da winzada777： Leeds United have dropped down to second in the Championship table after Sheffield United picked up a point in their clash with West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

da blaze casino： The Whites are now one point behind the Blades and have a superior goal difference to Chris Wilder’s side, which means that they are in a good position to retake the number one spot in the division in the coming weeks.

Burnley’s draw with Middlesbrough on Friday night provided the West Yorkshire outfit with an opportunity to move back into the automatic promotion places, which they took with a 2-0 win over Derby County at Elland Road on Saturday.

Joe Rodon and Max Wober both scored in the first half of the match to secure all three points for the hosts, in a difficult game against a team that came with a clear game plan to frustrate Leeds.

Daniel Farke’s side will be hoping to continue to pick up results like that, even when teams come to frustrate them, so that they can avoid the lottery of the play-offs this time around.

The German head coach could look to dip into the market in the January transfer window to bolster his squad ahead of their push for promotion in the second half of the season, subsequently signing an upgrade on Manor Solomon…

Manor Solomon's performances for Leeds this season

Farke swooped to sign the Israel international on a season-long loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, and the attacker has had a mixed start to life in West Yorkshire.

The former Fulham star was selected to start on the left wing against Derby on Saturday and ended the match with zero shots on target and zero ‘big chances’ created for the Whites.

He has only scored two goals for Leeds and both of those strikes were close range finishes in the dramatic 4-3 win over Swansea at the end of last month.

The 25-year-old forward has, so far, failed to offer a regular threat as either a scorer or a creator of goals for Leeds on the left flank this season.

Since his assist for Mateo Joseph on his debut against Hull, Solomon has registered two goals and zero assists in 11 Championship appearances for the club.

24/25 Championship

Manor Solomon

Appearances

12

Goals

2

Big chances created

2

Assists

1

Error led to goal

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee has created as many goals for the opposition, with his error that led to a goal against Burnley, as he has for Leeds in the second tier.

Simply, Solomon has not provided regular quality at the top end of the pitch, failing to record a goal or an assist in ten of his 12 league outings, and that is why they could look towards the transfer window to sign a replacement.

Leeds United eyeing MLS starlet

According to the Mirror’s Ryan Taylor, Real Salt Lake forward Diego Luna has emerged as a target for Leeds United ahead of the upcoming transfer window, which officially opens for business next month.

The reporter claims that Farke and his recruitment team are exploring a potential swoop for the American youngster, although he adds that there is ‘nothing to suggest’ that a deal is imminent for the Championship side.

Taylor also reveals that there is competition from other clubs across Europe and this means that the Whites could have to move quickly to secure his services, to avoid another team coming in to beat them to the left winger’s signature.

The article from the Mirror claims that Leeds have been keeping tabs on his development and tracking his performances in the MLS for many months, which shows that this interest has been bubbling away in the background for a long time.

Luna, who won the MLS Young Player of the Year award for 2024, has a contract through to December 2026 and the report states that Real Salt Lake will demand a fee of more than £3m for his services.

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It remains to be seen whether or not Leeds will be able to seal a deal for the impressive young forward in the January transfer window.

Why Leeds should sign Diego Luna

Firstly, the MLS Young Player of the Year is only 21 and this means that he could come in as a talented prospect with the potential to improve and develop over the years to come.

Luna could, therefore, come in to make an instant impact whilst also having the scope to grow in value under Farke’s coaching, whilst also potentially having the ability to develop into a Premier League level player.

The USA international, who was hailed as a “complete” attacker by writer Jon Arnold, also caught the eye with his contributions as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the MLS throughout 2024, which shows that he can already make an impact at first-team level.

Luna, who scored 13 goals in 43 USL Championship games for El Paso, ended the year with nine goals and eight assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for the American side.

2024 MLS

Diego Luna

Appearances

33

Goals

8

xG

6.67

Big chances created

12

Assists

8

Key passes per game

1.7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the right-footed left winger, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, provided a regular threat as a scorer and a creator.

His return of eight assists from 12 ‘big chances’ suggests that his teammates let him down at times with their wasteful finishing, whilst eight goals from 6.67 xG speaks to his effectiveness in front of goal.

He averaged a goal or a ‘big chance’ created every 1.65 matches in the MLS, whilst Solomon is currently averaging a goal or a ‘big chance’ created every three appearances in the Championship for Leeds.

Related Bigger talent than Joseph: Leeds are "crying out" for "exciting" marksman

Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the impressive centre-forward.

Posts ByDan Emery Dec 6, 2024

Therefore, Luna – who is four years younger than the Spurs loanee – has the potential to come in and be a big upgrade on Solomon by providing more quality as both a goalscorer and a creator from a left wing position in the second half of the season, whuch is why Leeds should sign him.

The 2022/23 season was the first one in charge of Chelsea for Boehly and Clearlake Capital, as they invested heavily in the squad to begin their restructuring from the bottom up.

Chelsea spent around £526.8m in the 2022/23 season, making 15 permanent signings, along with two loan signings.

Enzo Fernández

£106.8m

Wesley Fofana

£67.1m

Mykhailo Mudryk

£58.5m

Marc Cucurella

£54.5m

Raheem Sterling

£46.9m

Kalidou Koulibaly

£35m

Benoit Badiashile

£31.7m

Noni Madueke

£29.2m

Malo Gusto

£25m

Carney Chukwuemeka

£15m

Cesare Casadei

£12.4m

Andrey Santos

£10.4m

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang

£10m

David Datro Fofana

£10m

Gabriel Slonina

£7.5m

The biggest signing made that season was Enzo Fernández, who was signed from Benfica in the January window, joining for a fee of around £106.8m. The midfielder has since gone on to make 78 appearances for the Blues, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists in 5,980 minutes played.

But it was a player who left during this season that could haunt the Blues in years to come, as he looks set to be another Callum Hudson-Odoi-type mistake.

Callum Hudson-Odoi's record at Chelsea

Hudson-Odoi emerged through the ranks at Chelsea, coming through the academy system, scoring 31 goals and providing 18 assists for the U18s, U19s, and U21 squad in a total of 61 games across the three academy teams.

His first sustained run in the senior team came under Maurizio Sarri, starting in Europa League games, impressing the manager and fans with his quality.

Unfortunately, that same season, Hudson-Odoi suffered an Achilles tendon rupture, keeping him out for 143 days, and stunting the brilliant development the youngster had been making so early in his career.

After that point, the Chelsea youngster struggled to get fully fit and return to the level he had previously shown, suffering more sporadic injuries, and finding himself in and out of the squad.

Hudson-Odoi made 126 appearances for Chelsea in total, scoring 16 goals and providing 21 assists. He was then sold in 2023 to Nottingham Forest for a measly £3m, which is already looking like a big mistake.

The Blues may well have had another prospect like Hudson-Odoi in the academy in 2022, but he was allowed to leave, and now he could be the latest error for Chelsea in the transfer market.

Why Tyler Dibling left Chelsea's academy

In 2022, Chelsea managed to secure the signing of 16-year-old at the time, Tyler Dibling from Southampton, for a fee of around £1.5m.

However, Dibling’s time at the club lasted only a matter of weeks as he quickly felt like “a small fish in a big pond” according to the reports, hindering him from showing his true character, and leading to him re-signing with Southampton on ‘significantly lower’ terms.

Whilst there isn’t much the Blues could have done, it could turn out to be a real error not finding a way to help Dibling settle, as he is already taking the Premier League by storm now at just 18 years of age, making 14 appearances so far this season, scoring once and assisting twice in 777 minutes.

The teenager’s superb performance this weekend in a 3-2 loss against Liverpool caught the eye, winning a penalty for the Saints, and starting the move for their second goal with a lovely switch of play.

Coincidentally, Fbref suggests that Dibling and Hudson-Odoi are ‘similar players’, so what makes the ex-Chelsea pair comparable, and how do they match up against each other in the metrics?

Dibling vs Hudson-Odoi comparison

Dibling was described as “creative” asset by scout Jacek Kulig recently, the same word that has been used to describe Hudson-Odoi in recent years, due to his ability to find his teammates with a variety of passes, and progress play with his quality dribbling ability.

Goals

0.11

0.19

Assists

0.22

0.00

xG

0.14

0.10

xAG

0.11

0.10

Progressive Carries

4.38

5.67

Progressive Passes

3.42

2.78

Shots Total

1.44

1.75

Key Passes

1.23

1.86

Shot-Creating Actions

3.84

4.43

Successful Take-Ons

2.33

1.86

Both players like to run at their man 1v1, looking to beat them and create something for their team. Dibling has done this in a more direct manner this season, averaging 2.33 take-ons per 90, whilst Hudson-Odoi has only averaged 1.86 per 90, sometimes slowing it down to keep possession and create from a slightly deeper area on the left.

The Forest winger has displayed a slightly higher level of creative actions, providing more shot-creating actions per 90 and making more key passes per 90, which goes hand in hand with his slightly slower and more intricate approach, compared to the direct style of Dibling.

The Southampton prodigy has ranked ahead of Hudson-Odoi in both assists per 90, and xAG per 90 (expected assists), which shows despite the latter’s extra creation numbers, Dibling has actually been slightly more effective in delivering output from those scenarios this season.

The main difference between the wingers, is they play on opposite sides. Hudson-Odoi has favoured the left-wing, allowing him to cut inside on his stronger right foot, and the Saints teen is the other way round, preferring the right wing, which allows him to cut inside on his stronger left foot,

The 24-year-old Forest winger is currently valued at £18m according to Transfermarkt, having only left Chelsea just over a year ago, for £3m, which shows the level Hudson-Odoi is returning to now with consistent minutes,

Dibling, on the other hand, is only valued at £4m by Transfermarkt, but being 18, that value is sure to spike very soon, with the expectation being it would take far more to get the attacker out of Southampton again.

These two young wingers are just two players Chelsea have had on their books in recent years, who are now smashing it elsewhere in the Premier League, a story that looks likely to continue as the Blues sell off top-quality academy graduates for a number of different reasons, watching them turn into top talents.

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ByConnor Holden Nov 25, 2024

West Ham star Jarrod Bowen walked the red carpet with "proud" fiancee Dani Dyer at the London premiere of Danny Dyer's new film "Marching Powder".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• The Dyer family came together for the film premiere
• Bowen joined them in tow with Dani in a tuxedo
• The couple looked dapper on red carpet

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The couple posed for the paparazzi, with Dani beaming with pride as she supported her father’s latest cinematic endeavour. The former Love Island star opted for an elegant black floral-embellished dress, while West Ham and England winger Bowen looked effortlessly stylish in a navy zip-up polo layered under a matching wool coat. The occasion became a true family affair, as Sunnie Dyer, Danny’s 17-year-old daughter, also made a striking entrance in a sleek off-the-shoulder black dress.

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• WHAT DANI DYER SAID

  Dani wrote on Instagram: "What an amazing night for the premiere of @marchingpowderthemovie I am just so so proud of you @officialdannydyer I know how much last night meant to you and everyone is sooo proud, what a film!! Well done to everyone involved, I want to watch it all over again… In cinemas this Friday💋"

  Lead actor Danny, meanwhile, has claimed that ‘Marching Powder’ brings a refreshing perspective to the romantic comedy genre, offering an authentic and gritty portrayal of love from a working-class lens.

  "It is something I'm very, very proud of. Because it is a love story; it's a working-class love story," he said. "Classism is a thing, and most rom coms are never set on a council estate. There's Pride & Prejudice, there's someone in f****** britches! You know, a love story where both the man and woman say c***, but in a loving way."

• Getty/Instagram
  

  THE GOSSIP

  Beyond their glamorous public appearances, Bowen and Dani are preparing for a major milestone in their relationship. The couple are set to tie the knot this summer, with a lavish wedding ceremony in the works. Danny has openly expressed his love for Bowen, stating that he already sees him as part of the family and is looking forward to the day he gives his daughter away to a man he deeply respects and admires.

• WHAT NEXT FOR BOWEN?

  While Bowen is making headlines for his personal life, he remains a crucial figure for West Ham United on the pitch. The 28-year-old forward has continued to deliver strong performances whenever fit, scoring eight goals and providing four assists so far this campaign. He is set to return to action on Monday evening, when West Ham take on Newcastle United in a Premier League showdown.

Some of the best things in life come in pairs.

Socks, for example. They keep your feet comfy and warm, at least until one of them goes missing in the washing machine. Or salt and pepper; one brings out the natural flavour of your food, while the other adds a little spice.

What about Wham! – the legendary musical duo consisting of the late, great George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley that gifted the world the hit single Last Christmas? The holidays simply wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for them.

Premier League football is no different. From rock-solid centre-back pairings to prolific partnerships up top, the top flight has a history of great duos.

After Gary Neville recently hailed the link-up between Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, we have listed who we consider to be the Premier League’s best attacking partnerships.

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ByRoss Kilvington Nov 2, 2024 9 Andy Cole & Dwight Yorke Manchester United

No list of great Premier League partnerships would be complete without talking about Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke.

During their debut season together at Manchester United in 1998/99, the two scored 53 goals combined across all competitions to fire the Red Devils to a historic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

They scored another 43 goals between them in the following campaign as United again won the league.

“Me and Yorkie are polar opposites but we understood each other like we were born together,” Cole once said of his former strike partner, adding: “I loved playing with him.”

8 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink & Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsea

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen were known as “Fire & Ice” during their time together at Chelsea between 2000 and 2004.

Hasselbaink was known for his formidable physical presence and thunderous right foot, while Gudjohnsen was noted for his cool demeanour and ability to create chances for his teammates.

Together, they provided panache and power, subtlety and savagery, and calmness and chaos in equal measure. In 121 games up top together for the Blues, they scored a combined 96 goals.

Speaking about his connection with Gudjohnsen in an interview with Chelsea’s official website in 2020, Hasselbaink said:

“The partnership with Eidur was not worked on, but it was very, very special, and it was also very pleasant.

“It was very easy and it just clicked, the understanding was just there, and it was like a tandem, and it just fitted very well.”

7 Peter Crouch & Jermain Defoe Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur

Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe were the perfect little & large partnership.

During successful spells at Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur, the two scored 77 goals in 141 games together, with the diminutive Defoe often latching on to balls that were knocked down by the impossibly tall Crouch.

The two also linked up on occasion for England, including at the 2010 World Cup.

During an appearance on Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk podcast in 2020, Defoe described his partnership with Crouch as the “best partnership ever”, comparing it to that of Yorke and Cole at United.

“If you look at Crouchy, you think he is just good in the air, but he was so good with his feet,” he explained. “Every game we tried to assist each other, and when you play with each other for such a long time, it just becomes natural.”

6 Harry Kane & Son Heung-min Tottenham Hotspur Statistically speaking, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are the most lethal partnership in Premier League history.In 229 games together for Tottenham between 2015 and 2023, the pair directly combined for no less than 47 goals – with Kane scoring 23 and Son scoring 24.They also hold the record for the most goal combinations in a Premier League season, teeing each other up 14 times in the 2020/21 campaign.Their love for playing together was best demonstrated in a 1-0 win over Burnley during that season, when after scoring the game's only goal, Son turned to ask Kane if he got the assist. When Kane nodded, the two embraced and celebrated together. 5 Didier Drogba & Frank Lampard Chelsea

It’s not often that strikers and midfielders team up to become perfect partners, but in the case of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, that’s exactly what happened.

In 300 games together for Chelsea, the pair hit a combined 254 goals, directly linking up a mightily impressive 51 times.

Most notably, they combined twice in FA Cup finals. In the 2007 final against Manchester United, Lampard teed up Drogba for the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Blues, while in 2012, the Englishman again set up the Ivorian’s winner. That’s what you call clutch.

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1 ByBarney Lane Nov 1, 2024 4 David Silva & Sergio Aguero Manchester City

Another example of a fierce midfield-striker combination, David Silva and Sergio Aguero directly combined for 29 goals in the Premier League alone during their nine seasons together at Manchester City.

In that time, they helped the club lift 11 major honours, including four league titles. Former Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren once described stopping Aguero and Silva as the toughest job in the Premier League.

“They can produce goals in moments from nothing to win football matches, so when you give them those moments, it’s quite easy for them,” he said.

Their partnership came to an end in 2020 when Silva joined Real Sociedad, while Aguero left to join Barcelona a year later.

3 Alan Shearer & Chris Sutton Blackburn Rovers

Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton were the Premier League’s original power couple, but like many celebrity partnerships, their time together was short-lived and ended in tears.

In the 1994/95 season, Shearer and Sutton scored 58 goals between them as Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League title. As a result, they became affectionately known as “SAS”.

However, Shearer scored 36 goals as Sutton managed just one the following season, and the pair went their separate ways when Shearer joined Newcastle United in the summer.

Sutton later admitted that he never felt “any warmth” from Shearer during their time together at Ewood Park. “You have better relationships with some players than others,” he said.

2 Thierry Henry & Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal

Thierry Henry enjoyed fruitful partnerships with a number of his Arsenal teammates during his time in north London, including Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord.

However, none were quite as special as his link-up with Dennis Bergkamp.

The pair, who are both widely regarded as two of the Premier League’s greatest-ever players, enjoyed an almost telepathic understanding of one another, with the more creative Bergkamp often knowing where Henry was before feeding him through on goal to finish in trademark fashion.

In 216 games together for Arsenal, they scored a combined 177 goals and won two Premier League titles (one of which they won without losing a game) and two FA Cups.

Despite having shared the field with the likes of Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho, Henry has previously named Bergkamp as the best player he’s ever played with.

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ByAlex Roberts Dec 15, 2023 1 Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane & Roberto Firmino Liverpool

Okay, so this is technically not a duo, but pick any two of these three and put them together, and you’d still have one of the best partnerships in Premier League history.

During most of their time together at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were simply unstoppable.

A perfect combination of pace, power, finesse, skill, desire and pretty much any other desirable attacking quality you can think of, the three scored a combined 338 goals across five seasons, helping Liverpool to win the Champions League and the Premier League title.

Salah is the only remaining part of the legendary Liverpool trio, with Mane and Firmino both now plying their trade in Saudi Arabia, but their impact at Anfield will remain forever.

We asked readers what their superstitions were while watching the IPL

16-Apr-2015Navratna Ojha
I try not to miss a single ball on commentary. The moment I do, a wicket falls and this only happens with the team I support.Rahil Arora
I am a huge KKR fan from the very first IPL. My superstitions are based on the team’s previous performances. For example, KKR cannot win the IPL if they win the first match of the season! Even though I am a huge fan, I think this will be true even this season.Shivaan Shah
I’m from Mumbai and my superstition is that I never watch the toss on TV, I always read about it instead.Murali Maankar
Being a huge fan of Rohit Sharma, I try to eat when he bats; when he got his first double-hundred I was eating at a roadside shop and watching it at a nearby television.Neil Bennett
I always feed my rabbit during the strategic time-out. I don’t know why but the two minutes is just long enough to go the garden and be back in my seat ready for the resumption of play.Abhisek Bera
I have a superstition that before every KKR match, I must play all the KKR songs. If I miss it, somehow the team will lose and it happened this time around too!Subhaditya Tripathy
I sit in my favourite yellow chair with a with a blue pillow, wearing my white t-shirt and pants, and make sure no one touches me till the end of the match.Dharmin Doshi
My superstition is quite weird when it comes to my favourite team in the IPL. If something dramatic happens in favour of my favourite team and if I think of a person at that moment, then I continue to think of that person for rest of the match! Quite weird but that’s how it is.Rahul Patil
I have a superstition – while watching my favourite team play (i.e KKR), I keep the remote of the TV in my right hand and never take it in my left hand. Although it hurts sometime but this has helped my team win many times.

da dobrowin： Despite picking up a gigantic 11 draws from 21 Championship contests so far this season, Carlos Corberan’s West Bromwich Albion are still very much in the conversation for promotion.

da bwin： The Baggies’ 2-1 loss to Watford last weekend was amazingly their first defeat in 13 games, as Tom Cleverley’s Hornets just about got the better of the stern away side through a Vakoun Bayo brace.

Corberan will want his troops to immediately bounce back when Bristol City travel to the Hawthorns this coming Sunday, but will know this clash will be yet another contest that Daryl Dike won’t be deemed fit for as his nightmare in the West Midlands goes on.

Dike's continued injury issues

Dike hasn’t donned a Baggies strip since going down with an unfortunate Achilles tendon injury versus Ipswich Town back in February, with the American well-known to those in the treatment room at this point.

Staggeringly, the ex-Barnsley man has been absent for a colossal 117 games due to recurring injury troubles since making a bumper £7m move a reality.

Thankfully, Corberan has been able to rely on the likes of Josh Maja and Karlan Grant to fire in the goals this season whilst Dike remains sidelined, with Maja boasting ten goals on his own in the Championship whilst Grant has an ever-growing five next to his name.

The Spaniard will be glad that this duo in question have found their shooting boots, having had to wave goodbye to Brandon Thomas-Asante this summer after he switched allegiances to Coventry City.

But, that sale doesn’t hurt as much now when you consider Thomas-Asante’s ongoing struggles with the Sky Blues.

Thomas-Asante's time at West Brom

The ex-Salford City attacker was a top performer for West Brom on his day, with the 25-year-old wearing the tag of being the club’s top scorer last season in the second tier when powering home 11 strikes.

In total, Thomas-Asante would score 21 times for Corberan’s men across 78 games, which would pique the interest of fellow Championship side Coventry this summer on their hunt for some fresh blood up top.

In the end, Thomas-Asante would live up to then West Brom manager Steve Bruce’s glowing words after his arrival at the club in 2022, who stated that the striker would be of “great value” as a “young” and “hungry” option to call upon.

But, although Bruce was ultimately justified in dishing out these compliments, the Ghanaian has since gone on to look goal-shy in his new surroundings, whilst Corberan and Co simply just get on with business with Maja and Grant to call upon.

Thomas-Asante vs Maja vs Grant – Championship numbers (24/25)

Stats (*per game)

Thomas-Asante

Maja

Grant

Games (starts)

20 (7)

21 (21)

21 (19)

Goals

1

10

5

Assists

1

2

2

Big chances missed

1

10

3

Shots*

1.0

1.8

2.0

Minutes per goal

794

167

314

Key passes*

0.4

0.9

1.0

Big chances created*

1

6

4

Touches*

12.3

27.0

35.3

Sourced via Sofascore

Worryingly for the 25-year-old, he has only been able to find the back of the net once from 20 clashes in the league this season, with that solitary strike coming all the way back in October versus Blackburn Rovers.

To pile on the misery even more, Thomas-Asante – as per Transfermarkt – has a lesser transfer value than the aforementioned Dike, with the ex-West Brom man only worth £2.4m when contrasted next to his injury-prone counterpart’s slightly higher £2.6m price tag.

Dike will pray that he can make a miraculous recovery from injury soon to become a key part of Corberan’s side again, but Thomas-Asante – on the contrary – will worry that his game-time at Coventry will only lessen now with Frank Lampard in charge.

Whilst it could’ve been a sale that damaged the Baggies severely, the promotion chasers show no visible scars from the departure now, as another playoff finish continues to be eyed up.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Dec 15, 2024

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement had plenty of work to do during the summer transfer window, mainly getting high earners off the wage bill in order to rebuild his squad and sign his own targets.

It is certainly a work in progress, with the Belgian coming in for some criticism about how his team have performed this term, especially domestically. Indeed. The Light Blues have scored only 16 goals in 11 Premiership matches, the same as tenth-placed St Johnstone.

Moving on those who weren’t contributing is a start, but will it guarantee long-term success?

How Rangers reduced their wage bill

As the 2023/24 campaign was approaching the end, Clement had five players who were heading into the final few weeks of their contracts.

It remained to be seen just who the Belgian would keep at the club, but in the end, Kemar Roofe, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Jon McLaughlin were all told they would be free to find a new club.

This saved the club around £83k-per-week, allowing Clement some flexibility in the market.

Despite this, there is still a player who is currently on the wage bill, despite being loaned out and it is clear he should be sold at the earliest opportunity – Ben Davies.

Ben Davies' numbers in his Rangers career

Davies joined the Light Blues from Liverpool in a deal worth £4m two summers ago as Giovanni van Bronckhorst aimed to bolster a squad which had won the Scottish Cup and reached the Europa League final.

He endured a difficult start, missing several games due to injury, but by the end of the campaign, the Englishman had made 38 appearances as the club failed to win a trophy.

The defender came in for criticism following a 3-2 defeat to Celtic which practically ended the Gers title hopes, failing to clear the ball, which allowed the Parkhead side to score an easy goal.

Former Light Blues striker Kenny Miller lashed out at Davies for his error, saying: “It’s a wonderful finish. Again he’s alert, alive, ruthless when the chance drops. But it’s so poor from Ben Davies. He should be heading that out.”

Ben Davies’ Premiership stats for Rangers
Metric (per 90)	2022/23	2023/24
Accurate passes	50.7	58
Tackles	0.9	1.1
Interceptions	0.8	0.8
Possession lost	7.4	12.1
Total duels won	3.7	5.3
Via Sofascore

Last season, Davies made just 17 appearances for the club as it became clear Clement didn’t see a future for him in Glasgow.

Over these two years, however, he has cost the Ibrox side a fortune.

How much Rangers wasted on Ben Davies

The former Liverpool defender earned £27k-per-week during his two seasons with the club, which was more than the likes of Jack Butland and Abdallah Sima.

He even took home more per week than big-money forward Danilo, who had cost Michael Beale £6m in 2023, proving just how much money was wasted on the centre-back.

Adding his £4m transfer fee to the £2.8m that he received in annual wages during 2022/23 and 2023/24 shows that the club have spent a total of £6.8m on the player.

It is yet another case of splurging on someone who failed to live up to the hype. Hopefully, Clement will avoid moves like these.

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In what would be one of the most surprising deals of 2025, INEOS are now reportedly interested in signing a Premier League rival who’s scored four goals against Manchester United throughout his career.

Man Utd transfer news

It’s no shock that the transfer rumours have been coming thick and fast since Ruben Amorim’s arrival. The former Sporting Club boss will need to add his own stamp on the current squad to suit his 3-4-2-1 formation, which could result in a busy 2025 for Dan Ashworth and INEOS.

Already, names such as Viktor Gyokeres and Nico Williams have reportedly entered United’s radar, with the former a particularly interesting target given the success that he’s already enjoyed under Amorim.

As Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund remain unconvincing, the need for those at Old Trafford to sign a player of Gyokeres’ calibre only grows. The Swede has arguably been the best forward in European football so far this season and is the type of 20+ goal player that all top-four sides should have at their disposal in the Premier League.

With that said, the Red Devils could yet look closer to home for an attacking reinforcement based on recent reports. According to GiveMeSport, INEOS and Man Utd are now interested in signing Heung-min Son in a shock move from Tottenham Hotspur in 2025. Manchester United certainly know all about his quality, given that the Spurs captain has scored four times against the Red Devils throughout his career.

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Now 32 years old, Son could follow in the footsteps of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani when it comes to ageing forwards completing one last big move to Old Trafford. Those transfers came under the old regime, however, with INEOS looking to sign the next generation of stars, it remains to be seen whether they would break their rule for a player of Son’s quality.

"World-class" Son on big money at Tottenham

Whilst Cavani and Ibrahimovic bowed out at Manchester United with the utmost respect, Ronaldo and now Casemiro are prime examples of just how much of a risk it can be to sign a player at the back end of their best years. Son managed an exceptional 17 goals and 10 assists last season but has already struggled to maintain those levels in the current campaign, scoring just four times in all competitions.

Considering the Spurs star earns a reported £190,000-a-week too, Manchester United would have to be sure that he can make the desired impact under Amorim and the numbers so far this season have suggested otherwise. Even when he becomes a free agent in 2026, Son could prove to be a needlessly costly arrival at this stage of his career.

The South Korean still has plenty of fans in North London, of course, including Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, who told reporters as relayed by TNT Sport last season: “Maybe the nation he plays for works against him but I think he’s a world-class player. You look at his record in the Premier League, the toughest league in the world, his goal contributions irrespective of what his team’s gone through have always been right up there.

“Even this year, before he left, I think he was probably the best attacking player in the competition, just my opinion obviously. Certainly he’d be up there. He’s a world-class player.”

The former San Diego Wave FC coach voiced disappointment over Girma's departure, says NWSL faces challenges

• Naomi Girma signed for Chelsea in a record-breaking $1.1 million move
• Donovan questions the impact of high-profile departures on NWSL's stability
• Says league faces growing competition from European clubs for top talent

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Landon Donovan, USMNT legend and former coach of San Diego Wave FC, expressed his disappointment over Naomi Girma's recent record-breaking transfer to Chelsea. In January, Girma completed a $1.1 million move from San Diego to Chelsea, marking the first million-dollar transfer in women's soccer history.

  Donovan said that, while he understands why Girma left the NWSL for Europe, he is disappointed that the defender didn’t stay.

  “I have a lot of thoughts on all of this. Candidly for Naomi, I know she wanted to go but I don’t love it for NWSL as probably the best center-back in the world is leaving and wants to leave," he said on his podcast, Unfiltered with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard. "I understand all the reasons but in my opinion, having watched a lot of the games now and having coached in it, the NWSL, top to bottom, is the best league in the world.

  “Some of the top clubs in the world play in Europe but their leagues are not great. Chelsea can walk through four or five of those teams without breaking a sweat. So I get disappointed when a player of Naomi’s quality doesn’t want to stay here, but I get it.”

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• WHAT DONOVAN SAID

  Donovan said his chief concern over the move is that it reveals an apparant instability in the league.

  “I think the No. 1 talking point, for me, for NWSL in the offseason is there’s so much change and the league’s still feels a little instable in that way," he said. "And what I mean is that very few players get signed to three, four or five-year deals. So most players, from year to year, have the freedom to move – and historically in the league players have crazy power. If they’re not happy, they can leave.

  “And it reminds me a little bit of MLS back in the early days – like if someone wasn’t happy with someone or whatever, you just call your agent and get me out of here. And that doesn’t happen in mature leagues around the world. So I do want to see that change.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The NWSL has undergone significant changes recently, with expansion teams, ownership changes, and increasing investment. However, these developments have also brought other changes, including coaching turnover and player movement.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The 2025 NWSL season kicks off on March 14. Girma’s former side San Diego will play their first game of the season against Angel City FC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on March 15.

  Girma's next game for Chelsea is scheduled for March 15 when they face Manchester City, though Girma was recently injured and may not feature.

أعلن الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، المدير الفني لفريق الأهلي، اللاعبين البدلاء أمام بالميراس البرازيلي، اليوم الخميس، ضمن منافسات كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع بالميراس على ملعب “ميت لايف” بمدينة نيويورك الأمريكية، في إطار الجولة الثانية من مباريات المجموعة الأولى لمنافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

وافتتح الأهلي بطولة كأس العالم للأندية بمواجهة إنتر ميامي، الأحد الماضي، في لقاء انتهى بالتعادل السلبي، ليحصد كل فريق نقطة.

طالع| معلق مباراة الأهلي وبالميراس في كأس العالم للأندية 2025 وفي نفس الجولة والمجموعة، تعادل بالميراس البرازيلي مع بورتو البرتغالي سلبيًا أيضًا.

ويسعى الأهلي إلى الفوز من أجل الاقتراب من التأهل إلى دور الستة عشر من البطولة المقامة بنظامها الحديث ومكونة من 32 فريقًا موزعة على 8 مجموعات، ويتأهل أصحاب المركزين الأول والثاني إلى الأدوار الاقصائية. بدلاء الأهلي اليوم أمام بالميراس في كأس العالم للأندية

مصطفى شوبير – كريم الدبيس – مصطفى العش – أحمد رمضان بيكهام – خالد عبد الفتاح – عمر كمال عبد الواحد – أليو ديانج – أحمد رضا – محمد مجدي أفشة – أشرف بن شرقي – حسين الشحات – جراديشار.