All posts by h716a5.icu

Love it or hate it, agents play a crucial part in modern football. They shape the path of some of Europe’s top stars and come at quite the cost as a result. But just how powerful are they?

Last summer, alone, some of the top agencies in European football helped broker some of the most expensive deals around as Manchester United completed an attacking overhaul and Liverpool tied star man Virgil van Dijk down to a new contract.

Now, Sportingpedia have taken a deeper dive into the likes of Wasserman, CAA Stellar and Jorge Mendes’ famous GestiFute, ranking their power in the modern game based on the market value of their clients.

10 HCM Sports Management – €0.63bn

With Viktor Gyokeres and Frenkie de Jong as their standout clients, HCM Sports Management remains one of the top agencies in the world of football. Their portfolio stretches far and wide across Europe, with Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger also amongst their clientele. They, of course, also enjoyed quite the summer transfer window last time out when Gyokeres was at the centre of attention, before sealing a £55m move to Arsenal.

9 ROC Nation – €0.64bn

Just ahead of HCM, ROC Nation are currently valued at €0.64bn in the world of football and can boast clients such as Vinicius Junior and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli. Interestingly, it’s also not just football that they’ve had great success. In the music industry, they also manage A$AP Rocky, Alicia Keys and more – showcasing their success across two industries.

8 AS1 – €0.78bn

Based in London, AS1 have a number of Premier League stars in their portfolio, including Moises Caicedo and Bruno Fernandes. They also played an important part in Luis Diaz’s transfer from Liverpool to Bayern Munich in the summer, which cost the German club around £65.5m and has since proved to be a successful move. In total, 285 players are signed up with AS1 agents.

7 Bertolucci Sports – €0.86bn

Just below the €1bn-mark, Bertolucci Sports do not boast the same portfolio as AS1 and others, but their main clients have more than helped their rise in value. Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes is now one of the best defenders in world football, whilst Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes is one of the best midfield stars that the Premier League has to offer and Matheus Cunha just sealed a £63m move to Manchester United.

6 ROOF – €1.07bn

Although ROOF have a clientele which includes established stars like Van Dijk, who recently penned a new deal at Liverpool, and Leon Goretzka, it was their rising stars who enjoyed eventful summers as the agency used their power to full effect.

Tyler Dibling, for example, completed a move to Everton worth as much as £42m, Thierno Barry joined him to become one of Everton’s most expensive ever signings at £27m and Mohammed Kudus joined Tottenham Hotspur for £55m.

5 Unique Sports Group – €1.21bn

With 654 clients, Unique Sports Group is one of the most powerful agencies across football. They’ve signed Anthony Gordon, Brennan Johnson and Malick Thiaw in recent years to see their value soar.

They also came within hours of seeing their client, Marc Guehi, complete a move to Liverpool in the summer before the deal broke down late on. Now, the Crystal Palace star is a man in-demand with his contract expiring next summer.

4 CAA Base – €1.36bn

Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, Pedro Porro, Rico Lewis and a number of others all make up CAA Base’s impressive portfolio of 658 players and staff, which has helped their value reach €1.36bn. Signing Palmer has proved to be a particular stroke of genius, given how he’s thrived since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023.

They also manage former Real Madrid manager and current Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti, who will be looking to add a World Cup to his stunning list of achievements next summer.

3 Gestifute – €1.62bn

Although Cristiano Ronaldo split from super-agent Jorge Mendes in 2022, he remains a Gestifute client with their value soaring. The iconic forward led the way with Mendes to become one of the most successful players of all time and the agency can now boast the likes of Lamine Yamal, Vitinha and Joao Neves.

The fact their portfolio includes two of the 2025 Ballon d’Or’s top three highlights their impressive impact on top stars, whilst their list of managers is also impressive. Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Benfica’s Jose Mourinho are all Gestifute clients.

2 CAA Stellar – €2.01bn

One of just two agencies to hit the €2bn-mark, CAA Stellar manage players such as Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, who is their most valuable client at €75m. Their portfolio ranges to as many as 896 clients, with Eduardo Camavinga, Ibrahima Konate and Rayan Ait-Nouri all standing out as impressive coups.

CAA Stellar’s value could also increase in the summer if Konate moves on from Liverpool and Nottingham Forest’s Eliott Anderson secures the big-money move that he has earned in recent months

1 Wasserman – €2.23bn

At an eye-watering €2.23bn, Wasserman top the list as the most powerful agency in football. They manage as many as 1,238 players, which includes stars such as Federico Valverde, Curtis Jones and John Stones.

The agency has also left its mark in the technical area, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta signed up alongside Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe. They remain the most influential agency around and that is only likely to grow as European football continues to reach new heights in the transfer market.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)

How much each Premier League gaffer earns.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025

You don't have to question Detroit Tigers up-and-coming pitcher Jackson Jobe's confidence.

MLB Pipeline's No. 5 prospect started for the Tigers against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training Saturday. The Tigers lost 5-0, but Jobe threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit. He had one emphatic strikeout in the outing, which came against Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero went down swinging as he whiffed on a 97-mph fastball from Jobe.

Jobe threw three straight fastballs to Guerrero. The first was fouled off, the next two were swings and misses. After the game, the young right-handed hurler spoke to his approach during the matchup. He exuded confidence and delivered a hilarious quote.

"I'm done with trying to dot a gnat's a–," Jobe said via Evan Petzold of the . "Just, here's my stuff. If you hit it, good. Odds are, probably not."

Whoever he sees at the plate, safe to say he won't be scared in the slightest.

The Tigers called up Jobe late in the season last year to aid in their improbable run to the postseason. He made two appearances in the regular season, both from the bullpen, where he threw four total innings, surrendering just one hit and no earned runs. He made two appearances during the postseason, too, where he threw 1 2/3 innings and gave up five hits and three earned runs.

Jobe is expected to enter the Tigers' starting rotation in his upcoming rookie season. He's working to get comfortable over the spring. And he's done just that thus far.

Manchester United can count themselves lucky that their unbeaten run is still intact. The Red Devils secured a late point away to Tottenham Hotspur, drawing 2-2 in North London, after a largely uninspiring performance once again from Ruben Amorim’s team.

Last season, the Lilywhites were something of a bogey team for United, who lost to Spurs four times. However, when Bryan Mbeumo scored just past the half-hour mark, it looked like that run could be coming to an end.

It was a good goal too, with Amad swinging a cross in for the Cameroonian attacker to guide home with his head.

The Red Devils were passive for most of the game, happy for Spurs to dominate the ball. Eventually, they did buckle under the pressure. In the 83rd minute, Mathys Tel saw his strike take a deflection and fly past Senne Lammens after excellent back-to-goal play.

Eight minutes later, in the first of six added minutes, Richarlison got his head on Wilson Odobert’s shot to direct it home. United seemed dead and buried, but Matthijs de Ligt was the saviour, heading home Bruno Fernandes’ corner to secure a draw.

It was a lacklustre performance from Amorim’s side, with De Ligt a key man at the back.

De Ligt’s stats vs. Spurs

Dutch international De Ligt capped off a good week for him personally by getting on the scoresheet. He was also recalled to the Netherlands squad after a fantastic start to the season at Old Trafford.

His last-gasp header to earn a point for United was an impressive effort.

He managed to shake off his marker and ghosted towards the back post, rising unmarked to head past Guglielmo Vicario in the Spurs goal.

Defensively, the former Ajax star impressed. He was the player whose deflection sent Tel’s strike into the back of the net, but it is hard to blame him after good centre-forward play.

Aside from that, De Ligt made six clearances and three recoveries, mainly operating at right centre-back, having largely bullied the likes of Richarlison ahead of him.

The heroic late goal from the Dutchman, meanwhile, would have brought relief to United fans and players alike. That includes another starter, who struggled against Spurs.

The United star who struggled against Spurs

Despite the performance of De Ligt, United were disappointing against Thomas Frank’s side. It was a largely toothless performance going forward, with Amorim’s side managing just five shots in the entire game.

Chalkboard

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

One of those attacking players who struggled was Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian has shone this season as something of an Amorim favourite, but, operating as a number nine on Saturday, was largely anonymous.

He certainly had a tough day going up against Cristian Romero and Mickey van de Ven.

In fact, Cunha didn’t really manage to get himself into the game at all. The former Atletico Madrid star only managed 35 touches in the 72 minutes he played, less than Lammens’ 37.

He also had four touches in the Spurs box and won one out of seven ground duels.

Touches

35

Passes completed

17/24

Touches in opposition box

4

Ground duels won

1/7

Passes into final third

2

Shots

1

Well, it was a performance which MEN writer Steven Railston also seemed to think left a little to be desired. He gave Cunha a 5/10 for his afternoon’s work, and said the 17-cap Brazil star was ‘not at his best’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It will certainly give Amorim something to think about. United’s next game sees them take on Everton, and with two more physically imposing centre-backs in Michael Keane and James Tarkowski, he might decide against starting Cunha against the Toffees.

There are other options if he decides to rotate the Red Devils’ number 10 out of the lineup. Benjamin Sesko is, of course, one player who could start, although he picked up an injury against Spurs. Joshua Zirkzee is another player Amorim could turn to, and his hold-up play could be important against the Toffees.

Whatever decision the United boss chooses, he will need his side to create more going forward. On another day, they could have easily been put to the sword in North London.

Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

Rangers have now sent one of their club scouts to South America to watch a 6-cap international live in action today, according to a recent report.

Russell Martin named new Rangers manager

After being linked with several different candidates, Rangers announced on Thursday that former Southampton manager Russell Martin is their new head coach, joining on a three-year deal. Steven Gerrard and Carlo Ancelotti’s son Davide were both linked with the role, but it is Martin who has been given the job, replacing Barry Ferguson.

The new boss had a spell at Ibrox during his playing career, spending five months on loan in 2018, and he now returns as manager. Speaking for the first time since his appointment, Martin has vowed to give supporters a Rangers team they can be “proud of”.

“The supporters are the most important people at any football club. My job is to give them a team they identify with, and they are proud of. A team that wins.

“A team that’s going to give everything. One thing that’s always overlooked with our teams is they always run the most out of possession, because they have to if they want to dominate the ball and be aggressive.

“It’s not a given; it’s an attribute – you need to work hard; not everyone has that. We want people like that to come to the club.

He wants to leave: Martin must axe Rangers dud who earns more than Igamane

Russell Martin must instantly axe this player from the squad if he is appointed.

ByDan Emery Jun 4, 2025

“To the fans, I have to win. I don’t think I’ve been the number one choice at any club I’ve been at. By the time we’ve left every team I’ve been at, we’ve formed a real connection with the supporters. I hope this will be the same. My whole playing career was based on hard work and resilience. It was not done on talent.”

Rangers official in South America today to watch Chile international

As the Gers announce the arrival of Martin, the club could already be lining up his first summer signing, as according to En Cancha, relayed by Sport Witness, a Rangers official has been sent to South America to watch midfielder Vicente Pizarro live in action today.

The 22-year-old, who currently plays for Chilean side Colo-Colo, has been called up to the Chile national team for the World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Bolivia, as he looks to add to the six caps he has already won. Chile face Argentina late on Thursday evening, and it is a match that could be crucial to Pizarro’s future.

The report states that Rangers are one of a few clubs who are sending a scout to watch the midfielder in action, and while he is under contract until December 2027, Pizarro could leave Colo-Colo this summer.

Apps

150

Goals

8

Assists

3

The Scottish side do already have a few options in the middle of the park, but with doubts surrounding the future of Nicolas Raskin, Pizarro could arrive as a direct replacement for the Belgium star.

With their Goodison Park farewell complete, Everton have reportedly turned their attention towards a new era and reportedly signing a defensive reinforcement for David Moyes’ side.

Everton bid farewell to Goodison Park

On an emotional day, Everton’s men’s team said their farewell to one of the most historic grounds in English football history in style, easing past relegated Southampton 2-0. Signing off in style, it will now be all eyes on a new era at the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium and one that The Friedkin Group will be desperate to see become full of success.

The farewells haven’t ended there, however, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ashley Young also announcing that they’re set to leave Everton when the summer arrives.

Manager David Moyes was among those to share praise for Doucoure, telling Everton’s official website: “Doucs has been an influential player throughout his time at the Club, including since I returned as manager, and Evertonians will always be grateful for his dedication and crucial goals. Everyone at Everton thanks Doucs for his service and wishes him all the best for the future.”

The next Lukaku: Carragher urges Everton to sign £30m "wrecking ball"

Everton manager David Moyes is gearing up for a busy summer of spending.

ByAngus Sinclair May 21, 2025

The Frenchman was full of emotion as he came off for the final time in an Everton shirt and there’s no doubt that he’ll be tough to replace in this summer’s transfer window.

The same, meanwhile, will be said for Jarrad Branthwaite if he departs in the coming months. Having often been linked with a move away throughout his Everton career, the rumours have already commenced ahead of this summer and there will certainly be nerves surrounding the centre-back’s future once again.

However, this time around, it does at least seem as though there is a plan in place in the event that the defensive star heads elsewhere in the coming months, with one Ligue 1 star reportedly on Friedkin’s radar.

Everton in talks to sign Diomande

According to Africa Foot, as relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have now opened talks to sign Sinaly Diomande from AJ Auxerre, with negotiations now well underway. The 24-year-old has popped up on the Toffees’ radar following a solid campaign at Auxerre, in which his side finished 11th in Ligue 1 despite only earning promotion to France’s first tier last season.

Starts

22

28

Progressive Passes

72

66

Tackles Won

19

20

Ball Recoveries

86

93

If there were any concerns that Diomande wouldn’t have the quality to ease any potential Branthwaite concerns, then this season’s numbers should put those to bed in an instant.

In possession, Diomande is particularly impressive when compared to Branthwaite – even outperforming the Everton man for progressive passes in less starts. If Everton are looking to step beyond relegation worries and mid-table mediocrity, then signing a defender capable of progressing that play at such a level could prove to be crucial.

Ahead of what could be a busy summer, signing Diomande may well be the perfect way for Friekdin and Everton to start.

Chelsea’s chances of securing a place in the Champions League were dealt a blow when they lost to rivals Newcastle United 2-0 in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Blues remain fifth in the division, in the last Champions League spot, but only one point separates them from Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the table, which tees up a tense final two matchdays.

As shown in the highlights above, Enzo Maresca’s side were not helped by Nicolas Jackson’s decision to charge into Sven Botman whilst the ball was in the air.

The Senegal international had a look at the Dutch defender and moved his defender into the upper chest and lower face of the Newcastle star whilst grappling to win an aerial duel, which led to VAR recommending a red card for the striker.

Jackson will, now, sit out the final two matches of the Premier League season, and the first game of the 2025/26 campaign, after being hit with a three-game ban for violent conduct, which is a big blow for the Blues.

Why losing Nicolas Jackson is a big blow for Chelsea

The former Villarreal star scored three goals in his last three games before the trip to St. James’ Park and looked to be on his way back to his best in front of goal after a barren run.

Prior to his strike against Everton in the Premier League last month, Jackson had gone 13 matches without a goal in all competitions for the Blues, stretching back to the middle of December.

However, a goal against the Toffees and two goals against Djurgarden in the Conference League suggested that he was on track to play a pivotal role in the final few games of the season.

There is little doubt that Jackson is a player who has the ability to make a big impact in the final third for Chelsea, despite his tendency to miss ‘big chances’, because he has had plenty of impressive moments since his move to Stamford Bridge.

Appearances

35

30

xG

18.63

12.34

Goals

14

10

Big chances missed

24

19

Big chances created

8

6

Assists

5

5

As you can see in the table above, the former LaLiga star has been a wasteful finisher, missing 43 ‘big chances’, but he has also been directly involved in 34 goals in 65 Premier League games for the club.

This shows that, despite his flaws, Jackson is a constant threat who can be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch as either a scorer or a creator of goals, which is why losing him to suspension for the last two games of the campaign is a blow for Maresca.

The 23-year-old centre-forward, who scored a hat-trick against Spurs last season, is Chelsea’s best number nine option and has proven that he can score goals in the Premier League, hence why he would have been useful to have as an option heading into these last two games.

What makes the situation even worse for the Blues is that Christopher Nkunku, their other forward option, is currently out with an injury that could keep him out of the last two matches if he does not recover in time.

That is not the only problem with the France international, though, as he has also failed to deliver quality when called upon this season when fit, which is why the club must ruthlessly cash in on him this summer.

Why Chelsea must cash in on Christopher Nkunku

The Premier League side reportedly paid £52m to bring him to Stamford Bridge from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023, as they aimed to bolster the quality of their attacking options, having offloaded Kai Havertz to Arsenal that summer.

Nkunku scored 70 goals and provided 55 assists in 17 matches for Leipzig in all competitions during his time in Germany, which made him an exciting signing, at face value, as he had a history of providing consistent quality in a major European league.

Unfortunately, however, the France international has been unable to translate that form over to English football in his two seasons at Stamford Bridge to date, as he has struggled to make an impact in the final third for the Blues.

After the club’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Brighton earlier this year, former Chelsea player Craig Burley criticised the 27-year-old star, who reportedly earns £195k-per-week, and described him as a “waste of money”.

Chalkboard

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

Burley said: “There was no cutting edge to the game. [Cole] Palmer has stopped influencing games like he was. Nkunku up front, I mean what a total waste of money he’s been.”

It is hard to argue with his assessment of Nkunku’s situation because he has not provided much quality back on the pitch to make up for the £52m fee and £195k-per-week wages as a forward player.

Appearances

11

27

xG

2.30

4.83

Goals

3

3

Big chances missed

3

6

Key passes per game

0.3

0.5

Assists

0

1

As you can see in the table above, the French flop has only been involved in seven goals in 38 appearances in the Premier League since the start of last season, and has underperformed his xG overall, which shows that he has been even worse than Jackson in the last two campaigns.

The experienced forward has not delivered goals or assists on a regular, or even semi-regular, basis in the top-flight, despite the huge outlay to bring him to London almost two years ago, whilst the Senegal international has, at least, delivered 34 goals and assists.

Arsenal have been linked with an interest in Nkunku ahead of the summer transfer window, and Chelsea must finally cash in on the big-money flop in an attempt to recoup some of the £52m fee that they splashed out on his services.

The French dud has not done enough to suggest that he will be a key player for Maresca moving forward, given his lack of quality in the Premier League, which is why the club should ruthlessly ditch him this summer, whether that is to Arsenal or another club.

Chelsea favourites to sign £148m forward ahead of Al-Nassr with talks held

The Blues are ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini May 11, 2025

A former Premier League manager, who once did “fabulously well” in the top flight, now wants to replace Michael Carrick as Middlesbrough boss, according to a report.

Carrick's future in doubt after missing out on play-offs

Boro were well-positioned to reach the play-offs for large parts of the campaign, but a poor finish to the season ultimately ended up costing them, winning just one of their last six Championship games, meaning they ended up in 10th place.

Those at the Riverside Stadium had been hoping to end their eight-year exile from the Premier League, but having missed out on a shot at promotion, questions are inevitably going to be asked about Carrick’s future.

After the 2-0 final-day defeat against Coventry City, the 43-year-old insisted he expects to remain in the role next season, saying: “I’m carrying on. We’ve got a good squad. My focus is carrying on to what I can say to the boys today, tomorrow, moving forward to get ready for another good season.”

Middlesbrough lead race to sign "outstanding" Blackburn star on free deal

Boro are looking to win the race.

BySean Markus Clifford May 5, 2025

However, according to a report from EFL Analysis, the manager’s future is now in doubt, given that his side were too inconsistent throughout the campaign, and former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil is interested in replacing Carrick in the Boro dugout.

O’Neil has thrown his name into the ring and made it clear he would be keen on taking over, with Boro chief Steve Gibson set to assess Carrick’s future over the course of the coming days and weeks, having already considered replacing him mid-season.

At that time, Steve Cooper was among the main options on the shortlist, and Middlesbrough are still interested in the former Leicester City boss, alongside England U21 coach Lee Carsley.

O'Neil did "fabulously well" in the Premier League

The 41-year-old’s time at Wolves did not end the way he would’ve liked, being sacked with his side in 19th place, but his impact after originally taking over at Molineux suggests he could still have a lot left to give as a manager.

Rio Ferdinand was left particularly impressed by the former Wolves boss last season, saying: “I think Gary O’Neil [has stood out], I had Wolves as relegation candidates at the beginning of the season. I think O’Neil has come in and done fabulously well, him and Shaun Derry have been brilliant and changed things around there.”

The English manager, whose preferred formation is 3-4-2-1, also led AFC Bournemouth to Premier League safety in the 2022-23 campaign, and his experience in the top flight could serve him well as Middlesbrough manager.

That said, O’Neil has no experience managing a team with aspirations of fighting for promotion, so it would be a gamble for Boro to appoint him this summer, especially considering Cooper, who led Nottingham Forest to the Premier League, is also available.

Rangers supporters simply cannot wait for this season to end.

On Sunday, the Light Blues held their fierce rivals to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox, taking the lead through Cyriel Dessers on the cusp of half time, but ultimately thankful for an excellent save by Liam Kelly right at the death to preserve the point.

Nevertheless, it matters little considering the champions had rubber-stamped the title a week earlier, the gap between Glasgow’s giants remains 17 points, with Barry Ferguson’s side now without a win in four Premiership games.

The Light Blues are guaranteed to finish second, thereby entering next season’s Champions League in the second qualifying round, the first leg of which takes place on 22/23 July, with Brann, Austria Wien or familiar foes Servette currently forecast to be their possible opponents.

So, with a tight turnaround between this season ending and next season commencing, the new 49ers ownership are under pressure to appoint a new manager and fast, but are they close to doing just that?

The latest on Steven Gerrard's Rangers return

According to widespread reports, including from Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Steven Gerrard is currently ‘the leading candidate’ to be re-hired as Rangers’ new manager.

Harri Burton of Football Insider has previously reported that Gerrard has impressed Paraag Marathe, who is spearheading 49ers Enterprises’ 51% takeover of Rangers, making him the obvious choice to be Ferguson’s successor.

The 44-year-old Englishman was previously in charge of Rangers for 192 matches between July 2018 and November 2021, before departing for Aston Villa, most-notably leading the club to a Premiership title, the club’s only top-division triumph since 2011.

So, while Ferguson will remain in charge for the final three matches of this season, against Aberdeen, Dundee United and then Hibs, all the current indications are that Gerrard will be returning to the Ibrox dugout in time for July’s Champions League tie.

The Liverpool legend will no doubt be looking to repeat the success he enjoyed during his prior stint at the helm…

Steven Gerrard's key men at Rangers

During Gerrard’s first Rangers tenure, few players were as important to him as Ryan Kent, with the table below outlining this point.

Connor Goldson

182

17

James Tavernier

168

42

Alfredo Morelos

158

83

Allan McGregor

156

Zero

Scott Arfield

153

29

Ryan Kent

138

28

Steven Davis

127

4

Borna Barišić

124

7

Glen Kamara

122

5

Joe Aribo

113

20

Ryan Jack

110

11

As the table outlines, only five players made more appearances under Gerrard than Kent, while only James Tavernier and Alfredo Morelos contributed more than his 60 goal-involvements.

Kent initially arrived on loan from Liverpool, before being signed permanently for a reported fee of £7.5m, the highest fee Rangers have paid in the modern era, only eclipsed by the £12m splashed to bring in Tore André Flo from Chelsea in 1997.

Fast-forward to the present day, is a current Rangers star on a similar trajectory?

Rangers' best attacker could be the new Ryan Kent

As noted by Alan Galindo of the Daily Record, it’s pretty difficult to dispute the fact that Václav Černý has been Rangers’ best attacker this season.

The table below underlines this assertion, with the loan star having been simply “devastating” at times, as per analyst John Walker.

Cyriel Dessers

25

7

32

Václav Černý

17

7

24

Hamza Igamane

15

3

18

James Tavernier

5

12

17

Mohamed Diomandé

6

9

15

Ianis Hagi

4

7

11

Nicolas Raskin

3

8

11

Danilo

6

4

10

Tom Lawrence

6

2

8

Nedim Bajrami

5

4

9

Only Dessers has been directly involved in more Rangers goals this season than the Czechia international, while Černý was the club’s top scorer in the Europa League with six, a tally only bettered by Bruno Fernandes, Kasper Høgh and Ayoub El Kaab across the entire tournament.

Back in October, then-manager Philippe Clement described the Czech winger as “important for the club”, adding “I want to see more and more” from him.

As a result, Černý’s performances should offer some optimism for the Rangers support ahead of next season, the problem being the fact that he is only on loan.

Well, Mark Walker of the National has previously reported that Wolfsburg would be willing to sell Černý for £6.75m, which would be a huge outlay, similar to that paid to tie down Kent permanently six years ago.

Well, based on Černý’s output this season, Rangers should absolutely pay the money to sign him and, should they do so, as stated by Amy Canavan of BBC Sport, this would be quite the statement of intent by the new owners.

With Gerrard back at the helm also, the Englishman could find a new Kent-like attacking weapon to wield.

Rangers must ruthlessly axe "sloppy" Ibrox flop who wouldn't suit Gerrard

Rangers must cash in on the dud who earns more than Mohammed Diomande if they appoint Steven Gerrard.

ByDan Emery May 5, 2025

Gary O’Neil’s reign as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager must feel like a distant nightmare to the Molineux masses as Vitor Pereira’s stint in charge continues to go swimmingly well.

Indeed, the popular Old Gold boss has more than breathed life into the West Midlands outfit since his arrival, with the once relegation-threatened team now a staggering 20 points clear of the drop zone after a sixth Premier League victory in a row versus Leicester City.

Of course, there is Matheus Cunha’s situation to still sort out, with the Brazilian superstar perhaps heading for the exit door soon, but the sensational Wolves attacker managed to play a starring role in the 3-0 win despite speculation.

Matheus Cunha's performance in numbers

The Manchester United-linked forward let his football do the talking at Molineux, with Cunha involved in every single goal that hit the back of Mads Hermansen’s constantly bombarded net.

The explosive number ten would open the scoring for Pereira’s in-form hosts on the 33rd minute mark, with one of Rayan Ait-Nouri’s trademark bursts forward confidently finished off by the clinical South American.

He would then turn to being a provider after bagging his 15th Premier League goal of the campaign, with a defence-splitting pass early into the second half allowing Jorgen Strand Larsen to fire home, before then playing Rodrigo Gomes into space to kill the game off after Jamie Vardy cruelly missed from the penalty spot.

Whilst Cunha rightly lapped up most of the praise at the full-time whistle, there were other standout performers on the day that have gone about their business in an understated manner all season long, including one formidable defender.

The Wolves star who is now as undroppable as Cunha

Wolves have really shored up at the back since Pereira’s inspired appointment, with April to date seeing the stern Old Gold only ship three goals in league action.

The more defensively sound performances seem to coincide with Emmanuel Agbadou’s emergence onto the scene, with the Ivorian colossus joining for £16.6m back in January proving to be another golden pick-up, like the Portuguese boss.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

103

Accurate passes

82/92 (89%)

Key passes

2

Clearances

5

Blocked shots

1

Interceptions

3

Total duels won

4/5

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Agbadou put in another well-drilled display defensively, with the 6 foot 4 centre-back managing to come away from the 3-0 victory with an 80% duel win rate intact.

Moreover, he also managed to complete all his defensive dirty work successfully with five clearances registered, alongside three interceptions.

Yet, the imposing number 12 would also show off his composure on the ball during the routine win, with Agbadou ending the match with an impressive 89% pass accuracy next to his name from 92 total passes.

At this point in time, Agbadou’s starting spot under Pereira is now as concrete as Cunha’s, with the 27-year-old titan only tasting defeat once since coming into the Old Gold first team fold after his move from Reims.

Both the impressive defender and the spellbinding attacker will hope their continued excellent performances see more wins be tallied up as the season begins to near to its May conclusion, with a top-half finish in the Premier League now in their sights, away from looking nervously down at the relegation spaces once upon a time.

Exciting Cunha replacement: Wolves want to sign £45m star on loan

Wolves could lose Matheus Cunha in the summer transfer window.

ByConnor Holden Apr 24, 2025

Newcastle United are in a brilliant position under Eddie Howe, though could now be willing to facilitate a surprise departure for one of their strongest performers, according to a recent report.

Newcastle United's summer transfer plans

Eddie Howe is a man who has commanded mass respect from supporters at St James’ Park due to their recent EFL Cup win and Premier League standing, but he will have work to do to retain some of his key stars this summer.

Alexander Isak is a central target for Liverpool heading into the window and they appear to be setting the scene for Darwin Nunez to exit the club, paving the way for a blockbuster replacement.

Keeping hold of the Swede will be the main priority for everyone concerned at Newcastle, but there is also potential that they could add to their exciting pool of talent, especially if they secure Champions League qualification.

According to reports, Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo could be set for a move to the Magpies after claims emerged stating he could be set to leave London for £50 million.

The Geordies are said to be in pole position for his signature, potentially creating a deadly triple-axis with Isak and Anthony Gordon as Howe’s men look to compete for further silverware.

Newcastle now eyeing £26m defender who played a full season with Tonali

Newcastle have not given up on signing another rising star from Milan.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 17, 2025

On the same token, Real Sociedad star John Aramburu is being lined up to strengthen Newcastle’s backline, showing that they are covering all bases in the hunt for quality additions.

However, with PSR and other realities to take into account, don’t be surprised if one or two surprise stories emerge across the market this summer that lead to unexpected departures, something the Magpies won’t be immune to going by recent developments.

Newcastle willing to listen to Tonali offers amid Man City interest

According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle could be willing to accept offers upwards of £68.5 million for Sandro Tonali after it has become apparent that he is open to leaving Tyneside this summer.

Pep Guardiola is reportedly on alert as Manchester City retain an interest in the Italy international, while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain remain in pursuit, with the Magpies prepared to accept a large sum after the player indicated he’s open to an exit.

Sandro Tonali key statistics in 2024/25 – Premier League

Pass accuracy

85%

Chances created

13

Tackles won

29

Shots

28

Touches in opposition box

36

Ball recoveries

152

Enjoying a fine campaign, Tonali has registered five goals and three assists in 39 appearances across all competitions as the Toon Army look to edge closer to claiming Champions League qualification.

Manchester City have an obvious void in midfield to fill amid Kevin De Bruyne’s impending departure, though it is hard to believe that Newcastle would be willing to sell one of their star assets directly to a rival.

Nevertheless, his openness to changing projects could throw the cat among the pigeons in that respect, especially given that selling Tonali may negate the need to fund their summer business by cashing in on other first-team players.