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Glasgow Rangers have had an issue in both of the full-back positions in the first month or so of the season in all competitions under Russell Martin.

Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz both left the club on permanent deals and Jayden Meghoma arrived on loan from Brentford, which means that the only natural left-back in the squad is a young and inexperienced loanee.

On the other side of the pitch, Max Aarons joined on loan from Bournemouth to compete with James Tavernier for a starting berth at right-back, but has failed to impress.

Why Max Aarons has been underwhelming for Rangers

The former England U21 international started the season as a first-choice full-back, at left-back and then at right-back, but found himself as an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Celtic last weekend.

Aarons was left on the bench after he was sent off against Club Brugge in the opening minutes of the 6-0 loss to the Belgian side for hauling down his former teammate Christos Tzolis.

In the three Scottish Premiership matches that the defender did start, the loanee failed to create a single ‘big chance’ for his team, and his lack of height and physicality was on display as he failed to win a single aerial duel, per Sofascore.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Whilst Aarons has been underwhelming and may find himself on the bench behind Tavernier for the time being, Rangers may look back and wonder what could have been with Nathan Patterson.

Nathan Patterson's current market value

In January 2022, Ross Wilson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst sanctioned the sale of the Scotland international to Everton for an initial fee of £11m.

That seemed like a great deal at the time, given that he was behind Tavernier in the pecking order, but they may look back on that decision as a howler when they consider how the situation has evolved in that position since then.

Patterson, whose deliveries into the box were hailed as “top class” by Steven Gerrard, is currently worth £13m, per Transfermarkt, and that is £8m more than Aarons’ market value of £5m.

Billy Gilmour

£17m

Nathan Patterson

£13m

Greg Taylor

£5m

Lewis Morgan

£3m

Ryan Hardie

£1.5m

As you can see in the table above, Billy Gilmour is the only former Rangers academy talent who is currently worth more than the Scottish right-back, whose value has risen by £2m since his move to Everton.

The 23-year-old defender has played 59 times for the Toffees, including 49 times in the Premier League, per Transfermarkt, and been capped 23 times by Scotland at senior level.

No permanent player within the Rangers squad is worth more than Patterson, per Transfermarkt, and this suggests that he could be the most valuable player at the club if they had not sold him back in 2022.

The Scottish right-back could have continued his development at Ibrox under Tavernier’s guidance before eventually taking his place as the first-choice right-back, which is something Aarons is already struggling to do.

Left for £0: Rangers lost a Rothwell upgrade who was "like Souness"

Glasgow Rangers once had a star who was compared to Graeme Souness, then he left for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 3, 2025

Instead, Van Bronckhorst and Wilson cashed in on him and now the Light Blues are in a position where they have an underwhelming Aarons, on current evidence, competing for a starting berth in that role, instead of an incredibly gifted academy graduate who has now proven himself in the Premier League.

Chelsea are listening to offers for many members of their bloated squad this summer.

Player "personally trying to force" Chelsea move as club reduce asking price

He’s determined to join Enzo Maresca’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 30, 2025

Yet more high-profile players could follow the likes of João Félix and Noni Madueke out of the Stamford Bridge exit door before deadline day on September 1, with Chelsea under some pressure from UEFA to balance out their incomings through outgoings.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

The club struck an agreement with UEFA to do this, or risk not being able to register new signings in their Champions League squad next season (Kaveh Solhekol).

This comes after Chelsea were fined for breaching FFP rules earlier this month, which is why sales will be crucial for BlueCo despite the club being in a pretty solid position when it comes to the Premier League’s separate PSR laws.

Chelsea have raised around £158 million through transfers already this summer, coming after Ishe Samuels-Smith sealed a £6.5 million move to sister club Strasbourg on Thursday.

The defender joins Felix, Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic and Mathis Amougou on Chelsea’s list of confirmed sales so far, but many more could still leave before the deadline.

Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Tosin Adarabioyo, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Alfie Gilchrist and Nicolas Jackson have all been linked with exits at some point this summer, with Chelsea demanding a premium for the latter.

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea value Jackson at up to £100 million, amid rumoured interest from Man United and other top clubs.

Chelsea sources expect Nicolas Jackson to seal 'out of nowhere' exit

Chelsea are not opposed to selling the Senegalese this summer, with Jackson enduring a torrid end to 2024/2025 despite scoring in the Conference League final against Real Betis.

He managed just one Premier League goal after the turn of the new year, spending some time on the sidelines through injury, and got sent off for a red card against Flamengo at the Club World Cup.

Journalist Simon Phillips has previously reported that Jackson’s agents are working to secure him a move elsewhere, and the same reporter has shared a fresh update via his Stamford Bridge sources.

Phillips writes that Chelsea insiders expect Jackson to seal an “out of nowhere” exit, and the former Villarreal star is now getting offers.

“SPTC sources heard just yesterday that ‘Jackson is getting offers’ now and this story is progressing. I still think he goes but again though, it’s not a dead cert that Chelsea replace him. But they will certainly explore options to do so and have a desire to do so.

“Our sources think a Jackson departure will come out of nowhere at this point.”

The 24-year-old has been linked not just to United, but a variety of Premier League sides.

It is believed by some that Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is keen to work with Jackson again, coming after the pair’s time together in La Liga at Villarreal.

He could be an adept solution for sides desperate to sign a new centre-forward, but they’ll first have to get past Chelsea’s sky-high valuation.

Pre-season games often feel like a non-event, but for those packed inside the Singapore national stadium on Sunday evening, they were treated to the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal.

The Swede wasn’t in the matchday squad after being confirmed as a Gunners player on Saturday but received a warm welcome nonetheless, unveiled in the Arsenal home strip before kick off.

Once the football got underway, it was a classic Arsenal vs Newcastle match, really. The Toon were missing Alexander Isak but Eddie Howe’s men still had that steely never-say-die nature to their play. They were aggressive and dogged but Mikel Arteta’s men prevailed, winning 3-2.

Anthony Elanga opened the scoring for the Magpies early on but Mikel Merino soon scored against his former employers, picking up where he left off last term.

Arsenal were ahead minutes later courtesy of an own goal but in the second half, Newcastle fought back again as Jacob Murphy squirmed an effort past David Raya.

The win was sealed from the penalty spot late in the day when skipper and second half substitute Martin Odegaard converted his spot-kick.

The main takeaways from Arsenal's win over Newcastle

With Gyokeres unveiled to spectators prior to the game kicking off, it felt like this was a match where Kai Havertz needed to make a statement.

While the German didn’t find he net, going closest when heading over from a Merino cross, his link-up play was exceptional as it always is.

It was Havertz who was the provider of Merino’s equaliser. Leandro Trossard played a neat ball into the forward who set it off for the Spaniard to fire past Nick Pope.

Moments later, Havertz was the provider again as his cross from the left-hand side diverted into his own net by youngster Alex Murphy.

The £65m man is yet to find the net in pre-season but a display like this demonstrated why Arteta is such a big fan.

As they did against Milan a few days ago, the Gunners didn’t have any problems creating chances, registering 15 shots but notable moments went begging, only illuminating the need for Gyokeres.

Elsewhere, we saw a first start in Arsenal colours for new signing Martin Zubimendi who looked tidy in midfield again, completing 91% of his passes.

The biggest concerns, however, will lie in Riccardo Calafiori, who limped off injured in the second half and Trossard.

In both pre-season games now, Trossard and Martinelli have struggled to make an impact from the left wing, showcasing why Arsenal have been linked with several wide forwards during the summer.

One player who could replace them is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. The Gunners may well have found their own version of the England international.

Arsenal already have their own version of Eze

After signing Gyokeres, the word on the street is that the next leading target for the Gunners is Eze.

Talks have reportedly been held to bring him to the Emirates Stadium but it’s widely expected that the north Londoners will need to pay his £68m release clause in order to prise him away from Selhurst Park.

A “Premier League-proven magician” in the words of the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, Eze would give Arteta something his current side lacks; ingenuity. Of course, Arsenal have the likes of Bukayo Saka and Odegaard in their ranks, but Eze is someone who possesses the ability to produce something out of nothing. He’d be a fabulous capture.

Yet, Arteta must be cautious. With Eze most at home as an attacking midfielder, what would his arrival mean for someone like Ethan Nwaneri? The Hale Ender is set to sign a new contract with the club this summer but his game time would be damaged if the Palace superstar does arrive.

It may also dampen the game time of a certain Max Dowman, a player who possesses very similar skills to Eze. He’s showcased that in his first two senior games.

Dowman made his senior debut for the club last Wednesday in the 1-0 win over Milan, completing 92% of his passes and only losing a single duel.

Just 15 years of age, the teenager’s ability to create something with a burst of acceleration and dazzling piece of skill is truly a sight to behold.

In that regard, he’s cut from a similar cloth as Eze and his performance from the bench against Newcastle showcased once again why he’s so highly rated.

Within moments of coming on, Dowman burst forward with the ball through the centre of the pitch before arriving on the edge of the area and forcing a smart save from Pope.

The way he glides forward with the ball and manipulates possession is incredible, even winning the penalty from which Arsenal won the game.

Dowman had Joelinton on toast, skipping beyond the Brazilian before the tough midfielder brought him down by the byline.

Minutes played

30

Touches

16

Accurate passes

4/4 (100%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

1/1

Shots on target

2

Shots off target

0

Successful dribbles

2/3

Duels won

6/8

Possession lost

x2

Fouled

x3

Tackles

1

It was a near-impeccable cameo from the teen who left the field having completed all of his passes and won six of his eight duels.

Handed a stunning 9/10 match rating by Football.London’s Rob Guest at full-time, the reporter wrote: ‘Almost had his first Arsenal goal but for a Pope save after troubling the Magpies with a brilliant solo run from midway inside their half. Went close with another effort that tested John Ruddy late on and won a penalty following another driving run. Excellent cameo as he displayed his incredible talent.’

While caution must be urged when hyping up someone as young as Dowman, he really does look like the real deal. Not many can remember seeing someone this good come through the academy at his age. He is a special talent. Dare we even say a generational one, too?

Blessed with electric dribbling, creativity and an eye for goal, scoring 19 times in 23 appearances at youth level last season, it looks like Arsenal have produced their own Eze out of Hale End.

Bad news for Max Dowman: Arsenal in talks to sign £60m "superstar"

Arsenal are planning to sign one of the Premier League’s biggest talents this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 24, 2025

Birmingham City supporters will be feeling extremely confident about their team’s chances of settling back into the Championship life well next season.

The second tier hasn’t always been the smoothest stomping ground for the Blues, with relegation depressingly coming their way at the end of the turmoil-ridden 2023/24 season, but after accumulating a record 111 points last season on the way to lifting the League One title, Chris Davies’ men will feel ready to take the difficult division by storm now.

A couple of new signings would certainly do the trick in helping Birmingham to manage the step-up with ease, as the likes of Bright Osayi-Samuel and Demarai Gray look set to join the assured St. Andrew’s camp very soon.

Away from all that speculation, however, a new signing was unveiled just yesterday, as ex-Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle moves back into the Championship with the Blues on loan, away from parent side Brighton and Hove Albion.

More new signings after Beadle expected

Arguably, Birmingham were well-stocked in the goalkeeper department, but with the 20-year-old just fresh off collecting nine clean sheets for the Owls in the demanding division, it was evidently too tantalising a transfer to refuse.

It will be a case this summer of boosting their personnel all over the pitch ahead of the daunting step-up hitting them in the face, with faces such as Gray potentially joining and adding lots of experience in the division, having lined up 72 times in the Championship across his varied career to date.

Yet, Birmingham have had success when shopping in Europe’s top leagues too – as seen in defensive colossus Christoph Klarer coming in from Germany last summer – and this approach could pay off again in Birmingham landing Alaves star Carlos Vicente.

Indeed, a fresh report from a Spanish outlet indicates that Davies and Co. have put forward an offer of around £8.5m to land the exciting right winger, alongside Greek giants Olympiakos lodging their own bid.

Transfer Focus

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

Birmingham have been before when splashing the big bucks to win a Spanish attacker, with Vicente perhaps going on to be Davies’ very own Jota, after the former £6m winger managed to wreak havoc in the second tier with the Blues.

How Vicente can be Davies' own Jota

Jota would sour his time with Birmingham when he eventually moved on to cross-city nemesis Aston Villa, but the ex-Brentford forward was a joy to behold for Blues fans at the peak of his powers at St. Andrew’s.

In total, the now-retired attacker – who funnily enough bowed out of his playing days on the books of Vicente’s Alaves – would tally up a mightily impressive eight goals and 11 assists for the West Midlands giants, with the £8.5m target now hoping to follow in Jota’s footsteps in making similar waves in the Championship for Davies’ men.

Games played

37

Goals scored

5

Assists

5

Shots*

1.0

Key passes*

1.7

Big chances created

9

Total duels won*

4.8

In the same fashion as Jota before he became a well-known name in England, Vicente has been starring in Spain for some time now, as seen in his sparkling 24/25 output, leaving him with a sturdy five goals and five assists from 37 La Liga clashes.

Away from just those standout numbers, however, Vicente looks even more ready for the demands of the Championship when glancing at the number of duels he’s won, winning 4.9 duels per game last season in the Spanish top-flight. Even when Jota was performing at his maximum for the Blues during the 18/19 season, he would only average 3.1 on the contrary.

In the here and now, too, if Vicente does go on to be as successful as Jota donning Birmingham blue, Davies and Co. stand a better chance at him staying put, with their ex-number 23 never seeing the top half of the Championship when at St. Andrew’s.

The aim this coming season will be to reach those heights and achieve even more, as signings such as the £8.5m gem entering the building attempt to help make those dreams a reality.

Osayi-Samuel 2.0: Birmingham City in contact to sign “high quality" EFL ace

Birmingham City is really flexing its muscles during the hectic summer transfer window.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 1, 2025

Newcastle United are reportedly “very interested” in completing the signing of a defender who has been described as “priceless” at his current club.

Newcastle eyeing new wingers and centre-backs this summer

The Magpies enjoyed such a memorable season last time around, not only because of their famous EFL Cup success, but also due to getting back into the Champions League.

That should allow them to target top-quality players, and they have reportedly sent scouts to watch Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn in action, seeing him as a potential alternative to Nottingham Forest wide man Anthony Elanga.

Anthony Gordon struggled to set the world alight last season, leading to potential doubts over his long-term future at St James’ Park, and Lyon star Malick Fofana has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for him.

The 20-year-old Belgian has a big future in the game and could be an electric addition on the left flank.

A new centre-back is also a must, in order to add fresh legs to an ageing area of the pitch, and while Marc Guehi has continued to be linked with Newcastle, Sporting CP ace Ousmane Diomande is arguably more likely at this point, with Liverpool seemingly closing in on Guehi.

Newcastle "very interested" in Italy defender

According to Italian media [via NUFC Blog], Newcastle are “very interested” in signing Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini, adding that the “next few days” are key, with his current club not wanting to lose him and rival interest emerging from Antonio Conte’s Napoli.

Scalvini has been linked with Newcastle in the past, being seen as a strong option to come in after Sven Botman suffered an ACL injury, at which point he was valued at around £43m. The transfer failed to come to fruition, but he remains a great option for the Magpies, considering he could come in as both a key player from the off, and someone who could be a mainstay of the defence for many years to come.

Scalvini has already notched up 107 appearances for Atalanta – highly impressive, given his age – also being described as “priceless” by data analyst Sanjay and racking up eight caps for Italy

It is clearly going to be difficult for Newcastle to get their man, however, with Atalanta seeing him as an invaluable player who can continue to develop as the years pass, even though he is fresh off the back of ACL damage of his own.

A better buy than Rashford: Newcastle ready bid to sign "special" £50m star

Newcastle United might be about to land a better attacking talent than Marcus Rashford by successfully signing this star.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 23, 2025

But given his potential, though, the Magpies should do all they can to try and change the Serie A side’s thinking, acquiring the services of an excellent young player in the process.

Chelsea suffered a disappointing defeat to Flamengo in the Club World Cup, despite opening the scoring in the first half.

The Blues were still leading until the 62nd minute, but then three unanswered goals from the Brazilian side saw them secure all three points.

With the score 2-1 in favour of Flamengo, Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who had only been on the field for four minutes, saw red after a dreadful challenge on Lucas Ayrton.

It opens the door for Liam Delap to cement his place as the club’s main attacking option, but what now for Jackson?

Nicolas Jackson’s future at Chelsea is unclear

Last season, Jackson could only manage 13 goals across 36 matches for the Stamford Bridge side in all competitions.

Injuries may have played their part in this disappointing campaign, but it is no wonder that Maresca signed Delap and is looking for other centre-forward options.

Aston Villa are seemingly keen on making a move for the Senegal international, and, given his poor form of late, it might be a deal Enzo Maresca is keen on getting done.

According to Transfermarkt, Jackson is valued at €50m (£43m), and it remains to be seen how much money the Blues would demand to allow him to leave the club this summer.

Metric

2023/24

2024/25

Goals

14

10

Assists

5

5

Shots per game

2.3

2.5

Big chances created

8

6

Goal conversion percentage

18%

13%

Delap could be an ideal long-term option for the Italian amid the interest in Jackson. But did the Stamford Bridge outfit sell someone a few years ago who could have slotted into Maresca’s side with ease?

Chelsea must rue selling Kai Havertz

Havertz joined the Blues in 2020 and played a key role in the club winning their second Champions League title in 2021, scoring in the final against Manchester City.

The German international even netted in the final of the Club World Cup a few months later, which shows that he turned up in the big moments. His time in London saw the forward register 48 goal contributions – 32 goals and 16 assists in 139 games.

After three seasons with the club, he was sold to Arsenal in 2023 and has since emerged as a key player under Mikel Arteta.

Indeed, he was even dubbed “magnificent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig upon his move to the Emirates, and he has lived up to the hype with his uptick in form for Arsenal.

42 goal contributions in just 87 games at the Gunners show he made the right move in leaving Chelsea, but it must be a sale that the club regrets.

Now, according to Transfermarkt, his valuation stands at €65m (£57m), and this has soared since his last Chelsea valuation in 2023, which was €55m (£47m), which shows that he has taken his game to another level in North London.

The former Bayer Leverkusen forward is thus valued higher than Jackson, and if he can continue his fine form throughout the 2025/26 campaign with Arsenal, this value will rise even further as he continues to shine in a red shirt.

In this regard, Maresca would love to be able to call on someone like Havertz ahead of the club’s first Champions League campaign in a couple of seasons.

Chelsea have sold a few players prematurely over the years, but Havertz must be the one they regret the most.

Not just Jackson: 5/10 flop must never play for Chelsea again after the CWC

Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by Flamengo in their second game of the Club World Cup.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 21, 2025

Sunderland have now “done work” to hijack Leeds United’s move for a “brilliant” midfielder, transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey has revealed.

Black Cats vying to sign midfielder after Bellingham departure

After sealing a move to Borussia Dortmund, Jobe Bellingham has now penned a heart-felt goodbye to the supporters, saying: “Your support, on so many occasions, has completely blown me away, especially in the times of adversity, which we pulled through together.”

Regis Le Bris is now left with the difficult task of finding a replacement for the 19-year-old, who provided four goals and three assists for the Black Cats in a season that will forever be remembered, having achieved promotion back to the Premier League.

Having been promoted alongside Leeds United, Le Bris is likely to be shopping in the same talent pool as the Yorkshire side this summer, with both clubs now battling it out to sign West Ham United’s Vladimir Coufal on a free transfer.

Not only that, but the Black Cats have now started to take steps towards hijacking Leeds’ move for a midfielder, namely Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra, with some reports suggesting Daniel Farke’s side have already submitted a £22m bid for his services.

In an interview with The Boot Room, Bailey denies the reports of an offer being made, but confirms that Sunderland have now joined the race for Diarra’s signature, saying: “Leeds are looking at him. They like him and have enquired and held talks with his camp – however, we can confirm no bid yet.

“He had a very good season and a number of Premier League clubs have looked at him. Sunderland, Fulham, Bournemouth – all have done work on him… they are all clearly watching him (vs England) too!”

"Brilliant" Diarra starred in Senegal's triumph over England

The recent international break was far from ideal for Thomas Tuchel, stumbling to a 1-0 victory over Andorra before losing 3-1 against Senegal at the City Ground, where the Strasbourg midfielder put in a quality performance to help his side secure the win.

The 21-year-old scored the second goal in his side’s surprise victory, while also displaying his ability in possession of the ball by maintaining a 88% pass-success rate throughout the match, with Senegal going on to become the first-ever African nation to defeat England.

Football scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Senegal international for his passing ability in the past, amongst other things.

As such, it is exciting news that Sunderland are now “doing work” on a deal for Diarra, and having sold Bellingham for £32m, they should have ample funds to secure his signature.

It’s the start of a new era for Rangers.

On Thursday, Russell Martin was unveiled as the Ibrox club’s 20th permanent manager, appointed 102 days after Philippe Clement was sacked in February.

At his introductory press conference, Martin vowed to “prove people wrong”, acknowledging he is under pressure to deliver a winning team instantaneously, so could the signing of a “world-class” new centre-forward aid Rangers’ cause?

Rangers looking to bolster their attacking option

As previously reported by Tom Victor of the Daily Mirror, Rangers are hoping to sign Jamie Vardy on a free transfer this summer, claiming that the England international is ‘weighing up’ an offer from the Glasgow giants.

Vardy has spent the last 13 seasons with Leicester City, with whom he won the Premier League, the FA Cup and a Community Shield, scoring exactly 200 goals in 500 appearances for the Foxes, very aesthetically pleasing round numbers.

Now a free agent, countless clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday, Como, Wrexham and New York Red Bulls have all been touted as potential suitors, but could Martin convince his compatriot to make the move north of the border?

Should he do, it could be a Morelos-like move for Rangers.

How Vardy could replicate Morelos at Rangers

During six seasons at Rangers, Alfredo Morelos scored 124 goals in light blue, with the Colombian, almost unquestionably, the club’s best striker since suffering liquidation in 2012.

Of these goals, 29 came in UEFA competition, meaning Morelos is Rangers’ all-time record scorer in Europe, smashing the record previously held by Ally McCoist, one that had stood since 1997.

But is Morelos really Rangers’ best centre-forward of the modern era? Let’s find out.

Igamane

2024-present

46

16

166

Dessers

2023-preesent

109

51

134

Danilo

2023-present

48

12

165

Morelos

2017-23

269

124

152

Roofe

2020-24

102

38

127

Čolak

2022-23

39

18

123

Sakala

2021-23

92

24

199

Defoe

2018-22

74

32

100

As the table outlines, no Rangers striker in the post-promotion era has come anywhere close to the 124 goals Morelos managed, even if Jermain Defoe, Kemar Roofe, Antonio Čolak and current forward Cyriel Dessers do actually boast better minutes per goal ratios, helped by their smaller sample sizes.

So, could Vardy be the club’s best centre-forward since el Buffalo? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to answer that question.

Goals

9

26th

Expected goals

11.2

14th

Shots

56

40th

Shots on target

23

33rd

Shots on target %

41.1%

48th

As the table shows, Vardy’s Premier League statistics this season do not immediately leap off the page, but it is worth considering that he was playing in a generally hopeless Leicester side, who won just six matches all season and were relegated.

Thus, the fact that Vardy still ranked 14th for expected goals and only 25 players managed to score more goals than him is impressive.

Writer Henry Winter believes Vardy is still a “world-class finisher”, while Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who knows a thing or two about scoring goals, believes “he is still producing”, describing his captain as a “leader”.

Also worth noting that, the previous campaign in the EFL Championship, Vardy netted 20 times across all competitions.

This underlines the fact he would be able to produce for Rangers given that, according to Global Football Rankings, England’s second-tier is the 11th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is ranked at 43rd.

Thus, if the Gers can convince Vardy to move to Ibrox, possibly using the allure of potential Champions League football, he would surely be an excellent addition.

After all, this is a goal machine we’re talking about here, someone who bagged 145 Premier League goals.

As bad as selling Raskin: Six English clubs want to sign Rangers star

Rangers selling this star would be as bad as cashing in on Nicolas Raskin this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

The transfer window is just around the corner, and it feels set to be an era-defining one for Arsenal.

While a third second-placed finish on the bounce is far from ideal, Mikel Arteta’s side have proven without a shadow of a doubt now that they are one of the very best teams in the country, but they’ve also shown that they lack a cutting-edge up top.

Therefore, it’s hardly been surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers in recent weeks and months, with two of the most significant being Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

However, while either would surely improve the Gunners, recent reports have linked them to someone who’d be a better signing than both.

Arsenal's Sesko & Gyokeres alternative

Before getting to the superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards who have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Julian Alvarez and Joao Pedro.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has been linked with the North Londoners quite heavily over the last week or so, and while it would be hard to pry him away from Atlético Madrid a year after he joined them, it would be worth trying as in just 54 games this season, he has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists.

On the other hand, Pedro could be available for close to £100m, which, for all his undeniable talent, does feel a little steep, as he’s only played 30 games this season, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided seven assists.

In other words, the Brazilian marksman doesn’t feel like he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres, unlike Alexander Isak.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Mail Online, the Newcastle United striker remains in the picture ahead of the summer.

While the report claims that a transfer feels unlikely due to his price tag now being ‘north of £100m,’ it also reveals, crucially, that the Swedish international is ‘Arteta’s preferred choice.’

It would be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Isak’s unreal ability, it’s one well worth going all out for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres.

Why Isak would be a better signing than Sesko & Gyokeres

So, let’s start off with the most straightforward and significant reason why Isak would be a far better signing than Sesko: his output.

For example, in just 42 appearances for the Toon this season, totalling 3324 minutes, the 25-year-old “bagsman,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 27 goals and provided six assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes, which is undeniably superb.

Appearances

42

45

Minutes

3324′

3258′

Goals

27

21

Assists

6

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.78

0.6

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.72′

120.66′

In contrast, the Leipzig star has found the back of the net 21 times and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes this season, which comes out to a good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

Now, that might be a little crude, but when it comes down to a striker, the most important metric is their raw output, and when it comes down to it, that’s something the former Real Sociedad star has over the Slovenian.

However, things get a little more complicated when it comes to Gyokeres because, by that same logic, his absurd haul of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances suggests he’d be the better poacher to bring to the club this summer.

Yet, that’s not the case, and the crucial reason why is that the former Coventry City gem has no experience of football in a top five league.

There is a genuine risk that the Stockholm-born star could be a repeat of Darwin Núñez, who moved to Liverpool off the back of producing 38 goal involvements in 41 games for Benfica in the 21/22 campaign and just finished this season with a haul of 14 goal involvements in 47 games.

Ultimately, if Arsenal can, they should be doing all they can to sign Isak this summer, as he’s already a far better goalscorer than Sesko and has far more experience playing and thriving in the toughest competitions than Gyokeres.

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Manchester City are set to be in the market to bolster their squad when the summer transfer window officially opens for business in the coming months.

The Cityzens dropped points once again in the Premier League as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Southampton, who had 11 points in the top-flight heading into the game.

Pep Guardiola’s side have already missed out on the Premier League title, though, and that may be why the club are eager to bring in fresh recruits, with a fresh report detailing their interest in a Serie A star.

Manchester City make Serie A star a serious target

According to The Telegraph, Manchester City are interested in a deal to sign Tijjani Reijnders from Italian giants Milan in the upcoming summer transfer window.

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The report claims that the Cityzens have made the Netherlands international a ‘serious’ target to come in and bolster their options in the middle of the park, as they aim to revitalise the squad.

It also reveals that Milan would want a club-record fee for the central midfielder, which means that it will be in excess of the £57m they once raked in from Real Madrid for Brazilian icon Kaka.

Manchester City should, now, splash the cash to sign the Dutch talent because he could come in as a big upgrade on Ilkay Gundogan in the middle of the park.

Why Reijnders would be a better option than Gundogan

Guardiola swooped to bring the German midfielder back to The Etihad, after a one-year stint at Barcelona, last summer, and it has been a difficult season for the veteran, who has failed to live up to the standards he set in his first spell at the club.

Gundogan had hit double figures for goals in each of his last three seasons at City, combining for 38 goals, but has only produced two goals and five assists in 47 matches in all competitions upon his return.

Reijnders, meanwhile, has racked up 15 goals in 51 matches for Milan in all competitions this season, including three goals in ten outings in the Champions League.

He has provided a regular goal threat from the middle of the park for the Serie A giants, whilst Gundogan is heading into the final two matches of the league campaign without a goal to his name in the Premier League.

Appearances

35

31

xG

6.42

2.74

Goals

10

0

Big chances missed

3

6

Big chances created

7

3

Assists

4

5

As you can see in the table above, Reijnder has scored ten more goals, despite missing half as many ‘big chances’, and has created more ‘big chances’ for his teammates in midfield.

These statistics suggest that the 26-year-old star, whose performances were described as “insane” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has the attacking quality to be miles better than Gundogan for City by offering a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

The Milan star has also won 63% of his ground duels, compared to Gundogan’s 48%, and could also offer more to the Cityzens out of possession as a strong midfield presence by winning a higher percentage of his battles with opposition midfielders to regain or retain the ball.

It is now down to City to strike a deal with the Italian team because Reijnders appears to have the quality to be miles better than the German midfielder for Guardiola next season and beyond.

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