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Manchester United are now preparing a cut-price offer to sign a £60 million striker who Arsenal are in the lead for, according to a new report.

Hojlund edges closer to Man Utd exit as Red Devils eye new attackers

There are expected to be a lot of changes at Old Trafford this summer, but none seem as important as strengthening the forward line. United have been one of the poorest teams in the Premier League this season for taking chances and scoring goals, and Ruben Amorim knows that this will need to change if he is going to be successful at the club.

Juventus take "concrete steps" to sign "top class" £85k-a-week Man Utd ace

Is it the right time for him to move on?

ByHenry Jackson May 5, 2025

Rasmus Hojlund has been a regular in the United team this season, but his lack of contribution in the final third means he could be on his way out the door this summer. According to a recent report, Serie A giants Juventus have taken “concrete steps” to sign Hojlund by making contact with the Denmark international. It doesn’t say how much United would want for Hojlund, but his departure would allow the club to bring in replacements, with two players already on their radar.

Wolves’ Matheus Cunha appears to be edging closer and closer to moving to Old Trafford this summer, as talks continue over personal terms and the structure of the transfer. Meanwhile, the Red Devils are also planning a bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, a player who could either play as a number nine or number 10.

This comes as United are also looking at possibly signing Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, who now has a release clause worth £30 million given the Tractor Boys’ relegation to the Championship.

Man Utd preparing cut-price offer to sign £55m+ striker Sesko

But the list of potential replacements for Hojlund does not stop there, as, according to Caught Offside, Man Utd are preparing to make an offer to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig this summer.

The report states that Leipzig have placed a value on Sesko of around €80–90 million, which is roughly £68-76 million. But United are looking to bring that fee down and are planning to make an offer in the region of €65–70 million, which is roughly £55-59 million. However, United are not the only team interested in Sesko, as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are also preparing transfer offers.

It’s been reported that Arsenal are the team leading the race to sign Sesko, as they view the forward as the ideal addition to improve their forward line. However, it is not just English teams chasing the Leipzig striker, as teams such as Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also very keen on Sesko.

Apps

85

Goals

39

Assists

8

Sesko, who has been dubbed a “quick” player, has been mightily impressive since joining Leipzig, and given how the campaign has gone for the German side this season, a move away for Sesko could be on the cards, given he will likely want to play at the highest level.

He could be a huge upgrade on Hojlund for Man Utd, as the 21-year-old has netted 43 goals in the last three Bundesliga seasons.

While things look somewhat bleak at the moment, the future could be especially bright for Tottenham Hotspur.

It might be true that Ange Postecoglou is currently overseeing the club’s worst domestic campaign for over a generation, but one thing is undeniably true: the squad has some seriously exciting young talents in it.

The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore all look like they could develop into sensational players down the line, and if Mathys Tel makes his move permanent, then that is yet another mega prospect on the books.

Moreover, Hotspur Way is brewing a handful of exceptional talents, including one youngster who could be their best since Harry Kane and a future superstar for England.

Harry Kane's rise

Now, practically everyone knows that when he was a child, Kane was a part of Arsenal’s Hale End academy, but in what might be one of the worst decisions the Gunners ever made, they let the future superstar go at just 12 years old.

A few years later, the Lilywhites decided to bring him to Hotspur Way, and about five and a half years after that, he was sent out on his first loan move to Leyton Orient, where he scored five goals in 18, mostly substitute appearances.

Over the next few years, the incredible goalscorer would go out on further loans to Millwall, Norwich City, and Leicester City while also making more appearances for the U21 side, where he netted nine times and provided nine assists in just 13 appearances.

While he did play the odd first-team game here and there during this period, the Walthamstow-born marksman was given his first proper opportunity in the first team in the 14/15 season under then-new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Across 51 appearances, totalling 3682 minutes, the future superstar found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided another six assists to boot.

While some labelled him a one-season wonder, we all know what happened next, and by the time he left for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, the Spurs legend had amassed a haul of 280 goals and 62 assists in 435 games, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in the process.

So, with all that said, fans should be seriously excited about a certain youngster who might be the club’s most exciting prospect since Kane.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Spurs' most exciting prospect since Kane

So, while there are several promising prospects at Hotspur Way at the moment, such as Tyrese Hall, the youngster in question is Lucas Williams-Barnett.

While few fans would have been aware of the 16-year-old at the start of the season, he has now become potentially one of the most talked-about players in youth football.

It’s not hard to see where the hype has come from, though, as in just 18 appearances, totalling 1465 minutes, the Luton-born prodigy has scored a whopping 19 goals and provided nine assists.

Appearances

18

Minutes

1465′

Goals

19

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

1.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

52.32′

In other words, the goalscoring machine, who’s set to be one of the club’s future “superstars,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, is averaging 1.55 goal involvements every single game, or one every 52.32 minutes.

On top of his unreal club form, the teenage “cheat code”, as dubbed by Spurs’ expert John Wenham, is also performing for the national side.

For example, in just six appearances for the England U17 team, he’s already scored two goals, despite being just 15 when he made his debut.

Ultimately, Williams-Barnett is, without a doubt, Spurs’ most exciting prospect since Kane, and just like the striker, he looks like he’s going to be a superstar for club and country.

Worth more than VDV: Spurs have struck gold on their "Swiss army knife"

The incredible talent will be a superstar for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 25, 2025

Tottenham chiefs are internally discussing the possibility of appointing a highly-rated alternative to Andoni Iraola, with current boss Ange Postecoglou currently hanging onto his job by a thread after an underwhelming Premier League campaign.

Spurs' managerial shortlist to replace Ange Postecoglou

The Australian has led Spurs to seventeen defeats in the top flight alone, and a total of 21 losses in all competitions, which makes for inexcusable reading from the perspective of a ‘big six’ side.

£4m-per-year boss "emerging" as favourite for Spurs job after Iraola blow

There’s another frontrunner coming into play.

4 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 15, 2025

There is a serious case to be made that injuries to key players throughout 2024/2025 have really debilitated Postecoglou’s options, making it a huge task to make any success of this Premier League campaign, but the sheer number of losses is far too reminiscent of relegation form.

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Tottenham’s entire campaign is now riding on their Europa League quarter-final second leg away to Eintracht Frankfurt, with the tie currently level 1-1 on aggregate and Postecoglou set for his most important game as manager on Thursday.

As tensions between the fanbase and Spurs ownership reach breaking point, chairman Daniel Levy is under serious pressure, and his next managerial appointment will need to be the right one, if they do indeed decide to part company with Postecoglou.

The arrival of CEO and ex-Arsenal chief Vinai Venkatesham will also play a major role in who they appoint, with the new boardroom member and Levy already having a number of managerial candidates on their agenda.

According to recent reports, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is a top target for Tottenham, but the Spaniard is now more inclined to snub their advances and remain at the Vitality Stadium for another season (The Telegraph).

This means that Fulham manager Marco Silva is now emerging as a frontrunner for the Spurs job (Alex Crook), but there are other names on Levy’s agenda.

Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi, ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzić, free agent Thiago Motta, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner and Brentford head coach Thomas Frank have all been cited as names to watch out for in the last two months, but an update has surfaced on the latter.

Tottenham internally discuss appointing Thomas Frank

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham have held internal talks over appointing Frank, who could be another alternative to Iraola, with the 42-year-old increasingly likely to remain at Bournemouth right now.

The Dane guided Brentford to promotion from the Championship in 2021, after beating Swansea City 2-0 in the Play-Off final at Wembley, and Frank hasn’t looked back since then.

The 50-year-old has since transformed Brentford into a solid Premier League side, despite operating on a shoe-string budget and losing key players, having taken charge of 311 matches for the Bees overall as a legendary figurehead.

Frank’s earned a reputation for being a “class” manager in that period, not to mention gaining the respect of his elite peers, like Man City’s Pep Guardiola, who called him “one of the best” in the business.

“They are an extraordinary team,” said the City boss.

“What they do always makes sense. Every corner is a headache. They are compact. This season, they have a high press. Thomas is one of the best.”

Other reports state that Frank is also expected to leave Brentford this summer, making him potentially available for hire.

Following the news that Kevin De Bruyne is set to depart as a free agent this summer, Manchester City have now been handed a fresh concern by Real Madrid’s reported interest in signing one of Pep Guardiola’s star men.

Guardiola preparing for Man Utd revenge

In what will now go down as De Bruyne’s final Manchester derby, Guardiola and his Manchester City side will be seeking revenge over their rivals after Amad Diallo’s shock last-gasp winner left them on the losing side earlier in the campaign. In what has been a campaign to forget, the Citizens will be hoping to at least compile the misery on Manchester United.

Forget Foden: Pep already has the perfect De Bruyne replacement at Man City

Manchester City will lose Kevin de Bruyne this summer, handing Pep Guardiola a task to replace him.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 4, 2025

Guardiola reiterated that his side are currently in a good place ahead of the chance to earn revenge against their rivals, telling reporters: “Good. The last two games we were good and hopefully we continue in the last eight games in the Premier League and prepare. The people rest and tomorrow we’re going to prepare the game.”

However, the Spaniard’s main focus was on De Bruyne’s announcement and how he will miss the Belgian’s quality, saying in his pre-match press conference: “Sad day. It’s a happy day for the fact of the pleasure that I live this time that I have with him. He gave all of us his humanity and of course his influence in all our success. The last decade would not be possible to imagine without him.”

That said, De Bruyne may not be the only star man that Guardiola is left bidding farewell to this summer, with Real Madrid now readying a shock move to sign one particular Manchester City star.

Real Madrid readying Bernardo Silva move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now readying a move to sign Bernardo Silva this summer, with the midfielder keen to leave the Etihad and end an incredibly successful tenure in the Premier League. Like De Bruyne, Silva has played a pivotal part in City’s dominance over the years as a jack of all trades at Guardiola’s disposal.

After a difficult campaign, however, the Portugal international could be among those allowed to leave the club in what would arguably be coming at the right time for all involved.

Once dubbed “irreplaceable” by Guardiola, Silva is now struggling to keep up with the pace of the Premier League and must make way for a much-needed rebuild at Manchester City this summer. And if that means a move to Real Madrid, then not many could argue over whether a player of his success deserves such a move.

The last few years have been nothing short of a roller coaster for Ipswich Town.

Kieran McKenna has led the team from mid-table in League One all the way up to the Premier League for the first time in two decades.

However, while it’s been a fairy-tale rise for much of that time, this season has been something of a brutal reminder of just how tough the top-flight can be.

That said, while it’s looking like the Tractor Boys will be back in the Championship next season, they have the players to bounce right back up, including one who might be a future England star, who is their version of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Ipswich's future England stars

So, before we get to the star who could well be the next Trent, it’s worth looking at a couple of Ipswich players who have a chance of breaking into the England squad in the future, starting with Omari Hutchinson.

Now, we will admit that this does feel like something of a longshot at this point, but there are a couple of reasons why the former Chelsea ace could one day find himself with the Three Lions on his chest.

The first is that, despite still being just 21 years old, he has established himself as an important member of a Premier League side and, on top of being able to play in a few positions, has racked up a reasonable tally of 22 goal involvements in 78 appearances for the Tractor Boys.

Furthermore, he is already a part of England’s U21 side, starting the last game against Portugal and already amassing a haul of four goal involvements in four games.

Now, the Blues star who seems destined to break into the senior side sooner rather than later is Liam Delap, who is also a part of the U21 side and now has a tally of five goal involvements in 12 games for them.

Moreover, and more importantly, he’s one of the most exciting strikers in the Premier League and, despite playing for a bottom-three side, has scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 30 games in the competition this year.

However, Delap is not the only Ipswich star who seems like he will get a cap at some point, as there is another first-teamer who’s been with the club since the League One days who could be their own Trent.

Ipswich's own Trent

While there are a few decent defenders in McKenna’s squad this season, like Dara O’Shea and Axel Tuanzebe, when it comes down to which is most like Trent, there is only one answer: Leif Davis.

Now, we are not saying that the “unbelievable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Harvey Davies, is as good as the Liverpool star, as that would be somewhat absurd.

However, we are saying there are similarities between the two defenders and that the former Leeds United gem is exceptionally talented.

The most important similarity between the pair is how often they bomb forward and how effectively they get the ball into dangerous areas for their teammates.

For example, in his 118 appearances since moving to Portman Road, the Blues gem, whom writer Harvey Davies claims has “got better every year”, has scored six goals and provided 38 assists in 119 appearances, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.70 games.

Appearances

119

349

Goals

6

22

Assists

38

87

Goal Involvements per Match

0.37

0.31

For his efforts, the Liverpool-born international has scored 22 goals and provided 87 assists in 349 appearances, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.20 games.

Ultimately, not only is Davis more than good enough to help Ipswich get back to the Premier League at the first time of asking next season, but he’s also good enough to make it into an England squad one day, and could well be the left-sided Trent in the future.

Saved by Delap: McKenna must axe Ipswich dud who only won 3/12 duels

Ipswich Town breathed life back into their faint Premier League survival hopes away at AFC Bournemouth.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 3, 2025

Manchester United’s recent woes have only been further highlighted by the success of those who have left the club in recent times, with a handful of high profile stars having been unburdened by the decision to depart Old Trafford.

Indeed, recent months have seen both Antony and Marcus Rashford find their groove out on loan at Real Betis and Aston Villa, respectively, with the Brazilian already chalking up eight goals and assists in just 12 games for the LaLiga side, while the latter man has registered two goals and four assists in ten games at Villa Park.

Even Anthony Martial, meanwhile, who scored just twice in all competitions last season, has hit form since moving to Greece on a free transfer, with the mercurial Frenchman netting nine times in just 20 outings for AEK Athens to date.

It would appear that breaking free of United shackles can do the world of good for a player, with that having notably been evident on Tuesday night, as Anthony Elanga proved the matchwinner at the City Ground.

The Swedish speedster – who was allowed to leave Old Trafford on a £15m deal back in the summer of 2023 – ran almost the length of the pitch before slotting past Andre Onana in the opening exchanges, with that marking the 22-year-old’s 29th goal involvement in 73 games since moving to Nottingham Forest.

Such an impact may spark a tinge of regret among those of a United persuasion, with there also perhaps fears that a similar scenario could be set to occur with regard to another of Ruben Amorim’s current crop.

Anthony Elanga's game in numbers vs Man Utd

As is often the way for United – having notably seen academy graduate Danny Welbeck score on six occasions against them over the last decade or so – they were undone by ‘one of their own’ on Tuesday evening, despite putting in a largely encouraging performance up against their high-flying hosts.

The Red Devils had 23 shots in total yet once again failed to showcase that much-needed cutting edge in front of goal, while Elanga, meanwhile, needed just one early chance to break the deadlock.

The speed at which the Malmo native drove from just outside his own penalty area was simply frightening, with both Patrick Dorgu and the sliding Alejandro Garnacho having failed to even get close to him in truth.

Touches

Bruno Fernandes (110)

Accurate passes

Leny Yoro (75)

Key passes

Bruno Fernandes (6)

Successful dribbles

Anthony Elanga (6)

Duels won

Anthony Elanga (9)

Tackles

Noussair Mazraoui (6)

Clearances

Murillo (12)

Dribbled past

Noussair Mazraoui (4)

Possession lost

Bruno Fernandes (31)

That moment of magic also marked one of six successful dribbles that Elanga completed on the night – more than any other player – having also been a real asset for his side defensively, after winning nine total duels.

There could well have been a second for the 21-cap Sweden international had it not been for a stunning intervention from Leny Yoro late in the second half, with the teenage Frenchman just about managing to keep pace with the electric winger.

In all, such a statement showing from the Forest starlet served to highlight United’s own attacking flaws, having also shown the benefits to others of flying the nest, particularly considering he only registered four goals and four assists during his first-team stint back in Manchester.

Man Utd star is in danger of becoming the new Elanga

The debate will continue over whether Elanga simply needed a fresh start to be able to truly flourish, or whether he was actually not afforded a fair chance at the Theatre of Dreams, having made just 26 appearances under Erik ten Hag during the 2022/23 campaign.

Whatever the case, the £15m man now has 14 goals and assists to his name in the top-flight this season – only Bruno Fernandes (18) betters that tally among Amorim’s ranks.

There may be a concern that a repeat scenario could occur with the aforementioned Garnacho, with talk having been rife in recent months regarding a potential sale for the Argentine youngster.

Reportedly valued at around £60m, amid January interest from Chelsea, the 20-year-old could prove a casualty of United’s desire to meet PSR regulations, with the sale of the academy graduate set to prove pure profit – much like Elanga.

Much like his former teammate too, there may be a question mark over his role under the new management regime, with Garnacho registering just six goals and assists in 24 games for Amorim, after previously racking up 32 goal involvements in 98 games under Ten Hag.

In the case of Elanga, the promising winger burst onto the scene in 2021/22 following Ralf Rangnick’s appointment, with three of his four goals for the club coming during the German’s interim spell. Under Ten Hag in the following campaign, he wasn’t even involved in the matchday squad for the final 13 league games of the season.

Garnacho – who scored in the FA Cup final back in May – was Ten Hag’s man, but can he be Amorim’s?

If not, the Spain-born forward may find himself following in Elanga’s footsteps by finding his feet elsewhere, with that likely to be a scenario that both United and INEOS would live to regret.

Yes, as his profligacy on Tuesday showcased, the £50k-per-week ace has the ability to frustrate, yet ever since his promotion into the first-team ranks, Garnacho has been a player to get the crowd off their seat. As journalist Samuel Luckhurst previously noted, he is a “game-changer”.

Part of an otherwise lifeless forward line, Garnacho is currently the one capable of igniting it, with it set to be no surprise if he does flourish elsewhere should a move be made, much like Elanga has.

Forget Garnacho: Man Utd must drop 4/10 star who lost the ball every 5 mins

Man Utd’s dismal Premier League campaign continued on Tuesday evening…

1 ByRobbie Walls Apr 2, 2025

This time last week, Chelsea looked like they would be the ones to rival Arsenal for the Premier League title.

Unfortunately, a humbling loss away to Leeds United, quickly followed by a drab one-all draw away to Bournemouth, has put such ideas to bed, for now anyway.

While Enzo Maresca’s squad is undeniably talented, some areas could be improved upon, such as the number nine position.

Fortunately, Chelsea are now being linked with someone who could do just that, someone who could be an upgrade on Liam Delap.

Chelsea target Delap upgrade

The transfer window is now less than a month away from reopening, and in a surprise to absolutely nobody, Chelsea are already being linked with a host of players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, the Blues have been one of a number of sides linked with Nottingham Forest’s Murillo.

Likewise, RB Leipzig’s incredibly exciting Castello Lukeba has been touted for a £53m move to Stamford Bridge.

However, while the two defenders would certainly bolster Maresca’s squad, neither one could or would displace Delap or Joao Pedro up top, unlike Joaquín Panichelli.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a few Premier League clubs interested in the RC Strasbourg striker.

Alongside the West Londoners, the report has revealed that West Ham United and Aston Villa have set their sights on the Argentine striker.

The report does not reveal how much the £28k-per-week star might cost, but considering his contract runs until the summer of 2030, he’s unlikely to be cheap.

Even so, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Panichelli, as he could be the striker to really take them forward, even if that’s bad news for Delap.

How Panichelli compares to Delap

Now it might sound simplistic, and that’s because it is, but the first and most important metric to compare when looking at two strikers is output.

Unfortunately for Delap, this is an area that Panichelli has him beat, and comfortably at that.

For example, so far this season, the Argentine, whom U23 scout Antonio Mango has dubbed “one of the most in-form Strikers in Europe,” has scored ten goals in 19 appearances, totalling 1367 minutes.

In other words, the Córdoba-born gem is averaging a goal involvement every 1.9 games, or every 136.7 minutes.

In stark contrast, the Blues’ summer signing has scored just a single goal in 11 appearances, totalling 453 minutes.

Appearances

19

11

Minutes

1367′

453′

Goals

10

1

Assists

0

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

0.09

Minutes per Goal Involvement

136.7′

453

The next advantage that the former Deportivo Alavés star has over the Englishman is the fact that he seems to be less injury-prone.

For example, while he did suffer a significant ACL injury in the 23/24 season, which kept him out for 24 games, he only missed one game in the entirety of last season, and so far this year, he’s missed just one.

On the other hand, the former Ipswich Town star suffered a knee injury that kept him out for 18 games in 23/24

Furthermore, so far this year, he has already missed 12 matches due to a hamstring problem, and now his current shoulder injury.

Finally, the Winchester-born ace doesn’t even have the advantage of being significantly younger and therefore possessing a higher ceiling, as he’s currently 22 years old and the Strasbourg star only turned 23 two months ago.

Ultimately, Panichelli is clearly a more dangerous forward and, on top of that, seems to be injured less often. Therefore, Chelsea should do what they can to sign him in 2026, even if that spells the end of Delap’s time at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea flop has fast become their biggest liability since Bakayoko

Chelsea and Maresca need to move on from the walking disaster as soon as possible.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes 3 days ago

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on international breaks. Any Scotland-supporting Glasgow Rangers fans may be loving them at this moment in time, after Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 to qualify for next year’s World Cup.

However, some supporters may not like the break from club football or may not be happy with watching their country play, for whatever reason that may be.

Another reason as to why someone, and possibly Danny Rohl, may not enjoy international breaks is that it means that Rangers stars can pick up injuries without playing for their club.

For example, the German head coach will currently be sweating over the availability of central defender John Souttar, after he was forced out of the starting line-up against Denmark during the warm-up.

The Scotland international picked up an unknown injury before kick-off, after initially being named in the starting line-up, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be available this weekend.

On the same night, Derek Cornelius was forced off after just 30 minutes for Canada in their clash with Venezuela, with what is suspected to be a thigh injury, which makes him a doubt for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.

Ranking Rangers centre-backs this season

Losing both Souttar and Cornelius would be a blow for Rohl ahead of Saturday’s match because they were the starting centre-back pairing in the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park last time out.

The Canadian centre-back, who is on loan from Marseille, missing the match would be a significant blow because he has been in impressive form for the Gers this season, particularly since Rohl came through the door.

Cornelius has started all three of the new manager’s league matches and won 21 of his 32 duels, per Sofascore, in those matches, helping Rangers to keep two clean sheets and concede just one goal.

The Marseille loanee, with those dominant displays, has been the top-performing centre-back at the club this season, whilst Souttar has started all 11 of the club’s league matches, under Russell Martin, Stevie Smith, and Rohl, per Sofascore.

1

Derek Cornelius

2

John Souttar

3

James Tavernier

4

Emmanuel Fernandez

5

Nasser Djiga

6

Clinton Nsiala

As you can see in the table above, we have placed James Tavernier in third place because he has filled in at centre-back, most recently against Kilmarnock and Roma, and done a reliable job.

Emmanuel Fernandez has started two matches for Rangers since his move from Peterborough. He scored in his start against Alloa Athletic and won 12 of his 15 duels, per Sofascore, in his only Premiership start against St Mirren, which makes it hard to put him too high or too low, as he has impressed in limited game time.

Nasser Djiga, meanwhile, ranks below him in fifth because the Wolves loanee has played 17 times for Rangers this season and was recently described as “rotten” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar.

The Burkina Faso international has made several costly errors, including a red card against Dundee in August and an inexplicable mistake, letting his man race clear through on goal, against Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off tie.

Chalkboard

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

Finally, Clinton Nsiala has to rank sixth out of the six first-team centre-back options, including Tavernier, simply because he has not played a single minute of football for the Gers this season.

However, if Souttar and Cornelius are both unavailable for selection against Livingston on Saturday because of the injuries that they picked up on international duty, it could finally be time to unleash the left-footed star.

Why Rangers should finally unleash Clinton Nsiala

The former AC Milan centre-back was seemingly not in Russell Martin’s plans at Ibrox, as he did not feature in a single matchday squad, but Rohl has the chance to change that this weekend.

As aforementioned, Djiga has not had the best of starts to life at Ibrox, hence why Edgar dubbed him “rotten”, and his mistakes for the Gers suggest that another player should be given an opportunity to shine.

If Souttar and Cornelius are both unavailable, Fernandez could come in to replace the former as the right-sided centre-back, after his dominant display last time out in the Premiership against St Mirren earlier this season.

That would leave Rohl in need of replacing Cornelius against Livingston and Nsiala could be the ideal player to step in for the Canada international, as he is the only other left-footed senior centre-back option in the squad.

The 21-year-old centre-back played 11 times in the Premiership under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson in the 2024/25 campaign, and rarely let the Light Blues down with his performances.

Dundee

1-1 draw

St Johnstone

3-1 win

Aberdeen

3-0 win

Dundee United

3-1 win

Ross County

4-0 win

Hearts

3-1 win

St Mirren

2-0 loss

Kilmarnock

4-2 win

Celtic

3-2 win

Aberdeen

2-2 draw

St Mirren

2-2 draw

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish giants only lost one of those 11 matches in the division, which shows that he was far from a disaster in the senior team.

In fact, former teammate Ross McCausland admitted that he and some of the other players in the squad had described him as “a left-footed Van Dijk” when watching his performances on the pitch for the first-team.

Nsiala, though, has not been given a chance to build on that respectable start to his senior career with the Light Blues, as he has not played a single minute this season.

That is why Rohl should finally unleash the left-footed defender against Livingston if Cornelius is unavailable for selection, as he is a left-footed defender who has proven that he can perform in the Premiership.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

The 21-year-old, given these new injury blows and Djiga’s disappointing form, deserves an opportunity to show that he can play a role for Rohl moving forward, starting with the game on Saturday.

Chelsea could now hijack some ‘very advanced’ talks for a Real Madrid sensation who’s destined to be on the move in January, according to a new report.

With persistent injury concerns in key positions this season, Enzo Maresca’s squad may require strategic reinforcement across three critical areas as the Blues navigate a challenging campaign.

Maresca has repeatedly found himself short, especially in defence, with Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Josh Acheampong all missing at some point through injury or suspension.

Despite spending close to £300 million in the summer, it is also believed that Maresca still isn’t entirely happy with his Chelsea squad, coming after he publicly requested a centre-back in the summer.

Rank

Club

Gross Spend

Sales

Net Spend

20.

Bournemouth

£136.7m

£202.5m

+£65.8m

19.

Brighton

£67.7m

£127.5m

+£59.8m

18.

Brentford

£92.8m

£152m

+£59.2m

17.

Wolves

£105.6m

£126.5m

+£20.9m

16.

Chelsea

£296.5m

£314.4m

+£17.9m

Chelsea are reportedly exploring goalkeeping options, with uncertainty surrounding Robert Sanchez, whose inconsistent performances divided the fanbase last season.

The club are extremely keen on AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, whose contract expires in 2026, and could move to offer the France number one a pre-contract in January. Chelsea had passed up the opportunity to sign Maignan in the summer as they weren’t prepared to meet Milan’s asking price, as per multiple reports, but a move is now back on the cards.

Chelsea also want a new centre-back in January, following reports that the club view it as a priority position, and there are claims that the west Londoners could even bring in another number nine.

BlueCo have reportedly been offered Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, whose contract is winding down, meaning they could sign the Serbian for a bargain fee this winter.

Liam Delap has returned from a hamstring injury which kept him out for the majority of Chelsea’s early-season, and Joao Pedro is currently in excellent form as well. However, as we’ve already seen this term, Maresca’s bad luck with injuries and suspensions could well push them back into the market.

Chelsea are reportedly planning to raid Real Madrid for talent as we approach January, with star winger Rodrygo available for a cut-price fee as Maresca’s side closely monitor the situation (TEAMtalk).

However, Rodrygo isn’t the only Real star on their radar, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

Chelsea ready to hijack 'very advanced' Lyon talks for Endrick

Lyon are in ‘very advanced’ talks over a loan deal for Endrick and an agreement is believed to be imminent, but Bailey reports that Chelsea could still swoop for the Brazilian striker.

As per the reporter, Chelsea are ready to offer Endrick game time in England ahead of next year’s World Cup, and he could ‘very well arrive’ at Stamford Bridge.

The 19-year-old, who’s still considered one of Brazil’s brightest young talents, hasn’t found room to feature for Xabi Alonso – playing just 11 minutes all season.

Endrick did fire Real to a Copa del Rey final last term, scoring five goals in the competition before their loss to Barcelona, but minutes in La Liga and Europe were much harder to come by.

The South American is now vying for an exit as he aims to get more game time and work his way into Ancelotti’s Brazil squad, with the prospect of a Premier League move potentially enough to make him change his mind about joining Lyon.

Wolves manager target Erik ten Hag is open to Molineux talks following an approach, however, there is one ‘snag’ halting a potential move.

Latest Wolves manager rumours

The Old Gold are yet to find Vitor Pereira’s long-term replacement after his sacking at the weekend after the 3-0 Premier League defeat to Fulham.

It was Wolves’ eighth loss in their opening 10 top flight fixtures, with the club still without a league victory and eight points adrift of safety.

It looked as if Gary O’Neil would be the man to return to the Midlands tasked with the job of leading Wolves to safety, however, despite being in advanced talks, he pulled out of the race.

That has left Jeff Shi and Matt Jackson to look elsewhere, with Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas sharing the latest on Wolves’ manager search on Tuesday.

Rob Edwards and Ten Hag have both been heavily linked in the past few days, with contact even made for the latter, who is currently out of work after being sacked by Bayer Leverkusen.

Now, a new update has emerged over Ten Hag’s potential move to Wolves.

One 'snag' that could stop Wolves' move for Ten Hag

According to reports from ESPN, relayed by Sport Witness, Ten Hag is ‘eager to return’ to English football and is ‘open to discussing’ a move to Wolves after an approach.

It is stated that Ten Hag is aware that his time at Man Utd affected his reputation and understands that opportunities in England ‘don’t arise every week’.

However, something that could impact a move and is labelled a ‘snag’ is his age. At 55, Ten Hag is older than the likes of Michael Carrick (44) and Edwards (42), with Wolves looking to hire a younger coach.

Ten Hag, who shares the same SEG agency as Man City boss Pep Guardiola, did win the FA Cup and League Cup at Old Trafford, so his time in Manchester wasn’t a complete disaster considering how others have fared at the Red Devils.

Wins

44

Draws

14

Losses

27

Points per game

1.72

Points

146

The Dutchman’s league form is what he would be judged on at Molineux if he made the move, and should he his match his average of 1.72 points per game in the Premier League, Wolves would end on 50 points.

This is, of course, not guaranteed and the individual quality of player at Molineux compared to Old Trafford is arguably different, but by the looks of things, a move for Ten Hag is still one to watch.

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