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Glasgow Rangers had bounced back from an underwhelming start to the season to embark on a solid winning run which had seen the Gers open up their Europa League campaign with a victory while securing passage to the semi-finals of the League Cup.

Michael Beale has come under some criticism due to his side's style of play this term though, with the Light Blues even being booed off the pitch following the 1-0 win against Motherwell last weekend, and it all came crashing down again on Saturday against Aberdeen.

This perhaps sums up the mood around the club at the moment, and he will need to maintain the momentum gathered over the previous few weeks in order to regain the supporters' faith.

Signing nine players in the summer was part of a much-needed overhaul, yet it is clear that only a couple have really settled into life in Glasgow well and contributed effectively. Jack Butland has been the standout, establishing himself as the number one goalkeeper, and It's something that the club needed having endured their fair share of struggles in the goalkeeping department last season.

Beale also moved on numerous players during the transfer window in a bid to trim the wage bill and raise funds for future incomings. Were all of these departures the correct move however? Well, one player has seen his value rise significantly since leaving Glasgow at the end of last season – Ryan Kent.

How much did Rangers pay for Ryan Kent?

The winger had spent the previous five seasons at the Ibrox side having initially signed on loan for the 2018/19 season, before joining on a permanent basis for a fee in the region of £7.5m from Liverpool.

The youngster was clearly happy to be returning to Glasgow, saying: "I am delighted to be back here. It has been a quite a long summer, a lot of things could have potentially happened but I am delighted to be here.

"I won't lie it has been incredibly tough over the summer but I am a mentally strong person as it is anyway. I knew if I kept myself correct something good would happen soon and I have been ticking over, keeping myself to myself and this has happened now and I'm over the moon.”

Steven Gerrard was building a side which he hoped would be able to topple Celtic and return the Gers to the top of the Scottish game and Kent was going to be an integral part of this.

What happened to Ryan Kent?

The Englishman scored six and seven Premiership goals respectively during his first two seasons at the club, and although they finished without any trophies during these campaigns, Gerrard was building something special.

Indeed, Kent stepped up during the 2020/21 season, registering 27 goal contributions across all competitions – 13 goals and 14 assists – and this included ten goals and ten assists in the league as the Light Blues went on to win their first title in a decade.

He ranked second across the squad for goals and assists during that title winning season while also ranking third for big chances created and second for successful dribbles per game, which indicated how impressive he was as an attacking threat.

His goal tally dipped over the course of the subsequent two campaigns however as the 26-year-old went on to score just three goals in both 2021/22 and 2022/23, as his form dipped in front of goal. It was evident that his performances last season weren’t quite up to the required standard and with his contract expiring its conclusion, Beale had a decision to make.

Kent eventually left the club for nothing as a decision between him and the club couldn’t be worked out, but this is now looking like a bad call by the manager.

How much is Ryan Kent worth now?

The former Rangers gem was hailed as a “wizard” by Leon Balogun, and it didn’t take him long to find another club after leaving Scotland, joining Turkish side Fenerbahce during the summer.

According to Football Transfers, Kent was valued at €6.9m (£6m) when he left Rangers in May and considering he cost the club £7.5m just four years previously, it represented a massive loss.

Since joining the Turkish side however, his valuation has risen sharply in just a few months as he is now worth €12.2m (£10.5m) and should he rediscover the form which pleased supporters in Glasgow during their title winning season, then this will only increase in the coming months.

The former Liverpool gem has managed to make seven appearances for his new club, scoring once and grabbing an assist and he looks to settle into a different culture and a different way of playing football.

It may just bring the best out in him and perhaps a change of scenery was what was needed for the 26-year-old to return to his best. Indeed, across three league matches so far, Kent has already created one big chance while averaging 24.7 touches per game, succeeding with 1.3 successful dribbles per game – a success rate of 67% – and winning 64% of his total duels, and he is impressing over a wide range of metrics.

It is still early doors for the left-winger, yet they seem positive and if he manages to continue this decent form, he may fancy his chances of securing a move back to England at some point in the future and finally play in the Premier League.

Although Beale went and signed forwards Abdallah Sima, Danilo, Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers, only Sima is an out-and-out winger and Beale has failed to improve his wide options during the summer.

Kent didn’t enjoy the most productive of seasons for the club during 2022/23, but there is no doubt losing him has diminished their quality in the final third. On his day, he was arguably one of the finest attacking players in the country and losing him without gaining at least a transfer fee is surely one of Beale’s worst decisions so far as Rangers manager.

Considering he is now worth £10.5m, he would have netted the club a solid profit had he been sold before the expiry of his deal.

Paris Saint-Germain are plotting an ambitious €200m offer for Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal as they look to replace Kylian Mbappe.

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• PSG preparing mega offer for Yamal
• Barcelona unlikely to sell their wonderkid
• PSG looking to replace Mbappe

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Ligue 1 giants are looking to replace outgoing Kylian Mbappe, who is all set to join Real Madrid in the summer. According to , PSG are preparing a massive €200m (£170m/$218m) offer for Barcelona's 16-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona are reportedly aware of the French club's interest in their star player and his agent Jorge Mendes recently met club president Joan Laporta to formally inform him about the offer. Despite their financial crisis, the reigning La Liga giants are unlikely to part ways with the youngster just one year after promoting him to the senior side. The 16-year-old has enjoyed a rich vein of form in the current 2023/24 season having appeared in 37 matches across all competitions where he scored four times and provided six assists.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Yamal has four La Liga goals so far this season, twice as many as any other player at the same age in LaLiga history. The forward does not turn 17 until July.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  For now, Xavi's side will look to secure a Champions League quarter-final berth as they are all set to take on Napoli in the second leg of their round of 16 fixture on Tuesday.

The American midfielder hasn't quite broken through with the national team, but it feels like that may be about to change

Malik Tillman finds himself at the intersection of a whole bunch of U.S. men's national team storylines at the moment. His club, PSV, features three USMNT stars and is still alive in the Champions League, making them the de facto American team. With the Nations League coming and Gio Reyna struggling, Tillman's case for USMNT minutes has never been better. But, looking ahead, his future at Bayern Munich remains uncertain, with his loan deal at PSV expiring this summer.

All that is to say that Tillman is at a key point in his young career. There are so many big moments ahead for both club and country, so many chances for the young midfielder to take a giant leap. His recent steps forward have gone somewhat under the radar, but there's no denying how far he's come in just a few short months.

Now a regular starter with PSV, playing plenty of minutes and providing important moments, Tillman will look to continue that run in the Champions League. And, shortly after, he'll look to play a key role for the USMNT in the buildup to this summer's Copa America.

It's a massive moment for the 21-year-old star, who will have plenty to prove over the next few weeks and months.

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  Finding form at Rangers

  Heading into the 2023-24 season, Tillman was looking to find his level.

  He never quite broke through at Bayern, leading to a move to Rangers. The Scottish league would toughen him up, conventional wisdom said. Ultimately, his time in Glasgow proved the perfect starting point for Tillman's club career.

  After scoring 10 league goals in 28 appearances, Tillman was named Scotland's Young Player of the Year during his season at Rangers. Additionally, he was named to the Scottish Team of the Year, having emerged as one of the best players in the country despite his youth and inexperience.

  When summer rolled around, he needed a new challenge, and he found it at PSV, where he's also been able to shine much like he did at Ibrox.

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  The season so far

  Tillman hasn't always been a starter for PSV. Competition is fierce, after all, for a team that currently sits unbeaten and mostly unchallenged atop the Eredivisie.

  The American, though, has played a big part in the club's run, emerging as a regular attacking option for a team who look destined to win the league this season.

  Tillman has six goals and five assists so far, a sizeable haul considering the fact that he's played less than 1,000 minutes. He's tied for third on the team for goals, with fellow American Ricardo Pepi and Johan Bakayoko all level on six behind Guus Til (8) and Luuk de Jong (22). Pepi is in his own stratosphere, having scored his six goals across just 362 minutes, but Tillman is no slouch, having netted his six in roughly 800 fewer minutes than Bakayoko and 400 fewer than Til.

  Tillman, meanwhile, is tied for third in assists as well, level with the other American in the team, Sergino Dest. Only Bakayoko, De Jong and Joey Veerman have more, having, once again, played significantly more minutes than Tillman.

  All of that goes to prove how Tillman has fared in the Eredivise this season: pretty well. That's one side of it, though. Everyone knows that the Netherlands' top division is an attack-heavy league, one seemingly designed for more players like Tillman to thrive.

  The Champions League, though, is a different animal, and Tillman has shone there, too.

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  Champions League highs

  The stats don't jump out at you, really. Zero goals and one assist in eight games isn't a life-altering number. The impact, though, isn't explained by those figures and Tillman's so far has been massive.

  First up was the penalty drawn on one of the best players in the sport's history, Sergio Ramos. With PSV 1-0 down in the final moments of a group stage game against Sevilla, Tillman was wily enough to be fouled by the ex-Real Madrid man, helping his side earn what eventually became a 2-2 draw. That result proved massive, with PSV edging out French side Lens by just one point to make the knockouts.

  Once there, Tillman did it again, drawing a penalty on one of the game's best. This time, the victim was Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels, who fouled the American to pave the way for De Jong's equalizer in a 1-1 draw in their last-16 first leg.

  Two top-tier defenders, two penalties conceded at massive moments, with Tillman the common thread. Even when he isn't getting on the scoresheet, he's certainly impacting games, which is what makes him such an intriguing player for the USMNT.

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  USMNT opportunities

  It hasn't quite been two years since Tillman made his switch from Germany to join the USMNT. In that time, we've seen glimpses of his talent, but it hasn't quite ever been put on full display. He's featured eight times for the U.S. but he's started just twice and in total he's played just 276 minutes.

  One of the reasons why minutes have been a bit sporadic is Tillman's profile. In the USMNT's 4-3-3, he's not a pure winger, although he has played there. He's also not really a No.8 that can threaten to break up the MMA-like midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams.

  The U.S., though, has switched things up in recent months, playing more of a No.10. It's the position that Tillman prefers most and the one where he can make the biggest impact. With Adams possibly out for the upcoming Nations League matches, it's a system that the U.S. could turn to again.

  However, Tillman faces one big competitor in that position, another one of the most talented prospects in the U.S. system.

  “I’d prefer to play as a real No. 10,” Tillman told The Athletic. “But obviously we also have Gio (Reyna), who is a great player. We have a good squad with strong competition in every area.”

  Reyna's spot, though, is nowhere near secure as, unlike Tillman, he's really struggling for his club at present.

Manchester City’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at The Etihad in the Premier League on Sunday, extending the opposition’s gap between the two clubs to 20 points, felt like the end of an era for this version of Pep Guardiola’s side.

The likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Ederson, and John Stones may not be at a point where they can continue to be relied upon as they have been in the past.

De Bruyne’s wild effort on goal, which was closer to the top tier of the stands than Alisson, at the end of the first half was telling, and time may be up for the Belgian, who is out of contract in the summer.

Guardiola already started an overhaul of his squad in the January transfer window by allowing Kyle Walker to join AC Milan on loan, whilst also signing Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis, and Omar Marmoush to bolster his options across the pitch.

Walker may not be the only one of the old guard to permanently move on from The Etihad at the end of this season, though, as City are reportedly looking to ditch multiple ageing stars.

The players Man City are looking to move on

The Daily Star recently reported that the Cityzens have started a ‘reboot’ and that there are a host of over 30s who are set to be sold or released in the summer transfer window.

It stated that Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, and Ederson are all expected to move on from The Etihad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Gundogan and de Bruyne are both out of contract at the end of this season and this means that City can, simply, allow their deals to expire and wave goodbye to them as free agents, alleviating any need to find a buyer for their services.

It will be interesting to see how they handle a situation like Stones’, however, as he still has until 2026 on his contract and his injury record could warn off potential suitors.

As you can see in the table above, Stones has only had two injury-free seasons out of his nine-year career with Manchester City to date, and only one in his last eight.

The England international has, therefore, not been a reliable option for Guardiola, particularly in the last three seasons, as he has missed far too many games through injury.

Hugo Viana is poised to arrive as the club’s new director of football this summer, replacing Txiki Begiristain, and he could seal a dream first signing amid interest in a Premier League centre-back who could come in as an upgrade on Stones at the heart of the defence.

Manchester City's interest in Premier League colossus

According to GIVEMESPORT, Manchester City are one of the clubs plotting a summer swoop for Bournemouth’s teen central defender Dean Huijsen.

Transfer Focus

The report claims that Viana will play a ‘pivotal’ role in the recruitment process in the upcoming transfer window and that the signing of the Cherries sensation could be one of his first pieces of business at City.

It states that fellow Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea have also shown an interest in the Spain youth international, which means that there could be plenty of competition to land his signature at the end of this season.

GIVEMESPORT adds that there is confidence that Huijsen is ready to take his career to the next level, which would leave him open to moving on from the Vitality Stadium in the summer amid interest from several big sides in the division.

The outlet also reveals that the former Juventus central defender has a release clause in his Bournemouth contract that can be triggered at £50m, so City may not have to negotiate with the Cherries if they are willing to meet that figure.

Why Manchester City should sign Dean Huijsen

Viana must push to get a deal over the line for the Spanish titan as a dream first signing upon his arrival at the club in the summer because he could come in as a big upgrade on Stones.

Firstly, the best ability is availability. Huijsen has only missed seven matches through injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign and has only missed one game through injury since the start of the 2022/23 season.

This suggests that the £50m-rated star is far more likely to be a reliable option for Guardiola at City next season, as he has a far superior fitness record in comparison to Stones.

Huijsen’s quality in possession and as a defender also suggests that he could arrive as a terrific signing by Viana. During his spell on loan at Roma last season, analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “ridiculous” after a terrific goal against Frosinone, as shown below.

Do not be fooled by his frame in the clip above, Huijsen is also a strong defender who has proven his defensive quality in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season.

As you can see in the table above, the Cherries colossus has significantly outperformed Stones as an out-and-out defender in the top-flight, by doing far more to stop opposition attackers each match.

Huijsen has also completed more progressive passes per 90 (4.49) than Stones (3.45) in the Premier League this season, which suggests that the central defender could also provide more quality at building up attacks for his own team.

Therefore, the 19-year-old sensation, who still has plenty of years ahead of him to develop, could be a dream first signing for Viana as a brilliant upgrade on Stones for Guardiola in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

Man City's McAtee may be used as makeweight in deal for £87m Florian Wirtz

City may have to let a player leave the club in order to make a deal happen this summer.

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By
Brett Worthington

Feb 25, 2025

It is now down to the City director of football to win the race for Huijsen’s signature ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, as bringing in a proven Premier League centre-back and an upgrade on Stones at the age of 19 would represent a dream first piece of business.

Argentine youngster Claudio Echeverri won't be appearing in a Manchester City shirt next season, as he reportedly closes in on a loan to Girona.

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• Echeverri won't join Man City before 2025-26 season
• Set to join Girona on loan from January 2025
• City signed 'next Lionel Messi' during the January window

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentina starlet, who formally signed for the Cityzens earlier in January, will remain at his club River Plate until the end of the current calendar year, and was initally expected to arrive at the Etihad Stadium for the start of 2025. However, according to journalist Sebastian Srur, Echeverri could move to Girona on a six-month loan deal in January before joining the City setup ahead of the 2025-26 season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 18-year-old was one of the breakout stars at the U17 World Cup last year and his impressive performance for La Albiceleste grabbed the attention of several top European clubs including Barcelona. But the reigning European champions managed to beat all competition to rope in the youngster.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Known as the 'next Lionel Messi' in Argentina, Echeverri has appeared in six senior league matches for River Plater in the current season, where he has scored once and provided as many assists.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CLAUDIO ECHEVERRI?

  The future City star, who has appeared for Argentina's U23 side six times, will hope to make it to Javier Mascherano's squad that will compete in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics this summer.

In the golden era of Chelsea's history when the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were dazzling packed-out crowds in west London, goals were never an issue as that duo would strike fear into opposition defences with their sheer quality.

In the Blues near faultless title-winning campaign in the 2005/06 season, spearheaded by the tactical brilliance of Jose Mourinho, Chelsea posted 72 goals in the league, but perhaps more telling, Lampard and Drogba combined for 47 of them.

Forming an almost telepathic partnership across their time at the club, the two legends built up the most fruitful duo in Premier League history, holding the record for the most combined goals as a pair (36) from 2012 – holding it for a full decade – before it was broken by Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in 2022.

In recent times, despite accumulating over £1bn on new players since Todd Boehly took over, the Blues are still toothless in front of goal, finishing sixth from the bottom for goals scored last term (38), behind the likes of relegated Leicester City and Leeds United.

Chelsea attempted to fix that problem with the £32m acquisition of Villarreal striker Nicolas Jackson but it is fair to say, he hasn't had the desired impact thus far.

What has gone wrong for Nicolas Jackson at Chelsea?

Jackson has shown glimpses of the star striker that Chelsea so desperately desired through his piercing movement in-behind, ability to occupy dangerous pockets of space and being a handful for opposition defenders, lacking the most important part – putting the ball in the back of the net.

While the 22-year-old hasn't been helped by the injury to Christopher Nkunku as the pair formed what was looking like a budding partnership in pre-season, Jackson's attacking metrics paint a picture of someone who is doing everything but take his chances.

The Senegalese has scored only twice in the Premier League this term – the latest coming in a 4-1 victory against Burnley – a goal he hopes will truly kickstart his Chelsea career, however, the youngster could have had several more goals to his name.

According to Sofascore, the 6 foot 1 marksman is joint second in the league for big chances missed (7), fifth for the most expected goals (xG) accumulated (4.09), while his goal conversion of 10% paints a sorry picture of striker squandering big opportunities in front of goal, as seen during their defeat against Nottingham Forest.

Despite being in the early days of his Chelsea career, should he continue to be wasteful in front of goal, Mauricio Pochettino could ditch him and splash the cash on one of Europe's most promising goal-getters, Lois Openda.

What would Lois Openda bring to Chelsea?

The RB Leipzig forward has been ripping it up in the Bundesliga since making the £37m (€43m) switch to the German giants this summer.

Having netted an astonishing 58 goals combined across his past three seasons for Vitesse Arnhem and RC Lens, Openda is a lethal finisher, exhuming a calmness in front of goal, an attribute that isn't distinguished from Jackson.

Lauded as "exceptional" by Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the talented 23-year-old has taken the footballing world by storm in the past year and this is demonstrated by his incredible shooting stats, ranking in the top 3% for non-penalty goals against his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, top 6% for shots on target, top 12% for total shots and top 32% for shot creating actions per 90, via FBref.

While clever movement and lightening pace frees the Belgian into dangerous positions, similarly to Jackson, the fact he ranks so high for non-penalty goals suggests he's uber-efficient in and around the box, displaying the attributes that could get Chelsea challenging towards the top end of the table.

With four goals and two assists in seven Bundesliga appearances so far this campaign, including a strike in the Champions League against Manchester City, it is no surprise to see Premier League's circling for his signature with Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly entering the race, alongside Pochettino's men.

A deal would be near impossible to complete in January given he's only just signed for Leipzig, but if he continues this rate of scoring, the £80m rated youngster will begin a bidding war next summer that the Blues desperately need to win.

Inter Miami boss Gerardo Martino slammed his players after a heavy loss to New York Red Bulls, which he refused to put down to Lionel Messi's absence.

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• Martino slammed Inter Miami players
• Inter Miami went down 4-0 against NYRB
• Messi missed game through injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lewis Morgan netted a hat-trick against his former club while Wikelman Carmona found the back of the net as the New York Red Bulls handed the Herons their first defeat of the current MLS season on Saturday. Manager Martino, who missed the services of Lionel Messi due to an injury, refused to cite his star player's absence as an excuse for the loss as he slammed the other players in the squad.

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• WHAT GERARDO MARTINO SAID

  Speaking to reporters after the game, the former Barcelona coach said: "There is not much to say, except that we were outmatched from start to finish. When a team enters a game without the desire to win, without spirit, without competing, and the other side just wants to win the game, they are going to win it. The absence of the best player in the world is important for everyone – but last week with D.C. Leo didn’t play either."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi had to be subbed off during the club's CONCACAF Champions Cup clash against Nashville earlier this month and since then he has remained out of action. The Argentine missed the club's MLS clash against DC United and then was removed from the Argentina squad for their international friendlies.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  Martino's side will be next seen in action on March 30 as they face New York City FC in an MLS clash. Messi is expected to return to action before their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final clash against Monterrey on April 4.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers was backed throughout the summer transfer window as majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board allowed him to make a number of signings.

The Northern Irish boss brought in Nat Phillips, Luis Palma, Odin Thiago Holm, Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Paulo Bernardo, Marco Tilio, Hyun-jun Yang, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon.

He dipped into the Asian market to secure the services of Kwon and Yang on permanent deals and the ex-Leicester City chief appears to have his eyes on that part of the world again ahead of the January transfer window.

What's the latest on Ho-yeon Jung to Celtic?

Korean football journalist Jason Lee has revealed that the Hoops have been keeping tabs on Gwangju central midfielder Ho-yeon Jung this season.

The reporter has confirmed that the South Korean talent is a player Rodgers is interested in as the 50-year-old tactician eyes up further additions to his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Lee has also added that the player would be open to making a move to Europe from his native country, and that he won a military exemption during the Asian Games, which means that Jung does not have to fulfill his mandatory service.

Why are Celtic interested in Jung?

Celtic may be interested in the Gwangju star because the 23-year-old ace has the potential to be the long-term successor to Callum McGregor as a well-rounded midfield option for Rodgers.

The Hoops may also be in the market for another central midfielder as Kwon, who was signed from Busan I Park during the summer window, has failed to break his way into the side so far this term.

Therefore, the Scottish side could bring Jung in to improve the depth of their squad for the second half of the campaign, rather than coming in to be an immediate starter, with one eye on how he could develop into a star in the future.

How has Jung performed this season?

The South Korean dynamo has produced a string of impressive performances for his club throughout 2023 and showcased his ability to make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Jung has made 28 K League 1 appearances this year and has played the vast majority of his football as a central midfielder, along with a smattering of matches in a defensive role.

The talented youngster has been able to produce quality on a consistent basis in possession for his side. As per Sofascore, the Hoops target has completed an eye-catching 90% of his attempted passes and created 1.1 key passes per game for his teammates, to go alongside two goals and three assists.

This shows that the South Korean U23 international is a reliable passer who rarely gives possession away whilst still being progressive and forward-thinking to split open the opposition's defence and frequently create opportunities for others.

He also provided a defensive screen in front of the back four with 2.6 tackles and interceptions and 5.3 ball recoveries per clash, alongside a ground duel success rate of 50% with 4.1 won per outing, as per Sofascore.

His form this year has been an improvement on his performances at K League 2 level for Gwangju in 2022. Last year, Jung completed 88% of his passes and created 0.8 chances per game across 36 league outings.

How did Kwon perform for Busan I Park?

Kwon, who has not made a single Scottish Premiership appearance this season, arrived at Parkhead after offering less in midfield at a lower level than the current Celtic target.

The 22-year-old enforcer made 20 appearances in K League 2 during the first half of this year and contributed with two goals and zero assists, along with 0.4 key passes per game.

He also lost 56% of his ground duels, of which Kwon won 2.9 per match, and made five ball recoveries per outing in the second division of South Korean football.

This suggests that Jung would be a better option than his compatriot as his performances have been more impressive, in and out of possession, in K League 1 than Kwon's were in K League 2.

How did McGregor perform last season?

McGregor, who turned 30 earlier this year, was a regular for Ange Postecoglou in midfield last season as he produced consistently impressive all-round displays in the Premiership.

The Scotland international contributed at the top end of the pitch with four goals and 1.4 key passes per game to help out his teammates by chipping in with quality moments.

He also made an impact out of possession with 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and a ground duel success rate of 50%, with 2.4 won per outing, as per Sofasore.

McGregor started 31 league matches for the Scottish giants and was ultra-reliable on the ball with a pass completion rate of 92%, which shows that he rarely gave possession away in the middle of the park.

Should Celtic sign Jung?

These statistics suggest that the Hoops could benefit from the signing of Jung in multiple ways and that is why Rodgers must swoop for the 23-year-old gem and act upon his interest in January.

The talented youngster, who Asian football expert Dario Focardi once described as a "prospect", is a well-rounded midfielder whose form for Gwangju this season suggests he is a better option than Kwon, due to his superior defensive and offensive contributions at a higher level in South Korea.

Jung's ability to be composed on the ball whilst also being able to offer a creative threat, alongside his solid defending, also indicates that he could be a like-for-like replacement for McGregor.

He is seven years younger than the current Hoops captain and could be the long-term heir who eventually replaces the 30-year-old maestro at Parkhead.

Both players are box-to-box talents who can make an impact at both ends of the pitch and Rodgers could work with the 5 foot 9 battler to ensure that he is ready to take over from McGregor when the time is right, if he can adapt to Scottish football over the months and years to come.

Glasgow Rangers ended a turbulent few weeks by finally replacing Michael Beale as the Ibrox side announced Philippe Clement as their new manager.

The Belgian arrives with a solid reputation having won three league titles in his homeland managing Genk and Club Brugge, while his latest spell saw him spend 18 months at AS Monaco, before being sacked a few months ago.

The Gers need some new ideas, and they need them fast if they have any ambitions of catching Celtic at the top of the Premiership table.

Clement will need to use all his tactical nous to get a tune out of the current crop of players, especially as confidence has hit an all-time low after winning just nine of their opening 16 matches of the 2023/24 campaign.

Beale failed to showcase any ready style of play or tactical identity and his summer signings failed to really hit the ground running, despite spending big money on the likes of Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers.

Clement has worked with some of the brightest young talent in Europe during his spell at Monaco, including Axel Disasi, Aurelien Tchouameni and Benoit Badiashile and this could give some of the academy stars at the Light Blues the confidence boost they need.

Indeed, several youngsters were given a chance by interim manager Steven Davis, most notably Zak Lovelace, Ross McCausland and Bailey Rice and these players could be future stars if they carry on their excellent progress.

It is perhaps another teenager who the Belgian may be most interested in, however, as Leon King remains one of the brightest products to emerge from the Gers youth system in the previous few years.

How much did Leon King cost Rangers?

The 19-year-old cost the club nothing having worked his way through the youth ranks at the Ibrox side, and he signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 back in March 2020.

Then sporting director Ross Wilson lavished praise on the teen, saying: “I am delighted we have an agreement with Leon King.

“Leon has been a priority for us and we are excited about his potential. He has been demonstrating that potential both for Rangers and Scotland and we are excited about his future.”

Head of the academy Craig Mulholland even described King as “one of the UK’s most sought after young talents” once he signed his new deal, and it appeared as though the Gers had a stunning prospect.

How many appearances has Leon King made for Rangers?

Still only 16, King finally made his senior debut for the Gers as Steven Gerrard handed brought him on for James Tavernier with just 20 minutes to go against Falkirk in the League Cup back in November 2020.

His first Premiership appearances came during the end of the same season as the club cruised to their first league title in a decade and he finally made his first start against Dundee United towards the end of the season, while also even making the bench for the Europa League final and Scottish Cup final, claiming a winners medal in the latter competition.

Due to an injury crisis at the start of the 2022/23 season, King was given a chance to impress by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and he featured 19 times until the winter break, gaining a wealth of experience in the process.

The youngster even ranked fourth for clearances per game (1.9) across the whole squad last term while also winning 58% of his total duels and averaging 48.4 touches per game, indicating that his physical presence was impressive, and he was always keen on getting on the ball.

Overall, King has made a grand total of 31 appearances for the Glasgow side and this should rise further this term.

These displays have seen his value skyrocket, and he has yet to turn 20.

How much is Leon King worth?

His impact in the first team last season led King to be valued as high as €4.2m (£3.6m) according to Football Transfers in March this year, and although this has dipped to a current valuation of €2.5m (£2.2m), it still represents a wonderful figure for someone so young.

Having emerged through the academy, thus being developed at the club, the Gers haven’t had to pay a fee for the defender, and he could well secure them a solid profit one day in the future.

Indeed, the centre-back has even been linked to clubs such as Manchester United and Newcastle United in the previous 12 months, with the two Premier League giants even sending scouts to watch him in action for the Light Blues.

This is a further indication of just how talented he is and that if he continues to be patient and work hard, he should soon get further opportunities under Clement, having failed to make an impression under Beale.

The £4k-per-week starlet was hailed by former Ibrox defender Alan Hutton before the start of the 2022/23 season, who said: “I think when I did watch him last season, he was like a big Rolls-Royce, very elegant on the ball. He came out, kept possession and looked very comfortable for someone of such a young age.

“With the likes of [Leon] Balogun leaving, Goldson signing a new contract, we know Souttar’s coming in, you need that competition for places to drive you on.

“So I’d like to see him try and break through, stamp his authority in this team, in his own way. I think he’s got all the potential and he ticks all the boxes for a modern-day centre-back.“

He has certainly faced plenty of competition this season and has yet to make a single first-team appearance so far, but this could all change under Clement.

The former Brugge manager has placed his trust in youth before and will surely do so again, especially with the sheer volume of talent he has to work with at Ibrox.

King has bided his time well this campaign and could well be rewarded sooner rather than later, especially with Clement’s penchant for developing young talent at his previous clubs.

Cara Delevingne posted an eyebrow-raising clip from Stamford Bridge after watching Chelsea beat Manchester United 4-3 in a game for the ages.

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• Chelsea beat Man Utd 4-3 at Stamford Bridge
• Palmer scores hat-trick in last-gasp victory
• Delevingne posts interesting clip from stands

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Two goals in the 100th and 101st minute respectively from Cole Palmer secured the Blues an enthralling victory at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night. After the match, the club posted a video of actress, model and Chelsea fan Delevingne celebrating the win from inside the ground, while also raving about house music.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

  In the Instagram post, the actor can be heard saying, "It's about time you fell in love with something that will love you back, and that, my friends, is house music. It doesn't judge you and I won't either," before having a quick dance.

  The club captioned it: "We hope you enjoyed that one as much as @CaraDelevingne!"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The result eases the pressure on manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side are now up to 10th but crucially they have games in hand on their rivals and they are just two points behind West Ham – who at present are in the driving seat to qualify for next season's Europa Conference League. Qualifying for Europe is likely to help the Blues' finances amid reports they could be close to a profit and sustainability rules breach.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Delevingne's beloved Chelsea side are next in action away to bottom of the table Sheffield United on Sunday evening at Bramall Lane, before hosting relegation-threatened Everton at Stamford Bridge on Monday, April 15.