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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has given the green-light for his side to pursue a creative attacking player, with sporting director Andrea Berta apparently lining up an offer in response.

Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal summer transfer admission

Arteta has already admitted that the Gunners are set for a “big” summer transfer window, following the arrival of Berta as Edu Gaspar’s replacement.

Arsenal "closer to finalising" deal for £85m star with contract semi-agreed

The Gunners have made significant progress ahead of this summer.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 7, 2025

The Spaniard also revealed his excitement over what could be in store for Arsenal when the window reopens, with some reports claiming the north Londoners could spend as much as £300 million on seven major signings (GiveMeSport).

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

“It’s going to be a big one (summer) and we are very excited about it,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 2025 summer transfer plans.

“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step.

“Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now that is necessary. But it’s a big summer for many things, because first of all, we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”

Additions are expected in the final third particularly, with Berta looking to end Arsenal’s long wait for a prolific striker to lead Arteta’s forward line.

Arsenal are already making “significant” progress on a move for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, according to some reports, while it is also believed that Berta is targeting new wide players.

Mikel Arteta green-lights Arsenal move for Bilal El Khannouss

Now, as per GiveMeSport, Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss has found his way on to their radar as well.

The Moroccan has been a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the relegated Foxes, and high-ranking Emirates Stadium officials have recommended him to Arteta.

According to GMS, the manager agrees with their verdict, with Arteta giving his approval for Arsenal to move for El Khannouss. As a result, the club are now lining up a potential £22 million bid for the African.

Interestingly, El Khannouss scored a match-winning goal against Tottenham earlier this season, and he’s been called a “magician” for his exploits at the King Power Stadium.

The 20-year-old has bagged a total of three goals and six assists in all competitions this season, playing both out wide and as an attacking midfielder. Since joining Leicester from KRC Genk last summer, he’s taken to English football quickly despite his young age, and has even earned plaudits from Pep Guardiola.

“He (Guardiola) said he was impressed by my play today,” said El Khannouss after a loss to Man City earlier this season.

“I am not. I know myself and this is the player I can be. I have to show that every week now. After a few games now, I am adapted. People can see now who I am. I will continue to work on this and build.”

Glasgow Rangers held their annual player of the year award ceremony on Sunday evening. After a campaign filled with disarray at Ibrox, many would have wondered why the club bothered.

Nevertheless, several first-team players won awards on the night. John Souttar claimed the John Greig CBE Achievement Award while Hamza Igamane won the Men’s Goal of the Season award for his stunning late winner against Celtic at Parkhead in March.

Elsewhere, Cyriel Dessers won the Sam English Bowl for being the club’s top scorer this season. The most deserving award, however, went to Nicolas Raskin, who won both the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year and Men’s Player of the Year awards, with both the players and supporters recognising the Belgian’s achievements.

With the 49ers Enterprises takeover looking like it could go ahead before the start of next season, they will be keen on building as strong a squad as possible.

Financial investment would be welcome, of course, but keeping the club’s best players for a tilt at the Premiership title next term is the main aim.

Having won two awards on the weekend, Raskin is certainly one player who could attract plenty of attention this summer, no doubt about that.

Nico Raskin: Rangers most indispensable player?

Michael Beale may go down as one of the worst managers in the history of the football club, but paying a fee of just £1.5m to bring the young midfielder to Ibrox is arguably the best decision he made while in charge.

He may have struggled to assert his authority during his first few months at the club, but the persistence the former Standard Liege starlet has shown is now beginning to pay off.

After suffering an injury in pre-season last summer, it appeared as though Raskin would never fulfil his potential at Ibrox. Upon his return to the first-team picture in September, the 23-year-old has been a revelation.

Nine goal contributions have been registered across 43 appearances in all competitions, but it was his opener against Celtic in the 3-2 win last month which was the most important.

Raskin even captained the side during the festive season when James Tavernier was sidelined through injury, and he gave a dominating performance in the Old Firm clash at the turn of the year.

The midfielder has shown in the Premiership so far this term. His tenacious nature has certainly been on display, making 2.9 tackles per game and winning an impressive 6.5 total duels per match – a success rate of 57% – which has allowed the player to dominate at the heart of the pitch.

Going forward, however, Raskin has demonstrated his attacking abilities. Not only has he created six big chances for his teammates, but the Belgian also averages one key pass and 0.9 successful dribbles per match in the top flight.

This combination of attacking and defensive traits makes Raskin a prized asset at Ibrox. There will be a time when the club decides to cash in, but he could be the fulcrum of a new-look side at the start of next season.

Who shouldn’t be at the club next season? Well, it may be a bit of a surprise to some.

Rangers' most dispensable player?

While the 49ers will be keen on strengthening the squad, they must also balance the books by moving several players this summer.

It shouldn’t be a difficult decision on who to release and sell, especially with so many players underperforming throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Chalkboard

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

Dessers may have won the Sam English Bowl, but in reality, the Gers must cash in on him before the start of next season.

Beale may have spent little to bring Raskin to Scotland, but the opposite is true of Dessers’ move to Glasgow. Indeed, he cost around £4.5m from Serie A side Cremonese in the summer of 2023.

Given that Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent had left for free just a month or so before, Beale had to inject some goals into his side ahead of the 2023/24 season. Dessers had netted just ten goals the season prior, hardly the prolific forward Beale required.

Goals

16

13

Assists

4

2

Big chances missed

27

20

Shots per game

2.9

2.2

Goal conversion percentage

16%

19%

A total of 22 goals and nine assists during his maiden year at the Light Blues certainly appears to be a decent tally, but diving deeper, Dessers could have scored a lot more.

In the Premiership alone, he missed a staggering 27 big chances across 35 matches, often taking three or four opportunities to find the back of the net.

This season hasn’t exactly been much of an improvement. 13 domestic goals have been scored thus far, yet he has still missed 20 big chances in the top flight. With four games to go, this figure could still rise.

Scottish analyst John Walker dubbed the centre-forward as “poor” during a pre-season friendly against Manchester United last July. He may offer plenty in terms of work rate and determination, but the Nigerian striker simply isn’t the right man to lead the club into a new era under the 49ers.

The 30-year-old has two years left on his current contract at Rangers, which means this summer represents the perfect chance to try and make back some of the £4.5m that was spent on him two years ago.

Not only that, but he is also one of the highest earners at the Light Blues. Taking home a wage of £27k-per-week, Dessers ranks second behind only Tavernier in terms of earnings.

There is no doubt that freeing up this money in the summer and redirecting it back into bringing one or two younger talents would be the best thing to do.

The club face one of the most important transfer windows in recent memory this summer. Get things right and Celtic could be set for a serious title challenge next season.

On the flip side, however, if the same mistakes are made, Rangers will continue to be left in the wake of their rivals as they motor to a fifth consecutive title.

Rangers must axe £3m flop who has missed more games than Lawrence

Kevin Thelwell has a big job on his hands at Rangers

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 27, 2025

Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace have largely been in excellent form since the start of 2025, only losing three times in their last 11 Premier League matches, keeping eight clean sheets in all competitions this calendar year and earning themselves a spot in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

The Eagles didn’t start the campaign at 100mph. After losing the likes of Michael Olise and Joachim Anderson in the summer, Palace had to reassemble their tools, find ways to recruit and replace those players and then begin to build.

After the first ten matches of the season, Palace found themselves 17th, only picking up seven points in that time.

But due to their excellent form since then, Palace now find themselves in mid-table in the Premier League, with the top seven not too far out of reach.

So why did it take a while at the start of the season, and how much did Glasner’s side miss Olise?

Michael Olise's creative burden

Olise was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer, joining the German giants for a fee of around £50m. Since joining Bayern, Olise has been in sublime form, making 43 appearances, scoring 13 goals, and providing 16 assists.

But, the Frenchman was key in his time at Palace, making 90 appearances in his three years at the club, netting 16 times, providing 25 assists and totaling 5,782 minutes played.

Having Olise on the right and Eberechi Eze on the left made it tough for teams to contain the Eagles, with the duo often combining to create chances out of nothing.

With Olise gone, more focus being solely on Eze and a right-hand side that had to be re-invented, it was always going to take some time to find the best way to replace the French wingers’ presence.

That being said, Glasner has certainly found a way to do it.

Chalkboard

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

Glasner's "spectacular" duo have replaced Olise

Crystal Palace signed Ismaila Sarr from Marseille in the summer, joining for a fee of around £12.6m. The 27-year-old was the clear signing destined to take the spot of Olise on that right-hand side, but the difference in overall quality is clear, and therefore, a new dynamic on that side would be needed.

Daniel Munoz, working in tandem with Sarr on the right, has been Glasner’s key weapon to replacing Olise’s output, with both players proving to be very direct, making clever runs in behind and stretching play for their teammates. This right side has proven to be a key outlet for Palace this season.

Goals

0.17

0.29

Assists

0.14

0.11

xG

0.15

0.33

xAG

0.14

0.26

Progressive Carries

1.51

2.52

Progressive Passes

2.44

2.91

Shots Total

1.04

1.93

Key Passes

1.22

1.41

Passes into Pen Area

0.72

1.41

Shot-Creating Actions

2.29

3.85

Successful Take-Ons

0.61

0.60

When looking at the pair’s underlying metrics this season, you can see how their combined effort has helped to replace the French star, both getting forward and getting shots off, both putting balls into the box, chipping in with output and contributing in build up.

Munoz was described as “spectacular” by Jefferson Lerma and that is certainly one way to describe the pair down that right-hand side, working in tandem to attack in a direct fashion and create chances for the team.

Whilst Olise will never fully be replaceable, losing a world-class talent is always tough to replace, even more so when you are a mid-table Premier League side.

Therefore, Palace fans must be fairly happy with their right-side rebrand, with Glasner proving he can make it work.

Contact made: Crystal Palace make move to sign "Pique-esque" £5m defender

The Eagles have made an approach for a defender, who is also attracting interest from West Ham United.

ByDominic Lund Apr 10, 2025

Rangers’ bonkers form continues. Last weekend, the Gers fought back from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at , with Tom Lawrence’s long-range laser equalising nine minutes from time, before Cyriel Dessers snatched victory right at the death for Barry Ferguson’s side.

So, since Barry Ferguson took over as interim manager, the Gers have lost at home to Motherwell, ousted Fenerbahce on penalties in the Europa League and claimed victories on the road at Kilmarnock, Celtic and now Dundee, these three fixtures producing a whopping 18 goals.

Next up in the Premiership, the Gers face third-placed Hibs and then Aberdeen, who are fourth, at Pittodrie, with the small matter of a Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club on the agenda too; the Basque side visit Ibrox next Thursday.

Who knows what to expect from these four matches? Well, goals probably.

What are the 49ers' summer plans for Rangers?

2025 is set to be a huge year of change for Rangers, starting with the fact manager Philippe Clement was sacked back in February after 86 matches in charge.

Meantime, the club is also subject to a takeover, with Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises, set to become the club’s majority shareholder, a deal that is reportedly currently still being finalised.

His first task, as alluded to, will be to appoint a new permanent manager, with Steven Gerrard, Sean Dyche, Kevin Muscat, Liam Rosenior, Kjetil Knutsen, Marco Rose and many others reportedly in the fray.

Well, whoever they choose to appoint, they’ll want to do so quickly, given that next season starts early for the Light Blues, kicking off with the first leg of a crucial Champions League qualifying tie on 22 or 23 July.

Meantime, the squad is likely to undergo a major rebuild, and one fans’ favourite in particular appears highly-likely to depart.

Which players could leave Ibrox in the summer

Three permanently contracted players could be on their way out of the Glasgow club this summer, notably Tom Lawrence and Leon Balogun, while it’s unlikely attacking hero Vaclav Cerny will be back next season, largely due to his price tag after some cracking form.

Another who finds himself out of contract in June is Ianis Hagi, set to leave the club as a free agent this summer.

It’s fair to say the Romanian’s Rangers career has had its ups and downs, scoring a spectacular brace shortly after arriving against Braga in the Europa League, on a night the Gers fought back from 2-0 down to win, sparking wild celebrations at Ibrox.

When he signed from Genk in January 2020, then-manager Steven Gerrard labeled him “one of the best talents in Europe” but it hasn’t quite happened for him in Light Blue.

Indeed, despite being at the club for over five years now, Hagi has made just 125 appearances for the club, largely due to the fact that he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament against Stirling Albion in January 2022, spending the next 372 days on the sidelines.

Then, after not being in Michael Beale’s plans, the Romanian spent last season on loan at Deportivo Alavés in Spain before being reintegrated into the first-team squad this season, albeit he’s lost his regular starting spot since Ferguson took over from Clement.

2019/20*

13

3

2

2020/21

46

8

15

2021/22

27

4

4

2022/23

11

1

Zero

2023/24**

2

Zero

Zero

2024/25

25

3

7

As the table outlines, Hagi has not been a regular in the Rangers side since that aforementioned knee injury in January 2022, until recently, albeit he hasn’t been especially productive in front of goal since the title-winning campaign of 2020/21.

As a result, his Transfermarkt value has plummeted to £1.69m, having been as high as £6m at one stage, significantly lower than the reported £4.5m paid to secure his services in the first place.

Thus, given his injury record, Rangers should sadly release Hagi in the summer as part of their squad rebuild.

49ers must axe Rangers dud who Ferguson said could "become a big player"

Rangers must finally cash in on the lightweight who is worth even less than Tom Lawrence and Ianis Hagi.

2 ByDan Emery Mar 31, 2025

A big summer awaits for Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side.

Having not replaced Kyōgo Furuhashi in January, the Hoops will be targeting a new centre-forward, while Kieran Tierney’s return will create much fanfare, replacing the outgoing Greg Taylor at left-back.

In the meantime, ahead of a huge Champions League play-off tie in August, Rodgers will also be looking to bolster his midfield options, so have the club identified their number on target?

Celtic's 'ideal successor to Callum McGregor'

It’s safe to say that Rodgers and Co have been winning plaudits for their recruitment, and it’s clear to see why. The return of a fan favourite in Jota got supporters off their seats and the same will occur when Tierney puts pen to paper in the summer. He was, after all, a bit of a legend during his first stint at Parkhead.

So, what’s next for the Celts?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, as reported by Football Insider, Celtic have ‘identified’ midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj as Callum McGregor’s ‘ideal successor’, adding that current club Augsburg may be willing to sell for as little as £3m, considering he is out of contract in 2026.

A further report from Sky Sports Germany suggests that the Premiership outfit are ‘monitoring’ his situation in Germany, with Besiktas and Hoffenheim also interested in his services.

Rexhbecaj played alongside Celtic’s record-signing Arne Engles 38 times in Bavaria, with the 27-year-old having made 84 appearances for the Fuggerstädter in total, previously spending time at fellow-Bundesliga clubs Wolfsburg, Köln and Bochum.

In an interview with FIFA’s official site, Rexhbecaj stated he is “happy at Augsburg”, adding that “I’ve got the sense that I’m here for the long haul”, but with his contract running down, could the German club decide to sell?

How Elvis Rexhbeçaj would improve Celtic

Rexhbecaj’s performances for Augsburg this season have been described as ‘fantastic’ by local media, deployed in numerous different midfield positions by manager Jess Thorup, but predominantly playing as a defensive anchor.

So, let’s analyse his Bundesliga statistics.

Appearances

21

163rd

Minutes

1,632

117th

Pass completion %

70.1%

210th

Key passes

13

128th

Touches

794

165th

Tackles

25

125th

Tackles won

18

90th

% of dribblers tackled

42.4%

143rd

Blocks

36

26th

Interceptions

16

95th

Ball recoveries

79

83rd

Yellow cards

8

5th

As the table outlines, Rexhbeçaj’s statistics don’t exactly leap off the page, as he is pretty solid, if unspectacular, when it comes to passing as well as all of the defensive metrics, namely ball recoveries, interceptions, blocks and tackles.

Nevertheless, considering that Dominik Schneider of FussballTransfers reports that Parma, Beşiktaş and numerous EFL Championship clubs are all also ‘interested’ in signing him and the fact that FBRef compares him to Newcastle’s £55m man Sandro Tonali, he must be doing something right.

So, could he be the perfect McGregor deputy, perhaps even the captain’s long-term successor?

Last month’s Glasgow derby defeat to Rangers at Parkhead hammered home McGregor’s importance to this Celtic team, with Rodgers himself admitting afterwards that there’s “no doubt” his team missed the skipper, struggling to cope without the “tactical balance” he provides.

Kieran Devlin of the Athletic labeled McGregor Celtic’s ‘most important player’, and the Hoops’ lack of midfield control without him highlighted why.

So, let’s see how McGregor and Rexhbeçaj compare.

Appearances

45

25

Minutes

3,850

1,907

Goals

9

2

Assists

2

1

Chances created

25

13

Passing accuracy %

91.69%

77.61%

Through-balls

11

4

Duels Contested

170

163

% of ground duels won

48.32%

50.71%

% of aerials duels won

45.45%

34.78%

Tackles

34

25

Interceptions

24

16

Ball recoveries

210

79

Touches per 90

81.11

47.76

As the table outlines, McGregor comes out on top for pretty much every metric this season, % of ground duels won the sole exception, albeit there are stylistic similarities between the pair.

It’s also worth taking into account that Rexhbeçaj is playing at a considerably higher level; according to Global Football Rankings, the Bundesliga is the third strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership ranks 43rd.

What is clear is that Celtic require midfield reinforcements so if Rexhbecaj is available at a cut-price this summer, he could be a useful addition.

Celtic ace left for £600k, now he's similar to a future Ballon d'Or winner

The player Celtic lost for just £600k is now similar to a star who has been tipped to win the Ballon d’Or.

ByDan Emery Apr 1, 2025

Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.

The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.

Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.

It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.

That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.

Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.

Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.

This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.

Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.

The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.

Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker

Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.

Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.

Since then, he’s excelled in the position.

The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that an injured Spurs star won’t be back in action for a ‘long time’, with the Dane currently minus a few key first-team players.

Tottenham battle Slavia Prague in the Champions League

Spurs welcome Slavia Prague to North London tonight seeking to reignite their automatic Champions League knockout round hopes with a victory that would edge them closer to securing a coveted top-eight finish.

Frank’s side need all three points against the struggling Czech outfit to maintain momentum after Saturday’s morale-boosting 2-0 win over Brentford ended their miserable six-match winless streak.

The Lilywhites currently sit 16th in the Champions League standings with eight points from five matches, sitting just two points behind the automatic qualification places.

Saturday’s Premier League victory will give Spurs more confidence following the chaotic 5-3 defeat to PSG in their previous European outing, with Richarlison and Xavi Simons securing all three points against Frank’s former employers last weekend.

Despite their lacklustre home form overall this year, the hosts actually boast a formidable home record in European competition, remaining unbeaten in 22 consecutive European games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Spurs have won both their Champions League home matches this campaign without conceding, defeating Villarreal and FC Copenhagen.

History also favours Frank’s side, having never lost to Slavia Prague in four previous European meetings, recording three victories and one draw.

Slavia arrive in desperate circumstances, languishing in 31st with just three points from five matches and facing the genuine prospect of early elimination.

The Czech champions have endured a torrid European campaign, failing to register a single victory while remarkably going four consecutive Champions League fixtures without scoring.

Their attacking struggles represent their most significant weakness, with just two goals across the entire league phase.

Despite domestic dominance — sitting five points clear atop the Czech First League following Friday’s 2-1 victory over Teplice — Jindrich Trpisovsky’s side have repeatedly failed to translate that form onto the continental stage.

Their 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal highlighted the gulf in quality when facing elite opposition, while goalless draws against Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao demonstrated defensive resilience without much threat going forward.

Frank faces several selection concerns heading into the clash, though.

Destiny Udogie is sidelined with a hamstring injury which will keep him out until January, while Randal Kolo Muani is doubtful after limping through Saturday’s victory.

Brennan Johnson is also ‘touch and go’ for the encounter, according to Frank, but one significant positive looked to have emerged from Monday’s training session.

James Maddison was spotted working on the grass for the first time since rupturing his ACL during August’s pre-season friendly against Newcastle, with Frank providing an update on the Englishman.

Thomas Frank shares James Maddison update out of Tottenham

Regrettably, while the £170,000-per-week playmaker sparked excitement when he was clocked in training, Frank has confirmed in quotes relayed by The Press Association, that Maddison still won’t be back for a ‘long time’.

The 29-year-old, who bagged 22 goals contributions in all competitions last term (12 goals, 11 assists), has been a sore miss for Spurs as they heavily rely on the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Simons for their creativity.

Simons’ phenomenal solo run and goal against Brentford will have done the Dutchman a world of good for his confidence following real criticism since his marquee move from Leipzig in the summer.

The pressure is on him to deliver in the ongoing absence of both Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, with Frank also remaining vague about the latter’s recovery timeline.

After Slavia, Tottenham travel to struggling Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and only a win will do there too.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.

The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.

Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.

Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.

With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.

One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already

Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.

He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.

This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.

Tackles

7

Bottom 29%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 27%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 37%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 29%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 18%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 40%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.

On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder

The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.

Transfer Focus

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

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.

However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers

Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.

For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.

This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.

The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.

Appearances

12

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

1.9

Clearances per game

0.9

0.1

Duels won per game

6.0

2.0

Ground duel success rate

51%

46%

Fouls won per game

2.3

0.1

Blocks per game

0.5

0.1

As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.

It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.

Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is set to demand north of £53 million for one of Sean Dyche’s star players as Barcelona eye up a move, according to a new report.

Nottingham Forest turn corner under Sean Dyche

It’s been 42 days since Ange Postecoglou became the shortest reigning manager in Premier League history after a nightmare stint at the City Ground, with Forest since appointing Dyche to steady the ship.

Arsenal 3-0 Forest

Premier League

Swansea 3-2 Forest

Carabao Cup

Burnley 1-1 Forest

Premier League

Real Betis 2-2 Forest

Europa League

Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Premier League

Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland

Europa League

Newcastle 2-0 Forest

Premier League

Forest 0-3 Chelsea

Premier League

The Englishman arrived at Forest with skepticism surrounding his controversial appointment, but so far, Dyche has seriously impressed.

His debut in the dugout saw Forest secure a 2-0 Europa League victory over FC Porto, their first in Europe, establishing early momentum before Forest defeated fellow strugglers Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground — ending a nine-match winless domestic streak that went all the way back to the opening weekend under Nuno Espírito Santo.

Ibrahim Sangare’s first Forest goal kickstarted the comeback after Lukas Nmecha’s early strike, before Morgan Gibbs-White’s header and Elliot Anderson’s stoppage-time penalty completed the turnaround.

Even more impressive came Forest’s stunning 3-0 triumph over Liverpool at Anfield.

Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Gibbs-White scored as Dyche put on a tactical masterclass against the Merseysiders, who are in catastrophic form right now amid reports that Arne Slot could lose his job.

The Tricky Trees have also shut up shop, conceding just once in their last four games across all competitions, and that is testament to the performances of Murillo, who also put in a Man of the Match display against Liverpool last weekend.

The Brazilian is attracting serious interest from elite clubs, including Arsenal, and we can now add the La Liga champions to his growing list of admirers.

Barcelona identify top target Murillo as Nottingham Forest demand £53 million

According to reports from Spain, Murillo has now ‘become Barcelona’s top target’ to reinforce Hansi Flick’s defence.

Forest are clear, they want north of £53 million for the centre-back and are in a very strong position to demand good money considering he’s contracted until 2029.

Good news for Dyche is that Barça are currently unable to meet this price tag due to their constraints around the La Liga salary cap and well-documented financial difficulties.

The prospect of Murillo leaving in January is unlikely at best as well, despite the admiration from top clubs, with journalist Pete O’Rourke telling Football Insider that Forest will block any winter move.

The 23-year-old finished last campaign as Forest’s best performer by average match rating, according to WhoScored, in what was a fairytale campaign where they nearly qualified for the Champions League under Nuno.

Forest have scope to demand even more money for their prized asset, and we could even see a potential bidding war next summer.

Chelsea midfielder Roméo Lavia had only just returned to fitness and Enzo Maresca was easing him back into the team gently, but the Belgian could now be set for another spell on the sidelines in what is a frustrating blow.

Chelsea’s Champions League campaign continued on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Qarabag, a result that leaves the Blues frustrated but relieved after squandering a 1-0 lead and facing a difficult fightback against the Azerbaijani minnows.

Maresca’s side started brightly and took an early lead through teenage sensation Estevao after dominating possession and probing Qarabag’s defence.

However, just before halftime, Qarabag stunned Chelsea by turning the game on its head. The visitors struggled to contain Qarabag’s growing threat, and they capitalised with two goals in quick succession. Qarabag’s first equaliser came from a well-placed finish, and 10 minutes later, a second goal from the penalty spot put them unexpectedly 2-1 ahead at the break.

The swift turnaround rattled Chelsea, with the home side taking advantage of poor defensive lapses.

Estevao

8.2

Alejandro Garnacho

7.5

Leandro Andrade

7.4

Matheus Silva

7.0

Marko Jankovic

7.0

via WhoScored

Luckily for the west Londoners, half-time substitute Alejandro Garnacho was quickly on hand to spare their blushes with a clinical finish into the bottom corner just minutes after the restart. Estevao, Enzo Fernández and Facuno Buonanotte all made attempts to win the game for Chelsea, with Garnacho also seeing an added-time effort saved from inside the area.

It was close but no cigar for Chelsea who ended up sharing the spoils, and Garnacho saved them from what would have been an historic loss, as no English team has ever lost to the Azerbaijani side before.

It was an evening of serious reflection for Maresca, who watched on as his side struggled defensively yet again amid reports that Chelsea are prioritising the signing of a centre-back in January.

The occasion was also marred by yet another injury blow for Lavia.

The 21-year-old was given his first starts of the season against Nottingham Forest and Ajax recently as Maresca slowly edged him back into the fold after his recovery from a muscle strain. Chelsea’s boss handed Lavia the nod again at Qarabag, but Lavia was hauled off after just eight minutes with what looks like a quadricep injury.

Going by the player’s own reaction, Lavia’s latest injury might not be minor.

What Roméo Lavia did moments after being taken off against Qarabağ

The Belgium international looked in visible disarray after being taken off against Qarabağ.

Lavia was spotted throwing a water bottle in anger as he made his way for Chelsea treatment, and given how much action he’s missed since joining Chelsea, this could also be put down to pure frustration on his part.

The midfielder, who was signed for around £58 million from Southampton in 2023, missed almost all of his debut season – bar 32 minutes against Crystal Palace – with ankle and hamstring problems. He was forced to sit out a grand total of 226 days last term as well, with Maresca and supporters now anxiously waiting for a more definitive update on his condition.

It’s a crying shame for a player who Maresca branded one of world football’s “best midfielders” when fit and available, but his patches of readiness to play are simply too few and far between.

For BlueCo and the board, an uncomfortable conversation may need to be had soon.