All posts by z3u9t.icu

Chelsea have yet to make a signing during the current January transfer window and with just a few weeks left until it closes until the summer, Mauricio Pochettino does not have much time left.

Since owner Todd Boehly stepped in and purchased the club in 2022, the Blues have spent over £1bn on players to no avail, having not won a trophy since 2021.

With this in mind, could the Argentinian lure another new player or two to Stamford Bridge this month? As the manager aims to bolster his squad ahead of trying to secure a place in the top half of the Premier League table.

Plenty of attackers have been linked with a move to London over the previous couple of weeks, yet Pochettino is showing interest in a current Premier League midfielder…

Chelsea transfer news – Amadou Onana

According to a report from iNews earlier this week, Chelsea are reportedly keen on signing Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, although they could face some serious competition for the Belgian.

Indeed, Arsenal are the club who have shown the most interest in the player recently, while Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the youngster as he is clearly a man in high demand.

The Toffees signed him in the summer of 2022 for a transfer fee in the region of £33m, yet they have placed a price tag of £60m on his head in order to scare off potential suitors.

The Blues appear to be well stocked in the heart of their midfield, being able to call upon the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Roméo Lavia, and Lesley Ugochukwu as they are building a squad which they will hope can challenge the elite in the coming years.

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Enzo Maresca has already made some big decisions at Chelsea this summer.

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One key omission from this midfield list is Conor Gallagher, as the Englishman has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.

Chelsea transfer news – Conor Gallagher

The English midfielder has emerged as Spurs’ top target for the duration of the winter transfer window and Chelsea could demand a fee of around £45m which could rise to £60m and this would make Gallagher the most expensive signing in Spurrs’ history.

Journalist Ben Jacobs provided an update when speaking about the player to GIVEMESPORT, saying: "When people say that Chelsea would sell for the right price, that's not Chelsea being desperate to force Gallagher out of the door.

"That's saying if somebody comes in with a minimum guaranteed offer of £45million, and probably a total package of £55million or £60million, Chelsea would consider a sale. If that number is not hit, Gallagher will stay – in all likelihood – at Chelsea.

"I don't see Spurs getting anywhere near that package because if £35million was their number at the back end of the last window, it's hard to believe that they will jump up – particularly with the way that Daniel Levy does business – to £55million or £60million.”

It remains to be seen whether he will still be at the Blues come February, but if he does leave, Onana could be an ideal replacement for him.

Amadou Onana’s season in numbers

The 22-year-old enjoyed a solid debut campaign on Merseyside, but he has taken his performances to the next level in a much improved Everton side this season.

Indeed, the former Lille starlet currently ranks first among the squad for accurate passes per game (32.7) along with ranking third for big chances created (four), third for tackles per game (2.6) and third for accurate long balls per game (2.3) as he has showcased his skills across a range of metrics which have made him such a valuable asset in the heart of their midfield.

2023

2023

2023

2023

2023

2023

2023

2023

2019

2019

As a result of his displays, analyst Raj Chohan described the midfielder as a "monster duel winner" and his statistics this season have certainly backed this claim up.

He could be a perfect fit for the Blues should they act upon their initial interest and there is no doubt he would be able to fill the void left by Gallagher should he join Spurs.

Amadou Onana could replace Conor Gallagher

Both players have been impressive this season for their respective clubs as they look to escape from the bottom half of the Premier League table.

When comparing the duo, there isn’t much to separate them, especially when it comes to specific metrics.

Indeed, this season, Onana has registered 1.17 shots per 90, has an average pass success rate of 84%, won 25 tackles and succeeded with 53.8% of his attempted challenges in the league this season.

Gallagher, on the other hand, has registered 1.24 shots per 90, has an average pass success rate of 89.2%, won 31 tackles and succeeded with 51.2% of his attempted challenges, clearly indicating how impressive he has been across a range of different metrics this term, while even outperforming Onana in three of them.

The Belgian gem loses possession less frequently, however (7.8 times per game vs 9.2) than Gallagher, along with winning more total duels per match (seven vs 5.9) and being dribbled past less per game (0.8 vs 1.1) and these statistics clearly prove that Onana may be a much better option defensively for Chelsea.

While the club have players such as Caicedo and Lavia in order to focus on the defensive side of the game, moving on Gallagher could leave open a space for Onana, who does occasionally demonstrate some attacking traits.

A move for the former Lille midfielder may not occur this month, yet if other suitors don’t make their move during the summer, Pochettino could be ready to make his swoop.

Depending on how the second half of the season goes, Onana’s valuation may rise during the next three or four months and this could potentially impact whether the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United will make a concrete effort to sign him.

Chelsea, of course, have shown a desire to spend big in the past and this could become the case once again in the summer as they seek continued improvement in their squad.

Wolverhampton Wanderers progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup after defeating archrivals West Brom 2-0 in the Black Country derby, although not without some traumatic scenes that saw fans in the crowd fighting each other.

It saw the game suspended while police and stewards intervened but thankfully the tie was able to get underway again as Wolves extended their unbeaten run to seven matches.

Molineux Stadium will subsequently be the venue for the fifth-round tie, where they will face a Brighton side who beat Sheffield United 4-2 on Saturday.

The headlines should be all about the Old Gold winning their first game at the Hawthorns in 28 years, but it is sadly difficult to look past the crowd trouble that rather ruined the occasion.

How West Brom v Wolves played out

In truth, the game saw very little quality throughout, with both teams displaying complacency on the ball and a lack of intent to commit players forward.

The first half saw Wolves dominate the ball but rarely threaten in the final third, with the Baggies registering seven attempts. However, the quality of Pedro Neto gave Gary O’Neil’s side the advantage just before the break, springing on the counter from a West Brom corner and scoring with an emphatic finish.

After the interval, it was West Brom’s turn to enjoy the majority of the ball, but they were unable to break down the stubborn Wolves backline. Matheus Cunha then secured the win ten minutes from time, which sparked the issue in the stands.

Matheus Cunha’s game v West Brom by numbers

Wolves’ number 12 put in yet another impressive performance, which continued his run of red-hot form.

The Brazilian has now either scored or assisted in nine of his last 13 matches across all competitions, and his goal earlier on came at the perfect time.

Cunha had the most shots for Wolves, four, and provided their biggest threat all afternoon, stepping up in the absence of Hwang Hee-chan who is at the Asia Cup.

However, the Brazilian's work rate off the ball is what made his performance impressive, as he made three tackles and chased down the opposition continuously, not allowing the baggies to have time on the ball in midfield.

Max Kilman’s stats v West Brom

The Wolves captain put in a huge performance in arguably his side's biggest game of the season.

Max Kilman was unfazed by the occasion, and he went about his business with class and dominance, just like he usually does.

A last-ditch piece of defending to prevent an easy tap-in from Brandon Thomas-Asante was the highlight of his game, as a goal could have seen the tie switch from a relatively comfortable afternoon to a complete disaster.

Goals conceded

0

Clearances

9

Interceptions

4

Touches

80

Pass accuracy %

87%

Duels won

4/6

Assists

1

The 26-year-old was a rock throughout and was always one step ahead of the game, as displayed by his whopping nine clearances, 4/6 duels won, and four interceptions. He was comfortable on the ball and rarely gave it away unless attempting a long ball, which allowed Wolves to maintain control, particularly in the first half.

Therefore, it was hardly a surprise that he was awarded an 8/10 match rating by Birmingham World's Charlie Haffenden for his performance.

Picking up a rather fortunate assist for Cunha’s goal and claiming a consecutive clean sheet was just the cherry on top for the dynamic defender who bossed the game from the first whistle to the last.

Last season, Newcastle United's defence was one of the strongest in the Premier League. The Magpies were joint top with Manchester City for the least number of goals conceded in England's top flight (33).

This was no doubt thanks to the likes of Sven Botman and Fabian Schar in helping to solidify Eddie Howe's defensive line, forming the foundation of the club's push for Champions League qualification.

Schar, in particular, notably went "under the radar" for his fine displays alongside the Dutchman – in the words of pundit Harry Redknapp – having looked like a man reborn under Howe's watch at St James' Park.

However, this season, things seem to have taken a turn for the worse and Howe's men currently find themselves in seventh – albeit with the experienced centre-back helping his side to a valuable 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

A particular issue has been the lack of depth at the heart of the defence outside of Schar and Botman, with club captain Jamaal Lascelles having been notably linked with an exit during the January transfer window, after falling down the pecking order in recent years.

With no new faces brought in last month to bolster the backline, Howe must look toward the academy ranks if he is to find a suitable understudy for his star pairing…

Fabian Schar's season in numbers so far

The Switzerland centre-back has plied his trade on Tyneside since he joined the club in 2018 for a fee worth around £3m.

The now 32-year-old has had yet another solid season for the Magpies as he has managed to play a total of 33 games in all competitions whilst contributing four goals to his team.

According to Sofascore, in England's top flight alone, the 32-year-old has been involved with six clean sheets and has averaged 1.2 tackles per game.

When comparing Schar's stats to that of Virgil van Dijk's, for instance, it really puts into perspective how well the Newcastle man has performed of late.

Van Dijk himself only has one additional clean sheet in the Premier League but, not only that, he averages the same amount of tackles (1.2) as his Swiss counterpart – once again reinforcing just what a bargain signing the latter man was.

Despite Schar's performances across the season, due to his age there will likely be concern over his ability to be a long-term fixture at St James' Park, hence the need to soon line up a suitable replacement.

With the aforementioned Lascelles also into his 30's, one player who could instead be Schar's so-called 'heir' is academy star, Cathal Heffernan – the youngster joining from the AC Milan youth setup in the summer of 2023 for an unknown fee.

How Cathal Heffernan compares to Schar

Although Heffernan is yet to make his senior debut for the northeast side, the promising Irishman has played a rather important role in their youth squad since joining.

So far, he has played 15 games for Newcastle's Under-21's and has scored two goals, with one of them even coming against his former club, Milan, in the UEFA Youth League.

Described as "very exciting" by journalist Thomas Hammond, before officially joining the club in the summer he had already featured in a few of Newcastle Under-21's pre-season friendlies at the time.

Before previously making the move to San Siro, the 18-year-old did even make his senior debut for his boyhood club, Cork City. He has also been heavily featured in Ireland's youth setup, making 19 appearances thus far.

If Heffernan's development continues as strongly as it has done over the past year or so, it may not be too long before the youngster is lining up in the senior ranks for the Magpies.

Glasgow Rangers are still on course to secure a remarkable treble and considering where the Ibrox side were back in September under Michael Beale, winning the Premiership this term could be on of their finest achievements.

The Gers lost three of their opening seven league matches under the current Sunderland manager, and he was eventually sacked, with Philippe Clement coming in to replace him.

While the football was not pretty and Beale failed to lead the club to a trophy during his disappointing ten-month stint, the Englishman did manage to make a few decent signings for the club.

Jack Butland, Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin were all signed by Beale and have contributed well, most notably the former two.

Might he have missed out on another fine talent during his early stages in charge, however which could have transformed the second half of the 2022/23 campaign?

Rangers missed out on Cole Palmer in 2023

Having taken over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst towards the end of 2022, Beale led Rangers to nine wins and a draw in his first ten matches, but he was looking to bolster the team during the final weeks of the January transfer window.

According to the Sun, Rangers had a loan deal for Cole Palmer rejected by Manchester City during the dying embers of the transfer window as he still had a part to play under Pep Guardiola during the second half of last season.

Several other clubs also missed out on the chance to secure the talented Englishman on loan, and it certainly looked like an ambitious move by Beale at the time, yet if Palmer had joined, he would have vastly improved the Ibrox first team squad, no doubt about that.

The youngster went on to make a handful of appearances for City towards the end of the season, and he claimed winners medals in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League indicating that it was clearly the best move for him to remain with the club.

Despite looking like he had a promising future at City, Palmer was sold last summer to Chelsea and the move looks like it has certainly benefited the youngster, especially as he has secured more regular game time.

What happened to Cole Palmer

The 21-year-old joined the Stamford Bridge side for a £40m transfer fee prior to the start of the 2023/24 season, and it looks as though it could be a shrewd investment, especially judging by his start to life in London.

Lauded as “exceptional” by former boss Guardiola, Palmer looks destined to reach the very top of the game if he maintains his current form – now valued at €100m (£86m) by CIES Football Observatory.

So far this term, the Englishman has scored 12 goals for the Blues while chipping in with nine assists, and he is excelling, having been given regular opportunities by Mauricio Pochettino in the starting XI.

Indeed, among the Chelsea squad, Palmer is even ranked first for goals and assists (16), along with also leading the rest of the team with regard to shots on target per game (one), big chances created (eight) and key passes per game (1.5), clearly showcasing that he is now one of the finest players in the squad.

Not only that, but Palmer is also ranked in the top 10% when compared to his positional peers for progressive passes per 90 (6.3), along with ranking in the top 10% for assists per 90 (0.36) and the top 24% for shot-creating actions, indicating that not only is he shining for his team, but his performances also rank him highly when compared to players in a similar position across Europe’s top five leagues.

These statistics certainly build the narrative that he would have been a huge success if he had joined Rangers last season, even if it was only on a temporary basis, and he may well have been an upgrade to Cantwell.

Todd Cantwell’s season in numbers

Who knows what might have happened had Beale secured Palmer on a six-month loan deal, and he impressed during his spell in Glasgow. Could the Gers have signed him up for a further season-long deal?

It seems highly unrealistic, but if the club did, there is no doubt the 21-year-old would have been a far better option to call upon than Cantwell this term.

The former Norwich City starlet has improved in recent weeks and has now scored five league goals in his previous eight top-flight matches, taking his tally to six goals for the campaign.

This is still six behind the tally of Palmer, however, while Cantwell currently ranks fourth among the Ibrox squad for goals and assists (eight) in the Premiership, along with ranking sixth for shots on target per game (0.8), eighth for big chances created (three) and seventh for key passes per game (1.6), proving that while he springs to life during matches, at times, he can be inconsistent and this is something which needs to be worked out.

Against Ross County on Wednesday evening, however, the 25-year-old was sensational as he shone in his preferred number ten position.

Rangers gem who lost the ball 32x outperformed Cantwell vs Ross County

Rangers defeated Ross County 3-1 at Ibrox in what was a night of plenty missed chances

ByRoss Kilvington Feb 15, 2024

Cantwell not only made four key passes during the clash, but he also created two big chances, had a total of four shots and succeeded with two of his four dribble attempts.

The only thing which was missing was a goal or an assist, but his performance was pleasing on the eye and Clement would surely have been delighted to see him perform at such a high level.

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5

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3

1.3

1.6

0.6

1.1

While missing out on Palmer was a blow for Beale last season, the Englishman has gone on to brighter things since joining Chelsea for £40m last summer, embracing the challenges of being a regular in the starting XI.

His recent success proved that Rangers had a mare on the youngster who is now thriving in the top flight, and he may have made all the difference as the Gers stumbled during the end of the 2022/23 season.

If he continues shining under Pochettino, he could soon see himself plucked from Chelsea as he has all the required attributes to shine for much bigger clubs. There is absolutely no doubt about that.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's influence at Manchester United is growing all the time and transfer insider Dean Jones has provided another key update regarding the overhaul at boardroom level.

Dan Ashworth to Man Utd latest

The Red Devils' impressive form continued on Sunday afternoon, with their 2-1 win away to Luton Town keeping their top-four hopes in the Premier League looking healthy.

There is a feel-good factor at United that has returned of late, not just because of the results on the pitch, but also due to Ratcliffe's 25% share in the club being approved last week. That was seen as a big moment, as the boyhood supporter looks to slowly gain even more control, and things appear to be heading in the right direction.

Dan Ashworth has emerged as a primary target to come in as a sporting director, with the Englishman now officially requesting a move away from Newcastle United and being placed on gardening leave, while further appointments behind the scenes are to be expected in the coming months.

There could even be a shake-up with current staff, with a new update suggesting as much.

John Murtough's Man Utd role set for change

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that further changes should be expected upstairs at Manchester United soon, with football director John Murtough's role on the line.

"Manchester United have identified him (Ashworth) as somebody that's got all the credentials to get them up to speed and give them an edge when it comes to the transfer market. So that's good. Jason Wilcox, we knew that United were going to go look at someone as a head of recruitment type that would come into the club.

"I'm not sure that will be specifically Wilcox's job title, if he does indeed come in. But that is a role that we did expect to be filled. I still think you might hear about some other changes, like John Murtough, might have a bit of a move sideways within the setup and things like that. But ultimately, they are getting themselves set up early so that they can attack the summer transfer window."

This is an encouraging update from a United perspective, suggesting that lots of work is being done by Ratcliffe to get the club working in the best way possible moving forward.

It is common knowledge that life under the Glazers has been largely stale over the past decade or so since Sir Alex Ferguson departed as manager, and while sporadic trophy successes have arrived, there has always been a feeling that the club has been run badly, especially in terms of recruitment.

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Ratcliffe is addressing that impressively, however, and if he feels that Murtough's role should change, perhaps in order to create space for Ashworth to come in and work his magic with new staff of his own, it is a decision that will need to be trusted and respected.

The fact that past reports have suggested that Murtough could be relieved of his duties as United's football director certainly suggests that it is a decision they have been mulling over for some time.

Manchester United have had something of an unpredictable season throughout the 2023/24 campaign thus far. The Red Devils currently find themselves in sixth position in the Premier League table.

At this moment in time, they also find themselves in a good run of form after winning four of their last five top-flight games.

Erik ten Hag's men are currently sat on 44 points and will be looking at trying to break into the top four spots by the end of the season. In order to do this, they will need to find five points on Aston Villa from somewhere as Unai Emery's men currently occupy fourth place.

The first step in their crusade for Champions League qualification will be their upcoming clash against Fulham. The Cottagers are in the bottom half of the table and haven't been in the best of form this season.

So, there is no doubt that United should come out of the other side of the game victorious. However, in regard to the way they'll line up, that remains a mystery, particularly with the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw set to be absent.

One player from the Red Devils' squad who could be left out of the starting XI – not because of an injury issue – is that of Casemiro, with the Brazilian having proven something of a liability of late.

Casemiro's recent performances

Casemiro joined United from Real Madrid in 2022 for a fee worth a reported £70m. Since arriving in Manchester, his form has certainly varied, with it hard to ascertain whether he should remain at the club beyond the end of the season.

For example, in the team's latest clash against Luton Town, in which United won 2-1, the Brazil international was withdrawn at half-time after picking up an early yellow card.

As per Sofascore, against the Hatters, the 32-year-old only managed to win two duels out of nine attempted and even lost possession seven times. When these statistics are compared to Kobbie Mainoo's, it puts into perspective how poorly the more experienced asset played.

Throughout the game, Mainoo, by contrast, won a total of six duels out of 15 attempted and lost possession of the ball the same number of times. However, it does need to be taken into account that the youngster played an additional 45 minutes compared to his Brazilian counterpart.

After Casemiro was taken off the pitch on Sunday, Scott McTominay replaced him. After entering the pitch, the Scotland international managed to outperform the 6 foot anchor on all accounts, notably winning more duels (four) and only losing possession a total of four times during his 45 minutes on the pitch.

However, although the United academy graduate is a valid option to replace the Brazil international, across the season he has shown that he is more of an impact sub rather than a starter.

The midfielder has started a fair few games for the Red Devils this season, but, no player has scored more goals than him off the bench (4.) This outlines how important he is in the latter stages of the game and highlights why Ten Hag would be better off unleashing him late on – or perhaps deploying him further forward in the absence of Hojlund.

This begs the question, if Casemiro is getting dropped and McTominay isn't replacing him, who could?

Why Christian Eriksen is the ideal replacement for Casemiro

Described as an "absolute genius" by Statman Dave, Christian Eriksen's style of play is exactly what United need to shore up the centre of the park.

Although the Denmark international has not yet set the footballing world alight following his move to Ten Hag's side, it is hard to say he hasn't made an impact.

Across all competitions this season, the Dane has made a total of 19 appearances and has managed to contribute one goal and two assists, having previously provided 12 goal involvements in 44 games in 2022/23.

Despite being deployed in more advanced roles this season – while also failing to feature in the last four league outings – Eriksen could offer a more controlled presence ahead of Casemiro due to his range of passing, as he ranks in the top 14% among his European peers for progressive passes per 90.

With United on home turf, and with the youthful presence of Mainoo alongside him, the former Tottenham Hotspur man could be afforded the time and space to dictate the game, with United notably needing greater control after remarkably enjoying less possession than their hosts last weekend.

Chalkboard

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

It would also allow Ten Hag to change tactical styles in-game if and when needed. For example, if they're seeking a goal, the Dutch tactician could push Eriksen forward and add another forward to their attack.

That tactical flexibility could prove vital as United seek to maintain their winning run, with Eriksen among what could be a handful of changes this afternoon.

Rangers are believed to be planning a big-money signing alongside the permanent arrival of Fabio Silva in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Rangers want loan deals made permanent

The Gers make the trip to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, well aware that pressure may have been heaped on them by Celtic in the title race.

Victory for their rivals at home to St Johnstone on Saturday would put them one point clear at the top of the table, so Philippe Clement's side will know exactly where they stand as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of exiting the Europa League at the hands of Benfica.

One player who could feature prominently for Rangers this weekend is Silva, who has come in on loan and done a good job so far, scoring four goals in 14 appearances to date. Recent reports have suggested that the Scottish giants are keen on signing the Portuguese on a permanent basis from Wolves at the end of the season, although whether they seal Champions League qualification or not could decide if the funds are available to strike a deal this summer.

Another individual who Rangers reportedly want to tie down permanently is Abdallah Sima, who has been another excellent loan signing, bagging 10 goals in 15 league starts this season.

Brighton are happy to let the 22-year-old leave in the summer window, and he could jump at the chance to move to Ibrox for an extended period of time.

Rangers eyeing big-money signing alongside Silva

According to a new update from Football Insider, Rangers want to sign a new striker this summer, even if Silva completes a permanent move to Ibriox.

The report says that signing is a "number one priority" for the Gers, who want to have "two top forwards" at the club moving forward, providing Clement with plenty of depth in the process. It could be a big signing too if they qualify for the Champions League, which is expected to add £20m to Clement's transfer kitty.

This is a hugely encouraging news for Rangers supporters, with the owners showing real ambition in the transfer market at a time when they have already narrowed the gulf between themselves and Celtic significantly and perhaps even flipped it.

The Gers need to ensure that this season is far from a one-off, however, building a squad that is capable of winning multiple Scottish Premiership titles under Clement, as well as going as far as possible in the Champions League.

1. Tore Andre Flo

£12m

2. Michael Ball

£8.5m

3. Mikel Arteta

£6.9m

4. Arthur Numan

£6.7m

5. Giovanni van Bronckhorst

£6.5m

6. Barry Ferguson

£6.35m

7. Bert Konterman

£6.35m

8. Ryan Kent

£6.31m

9. Michael Mols

£5.6m

10. Gaby Amato

£5.6m

It could even be that the club's all-time transfer record is broken this summer, with Silva, Sima or another addition all having the potential to join for more than the £12m Tore Andre Flo did back in 2000.

Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland is arguably the ideal option to come in, considering the 28-year-old is the top scorer in the league this season with 20 goals – he has six more than anyone else – and he is a boyhood Rangers supporter, having been linked with a move numerous times recently.

Nottingham Forest are a club that has certainly had their ups and downs over the last decade under the ownership of former chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi and now Evangelos Marinakis.

From a transfer embargo under boss Dougie Freedman, Martin O'Neill making the squad run around Wollaton Park in pre-season to a first promotion to the Premier League in over 20 years under Steve Cooper – the club have had it all.

The Reds ended their Premier League exile in 2023 after a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town in the play-off final, with owner Marinakis promising the fans he would invest in the playing squad to be competitive in England's top flight.

Fast-forward to 22 months after the Reds' day out at Wembley and the club have been deducted four points for breaching the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR), dropping Nuno Espírito Santo's side into the drop zone.

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Under Marinakis' guidance, the club have made 34 signings since promotion, with the owner investing over £250m on players – a real reason why the club broke the PSR rules by nearly £35m.

Despite the news of the points deduction on Monday afternoon, The Times reporter Martyn Ziegler confirmed that the Reds may have to sell another key asset during the summer to comply with the PSR rules.

That being said, we are taking a look at three players who Forest could sell to avoid another points deduction next season…

1 Morgan Gibbs-White

The most obvious choice, but one that no Forest fan would want to become a reality, is midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. His signing raised eyebrows in 2022, with the Reds forking out £25m rising to £42.5m with add-ons for his signature.

Even some Reds supporters believed the club overpaid for Cooper's top target, but nearly two years on from his arrival at the City Ground the 24-year-old has been worth every penny and more.

Over the last two campaigns, the former Wolves midfielder has featured 71 times, scoring nine times and assisting 13 – with impressive stats helping the Reds secure survival last season.

He's grown as a footballer since his arrival, with Gibbs-White taking the armband on multiple occasions – further highlighting his importance to the club.

The "sensational" talent as described by journalist Josh Bunting now has a market value of £34m as per Transfermarkt, but it would take a fee much higher than that to make Forest part ways with their star.

His importance to the Forest side is reflected by his stats this season, with the 24-year-old averaging 4.5 progressive passes, 2.2 progressive carries and 1.3 successful take-ons per 90 – all stats that see him rank as number one at the City Ground.

Gibbs-White would arguably be the hardest player for the Reds to replace in the summer, with his confidence and talent in attacking areas impossible to replace – especially for a fee in Forest's ballpark.

2 Murillo

A player who has taken Forest fans by surprise this season is Brazilian centre-back Murillo. The 21-year-old joined the club in a £15m deal from Corinthians last summer, with his progress at the City Ground nothing short of sensational.

He had to bide his time before making his debut in the 1-1 draw against Brentford, with the defender progressing rapidly since his Premier League debut.

The ball-playing centre-back has excelled for the Reds, with his stats backing up his ability on the ball. The left-footed Brazilian has averaged 0.8 successful take-ons per game this season – a stat that sees him rank within the top 3% of all centre-backs in Europe's top five leagues.

Murillo also averages 3.6 accurate long balls per game – the highest of anyone in the Reds squad, with his importance to the club impossible to put into words.

His great form hasn't gone unnoticed; the youngster is already being linked with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona and PSG, with the Reds undoubtedly set for a huge payday when he eventually departs for a European giant.

The defender will easily break Brennan Johnson's record departure from the City Ground, which currently sits at £47.5m.

The 21-year-old has all the attributes to be a top defender in world football, with the club easily able to receive a fee in the region of £70m for Murillo, with the Brazilian still having four years left on his current deal.

3 Ibrahim Sangare

Out of the three players on this list, undoubtedly Forest fans would want midfielder Ibrahim Sangare to be the man to be sacrificed ahead of Gibbs-White and Murillo.

The Ivorian joined the Reds for a deal in the region of £30m, with the former PSV man arriving at the City Ground with a lot of potential given the interest from sides such as Bayern Munich.

He's shown glimpses of his talent since his summer arrival, but unfortunately, the 26-year-old has failed to show it on a consistent basis.

No question there is a talented player in there, with Sangare's tallies of 3.7 tackles and 2.1 blocks per 90 within the top 6% of all midfielders in Europe this campaign.

The Ivorian, who earns £75k-per-week at the City Ground, still has time to prove himself to be a great addition for the Reds, with Sangare still settling into life in the Premier League.

However, given the huge fee spent on the midfielder, he's yet to show any sort of value for money – with the club potentially using his current value of £27m as per Transfermarkt, to cut their losses and allow the club to keep talents such as Murillo and Gibbs-White for at least one more campaign should they secure survival.

Celtic have made tentative contact over signing a £10,000-a-week defender this summer, according to reports.

Celtic transfer rumours

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers are currently involved in a dramatic Scottish Premiership title race with rivals Rangers, but it appears as if Parkhead chiefs are assessing their summer transfer options.

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The club were active in both windows during the current 2023/24 campaign, however, Rodgers admitted back in February that his side could have been “braver” with the type of player they are targeting.

“I would go with supporters thinking we could maybe be a little bit braver in terms of bringing in another level of player. But that’s up to me to try and fix that over the course of my time here.

“You look at the strategy here and you have to be careful because in some ways it has worked. You bring in players for a minimal fee and then they go out and make the club a lot of money.

“What I want to hopefully balance in my time here is that we can still do that, because it is an important part of the modern game. But we also want to be brave enough to hang our hat on a ready-made player.”

This summer, the club reportedly want a new goalkeeper, winger and striker at the bare minimum, with Joe Hart retiring in the coming months. Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher appears to be the top target at the back, and by the looks of things, Celtic are also looking in England at a new defender.

Celtic make contact to sign Jake Clarke-Salter

There have been recent rumours regarding Celtic and a move to sign Queens Park Rangers defender Jake Clarke-Salter.

Football Scotland reporter Mark Hendry has now confirmed that Celtic’s ‘recruitment staff have made tentative contact over the player to sound out the key information such as fee, desire and expectations’.

Clarke-Salter, on £10,000-a-week, is an out-and-out centre-back who has plied the majority of his career in England alongside a loan spell in the Netherlands with Vitesse.

The 26-year-old came through the ranks at Chelsea and had a number of loan spells away from Stamford Bridge before signing for QPR in a free transfer back in 2022.

Since then, the defender, called “outstanding” by former manager Mark Robins, has made more appearances for his current employer than any other club.

Jake Clarke-Salter appearances by club

QPR

45

Vitesse

37

Birmingham City

34

Coventry City

31

Bristol Rovers

13

Sunderland

11

Chelsea

2

He’s under contract until 2026, though, so it looks as if Celtic may have to pay a reasonable fee for the player. They've had similar success when signing a centre-back who had been loaned out to various sides in Cameron Carter-Vickers, so a move for Clarke-Salter may well be one to keep an eye on.

Rangers have made a big transfer decision that spells "bad news" for a European club this summer, according to a fresh update.

Rangers transfer latest

Philippe Clement is yet to have a summer transfer window under his belt as Gers manager, and he will no doubt be chomping at the bit to sign players who he thinks are perfectly suited to his style of play at Ibrox.

Rangers certainly haven't been short of potential options when it comes to recent transfer stories that have emerged, with permanent deals for two loanees seemingly at the forefront of the club's thinking.

Both Abdallah Sima and Fabio Silva could be allowed to leave Brighton and Wolves respectively this summer, and it could be that the Gers decide to retain at least one of them moving forward. That will depend on Champions League qualification, however, in terms of both their finances and the size of the squad required.

Meanwhile, Fluminense left-back Jefte seemingly already has a verbal agreement in place to join Rangers in the summer window, having been strongly linked with a move back in January.

On the flip side, the Scottish Premiership outfit could also find it difficult to keep hold of some of their most important players, with James Tavernier potentially sealing a move elsewhere.

Rangers make key transfer decision

According to Takvim [via Sport Witness], Galatasaray have received "bad news" in their chase for Ridvan Yilmaz, because Clement has decided to keep hold of the Turkey international and is standing firm.

With Borna Barisic expected to leave Ibrox when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Gers don't appear to be entertaining the idea of losing both left-backs at the same time, despite Gala chasing a summer transfer after their January move failed.

Keeping Yilmaz on at Rangers has to be considered a primary point of focus for the club in the summer, considering he has ousted Barisic as the first-choice left-back under Clement.

Appearances

22

15

Starts

15

13

Goal contributions

2

3

Pass completion rate

76%

78.7%

Tackles per game

1.1

1.5

Key passes per game

1.7

1.8

Dribbles per game

1.3

0.3

At 22 years of age, the Turkey international is still such a young player whose game should only develop as his career goes on, so losing him this summer could see them miss out on his best years.

Yilmaz would surely jump at the opportunity to stay on at Rangers, considering they look to be a team going places in the short time that Clement has been in charge. He is contracted at Ibrox until the summer of 2027, too, so there would be no pressure on him to sign an extension yet, making his situation relatively straightforward.

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