been likened to Messi in the past for his agility and close control. However, he suffered an ACL injury in 2024, which has curtailed a move away from the Superliga side until now.

Roony Bardghji’s emergence at Copenhagen

Appearances

84

Goals

15

Assists

1

His burst onto the scene left many mesmerised by his abilities, including former coach Fredrik Akesson after the “extraordinary” development he has made since coming through in his homeland.

Spurs have been courting his services since 2023 and feel that despite his struggles with fitness, the opportunity to land Bardghji at a knockdown fee is simply too good to turn down.

Still only 19 years of age, time is on his side as he prepares for a life-changing move to one of the world’s elite, and Tottenham seem to have put themselves in with a great chance of being the ones to make that dream a reality for the Kuwait-born winger.

It was obvious that Celtic were going to need to sign a new left-back to bolster their squad in the summer transfer window as the 2024/25 campaign came to an end.

Greg Taylor’s contract at Parkhead expires this summer and there is still no update on whether he will be renewing or if the defender has found a new club to join.

Jeffrey Schlupp spent the second half of the season on loan from Premier League side Crystal Palace and has since returned to his parent club, where his contract is due to expire at the end of this month.

This is why it was important for the Hoops to add to their squad in that position, and that is exactly what they have done with the signing of Kieran Tierney on a free transfer from Arsenal.

Brendan Rodgers will be looking at the squad and how it could look in the years to come, hence signing Tierney on a five-year deal, and he will also be looking at other positions in the squad.

One current star who does not have a clear successor in place is club captain Callum McGregor, who remains the first-choice holding midfielder for the Hoops.

Why Callum McGregor is so important for Celtic

The former Scotland international is not a classic holding midfielder, in the sense that he is not a midfield destroyer who is dominant defensively, but the Celtic maestro is exceptional when it comes to setting the tempo and controlling a game.

McGregor sits at the base of the midfield for the Scottish giants and uses his ability on the ball to dominate matches in possession, by passing teams into the ground.

Passes made

79.78

Top 1%

Pass accuracy

94.3%

Top 1%

Long pass accuracy

64.1%

Top 5%

Cross accuracy

44.4%

Top 4%

Touches

96.30

Top 1%

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed star ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of possession and passing statistics, which shows that he was one of the best passers, if not the best, in the division.

McGregor also added a big goal threat to his game in the 2024/25 campaign, with a return of eight goals in 35 matches in the Scottish Premiership, after he had only scored two goals in the league in the previous season.

The Scottish star is important to Celtic and Rodgers, though, because of his metronomic passing qualities, and the Hoops are interested in a midfielder who could be their next version of McGregor.

Celtic have long-standing interest in Premier League midfielder

According to The Celtic Star, the Premiership champions have a long-standing interest in West Ham United’s central midfielder Andy Irving.

The report claims that the Hoops were interested in a deal to sign the left-footed star last summer but a change in management at the London Stadium, with Julen Lopetegui replacing David Moyes, put an end to any chance they had of signing him.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that a managerial change once again put a stop to Celtic’s interest in the recent January transfer window, as their attempt to sign the midfielder was turned down because Graham Potter wanted to run the rule over him during the second half of the season.

The Celtic Star does not reveal whether or not the Hoops are expected to go back in with a third attempt to sign the 25-year-old star, but it is clear that the club have an interest in him.

Rodgers must now push for the Hoops to go back in with another offer for the Premier League midfielder, because he could be McGregor 2.0 for the Bhoys.

Why Andy Irving could be the next Callum McGregor

The 25-year-old star could be the perfect signing to be a back-up option and potential successor to the captain due to his age and style of play.

Irving, who described his Scotland debut against Liechtenstein as “perfect”, is six years younger than McGregor and could be the long-term option for Rodgers at the base of the midfield.

The Hammers midfielder came on for the last 31 minutes against Liechtenstein and completed 23 of his 25 attempted passes (92%), whilst also creating two chances for his teammates, in what was an impressive cameo off the bench.

Irving, however, did not get too many opportunities to showcase his ability in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign, as he played just 178 minutes across ten appearances in the division for West Ham.

In that limited game time, though, the Celtic target showed why he could be a really good fit for Rodgers at Parkhead next season if the club were to snap him up.

Passes made

60.00

Top 8%

Pass accuracy

90.0%

Top 16%

Long passes made

3.89

Top 5%

Long pass accuracy

87.5%

Top 4%

Cross accuracy

50%

Top 11%

Touches

87.78

Top 6%

As you can see in the table above, Irving excelled in possession when coming off the bench for West Ham, ranking highly among Premier League midfielders in a host of passing and possession-based metrics.

The Scottish whiz also showcased his ability to score goals, as McGregor did in the 2024/25 campaign, with nine goals in 28 matches in the Austrian Bundesliga during the 2023/24 season, whilst playing for Klagenfurt.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Irving to be a midfielder who can control and dictate games for Celtic from a number six position, due to his promising cameos in the Premier League as a dominant and reliable passer.

In a Hoops team that dominates possession week-in-week-out and competes for the title every year, the 25-year-old star could thrive as a tempo-setter who can enjoy plenty of touches of the ball.

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Celtic are interested in a deal to sign a winger who would be an even more exciting signing than Callum Osmand.

ByDan Emery Jun 12, 2025

Therefore, Celtic should make it third time lucky with another move for Irving before the end of the summer transfer window to add brilliant depth to their midfield, whilst also securing their long-term successor to McGregor.

Liverpool are pushing to make a series of sweeping changes to Arne Slot’s squad nice and early, thus allowing themselves to kick their feet up and bask in the sun after winning the Premier League.

It’s been a terrific season for the Reds, whose dominance in the top flight established a commanding lead before Christmas, which was held confidently across the latter half of the year.

Only after the Premier League was wrapped up did Liverpool ease their trademark intensity – and by quite a bit at that. Only two points were claimed from a possible 12 to see out the season, with the last taste of victory, a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, securing gold with plenty of room to spare.

Slot has been against heavy rotation for the majority of the campaign, but he has dished out the changes over the past month. However, Darwin Nunez was still limited to cameos, last making a league start on Boxing Day.

The Uruguayan striker is set to leave the club this summer, and rightly so. Everyone wanted it to work out, but he pales in comparison to his predecessors at number nine.

Liverpool's longing for an elite striker

Nunez has the minerals to be a world-class player, but, frankly, he’s failed to bring it all together and must be sold. Such an argument is certainly reinforced when flicking back over some of the contemporary strikers the Merseysiders have been treated to.

Luis Suarez being chief among them, with the Uruguayan, Nunez’s countryman, only surpassed by Mohamed Salah in terms of efficacy and consistency in front of goal at Liverpool, across the past several decades.

However, would it be fair to say Suarez failed to capture the fanbase’s adoration quite to the same level as Fernando Torres in his prime?

It just might. Torres signed as a Liverpool player in 2007, aged 23. The package was worth £20m, and it was widely accepted that Rafael Benitez had scored the Premier League giants a bona fide bargain.

If Liverpool could sign their next version of the Spanish World Cup winner, they may well be laughing all the way toward a successful Premier League title defence.

And they might just be in the race for such a player.

Liverpool moving to sign new Torres

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Liverpool are firmly in the race for Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who left Manchester City to play under Diego Simeone in an £82m deal last summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Liverpool have reportedly ‘sounded out a move’, but Arsenal and Barcelona are also interested, with the Gunners understood to have the lead in the race at this stage.

Los Colchoneros don’t want to sell their talisman, of course, but they would entertain offers that exceed what they paid to City one year ago. He supposedly has a £126m release clause, but this might prove a tad steep.

Why Alvarez could be Slot's own Torres

Liverpool would do anything to have a striker in the same vein as Torres back in the mix, and Alvarez truly could be that man.

This season, the “ridiculous” forward – as he’s been called by Statman Dave – has been a revelation for Atletico Madrid, scoring 29 goals and adding six assists across all competitions, including a seven-goal haul from ten matches in the Champions League.

This newfound level of potency marks progress from his days under Pep Guardiola’s wing, perhaps because he has been upgraded to a berth of greater importance.

River Plate

122

54

31

Manchester City

103

36

19

Atletico Madrid

53

29

6

Argentina

44

12

33

Journalist Roy Nemer even made the bold statement that Alvarez has been “the best forward in the world” this season, with his 29-goal return in Simeone’s Atletico team making a convincing comment on his qualities and indeed capacity to reach even higher in another system.

Slot’s system? Just imagine. Alvarez is sharpening his developing prolific sense at the front of Liverpool’s team, backed up by the likes of Salah and Florian Wirtz, with Bayer Leverkusen receiving an official proposal from the Anfield side on Monday.

There’s a real chance that Slot’s creative capacity would know no bounds with such players threading passes in toward a mobile and dynamic focal point such as Alvarez.

As per FBref, the Argentina star ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues this season for all of shot-creating actions, passes attempted and progressive carries, as well as the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons made per 90.

All told, he’s the “complete player”, as described by Marca editor Matias Wodner. And in a way, this suggests he could become Liverpool’s new version of El Nino, especially given that Liverpool would be reeling him in from Atletico Madrid.

When Torres arrived at Liverpool, his prowess was undeniable, but there was clearly room for improvement. This was perfectly enforced. Before leaving contentiously for Chelsea, the iconic striker scored 81 goals and added 19 assists across just 142 fixtures in a Liverpool shirt.

His pace, sharp movements and lethal finishing led one Steven Gerrard to describe him as the “best striker in the world” back in 2009, with something in the Anfield air eliciting the finest form of the Spain star’s career, vindicated upon a high-profile move to Stamford Bridge which stocked Torres’ trophy cabinet but failed to yield the same prolific results.

If Alvarez were to make the move to Merseyside this summer, though, you could envisage a long-term future in Slot’s squad to be sure.

The 25-year-old has already won the Premier League twice, posting 31 goal involvements across his two campaigns despite only starting 44 matches in total.

He’s the real deal, and with rumours surfacing that Atletico are interested in talking to Liverpool about the potential signing of Nunez, this might be one to keep a close eye on.

He's the new Coutinho: Liverpool set to sign "generational" star very soon

Liverpool are moving quickly to make new signings for Arne Slot’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair May 27, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur will now “have money available” to strengthen their squad in the summer, and they hold an interest in a “world-class” Brazilian as a potential replacement for a first-team star, according to a report.

Tottenham's summer transfer plans after Europa League triumph

Having secured qualification for next season’s Champions League via their Europa League triumph, Tottenham should be well-positioned to compete for the signatures of some top players this summer, and their transfer plans are now starting to take shape.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have struggled defensively for much of the 2025-26 campaign, and it looks as though the manager may have to reshape his backline this summer, amid reports suggesting Cristian Romero has expressed his desire to leave at the end of the campaign.

Whether the Europa League victory tempts him to stay remains to be seen, but Pedro Porro has also been linked with a move away this summer, with Manchester City believed to be keen on their former player, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has named a Brazil international as a potential replacement.

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Speaking to Football Insider about Tottenham’s summer transfer plans, O’Rourke named Vanderson as a potential signing for Spurs in the upcoming window, saying: “He’s impressed at Monaco, a Brazil international, and a number of Premier League clubs have been looking at him over the years.

“He’s still got three years left on his contract at Monaco, and Monaco will be demanding a decent fee of probably £25million to let him go.

“Tottenham, now with Champions League football, will be looking to strengthen their squad and will have money available. So I’m sure he is somebody who is still on their list, but I don’t think he’s a priority right now.”

Vanderson could be "world-class" addition for Tottenham

Lauded as “world-class” by one scout, the Brazil international was a key player for Monaco throughout the 2024-25 campaign, making 41 appearances in all competitions and displaying his attacking prowess by picking up seven goal contributions.

Of course, Porro is also known for his attacking intent, but there are signs the Monaco full-back could be an upgrade from a defensive point of view, having outperformed the Spaniard on several key metrics over the course of the past year.

Average per 90	Pedro Porro	Vanderson
Tackles	2.11	3.14
Interceptions	1.24	1.71
Aerials won	0.47	0.92

Not only that, but the 23-year-old is also accustomed to playing in a slightly more advanced role, having done so regularly throughout his career, which could make him a good fit for Postecoglou, given the Australian likes to play an attacking brand of football.

At just £25m, Vanderson could be a bargain signing for Tottenham this summer, but the hope will be that they can retain Porro, considering the 25-year-old is already proven in the Premier League, ranking among their best performers in the competition during the 2024-25 campaign.

England coach says team must block out outside noise and focus on two crucial points

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2024

Matthew Mott is under pressure with England facing an early exit from the T20 World Cup•Getty Images

Matthew Mott, England’s head coach, says he hopes that Josh Hazlewood was joking about the prospect of Australia manipulating an early exit for the T20 World Cup defending champions, but admits his team can do little else but focus on victory against Oman on Thursday and hope the ongoing debate about run-rate calculations ends up falling in their favour.England were a distant second-best to Australia in their meeting in Barbados last week, and having endured a washed-out opening fixture against Scotland – who have since won two from two – they are no longer in control of their destiny in Group B, a situation which echoes their tame and early exit from the 50-over World Cup in India before Christmas.Even England’s own back-to-back victories over Oman and Namibia may not be sufficient to overturn their sizeable NRR deficit to the Scots – a point which Hazlewood highlighted when he suggested that Australia could be tempted to “knock it around and drag it out” when they themselves face Scotland in Group B’s final match in Antigua on Sunday.Such a tactic would echo Steve Waugh’s infamous go-slow against West Indies at the 1999 World Cup – when the target for elimination on that occasion had been New Zealand – but it would come with the risk of a two-match ban for their current captain, Mitchell Marsh, if Australia were deemed by the umpires to have contravened Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which pertains to the “inappropriate strategic or tactical” manipulation of matches.But Mott, who coached Hazlewood during his time at New South Wales, played down the comments as an example of his “tongue-in-cheek” sense of humour.”I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity,” Mott said. “He has got a very good sense of humour and I am hoping it was very much tongue-in-cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out. Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore. I am very much hoping it was an offhand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”Either way, the potential for a run-rate rumpus is the sort of distraction that England could do without, given their lack of fluency in the tournament to date. Even before the Scotland match was abandoned, they had been notably off the pace with the ball in conceding 90 wicketless runs in ten overs, and the pressure to perform to the standard expected of defending champions is ramping up again, especially in light of their grim display in their 50-over defence last year.Related

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England aim to revive rocky title defence against Oman

“Regardless of any outside noise about qualification, run-rates, all that sort of stuff, essentially, we’ve got to win this game and we’ve spoken a lot about that,” Mott said. “We’ve played good T20 cricket for a while now. It didn’t quite come off against Australia last game but I think we’ve got our structure in place, we’re really confident. Those who saw us train yesterday, you can see a buoyant group, up and about, that’s ready for the challenge ahead.”To offset any run-rate shenanigans, England need to beat Oman and Namibia by a combined margin of 117 runs (or the equivalent when chasing), thereby hauling their net run-rate above Scotland’s, so that only a surprise defeat of Australia can prevent them from progressing. But first things first, England must defeat a team that Scotland themselves saw off with 41 balls to spare in a pointedly fast finish in Antigua on Sunday.”We’re treating this game with Oman in isolation,” Mott said. “They’ve got our full attention. If we get into a position where we’re in a dominant position and can push hard, we will. If we have to scrap and fight and get the two points, we will as well. So, we’ll just keep an open mind, as we always will.”But essentially, we want to play that brand of cricket. I think we had glimpses of it the other day. I thought we started well with the bat, but to get a full performance in is really important. Get that on-field confidence. I think we’re really close, but obviously it’s been a bit of a disjointed tournament so far.”

Whilst Marc Guehi has been on Newcastle United’s wishlist for some time, the Magpies have now reportedly set their sights on an alternative option who’s worth just £34m this summer.

Guehi remains on Newcastle radar

This time last year, those at St James’ Park were in a different position when it comes to spending but still had an interest in Guehi. Reports even suggested that they were willing to spend big even in the face of PSR troubles. Eventually, however, Crystal Palace managed to price both Newcastle and other interested parties out of a move for their star defender.

One year on, pricing Newcastle out of a move will be slightly more difficult. Free from their PSR limitations, the Magpies could splash the cash for the first time in two transfer windows to finally land their defensive target. It’s also worth noting that Palace, themselves, may be in a weaker negotiation position due to the fact that Guehi’s current contract now has just one year remaining.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025

Fresh reports this week have gone as far as to suggest that Newcastle have more or less completed a deal to sign Guehi from Palace and those in South London have already turned their attention towards finding a replacement.

If those are to be believed, then it would be some statement from PIF this early in the summer. The England international wouldn’t be the first to arrive, however, given that Antonio Cordero has already put pen to paper, and rumours suggest that he may not be the last in a frantic summer at St James’ Park.

That said, Newcastle will be well aware of just how quickly things can change in the transfer market and already reportedly have alternative options lined up if they fail in pursuit of Guehi’s signature for a second summer in a row.

Newcastle interested in signing Roma's Ndicka

If it’s not to be Guehi this summer, then it may well be a Serie A star. According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now looking to sign Evan Ndicka from AS Roma. The Italian club value their defender at just €40m (£34m) and may well get the chance to cash in amid interest from Tyneside as well as Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Evan Ndicka	Marc Guehi
Minutes	3,420	3,059
Progressive Passes	107	134
Tackles Won	26	34
Ball Recoveries	134	145

Whilst the numbers show that Guehi is superior in a number of areas, Ndicka is far from a world away from the Englishman’s quality and his cheaper price tag could make any slight dip in numbers worthwhile for Newcastle this summer.

The defender hasn’t been short on praise at Roma, either. Former manager Jose Mourinho had nothing but positives to say about Ndicka after his performance in a 2-0 victory over Napoli in 2023.

The self-proclaimed Special One told reporters: “This was without a doubt his best performance as a Roma player. He played a great game.”

Still just 25 years old and available for just £34m, Ndicka could prove to be the perfect alternative should Eddie Howe and Newcastle miss out on signing Guehi this summer.

Playing all three spinners together at every opportunity was high on England’s wish list heading into the second half of their home summer and, kicking off the first of two white-ball series with New Zealand, it worked a charm.Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn claimed seven wickets between them – Dean the standout with her 4 for 38 – as New Zealand were bowled out for just 156 in the first of three ODIs in Durham on Wednesday.After lacking a ruthless streak during their defeat of Pakistan in both white-ball formats when they visited England last month, addressing that would have been right up there as an objective for the hosts too, and Maia Bouchier and Tammy Beaumont answered the call with a brutal opening partnership of 137 off 106 balls which guided them to a nine-wicket victory with 28.4 overs to spare.Related

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After Brooke Halliday had offered the only true fight from New Zealand with a defiant half-century, Bouchier smashed 67 off 50 balls and Beaumont an unbeaten 76 off 69. They got England to within 20 runs of victory before Halliday claimed the only home wicket to fall, Bouchier spooning Halliday’s eighth delivery straight to Suzie Bates, who took a low catch diving forwards at cover, before Beaumont and Heather Knight took their side over the line.New Zealand’s bowling was even more lacklustre and England’s openers capitalised with sublime placement and relentless power. Both struck boundary after boundary through most areas and each hit a six down the ground. With Sophia Dunkley returning to England’s squad for the three ODIs and five T20Is with New Zealand after losing her place on the corresponding tour earlier this year, where Bouchier was a standout performer, the competition at the top of the order is fierce.Asked recently what he hoped to get out of three ODIs followed by five T20Is against the White Ferns, who had lost at home 1-2 and 1-4 in March and April, Jon Lewis, England’s head coach told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast: “I’m really keen to try and get all three of my spinners in every team that we play. It’s a really, really hard thing to do. They’re world-class spiners, they’re brilliant bowlers so I’m trying as best I can to work out how to balance the side to get those players in.”Charlie Dean ripped through New Zealand’s middle-order•Getty Images

The opportunity presented itself with Kate Cross ruled out by an abdominal injury and Nat Sciver-Brunt unable to bowl her full allocation as she manages a knee problem, leaving Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell to shoulder the seam-bowling workload on a Seat Unique Riverside pitch that was expected to offer some turn.New Zealand won the toss in good batting conditions under clear skies and with a fast outfield, even if the pitch was on the slow side.Filer took a couple of balls to find her length but she struck with her eighth delivery, a gem which jagged back in and rocketed into the top of Suzie Bates’ middle and off stumps in the fourth over of the day to halt a promising start by Bates, who struck three fours on her way to 16 off 12 balls.Georgia Plimmer was run out in freakish style, inadvertently deflecting Melie Kerr’s jab down the pitch with her foot towards midwicket as she set off for a run then continuing to the other end as Bouchier gathered and fired the ball to wicketkeeper Amy Jones with Plimmer short of her ground. That brought Sophie Devine to the crease and Devine’s presence became more crucial when, moments later, Kerr top-edged her attempted slog-sweep off Ecclestone high into the air and ultimately into the hands of a waiting Jones. Plimmer’s 29 ended up being New Zealand’s next-best score behind Halliday on a sorry looking scorecard.Brooke Halliday made 51 off 60 balls•PA Photos/Getty Images

Ecclestone and Jones teamed up again, the former with a beautiful delivery that drifted in then turned away and the latter with the sharpest of catches off Devine’s thick outside edge to leave New Zealand reeling at 75 for 4.When Maddy Green fell lbw to Sciver-Brunt and Izzy Gaze and Hannah Rowe both departed in similar fashion to Dean, the White Ferns slumped to 111 for 7.Dean claimed her third wicket and Jones her third catch when Jess Kerr prodded at one outside off stump and sent a faint edge behind, then Molly Penfold fell cheaply, beaten by a Dean delivery which spun back in to rattle the top of leg stump.Halliday struck the only six of the New Zealand innings, launching a fuller delivery outside off-stump from Dean down the ground, and seven fours, including one behind backward square leg to bring up her half-century before edging Glenn’s next ball high into the air for Heather Knight to pocket a diving catch.Ecclestone closed with 2 for 28 from seven overs while Glenn, Filer and Sciver-Brunt took one each. It was only the second time Dean, Ecclestone and Glenn had played together in an ODI and, given the result, it may well not be the last.

Celtic are looking to strengthen their squad before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September, despite winning two trophies in the 2024/25 campaign.

Brendan Rodgers led his team to the Scottish Premiership title and the League Cup trophy in his second season back at Parkhead, although his side did also lose in the final of the SFA Cup.

As shown in the post above from Fabrizio Romano, Celtic are set to complete the signing of Benjamin Nygren to bolster their options on the right flank.

The Hoops have already signed Ross Doohan to fill the role of third-choice goalkeeper and have snapped up Kieran Tierney to be their new first-choice left-back.

Celtic eyeing move for new midfielder

Having made moves in the goalkeeper, full-back, and winger departments, the Scottish Premiership champions are now eyeing up a new midfielder to improve their squad.

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According to 67HailHail, Celtic are interested in a deal to sign Scotland international Andy Irving from Premier League side West Ham United before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops ‘could make a move’ for the left-footed star in the coming weeks, as Rodgers looks to add to his options in the middle of the park.

It states that there are also teams from the Championship in England that are looking at him as a potential signing, but that the Bhoys are currently at the front of the queue to secure his signature.

Why Celtic should sign Andy Irving

The Scottish giants should swoop to sign Irving from the Hammers this summer because he could be an amazing midfield partner for Reo Hatate when called upon.

Whilst captain Callum McGregor is likely to start when fit, given that he started 34 league games this season, Rodgers will be thinking about what life could look like after the 32-year-old’s powers start to wane.

Arne Engels was trialled as a number six at times in his debut campaign in Scotland, and playing the Belgian star there would allow the manager to play Irving and Hatate as the two number eights ahead of him.

Celtic’s Japanese maestro has proven himself to be adept at breaking down opposition defences to chip in with goals and assists, having scored ten goals and provided four assists in 37 league games for the club in the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

31

28

Goals

5

9

Big chances missed

0

1

Big chances created

10

7

Key passes per game

1.4

1.2

Assists

6

4

As you can see in the table above, Irving caught the eye at the top end of the pitch whilst playing as a midfielder for Klagenfurt in Austria, in the same division that Nicolas Kuhn was signed from when he was at Rapid Vienna.

The 25-year-old star, who was dubbed a “Premier League-level” talent by former scout Mick Brown, only made ten league appearances for the Hammers this term, which meant that he did not have much of a chance to showcase his attacking qualities for Graham Potter’s side.

However, a move to a dominant Celtic team, that have won the title in each of the last four seasons, could help him to regain his best form as a central midfielder who can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

That could, therefore, result in Rodgers having two amazing attack-minded number eights in the form of Hatate and Irving, who could cause havoc in the final third, with either Engels or McGregor sat behind them as the number six.

Celtic have hit gold with star who's now worth £8m more than Balikwisha

Celtic have hit the jackpot with this star who is now worth £8m more than reported target Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

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This is why this move could make a lot of sense for Celtic if they decide to go through with a move for him, as this latest report suggests that they may do.