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The world champions dominated Thursday's game, with the Atletico Madrid new boy showing just why the Rojiblancos paid so much for him

Argentina avoided a Copa America hangover in their first match since claiming the 2024 trophy, defeating Chile 3-0 in World Cup qualifying on Thursday. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez and Paulo Dybala sealed all three points in an emphatic victory.

Ahead of the contest, La Albiceleste, all the fans in attendance and those around the world watched as Argentina paid tribute and goodbye to legend Angel Di Maria. The dynamic winger announced his international retirement after winning the Copa, and with his family by his side, he gave a emotional speech in front of a sold-out crowd, with flashlights from cell phones beaming from the stands and cheers echoing from around the ground.

After a dynamic and contentious first 45 minutes, the two sides went into half-time scoreless. However, Argentina came out of the break with intensity, and just three minutes into the second half, Mac Allister fired home to give them a 1-0 lead off an Alvarez assist.

The story of the final 45 wasn't the Liverpool midfielder, rather it was Alvarez, who energised the big stage in the absence of the injured Lionel Messi. The Atletico Madrid striker looked comfortable in a front-two, and his moment arrived in the 84th minute. He received the ball on the edge of the box, hit a lovely turn and fired in a rocket of an effort that bounced in off the crossbar.

A third goal came in stoppage-time, with Roma star Dybala coming off the bench and launching a a strike into the back of the net.

With the victory, Lionel Scaloni's side stayed atop the CONMEBOL standings in World Cup qualifying, with 18 points out of 21. They hold a five-point lead over second place Uruguay, with Colombia – Argentina's next opponents on Tuesday – in third.

GOAL rates Argentina's players from Estadio Mas Monumental.

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Emiliano Martinez (8/10):

  Made an outstanding save in the first half, and was a rock when called upon in the late stages. Another top display.

  Lisandro Martinez (7/10):

  Was a threat in attack from set-pieces, including one chance on target. A well-rounded performance from the Manchester United defender.

  Cristian Romero (7/10):

  Composed out of the back. A few dodgy moments, but he recovered well.

  Nicolas Otamendi (8/10):

  A passing clinic from the veteran of the defensive trio. Still brilliant at 36, completing 96 percent of his 84 total passes.

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Nahuel Molina (7/10):

  Composed as a wing-back, operated down the right flank well.

  Rodrigo De Paul (8/10):

  Class as always in the middle of the park. Was composed on and off the ball and led as a veteran should with a youthful midfield around him.

  Alexis Mac Allister (8/10):

  Sensational in the middle of pitch, and scored the crucial opener. Linked with the striker tandem well.

  Enzo Fernandez (7/10):

  Not his most influential performance, but didn't put a foot wrong, either.

  Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

  Subbed off with an injury minutes into the second half. Employed as a wing-back, he kept Chile quiet when called upon, but didn't influence the attack much.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Lautaro Martinez (6/10):

  Not his best evening. Struggled to find space, but did play a decent decoy to help Mac Allister bag his effort. No shots on the night.

  Julian Alvarez (9/10):

  A nice assist on Mac Allister's opener, but his moment came in the 84th minute, when he bagged his long-range stunner from 20 yards out. Brilliant showing.

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• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Giovani Lo Celso (8/10):

  Subbed on for an injured Gonzalez early in the second half and bagged an assist for Alvarez's stunner. Great cameo.

  Marcos Acuna (6/10):

  Subbed on with 11 minutes to spare. Helped close out match.

  Paulo Dybala (8/10):

  Subbed on in 79th minute and capitalised on the moment, scoring the third goal. Perfect performance off the bench.

  Alejandro Garnacho (7/10):

  Assisted on Dybala's third, was lively off the bench in his 11 minutes, plus stoppages.

  Valentin Castellanos (N/A):

  Subbed on in the 89th.

  Lionel Scaloni (8/10):

  A brilliant second half. Whatever he said at half-time inspired his players, and they turned up for the final 45 as a different team. The attack was blistering, and Alvarez looked the best he's been in a shirt for La Albiceleste. Should be thrilled.

Liverpool is braced for a summer of upheaval, with Jurgen Klopp's illustrious tenure drawing to a close after nearly nine full campaigns. It's been a wild ride.

Klopp will stand down, as is his wish, and assistants such as Pep Lijnders will leave too. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract in 2025 and there's a good chance at least one will be sold this summer.

But that's not all. Deeper below the surface, the whispers are rising in volume. Darwin Nunez's future at the club suddenly seems uncertain. It's a noise that, as yet, has not reached voluble levels but might just given the 24-year-old's regression in recent fixtures, his wastefulness in front of goal not suggestive of a world-class goalscorer.

At his best, Nunez is a top-class forward, so influential, so electric, but at his worst, he's erratic and frustrating, missing 46 big chances in the Premier League since arriving as Liverpool's club-record signing in 2022 – only Erling Haaland, who can be forgiven, circumstantially, has squandered more chances.

Might it be that Arne Slot, now a shoo-in for the manager's job at Anfield, seeks to sign a new, more clinical No. 9? Could Nunez be in danger?

Liverpool could move for Nunez replacement

Slot's rebrand at Anfield may well call for a new centre-forward, and given that the Dutchman boasts one of the finest rising strikers in Europe at Feyenoord in Santiago Gimenez, Liverpool could be tempted to forge ahead with a move.

While Gimenez hasn't strictly been linked with a move to Merseyside, he has attracted attention from Premier League rivals such as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United following his prolific exploits over in the Netherlands.

The 23-year-old might even be available for as little as £30m, if reports from January are to be believed, which could suit the Reds just fine as they seek to reinforce the squad across several departments – central defence and midfield both in need of a fresh face or two.

And Premier League managers have often sought to start their reigns with what they know, to varying degrees of success, admittedly: Erik ten Hag dipped back into the Dutch Eredivisie after joining Manchester United from Ajax in 2022, while Klopp's first port of call in the transfer market for Liverpool was to sign Joel Matip from Germany, soon after landing Lloris Karius from Mainz.

The jury is still out for Gimenez in regard to his suitability as a top outfit such as Liverpool, but he's shown that he knows where the back of the net is and he might be a fantastic addition.

Santiago Gimenez's stats under Arne Slot

Feyenoord signed Gimenez from Mexican side Cruz Azul back in 2022 when he was a 21-year-old, with the Argentina-born marksman winning the Eredivisie title, under Slot, and enjoying vast riches on a personal level, in front of goal.

Indeed, last term Gimenez scored 28 goals and supplied three assists from 50 appearances in all competitions, with his displays leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to dub him "the Mexican machine".

Gimenez's Eredivisie statistics across his two campaigns with Feyenoord speak of growth and an increase in output across the park, with the rising star sharpening his tools but also deepening his understanding of what it takes to be a top-level striker on the European scene.

As per FBref, Gimenez ranks among the top 2% of centre-forwards across divisions similar to the Dutch top flight for goals scored, the top 4% for shots taken, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 21% for progressive carries per 90.

This highlights both the 5 foot 11 ace's natural goalscoring prowess and his eagerness to progress the play forward, with such a ball-carrying ability leading to some high praise from eagle-eyed viewers in Holland.

How Santiago Gimenez could slot in at Liverpool

Gimenez would certainly offer something different at Anfield, providing Slot with Liverpool's closest thing to a pure No. 9 (Jayden Danns notwithstanding).

Given that Dutch football expert, Finley Crebolder believes that the 25-cap Mexico star is the finest sharpshooter in the country "since [Luis] Suarez", who closed the door on his Eredivisie journey by signing for Liverpool in a £23m deal (aged 24), perhaps there is value in seeking to emulate the deal.

Suarez is notorious as one of his generation's finest strikers and dismantled the Premier League with Liverpool, scoring 31 goals and supplying 13 assists from 33 matches during an iconic 2013/14 Premier League campaign,

Liverpool could turn 3/10 flop into a 'generational star' by hiring Slot

It’s not just Darwin Nunez who could find a window of opportunity arise from the shifting cogs at Anfield this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 25, 2024

While Salah might leave Liverpool, he may well stay, with the Egyptian's largely stunning season a continuation of the years of potency that has established him as one of the finest forwards of his age. The 31-year-old has created the most big chances in the Premier League this season with 21.

Alexander-Arnold is one of the finest ball-playing specialists in the world, with pundit Jamie Carragher recently remarking that "it's "like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back."

All told, there is so much about this Liverpool side, and while it's started to fall apart at the last hurdle of Klopp's dynasty, there is every chance that a brand-new centre-forward in Gimenez could propel Slot's soon-to-be Liverpool side to the next level, continuing Klopp's work and maintaining Liverpool's position at the forefront of the Premier League.

Wilfried Nancy's Crew were the victims of goalkeeper chaos, Christian Benteke took the lead in the Golden Boot race and more.

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• Seattle thump Columbus 4-0
• LAFC draw Houston 0-0
• DC United defeat Chicago Fire 2-1, Benteke takes lead in Golden Boot race

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  Giroud and LAFC struggle vs. Houston…again

  In the race for first place in the Western Conference, LAFC still trail the LA Galaxy by four points after falling flat in a 0-0 draw on the road against the Houston Dynamo.

  Olivier Giroud, who got his first MLS start, still hasn't fully gelled with his new team. The DP had just 36 touches, completed 64.3 percent of his passes and had three shots — none on target.

  Once again, the Dynamo proved to have LAFC in their web, following a 2-0 win in Los Angeles on Matchday 30.

  LAFC still have two games in-hand over the Galaxy, so the West could still be in grasp, but Steve Cherundolo's men are winless in their four of their last five MLS appearances. They meet the Galaxy next weekend in another edition of – a contest that will likely settle the conference.

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• Goalkeeper chaos for Columbus, Miami's boost

  The Seattle Sounders defeated the Columbus Crew 4-0 on Saturday, but the match was anything but normal.

  The Crew were down to their fourth-string goalkeeper due to international call-ups for Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen and an injury to third-string keeper Evan Bush. Fourth-string goalkeeper Abraham Romero, recently acquired from LAFC, started but was sent off just before halftime for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. With no other goalkeeper available, midfielder Sean Zawadzki was forced to play in net for the remainder of the game. It went as well as one would expect.

  The Sounders took full advantage, scoring four goals and effectively ending the Crew's hopes for the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield. Despite having two games in hand before Saturday, the Crew’s slim chance of contending with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was dashed. Inter Miami now holds a 10-point lead over the Crew, making it unlikely for anyone to catch up as the season nears its end.

• USA Today Images
  

  Gillette Stadium stunner, RBNY teen star salvages point

  The New England Revolution nearly pulled off a remarkable home win over St. Louis CITY SC, but a late Simon Becher goal handed the hosts a second to secure a 2-2 draw. Record-signing Luca Langoni did, however, bag his first Gillette Stadium goal in front of the Revs faithful – a positive sign for a team looking to flip a switch in the Eastern Conference. The Argentine now has two goals and an assist in his first three MLS matches.

  South of Foxborough, MA in Harrison, NJ, the New York Red Bulls salvaged a point late against an Sporting Kansas City side fighting to keep their faint postseason hopes alive. Teen sensation Julian Hall, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea in Europe, scored an 89th minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw. It was the 16-year-old's second goal of the season.

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• The strike of Saturday

  We love a GOLAZO from a defender. This one, from Chicago Fire's Andrew Gutman, is worthy of all the praise. The 27-year-old left back hit this volley so clean in a 2-1 loss to DC United.

  For the winning side, though, star forward and former Belgium international Christian Benteke stayed scoring. The ex-Liverpool man bagged his 18th goal of the season, taking the lead in the race for the 2024 MLS Golden Boot.

Rangers are tracking a "Rolls Royce" player who Michael Beale wanted to sign during his time in charge at Ibrox, according to a fresh transfer update.

Rangers transfer news

Philippe Clement knows how important a productive summer transfer window will be, during a period in which several players will likely leave on free transfers, including Borna Barisic, John Lundsram and Kemar Roofe.

Rangers are one of the clubs who are believed to be monitoring Macarthur youngster Raphael Borges Rodrigues, who currently plays in the A-League in Australia. Described as a "sensation" by journalist Pete O'Rourke, the winger could be seen as one for the future at Ibrox.

Meanwhile, West Ham utility man Ben Johnson is expected to leave the London Stadium on a free transfer this summer and the Gers are reportedly in the mix to snap him up. The 24-year-old has made 14 Premier League appearances this season, although only four have been starts, highlighting why he could move on.

It could be that Rangers also seal a permanent move for Abdallah Sima, who is on loan from Brighton currently, and journalist Dean Jones has talked up that move going through: "A few other Premier League clubs have had an eye on him in the past couple of years, I think he’s a great watch. But optimism does seem to be there that Rangers are going to tie this one up at a fee that is absolutely from the bargain basement."

Now, it looks as though a move for a long-time target also isn't out of the question, following a new transfer report that has emerged.

Rangers eyeing "Rolls Royce" Beale target

According to a report from The Daily Record, Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson is a target for Rangers chiefs this summer, having shown an interest in him under Beale's watch: "Record Sport understands Rangers have had one eye on Birmingham defender Dion Sanderson for some time.

"The 24-year-old’s name was on a list of potential targets which was drawn up way back when Beale was still in charge and Sanderson remains a person of interest where the Ibrox club is concerned."

While any mention of Beale can cause negativity with some Rangers supporters, considering his disappointing spell as manager, he was right to see Sanderson as a good option, and he could be an excellent signing this summer.

The Englishman has started 36 matches for Birmingham in the Championship this season, and while his side are on the verge of relegation to League One on Saturday, he has enjoyed a strong personal campaign, averaging 3.3 clearances and 1.8 aerial duel wins per game in the competition.

Former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson once called Sanderson "an absolute Rolls Royce" of a player, highlighting his ability during their time together at the Stadium of Light, and he could come in as a great centre-back option for Rangers, adding depth and quality for Clement next season.

Tom Barclay has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Djed Spence.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Sun journalist revealed that, despite talks between Middlesbrough and Tottenham having been ongoing for a number of weeks regarding a deal for the right-back, the two clubs are still no closer to reaching an agreement over a fee for the 21-year-old.

Barclay added that the Championship club are looking for a figure in the region of £15m plus add-ons in order to part with the defender this summer, while Daniel Levy is hoping to land the England under-21 international for a considerably lower fee.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Tottenham and Middlesbrough still a way apart in negotiations for Djed Spence. Boro after around £15m plus add-ons, Spurs currently looking to pay a fair bit lower than that.”

Supporters will be fuming

Considering just how exciting a prospect Spence undoubtedly is, Barclay’s update that Spurs are still yet to reach an agreement with Middlesbrough concerning a deal for the 21-year-old is sure to have left the Tottenham faithful fuming.

Indeed, over his 42 Championship outings while on loan at Nottingham Forest last season, the £7.2m-rated full-back was in breathtaking form. He bagged two goals, registered five assists and created six big chances for his team-mates, in addition to making one key pass, taking 0.6 shots and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

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The £4.4k-per-week talent also impressed in defensive metrics, making 1.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.4 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per match.

These returns saw the player who Danny Green dubbed “unreal” average an impressive WhoScored match rating of 7.05, ranking him as the Garibaldi’s sixth-best player in the Championship last term as he played a pivotal role in Forest’s promotion to the Premier League.

As such, considering his clear ability, his potential for future growth and his status as an England youth international, it would very much appear as if Spence is a talent who is well worth his £15m asking price.

We believe that, in order to get the right-back into Hotspur Way in time for pre-season, Levy simply must cough up the going rate for the 21-year-old.

AND in other news – “In the next days..”: Spanish journalist drops Spurs transfer update, Conte surely buzzing

Manchester City ended their latest Premier League season with more goals scored than any other side in the division.

With 38 games played, the Citizens found the net 99 times, five more times than Liverpool managed to in second place.

One figure in Pep Guardiola’s squad that contributed a fair amount to City’s latest title-winning campaign in an attacking sense is Riyad Mahrez.

With 28 league appearances to his name, the winger scored 11 goals and provided five assists, leaving only Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling with more goal contributions.

The end of the campaign saw the Algerian pick up his third Premier League title as a City player since joining from Leicester City back in 2018 for a fee of £60m.

Now that the 31-year-old is set to enter the final year of his contract in the coming weeks, one figure the club have been linked with recently that could be his ideal long-term replacement is Rafael Leao.

The AC Milan winger, who has the City winger included on a list of similar players to him according to FBref, also showed during his latest domestic season how integral he was to his side’s title-winning campaign.

In 34 Serie A appearances, the Portuguese winger, who has been labelled as a “diamond” by Paolo Maldini, found the net 11 times and delivered ten assists.

To further highlight his impressive attacking talent, the 23-year-old ended the campaign with more shots at goal (97), shot-creating actions (105) and successful dribbles (95) than any other Milan player, as well as racking up the joint-highest number of crosses (69) in the squad.

Described as “world-class” by Matteo Bonetti, it’s easy to see why Leao reportedly has a rather hefty release clause in his contract worth €150m (£127.5m).

As well as potentially become their next version of Mahrez, City may have a more pressing need to sign the Milan star given how Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling have been linked with moves away from the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Thus, if the Manchester club and Guardiola see an opportunity to make a swoop for the youngster, they should do all they can to negotiate what would be seen as a suitable deal for all parties.

In other news: Man City eyeing swoop for “unbelievable” £31.5m-rated “animal”, Pep would love him

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has reacted to reports claiming that Leeds United are interested in signing Napoli striker Dries Mertens this summer. 

The lowdown: Leeds interested in Mertens

This comes after the Whites were linked with an audacious attempt to bring the 35-year-old to Elland Road, according to a report from Belgian outlet Voetbal Flitsen.

It has been claimed that Leeds, Crystal Palace and mega-rich Newcastle United are all keen on bringing Mertens to the Premier League.

The veteran is the Serie A club’s record goalscorer with 148 in 397 appearances, and the thought of the experienced Belgian arriving in Yorkshire would certainly excite one intrigued onlooker…

The latest: O’Rourke on Mertens

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has suggested that bringing the 104-cap Belgium international to Leeds would be a significant move from the club.

He said: “If they could get somebody like him in, it’d be a massive statement signing from Leeds United. I think it’ll be a hard deal to do, but the opportunity to play in the Premier League is something that maybe appeals to Mertens at this stage of his career.”

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The verdict: No-brainer

Mertens is perhaps no longer at the peak of his one-time incredible powers, but given his capabilities of playing as a centre-forward or in the trequartista role, signing him as a soon-to-be free transfer would be a superb piece of business from Victor Orta.

Despite his advancing years, the Belgian was hailed by journalist Josh Bunting for a ‘world class’ strike in a stunning 8.50-rated display against Lazio in November (Sofascore), with two goals, two successful dribbles and a 100% passing accuracy on the night.

Mertens scored 13 times and provided two assists from 37 appearances across all competitions in 2021/22, proof of a continued ability to thrive at the elite level, which would be a huge boost to Jesse Marsch’s ranks as the American seeks quality cover for Patrick Bamford after an injury-hit campaign for the 28-year-old.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

Wolves are edging closer towards signing Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, with a new report claiming that an agreement has been reached and that he wants to join Bruno Lage’s side.

The Lowdown: Palhinha linked with Wolves

There has been no shortage of speculation in recent days and weeks linking the Portugal international with a move to Molineux.

The 26-year-old appears to have been earmarked as the perfect replacement for Ruben Neves, who has been strongly linked with a move away from the Black Country.

It now looks as though Wolves are closer to getting their man, following a new update.

The Latest: Palhinha closer to Wolves move

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Wolves have an ‘agreement in principle’ to sign Palhinha, with a fee of approximately €20m (£17.1m) expected to be agreed, with the possibility of bonuses on top of that figure.

It is stated that the transfer won’t happen until Neves departs, but the Sporting player has told his manager Ruben Amorim that he wants the move to happen.

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The Verdict: Get it done

To miss out on Palhinha now would be a big blow for Wolves, especially with Palhinha seemingly so keen on coming to Molineux, so it is vital that they get this deal over the line in the coming weeks.

Replacing Neves is going to be a difficult task, considering the influence he has enjoyed at Wolves. The 25-year-old was the highest-ranked midfielder in Lage’s squad last season as per WhoScored, while only centre-forward Raul Jimenez posted a greater shots-per-game average than his 1.3.

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However Palhinha is similarly metronomic in the middle of the park, keeping the ball ticking over (he had an 87.8% pass completion rate in the Primeira Liga last term) while offering a strong off-the-ball presence. He averaged three tackles per game in the league in 2021/22, which was more than any other Sporting player (or Wolves, for that matter).

Therefore, he seems the ideal candidate to pick up where Neves seems set to leave off.

In other news, Wolves are reportedly in pole position to sign one player. Find out who it is here

Dutch transfer journalist Mike Verweij of De Telegraaf has shared a big Tottenham Hotspur exit update involving want-away winger Steven Bergwijn.

The Lowdown: Bergwijn eyes exit…

The Netherlands international openly admitted that he intends to leave Spurs this summer as manager Antonio Conte cannot give him a sufficient amount of game time.

Despite weighing in with crucial contributions at big points over 2021/2022, including his last minute brace to clinch a 3-2 victory away to Leicester City, Bergwijn has found it hard to fight his way past the in-form Dejan Kulusevski in Tottenham’s pecking order.

As such, Eredivisie giants Ajax have been plotting to bring him back across the English channel with Verweij now sharing an update on the situation.

The Latest: Personal terms a ‘formality’…

The reporter, taking to Twitter, claims a five-year contract for Bergwijn at Ajax is a ‘formality’ – going on to state in his piece that the 24-year-old has an ‘outline agreement’ on personal terms to leave Tottenham.

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However, it is also believed that the Amsterdam outfit have been indecisive in terms of an offer to Spurs and will have to shake off emerging competition from the Premier League (De Telegraaf).

The Verdict: Time to go?

Lauded as a ‘big-game monster’ in recent seasons by members of the media (John Cross, Daily Mirror), as evident by his heroics at the King Power Stadium, his quality at times is perhaps deserving of more regular chances.

Depending on the fee Spurs can obtain from Ajax or any other interested party, we believe it is best to amicably part company before the start of 2022/2023.

Allowing the player more regular minutes at a high level team while Spurs bank a decent fee to reinvest into other positions feels like a win-win.

In other news: ‘Better and better’ – Tottenham could make announcement ‘in the coming days’, says insider…find out more here.

Rangers ended their 2021/22 campaign on a high as the Glasgow giants won the Scottish Cup with a 2-0 win at Hampden.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men were left disappointed in both the Premiership and the Europa League as they finished runners-up in both competitions and were able to head into the summer with a trophy by lifting the SFA Cup.

It was a tense match against Hearts as incoming Gers centre-back John Souttar kept the Light Blues at bay throughout regular time.

The game then went to extra time and burst into life as Ryan Jack scored a sensational goal from the edge of the box, before Scott Wright made it 2-0.

Jack, who turns 31 next season, was restricted to nine games in the Premiership as he struggled with injuries throughout the campaign and Rangers may start to think about life after the Scotland international.

Dream Jack heir

Van Bronckhorst can find the dream heir to the 30-year-old in a deal to sign Aberdeen central midfielder Lewis Ferguson this summer.

Former Gers striker Kenny Miller recently claimed that the gem is someone the club should be looking to sign. He said: “In terms of players Rangers could go for in Scotland after (John) Souttar – (Ellis) Simms and (Lewis) Ferguson would potentially be the two for me because they’re at a really good age.”

The Dons man, who was dubbed a “real leader” by former Premiership player Mark Wilson, was valued at £10m by his manager Jim Goodwin earlier this year, whilst calling him a “big influence”, and his statistics in the top-flight make it easy to see why. 

These impressive stats in the Premiership illustrate the quality he would be able to bring to Rangers if they sign him this summer.

The Gers signed Jack from Aberdeen in 2017 and they can now secure his heir in a deal to sign another central midfielder from the Dons.

In the 2020/21 campaign, the Light Blues gem averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 as he won 56% of his duels in the division. This shows that both players are capable of delivering consistently impressive displays in the middle of the park and can hold their own in physical contests.

However, Ferguson can replace Jack and add something different to the position – a goalscoring threat. His 11 strikes in the top-flight dwarf the Rangers man’s goal tally in the last five league seasons combined.

This means that he can be an upgrade on the Scotland international and be the long-term replacement for him, with plenty of years left for the Aberdeen man to give at the age of 22.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Weston: Rangers can form deadly future duo in deal for highly-rated teen…