Rangers and 49ers now in race to sign 7-goal striker who's league's top scorer

With their woeful start in mind, Glasgow Rangers and the 49ers have reportedly turned their focus towards the transfer window and welcoming an impressive goalscorer for Russell Martin in 2026.

Martin praises "proper performance" from Rangers

It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t enough to get the fans back onside, but it was a start for Rangers, who secured their first win of the season in the Scottish Premiership in last-gasp fashion over Livingston. The Gers found themselves level as stoppage time arrived, only for summer signing Max Aarons to become the unexpected hero in the 94th minute and end what has been a disastrous run for Martin.

The travelling fans still took aim at Martin when the full-time whistle sounded and it’s clear that there’s still work to be done to get them back in his favour, but that didn’t stop the manager from praising his side.

The Rangers boss told reporters: “You saw some proper performances from people today. Tav was incredible. He played three different positions in the game. Drove the team forward, scored, and his reaction to the penalty miss was brilliant.”

“I’m really proud of the players. We deserved to win. The first half was the best we played all season, I think. The first half we deserved to win, played brilliantly. Some amazing football. We should have scored more goals for sure.”

Up next is another important game and an opportunity to make it back-to-back wins in a tough trip to SK Sturm Graz. After losing to Genk in their opening Europa League game last time out, Martin’s side must take something from the Austrian side.

In the meantime, as victories finally begin to arrive, the 49ers are reportedly aiming to back their manager with further arrivals in 2026.

Rangers join race to sign Lidberg

As reported by Sports Boom, the 49ers and Rangers have now joined the race to sign Isac Lidberg from Darmstadt 98. The Swede has enjoyed an excellent start to the 2 Bundesliga campaign, scoring seven goals in eight games to sit top of the goalscoring charts.

Now, when 2026 arrives, he could have a decision to make amid interest from Rangers, Burnley, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers. In a hectic race, it’s fair to say that he won’t be short on options when the time comes.

Rangers star was "like the best of Zidane", now he's worse than Barron

This Rangers star who was once compared to Zinedine Zidane is now even worse than Connor Barron.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 30, 2025

Lidberg’s form is no purple patch, either. The 27-year-old scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and has since taken things up a level to attract impressive interest. As a result, there will be big questions about his future in January and there’s no denying that Rangers could do with his quality.

The Gers have looked blunt going forward ever since the departure of Hamza Igamane, who they have so far failed to replace. By adding Lidberg, they’d be adding a solution to Martin’s attacking problems. To do so, however, they may have to fend off Premier League interest from Burnley.

Luka Modric 'hugged and said he wants to help me' – Rafael Leao eager to 'grow' and take AC Milan to next step with ex-Real Madrid star

Rafael Leao has detailed the supportive welcome he received from new teammate Luka Modric after his match-winning brace sent AC Milan to the top of Serie A. The Portuguese star, who ended a long goal drought at the San Siro against Fiorentina, is eager to learn from the former Real Madrid icon and propel the Rossoneri forward to make the most out of his career.

  • Leao reveals Modric's supportive welcome

    Leao has revealed the supportive welcome he received from Modric, explaining how the midfield icon has already pledged to help him develop after the Portuguese forward's decisive brace secured a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory over Fiorentina at San Siro.

    The arrival of the former Real Madrid and Ballon d'Or winner has evidently had an immediate impact in the Milan dressing room, with Leao expressing his excitement at the prospect of linking up with the Croatian. The forward shared details of their first interaction, highlighting Modric’s proactive approach to mentoring him.

    "When he arrived at Milanello, Modric gave me a hug and told me he wanted to help me," Leao stated. "Playing with these players helps you grow, I'm very happy: he'll give me lots of assists to take Milan forward." The partnership is one that Milan fans will be eager to see flourish as they aim to build on their strong start to the campaign.

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    Match-winning brace ends long San Siro drought

    Leao was the undisputed protagonist in a challenging match against Fiorentina. The visitors, despite their lowly league position, took a shock lead in the 55th minute through Robin Gosens. However, Milan’s star forward dragged his side back into the contest just eight minutes later, equalising with a stunning curling shot from outside the penalty area. The goal marked a significant personal milestone, ending a 512-day wait for a Serie A goal at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, with his last coming against Salernitana in May 2024.

    He completed the turnaround in the 86th minute, calmly converting a penalty to secure all three points. His influence on the game was clear in the statistics; Leao recorded the most touches in the opposition box (six) and completed the second-most dribbles of any player on the pitch.

  • What Leao said about the Fiorentina victory

    Reflecting on the match, Leao acknowledged the difficulty of facing a Fiorentina side desperate for points. "We knew this was going to be a tough match," he explained. "Fiorentina are going through a tough time, but they have quality players: the coach told us we couldn't give them any space… That's what we did today, a great team effort, even if the first half was a bit of a strange game. In the end, we got going."

    Having recently returned from an injury that sidelined him for six weeks, Leao dedicated the performance to those who supported him. "I spent a month and a half injured: I dedicate it to my family, to my teammates who helped me and kept me in a great mood when I returned. I'm very happy. We have to continue like this."

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  • Modric praises 'amazing' Leao's potential

    The admiration between the two stars is mutual. Modric also spoke highly of Leao's talent and was delighted to see him return to form and fitness. "Rafa is really amazing. I was looking forward to playing with him. Unfortunately, he got injured quickly, but now he's getting back to fitness," Modric said. The veteran midfielder believes the goals will be a major boost for the forward, adding that Leao can still improve and become even more important for the team.

'Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't have to apologise for anything' – CR7 spared criticism after penalty miss as Portuguese GOAT remains untouchable

Cristiano Ronaldo remains untouchable in his homeland as the Portuguese GOAT, with the all-time great being told that he has nothing to apologise for after missing a penalty against the Republic of Ireland. The Al-Nassr superstar fluffed his lines from 12 yards during a 2026 World Cup qualifier, with former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher keeping out his spot-kick before Ruben Neves snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner.

  • Neves goal & Jota tribute after Ronaldo penalty miss

    Ronaldo was let off the hook when ex-Wolves midfielder Neves – who also plies his club trade in the Middle East for Al-Hilal – struck in the 91st minute and delivered another tribute to former international team-mate Diogo Jota. Portugal remain top of qualification Group A on the back of a third successive victory en route to the 2026 finals.

    It appeared at one stage as though points would be dropped against Irish opposition, with Ronaldo having to take his share of the blame for that. His penalty, in the 75th minute, was struck well enough, but he decided to go straight down the middle. Rather than ‘Panenka’ said strike and dink beyond the diving goalkeeper, Ronaldo’s effort did not get enough air on it. That allowed Kelleher to stick out a leg and volley the ball to safety.

    CR7 was distraught, as he trudged off with his head in his hands, but he was given the chance to complete the full 90 minutes. Had he hit the net against Ireland, then more history would have been made. As it stands, Ronaldo is locked on 39 World Cup qualifying goals with Guatemala forward Carlos Ruiz – with one more required in order to claim another entry in the record books.

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    Ronaldo remains a legend to those in Portugal

    Nobody in Portugal is about to accuse Ronaldo of letting his country down, with the 40-year-old frontman a European Championship winner with two UEFA Nations League titles to his name. He has registered 141 international goals through 224 appearances and continues to chase down 1,000 efforts in total over the course of his remarkable career.

    Renato Veiga told reporters when asked about Ronaldo’s failure to take a golden opportunity against Ireland, with a national hero apologising to supporters afterwards as he held his hands up to the crowd: "Cristiano doesn't have to apologise for anything. For everything he's done for Portugal and Portuguese football, for what he still does, and for the great performance he put in."

  • World Cup win for Ronaldo? Portugal among favourites

    As current holders of the Nations League crown, and with a talented group of players available to Roberto Martinez – which includes the likes of Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, Ruben Dias, Vitinha and Rafael Leao – Portugal are among the favourites to capture a global title in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

    Veiga insists that nobody is buying into that big billing just yet, saying of a potential bid to claim a historic crown in 2026: "Before that, the focus is on qualifying, then we can think further ahead. Of course, with this victory, Portugal is closer to the World Cup. We haven't qualified yet, and there's no point in dwelling on something we haven't achieved yet. We know our quality and are confident in how good we are, but we must be very humble and take it game by game."

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    Emulate Messi: Ronaldo desperate for global title

    Ronaldo will be desperate to get his hands on the World Cup, allowing him to emulate the achievements of eternal rival Lionel Messi. Felix has previously told of CR7 gracing another finals and setting his sights on the ultimate prize: "Yes, I think so and everything indicates that he will. He dreams of winning the World Cup, we will do everything we can to give him that prize. I think it is the only one he is missing."

    Portugal will be back in action on Tuesday when playing host to Hungary at Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon. Ronaldo will likely figure prominently in that contest, with there no desire on his part to ever take a rest.

Atacante Igor Torres é anunciado pela Ponte Preta

MatériaMais Notícias

Através dos canais oficiais, a Ponte Preta anunciou a chegada do atacante Igor Torres, nome que vem para a Macaca por empréstimo do Fortaleza até o fim da temporada.

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– IGOR TORRES É DA MACACA! O atacante de 23 anos chega para integrar o elenco na sequência do Brasileirão. Seja bem-vindo, meu atacante – informou a representação de Campinas.

Aos 24 anos de idade, Igor vem passando por uma sequência de empréstimos pelo fato de não ter espaço dentro do planejamento do técnico Juan Pablo Vojvoda. Sendo assim, ele também acumula passagens por Bahia (2022) e Atlético-GO, clube que defendeu no primeiro semestre deste ano. Pelo clube do Centro-Oeste, Igor Torres fez 11 partidas com dois gols e uma assistência.

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Apesar de já ter atuado pela Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro em 2023, Igor Torres não quebrou o limite de sete duelos por uma mesma equipe. Foram cinco partidas onde deu apenas uma assistências, tendo marcado seus dois gols ainda no Campeonato Goiano.

Esta foi a segunda contratação feita pela Ponte Preta visando reforçar o seu sistema ofensivo na atual janela de transferências. Antes, a Macaca anunciou a chegada do centroavante André, nome de rodagem por diversos clubes do cenário nacional como Atlético-MG, Corinthians, Grêmio, Santos, Sport e Vasco.

Breakthrough: Wolves reach agreement to sign £10m ace, medical now booked

Wolves have reached an agreement over the signing of an international wide player this summer, according to a significant update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Wolves prepare for visit of Man City

Wanderers get their 2025/26 Premier League season up and running on Saturday evening, with Vitor Pereira’s side facing an exciting opening clash at home to Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side fell below their usual standard last term, giving up the title to Liverpool, but they are expected to be more of a force this time around, making the weekend game a huge test.

That said, Pereira is in positive spirits ahead of the match, with the Wolves manager looking ahead to a new campaign that will hopefully bring plenty of success.

“I’m positive and I’m excited because this is the best league in the world, and, for me, it’s a pleasure to be here. In football, each season is a new season. You always need to reinvent yourself because we’ll face different challenges. We need to rebuild our identity, to reinforce our identity, and this will take some time.

“We have some new players and I’m expecting another one or two or three, and the club is working on that, so we’ll see, as I cannot say now that we are at our best level, we still need to have time for this.”

Away from Saturday’s game, work continues to be done on potential new signings behind the scenes, and one piece of business is reportedly nearly done.

Wolves reach agreement to sign £10m ace

Writing on X, Romano claimed that Wolves are close to completing the £10m signing of Hellas Verona full-back Jackson Tchatchoua, with a medical booked in.

Tchatchoua could be a brilliant signing for Wolves this summer, coming in as a direct replacement for Nelson Semedo, adding attacking quality from right-back.

The 23-year-old is still a young player, but he has also picked up lots of experience already, making 62 appearances in Serie A and winning 10 caps for Cameroon.

Tchatchoua is also very capable of excelling as a right winger, and on the left flank in both full-back and wing roles, with his versatility an added bonus for Pereira.

Strand Larsen 2.0: Wolves make approach to sign "outstanding" £15m poacher

Wolves could be getting their hands on a future superstar…

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The Cameroonian ticks lots of boxes for Wolves, strengthening a key position ahead of the new season, and he should only go from strength to strength, given his age.

Bumrah leads India as Rohit chooses 'to rest' in Sydney

India captain Rohit Sharma has “chosen to rest” from the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, according to Jasprit Bumrah who will lead the team in Sydney. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit in the XI and will slot in at No. 3.The issue of the change in leadership was not addressed directly at the toss at the SCG, with Bumrah only saying: “Our captain has shown his leadership as well, he has chosen to rest from this game. It shows the unity within the team.” Bumrah had captained India to victory in the first Test of the series in Perth when Rohit was on paternity leave.Rohit had been a peripheral presence as India went through their final preparations ahead of the first ball in Sydney. He and the rest of the team arrived at the ground at 9am but it wasn’t till 15 minutes later that he stepped onto the outfield at the SCG. By that time, Bumrah had gone up to the pitch, got through a spot-bowling routine and checked in with Gautam Gambhir. Rohit stepped onto the ground at 9.15am. He too made a beeline for the pitch, bending down and pressing his hands into it. He played a bit of football with Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant. He was conspicuously quiet at the team huddle with Gambhir and Virat Kohli doing the talking. Finally he left the field at 9.40am, just before the toss. The reserve players and the support staff lined up on the edge of the boundary for the national anthems but Rohit wasn’t with them.Sunil Gavaskar said Rohit’s Test career was likely over. “I think it probably means that [if] India don’t qualify for the WTC final, the Melbourne Test will be Rohit Sharma’s last game,” Gavaskar said during the lunch break on day one. The [next] WTC cycle will start with the England series, and the selectors would likely want someone available for the 2027 final. Whether India gets there or not is another matter, but that’s is what the selection committee is likely to do. We have probably seen Rohit Sharma for the last time in Test cricket.”Ravi Shastri was also of the same opinion. “If there was a home season coming up he might’ve thought of carrying on, but I think he might just pull the plug at the end of this Test,” he said on commentary. “He’s not getting younger … it’s not that India don’t have youngsters. There are very, very good players in the wings and it’s time to build. Tough decisions, but there is a time for everything.”Speculation around Rohit’s place in the team began after India lost the fourth Test in Melbourne, where he made scores of 3 and 9, as reports emerged that he was planning to retire from the format at the end of the series. On the eve of the fifth Test, India coach Gautam Gambhir did not confirm or deny whether Rohit would play in Sydney – he only said the XI would be decided after taking a look at the pitch. Rohit did not have as active a training session as some of his team-mates.He was subsequently left out of a Test that India must win to draw the series and avoid handing over the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in ten years. After joining the squad midway through the Perth Test following the birth of his son, Rohit gave up his opening position to KL Rahul, who had played a crucial role at the top of the order as India took a 1-0 lead in the series.But after scoring only 3, 6 and 10 in the middle order in the second and third Tests, Rohit moved back to open at the MCG but suffered two failures again, leaving his average for the series a paltry 6.2 after five innings. He had averaged only 13.30 in ten innings against Bangladesh and New Zealand during the home season before the Australia tour.Rohit’s year in Test cricket had started positively, with two hundreds and a fifty in India’s 4-1 victory at home against England between January and March. He then captained India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June, after which he retired from that format, and it was only in September that his form dipped sharply.If Rohit’s Test career does end with this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he finishes with 4301 runs at an average of 40.57 with 12 hundreds and 18 half-centuries in 67 Tests. His was a career of two parts. The first one began with tremendous promise, with centuries in his first two Test innings against West Indies in Kolkata and Mumbai, but he was unable to find consistent success in the middle order and was in and out of the side. In 2019, with India needing a new Test opener, Rohit was promoted to the top of the order and it’s there that he enjoyed his best phase as a Test batter – 2697 runs at an average of 42.80 with nine hundreds. He took over as Test captain after Virat Kohli resigned in early 2022 and led India in 24 matches.

Hasan Murad hat-trick headlines Bangladesh's warm-up game on West Indies tour

Litton Das, who had missed the second Test against SA last month due to fever, also returned to action

Mohammad Isam19-Nov-2024Rain couldn’t completely dent Bangladesh’s only practice match on their tour of the West Indies, as the visitors had a pretty good outing against the West Indies Select XI in Coolidge.After the four-and-a-half-hour delay on the second day, Bangladesh reduced the hosts to 87 for 9, with rookie left-arm spinner Hasan Murad bagging a hat-trick. Murad removed Daniel Beckford, Navin Bidaisee and Chaim Holder back-to-back in the 28th over, after which Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons immediately signaled the end of the match.The Bangladesh bowlers had a moderate workout on the second day. Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud took two wickets each, while Shoriful Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz also got one apiece.One of Mahmud’s strikes, which came on the first evening, included that of the West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who was also leading the West Indies Select XI. That might end up boosting his confidence ahead of the first Test against West Indies, which starts in Antigua on Friday.Earlier in the game, Bangladesh had batted for 73.2 overs on the first day, before declaring on 253 for 7. Jaker Ali and Mahidul Islam had retired on 48 and 41, respectively. Litton Das, who had missed the second Test against South Africa at home last month due to fever, retired on 31 to kickstart the West Indies tour.Mominul Haque, Bangladesh’s most experienced cricketer on tour, also made 31. Bangladesh’s concerns, though, will continue to revolve around the opening batters Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan, who both got out cheaply.For the West Indies Select XI, Jair McAllister and Holder had taken two wickets each, while Kimani Melius top-scored with 23 when they batted.

NSW teen prodigy Konstas shines with Ponting-like feat

Sam Konstas has continued to flag his strong potential as a superstar of the future, writing his name alongside Ricky Ponting in the history books with another Sheffield Shield century.The teenage opener put New South Wales in control of their clash with South Australia at Cricket Central in Sydney, compiling 105 from 225 balls after making 152 in a breakout first innings.The hosts declared at 282 for 6 late on day three, with South Australia 7 for 1 chasing 389 runs for victory on day four after Nathan Lyon struck early to dismiss Conor McInerney without scoring.Earlier, 19-year-old Konstas became the youngest player since Ponting to record two centuries in the same Shield game. Australia’s most successful Test captain achieved the feat as an 18-year-old playing for Tasmania against Western Australia in 1992-93.Konstas is the third youngest to do so in Shield history behind Ponting and Archie Jackson. Konstas beat Sir Donald Bradman who first achieved the feat as a 20-year-old.”Obviously very special,” Konstas said of the feat. “But hopefully we get the job done tomorrow and keep doing our basics well.”Konstas was given an extra life by Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who dropped a sitter before the teenager got off the mark on day three.Having also missed a stumping in the first innings, Carey saved face with a diving catch that dismissed Nic Maddinson and continued the opener’s meagre start to his second stint at NSW.But Konstas nevertheless made the visitors pay. He brought up his half-century off Lloyd Pope in the 37th over with a four that rushed past extra cover so fast that Jordan Buckingham needed to jump to avoid the fence as he chased the ball past the boundary.South Australia managed to slow Konstas down after tea as batting partners fell around him.”They had different plans, they were bowling a wider line,” Konstas said. “I had to be a bit ruthless and cop my medicine a bit.”But the teenager finally brought his century up as the final hour of play approached, smacking a six over deep midwicket from Ben Manenti’s bowling.South Australia finally removed him, with McInerney sprinting to long-on to catch him off Pope.Earlier, Lyon continued an impressive lead-in to the Test summer, finishing his first Shield innings of the summer with a five-for.Lyon ripped through the South Australian tail to ensure they were back in the sheds inside the first hour on day three, all out for 260.Nathan McAndrew skied Lyon to deep square leg before Pope nicked off two balls later and set the stage for NSW to extend their lead, which was already 106 runs at the innings break.Lyon expects to play two more matches for NSW ahead of the five-match Test series against India that begins in Perth late next month.

إيكتيكي يرد على مقارنته بـ ستوريدج.. ويؤكد: لم تروا بعد ما يمكنني تقديمه مع فيرتز

يأمل هوجو إيكتيكي مهاجم ليفربول في تعزيز بدايته الممتازة مع الريدز في الأسابيع والأشهر المقبلة، حيث يدخل ليفربول في سلسلة مزدحمة من المباريات.

وبدأ المهاجم المنضم من صفوف آينتراخت فرانكفورت مسيرته مع ليفربول بتسجيله ثلاث أهداف في أول أربع مباريات له قبل فترة التوقف الدولي في سبتمبر.

وسجل إيكتيكي أهدافًا ضد كريستال بالاس وبورنموث ونيوكاسل يونايتد، وأصبح أول لاعب في ليفربول يسجل في كل من مبارياته الثلاث الأولى منذ دانيال ستوريدج قبل 12 عاماً.

وقد أدى تألق إيكيتيكي لاستدعائه لأول مرة على الإطلاق للمنتخب الفرنسي الأول وشارك مع منتخب بلاده كبديل ضد أوكرانيا في الشوط الثاني.

وقال إيكتيكي لموقع ليفربول الرسمي: “أعتقد أنني تأقلمت جيداً، من الواضح أنني لا أزال بحاجة لتحسين بعض الأمور لكني أعتقد أنها كانت بداية جيدة”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ليفربول يحدث قائمته في الدوري الإنجليزي 2025/26

وأضاف :”أشعر بالارتياح مع زملائي، ساعدوني على التكيف هنا وجعلوا لعبي أسهل، وعندما تلعب مع لاعبين جيدين مثلهم، يمكنك التطور والنجاح والأهم هو الاستمرار في الثبات”.

وواصل: “من الجيد أن تتم مقارنتي بستوريدج فأنا أعلم أنه كان لاعبا رائعا هنا في ليفربول لذا فهذا أمر جيد وأريد أن أبذل قصارى جهدي لأكون أفضل منه”.

وتابع: “فكرتي هي اللعب مع أفضل لاعبي العالم، هذا يساعدك على التطور معاً، جميع اللاعبين سنصل لمستوى أفضل”.

وعن شعوره بظهوره الأول مع منتخب فرنسا، قال: “كانت لحظة فخر لي ولعائلتي، إنها خطوة كبيرة أن ألعب مع المنتخب خاصة أن الوصول لهناك صعب، إنه فريق يضم العديد من اللاعبين المميزين لذا فإن الانضمام إلى هناك يعني لي الكثير لذا أنا فخور وسعيد جداً بذلك”.

وعن علاقته مع زميله صانع الألعاب فلوريان فيرتز والذي انضم أيضاً من الدوري الألماني رد إيكتيكي: “فلوريان لاعب رائع، إنه يفهم كرة القدم كما أفهمها، نتحدث نفس اللغة في الملعب لذا من السهل نوعاً ما أن تتواصل معه، لكني أعتقد أنكم لم تروا كل شئ بعد فالأيام القادمة أفضل، لكن العلاقة جيدة ونحن تقريباً في نفس الجيل، نتحدث نفس اللغة وحتى خارج كرة القدم هو شخص جيد”.

وختم عن المنافسات المنتظرة ولقاء بيرنلي في الدوري الإنجليزي: “نلعب كرة القدم من أجل المنافسة لذا أعتقد أن الانشغال بكرة القدم والمنافسة هي أفضل شعور خاصة بالنسبة لي، شخصياً هذا ما أحبه، مجرد التفكير في كرة القدم، نأكل وننام ونفكر في كرة القدم، هذا هو أفضل شعور، يمكنك ببساطة أن تكون ممتناً لذلك، أعرف لاعبين أو ثلاثة من فريق بيرنلي للشباب في منتخب فرنسا وهم جيدون وفريق جيد، يجب أن نركز على المباراة بكامل تركيزنا وأعتقد أنها ستكون رائعة”.

Derby County now want "fantastic" Blackburn star loved by John Eustace

Derby County are preparing for another tilt at life in the second-tier following their miraculous escape from relegation under John Eustace and could now make a bold statement on the market, according to a report.

Derby look to avoid repeat scenario of close shave with relegation

Avoiding the drop is never an easy feat to achieve when the chips are down. Still, John Eustace will rightfully be heralded as a miracle worker at Pride Park following his side’s turnaround.

Speaking to Football League World, pundit Don Goodman believes Derby can avoid being drawn into a relegation battle next term now that the foundations are in place to help the Rams thrive.

Derby County manager JohnEustace

He explained: “I look at the 14 games John Eustace took charge of at the end of last season – six wins and three draws, and that’s despite losing the first three games he took charge of.

“If he accrued that points total over the course of last season that would be 69 points, which would’ve actually been enough for a play-off spot for Derby, remarkably.

“He’s outstanding at organising teams and making them hard to play against and hard to beat, so those are ingredients that will see Derby County not be in a relegation battle.”

Derby County make out-of-window move for "athletic" player in free transfer

John Eustace could be set to link up with a former player at Pride Park.

BySean Markus Clifford Mar 7, 2025

Inevitably, Derby will need to pull up some trees on the market to put themselves in a position of relative comfort.

Defensive duo Danny Batth and Dion Sanderson have been linked with moves to Pride Park, but there will be more in the pipeline as Eustace exhausts all avenues to put his mission into place.

Now, the Rams could turn to his former club in an attempt to pull of a statement deal that would definitely enhance their survival prospects, per recent developments.

Derby plotting move for Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis

According to EFL Analysis, Derby are in the mix to sign Blackburn Rovers captain Lewis Travis and Eustace is said to be a big fan of his exploits after working with the 27-year-old at Ewood Park.

Predominantly a defensive midfielder, reports claim it would cost £2 million to prize him away from Lancashire. Meanwhile, Wrexham are also keen to lure him to North Wales.

Lewis Travis in all competitions – 2024/25

Appearances

39

Goals

2

Assists

1

Labelled “fantastic” by David Lowe, Travis is out of contract next summer which may increase pressure on Blackburn to sell their captain this window before his value begins to dwindle on the market.

Intriguingly, he has previously spoken out about his ‘close’ relationship with Eustace, something that may be used as an emotional string to pull on in the event of any negotiations.

Nevertheless, Derby aren’t messing about in their bid to add quality reinforcements and there is no doubt their engine room would drastically improve were Travis to land at Pride Park this summer.

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