Rangers have now held what is believed to be positive talks with one managerial candidate to take over at Ibrox, according to one report.
Who could be the next Rangers manager?
The Gers are on the search for their third permanent manager in the space of two years after parting ways with Michael Beale over the weekend. A 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership proved to be Beale’s last game in charge in Glasgow, with the 43-year-old ending his time as manager with 31 wins, four draws and eight defeats from 43 games.
Multiple managers, both in and out of work, have already been linked with the vacant role, including Frank Lampard, Kevin Muscat, Chris Wilder, Graham Potter and Ryan Lowe just some of the names to have been mentioned in recent days. The club look set to take their time when it comes to finding a long-term successor to Beale, with Steven Davis in interim charge of the side.
However, it looks as if Ibrox officials have already made a start when it comes to talks with a possible replacement. According to TEAMtalk, Rangers and Lampard have now held positive talks over a possible deal, with the former Chelsea boss extremely keen on taking charge. The report adds that further discussions are expected to take place between the two parties.
Frank Lampard
Is Frank Lampard a good manager?
Lampard likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system, as per Transfermarkt, but so far, has had his struggles as a manager. During his time as Derby, Chelsea and Everton boss, the Englishman hasn’t won any honours and has won 83 of a possible 196 games, losing 73 of those. The 45-year-old does have two victories over Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers on his CV, though, something which could come in handy if he takes over at Ibrox as the club already look to close a seven-point gap on their rivals at the top of the table.
However, talkSPORT host Simon Jordan has been left concerned at the possibility of Lampard coming in at Rangers, believing it ‘makes no sense’.
“I’m not sure that Frank Lampard would be the right fit. I’m trying to work out on what basis would I be looking at Frank Lampard as a fit for Rangers.”
Jordan then went on to add:
“The only reason you put Lampard in the conversation is because it’s Frank Lampard the player. You don’t put him in the conversation because it’s Frank Lampard the manager, that’s why it makes no sense to me. Lampard is just a figure of people’s imagination right now, he needs to go away and regroup and become a football manager.”
The recent report states that Ibrox supporters have also made it clear that Lampard is not their preferred candidate, but by the looks of things, it appears that there is a real possibility of that happening following initial talks, making this one to keep an eye on in the coming days.
Antony was caught on camera fuming at Erik ten Hag after being asked to fill an unnatural left-back position for Manchester United against Liverpool.
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Red Devils were chasing the game in extra-timeDutch coach took to shuffling his packSouth American star not happy in defensive berthWHAT HAPPENED?
With the Red Devils chasing the game in extra-time against arch-rivals Liverpool, Ten Hag decided to get creative with his selection. While searching for a goal, he took to dropping midfield talisman Bruno Fernandes into a centre-half berth and asked Brazilian forward Antony to fill in at full-back.
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The surprising tactical tweaks ultimately worked a treat, with United staging the most dramatic of comebacks to prevail 4-3 on the day. Amad Diallo netted a 121st-minute winner, after Marcus Rashford had levelled matters nine minutes earlier.
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Antony had helped to send the tie beyond the 90-minute mark, as he snatched a late equaliser to make the contest 2-2. He would have been hoping to go on and become a hero in the final third, and was clearly less than impressed at being switched into a defensive role.
A pivotal figure in Nepal’s rise as a cricketing nation over the last decade, the left-arm spinner has struggled to maintain a place in the starting line-up over the last two years
After being named in Nepal’s squad for the T20 matches against the MCC and Netherlands at Lord’s and Nepal’s maiden ODIs against the Netherlands on August 1 and 3, left-arm spinner Shakti Gauchan has announced his retirement. Gauchan made the announcement at a press conference in Kathmandu on Wednesday, marking the Netherlands tour as his last with Nepal.Gauchan remains in a 15-man squad despite having played just one match at the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. Nepal secured ODI status for the first time by finishing as one of the top-three Associates aside from Netherlands, who had regained ODI status after winning the WCL Championship in December. Wicketkeeper Dilip Nath has been dropped in a like-for-like swap with Subash Khakurel in the only change to the squad that toured Zimbabwe.The 34-year-old Gauchan is an iconic figure in Nepalese cricket, having played 191 matches across all formats for his country since making his senior team debut as an 18-year-old against Oman in July 2002 at the Asian Cricket Council Trophy. He is by far the longest tenured player in Nepal’s squad, having made his debut two years prior to captain Paras Khadka’s maiden international against Malaysia in 2004.However, Gauchan has struggled to maintain a place in the starting line-up over the last two years since the emergence of teenage legspin sensation Sandeep Lamichhane. Fellow left-arm spinner Basant Regmi has been the preferred spin option to partner Lamichhane ahead of Gauchan on most occasions, though Gauchan has remained in Nepal’s regular touring squads, acting as a mentor to Lamichhane.Gauchan played a starring role in Nepal’s two victories in the opening round of the 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, the only major ICC tournament the country has played in. On World T20 debut, Gauchan’s four-over spell of 3 for 9 including the prized wicket of Babar Hayat earned him Man-of-the-Match honors as Nepal wiped out Hong Kong for 69 in an 80-run win. He then took 2 for 25, including the wickets of Nawroz Mangal and then-captain Mohammad Nabi, in a nine-run win over Afghanistan.His infectious smile has made him many friends off the field among opposition sides and helped make him a major fan favorite in Nepal, as well as a cult figure across the Associate world. Even though Gauchan has never been a big turner of the ball with his round-arm action, he has been lethal at strangling Associate teams into submission thanks to his unflinching accuracy.Nepal Cricket Fan Club/NepalCricket Twitter
One of Gauchan’s most dominant tournaments came at 2012 WCL Division Four in Malaysia where Nepal went undefeated during the start of a golden run that spurred a push to the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand and the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh. It was in Malaysia that Gauchan produced near flawless and statistically mindboggling spells against Singapore (9-4-8-1), Malaysia (10-8-2-3), and Denmark (7-1-12-1).The following spring, in a pressure-packed must-win last-day scenario at WCL Division Three in Bermuda, he reprised his heroics against Italy by helping tie down the opposition for 129 with a golden spell of 10-2-15-2. It set up a sprinted chase in less than 15 overs that ensured Nepal overtook USA on the net-run-rate tiebreaker and into the World Cup Qualifier for just the second time in their history, and first appearance since the 2001 ICC Trophy in Canada.Gauchan has also been noteworthy for his unselfishness. Earlier in his career, he batted at No. 3 as a genuine allrounder, but shifted down the order in later years to suit the needs of the team. More recently his team-first attitude has been noticeable in the way he has gracefully stepped aside to make room for Lamichhane’s rise as leader of the bowling attack. Despite carrying drinks for all of WCL Division Two in Namibia, there was arguably nobody happier than Gauchan during the celebrations that followed an epic last-ball one-wicket win over Canada on the final day of round-robin play to send Nepal to the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.But with an increase from 14 to 15 roster spots available a few weeks after their Division Two success for the qualifier in Zimbabwe, Nepal’s selectors decided against boosting the team’s weak batting depth and instead called up rookie left-arm orthodox spinner Lalit Rajbanshi. The 18-year-old played all six matches in Zimbabwe as part of a three-pronged spin attack with Lamichhane and Regmi. Gauchan only suited up for the 7th place game against Netherlands, after ODI status had been secured. It was yet another signal that his career was nearing its end.Rather than wait until being dropped from a subsequent squad, Gauchan has decided to make an exit on his own terms. Having played such a monumental and often unsung role in Nepal’s rise from WCL Division Five to ODI status over the last decade behind the likes of Khadka, Regmi, Lamichhane and Gyanendra Malla, a trip to Lord’s amid an expected turnout in excess of 5000 Nepal fans is a fitting farewell for Gauchan’s final tour.
Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund admits he was "bothered" by criticism aimed in his direction over his wait to score a Premier League goal.
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Hojlund endured PL goal drought
Finally opened account vs Villa in December
Opens up on criticism during that period
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Denmark international enjoyed a scintillating start to life in the Champions League, scoring five goals as United crashed out at the group stages. But in the league, Hojlund endured a miserable run of 14 games without a goal. The £72 million ($92m) forward was criticised in the media and was the subject of cruel comparisons to TikTok star Sean Mills during said drought. However, Hojlund eventually silenced his critics against Aston Villa in December, with his maiden league goal coming as a last-minute winner in a 3-2 victory. And he admits that it was "great to shut people up" with that strike.
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WHAT HOJLUND SAID
The Dane told (via ): “There I thought: ‘Finally!’ It was great to shut people up. Of course, it bothered me a bit that people kept talking about this Premier League goal that hadn’t been scored, whereas not many people were talking about the fact that I was top scorer in the Champions League at the same time. I couldn’t quite get my head round that, so it was even nicer to change that 0 to 1.
"I could feel the support from day one, but it’s clear that there are many who want to see you down because you’ve reached the level you’ve reached, and there are many who may be envious. There have been many positive comments, but there have also been some negative ones that I’ve had to sort through. At first, it was a bit difficult to distinguish between one and the other. I’m from a generation where mobile and social media are read an insane amount. I quickly realised that you rarely get anything out of either the good or the bad, so I quickly decided to put it away before a match.”
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Following a barren run of form in front of goal in the league, Hojlund's nerves appeared to settle as he embarked on an incredible scoring streak. After drawing a blank against Wigan in the FA Cup on January 8, the Dane then scored in six consecutive matches in all competitions for United. Only an untimely training injury stopped him adding to that tally of seven goals and two assists, which he continues to recover from going into the business end of the season.
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Hojlund was missed during his four games on the sidelines, with United only scoring three non-penalty goals in that period.
Tottenham Hotspur are enjoying life under Ange Postecoglou and barely appear to have noticed the club-record sale of club-record goalscorer Harry Kane.
The London club currently top the Premier League table after eight matches and look poised to maintain pace at the forefront of the pack, having failed to qualify for Europe after slumping to an eighth-placed finish last season.
While James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and co have been transformative summer signings, some supporters will be most delighted with the resurgence of Yves Bissouma, with the all-action midfielder now at the heart of the exploits after previously moored in mediocrity.
How is Yves Bissouma performing for Tottenham?
Tottenham signed Bissouma from Brighton & Hove Albion for £25m plus add-ons in the summer of 2022, with the Malian midfielder having dazzled on the south coast and earned praise as a "top-class player" who has "everything" by pundit Ray Parlour prior to his transfer.
Last season, he didn't hit the ground running and actually languished in tandem with Spurs, and it was a far cry from the player who had won the high-flying Seagulls' Player of the Year award just one year before, but tactically, he clearly needed time to get up to speed.
However, The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare has now proclaimed him to be among the club's "standout" performers this season, and he really has been immense in recycling possession and producing energetic, combative displays in the engine room.
As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old has completed 91% of his passes, made 3.3 tackles and 6.1 ball recoveries per game and succeeded with an incredible 77% of his dribbles, also winning 62% of his duels.
Picking up two yellow cards against Luton Town last time out, however, the £55k-per-week ace will now miss the forthcoming contest against Fulham in the top-flight on Monday evening, and Postecoglou will be most displeased after the player's integral work thus far this term.
As robust and omnipresent as they come, he ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 7% for passes attempted, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
While Bissouma's suspension leaves a hole in Tottenham's team, it does offer the opportunity for another star to swoop in and prove their worth, and it appears to be Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who is the man for the job.
How good is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?
The £100k-per-week ace has been a regular member of the starting line-up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since signing from Southampton in a bargain £15m deal in 2019.
Indeed, Hojbjerg has made 153 displays for Tottenham, scoring ten goals and supplying 16 assists, though since Postecoglou's appointment, he has yet to play in the Premier League from the opening whistle, featuring in every top-flight contest since sitting the season opener against Brentford on the bench but introduced after the break on each occasion.
Tottenham's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
The 69-cap international is attracting interest from La Liga side Atletico Madrid and Italian giants Juventus, but whether either side would be willing to meet the Lilywhites' €30m (£26m) valuation remains to be seen.
Given that the 28-year-old is in the penultimate year of his contract with the Premier League club, there is every chance that he will be sold in the summer, or perhaps even January.
The indications certainly point to that conclusion, and while Bissouma is only sidelined for one match, Hojbjerg could make a marked impact with his metronomic presence.
While this is entirely speculative, Tottenham's social media acknowledgement of the Danish midfielder's resounding strike last time out hints that a starting berth may be provided on Monday night, and given that Bissouma is unquestionably sidelined, this could indeed prove to be the case.
And it's not exactly as if Hojbjerg is untested on Premier League soil; he may be out of sorts at present, but his qualities are well-suited to stifling a resolute Cottagers team, providing calmness and composure in the centre to allow his offensive-minded peers to flourish.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 14% for passes attempted, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 19% for interceptions and the top 13% for clearances per 90.
He is a first-class distributor and while he is somewhat conservative in possession, he is effective as the fulcrum and will be hungry to impress after sitting on the fringe thus far.
22/23 PL Players Most Passes (premierleague.com)
#
Player
No. of Passes
1
Lewis Dunk
3,208
2
Rodri
2,977
3
Virgil van Dijk
2,581
4
Gabriel Magalhaes
2,396
5
Trent Alexander-Arnold
2,309
6
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
2,256
And who knows, perhaps a stellar showing against Marco Silva's outfit will work wonders in reestablishing him as an important component and proving to his manager that he can serve an important role.
Indeed, last season in the Premier League Hojbjerg completed 89% of his passes and averaged 0.9 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, and while the latter is nothing to write home about, it is not too shabby for a midfielder of deeper-lying placement.
For a phenom who has completed 225 appearances in the Premier League and has previously been hailed as a "monster" by former Denmark and Derby County midfielder Morten Bisgaard, who also remarked at his intelligence.
Spurs will be determined to maintain the early-season purple patch that tantalises something more, but if Spurs truly wish to announce themselves as new contenders they will need to demonstrate quality in rotation.
And with Hojbjerg ready to step in, the requisite midfield depth looks to be at Postecoglou's disposal.
علق محمد سلامة وكيل حزة المثلوثي لاعب فريق الكرة بنادي الزمالك، على تلقي الأخير عروض احتراف للرحيل عن القلعة البيضاء خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية.
وقال محمد سلامة في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “المحور”: “هناك ناديان استسفرا عن القيمة المقترحة لشراء حمزة المثلوثي من نادي الزمالك، لا توجد أي عروض رسمية، ولكن استطلاع رأي وجس نبض”.
وتابع: “الفريق السعودي الذي يرغب في ضم المثلوثي ليس من الأندية الكبرى في السعودية، وأولويات حمزة المثلوثي البقاء في الزمالك، أي أحد يتلقى عرض يفكر على المستوى الرياضي والمادي”.
طالع | اتحاد الكرة يٌعلن حكم مباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش في الدوري المصري
وأكمل: “الزمالك نادي كبير ويلعب على الألقاب والمراكز الأولى في البطولات الإفريقية، على المستوى الرياضي المثلوثي يشعر بالارتياح في الزمالك”.
وأردف: “لكن توجد اعتبارات مادية وتقدير مادي وإن شاء الله نجد فيه حل، وحمزة المثلوثي يحصل على أقل راتب في محترفين نادي الزمالك”.
واختتم: “حمزة لم يتقدم بأي شكوى ضد الزمالك ولا مرة، ولكن تحدث مع رئيس النادي، وفي الوقت الحاضر يوجد تأخير كبير في مستحقاته المادية، ويوجد وعود من رئيس النادي قبل ما سينتهى الموسم مستحقاته ستكون منتهية”.
Liverpool have set their sights on signing an exciting young centre-back in January, but they aren't the only club who are looking to secure his services in the Premier League.
Who are Liverpool's defenders?
At Anfield, Jurgen Klopp has Virgil Van Dijk, who is the new captain of the club, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah as his current options at centre-back, but it’s obvious that the boss needs to dip into the market for further reinforcements.
The Reds skipper and Matip are both 32 years of age so aren’t getting any younger and will soon have to be replaced, whilst Gomez hasn’t recently lived up to the standards required of him, leaving the latter two as the only long-term choices with Gomez seemingly now preferred as a right-back.
Therefore, FSG will be assessing their options in the market having failed to secure a defender over the summer and it appears that they have highlighted Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio as an ideal target to pursue in the transfer window at the start of next year.
Premier League rivals Manchester United have also added the Portugal international to their shortlist of centre-back options so it won’t come easy to secure his services, but the following update confirms that FSG chiefs have held an interest in the 22-year-old for a long time.
Goncalo Inacio transfer update
Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Fabrizio Romano revealed in a Goncalo Inacio transfer update that Liverpool and Newcastle United are the two clubs that also admire the colossus alongside the hierarchy at Old Trafford. He said:
“Inacio has also been on the list at Liverpool and Newcastle in recent years, while Sporting also extended his contract during the summer. He’s a very talented player, so let’s see how his situation evolves in the months ahead.”
Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio.
How tall is Goncalo Inacio?
Standing at 6 foot 1, Inacio is a real rock at the heart of the backline at Sporting CP, where he’s been averaging 2.4 clearances and 1.6 aerial wins per league game so far this season (WhoScored – Inacio statistics), but he’s also capable of making an impact in the final third.
The Almada native, who is naturally left-footed, has posted 19 contributions, 11 goals and eight assists, in 132 appearances during his time with Ruben Amorim’s side (Transfermarkt – Inacio statistics), with his ability to pose a threat when it comes to set pieces seeing him labelled a “complete” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Passing
Likes to dribble
Concentration
Likes to play short passes (Data via WhoScored)
Inacio, who pockets £28k-per-week (Sporting CP salaries), knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured four trophies since joining his homeland outfit, so he would therefore be able to match the winning mentality of the squad already on Merseyside and be able to easily adapt to the manager's required demands at Liverpool.
The "striker curse" has engulfed many Chelsea players over recent years. The likes of Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner were all brought in for big money but failed to excel in the blue shirt.
In truth, the Blues still haven't replaced the potent physical presence of Diego Costa, who departed Stamford Bridge after enjoying a largely successful period in West London, winning two Premier League titles and netting an impressive 59 goals in 120 appearances in all competitions.
Mauricio Pochettino desperately needs a dominant focal point up top and with the January transfer window fast approaching, the Argentine could be presented with more funds to purchase one of Europe's most promising forwards.
Were Chelsea interested in signing Dusan Vlahovic?
Across the summer, Chelsea were heavily linked with a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic to bolster their attacking firepower.
Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.
It was rumoured that the Blues considered offering Romelu Lukaku as part of a swap deal for the Serbian hitman in August and while the Belgian striker agreed on personal terms with the Italian giants, they were unable to strike a deal as the English club wanted Juve to drastically lower their asking price, according to Sky Sport Italia.
The report detailed that the Old Lady were demanding a £34m fee for Vlahovic plus Lukaku, however, the Premier League side were unwilling to go beyond a fee of £21.5m with add-ons included.
While a deal didn't materialise in the summer, there are reasons to be optimistic about a transfer being concluded in the future after Juve teammate Samuel Iling-Junior previously drew comparisons for the similarities that Vlahovic shares with Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba.
He said: "Didier had that energy. Obviously he was a finisher. But when you go on the pitch I think energy is the most important thing in a top player.
"Dusan has got the lot. He speaks on the pitch. But it’s more his energy. When he’s going to press, he just naturally takes you with him.”
Is Dusan Vlahovic similar to Didier Drogba?
Didier Drogba arrived at the club at the age of 26 and quickly established himself as a dominant goal-scoring focal point in Jose Mourinho's title-winning machine.
The Ivorian had the ox-like strength, exceptional hold-up play, incredible movement and incisive finishing in his repertoire that saw him net an outstanding 164 goals in 381 appearances for Chelsea.
Didier Drogba
And in the early stages of Vlahovic's career, it appears that the 23-year-old possesses the unerring attributes that can see him follow a similar path to stardom taken by the former and that is a tantalising prospect for supporters to envisage.
Standing at 6 foot 3, Vlahovic is a traditional frontman, notoriously clinical in front of goal, can hold off defenders and make the piercing movement in behind that the opposition struggles to live with.
Described by teammate Filip Kostic as the "best striker in Europe", the 23-cap Serbian international has netted a commendable 65 goals in 147 appearances in Serie A.
While he would undeniably bring a consistent goal-scoring touch to Stamford Bridge, he's been labelled by former Juventus player Alessio Tacchinardi as "extraordinary" and could be the first step to improving their focal point.
Although it would be a monumental challenge to replicate the legendary legacy that Drogba crafted as a blue-blooded god, the Serbian machine, who is valued at £69m (€80m) as per CIES Football Observatory, has all the tools in his armoury to fix Chelsea's fortunes in front of goal.
As such, with Nicolas Jackson – who has just two league goals to his name this season – failing to fire, a renewed approach for Vlahovic could be needed in January.
With Australia in the midst of world domination in the 2000s, then coach John Buchanan was still looking for ways to add an extra dimension – or an extra arm. “I am disappointed senior coaches are not spending time with fielders, batters and bowlers to develop new skills,” Buchanan had said. “Particularly throwing with both hands.”Since then, ambidextrous players – while still rare – have started slowly emerging. In the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) last week for example, VB Kanchi Veerans threw one, Mokit Hariharan, into the mix.In Sunday’s TNPL game against Dindigul Dragons, Mokit was introduced by his captain B Aparajith in the sixth over, where he bowled orthodox left-arm spin to the right-handed N Jagadeesan before switching to right-arm offspin for the left-handed C Hari Nishant.Although Mokit – a top-order batsman who also bowls occasionally – failed to get a wicket, his unique skill makes him an allrounder of a different kind, forcing opposition batsmen to worry about an extra thing. He finished with 0 for 32 off his four overs and had the second-best economy among the seven bowlers Kanchi Veerans used on Sunday.Mokit joins Akshay Karnewar, whose ambidextrous bowling for Vidarbha in India’s domestic T20 competition befuddled the opposition batsmen two seasons ago, and Yasir Jan, the fast bowler from Pakistan who bowls “around 145kmph with his right arm and no less than 135kmph with his left.”Being able to bowl with both arms has long been considered little more than a gimmick. One of the first times history has recorded an attempt was by Hanif Mohammad when he was bowling to Sir Garfield Sobers, on 364 at the time and needing one to set a world record for the highest individual Test score. Sobers duly pushed a single off the delivery.Apart from Karnewar and Yasir, Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis bowled with both arms in the 2018 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand, while Bangladesh women’s Shaila Sharmin has made this unique skill a potent weapon.
As Manchester City turn towards summer reinforcements, Pep Guardiola’s side are reportedly poised to chase a midfield addition worth as much as £100m when the window swings open.
Man City transfer news
To say that the Citizens have had a season to forget would be quite an understatement. Everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong for the Premier League champions, starting with Rodri’s ACL injury against Arsenal in the early stages of the campaign. And since then, injuries have summed City’s campaign up to hand Guardiola the most frustrating season of his career.
For the first time in the Spaniard’s time at The Etihad, the Citizens are in desperate need of a rebuild which already got underway in the January transfer window. Welcoming the likes of Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez, they’ll be hoping their winter spending is enough to earn a place in the Premier League’s top four.
Then, once the summer arrives, the champions are reportedly set to turn their attention towards a Premier League midfielder. According to GiveMeSport, Manchester City are poised to chase a deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, who value their star midfielder at as much as £100m this summer.
The Brazilian has once again enjoyed an excellent campaign at St James’ Park, with the Magpies once again battling for a top-four race and reaching the Carabao Cup final.
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With Kevin De Bruyne set to leave as a free agent this summer, the arrival of Guimaraes could instantly replace the Belgian and ease any concerns over replicating his qualities.
"Great" Guimaraes could revive Man City's midfield
Whether it’s with Newcastle or, indeed, at Manchester City, Guimaraes looks destined to reach the top of European football. The Brazilian, alongside Alexander Isak, is arguably the most important player under Eddie Howe, who was full of praise for both him and countryman Joelinton.
The Newcastle boss told reporters: “They’re a joy to work with. They do have that inner strength. They’re both great people and they’ve become integral to the squad. They’re settled in and are very popular.
“They do have a slight flamboyance with the way they play. I’m delighted with both of them. Long may that continue, really.”
Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Bruno Guimaraes
Kevin De Bruyne
Starts
25
11
Assists
6
6
Progressive passes per 90
7.58
9.46
Ball recoveries
5.08
3.57
Given the success that Guimaraes has enjoyed next to both Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, the Newcastle star could reach another level entirely next to the likes of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
As Manchester City look to transform their midfield, Guimaraes should be at the top of their wishlist. He ticks the box for Premier League experience and a player who’s ready to step into a Guardiola side.