Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has blasted Dani Carvajal over the fiery confrontation with Lamine Yamal in the wake of Real Madrid's victory in the Clasico on Sunday. Gaspart said Carvajal is “finished” and should not have provoked the 18-year-old at the end of the match, while the former chief also offered advice to Barca's young star.

Gaspart defends Yamal after fiery Clasico clash

The aftermath of Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Barcelona in Sunday’s Clasico has taken another twist, as former Barca president Gaspart stepped into the fray to defend their sensation Yamal. The 18-year-old was at the heart of post-match tensions when Madrid captain Carvajal confronted him over remarks made before the game.

Yamal’s controversial pre-match comments, made during a Kings League stream last week, accused Madrid of “stealing and complaining,” a playful jab that enraged Los Blancos supporters and players alike. After the final whistle at the Santiago Bernabeu, Carvajal was seen gesturing at Yamal, shouting “You speak too much… speak now,” which sparked a heated on-pitch melee involving several players and security personnel.

Real Madrid’s victory, which ended a run of four defeats to Barca, was overshadowed by the incident. Cameras caught Vinicius Junior joining Carvajal in taunting the youngster, reportedly shouting “Talk now!” as chaos unfolded. The episode has sparked national debate about the growing rivalry and how the young winger handles scrutiny.

AdvertisementGetty ‘Who the hell is Carvajal?’ – Gaspart's take

Speaking on , Gaspart launched a strong defence of the teenager while taking aim at Carvajal. “Who the hell is Carvajal? He was a great player, but he’s finished now,” the ex-president said bluntly. “Why should Lamine call him if his statements weren’t even directed at him?”

Gaspart, who led Barcelona from 2000 to 2003, compared the backlash around Yamal to a father scolding a son, insisting the young forward’s talent has drawn love and high expectations from the Barca faithful. “They made the mistake of calling him the best in the world too early. He could become it, but he’s not there yet.”

The pre-match comments that lit the fuse

The tension between the two clubs had been building since before the match, while on a Kings League stream with Pique, Yamal joked that Real Madrid “steal, they complain,” and later reposted photos from Barcelona’s famous 4-0 win at the Bernabeu last season. Madrid fans took the comments as arrogance, while Yamal’s own teammates reportedly cautioned him to stay focused.

Those words added extra spice to an already high-stakes fixture. When Madrid’s Carvajal confronted Yamal after the final whistle, it was seen as both retaliation and a warning from a senior player. However, the altercation, caught by TV cameras and shared widely online, reignited discussion over player behaviour and respect in Spanish football.

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Getty Images SportEx-Barcelona president offers advice to Yamal

Gaspart also weighed in on how Barca should manage their young star, calling on Flick to be the authoritative figure Yamal needs. “If Lamine is not in top condition, it’s better for him to stop and not play,” he noted. “He should slow down and recover. He needs to play at his best and not have excuses.”

The former president emphasised that Barca, while nurturing young talents like Yamal, must still uphold collective discipline. “It’s clear that he needs to be looked after, but Barça is above him. There are fans who love him very much and he can’t let them down,” Gaspart continued. “He needs to win back those fans and remember that even if he’s 18, he’s paid like a 30-year-old.”

Barcelona’s immediate focus now shifts back to the pitch, with crucial La Liga and Champions League fixtures ahead. The Catalan giants trail Real Madrid by five points after the defeat, and Flick’s men face a demanding run of games before the November international break. 

They will aim to bounce back when they host Elche, who are eighth in La Liga, on Sunday, which will be followed by a Champions League clash against Club Brugge a few days later. Madrid, meanwhile, are now on a five-game winning streak and meet Valencia at home this weekend before heading to England for their European showdown against Arne Slot's struggling Liverpool.

David Moyes has made a strong start to his second spell in charge of Everton, but it will take a lot to match what he achieved in his first stint on Merseyside. The Scot had a 12-year reign at Goodison Park first time around, where he managed 518 games, winning 221 of them.

Although he never guided the Toffees to any silverware, Moyes, who left the club to manage Manchester United in 2013, turned them into a consistent top-four challenger.

Fourth place was the highest he took the club in 2004/05, finishing in the top half eight other times.

Moyes had some iconic players at his disposal in that first spell, with Marouane Fellaini one that springs to mind.

Fellaini’s time under Moyes at Everton

Belgian international Fellaini is certainly someone who could be classed as a cult hero of the Premier League. The now 37-year-old was brought to Goodison Park by Moyes in 2008/09, joining from Standard Liege, whose academy he is a graduate of.

Well, the midfielder, who stands at six foot four, shone under Moyes during their time together on Merseyside.

He played 173 times under the Scot in that famous Blue shirt, scoring 32 goals and assisting 24.

His best campaign came in the final season the pair spent together at Goodison Park, 2012/13. That season, Fellaini scored 11 times and chipped in with five assists in 31 top-flight games.

He was a huge aerial threat, with this header in the season opener against Man United an example of how deadly he could be in the opposition box.

The Everton manager clearly appreciated a player of Fellaini’s profile in his squad. Back in 2011, he explained in an interview that “he is a bigger threat than most because of his size, he can create goals and can be disruptive to the opposition.”

Of course, now Moyes is the Toffees manager once again, he might be looking for their new Fellaini. Over the summer, he may have signed the perfect player to execute the role.

Moyes’ new Fellaini

When looking to replicate Fellaini, it is clear what profile Moyes needs in his squad. A tall, physical midfielder who is strong in duels and can have an impact crashing the box, looking to get on the end of crosses and disrupt play.

This summer, Everton signed 23-year-old German midfielder Merlin Rohl on loan from Freiburg, with an obligation to buy him for £17.3m at the end of the season.

Well, standing at 6 foot 4 himself, Rohl could be the ideal candidate to fill the Fellaini role.

Although he’s only played once for Everton so far, after picking up an injury, the Berlin-born midfielder showed his value in a Freiburg shirt. In 60 appearances, he bagged three goals and assisted six.

This strike in the Europa League shows exactly the kind of chaos he can cause in the opposition penalty box.

Indeed, the underlying numbers from his last two full seasons in the Bundesliga show how much of a threat he can be in and out of possession.

For example, he won an average of 5.7 duels per 90 minutes last season, and the campaign before created 1.2 chances each game.

Chances created

1.2

0.9

Forward passes

6.6

4.7

Aerial duels won

1.4

1.6

Ground duels won

4.2

4.1

Ball recoveries

6.3

4.6

One of the real strengths of Rohl’s game is the versatility he can bring to Everton’s side. The 23-year-old, described by Klemens Hartenbach as a player with “enormous potential,” can operate anywhere in midfield and has even played out wide.

This was something that Everton tactical analyst Matt Smith pointed out over on X, explaining he is “capable of playing in multiple positions” in midfield. Yet, Smith said that he sees Rohl “playing slightly deeper” in the future.

With his height, goal threat and ability to win duels in midfield, it is easy to see how Rohl can become Moyes’ new Fellaini.

He is certainly a unique profile in this Everton squad, and, once he is back from injury, it will be fascinating to see how the Scot deploys him.

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Everton fans can get excited by this talented winger who can emulate Jack Grealish

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Head coach McDonald hints at top-order changes after WTC final defeat

Andrew McGlashan15-Jun-20252:11

Should Khawaja’s pattern of dismissals worry Australia?

Usman Khawaja has been backed to be part of the Ashes later this year but Marnus Labuschagne’s spot is becoming increasingly uncertain with Sam Konstas firming for a Test recall in West Indies following Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) final defeat at Lord’s.There is a chance that Steven Smith’s finger injury could provide an opening for Labuschagne to cling onto his spot, after he earned a show of faith at Lord’s partly because he had been ever-present in the WTC cycle, but the point has been reached where even that may not save him. The selectors will decide in the next 48 hours whether batting reinforcements need to be added to the squad once there is further clarity over Smith’s prognosis, but regardless it’s difficult to see a scenario where 19-year-old Konstas doesn’t return at the top of the order.Related

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“It was a big discussion leading into this Test match and I was on the record a couple of weeks ago talking about the need to bed down that opening combination,” head coach Andrew McDonald said. “We’ve had a bit of musical chairs there so it might be the time.”Labuschagne was moved up to open alongside Khawaja at Lord’s, the first time he had done the role in Test cricket, largely to accommodate the returning Cameron Green at No. 3 and came away with scores of 17 and 22 to leave him with an average of 27.82 for the WTC cycle.”He’s a big part of the future of the team,” McDonald said. “Anyone that averages 45, 46 in Test cricket at that age is important. We’ve got older players there that are closer to the end than the start. We’ve got some younger players that are coming in.”If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order. But at the moment, he’d be disappointed with the returns. He’s missed out on big scores. But we’re confident that he could return to his best and hence why we keep picking him. And at what point do we stop picking him?”I think most players across their journey get dropped at some point in time. I think he had a positive week here where he worked on the right things and had a great prep. There’s no harder worker than Marnus. Now it’s really just about the returns. And at the moment, as I said, he’d be disappointed.”Although Khawaja scored a career-best 232 against Sri Lanka three Tests ago, his twin dismissals to Kagiso Rabada at Lord’s have returned the spotlight onto him as it continues the problems he has had against pace bowling, particularly from around the wicket. However, he seems likely to be given the same run afford to David Warner when his position was called into question during the latter of stages of his career.”He’s on contract, he’s an important player,” McDonald said. “He gives us stability at his best at the top. And we like to look at our players at their best.”No doubt, a couple of failures here and people then start to talk about maybe it’s the end. I don’t see an end date with the way he’s training, the way he’s preparing, the way he’s moving. He went back to Shield cricket, got 100 last [season]. So I think he’s got plenty of runs left in him. It’ll come down to his inner drive and the way he prepares.”It was a bit the same with Davey as well. The way he moved, we saw some positives in that. We knew that the runs were around the corner. We feel as though Usman’s got a big part to play.”Josh Inglis, who scored a century on Test debut, could be in the mix for spinning conditions•Getty Images

Josh Inglis, who is the reserve wicketkeeper and the other spare batter in the current squad, would be another option to refresh the line-up, but McDonald indicated he would come into the thinking more in spinning conditions. He also confirmed they would consider Travis Head as an opener again if confronted by a significantly spin-friendly surface, although it’s unlikely pitches will be that extreme. He added there would need to be a balancing act between looking towards the Ashes and playing the conditions presented in West Indies, where Australia haven’t played a Test since 2015.”I’d like to think that we’re being flexible around our options in the batting order,” he said. “Other people are judging that and saying that’s unsettling. I think we’ve got a group that understands when we’re home it looks a certain way, when we’re away it can potentially shift.”Amid the scrutiny on the batting, McDonald did not believe the top order was the only area of the team that had fallen short at Lord’s. “I know you guys want to talk about the batting line-up and where Marnus fits and all of that,” he said. “But we’re looking into all three facets of the game where we need to keep improving to stay ahead of the opposition. I think that the bowling had some areas where we let the tempo of the game shift on day three.””We’re not a perfect team, we haven’t been across the journey. We’ve found ways to win and unfortunately this time we couldn’t conjure that up. We also lost 5 for [20] in the first innings as well. You put those seven wickets that we lost in the second innings and that’s 12 for not many runs. I think we are better than that.”But as we sit here right now, you got to say that South Africa were better in this Test match. We’ve got to look at the improvements that we need to make. There’s no doubt about that.”

Guidelines to be established in 15 days following board’s apex council meeting on Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2025The BCCI has appointed a committee to establish guidelines to prevent incidents like the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where 11 fans died during celebrations the day after Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL title.The committee comprises three top BCCI officials – secretary Devajit Saikia, vice-president Rajiv Shukla and treasurer Prabhtej Singh Bhatia – and they will formulate the guidelines within 15 days.The BCCI had not yet made an official statement on the tragedy that occurred in Bengaluru on the afternoon of June 4, as a multitude of fans gathered to celebrate and catch a glimpse of the RCB team with the IPL trophy during a victory parade and inside the Chinnaswamy Stadium.Related

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Following the stampede, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah instructed Bengaluru police to arrest officials of RCB and DNA Entertainment and ordered a probe into the events that caused the stampede. On June 6, police arrested Nikhil Sosale, RCB’s head of marketing and revenue, in Bengaluru along with two officials from DNA. They were all granted bail on June 13.Two senior officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam, had resigned from their positions citing “moral responsibility” for the stampede.

أوضح مدرب باريس سان جيرمان، لويس إنريكي، موقف لاعبه عثمان ديمبلي من المباراة أمام بايرن ميونخ في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويحل بايرن ميونخ ضيفًا على باريس سان جيرمان بملعب “حديقة الأمراء” ضمن مباريات مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، غدًا الثلاثاء، وظهر إنريكي خلال مؤتمر صحفي للحديث عن اللقاء.

وقال إنريكي: “لمعرفة من هو أفضل فريق في أوروبا، علينا الانتظار حتى نهاية الموسم، علينا أن ننتظر لنرى عدد الألقاب التي سيحققها الفريق، حاليًا، بايرن ميونخ أقوياء جدًا، ودائمًا ما يكونون كذلك، نعلم مدى صعوبة المباراة، لكننا مستعدون”.

وأضاف: “ستكون هناك مواقف مماثلة بنفس مبادئ اللعب، ستكون مباراة مثيرة، الفوز في 15 مباراة متتالية أمرٌ مذهل، إنهم يستحقون كل التقدير، ولكن غدًا، في حديقة الأمراء، مع جماهيرنا وهذه الأجواء، لدينا الثقة لمحاولة تحسين أدائنا والتغلب على ضغطهم، ستكون مباراةً مشابهةً تمامًا لتلك التي لعبناها في الصيف”.

وعن جاهزية عثمان ديمبلي، أوضح: “لا توجد مخاطرة مع أي لاعب، لكن عثمان جاهز، لقد تدرب جيدًا خلال الأسابيع القليلة الماضية، وشارك في المباراتين الأخيرتين، وتحسنت حالته البدنية، سيلعب غدًا بالطبع، لا أعرف عدد الدقائق التي سيلعبها، لكنه جاهز للبطولة، سنقرر مدة مشاركته”.

وأشاد لويس إنريكي بماركينيوس كقائد للفريق قائلاً: “في كرة القدم، لا شك في مستوى ماركينيوس، على المستوى الشخصي، هو قوي جدًا؛ إنه شخص رائع، إنه قائد حقيقي، وأنا سعيد جدًا بوجود لاعب مثله، آمل أن يبقى هنا طويلًا جدًا”.

وواصل: “من المهم الفوز هنا، من أجل النقاط الثلاث، ولكن أيضًا لأن مجموعتنا هي الأصعب في دوري أبطال أوروبا، من المهم الاستمتاع بهذه المباراة وهذه الأجواء”.

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وأكد: “جميع المباريات مهمة، لكن جدولنا مزدحم وصعب، وعلينا حصد النقاط في أسرع وقت ممكن، هذا ما سنسعى إليه غدًا، تمامًا كما فعلنا في المباريات الثلاث الأولى”.

واستطرد: “نحتاج لتغيير الكثير من الأمور، إذا كررنا نفس الأسلوب، فسيكون الخصم ذكيًا جدًا ويتغير، إنه نفس الهدف الذي يجب تحقيقه بطرق مختلفة، نتحدث عن تفاصيل صغيرة، وقد اعتدنا عليها، هذا ما اعتدنا عليه في السنوات القليلة الماضية، أنا واثق، وأعتقد أننا قادرون على التحسن، لكنني سعيد بما أراه”.

وأبدى إنريكي سعادته بلاعبه سيني مايولو قائلاً: “إنه لاعبٌ بالغ الأهمية بالنسبة لنا، بفضل مهاراته الفردية والفنية والبدنية، فضلًا عن قدرته على اللعب في مراكز مختلفة، هذا يسمح لي بالاستفادة من جودته خلال المباريات، عندما أحتاج إلى تغيير اللاعبين، لا يزال يتحسن، وأنا سعيدٌ جدًا بما أراه من سيني ولاعبي أكاديمية الشباب”.

وعن كوينتين نجانتو، أتم: “لقد وصل إلى الفريق بمستوى رائع، إنه أمرٌ مُفاجئ، لاعبٌ بهذه الموهبة، بتلك العقلية، وتلك الشخصية، وصل في الوقت المناسب تمامًا، أنا واثقٌ جدًا من قدراته، وآمل أن يواصل التحسن، إنه مستعد لمساعدة الفريق الأول، وكذلك فريق تحت 19 عامًا والاحتياط إذا لزم الأمر، أنا متحمس لوجود لاعب مثله في الفريق”.

A new era is on the horizon at Rangers and one that the 49ers will hope to see last longer than 123 days with the potential appointment of their next manager.

Rangers confirm staff for Dundee United clash

In an ideal world for the Gers, they would have their manager ready to go as soon as this weekend. But that’s not the case. The 49ers have been working on appointing a replacement for Russell Martin since the start of the international break, but are yet to confirm their decision following rejection from Steven Gerrard.

The former Rangers manager opted out of returning to Ibrox amid belief that the timing simply isn’t right. Forcing the Gers back to the drawing board, a number of names have emerged ever since as the wait goes on.

It became clear since Gerrard’s decision that the 49ers would have to make a decision about the Tangerines’ visit to Ibrox this weekend and it has now been confirmed that Steven Smith, Brian Gilmour, Rhys Owen and Sal Bibbo will lead the side on Saturday.

Away from the drama of their managerial search, Rangers will hope to at least get back to winning ways after drawing Martin’s final game against Falkirk. If results go their way then they could cut the gap on shock leaders Hearts to eight points and the gap on Old Firm rivals Celtic to five points – handing their next manager something to at least build on.

Meanwhile, the speculation will only continue about the next manager in the hotseat, especially after the latest update on Kevin Muscat’s potential arrival from Shanghai Port.

Reporter drops latest Muscat update as Rangers close in on deal

As reported by The Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan, Kevin Muscat’s move to Rangers is now “almost done” with the 49ers now closing in on ending their managerial search by hiring the Shanghai Port manager.

It looks as though Rangers have gone full steam ahead with Muscat even if it remains to be seen when he will officially step into the Ibrox dugout. As things stand, the 52-year-old has four games left of his side’s Chinese Super League campaign and, with Shanghai top by two points, he may yet delay his Scotland move.

If that does happen, then the Gers will have to wait until November 22 to get their man. In the meantime, it could be Smith and others who are left with the task of turning things around before the manager’s arrival, at which time the Aussie has reportedly demanded “belief” in his attacking 4-3-3 system from the higher ups at Ibrox.

49ers now convincing coach to drop his wages and join Rangers, they're confident

The Gers are closing in…

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 16, 2025

It would be the most chaotic start to a reign at a time when there has been uncertainty all around Ibrox. Alas, after Gerrard’s rejection and Danny Rohl’s latest snub, it at least seems as though Rangers are set to get their manager.

Liverpool are reportedly prepared to initiate contract talks with Dominik Szoboszlai, as the club looks to secure the future of the Hungarian. It has been revealed that Arne Slot is eager to tie down the playmaker, alongside teammate Ryan Gravenberch, with the Reds preparing for the long haul.

Liverpool ready to secure Szoboszlai’s future

According to Liverpool are preparing to open formal negotiations with Szoboszlai over a new long-term contract. Despite Liverpool’s recent inconsistencies, Szoboszlai has maintained his performance levels and been a benchmark of quality and determination. While summer signing Florian Wirtz continues to struggle, Szoboszlai has started every Premier League and Champions League game this season to cement himself as a vital cog in Slot’s evolving midfield system. 

AdvertisementGOAL Szoboszlai contract update from Romano

Romano confirmed on Friday evening that Liverpool have begun early talks over a new deal. Writing on X, he said: "Liverpool have started talks over new deal with Dominik Szoboszlai, after exclusive story 2 weeks ago. The plan was clear: Szobo and Gravenberch to discuss new contracts soon, as talks started with the Hungarian. Club super happy + top performances."

Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are currently believed to earn around £270,000 a week between them, with both contracts running until 2028. The new deal is expected to extend those terms further by a couple of years and also bring a significant pay rise for both.

Gravenberch’s rise from undesirable to undeniable

Gravenberch’s development has been equally impressive. The Dutchman arrived from Bayern Munich for £40m ($53m) and, after a slow start, he has quietly established himself as one of the team’s most reliable performers. The 22-year-old has contributed three goals and two assists in 11 appearances, and he is regarded as one of the most improved players under Slot’s guidance. 

Meanwhile, Szoboszlai’s performance in Liverpool’s recent 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid was hailed by the fans. He put in a brilliant shift while operating as the engine of Slot’s side, and his teammate Virgil van Dijk reserved high praise as he brought out his best against one of Europe’s toughest opponents. 

"What you see is what you get from Dom," Van Dijk told reporters. "He is very important. The energy he brings on the pitch is incredible and the quality that he has is outstanding. Like you said, he is learning each and every game and he is developing into the player we all feel like he could be. He is already showing that for the country he is playing for and it is about keeping on doing it for the rest of the season. So far he has had a great start to the season and he has to keep going. Keep your head down and keep performing."

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Getty Images SportSeveral contract decisions lined up at Liverpool

Slot’s new-look midfield has been a work in progress, but the trio of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister has provided a dynamic foundation. All three are expected to be tied down with fresh deals to fend away suitors, with the Argentine already linked with a move to Real Madrid. This approach is part of a wider strategic overhaul at Anfield as they are prioritising locking down key talents early rather than risking future contract stand-offs; a lesson that they learnt in a bitter way by losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid for just £10m before the Club World Cup. 

Beyond the midfield, Liverpool have other pressing contract matters to resolve. Centre-back Ibrahima Konate and vice-captain Andy Robertson are both entering the final year of their current deals. Discussions with Konate are understood to be ongoing, while Robertson’s future remains uncertain as the club weigh their long-term options.

After a brief, turbulent period under Slot, they have begun to find their rhythm again. Liverpool currently sit third in the Premier League table with 18 points from their first 10 matches. They are seven adrift of leaders Arsenal, but within striking distance as the season enters a crucial phase before the festive period. Next up is a monumental clash with Manchester City at the Etihad. Szoboszlai is certain to feature, and his tireless presence coupled with his creative force, will once again be key to Liverpool’s hopes.

The managerial saga surrounding Rangers has been a mess at Ibrox, not just during their hunt for a new head coach but during Russell Martin’s ill-fated stint in Glasgow.

The former defender was relieved of his duties just hours after Rangers’ final game before the international break and the Gers hierarchy have been rather stressfully and frantically trying to find a replacement.

At first, it looked like Steven Gerrard would head back to Scotland. That move ultimately did not come to fruition. Next on the list was Danny Rohl, but he rejected advances.

So, the top brass at Rangers focused on Kevin Muscat instead. Currently with Shanghai Port, he had made it clear he was not willing to move before the Chinese Super League season had finished.

Yet, he was the clear frontrunner and was all set to take on the reins until things collapsed on Sunday.

Consequently, the Ibrox outfit headed back towards Rohl and thankfully, this time around they avoided any late twists. He was officially unveiled on Monday afternoon.

What does the future hold for them under the German? We’ve predicted what his starting lineup could look like, and there may be one or two new additions too.

1 GK – Jack Butland

Last season, during Barry Ferguson’s mixed interim tenure, he actually dropped previously undisputed first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, favouring Liam Kelly, who started both legs of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club in April.

This season though, Butland has very much been restored as first-choice, starting 17 of the 18 fixtures, the League Cup win over third-tier Alloa the sole exception.

The highlight of his campaign, so far, has been saving a penalty from former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu against Genk, even if the Gers did lose that game anyway.

Butland has certainly been busy so far this season, particularly in the eight European ties, underling his quality, giving Rohl no reason to make a change.

2 RB – James Tavernier

He may divide opinion, but James Tavernier is a bona fide Rangers legend and, whatever supporters may say about him, he remains an integral figure in this team.

Already this season, the right-back has scored five goals across all competitions, netting four of the eight they have bagged in the Premiership.

Last Saturday, the club captain took his tally to 531 appearances and 135 goals for the club, still a pivotal figure in this team, at both ends of the pitch.

The 33-year-old was controversially left on the bench by Martin for crucial Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, but he has since reiterated that he is undroppable.

3 CB – John Souttar

On paper, Rangers do actually have the makings of a solid centre-back pairing, not that they’re showing it very much this season.

Everyone connected with Scottish football has to be pleased to see John Souttar doing well given the injury misery he has endured, rupturing both anterior cruciate ligaments during his time at Hearts.

Last season, the 29-year-old managed to stay fit, accumulating 40 appearances, the most he’d ever managed in a campaign, so continues to be a solid contributor for both club and country, and should remain first-choice under Rohl.

4 CB – Derek Cornelius

Many of Rangers’ summer signings have been, to put it politely, underwhelming, underlined by the fact few feature in this dream XI.

However, one signing who, in the long run, will prove to be an excellent addition is Derek Cornelius.

After arriving on deadline day, before even making his debut in light blue, he gave Rangers supporters an amuse bouche of what he is capable of by scoring a sumptuous free-kick for Canada against Wales in Swansea.

Cornelius arrived from Ligue 1 giants Olympique de Marseille, following one season at Stade Vélodrome, having become something of a globe trotter, even at just 27 years old, having already played in Germany, Serbia, Canada, Greece, Sweden, France and now Scotland.

Since his debut against Hearts, Cornelius has started every match, instantaneously establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet, and he should very much remain that going forward.

5 LB – Max Aarons

If we’re being truthful, there is no dream solution to Rangers’ left-back conundrum.

Jayden Meghoma has started pretty much every match since arriving on loan from Brentford, but the 19-year-old has appeared out of his depth, really underlining his inexperience.

So, for now, Max Aarons would be the most solid solution, having filled in at left-back both during his career in general and this season.

In truth though, this’ll surely be one of the positions any manager seeks to strengthen come January.

6 CDM – Pierre Ekwah: new signing

According to a recent report, Rangers and Celtic are both interested in signing Pierre Ekwah.

The 23-year-old can play at centre-back or as a defensive midfielder, and will certainly want to be on the move come January.

He spent last season on loan at Saint-Étienne from Sunderland, with les Verts making the move permanent for £5m over the summer, but this came after they had been relegated to Ligue 2.

Thus, reports claim that Ekwah has refused to play in France’s second-tier, thereby yet to feature at all this season, leaving him in the proverbial wilderness.

Highly rated from his time in Chelsea and West Ham’s academy, he may prove to be available at a cut-price and would represent an upgrade on someone like Joe Rothwell.

7 CM – Mohamed Diomandé

Ahead of the start of the new season, big things were expected of Mohamed Diomandé, who has so far endured something of a campaign to forget, albeit he’s not the only one.

The 23-year-old was sent off against Genk on the opening night of the Europa League, and his absence was felt as they were beaten 2-1 by Sturm Graz a week later.

He also sat out Saturday’s draw with Dundee United due to injury, but has certainly shown his quality in the past, so they’ll want him back in the line-up as soon as possible, possibly at the expense of Thelo Aasgaard.

8 CM – Nicolas Raskin

Likely to be World Cup-bound, Nicolas Raskin, has started four of Belgium’s last six qualifiers, including each of the last three, starting alongside Kevin De Bruyne, who isn’t bad, is he?

Despite this, Russell Martin decided he was surplus to requirements, leaving him out of four matches, not even on the bench for home games against Celtic and Hearts, with supporters choosing to side with Raskin, which is when the anti-Martin protests really ramped up.

Setting all that aside, the Belgian is clearly Rangers’ most talented player, named the club’s player of the year last season, so the new manager has to make him a central figure.

9 RW – Bobby Clark: new signing

It was actually reported earlier this week that Celtic were set to sign Bobby Clark from RB Salzburg for £6m, only for Brendan Rodgers to very much shut down those rumours. So, could the former Liverpool midfielder end up on the other side of Glasgow?

The 20-year-old, who made his senior debut at Liverpool, is currently on loan at Derby County, after a forgettable spell in Austria.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes him as a “roaming playmaker” who possesses “amazing technical quality” and can operate anywhere behind a striker, which sounds like exactly the type of player this Rangers team is lacking, does it not?

The fact he’s also been described as “the new Gazza” should also help convince those of a Rangers persuasion of his natural talent. He looks a fine replacement for Oliver Antman on the right flank.

10 LW – Djeidi Gassama

If only one Rangers player has shown glimpses of genuine quality this season, it has to be Djeidi Gassama.

After arriving from Sheffield Wednesday where he was managed by Rohl, he announced himself in style, scoring four goals in his first four appearances for the club, on target home and away against Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying, before also bagging a double against Viktoria Plzeň in the following round.

The Frenchman has only scored once since, this also in Europe against Sturm Graz just before the international break, but is clearly a talented player that this current Rangers set-up is failing to get the best out of.

Tottenham Hotspur’s squad has come a long way in such a short space of time, with Thomas Frank the current beneficiary of the hierarchy’s impressive recruitment.

Managers like Antonio Conte have tried and failed to transform the club, subsequently being unable to bring the success the fans have desired to North London.

The Italian ultimately left the club back in March 2023 despite achieving a 53% win percentage, with Ange Postecoglou taking over ahead of the following campaign.

In the last couple of years, the hierarchy have spent big on the transfer window to try and take the club to the next level and achieve a sustained period of success – whether that be in the Premier League or Europe.

One of the players brought in during such a period has demonstrated his talents for the Lilywhites, but has also come under fire for his lack of impact at certain times of his spell at the club.

The ups and downs of Brennan Johnson’s Spurs career

Brennan Johnson joined Spurs for a reported £47.5m back in the summer of 2023, arriving with high expectations after netting 10 goals and registering three assists for Nottingham Forest the year prior.

The Welshman has endured a topsy-turvy time in North London to date, only scoring five times in his first season at the club – leading to unjustifiable abuse from the supporters.

Such a situation would lead to the winger deleting his social media accounts, but it would lead to a huge upturn in form and securing his place as a regular starter once again.

Johnson would score 18 times across all competitions last campaign – the most of any player in the squad – even netting the winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

The goal against the Red Devils ended the Lilywhites’ 17-year wait for any form of silverware, subsequently handing a generation of supporters memories to last a lifetime.

Whilst scoring twice in as many outings at the start of 2025/26, Johnson has since fallen down the pecking order of late, failing to make a single start in the Premier League since the end of August.

As a result, he’s subsequently being outperformed by one former Spurs star who may have been harshly sold given his lack of first-team action in North London.

The former Spurs star who is playing better than Johnson

Whilst Spurs have spent big in the transfer market over the last couple of seasons, numerous players have had to be sacrificed to help balance the books to avoid any financial implications.

Harry Kane has been the biggest player to depart North London over recent windows, leaving in a mammoth £82m transfer to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

The Englishman has left a huge gap in the first-team squad, unsurprisingly so given his tally of 280 goals for the Lilywhites – the most by any player in the club’s history.

He wasn’t the only attacker that was sacrificed by the club to raise funds, with former boss Conte deciding to offload winger Jack Clarke to Sunderland back in the summer of 2022.

The winger joined the club from Championship side Leeds United for a fee in the region of £10m, with his addition seeing the club land themselves a star for the future.

However, it’s safe to say his time in North London failed to live up to expectations, as Clarke was restricted to only four senior appearances for the club – none of which came in the Premier League.

After countless loan spells away from the Lilywhites, he would move on a permanent basis to join the Black Cats three years after his transfer – subsequently unable to have the impact he desired.

Fast forward to the present day, the 24-year-old now plies his trade for Ipswich Town after joining them for £15m last summer, now becoming a key member of their current first-team squad.

Clarke has now scored three times and registered one assist for the Tractor Boys, a tally higher than that of Johnson, who’s only scored twice in the 2025/26 campaign.

Games played

9

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

78%

Chances created

1.3

Cross accuracy

67%

Successful dribbles

2.3

Tackles won

1.8

Fouls won

2.1

There’s no denying the Englishman is achieving such heights in a lower division, but it’s clear that he’s a player full of confidence at present – but the same can’t be said for the Welshman.

Frank needs to give Johnson the support he needs to get back to the levels he produced last season, with his drop in from in recent weeks a huge concern to everyone involved with the club.

As for Clarke, it’s great to see a former player finally fulfilling the potential he arrived with, but it’s a real shame that he’s not doing so in the whites of Tottenham.

His departure may have been a tad premature, but unfortunately for the fanbase, he will now remain a case of what could’ve been with their loss now Ipswich’s gain.

100% dribbles, 78 touches: Spurs star is now emulating Kane under Frank

Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten record in the Champions League last night against Bodo Glimt.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 1, 2025

Manchester United edged closer to finally winning five successive games in the Premier League when they won their third in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo scored two of the club’s four goals in the game, whilst Casemiro got on the scoresheet and Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for United since his move from Wolves.

Interestingly, the Red Devils were up against a player they were reportedly willing to smash their club transfer record on, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

The Premier League giants were reportedly keen on a deal for the defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window, before INEOS decided against a big-money move for him.

Baleba, however, was substituted in the 59th minute of the match, having failed to provide any goals or assists, whilst Casemiro, his direct opponent, scored and provided an assist.

The Brighton midfielder’s performance on Saturday, coupled with his displays throughout this season, may make the club think twice about any potential move for him in a future transfer window.

Why Man Utd may not make a move for Carlos Baleba

The left-footed star’s drop-off in form from last season to the current campaign is cause for concern at Old Trafford, as it shows a lack of consistency in his game.

In the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, Baleba won 55% of his duels and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton.

The 21-year-old midfield talent also scored three goals and provided one assist for his club, with his performances leading to interest from Manchester United in the summer.

Unfortunately, though, Baleba has been unable to kick on and continue his fine form on the pitch in the Premier League this season, after he did not get a move away from Brighton during the transfer window.

The United target’s defensive numbers are down across the board through the opening nine matches of the 2025/26 campaign, which may be a red flag for the Red Devils recruitment department.

Carlos Baleba (Premier League)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

34

9

Goals

3

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.7

2.1

Clearances per game

1.3

0.9

Duels won per game

5.8

3.1

Ground duel success rate

55%

41%

Fouls made per game

1.2

1.4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Baleba’s form has dropped off a cliff this term, from a defensive perspective, as he has gone from being dominant in duels to being dominated by opposition players.

This is why Ruben Amorim and INEOS may be hesitant to make a club-record move, of more than £89m, for the Brighton man in January or next summer, as his current performance level shows that he has not been consistently impressive.

Man Utd preparing move for LaLiga midfielder

According to a report in Spain, via Stretty News, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the upcoming January window.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing to make a move for the France international to bolster their options in the middle of the park next year.

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It adds that the Premier League giants have made Camavinga a ‘top priority’ target and that they are prepared to offer around £70m to secure his signature from the Spanish side.

The outlet reveals, though, that Real Madrid are not in any rush to cash in on the former Rennes star, and that it would potentially take more than £70m to convince them to part ways with the midfielder.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be able to do enough to convince Real Madrid to sell Camavinga, or if they will be able to convince the player to make the move to Old Trafford, with no European football on offer this season.

Why Man Utd should sign Eduardo Camavinga

Manchester United should press ahead with a deal for the French central midfielder because he would be an upgrade on Baleba, as an even better signing for Amorim’s midfield.

The left-footed star, who scored his first goal in the Champions League last month, provided a timely reminder of his quality in the El Clásico at the weekend, winning eight of his 12 duels and completing all three of his attempted dribbles in a 2-1 win over Barcelona, per Sofascore.

Camavinga, who has been utilised at left-back, centre-back, central midfield, and defensive midfield by Real, has shown more consistency and quality in his performances than Baleba over the past 365 days in all competitions.

The chart above shows that the France international has outperformed the Brighton star in a host of key midfield statistics both in and out of possession in the past year.

On top of that, the £70m-rated midfielder, who was described as a “duel-monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, has outperformed Baleba at league level so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

25/26 season

Camavinga (LaLiga)

Baleba (Premier League)

Appearances

6

9

Sofascore rating

6.96

6.53

Tackles made per game

1.8

1.0

Dribbled past per game

0.7x

0.7x

Duels won per game

4.3

3.1

Ground duel success rate

74%

41%

Fouls per game

0.3

1.4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Real Madrid star has been significantly more effective as a defensive presence in the middle of the park at league level this season, winning 1.2 more duels per game and winning a far higher percentage of his ground duels.

Perhaps the most telling statistic is their respective fouls made per game. Camavinga rarely trips up and has to foul opposition players, whilst Baleba is committing over one foul per match on average, which shows that he is losing duels and having to resort to fouls to break up play.

Overall, Camavinga appears to be the better option out of the two, as evidenced by both his form this season and over the past 365 days, as a defensive midfield signing for United in the January transfer window.

This is why INEOS should forget about a move for Baleba and concentrate their efforts on attempting to sign the Real Madrid midfielder next year.

Related British prodigy who’s like Lampard has made huge decision about joining Man Utd in January

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Posts ByHenry Jackson Oct 28, 2025