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Rangers’ Premiership form in 2022 has been ‘sackable’ for Giovanni van Bronckhorst, according to Football Scotland journalist Mark McDougall. 

The lowdown

Rangers slipped up at home on Sunday, spurning an opportunity to close the gap on the league leaders.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side could have moved to within a point of their Glasgow arch-rivals after they were held to a goalless draw against Hibernian earlier in the day, but the Light Blues let a two-goal lead slip against Motherwell at Ibrox.

Rangers have also dropped points against Aberdeen (1-1), Ross County (3-3), Celtic (3-0) and Dundee United (1-1) in 2022.

The latest

McDougall pointed out in a tweet on Sunday evening that Rangers had only won three of the eight league games they had played since the turn of the year.

He stated: “Rangers have played eight league games in 2022 and won three of them. That’s sackable form at any club in the top six let alone Rangers.”

The verdict

Van Bronckhorst will have earned plenty of goodwill by leading his side to victory against Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League play-off round. That 6-4 aggregate win was hailed as a ‘monumental scalp’ by BBC Sport.

They might well fancy their chances of beating Red Star Belgrade and advancing to the last eight in Europe, but it’s not looking as rosy on the domestic front.

Questions must be asked as to whether Rangers have the mettle for the Premiership title race given the nature of some of these setbacks. For instance, they twice led against Ross County, who are towards the bottom of the table, before conceding an equaliser in the 96th minute, and they were blitzed by Celtic in the first half of the Old Firm derby a month ago.

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On Sunday, they knew they had a chance to crank up the pressure but folded when a championship-calibre team would have been expected to exert control, especially at home.

In other news, Rangers are set for a financial boost

Gio van Bronckhorst will be hoping to guide his Rangers side to back-to-back wins as they return to Premiership action at Ibrox on Saturday.

The Gers ended a run of three straight draws in all competitions by securing a 1-0 win in midweek and now have the chance to build on that this weekend.

Glen Kamara scored the only goal of the game as they beat St Johnstone last Wednesday, and they are set to play host to Aberdeen in the league on Saturday afternoon.

Unleash Sakala

One player who Van Bronckhorst must unleash from the start this weekend is Fashion Sakala, after he was surprisingly dropped for the win over St Johnstone.

He put in an excellent showing in the draw with Motherwell but was dropped to the bench in midweek as Scott Arfield lined up in the front three instead of him. This may have been down to fitness or simple rotation from the Dutch head coach, but he should now bring the Zambian straight back into the starting XI tomorrow to play in the attacking trident alongside Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent.

Against Motherwell, Sakala was a constant threat to the opposition. As per SofaScore, he created three chances for his team-mates, completed one dribble and hit four shots at goal, one of which landed in the back of the net as he brilliantly swept home a cross from Kent to make it 2-0 at the time.

Over the course of the campaign, the 24-year-old has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.01 as he has scored seven goals and provided one assist in 22 Premiership matches.

The “firework” – in the words of Alan Hutton, who also said that he “plays at 100 miles per hour” – has averaged 1.2 key passes per game and created four ‘big chances’ – suggesting that he deserves more than one assist – whilst missing three huge opportunities in front of goal himself.

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Meanwhile, Arfield has four goals and zero assists in 21 matches this term. He has missed a whopping seven ‘big chances’ and created none for his team-mates, which suggests that he is incredibly wasteful in front of goal whilst offering no creative threat for the other players in the team.

Therefore, Sakala is far better than the Canadian out on the right, as he is the better finisher out of the two and is able to deliver chances for his team-mates to finish off. The summer signing simply offers more in the final third and that is why he must be unleashed from the start against Aberdeen.

AND in other news, Forget Roofe: Van Bronckhorst can save Rangers millions in “big talent” who scores every 41 minutes…

Celtic have been linked with a move for Coventry City midfielder Gustavo Hamer, Football League World report.

The Lowdown: Hamer profiled

Hamer is 24 years of age and made the move to Coventry back in 2020 from PEC Zwolle. Primarily a defensive midfielder, Hamer can also turn out as a more advanced central midfielder or even at right-back.

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Sponsored by Adidas, Hamer has been a regular this season, making 29 appearances under Mark Robins in all competitions. He’s registered six assists in the second tier, more than any other Coventry player, with his displays seemingly catching the eye of Parkhead chiefs.

The Latest: Hoops interest

Football League World sources shared a story regarding Hamer on Thursday lunchtime.

They claimed that the midfielder is a target for both Celtic and Rangers, while a number of Premier League clubs are also tracking his situation.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Ange Postecoglou brought in three midfielders in January, with Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi and Matt O’Riley all making the move to Celtic Park.

The Hoops seem to be fairly well-stocked in that department as a result of their early 2022 business, but a move for Hamer, labelled as ‘unbelievable’, could still be one to watch.

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Holding midfielder Ismaila Soro hasn’t been a regular under Postecoglou, so if he moves on in the summer, perhaps Hamer could be viewed as a shrewd replacement.

In other news: BBC journalist reveals Celtic defender now out for ‘lengthy period’ as hamstring issues continue.

Celtic appeared to hold all the cards in their pursuit of John McGinn back in 2018, with the 27-year-old being a boyhood fan of the Hoops, and the Bhoys very much having the inside track on English teams regarding the then-Hibernian maestro.

However, the club ultimately failed to get a deal over the line for the midfielder, with Aston Villa instead going on to seal a £3m swoop for him.

Since then, McGinn has gone from strength to strength at Villa, scoring seven goals and registering 10 assists over his promotion to the Premier League, before establishing himself as a crucial component of the Villans’ midfield in the top flight.

Indeed, the £70k-p/w Scotland international earned an impressive seasonal SofaScore rating of 6.95 in his debut Premier League campaign in 2019/20, improving on this score over his 37 top-flight outings last season as he earned a rating of 6.99 in 2020/21.

However, it has been over McGinn’s 24 league fixtures this season that the 27-year-old has truly proven himself as one of the most talented midfielders in the division. He has scored three goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his team-mates, along with averaging 1.5 key passes, 0.9 interceptions and three tackles and winning seven duels per game.

These returns have seen the player who Steven Gerrard dubbed “outstanding” average a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.29, not only ranking him as Villa’s second-best performer in the Premier League but also as the 16th-best player in the entire division.

As such, it is not difficult to understand why Villa are apparently demanding a fee in the region of £50m to even consider parting with the midfielder this summer, with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool reported to be interested in the Glasgow-born sensation.

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Indeed, all of the above highlights just how much of a nightmare Celtic had when failing to cough up a mere £3m in 2018 for a player who Dean Smith dubbed a “star”, as the Bhoys not only missed out on an exceptionally talented footballer but also a potentially massive payday.

AND in other news: Ange could unearth a £71m talent in 16 y/o Celtic “killer” who’s heading “to the top”

Newcastle United are not Victor Osimhen’s ‘first choice’ in the Premier League, transfer insider Dean Jones has told Give Me Sport.

The lowdown

Napoli smashed their transfer record to sign Osimhen from Lille in 2020, forking out £67.5million (their previous record was the £45million they paid PSV for Hirving Lozano).

Osimhen has gone on to score 23 goals in 54 appearances for the club, including 13 in 24 this season.

Sky Italia journalist Mario Giunta claims that Newcastle explored a possible deal in January and could return this summer.

Giunta says that The Magpies are one of the few clubs who can afford to meet Napoli’s demands.

The latest

Jones didn’t rule out the move but says St James’ Park isn’t one of Osimhen’s preferred destinations.

He told GMS: “When you can show ambition and huge investment, then anything is possible, I guess, but from what I’ve heard, Newcastle wouldn’t be his first-choice club if he was to come to England.”

The verdict

Osimhen was the hero again for title-chasing Napoli last weekend, scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory over Hellas Verona. He even started ‘flexing his camera skills’ after finding the net, in the words of Bleacher Report.

The confident 6 foot 1 Nigerian goalscorer, hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Cagliari coach Walter Mazzarri, has even been compared to Mohamed Salah by Serie A legend José Altafini, in terms of the players’ importance to their sides.

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And while he may be out of the Magpies’ reach, it’s clear at this point that Eddie Howe wants to bring in a young striker this summer – they’ve also been linked with Benfica’s Darwin Nunez (22) and could reportedly reignite their pursuit of Reims teenager Hugo Ekitike.

It will be interesting to see which one they truly firm up their interest for.

In other news, Mark Douglas maps out what the summer window could look like for NUFC.

Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic has had to pull out of the Australia squad due to an ankle injury, The Daily Record has reported.

The Lowdown: Maeda withdrawal

The Hoops sealed an impressive 4-0 win on Saturday, ensuring that they remained three points clear of their Glasgow arch-rivals before the teams’ Ibrox showdown straight after the international break.

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Daizen Maeda got on the scoresheet for Ange Postecoglou’s side at the weekend and was set to join up with Japan for games with Australia and Vietnam.

However, the Japanese FA have confirmed that the forward won’t be joining up with the national squad due to concerns with his fitness, and things have since gone from bad to worse for Celtic.

The Latest: Rogic also pulls out

The Daily Record’s Fraser Wilson shared a story on Monday evening regarding Rogic, who was forced off at the weekend following a heavy tackle from Kayne Ramsay.

Postecoglou was confident that the midfielder would be fine to head off on international duty, but the 29-year-old has now pulled out of the Australia squad due to an ankle problem.

The Verdict: Nightmare start

The international break has only just begun, but Celtic already have two big injury worries ahead of the crucial clash with Rangers on April 3.

Rogic and Maeda have been regulars in recent weeks, helping the Hoops to drop just two points following the winter break, with star duo Kyogo Furuhashi and David Turnbull sidelined since December.

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You’d expect that Rogic and Maeda could now face a race against time to be available for the trip to Ibrox, and Celtic will have their fingers crossed for their remaining international stars, praying that they all report back at Lennoxtown next week without any further problems.

In other news: Insider claims there is a ‘realistic’ chance that Celtic will smash transfer record this summer; target now ‘keen’

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now fighting a number of clubs from the Premier League to sign teenage forward Bailey Rice.

The Lowdown: Motherwell sensation

Rice currently plays his trade at Motherwell, and is thought of as a highly-regarded talent.

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The 15-year-old has been called up the Scotland U17 squad, and has played the full 90 minutes in recent European Championship qualifying matches, while he has also captained his country at age-group level.

The Latest: Rangers lurking

As per Football Insider’s recruitment source, the Ibrox faithful are now fighting both Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion to sign Rice, and a recruitment source has revealed that the latter especially are ‘keeping close tabs’ on the attacker.

However, he cannot pen a professional deal with an English club until he is 17, while he only has to wait until he is 16 for Scottish teams, perhaps giving the Teddy Bears an advantage.

The Verdict: Exciting

Rice is certainly one to watch out for in the future, and the fact that the Light Blues could fend off Premier League competition for his services is exciting.

They already have some promising youngsters in the academy, like Juan Alegria and Tony Weston, and so adding Rice to the mix will surely catch the eye of Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

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Nonetheless, the Gers will need to act fast if they are to tie him down, and could perhaps even look to sell him to one of those English clubs for a tidy profit down the line.

In other news, find out what potential ‘catastrophe’ for RFC has now emerged here!

Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Cody Gakpo to The Emirates in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Dutch media outlet Voetbal International, who claim that Mikel Arteta’s side are currently leading the race for the PSV Eindhoven forward, while the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester City are also believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the 22-year-old – who the Eredivisie side reportedly value at around £42m.

The next Dennis Bergkamp

Considering the sheer amount of potential Gakpo quite clearly possesses, it is easy to see why Mikel Arteta is plotting a move to bring the Netherlands international to Arsenal this summer.

Indeed, over his 20 Eredivisie appearances this season, the £22.5m-rated winger has been in sensational form for PSV, scoring eight goals, providing 13 assists and creating ten big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making three key passes per game.

These metrics have seen the £7.4k-per-week forward who journalist Agragami dubbed a “serious talent” average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.58, ranking the 22-year-old as the fourth-best player in the top flight of Dutch football.

However, it has not only been in the league that Gakpo has impressed, with the PSV starlet bagging a further eight goals and registering two more assists over 17 appearances in domestic and European cup competitions, taking his haul for the current campaign to a whopping 16 goals and 15 assists over 37 fixtures.

As such, while the two players do not particularly occupy the same position on the pitch – although Gakpo is capable of operating just off a centre-forward, as well as up top himself – should the Dutch prodigy be able to continue his remarkable goalscoring and creative form after a switch to north London this summer, the youngster could well go on to become the Gunners’ next Dennis Bergkamp – a player if the same nationality who bagged 113 goals and registered 94 assists over his 410 appearances for the club.

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However, before we get too carried away with the comparisons between Gakpo and both a Dutch and Arsenal legend, Arteta must ensure that he beats off the competition from Bayern, Liverpool and Manchester City for the 22-year-old – as it is clear for all to see that the winger could be a transformative signing for the Spaniard this summer.

AND in other news: Arteta can finally axe £27m-rated “practice dummy” as AFC bid for “sneaky” £13m dynamo

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is being considered by Man City as Pep Guardiola’s potential heir next year, with the Blues making contingency plans.

Enzo Maresca tipped to replace Pep Guardiola at Man City

BlueCo are now bracing themselves for potential interest from City in Maresca, with the Italian emerging as a prime candidate to succeed Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

The 44-year-old’s impressive stint at Stamford Bridge has not gone unnoticed by his former employers, where he served as Guardiola’s assistant during City’s historic treble-winning campaign in 22/23.

Media sources suggest the Premier League title contenders view Maresca as ideally positioned to maintain their footballing identity when Guardiola eventually departs.

City’s interest carries particular weight given Guardiola’s contract expires in 2026, meaning that an approach could materialise very soon.

Chelsea would demand enormous compensation for Maresca’s services, though City’s financial muscle makes any negotiation feasible if they prioritise his appointment.

Maresca guided the west Londoners to two major trophies last season — the Conference League and Club World Cup — whilst steering Chelsea to Champions League qualification on the final day of 2024/2025.

Related Chelsea submit bid to sign 'one of the most promising players of his generation'

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Some reports suggest that Maresca doesn’t see eye-to-eye with some members of the Chelsea hierarchy and there’s been tension behind-the-scenes at times, but the tactician himself is adamant that his head isn’t being turned.

While Maresca publicly denies any interest in a return to Eastlands, things can change very quickly in football, and we’ve seen high-profile figures go back on their word before.

Taking this into account, as any elite club does, Chelsea have contingency plans in mind for when/if Maresca departs Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea identify Zinedine Zidane as 'dream' Enzo Maresca replacement

According to CaughtOffside, alongside the usual suspects like Strasbourg’s Liam Rosenior and Frank Lampard, former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is seen as a top target.

They report that Zidane is their ‘perennial dream’ candidate for the hot seat, and he ‘tops Chelsea’s wishlist’ almost every time a managerial conversation is held.

Subscribe to the newsletter for deeper managerial insight Curious about managerial chess at elite clubs? Subscribing to the newsletter unlocks in-depth analysis, tactical context and succession tracking that clarifies why moves matter — essential coverage for anyone following managerial shifts. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for deeper managerial insight Curious about managerial chess at elite clubs? Subscribing to the newsletter unlocks in-depth analysis, tactical context and succession tracking that clarifies why moves matter — essential coverage for anyone following managerial shifts.

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The 53-year-old footballing icon is best known for his very productive stint at the Bernabeu, where he led Real to 11 major trophies — including three consecutive Champions League titles, two La Ligas, two UEFA Super Cups and two Copa del Reys.

Zidane has been a managerial free agent since leaving Real in 2021, despite interest from a host of top sides since then, including links to Man United.

His style of play would excite Chelsea supporters too, according to former Los Blancos defender Raphael Varane.

Provided Zidane doesn’t take up another job in the meantime, he could be a fine candidate to succeed Maresca in the event he does leave.

Related Chelsea earmark 23-year-old as a future player as scouts watch all of his games

They’re big fans.

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Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla will miss the Championship clash with Millwall at Elland Road at the end of the month after picking up a one-match ban for the red card he received against Sheffield United on Saturday, and it gives Bailey Peacock-Farrell an unexpected chance.

On the chalkboard

Despite being Marcelo Bielsa’s first-choice between the sticks in the first half of the season, the 22-year-old was cast aside almost immediately to accommodate former Real Madrid man Casilla following his arrival during the January transfer window.

The experienced 32-year-old had played every minute of league action since January 26 – until he saw red late on against the Blades at the weekend that is.

Peacock-Farrell looked as though he would be spending the run-in sat on the substitutes’ bench, but he now has a massive opportunity and he will know he needs to take it.

What could he do?

Despite what happened with the 6ft 4in stopper at the beginning of 2019, Bielsa has shown previously that he is willing to stick with a player in the starting XI if they are performing well.

Should the Northern Ireland international get the nod against the Lions – as expected – and puts in a stellar performance and gets a clean sheet for example, there is no reason why he may not keep his place the following weekend.

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If that happens and continues to happen in the remaining fixtures of the campaign, he could well be the Yorkshire outfit’s unexpected hero as they look to secure a top-two finish and a return to the Premier League.

The goalkeeper’s role in the team is vital, and if Peacock-Farrell can pull off saves and keep the ball out of the net, he could be the hero in May – that’s something he wouldn’t have thought was possible prior to last weekend.