West Ham United have reached an agreement in principle to bring Juventus defensive midfielder Denis Zakaria back to the Premier League, according to fresh reports.

Is Denis Zakaria leaving Juventus?

The Switzerland international only arrived at the Allianz Stadium from Borussia Monchengladbach back in January 2022, but in that same summer, was sent out on a season-long loan to Chelsea to try and get some regular game time under his belt, though that didn’t happen having been handed just five top-flight starts at Stamford Bridge.

Despite his lack of minutes in the top flight, David Moyes and the hierarchy reportedly made an offer for the 26-year-old, but this wasn’t accepted due to a gap in valuation, though when speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky Sports presenter Dharmesh Sheth confirmed that the two clubs were “continuing talks”.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

Journalist and transfer guru Rudy Galetti has since claimed that the central midfielder has agreed on personal terms to make the move to the Hammers, and whilst Massimiliano Allegri’s side would prefer a permanent exit for their player, a loan with an option to buy could also be accepted.

Are West Ham signing Denis Zakaria?

Now, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Juventus have “reached an agreement in principle” with West Ham, RB Leipzig and AS Monaco for Zakaria, meaning that it’s now “up to” the player himself to decide where his next destination will be.

The Turin outfit believe that his exit will be “imminent” after the “positive contacts” they held with suitors last weekend, and they have set a price tag of “around” €20m (£17m).

West Ham will know that Zakaria wasn’t given a real chance to prove himself at Chelsea last season, but Moyes may feel like he can help him kickstart his career once again regardless, and having previously been dubbed an “unsung hero” by journalist and scout Antonio Mango, the defensive midfielder could prove to be a promising addition at the London Stadium.

Juventus’ 6 foot 3 colossus averaged 1.3 tackles and 1.1 clearances per top-flight game during the previous term, via WhoScored, so loves to get stuck into challenges and put his body on the line, not to mention he recorded an 88.8% pass success rate which was higher than any of the boss’ players managed, showing his calmness and composure in possession.

The Geneva native, who represented Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup, is also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third having posted 45 goal contributions (32 goals and 13 assists) throughout his career, so he would be able to have a positive impact at both ends of the pitch, something that may be key following Declan Rice's departure.

The Irons have also been heavily linked with the likes of Joao Palhinha, Edson Alvarez and Scott McTominay in terms of players who sit just in front of the backline, but if club chiefs really have agreed a deal for Zakaria, as claimed, he could be the one most likely to put pen to paper in the weeks ahead.

Manchester United could be set to secure one of the signings of the summer, swooping in for a deal that already seemed completed not too long ago.

Is Josko Gvardiol going to Manchester CIiy?

Given that transfer insider Fabrizio Romano uttered his famous "here we go" nearly two weeks ago now, it is a surprise to see that Manchester City's swoop for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol is yet to be tied up.

Just a day later though, Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol even went as far as to suggest that the deal is "not close", throwing the move into disrepute.

It seems like Erik ten Hag is seeking to capitalise on this hindrance, as reports in Spain are now suggesting they are one of three new Premier League clubs now battling for the Croatian's signature. All of these sides are said to have submitted bids to tempt the German club to instead sell to them.

Back in April, it was reported that they would command a fee of around £75m to sanction his exit. However, with the increased competition, it is a fee could rise now even higher.

Why is Josko Gvardiol so good?

There are numerous reasons why the 21-year-old colossus is so sought-after, not least his experience that far belies his youth.

Standing at 6 foot 1, the 21-cap Croatia international boasts blistering speed that makes him a physical marvel, but the technical assets to help him thrive in any system.

The left-footed titan has shone for both his current team and his country, having earned the right to take the next step up in his career.

Should that be to join Old Trafford, the youngster could immediately strike up a fine partnership with Lisandro Martinez, as a couple of no-nonsense ball-playing defenders who would be near-impossible to bypass.

After all, the Argentinian ace has enjoyed a fine debut year in English football, brushing aside the fears regarding his height to maintain a 7.12 average rating in the Premier League. This was a figure buoyed by his 87% pass accuracy, 1.2 interceptions, two tackles and 3.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He was a mainstay for a backline that helped David De Gea earn the Golden Glove award.

He is a tough, cut-throat powerhouse of a centre-back, with Ten Hag even outlining this following his £47m move:

"He’s a warrior and I think the fans will admire him. He has an attitude, fighting spirit. He brings aggressiveness in the game, in a good way. I think we need that. But also, he’s also skilful and he can deal with the ball".

His steely presence beside the cultured, powerful and almost regal stature of Gvardiol could provide the perfect blend of attributes to thwart any striker in the division.

Especially when viewing the latter's most recent campaign in the Bundesliga, where he too boasted a 6.94 average rating. With 89% pass accuracy, 89% dribble success and 2.3 clearances per game too, suddenly the reasons behind such a lofty price tag are revealed, as per Sofascore.

The latter figure would have seen him ranked fifth among the Red Devils' squad last season in the league, with a rating that would have made him the second-best performing centre-back only behind Martinez.

FBref further cements his status as one of the game's finest talents, as when compared against other centre-backs across Europe, the former Dinamo Zagreb star ranks in the top 1% for attempted passes per 90, the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90. He is the quintessential modern-day defender and would thrive beside United's 25-year-old enforcer.

Such form has heralded deserved praise, as one unnamed Head of Sport at a Bundesliga outfit waxed lyrical to former footballer-turned-journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft:

“Gvardiol is an absolute world-class defender. There will be few players in the years to come who can dominate this position like he can.”

His national team boss Zlatko Dalic would go one further, branding the young titan as the "best central defender in the world".

Ten Hag has already bolstered his side sufficiently this summer, yet hijacking the deal in question from their rivals would not only give the fans some much-needed ammunition over the treble-winners but also secure a long-term heir to Raphael Varane who could partner Martinez for the foreseeable future.

They are the perfect blend of poise, power and potential, capable of once again returning the club to the apex of world football.

After scoring his first Test hundred – also his first official one – the India allrounder was so intoxicated that he just started blurting things out

Sidharth Monga in Pallekele13-Aug-20173:18

‘It was an ideal opportunity for me’ – Pandya

“I scored in Under-19. I am 24, no 23. So some four-five years back, I scored my hundred. Actually I don’t remember when I scored the hundred.”You might imagine Hardik Pandya was so intoxicated by his first Test hundred that he just started blurting things out. In actual fact, though, this was just a straightforward response to a question: “Do you remember your last hundred in any format at any level?”The question was not out of line. On Sunday, Pandya scored not only his first Test hundred but also his first official one. He came into the Pallekele Test with none in any first-class, List A or Twenty20 cricket. Test cricket can seem easy as such times, when you score your first fifty one Test, maiden hundred in the next, and fetch your team crucial breakthroughs with the ball as well.”Obviously not,” Pandya said, when asked if he was finding it easy at the moment. “But I am pretty glad. God has been pretty kind to me. I got things. I am pretty lucky I got things pretty quickly in life. I am just happy in that way. I have worked hard enough and I am getting whatever I have worked hard for. It is not easy but I don’t mind it as well.”Pandya might not have scored many centuries, but he experienced something new when he was constructing his 96-ball innings, or neared the hundred. “First time in my life I have not had the 90s butterfly,” he said. “Otherwise – I don’t remember previous centuries but – I used to have butterflies from how much I can remember. In today’s game – I have said earlier as well – that when I bat, I am in a different zone. When I bat, I don’t think about my personal scores and achievements. It has helped me enough. One thing I learned from Mahi is that you always put your team ahead, see the scoreboard and play accordingly. That has helped me throughout.”During his maiden Test century, Pandya also broke the record for most runs, 26, in a single over by an India batsman. “It just happened, honestly I didn’t want to go all out in that over, but I don’t know what happened,” Pandya said. “Maybe I was connecting pretty well, let me try this over and scored 26 runs. [It] feels obviously good. From there I saw the scoreboard, and I was batting on 80 and I was like, “Wow.” Then I noticed I was in the zone, I don’t usually look at the scoreboard, I don’t want to know what’s happening around. I just focus on how I can help the innings progress.”The clarity of thought became apparent when he was asked if trying to hit over all nine men on the fence was a challenge. “Could there have been a bigger opportunity than that?” Nine wickets were already down and I knew if I stay in the crease and connect the ball well, it would go for six,” Pandya said. “Even if I were to mis-hit, I had to. I had no choice. It was an ideal opportunity, and obviously there was a team’s goal and which was to get to 400. We scored close to 490.”

Yorkshire maintained their strong pursuit of a quarter-final berth in the NatWest T20 Blast with another home win, this time against beleaguered Durham as they routinely defended a 153 target.While Yorkshire claimed their fourth win in seven games this season to sit top of the North Group on 10 points, Durham fell to a sixth straight defeat – their worst run in a T20 season.The Vikings have won their last three matches at Headingley in six days, beating Birmingham and Worcestershire before this 24-run win.They smashed 233 for 6 to beat the Rapids on Sunday, with visiting batsman Ross Whiteley smashing six sixes in an over.But this game was different. Played on a sluggish pitch, the bowlers dominated in both innings, with Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid taking a career-best 4 for 19 from his four overs.The Vikings could only post 152 for 8, a total which looked way beyond the Jets despite having taken 10 off the first over of the chase.They reached 25 for 2 after six overs and 51 for 3 at halfway before slipping to 128 for 7.The Vikings have now won their last eight Blast home games dating back to early last year.Adil Rashid returned career-best figures•Getty Images

At the innings break, Durham were well in this fixture having bowled impressively.They reduced Yorkshire to 1 for 2 in the second over as openers Adam Lyth and Tom Kohler-Cadmore both fell. Paul Collingwood finished with 3 for 32 from his four overs, while captain Paul Coughlin returned 2 for 27.David Willey top-scored with 44, including four sixes, but Shaun Marsh’s 36 was next best by some distance as wickets fell all too regularly.Collingwood had Peter Handscomb stumped for seven in the 12th over before bowling Marsh and getting Rashid caught at deep mid-wicket in the space of four balls.Durham’s chase started well with 10 off the first over from Willey, but both openers then fell in the space of two balls. Graham Clark was caught at deep square off Willey and Cameron Steel caught at slip off Tim Bresnan, whose first two overs were maidens.Rashid then really put the game beyond Durham. He had Collingwood well caught at deep square-leg in the 10th over before bowling Michael Richardson with a googly in the 12th.When he had Paul Coughlin caught at wide long-on and Jack Burnham stumped in the space of four balls in the 14th, his last over, the visitors were 73 for 6.Yorkshire, meanwhile, have confirmed the overseas signing of Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed for the final five group games of the Blast plus the knockout stages if they get there. Sarfraz replaces Handscomb, who played his final home game tonight. Handscomb faces Birmingham and Notts this weekend before returning to Australia ahead of a potential Test tour of Bangladesh next month.

Crystal Palace will have a medical for "top signing" Matheus Franca "this week" after a transfer to Chelsea didn't materialise, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Matheus Franca joining Crystal Palace this summer?

It hasn't been a great transfer window for Palace so far this summer, with the only new face coming through the doors at Selhurst Park being Jefferson Lerma, who joined on a free from Premier League rivals Bournemouth.

Worse still is the loss of club legend and talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha. The Ivorian international left the club earlier this summer when his contract expired, and despite the Eagles offering him an enormous £200,000-a-week, he opted to join Turkish Super Lig side Galatasary to fulfil his dream of playing Champions League football.

That said, it's not all bad, as the club are set to sign an incredibly exciting and highly-rated youngster from Brazil in the coming days, Flamengo's Franca.

With the 19-year-old courting so much attention from the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle United over the last 12 months, it's a real coup for the south Londoners to get their man.

The Guardian has reported that sporting director Dougie Freedman played an 'instrumental' role in the signing after he spent 'some time' scouting the youngster himself.

The deal is said to be worth up to £26m, and the player's medical is set to take place this week, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"First of all, Crystal Palace signing Matheus Franca. This is a top signing guys from Flamengo; remember the name €20m (£17m) plus €10m (£9m) in add-ons.

"Medical this week, Chelsea negotiated for Matheus Franca a few weeks ago, the deal was not happening, and now Crystal Palace [will] sign Matheus Franca."

Who else is linked to Crystal Palace this summer?

While the club may be focused on the attacking signing of Franca at the present moment, they have also been touted as the potential destination of the exciting Dutch centre-back Perr Schuurs.

Currently plying his trade for Serie A side Torino, the 23-year-old was brilliant last season. He started 28 games for the Turin side, providing two assists, maintaining a passing accuracy of 88.2% and averaging an impressive match rating of 6.67, per WhoScored.

According to the Evening Standard, the Eagles have 'expressed an interest' in the former Ajax man but will likely face stiff competition from several clubs, including West Ham United and Liverpool.

Another youngster linked with a move to south London this summer is Leeds United attacker Crysencio Summerville.

According to the Daily Telegraph's Mike McGrath, the 21-year-old is a player that is "admired" by Palace, but he will want to determine the Peacocks' plans for him before he decides on his future.

The Dutchman had a reasonably productive season for the Whites last year. In just 12 starts for the Yorkshire club, he scored four goals, provided two assists and averaged a match rating of 6.46, per WhoScored.

Roy Hodgson's team could be quite an exciting one to watch next year with the addition of Franca, and if they can add any of their other targets over the next month, they might just be fine without the influence of Zaha.

The left-arm spinner pulled up with a stiff back in the second Test and will stay in Colombo to receive treatment. Two players will be added to Sri Lanka’s squad for the third Test

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Aug-20170:57

Quick facts – Herath, Sri Lanka’s MVP

Rangana Herath will be rested for the third Test at Pallekele after pulling up from the second Test with a stiff back. Two players will be further added to Sri Lanka’s squad to replace Herath and the already-injured Nuwan Pradeep.Though there is no injury to Herath as such, he has had a heavy workload over the past three weeks, in which he bowled 71.1 overs in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, as well as a combined 91 overs in the two Tests against India. Considering his age, and the fact that Sri Lanka will have to play a Test series against Pakistan over the next two months, the selectors have made the decision to leave him out.”This is where our player management comes in, because we don’t want to break anyone,” SLC cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said. “We made the call not to risk Herath because he’s also bowled close to 200 overs in the three Tests. That’s a lot for his body.” Herath also confirmed he will stay in Colombo and receive treatment, rather than traveling to Kandy with the team.Though he has had a modest series against India so far, Sri Lanka’s attack will nevertheless be significantly weaker in his absence. He was the best of their bowlers at the SSC, taking 4 for 154, and had also taken 11 wickets in the difficult victory against Zimbabwe at Khettarama. Dilruwan Perera will now be the senior spinner, with left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara and left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan also in the squad.Herath is the fourth Sri Lanka player to become unavailable during the India series, after both Asela Gunaratne and Pradeep picked up injuries in the first and second Tests respectively, and Suranga Lakmal was ruled out by a back complaint. Herath is not in the habit of missing Tests, however. The last Sri Lanka match he missed had come more than two years ago – against Pakistan in July 2015 – and that was because he was dropped from the XI. The last Test for which he was unavailable was the 2014 Boxing Day Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, when he was nursing a leg injury, and also attended the birth of his second child.The Pallekele Test is scheduled to begin from August 12. It is, however, a dead rubber, with India having already won the series 2-0.

Derby County are set to complete another piece of transfer business soon, with The Derby Telegraph reporting that a deal is nearly sorted to snap up Charlie Lindsay on a free transfer.

Who is Charlie Lindsay?

The 19-year-old is currently without a club, having been let go by his previous club Rangers. The youngster never made his debut for the Scottish Premiership outfit and instead spent the entirety of his time with the team playing for their B-Squad in the Lowland League and in various cup competitions. He initially caught the eye with Glentoran's Under-17 squad, which prompted the Gers to bring him to their own youth setup. Initially getting minutes for their Under-18 outfit, he then moved up to Rangers B, but has been let go after just two seasons with them.

During his stint playing for the Gers, he did manage to impress in reserve team action. The attacking midfielder played in the Trust Trophy and UEFA Youth League for the Scottish outfit without ever really making an impact – he played 13 times and scored twice – but it was his 2022/23 season in the Lowland League that stands out. Becoming a regular there, he played 33 times and rewarded the Gers B team with 12 goals and six assists along the way. Despite that impressive record though, the midfielder was released at the end of the campaign.

Are Derby County signing Charlie Lindsay?

On a hunt for a new club, it now looks as if he may have found one. According to a report from The Derby Telegraph, Derby are ready to snap him up on a permanent transfer having tried him on a trial basis. He'd been tracked by several other EFL outfits too, with Hull, Blackburn and Huddersfield all monitoring his situation, but it looks as if he will now head to Pride Park.

The League One outfit must have liked what they saw from the 19-year-old and having now impressed during his spell there, he has earnt a place in the Rams' academy.

Lindsay, who appears to be one for the future, offers Derby some versatility should they need to call upon him. He can play as both a central midfielder but also further forward in an attacking midfield role too. He seems to excel in both positions, with the youngster managing more assists when further back but more goals when he is given the chance to roam forward. If needed, he has also been utilised on either wing in the past too.

The 19-year-old talent also has some experience at international level, albeit not a first-team cap. He has played four times for the Northern Ireland Under-16 squad and bagged two goals in four games for them. Despite a solid record with that youth outfit, he has since gone unpicked though for Under-17, 18 and 19 teams. Some more coaching and reserve gametime with Derby though could lead to more caps – and could perhaps lead in the future to some first-team football for the Rams and his country.

أكد بدر رجب المدير الفني لقطاع الناشئين بالنادي الأهلي، أن المارد الأحمر هو صاحب لقب بطولة دوري الجمهورية مواليد 2003، مشيرًا إلى أن الفريق ليس طرفًا في أزمة إنبي والمصري، كما كشف عن انتشار مشكلة تزوير أعمار اللاعبين.

وشهدت مباراة الأهلي وإنبي، التي أقيمت أمس الأحد، ضمن منافسات بطولة الجمهورية مواليد 2003، احتفالاً من الفريقين بالفوز بالدوري عقب نهاية المباراة، حيث تساوى الفريقان في عدد النقاط، لكن وفقاً للائحة الأهلي هو بطل المسابقة لفارق الأهداف لصالحه.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، يرى مسؤولو إنبي أنهم أبطال الدوري، وكشفوا عن التقدم باحتجاح قبل مباراة اليوم مع الأهلي، لاحتساب نقاط مواجهة المصري لصالحهم، بسبب مشاركة لاعب من مواليد 1997 في اللقاء، حسبما أكدوا.

طالع | اتحاد الكرة يحسم الجدل بشأن بطل دوري الجمهورية بين الأهلي وإنبي بعد احتفال الفريقين باللقب

وقال رجب خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “ملعب أون تايم” المذاع على قناة أون تايم سبورتس”: “نحن لسنا طرفًا فيما حدث اليوم، لأننا نعرف قبل اللقاء أننا أبطال المسابقة”.

وأضاف: “نحن لم نخسر البطولة، نحن الأبطال وهذا لن يُضيف للأهلي لكننا نبحث عن حقوقنا ونحن نُدافع عن اللاعبين وشعار نادينا”.

وتابع: “بعد مباراة اليوم لاعبو الأهلي كانوا غير سعداء لأنهم خسروا المباراة، لكن نعلم أننا أبطال البطولة، واحتفلوا بعد ذلك بالتتويج، نحن لسنا طرفًا في أزمة إنبي، وإذا كانت توجد مشكلة كان قد تم إبلاغنا قبل اللقاء”.

وواصل: “موضوع التزوير هذا منتشر جدًا في الدوري، لكن الأهلي لا يملك أي لاعب مزور في قطاع الناشئين، بينما يوجد 3 منتخبات بأعمار سنية مختلفة لعبوا في بطولات إفريقيا وعادوا بسبب مشكلة التزوير وليس من بينهم اي لاعب من الأهلي”.

وأكمل: “أين العدالة ونحن لعبنا مباراتي إنبي على ملعبهم؟، نحن لسنا طرفًا في مسألة أن هناك لاعبًا مزورًا في النادي المصري، التزوير موجود بالفعل وهناك لاعبون سنعلن عنهم بعد ذلك بأنهم مزورون”.

وأتم: “نحن نبني بطل راعي بطولة من صغره وشخصية تفيد الفريق الأول، على الأندية التي تشارك في البطولة أن تُفكر في إفادة المنتخب وليس الحصول على بطولة مزيفة، لأن هناك لاعبين مُسننين كثيرين”.

وانتهت مباراة الأهلي وإنبي بفوز الفريق البترولي بنتيجة 4-3 ليصل إلى النقطة 62 متساوياً مع المارد الأحمر في نفس عدد النقاط وفي المواجهات.

Manchester United have been told how much they would need to splash out to bring in Axel Disasi this summer, with talks underway as reported by Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

How many games has Axel Disasi played for Monaco?

The 25-year-old has begun to establish himself as a first-team regular for current side Monaco, having gradually gathered more and more Ligue 1 minutes since his move to the Louis II Stadium three seasons ago.

Initially managing just 24 starts (but three goals, impressive for a defender), he has since been given 30 and then 37 starts for the side during the following two campaigns. It shows that he has steadily become more and more important and prominent for the French outfit and is now one of the leaders of their backline. In the last campaign, he also managed his best ever return in terms of goal contributions, with three goals and three assists in the league.

Prior to joining Monaco, he had made a name for himself with Reims in Ligue 2. He was actually given his league debut by Paris FC at just 17 years of age and played three times that year for them as well. That led to his switch to Reims and after initially being nothing more than a prospect on the fringes of the squad, he eventually formed part of the squad that won Ligue 2 promotion before becoming a key player in the top tier.

That campaign in which they were promoted saw him play 13 times for the side in the league and then, upon their jump up in division, he gathered a further 31 appearances for the club before his transfer.

Are Manchester United signing Axel Disasi?

With Disasi now proving himself at the very top level in France, he could now be given the chance to shine in England it seems. That's because, according to a report from Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, both Manchester United and Newcastle in the Premier League are in talks over a potential deal for the 25-year-old this summer – but it could be costly.

That's because Monaco have demanded that either party will need to pay at least 45 million Euros (or £38.6m) to get a transfer over the line for the defender. The journalist adds that discussions are continuing even though both clubs are now aware of how much they will need to spend for the central defender this window.

Whilst not describing Disasi alone, football talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously listed the defender as one of the French squad's options. As he ran through the amount of talent he perceives the side to have at their disposal, he insisted that it was "crazy" to see all of the solid options the country have at the back. It shows that the Monaco man is seen as someone who could certainly compete for a spot with in an elite national side and is a player on the up – and therefore, if United want more defensive reinforcements, they could do a lot worse than him this window.

After a summer transfer window full of fresh additions for Glasgow Rangers, the club are now closing in on the sale of one of their first-team players…

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Light Blues have accepted an offer from Pendikspor for right winger Scott Wright ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Michael Beale's side have given the forward the green light to seal a move to Turkey for a fee in the region of £500k.

It states that the former Aberdeen player will now travel to meet with the Super Lig team before making a final decision on whether or not he wants to ditch Ibrox for a new start elsewhere.

Who could replace Scott Wright at Rangers?

Beale could find an exceptional replacement for Wright by reigniting the club's interest in Aris Thessaloniki attacker Luis Palma over the coming weeks.

Football Insider reported in May that a move for the Honduras international was 'unlikely' due to interest from other clubs in Europe, but the 23-year-old is yet to secure a transfer elsewhere which could open the door for the Gers to go back in for his services.

The talented dynamo, who has been valued at €5m (£4.3m) by the Greek side, could come in as the dream player to take over from Wright as his numbers last season suggest that he would offer far more at the top end of the pitch.

Palma averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.12 across 29 Super League appearances for Aris, which would have placed him seventh within the Rangers squad.

The exciting maestro showcased his attacking quality with an impressive return of 11 goals and four assists in 20 league starts. For context, Fashion Sakala – who also played as a striker – was the only wide player with more than ten Scottish Premiership goals (12).

These statistics suggest that the Honduras ace, who was hailed for his “brilliant” goal contributions by agent Paulo Hernandez, has the potential to provide Beale with more firepower in the wide areas if he can translate that over to Scotland.

Whereas, Wright was unable to prove himself to be a reliable option for the former QPR head coach. The ex-Dons winger averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.63 across 23 matches last term, which placed him 30th out of 31 Rangers players.

He failed to find the back of the net on any occasion and contributed with just one assist for the team. This came after the 25-year-old managed four goals and one assist across 19 Premiership games during the 2021/22 campaign.

The only other Gers players with 20 or more appearances and zero goals last season were goalkeeper Allan McGregor and central defender Ben Davies, simply highlighting the startling lack of attacking quality the forward provided.

Therefore, Palma could be a fantastic replacement for Wright as the Aris sensation is a younger player whose form in Greece throughout the 2022/23 campaign showcased his potential to offer more as a scorer and creator of goals in comparison to the Scottish liability.