All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

The last few weeks have been a challenge for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, having to replace the creativity of the injured Bukayo Saka within the final third.

The Englishman has scored five and registered ten assists in his 16 Premier League appearances, but after surgery on his hamstring, he’s set to be missing until at least March – massively denting the Gunners’ title ambitions.

Ethan Nwaneri has attempted to fill the void in recent outings, scoring in the draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday night – bagging his second top-flight goal of his professional career.

As for the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard they have often shared the attacking roles but have struggled to replicate the performance levels of the injured academy graduate.

Such form could see the hierarchy dip into the transfer market to try and bolster Arteta’s side to aid their title ambitions, with one player already on their radar after the opening of the transfer window this week.

Arsenal in the race to sign 18-goal forward in January

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are one of a number of English sides in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush before the end of the ongoing window.

However, Manchester City and Liverpool are said to hold the advantage at this stage, with Aston Villa, Newcastle and Chelsea also monitoring the Egyptian’s progress.

The 25-year-old is currently enjoying the best season of his professional career to date, scoring 18 times and registering 11 assists in just 24 matches – only behind Harry Kane in the Bundesliga goalscoring charts.

As a result of his recent form, the German side are demanding a fee in the region of €70m (£58m) to part ways with their star forward, but it remains to be seen if any side is willing to meet such a price tag.

However, given his form, it could be a potential bargain, leading to comparisons to one of Europe’s leading talents over the past couple of months.

Why Marmoush could be Arteta’s very own Mbappe

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé has cemented himself as one of the biggest stars in world football over the last couple of years after his impressive form within the attacking third.

The 26-year-old has notched 14 goals in his first year in Spain after joining the European giants on a free transfer from PSG over the summer, following his unheard-of goal record during his spell at the Parc des Princes.

Mbappé registered 235 goals in 264 appearances for the Parisians, whilst also managing a hat-trick in the World Cup final back in 2022, becoming only the second player in football history to manage such a feat.

Arsenal would undoubtedly love to have a player of Mbappé’s quality, but a move for Marmoush could allow them to sign a player of similar level, especially when delving into his underlying figures from 2024/25.

As a result of the Egyptian’s performances, he’s been dubbed as one of the most similar players in Europe’s top five leagues to the Real Madrid ace by FBref, with the Frankfurt talisman even outperforming the Frenchman in various areas since the start of the campaign.

Games played

15

17

Goals & assists

20

12

Goal per shot on target

0.4

0.2

Shot-creating actions

5.7

3.3

Take-ons completed

50%

40%

Aerials won

0.40

0.06

Like Mbappe, the Egypt forward possesses plenty of pace and ability to beat his man. That said, Marmoush, who’s recently been dubbed as “one of Europe’s best forwards” by analyst David Segar, has managed more combined goals and assists than the French international – also averaging a better goal per shot on target rate – highlighting his clinical nature in the final third.

He’s also completed more take-ons and won more aerials per 90, offering that all-round centre-forward that Arteta and the Gunners have been craving over the last couple of seasons.

It may be a risky move splashing nearly £60m on a player who’s currently enjoying a purple patch, potentially running the risk of the attacker being unable to sustain his recent performance levels.

However, Marmoush has showcased that he’s able to better some of the very best talents in Europe, which could dramatically improve the club’s forward line in their pursuit of ending a two-decade wait for a league triumph.

With City currently ahead in the race for his signature, the Gunners hierarchy need to act swiftly to prevent missing out on the 25-year-old and subsequently improving one of their main rivals.

Arsenal must axe 5/10 dud who now needs to be replaced by Matheus Cunha

Arsenal have reportedly been chasing the signing of Matheus Cunha.

2 ByMatt Dawson Jan 5, 2025

The last couple of transfer windows have been painful for Leeds United, but not from an incoming perspective, with the club doing phenomenal business with their new additions.

Daniel Farke has been reliant upon the 49ers’ recruitment, especially during the summer, as his side were ransacked after their failure to secure promotion from the Championship at the first attempt following relegation.

The Whites fell to a play-off final defeat against Southampton at Wembley, which resulted in numerous key players leaving in favour of a Premier League transfer.

Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville both departed to join Brighton and West Ham respectively, bringing in a staggering £65m – a bonkers figure for a second-tier side.

The aforementioned pair weren’t the only two high-profile names to depart Elland Road that window, with another young prospect leaving to move to England’s top flight.

Archie Gray’s time at Leeds United

Youngster Archie Gray broke through the Leeds academy last season, making himself an influential member of Farke’s squad despite his tender age of just 18 – featuring in a variety of roles.

The midfielder operated in his usual role upon his breakthrough, but injuries saw him shift to a right-back role, but it didn’t take away anything from his performance levels – often producing impressive displays within the backline.

Gray would make 52 appearances in all competitions during 2023/24, featuring in all but two league outings – showcasing his importance under the German despite his teenage years.

As a result, he was awarded the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award during his debut season, subsequently attracting major interest from various sides.

After failing to secure promotion, he appeared as though he would be heading to Brentford, but Tottenham came in at the 11th hour, securing a £40m deal for the talent – a superb deal for all parties involved.

Six months on from his departure, the Whites could be presented an opportunity to sign another version of the youngster this window, further boosting their promotion credentials.

Transfer Focus

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

The player who could be Leeds’ next Gray

Over the last couple of years, it feels as though Leeds United have been linked with a move to sign midfielder Lewis O’Brien – with January 2025 no different despite being just a week into the window.

The former Huddersfield man joined Nottingham Forest back in the summer of 2022 after their promotion to the Premier League, but his move has been a disaster, failing to make the impact he would have envisioned upon the move.

O’Brien has been restricted to just 17 appearances for the Reds, spending various spells on loan at Middlesbrough, DC United and LAFC, with his temporary stint with the latter expiring at the start of the month.

As a result, Leeds have previously been mentioned with a potential move for the 26-year-old in the last couple of months but could face tough competition if they were to pursue a move for his signature.

Should a move be explored, he would be an excellent addition, potentially being the club’s new version of the departed Gray, with FBref ranking the Forest ace as a similar player to the academy graduate based on their stats in the Championship during 2023/24.

O’Brien, who was on loan at Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough, matched or bettered the youngster in various key areas, demonstrating what a superb addition he would be to their title ambitions.

The former Huddersfield man, who’s been dubbed “one of the best midfielders” by analyst Charlie Zazzera, registered more progressive passes and carries per 90 – highlighting his ability to get the ball into attacking areas and allowing the forwards to create carnage.

Games played

23

44

Goals & assists

1

2

Progressive carries

2.2

1.8

Progressive passes

4.9

4.2

Pass accuracy

85%

83%

Tackles made

2.3

2.3

Blocks made

1.6

0.9

Interceptions made

1

0.8

Shot-creating actions

2.3

1.6

The Boro loanee also featured out of position at left-back when needed, but still managed to make more blocks and interceptions per 90 – showcasing his excellent box-to-box skill set, which could be vital to Farke between now and the end of the campaign.

Even if he were to move back to Yorkshire temporarily, he would be a superb addition who could provide the added quality to end their two-year Premier League exile.

The loss of Gray was understandably disappointing for the fanbase, with O’Brien providing a similar skill set to the youngster and filling the void left when he departed Elland Road.

Leeds could land Rothwell upgrade in swoop for £8m Championship "monster"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Championship midfield star.

2 ByDan Emery Jan 8, 2025

Newcastle United are now showing interest in signing “one of the best goalkeepers in the world”, according to reports from France.

Magpies keen on a goalkeeper

Although Nick Pope’s contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2026, Newcastle appear to be interested in signing a long-term replacement for the 32-year-old, and Burnley’s James Trafford is their priority target.

The 22-year-old’s impressive form in the Championship has caught the eye, although he is not the Magpies’ only target, having also shortlisted Wolfsburg’s Kamil Grabara as a potential option.

Signing a new goalkeeper may become even more of a priority if Martin Dubravka exits St. James’ Park, amid interest from the Saudi Pro League, however, Eddie Howe has made it clear he wants the 35-year-old to stay.

"Excellent" Newcastle youngster to be allowed to leave Tyneside in January

He’s found minutes hard to come by at St. James’ Park.

ByBarney Lane Jan 13, 2025

Howe said: “I’m hopeful everything will die down and that he’s part of our future. We hope he may agree a new contract and stay.”

With Dubravka’s future far from certain, however, Newcastle continue to look at options from across Europe, and one goalkeeper who has attracted the interest of a number of Premier League clubs is Lille’s Lucas Chevalier.

French news outlet Sports Zone, relayed by Get Football News France has since gone on to state that Newcastle are “showing interest” in Chevalier, alongside the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.

Sports Zone indicate that a deal is more likely to happen in the summer than January, at which point a number of top clubs are set to battle it out for the 23-year-old’s signature.

Chevalier impressing in Ligue 1

The goalkeeper has enjoyed a very impressive first half of the season in Ligue 1, with former Newcastle man Remy Cabella describing him as “one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now.”

There is every sign the Frenchman could be a better addition to the squad than Grabara, given that he has outperformed the Pole on a number of key metrics over the past year.

Statistic per 90

Lucas Chevalier

Kamil Grabara

Goals against

1.05 (86th percentile)

1.89 (11th percentile)

Save percentage

76.6% (89th percentile)

65.3% (15th percentile)

Clean sheet percentage

36.8% (84th percentile)

22.2% (42nd percentile)

However, Trafford has also been solid between the sticks for Burnley during that time period, and the Magpies have confidence that a deal to sign the Burnley keeper could be possible this month.

As such, with clubs from across Europe queuing up for Chevalier, it may be difficult to get a deal done this summer, and Newcastle may be better off pursuing a deal for Trafford.

Women's Super League table Last updated: 19th January Women's Super League results 17th-19th January

Date

Team

v

Team

Fri 17th Jan

Liverpool

2-1

Brighton

Sat 18th Jan

Everton

1-1

Aston Villa

Sun 19th Jan

Tottenham

1-0

Leicester

Sun 19th Jan

Arsenal

5-0

Crystal Palace

Sun 19th Jan

West Ham

0-5

Chelsea

Sun 19th Jan

Man City

2-4

Man Utd

Women's Super League fixtures 25th-26th January

Date

Team

v

Team

Kick-off

Sat 25th Jan

Aston Villa

v

Man City

12pm

Sun 26th Jan

Chelsea

v

Arsenal

12.30pm

Sun 26th Jan

Crystal Palace

v

Tottenham

2pm

Sun 26th Jan

Leicester

v

Liverpool

3pm

Sun 26th Jan

West Ham

v

Everton

3pm

Sun 26th Jan

Man Utd

v

Brighton

6.45pm

Facing a race against time, one Wolverhampton Wanderers player has now reportedly given the green light to complete a late exit after seeing a move break down earlier in the window.

Wolves transfer news

The Midlands club have endured a hectic window which is still going amid their seach to sign crucial reinforcements. It’s an open secret that Vitor Pereira and his side are still seeking a central defender and a midfielder before the deadline passes, which has reportedly seen a swap deal involving Craig Dawson and former captain Conor Coady mooted.

The former captain could yet complete a shock return from Midlands rivals Leicester City and solve the problem that many believed Kevin Danso would solve before he opted to join Tottenham Hotspur over linking up with those at Molineux.

Amid the chaos of potential incomings and outgoings, meanwhile, Wolves have at least had any concerns over Matheus Cunha’s immediate future eased by the news that he’s put pen to paper on a new contract at the club.

That may be where the good news ends on the exit front, however. According to Fabrizio Romano, Mario Lemina has now given the green light to join Galatasaray in a fresh twist following news that his exit to Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab collapsed.

A player who’s seemed destined to leave Wolves since being stripped of his captaincy, Lemina looks set to get his wish in the dying embers of the window whilst the Midlands club bank £2.5m.

Imagine him & Agbadou: Wolves in "remarkable" late talks to sign PL star

Wolverhampton Wanderers are engaged in talks to send Craig Dawson the other way.

1 ByDan Emery Feb 3, 2025

Still a senior player that Wolves must replace nonetheless, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Lemina’s exit accelerates their pursuit of a midfield reinforcement ahead of the deadline.

Wolves must still replace Lemina

Whilst signing a central defender should remain their priority, Wolves must also consider completing a late swoop to welcome a replacement for Lemina before the end of the transfer window. Sat just two points above the dropzone, the next hours represent their final chance to ensure that they have a squad capable of putting any doubt over their Premier League safety to an end.

Just who that replacement could be remains one of the only questions. The likes of Volodymyr Brazhko have been mentioned in recent days, with Romano even going as far as to suggest that Wolves have submitted a bid worth €20m (£17m). Yet, as the hours tick by, those in the Midlands still have plenty of work to do.

There’s no denying that it will be a difficult job to replace Lemina in the coming hours either. The 31-year-old midfielder has experience on Europe’s biggest stage with Juventus and in the Premier League at Southampton, not to mention his time as captain at Wolves in recent times.

So, whilst Wolves can’t afford to ponder for too long, they must ensure that their replacement is the right man for the job.

Newcastle United are firing on all cylinders right now but might come to regret their inability to effectively bolster over the past few transfer windows, with the squad somewhat lacking in depth.

In a way, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon are individual analogues of Eddie Howe’s greater tactical ideology, bringing devastating attacking quality but also diligence and a high work ethic. It differentiates them from many positional peers in the same talent bracket across Europe.

Of course, Newcastle aren’t just an easy-on-the-eye attacking outfit, with last week’s Carabao Cup semi-final triumph marked by a resilient and tough defensive line that subdued the Gunners, silenced them.

Sven Botman was back in the heart of the defence and this bore dividends for the Tynesiders. His form and fitness over the coming months could be the difference maker after missing out on Abdukodir Khusanov.

Why Newcastle missed out on Abdukodir Khusanov

As far as whirlwind introductions to a new club go, Khusanov has been through the paces since joining Manchester City in January, leaving French side Lens in a deal worth about €40m (£34m).

City’s new centre-back, only 20, has been touted as a “future legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with a bullish physique and unending gas tank that will charge Pep Guardiola’s system. He’s fast and technically gifted, with so many exciting years of development ahead of him.

Unfortunately, the Magpies will only get to see him around twice a year, for he hasn’t ended up in Howe’s rearguard despite being open to moving to St. James’ Park in the overtures of the January window.

This is because PSR (profit and sustainability) rules inhibited the Toon from safely making the winter acquisition. The Athletic reported that significant groundwork was laid for the signing of Khusanov, who instead joins Man City as one of the first cogs in an expensive rebuild.

Newcastle fans will be – quite rightly – irked by the variables that have stifled their club’s market movements over the past year, but the reality is more nuanced than it sometimes seems.

It’s not all so dour, though, with Newcastle winning 12 of their past 14 matches, reaching a cup final and stepping further forward in another.

Khusanov would have been a welcome addition and an alternative will still be needed for the long term, but with Botman back, Howe might just be equipped with the requisite tools for a grand-slam finish to the 2024/25 campaign.

Sven Botman's importance at Newcastle

It’s been a rough road for Botman. Last season, his fitness problems sat at the top of Newcastle’s mountainous pile, effectively restricting Howe’s chances considerably.

No European football this term has presented a clean slate, though, and Newcastle have taken it, with Botman returning from injuries that had left him out of action for the opening half of the campaign to strengthen their accord.

Hailed for his “sensational” work by academy scout Antonio Mango, the talented and athletic centre-half has only played three Premier League games this term but he’s already reminded the division of his expertise, winning 67% of his ground battles and averaging a ridiculous nine clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

See below, despite his lack of match action, Botman was able to emerge triumphant across two semi-final legs against Arsenal – keeping two clean sheets – one of the finest Premier League sides of the present generation.

Minutes played

90′

80′

Goals conceded

0

0

Touches

44

42

Accurate passes

22/29 (76%)

14/21 (67%)

Long balls

1/4

0/3

Tackles

1

2

Clearances

8

10

Ground duels

1/1

3/4

Aerial duels

7/8

6/6

Described as a “machine” of a centre-back by journalist Jamie Roberts, the Dutchman stepped up big time, proving his big-game mettle as his industrious defending triggered waves of fluent forward play that culminated in seat-raising goals from the likes of Isak, Gordon and Jacob Murphy.

The £34m-valued Khusanov would have been a wonderful addition, but with Botman back, Newcastle need not concern themselves with the botched bid across the business months of the season.

After all, as per Transfermarkt, the Netherlands star is currently priced at £37m despite having spent so many matches in the infirmary over the past year and a bit.

It’s a testament to his quality, with Botman’s very presence at the heart of this thriving Toon team sure to attract new rising stars like moths to a brilliant bulb.

Newcastle’s "lost" flop is now on par with Isak after being sold by Howe

Newcastle have one of the most potent strikeforces in Europe but must rue this failed signing.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Feb 8, 2025

There hasn’t been much to cheer about for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are 12th in the Premier League and out of both domestic cup competitions.

While many of their problems are undoubtedly linked to the seemingly never-ending string of injuries they’ve had to deal with, it would also be fair to say that the form of a number of their fit stars has been subpar.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as some players have impressed, including one of Postecoglou’s signings who is sure to be worth a king’s ransom in the future.

Postecoglou's most expensive signings

While he’s not the player in question, Dominic Solanke, who was Spurs’ record signing in the summer at £65m, is one of those regular starters who has been having an impressive campaign.

Prior to his recent knee injury, which has kept him out of the side for a month now, the Basingstoke-born poacher had racked up a brilliant tally of 11 goals and six assists in just 29 games, totalling 2248 minutes.

That means the Englishman was averaging a goal involvement every 1.7 games, or every 132.23 minutes, which is great for his debut campaign for the club, although he’s still only the second top scorer, behind Postecoglou’s second most expensive signing: Brennan Johnson.

The Welshman cost the North Londoners around £47.5m in September 2023, and while he endured a slow start to both last season and this one, he’s become a useful attacking outlet for the team.

Across the season and a half he’s played for the club, the 23-year-old has made 67 appearances, totalling 4395 minutes, in which he’s scored 17 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 146.5 minutes.

Such a rate of return makes it hard to describe Johnson’s move to Spurs as anything other than a success.

However, his performances haven’t been so incredible that his valuation will soar in the future, unlike one of Postecoglou’s signings from the summer.

Market Movers

The Postecoglou signing set to be worth a fortune

Alongside Solanke, Spurs also welcomed in the likes of Lucas Bergvall – although his deal was completed in winter – and Wilson Odobert, who both look like players who will be worth considerable sums of money in the future.

However, of the young up-and-comers signed by Postecoglou and Co over the summer, the one who looks the most like a dead certainty is undoubtedly Archie Gray.

The young Englishman joined the club from Leeds United for around £30m, and while many saw him as one for the future, who might be gradually introduced into the team, circumstances dictated that he’d be thrust into the spotlight in December, a spotlight he has hardly vacated since.

Primarily seen as a midfielder in the long term, the club’s severe injury crisis has seen the “outstanding” Durham-born ace, as dubbed by respected football analyst Ben Mattinson, almost exclusively play out of position.

So far, he has made 16 appearances at centre-back, seven at right-back, five at left-back, and just two in defensive midfield.

Centre-Back

16

Right-Back

7

Left-Back

5

Defensive Midfield

2

However, instead of struggling and being a weak point in the side, the 18-year-old phenomenon has been one of the most reliable starters for the manager, and if his first campaign is anything to go by, then Mattinson’s claim that he’s a “future £100m” player seems entirely realistic.

Ultimately, while he’s been thrust into a less-than-ideal situation this season, it looks like Gray is set to be a leading star in this Tottenham team for years to come and someone who’ll eventually be worth a king’s ransom.

Sold for £8m: Spurs' "dreadful" Poch flop is now outscoring Kulu & Maddison

The talented attacker just couldn’t get to grips with life at Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 18, 2025

Not everything was rosy come the full-time whistle for Ipswich Town away at Aston Villa last weekend, with Julio Enciso’s injury against Unai Emery’s men looking rather serious.

Unfortunately, the Paraguayan attacking midfielder would look visibly emotional when having to hobble off the pitch after just 17 minutes, with a knee injury suffered by the loanee in the same knee that had required surgery when back at parent employers Brighton and Hove Albion.

Whilst everyone at Portman Road waits with bated breath over how severe of a setback this might be – amid claims that he is set for a spell on the sidelines – Kieran McKenna will be tasked with placing someone else into his XI up next down the left flank with some options at his disposal.

McKenna's attacking alternatives

Enciso was also of use to McKenna away from just bolstering the left-hand side of his team, with the South American also offering Ipswich another body capable of playing as a number ten alongside Omari Hutchinson.

Without Enciso, the popular Ipswich manager will have to put his faith in alternative faces, with Jack Clarke the preferred option off the bench last time out in the unfortunate 21-year-old’s place.

The ex-Sunderland man has shown flashes of his brilliance this season – with two assists coming his way in the Premier League – but he failed to spark into life against the Villans, having also been hauled off when the Tractor Boys were reduced to ten men.

There are also the likes of Sammie Szmodics and Nathan Broadhead who McKenna could throw into action here, alongside flashy new recruit Jaden Philogene-Bidace.

However, both Szmodics and Broadhead have battled with their own injury issues so far this season, whilst Philogene remained rooted to the bench at Villa Park having endured three goalless games so far in Suffolk.

Therefore, the Northern Irishman could be prepared to think outside of the box to fill in for Enciso, with this 20-year-old gem in question having the potential to be the club’s next Hutchinson.

Ipswich's wildcard Enciso replacement

The unconventional route explored by McKenna here could see him look towards the U21 squad as one unusual star continues to stick out.

Indeed, not every footballer attempting to cut their teeth in the men’s game has an Eton-based education to hand, but that is the case when it comes to 20-year-old prospect Tudor Mendel-Idowu.

Mendel-Idowu has since walked away from the Blues to take up a new opportunity at Ipswich – via a fresh adventure out in Belgium with Anderlecht – with the exciting attacker making a name for himself in recent U21 contests in Suffolk.

Having fired home 13 strikes from 35 U18 appearances at Chelsea, Mendel-Idowu has now taken to the U21 fold at Ipswich swimmingly, with plenty of strikes coming his way across his side’s past few Professional Development League encounters.

Opponent

Final score

Goals scored

Cardiff City

5-1 W

1

Watford

2-0 L

0

Charlton Athletic

5-1 L

0

Watford

4-2 W

2

Bristol City

4-3 L

0

Brentford

5-2 L

0

Across his side’s last six games, Mendel-Idowu – who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has “electrifying acceleration” and “fearless charisma” – has positively had an impact on both victories being secured with three goals next to his name.

Therefore, there will be a hope on the 20-year-old’s end that he can follow in fellow Chelsea academy graduate Hutchinson’s footsteps soon, with the 21-year-old going on to be a shining light in the senior ranks at Ipswich by picking up two goals and two assists this season in league action, having also left Stamford Bridge behind.

Capable of playing down both wings and in the number ten spot – much like Enciso – time will only tell if McKenna is willing to gamble on the promising youngster to come good or whether he’ll stick with what he currently has.

Ipswich now showing interest in summer move for "excellent" £12m defender

The Tractor Boys have pinpointed a 25-year-old Championship centre-back as a potential target.

ByDominic Lund Feb 16, 2025

The Glasgow Rangers board opted to make the decision to part ways with Philippe Clement after more than a year in charge at Ibrox for the Belgian tactician.

A 2-0 defeat to St Mirren at the weekend was the final straw for the Ibrox bosses and the ex-Monaco and Club Brugge chief was removed from his position in the dugout.

Clement made a perfect start to life in Glasgow when he replaced Michael Beale during the 2023/24 campaign, as his side beat Aberdeen to win the League Cup.

However, the Belgian tactician went through the rest of his career with Rangers without winning any trophies as he failed to get the better of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

The Light Blues were embarrassingly dropped out of the SFA Cup by second-tier outfit Queen’s Park and the loss to St. Mirren shortly after left Clement with a win percentage outside of the top ten in the club’s history.

Barry Ferguson has been confirmed as the interim manager until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, so it still remains to be seen who will take charge of the club next season.

Rangers already eyeing Ferguson's replacement

Rangers already know that the former central midfielder and Scotland international will not be in the dugout in July and that means that work will be underway to identify a long-term replacement for Clement.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Light Blues are ‘likely’ to be under new ownership, as a takeover involving the San Francisco 49ers’ investment wing is expected to be completed by June.

Jacobs claims that current Aberdeen head coach Derek McInnes is one of the names on the club’s radar, despite the fact his team have lost 12 of their 27 matches in the Premiership this season.

Manager Focus

The 53-year-old manager has never won a top-flight title in his career and may not be a particularly inspiring appointment, given his lack of tangible success managing a top team.

Jacobs, however, also claims that David Wagner, who is currently out of work, is another name under consideration by the Rangers board with a view to him potentially replacing Ferguson in the summer.

Said to be one of Jurgen Klopp’s “best friends” by the former Liverpool boss, the German tactician was sacked by English Championship side Norwich City at the end of last season after his side were beaten 4-0 by Leeds United in the play-offs.

This means that he could be a cheap option for the Gers as they would not have to negotiate a compensation fee with another club.

David Wagner's managerial career so far

The 53-year-old boss, who favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, is best known in the United Kingdom for leading Huddersfield Town to an unlikely promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in the 2016/17 campaign.

Wagner then led them to survival with a 16th-placed finish in the top-flight the following season, only to move on from the Yorkshire-based outfit in the 2018/19 campaign after a dismal run of 15 defeats in 22 Premier League games.

Norwich City

75

1.47

Young Boys

40

1.73

Schalke

40

1.20

Huddersfield

154

1.23

As you can see in the table above, he has had an inconsistent coaching career, and he has yet to manage a team that wins consistently, never averaging more than two points per game at any point.

Wagner, who has not won any major trophies in his career, has also not been one to shy away from controversy with his supporters in his career.

Last season, he told some Norwich supporters to “stay at home” after a negative reaction, that he deemed “unacceptable”, to him substituting Onel Hernandez and Josh Sargent in a match his side went on to win 4-2 against Watford.

Wagner is a fiery character who is not afraid to speak his mind, as shown by that incident, and his record may not be exceptional, but his style of play could make him perfect for club captain James Tavernier.

Why Wagner would be perfect for Tavernier

As aforementioned, 4-2-3-1 is his favoured formation and that is the system that he started with in matches at Norwich but it looked very different at times in possession.

The holding midfielder, ex-Rangers target Kenny McLean or Marcelino Nunez, would drop between the two centre-backs and operate as a quarterback, always looking for runs from deep from the full-backs or the centre-forward.

Wagner would task his wingers, often Borja Sainz and Jonathan Rowe, with dragging opposition full-backs infield to create space for his own defenders to make runs beyond the last line to create chances in the final third.

As you can hear in the clip above, former Norwich forward Christian Fassnacht explained to TalkNorwichCity that he, as a right winger, felt like a holding midfielder at times because of the right-back – Jack Stacey – being ahead of him most of the time.

Stacey ended the 2023/24 campaign with nine ‘big chances’ created and six assists, compared to Rowe’s return of one ‘big chance’ created and two assists, and this shows how productive the manager’s full-backs can be.

This could mean that Wagner would be a dream for Tavernier, who has racked up 139 assists for Rangers, because the English veteran would be in a system that is designed to create openings for him at the top end of the pitch.

The Gers skipper, who has 268 goal contributions in his Rangers career, could, then, utilise his quality on the ball to be an outstanding attacking force for the German tactician.

Wagner’s Norwich side also ranked third in the Championship for set-piece goals (18) and this suggests that he and his coaches could draw up enough plays to help Tavernier add even more assists to his name from his free-kicks and corners.

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Overall, the out-of-work head coach could be perfect for the right-back, due to his system, but his overall record as a manager suggests that it would be a gamble by Rangers to appoint him as Clement and Ferguson’s long-term successor in the summer.

Nothing is ever easy at Manchester United these days is it…

Up against a Real Sociedad side who are currently ninth in LaLiga, the Red Devils had the chance to really take control of their Europa League first-leg tie, particularly with their Basque hosts offering little in the way of an attacking threat for much of the opening hour or so.

A strong opening from United did ultimately result in a well-deserved goal from Joshua Zirkzee, yet having missed a succession of chances both prior to and after that second-half strike, the visitors were subsequently made to pay for their wasteful nature.

Almost inevitably in a season that has been without luck or respite, Ruben Amorim’s men were pegged back after Bruno Fernandes was penalised for handball inside the area, with Sociedad skipper Mikel Oyarzabal duly converting to bring his side level.

Had it not been for a handful of Andre Onana saves – and a stunning miss from substitute Orri Oskarsson – United could well have gone into next week’s reverse fixture trailing, yet as it is, the tie is finely poised ahead of that meeting at Old Trafford.

Amorim will then be left to reflect on a night of mixed fortunes, with his side looking dangerous at times, albeit with there having been a familiar feeling in front of goal…

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Starting with the positives, it proved to be another promising performance from that man Zirkzee, with the 23-year-old – who had missed the decisive spot-kick at the weekend – calmly slotting home for his sixth goal of the season.

While opposition ‘keeper Alex Remiro may be scratching his head at quite why he couldn’t keep out that relatively tame attempt from the Dutchman, the goal did round off a lovely, sweeping move from United, including a clever pull-back from the reinstated Alejandro Garnacho.

Also involved in the game’s opener was former Real Madrid hero, Casemiro, with the Brazilian producing a lovely outside-of-the-boot pass in the build-up to Zirkzee’s strike, having looked at ease on the night up against Spanish opposition once more.

The veteran midfielder notably won eight duels in the centre of the park, as per Sofascore, while also showcasing his passing prowess with a particularly astute dinked first-time ball over the top for Fernandes to pounce on.

A word must also be said for the centre-back trio, too, who were relatively untroubled until the final knockings of the game, with young Leny Yoro looking particularly impressive on the European stage, having notably won 100% of his aerial duels and recorded a stellar 94% pass accuracy rate.

Stat

Player

Most touches

Diogo Dalot (71)

Most accurate passes

Brais Mendez (46)

Most key passes

Takefusa Kubo & Rasmus Hojlund (3)

Most successful dribbles

Ander Barrenetxea (3)

Highest xG

Mikel Oyarzabal (0.79)

Most tackles

Casemiro (5)

Most duels won

Casemiro & Noussair Mazraoui (8)

Dribbled past

Bruno Fernandes (3)

The man alongside him, however, endured a far less comfortable evening it must be said, with Diogo Dalot producing yet another display that will call into question his future at the club under the INEOS regime.

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If the major theme from the night was United’s inability to kill the game off when they were in control, then the finger does also need to be pointed at Dalot for what could prove a costly decision from the first half.

Chalkboard

Indeed, with Rasmus Hojlund racing through the centre of the pitch and seemingly having a clear run at goal, the Portuguese full-back opted not to thread the ball across the box to the struggling striker, instead turning back into a congested penalty area.

Now without the excuse of being forced to operate in an unorthodox left wing-back role, the 25-year-old again illustrated why he may not be a natural fit for Amorim’s set-up, with his attacking quality needing to be called into question after registering just 20 goals and assists in 199 games for the club to date.

More frustratingly is also the former Porto’s knack for squandering possession, as he lost the ball on 21 occasions in total at the Reale Arena, just days after losing the ball 25 times against Fulham.

Such woes – which also saw him win just 50% of his duels – ensured that Dalot was branded with a measly 4/10 match rating by Daily Express journalist Alex Turk, who stated that ‘Amorim’s need for a specialist right-wing-back is so obvious’.

With talk in recent months suggesting that the United boss will look to reunite with Sporting CP starlet Geovany Quenda this summer, it could be an opportune time to cash in on Dalot, particularly as he appears to have “regressed” of late, according to journalist Alex Crook.

A solid servant Dalot has largely been in recent seasons, yet with a squad revamp in order, the full-back may need to be among those shown the door by INEOS.

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