Worse signing than Chermiti: English club pushing to sign Rangers flop

Glasgow Rangers decided to sack sporting director Kevin Thelwell and CEO Patrick Stewart at the end of last month after a dismal start to the season and a managerial change.

Russell Martin was brought in by Thelwell and subsequently replaced by Danny Rohl after just 17 matches, whilst the former Everton chief’s work in the transfer market was also called into question.

The £8m signing of Youssef Chermiti from Everton, for example, has been in the spotlight because the Portuguese striker has only scored one goal so far this season, per Sofascore.

English club pushing to sign Rangers flop

Whilst there are question marks over the Portugal U21 international, the Gers look set to cash in on a player who has been an even worse signing than the centre-forward.

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 the Daily Record, English Championship side Sheffield United are ‘pushing’ to secure a deal to sign Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Joe Rothwell in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Blades are in pole position to snap up the experienced Englishman ahead of the second half of the season, and that they are confident that they can get a deal over the line.

It adds that moving Rothwell on from Ibrox would free up ‘substantial’ funds, possibly in wages, to allow Rohl to dip into the market for a replacement.

Why Rothwell has been a worse signing than Chermiti

The criticism of the deal to bring Chermiti to Ibrox for £8m is completely understandable. He is a striker who has scored one goal in 17 matches after being their most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo signed for £12m in 2000.

However, as much as some supporters may not want to hear it when they want instant results, he is also a 21-year-old prospect who needs time to find his feet and find his confidence.

This means that the Portugal U21 international still has time on his side to make a success of his Rangers career and prove that Thelwell was right to splash £8m on his services in the summer.

Rothwell, meanwhile, is a 30-year-old midfielder who is at the other end of his career and is unlikely to improve much past this point, which is why selling him to Sheffield United after half a season makes sense, given his struggles in a Rangers shirt.

Since signing from Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee, the Englishman has provided no goals and two assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Kilmarnock

Not in squad

Dundee United

Not in squad

Falkirk

Not in squad

Livingston

Unused sub

Dundee

Not in squad

Hibernian

Unused sub

Kilmarnock

Unused sub

Dundee United

83 minutes

Falkirk

70 minutes

Livingston

17 minutes

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has either been an unused substitute or has failed to make the matchday squad for the last seven games in the Scottish Premiership.

Chermiti, meanwhile, has had minutes in all nine of the matches that he has been available for in the Premiership this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is still trusted by Rohl.

Rothwell, it seems, is not trusted by the German head coach, as evidenced by his lack of minutes on the pitch and this potential transfer to Sheffield United in January. Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar even went as far as to describe him as a “rotten” signing.

The former Leeds United star was signed, as an experienced 30-year-old midfielder, to make an immediate impact for Martin in the middle of the park, but it clearly has not worked out for him at Ibrox, which is why a move to Bramall Lane in January appears to suit all parties involved.

His age and experience are why he has been such a disappointing signing for the Light Blues, because he should have been the anchor of the midfield to provide a platform for the rest of the team to build from in possession, as a reliable and experienced performer.

It has not worked out like that, though, and now he looks set to move on from Glasgow after less than a year at the club, which speaks to how much of a flop he has been.

Rohl must drop Fernandez & "rotten" Rangers flop who belong in Caixinha era

Danny Rohl should drop this Glasgow Rangers duo who belong in the Pedro Caixinha era after their performances against Ferencvaros.

ByDan Emery 1 day ago

That also shows that he has been an even worse signing than Chermiti, despite the money involved in that deal, because the Portuguese talent, at least, appears to have a future at Ibrox under Rohl in the short term and has plenty of time left ahead of him to improve and develop

Spurs eyeing bid to sign “unbelievable” PL defender who scored twice this week

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering launching a 2026 bid to sign an impressive defender who just scored a Premier League brace.

Carragher name-drops Marco Silva as pressure grows on Frank

Thomas Frank should be pleased that his side showed some resilience to complete their comeback against Newcastle United late on in midweek, but it was ultimately another attacking performance to forget. The Lilywhites found themselves relying on Cristian Romero brace to salvage a point as their frontline once again struggled to create.

The pressure is certainly growing on Frank, who is quickly losing the backing of supporters thanks to his pragmatic style. It remains to be seen whether ENIC pull the plug so early into the manager’s tenure, but that didn’t stop Jamie Carragher from suggesting a manager that he’s always seen heading to Spurs.

The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend said: “I actually think he was the one manager Everton should have stuck with. I’ve always seen Silva at Tottenham, I’m not saying Tottenham as in change Thomas Frank put Marco Silva in.

“The point I’m trying to make is not quite go from Fulham to like you know a Liverpool or Manchester City you think going to sort of compete for the league but sort of that sort of level just belong with it trying to get you know Champions League maybe, you know Aston Villa, that type of team that would almost be the next step for him in the Premier League.”

Of course, if Spurs are to make a decison then it should come before the January transfer window, when they could look to sign a defensive addition.

Tottenham eyeing Van Hecke bid

According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a bid to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke in 2026 following the defender’s impressive start to the campaign for Brighton. Like Romero in midweek, Van Hecke netted an unlikely brace for the Seagulls, highlighting his surprising goalscoring threat in a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.

That said, Van Hecke’s set-piece threat is unlikely to be the main reason for Tottenham’s interest. Instead, their focus will be on his defensive prowess – especially as Frank continues to experiment with an occasional back three.

In Romero, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke, the Lilywhites would suddenly have a solid trio to choose from in a back three. That, in itself, would go a long way towards turning things around for Frank.

Brighton rarely make things easy for buying clubs, however, and the praise of manager Fabian Hurzeler suggests that the Seagulls will be keen to keep hold of their man.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update amid mounting Tottenham pressure

The reliable journalist has some information.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

The young manager told reporters last season: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player. He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.”

Tottenham in 'very advanced' talks with £88m Semenyo alternative over Spurs move

The Numbers Behind MLB's Spring Training Experiment With ABS Challenge System

Major League Baseball has concluded its spring training experiment with the automated ball-strike system and the numbers stats from it are promising.

The league released its report on Wednesday and it appears the system worked as it was designed to.

The system was used in 288 spring training games, with an average of 4.1 challenges per game, compared to 3.9 per game in Triple-A during the 2024 campaign. Through spring training, 2.6% of all pitches were challenged, with 52.2% of challenged pitches getting overturned, both figures on par with the system’s use in Triple-A ball in 2024.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, each challenge lasted an average of 13.8 seconds, compared to 16.6 seconds in Triple-A in 2024.

It would seem the system is working as desinged—ensuring more calls were correct while keeping stoppages to a minimum. For those who watched games with the system, challenges just seemed to be a seamless part of things, with fans getting to see the tracked pitch cross the plate and anticipate the result.

Given the success of this run with ABS, it feels like the challenge system could make the jump to the majors sooner rather than later.

Bad news for Sesko: Man Utd ready to pay £52m to sign "one of the best" CFs

Manchester United have sifted through a familiar pile of problems so far this season, but there’s been enough about Ruben Amorim’s side to suggest a turnaround may yet be on the horizon.

A daunting trip to Anfield looms large for the Red Devils now that the October international break has been wrapped up, and INEOS will expect to see an upswing in results, having unlocked their purse and spent a pretty penny on new signings this summer.

Liverpool

7

£415m

Chelsea

10

£285m

Arsenal

8

£255m

Newcastle

7

£250m

Man United

5

£216m

Given that last year’s 15th-place Premier League finish and defeat by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final have limited Amorim and his team to domestic action only this year, it’s impressive that INEOS granted a significant outlay to help get Old Trafford back on track.

Among those arrivals was Benjamin Sesko, who hasn’t quite hit the ground running after joining from German side RB Leipzig.

Man Utd considering Sesko upgrade

This month, Sesko put the brakes on his Man United progress, having scored two goals in succession, heading out for international action with Slovenia.

He didn’t carry his form over to the World Cup qualifiers, but the 22-year-old striker has shown in recent weeks his capacity to succeed at the Theatre of Dreams, with Wayne Rooney citing the star’s aerial “influence” as proving a “handful” for Sunderland two weeks ago.

But with Rasmus Hojlund now out on loan with Napoli and with a mandatory purchase option worth £38m, there’s a sense Amorim and Man United technical director Jason Wilcox might be seeking an alternative at number nine.

Well, according to Spanish sources this week, that player could be Mateo Retegui, who is already attracting intrigue after leaving Atalanta for Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia this summer.

The 26-year-old cost his new outfit a reported £56m in July, and so would cost United a heavy outlay if they were to pursue this market potential.

In fact, the Spanish media suggest a fee in the region of €60m (about £52m) would do the trick.

Mateo Retegui for Italy

But two strikers are better than one, and with United planning to return to European competition by the start of next term, adding Retegui to the ranks might be a shrewd move.

Would his success come at Sesko’s expense?

Why Mateo Retegui is perfect for Man Utd

Retegui, an Italy international but born and raised in Argentina, left his South American homeland in 2023 and joined Genoa, scoring nine times across the 2023/24 campaign and piquing the interest of Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta manager.

Transferring to La Dea following their historic success in the Europa League, Retegui notched 28 goals across the recent campaign, with Italian manager Luciano Spalletti saying, “Inside the box, he is lethal.”

That’s exactly what the Red Devils need going forward, and while Sesko promises much under Amorim’s management, it’s clear he is a work in progress, and that a period of adaptation might spill over into the following season.

Retegui would be the perfect player, at a different stage in his career development, to jockey for a place at the front of the ship and ensure United go from strength to strength next season and beyond.

With five goals and four assists from his past four matches for Gli Azzurri during World Cup qualifying, Retegui is proving he has retained the requisite sharpness to succeed in the Premier League for a superpower such as Man United.

If we’ve learned anything about Man United’s goalscoring conundrum over the past year or so, it’s that strikers need service. Hojlund has come alive since leaving England, and United’s 14th-placed ranking for big chances created last season (66) emphasises the root of their creative struggles then.

But things have changed this term. Tactical imbalances still reign, but Sesko is benefiting from Bruno Fernandes’ creativity; no Premier League player has created more big chances than his 18 this season.

Just imagine the gains that could be made with Retegui thrown into the mix. According to Sofascore, Retegui only missed 18 big chances in Serie A last season, scoring 25 times, which emphasises his clinical quality in the danger area. The Italian averaged more than a chance created per game besides.

For all that is lopsided about Amorim’s system and the application of the players within it, United actually top the xG (expected goals) chart in the top flight so far.

Retegui has proven over the past few years his goalscoring ability and aptitude across the final third. For Atalanta, he was “one of the best acquisitions of the summer transfer window” in 2024, after all.

Kylian Mbappe

34

31

Mohamed Salah

38

29

Robert Lewandowski

34

27

Harry Kane

31

26

Mateo Retegui

36

25

He no longer competes on the European circuit, but the Italian has started life in the Gulf as clinically as he left his career in his homeland, posting three goals from four matches across the Saudi Pro League campaign so far.

Given that, across the past 12 months, he ranks among the top 5% of strikers for goals scored, the top 7% for assists and the top 11% for recoveries completed per 90, as per FBref’s data, there’s a sense that this mobile and aggressive goalscorer could be the perfect counterpoint to the tall and powerful Sesko.

But if Retegui were to hit the ground running, it might actually be to the detriment of Sesko’s own rise in the Premier League.

Man Utd now eyeing record-breaking Lammens upgrade who's "good with his feet"

The Red Devils are already looking to sign a new goalkeeper, despite signing Senne Lammens in the summer.

ByDominic Lund Oct 15, 2025

Gian Piero Gasperini issues worrying update on Paulo Dybala after Argentina international sustained thigh injury following missed penalty

Argentina forward and AS Roma talisman Paulo Dybala appeared to suffer a thigh injury over the weekend, as the ace missed a penalty against AC Milan. Boss Gian Piero Gasperini has now shared a worrying update on the 31-year-old's thigh injury, labelling it as a major setback for the side.

Dybala misses a penalty

After league leaders Napoli played out a 0-0 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como, Roma, who had accumulated 21 points prior to the Milan game, had a huge chance to move top of Serie A. Strahinja Pavlovic scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute, helping Max Allegri get the better of his Italian counterpart during the first half, despite Roma being the more dominant party among the two. Late on, Dybala had the opportunity to convert from the spot but his shot was saved by Milan custodian Mike Maignan and the Argentine sustained a thigh injury in the process.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGasperini sheds light on Dybala's injury

The scenario was enough to assume Dybala had indeed suffered a hefty blow, but the extent of his injury is yet to be revealed. Gasperini said: "The worst thing of all on the penalty is that Dybala got injured. Now we need to see how long he’ll be out, certainly until after the break for international duty. This is the biggest loss of the night."

Notably, this was Dybala's first penalty miss in Roma colours. The last time the Argentine missed from the spot in a competitive fixture dates back to his Juventus days, as he last missed against Salernitana on November 30, 2021, almost four years ago.

Gasperini rues finishing but praises team

The Italian head coach once again criticised his team's clinical abilities in front of goal. However, he felt the quality of football had improved. 

He claimed: "We created lots of chances, this is the approach I want to take, and when you leave these games empty-handed there is a lot of regret, but also confidence we are on the right path. I think we made the step up in quality today in everything except the finishing. Our first half was excellent, with strong character to dominate a strong team on their own turf. We suffered a little after their goal and the start of the second half, but then got back to pushing again. I am struggling to find negatives from the performance. Naturally, we are angry and have regrets at the defeat, but unfortunately in football you can miss chances by centimetres, I remain happy with the overall performance. 

"This team has spirit, it can play good football, we’ve certainly paid a price over these last few months for failing to convert four out of five penalties, which are a lot between Serie A and the Europa League. The other thing we need to improve is that I see many big clubs pouring forward and they still manage to get a goal somewhere even in chaotic fashion. I think that is what we are lacking, when you dominate a game to this degree, you need to take home the result."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportRoma's finishing and upcoming games

Roma sit fourth on the Serie A table and boast the same points tally as Inter and Milan, but they have the lowest goals scored among the top 10 teams in the table, with only 10. While they have the best defensive record in the league, with just five goals conceded, the lackluster finishing has cost them. Previously, Gasperini had been furious with his team's sluggish approach in the attacking third, and now with Dybala's injury, he has another puzzle to solve. The Argentine is a vital cog in his system and missing his services against Rangers (November 6) in the Europa League, where his team are desperate for a win after emerging victorious only once in three matches, and against Udinese (November 9) in the league, who have six points fewer than them, is a huge blow for the Giallorossi.

'How long does this go on for?!' – Man Utd legend Wes Brown warns 'The United Strand' he might have to get out-of-control afro braided after Nottingham Forest draw sets viral sensation back to square one

Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has warned Red Devils fan 'The United Strand' that he might have to get his out-of-control afro braided following the club's 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest last weekend. The viral sensation, whose real name is Frank Ilett, has vowed not to cut his hair until United win five matches on the bounce. Ruben Amorim's side were on a three-game winning spree until Forest ended their streak.

  • Who is 'The United Strand'?

    Ilett is a United fan who goes by the username 'The United Strand' on social media platforms. He took a vow in October 2024 – after Amorim was appointed as United's new head coach – that he would not cut his hair until his favourite club won five matches on the bounce. Ilett now has a full-on afro as the Red Devils are yet to hit that mark. 

    Amorim's side came close to achieving the feat after they beat Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton in consecutive Premier League matches last month, but the streak ended after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Forest. Therefore, 'The United Strand' is now back to square one as his wait for a haircut continues. 

  • Advertisement

  • Getty/Instagram

    United legend Brown issues warning

    Now, former United star Brown has issued a warning to the social media sensation, telling : "I like the banter. It’s funny because the other day my daughter showed me. When you’re thinking of five games on the bounce to win it sounds fairly straightforward. That can be done. That’s what I love about the game. Regardless of the results some fun can come from it. But is he going to get it cut? How long does this go on for? How many teams have done five in a row in the league? Even from last season. It’s probably harder than you think. He might have to get it braided."

    Brown also gave his honest thoughts on United's latest performance, adding: "Against Forest, they were punished for a small lapse in concentration but they will learn from that. They have to keep focus, because you will get punished in the Premier League if you don`t."

  • Beckham told to cut Ilett's hair

    Another former Red Devils star, Nani, has urged club legend David Beckham to cut Ilett's hair if United actually manage to register five wins in a row. Ahead of the Forest clash, Nani had told : "If that means that Man Utd is winning, I want him to cut his hair. We need two more games and I believe it's going to happen because of the way we've been playing. I think it’s deserved. Man Utd just need to be very, very disciplined during the next two games, staying humble and working hard. It doesn’t need to be 3-0 or 4-0, 1-0 is enough. I think after he cuts his hair then everything will change and we will look forward. I think he’d like a legend to cut his hair and I think David Beckham should do it, he’s had plenty of practice. He'd be perfect!"

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • AFP

    United aim to get back to winning ways

    United dropped to eighth in the Premier League table following their draw against Forest. Amorim will now go back to the drawing board to fix their defensive issues which led to the team conceding twice against a struggling Forest side. They will be back in action on Saturday as the Red Devils face Thomas Frank's Tottenham in a difficult away fixture. 

Shock at Celtic as 'divisive' Brendan Rodgers sensationally quits as manager and Martin O'Neill makes return to Parkhead

Celtic have announced Brendan Rodgers has left his role as manager with immediate effect. The 52-year-old has departed Celtic Park following Sunday's 3-1 defeat against Hearts which has left them eight points adrift of the Scottish Premiership leaders. He has been replaced on an interim basis by Martin O’Neill, who returns for a second spell after previously managing the club between 2000 and 2005.

  • Rodgers departs as Celtic suffer seismic loss at leaders Hearts

    Celtic confirmed Rodgers had tended his resignation on Monday evening, in news which has raised eyebrows across Scottish football. After suffering a surprise 2-0 loss at the hands of Dundee on 19 October, the Bhoys were consigned to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since 2023 following the reverse against Hearts on Sunday. An own goal from defender Dane Murray and strikes from Hearts duo Alexandros Kyziridis and Lawrence Shankland helped Derek McInnes’ side record a statement victory at Tynecastle.

    Confirming Rodgers’ sudden departure, Celtic said in a statement: "Celtic Football Club can confirm that football manager Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation. It has been accepted by the Club and Brendan will leave his role with immediate effect. The Club appreciates Brendan’s contribution to Celtic during his two very successful periods at the Club. Brendan leaves Celtic with our thanks for the role he has played during a period of continued success for the Club and we wish him further success in the future. The process to appoint a new permanent manager is underway and the Club will update supporters further on this as soon as possible.”

  • Advertisement

  • Getty Images Sport

    Fan favourite O'Neill returns to Celtic on an interim basis

    Celtic have also announced that O’Neill will now take charge on an interim basis, with former Hoops midfielder Shaun Maloney named as assistant manager. O’Neill, 73, is a favourite among Celtic fans after leading the club to seven major honours during his first spell in charge, winning three league titles. The Glasgow side also reached the 2002-03 UEFA Cup final under O'Neill, losing 3-2 in extra time against Jose Mourinho’s Porto.

    Confirming O’Neill’s return to the club, Celtic said: ”We are pleased that during this interim period former Celtic manager, Martin O’Neill and former Celtic player, Shaun Maloney have agreed to take charge of Celtic first-team matters. Further details will be confirmed shortly."

  • Getty Images Sport

    Rodgers savaged in astonishing statement by club shareholder

    In an extraordinary statement following Rodgers' departure, principal shareholder Dermot Desmond described the Northern Irishman as "divisive, misleading, and self-serving", telling Celtic's official club website: "Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation as manager of Celtic Football Club. I want to acknowledge Brendan’s contribution across his two spells as manager, during which he helped deliver success that forms part of the club’s modern history. However, I must also express my deep disappointment at the way the past several months have unfolded.

    "When we brought Brendan back to Celtic two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success. Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust. In June, both Michael Nicholson and I expressed to Brendan that we were keen to offer him a contract extension, to reaffirm the club’s full backing and long-term commitment to him. He said he would need to think about it and revert. Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue.

    "We met with Brendan regularly, including in December last year and at the start of the summer, with regular dialogue in between, to discuss and agree our collective strategy, priorities, and approach. Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.

    "His later public statements about transfers and club operations came entirely out of the blue. At no point prior to those remarks had he raised any such concerns with me, Michael, or any member of the board or executive team. In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process – including record investment in players he personally identified and approved. When his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue.

    "Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative. Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving. They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the Board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable.

    "Every member of the Board and executive team is deeply passionate about Celtic and acts at all times with professionalism, integrity, and a shared desire for success. What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others. Celtic’s structure — where the manager oversees football, the Chief Executive manages operations, and the Board provides oversight — has served the club with great success for more than two decades.

    "We all share the same ambition: to ensure Celtic’s continued success domestically and to achieve further progress in Europe. Every pound generated by the club is reinvested towards those goals and the continuous improvement of Celtic Football Club. Celtic is greater than any one person. Our focus now is on restoring harmony, strengthening the squad, and continuing to build a club worthy of its values, traditions, and supporters."

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Rodgers enjoyed incredible success across two spells as Celtic manager

    Rodgers enjoyed remarkable success across two spells in charge of Celtic. In his first term between 2016 and 2019, the former Liverpool manager guided the club to the ‘Double Treble’ of Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup glory. Following a stint with Premier League side Leicester City, which saw him lead the Foxes to the 2021 FA Cup, Rodgers returned to Celtic in 2023, clinching a further four honours including two more league titles.

His value has risen by 3900%: Everton must rue selling a homegrown Grealish

Are Everton… fun now?

Last time out, the Toffees beat Wolves 3-2 at Molineux, thanks to goals from Beto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and then Iliman Ndiaye, albeit Jack Grealish was the star of the show, registering two assists.

That’s now three successive victories in league and cup for David Moyes’ men, who will be looking to make that four in a row, achieving this for the first time since December 2023, when Aston Villa visit Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday; the Villans haven’t even scored a goal yet this season.

With Grealish the poster boy, the Blues are playing a brand of free-flowing, attacking football not often associated with Moyes, but just imagine how good this team would be had they not sold an academy prospect for £400k.

Jack Grealish's Everton renaissance

During his final two seasons at Manchester City, Grealish saw just 1,716 minutes of action in the Premier League, during which time he accumulated a miserly four goals and two assists.

Thus, it was hard to forecast if the England international would be able to rediscover his mojo upon moving to Merseyside, but the early evidence suggests he certainly has.

Having registered two assists against both Brighton and Wolves, Grealish leads the way in the Premier League with four assists; no one else has more than two.

This is, as already mentioned, twice as many assists as he mustered across two league seasons with Man City, so, should he continue this form, he’ll surely force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for games against Wales and Latvia in October.

Grealish is of course only on loan at the Toffees, but they do have a £50m option to buy, which would smash the club’s transfer record which currently stands at £45m.

So, could Everton have saved themselves a potentially enormous outlay by holding onto an academy graduate, rather than selling him for just £400k?

Everton's homegrown talent starring on the international stage

Unless they keep a keen eye on the youth teams, it is possible that Evertonians have never even heard the name Isaac Price before.

He joined the club’s academy at the age of seven, making 64 appearances for the U21s, but featuring just three times for the first team, totalling 45 minutes, debuting against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, before late substitute cameos against Arsenal and Brighton in the Premier League.

Everton midfielder Isaac Price.

Thus, no one particularly noticed or cared when, still a teenager at the time, he was sold to Standard Liège, the Blues receiving around £400,000 in compensation.

During 18 months in Belgium, Price established himself as a first-team regular, making 64 appearances for les Rouches, his solitary goal for the club coming during a 2-1 victory over Club Brugge at Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

These performances must’ve caught the eye back home because, back in January, West Bromwich Albion paid £2.5m to bring him to The Hawthorns.

Having been in and out of the side last season, Price began this campaign on fire, bagging the only goal against Blackburn Rovers on the opening weekend, before scoring a brace during a 3-2 victory over Wrexham at the Racecourse the following weekend.

However, it is his displays for Northern Ireland that have propelled the 21-year-old into the limelight.

He opened his international account against Slovenia in Ljubljana soon after leaving Everton before, back in October 2024, netting a hat-trick during a 5-0 Nations League demolition of Bulgaria at Windsor Park.

This makes him only the sixth man to score a treble for the Green and White Army, after Billy McAdams (1960), Johnny Crossan (1965), George Best (1971), Colin Clarke (1991) and David Healy (2006 & 2007).

His international scoring spree has hit new heights this calendar year, on target during friendlies against Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland, before bagging his tenth for his country with a sweetly struck volley during a World Cup qualifier against Germany at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday night, making it 1-1.

This goal in Köln makes Price the youngest player to reach ten goals for Northern Ireland, joining illustrious company at that milestone. Like Grealish as a youngster, he’s burst onto the scene in quite some style.

Players to score 10+ goals for Northern Ireland

Players

Caps

Goals

David Healy

95

36

Kyle Lafferty

89

20

Billy Gillespie

25

13

Colin Clarke

38

13

Steven Davis

140

13

Joe Bambrick

11

12

Jimmy Quinn

46

12

Iain Dowie

59

12

Gerry Armstrong

63

12

Josh Magennis

82

12

Jimmy McIlroy

55

10

Isaac Price

24

10

Johnny Crossan

24

10

All information courtesy of 11v11.com

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is certainly a fan, labelling Price a “magnificent…box-to-box midfielder”, while his international manager Michael O’Neill, described him as a “brilliant young player”, highlighting his work-rate and pressing. Positionally, he may well be different to Grealish but the same raw, exciting talent is certainly there.

As a result, according to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now West Brom’s most valuable player, with an estimated transfer value of around £16m.

Thus, even with Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye and the recently signed Tyler Dibling fighting for starting positions in Moyes’ team, Price would surely have improved this Everton squad, had they been able to keep hold of him two years ago.

Imagine him & Grealish: Everton may have Baines 2.0 in 19-year-old starlet

Everton’s next Leighton Baines could be a perfect partner to Jack Grealish down the left flank

By
Will Miller

Sep 6, 2025

CPF na nota? São Paulo tem larga vantagem contra o Palmeiras em mata-matas

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo encara o Palmeiras, nesta quinta-feira (13), às 20h, pela volta das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, com uma vantagem histórica no confronto em mata-matas. Em 20 duelos desse tipo entre os rivais, o Tricolor venceu nada mais nada menos do que 15.

+ Veja tabela e as próximas rodadas do Brasileirão

O último foi justamente na Copa do Brasil de 2022, quando o São Paulo bateu o Palmeiras nos pênaltis, em pleno Allianz Parque, depois de vencer o jogo de ida por 1 a 0 e perder o da volta por 2 a 1.

Neste tipo de jogo eliminatório de competição oficial, o Tricolor foi campeão em um Choque-Rei no Campeonato Paulista de 1992 e 2021, e desbancou o rival nas semifinais do Paulista de 1977 (primeiro turno), 1979, 1987, 1998 e 2019, nas semifinais do Super Paulista de 2002.

ATUAÇÕES: Zagueiro da base se destaca em empate do São Paulo no Brasileirão

Além disso, ganhou nas semifinais do Torneio Rio-São Paulo de 1998 e 2002, nas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil de 2000, nas oitavas de final da Copa Libertadores de 1994, 2005 e 2006 e, por último, na já mencionada Copa do Brasil.

O São Paulo perdeu apenas no Torneio Laudo Natel de 1972, no Campeonato Brasileiro de 2000, no Campeonato Paulista de 2008 e 2022, e na Copa Libertadores de 2021.

Inter quebra recorde com a maior quantidade de estrangeiros no time titular

MatériaMais Notícias

Na tarde deste domingo, o Internacional visitou o Red Bull Bragantino e empatou sem gols no Nabi Abi Chedid.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoBrasileirão: Internacional fica no empate com Bragantino no retorno de CoudetBrasileirão23/07/2023BrasileirãoVÍDEO: Gols e melhores momentos de Santos 2 x 2 BotafogoBrasileirão23/07/2023Fora de CampoPalmeirenses lamentam boa estreia de Jean Lucas no Santos: ‘Era tudo que a gente precisava’Fora de Campo23/07/2023

A igualdade marcou a estreia do técnico Eduardo Coudet, que ocupou a vaga de Mano Menezes, demitido na última segunda-feira.

Recorde 

Além do técnico argentino no banco de reservas, o Inter marcou a presença de oito jogadores estrangeiros em campo no time titular, até então, algo inédito na história do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Veja os ‘gringos’ que atuaram pelo Inter: 

Sergio Rochet

Fabian Bustos

Nico Hernández

Gabriel Mercado

Charles Aránguiz

Johnny

Carlos De Pena

Enner Valencia

Game
Register
Service
Bonus