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The Portuguese has been criticised for rotating his squad too much but he should assemble two separate XIs to cope with fixture congestion

"Rotation is a part of the modern game. It's got to be. Look at how fast the Premier League is and the intensity of the matches. The speed of the game has changed and somewhere along the line I have to make changes." Those aren't the words of Manchester United's current boss Ruben Amorim or his predecessor Erik ten Hag. They came from the mouth of Sir Alex Ferguson towards the end of a draining 64-game season in 2009.

Since then, the pace of the Premier League has quickened and the number of matches in club and international football has swelled. There has never been a greater need for squad rotation and yet changing players, either from game to game or during matches, remains hugely unpopular. Players want to be involved in every match, coaches want their best players to play every minute and so do fans. Just look at the reaction to United's 3-2 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. When Bruno Fernandes was taken off in the 75th minute for Mason Mount, there were audible boos from the Old Trafford faithful. And when the full-time whistle went to confirm a second successive defeat, fingers were pointed at Amorim for making five changes from his previous line-up at Arsenal, and for making five substitutions.

"When you keep changing players and you keep changing your back three and you take five players off, you're basically saying to all of them that you don't trust them," said Gary Neville on "All of a sudden you've got a completely different system, a completely different set of players on the pitch at the end of the game. You can never get consistency."

Amorim has warned on several occasions that he would have to rotate his team due to the sheer number of games and so that he can assess as many players as possible. And despite the negative results of the last week, he needs to keep doing it. In fact, the solution to the fixture gridlock he is facing is to go even further and mimic Chelsea by assembling an 'A' team for Premier League games and a 'B' team for European and cup competitions.

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  Learning from Ten Hag's mistakes

  Amorim was well versed in squad rotation at Sporting CP, when he was used to playing between 52 and 54 matches per season, and he has embraced the same attitude to team selection at United. In his second game in charge against Bodo/Glimt he made six changes from his debut at Ipswich Town and he made another six for the next game against Everton, when there was just a 64-hour gap between games.

  It was the same for the trip to Arsenal, although he only changed four players for the game against Forest. Only three players have been resistant to the rotation and have started every game: Matthijs de Ligt, Fernandes and Andre Onana. It is a big change from Ten Hag, who named an identical starting line-up for his first two games of the campaign and made only four changes in the opening four.

  For the Dutchman, three changes was a large number and one gets the impression that he would have rotated even less had he not had to contend with so many injuries. Indeed, Ten Hag was so reticent about rotation that during his first season he named an unchanged line-up against Real Betis four days after his side had been trounced 7-0 by Liverpool.

  His propensity to keep a fixed starting XI in that debut campaign might have helped him win the Carabao Cup, reach the FA Cup final and finish third in the Premier League, but after a 64-game season in which many of his squad also played in the winter World Cup in Qatar, his players looked utterly drained. The load on the players can go some way to explaining why they suffered so many injuries the following campaign.

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  Players need to be more 'robust'

  Amorim's approach in that sense is refreshing. And it makes further sense given that many of his players did not have a proper pre-season campaign due to being involved in the European Championship and Copa America.

  As former United defender John O'Shea explained to GOAL: “There's got to be more robustness built into the players. It’s hard because when these international players are going away to tournaments they’re not getting the chance to recover. If you have a four-to-six week window of proper training that base will serve you for the rest of the season but if you miss out on that you have to have that luck on the way to avoid little injuries."

  There is another motivation behind Amorim's squad rotation. He needs to make every training session count as he looks to instil his methods into his new charges, and players who have played the day before cannot participate fully in a session the following day. As he explained in his first press conference: "It's so much harder to come to the team in the middle of the season because you have to get to know the players during the games, you are talking about no national team periods to work with the players, it's just games. It's really hard but we'll try to find ways to cope with that."

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  Maresca points the way

  And one way to cope is to look at what Chelsea have been doing. The Blues were on track to compete in the Europa League but United's shock win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final relegated them to the Europa Conference League. And manager Enzo Maresca has used the fact that his side are overwhelmingly the strongest in the competition to his advantage by fielding almost an entirely different team in Europe than in the Premier League games.

  The Italian even took the bold decision to exclude talisman Cole Palmer from the squad for the group stage along with Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia. The policy has worked wonders in both competitions: Chelsea have won all four of their European games with ease and they have won eight of their last 12 Premier League matches to emerge as the strongest title rival to Liverpool, who are the only team to have beaten the Blues, along with champions City.

  Maresca has also been flexible between competitions, making seven changes for the recent Premier League game at Southampton and still seeing his team win 5-1. He made another seven changes for the 4-3 win at Tottenham, restoring his line-up to the same 11 players that had beaten Aston Villa the week before.

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  Keeping players motivated

  "Pick an XI that you think are the best. Almost give that XI the faith and trust," explained Neville. "Maresca's doing it now at Chelsea – he's playing an XI on a Sunday or a Saturday and then he's playing a different XI in midweek. He's sending some messages to the players that there's stability here and this is what we're going to do.”

  Maresca has also found consistency with his B team, and he has managed to give a new lease of life to players who would otherwise miss out. Christopher Nkunku has scored seven goals in six Conference League games (including the two-legged qualifier against Servette) while he has only started twice in the Premier League, although he is regularly brought off the bench.

  Mykhailo Mudryk is also getting the game time he is starved of in the league and has scored three times in four matches. Benoit Badiashile, meanwhile, has used the Conference League games to map out a path into the Premier League team, playing 90 minutes in two of the last three fixtures, plus half an hour against Aston Villa. Of course, Chelsea's success in effectively building two capable and competitive groups of players has only been made possible by the £1 billion ($1.2bn) spent on 39 signings since the Todd Boehly-led takeover in 2022.

Nottingham Forest have already turned their attention towards a defensive reinforcement after agreeing a deal for Ramon Sosa.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Those in the Midlands have enjoyed a solid summer window, balancing the books through the sales of Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate, and welcoming reinforcements in the form of Carles Miguel, Nikola Milenkovic and Elliot Anderson. It seems as though they may not be done on the incomings front either, with Talleres winger Sosa next through the door.

The 24-year-old will join the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga in Nuno Espirito Santo's impressive list of attacking options ahead of his first full campaign in charge. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss may not just see his frontline improve though, with one particular defender now reportedly being considered.

After Sosa: Nottingham Forest's £30m target can make Danilo unplayable

The Reds are aiming to improve their forward line this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 14, 2024

According to TyC Sports via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are now considering a first offer to sign Gonzalo Montiel on a permanent basis from Sevilla following his loan spell in the Midlands last season. A World Cup winner, Sevilla will reportedly decline any offers below the €9m (£8m) mark for their right-back this summer.

As things stand, Neco Williams is in line to start in the right-back role under Nuno, as he did when available last season. Alas, it must be said that when the Welshman isn't fit, Forest lack an adequate backup to step into their side, which is where Montiel could come in.

For just £8m, Forest could land crucial depth in their pursuit of a season away from relegation trouble in the Premier League.

"Great" Montiel can compete with Williams

Proving that he can fill in for Williams last season, Montiel could now emerge to do exactly the same job in the forthcoming campaign. The addition of the Argentine isn't one that will steal the same headlines as Sosa, but it would arguably be just as important for the sake of Forest's squad depth as the Premier League gets underway once more.

Described as a player with a "great pedigree" by former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper when he first arrived on loan last season, Montiel has quite the decision to make in the next two weeks.

27 years old and a player who should, therefore, be in the peak of his career, Montiel is reportedly keen to remain in Europe which makes Forest an ideal option. What's more, a familiar face among several other incomings wouldn't exactly be a bad thing for Nuno. As the start of their Premier League campaign approaches, Forest would be wise to make their move for the Argentine.

Crystal Palace have made three signings so far this summer, splashing the cash to acquire Ismaila Sarr from Marseille, Chadi Riad from Real Betis, and Daichi Kamada (who joined on a free) from Lazio.

However, the biggest story at Palace this summer, has, of course, been the loss of Michael Olise, who left to join German giants, Bayern Munich, for a fee of around £50m.

Olise made 19 appearances for Palace in the Premier League last season, scoring ten goals, providing six assists, and totalling 1,278 minutes played, with the race still on to help find ways to suitably replace him at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to reports from Florian Plettenberg, Crystal Palace are "exploring a deal" to sign Union Berlin left wingback, Robin Gosens. PSV Eindhoven were also interested. However, their interest has cooled, and Palace is the most "concrete option" at this stage.

Union Berlin still sees Gosens as one of their "key players", and will only negotiate for a suitable offer, of at least €10m (£8.5m).

Gosens made 37 appearances for Union Berlin in all competitions last season, scoring seven goals, providing four assists, and contributing to six clean sheets in 2,748 minutes played.

Gosens vs Olise comparison

One of the main parts of replacing Olise at Palace, is finding a way to replace his goals and assists. Gosens, despite playing as a wingback/fullback more often in recent years, still provides a great level of creativity and output.

Described as "outstanding" by Statman Dave, Gosens has a tendency to arrive in the box, create chances, and find himself in dangerous areas to affect the game, no matter where he is playing on the pitch.

The reason for including Tyrick Mitchell in the comparison table is to show the attacking output a signing such as Gosens could add as the left-wing back in Oliver Glasner's system, as opposed to Mitchell, helping to add those creative numbers back into the side to replace Olise.

Despite playing at wing-back, Gosens produces 3.73 progressive passes per 90 (1.09 more than Mitchell), 1.12 key passes per 90 (0.45 more than Mitchell), and takes 1.25 shots per 90 (0.89 more than Mitchell).

These metrics show the extra attacking qualities Gosens could bring to the team, getting himself into dangerous positions higher up the pitch than Mitchell, shown by his 2.28 penalty area touches per 90, compared to Mitchell's 1.52.

The versatility of Gosens is another important factor, as he can play deeper as a left wingback option, as well as higher up as a left-winger if needed, offering tactical versatility for Glasner. If he decided he needed extra defensive cover, he could start both Mitchell and Gosens in the same team.

But you also wouldn't be losing out on defensive qualities when Gosens is playing instead of Mitchell, as the 30-year-old actually averages more blocks and interceptions than Mitchell, with 1.88 blocks per 90, and 1.28 interceptions per 90.

Whilst Gosens doesn't completely replace Olise's creative and attacking metrics, adding him to the squad, alongside other forward signings such as Sarr and Kamada, could equate to replacing those numbers, just through a variety of players, rather than a direct replacement.

Crystal Palace could replace Olise by signing "one of the best wingers"

Palace still looking for offensive upgrades after Olise exit

By
Connor Holden

Aug 18, 2024

Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal has revealed the toughest opponent he has come up against in his career so far.

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• Yamal names Raum as toughest ever opponent
• Faced German in Euro 2024 quarter-final
• Defender was subbed after Spain star's assist

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  At just 17, Yamal has already faced some top defenders across Euro 2024, the Champions League and La Liga. It was in the quarter-final clash against Germany that Yamal faced his most difficult test, as he highlighted David Raum's strength.

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  WHAT YAMAL SAID

  Despite the impression Raum made on Yamal, the 2024 Golden Boy winner got free to set up the opening goal in the quarter-final and the German left-back was substituted before the hour mark.

  Yamal told : "David Raum, the left back for Germany and RB Leipzig. A tough, fierce defender. At the European Championship in the quarter-finals against the Germans he proved to be a tough opponent to overcome."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Spain went on to win 2-1 in extra-time of a controversial clash that saw Germany denied a penalty for Marc Cucurella's handball – a decision UEFA's Referees' Committee admitted was wrong. Yamal went on to score in the semi-final win against France before assisting Nico Williams for the opener in the 2-1 final win against England.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Yamal has been sidelined with an ankle injury he sustained against Leganes and will be eager to return to Hansi Flick's team as soon as possible to aid their bid to win La Liga and the Champions League.

The Saturday lunchtime kickoff saw Manchester United fall to a frustrating defeat at the AMEX Stadium against Brighton and Hove Albion. The Red Devils had moments where luck went against them and poor defensive lapses of concentration, which ultimately led them to a 2-1 defeat. They return to Manchester without a point to show for their efforts.

The Seagulls opened the scoring thanks to a goal from former Red Devil, Danny Welbeck, who scored his 100th career goal from inside the six-yard box. United equalised on the hour mark, with Amad’s deflected shot flying past Jason Steele in the Brighton goal.

In a second half that was arguably dominated by the home side, Alejandro Garnacho thought he had given United the lead. However, his shot from a narrow angle flicked off Joshua Zirkzee’s knee on the way in, meaning the goal was ruled out for offside.

Brighton’s winner came from a poor defensive error from the Red Devils, with Joao Pedro finding himself unmarked at the back post from a cross to head home for all three points. It was a disappointing day out for the Red Devils, who had some disappointing individual performances at the AMEX Stadium, which will no doubt have been frustrating for Erik ten Hag.

Harry Maguire’s stats vs. Brighton

One of those players who struggled at the back for United was Harry Maguire. The former Red Devils captain performed well in the second half before being replaced by new signing Matthijs de Ligt but missed a crucial interception from a pass by Pedro. It was a pass that found Kaoru Mitoma, whose cross then assisted Welbeck’s opener.

This was noted by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Lukchurst, who rated Maguire’s performance a 5/10. The journalist pointed out that the England international 'should have dealt with' Pedro’s pass better, something that could have prevented the opener by Brighton’s number 18.

Indeed, despite the missed interception from the United centre-back, his stats, courtesy of Sofascore ,were still more than respectable. He completed 40 out of 44 passes, with a 91% accuracy, and made one key pass. Defensively, Maguire made three clearances, won two duels and made two crucial interceptions.

It was certainly a mixed bag of a game for Maguire, who largely played well despite the mistake which led to Welbeck’s opener, although could now find himself ousted by new arrival, De Ligt.

However, he was perhaps not the United player who had the toughest day at the office, with a star attacker struggling against the Seagulls.

Marcus Rashford’s stats vs. Brighton

Coming off the back of a disappointing 2023/24 season, Marcus Rashford might well be frustrated with how he has started the new campaign. The England international struggled to make an impact on the game against Brighton and was subbed off for Alejandro Garnacho at the 65-minute make, with the score at 1-1.

Luckhurst did not make much of his performance and gave him a scathing review. The journalist rated his efforts on the South Coast just 4/10 and brutally described him as 'United's weakest player' at the AMEX Stadium.

Rashford never really got into the game, as his Sofascore stats reflect. The 26-year-old had just 23 touches in the 65 minutes he played, completing 13 out of 18 passes, with an accuracy of just 72%. He also completed just one dribble out of three that he attempted.

It was definitely a disappointing day out for Rashford in a rainy AMEX Stadium. After a tough start to the new season, the United number 10 will be hoping he can keep his place in the team and turn things around next Sunday at Old Trafford.

United are set to face Liverpool, the side Rashford has seven goals and an assists in 16 domestic appearances.

That said, with Amad firing – and Garnacho itching for a start – it could well be the Englishman who is forced to make way for the visit of the Merseysiders.

He'd make Rashford world-class: Man Utd in talks to sign £30m "menace"

He’s heading to the Premier League this summer…

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 18, 2024

George Eastham, a celebrated figure in English football and a member of England’s historic 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died at the age of 88.

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• Eastham dead at 88
• Had made 19 appearances for the Three Lions
• Was part of the squad that won the 1966 World Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Born in Blackpool, Eastham was a part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s legendary squad that secured England’s only World Cup victory in 1966. Although he did not feature in any matches during the tournament, his inclusion in the squad remains a significant achievement. His international career spanned 19 caps, beginning with his debut in an FA Centenary match against Brazil at Wembley in 1963. His final game for England came in a 2-0 friendly victory over Denmark shortly before the 1966 World Cup.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Initially, only the 11 players who started in the final against West Germany were awarded winners' medals. However, a successful campaign years later ensured that Eastham, other squad members, and manager Ramsey were recognised and received medals in 2009.

  At club level, Eastham had an illustrious career with notable stints at Newcastle United, Arsenal, and Stoke City. He joined Stoke shortly after the 1966 World Cup for a fee of £35,000 and went on to play 194 matches for the club. A defining moment came in 1972 when Eastham scored the winning goal in Stoke’s 2-1 League Cup final victory over Chelsea at Wembley, sealing the club’s first major trophy.

• WHAT THE FA SAID

  The Football Association has mourned Eastham’s passing, describing him as a cherished member of England’s football history. In a statement, the FA said: "We're saddened to hear of the passing of George Eastham OBE at the age of 88. George won 19 caps in his Three Lions career and was a member of our 1966 World Cup -winning squad. Our condolences go to George's family and friends."

  Stoke City, where Eastham enjoyed immense success, also paid homage to their club legend. In their tribute, they stated:
  “We are immensely saddened by the passing of club legend George Eastham. Our thoughts are with George's family and friends at this difficult time.”

  The club announced plans to wear black armbands during their upcoming game against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Additionally, they will hold a tribute at their home match against Leeds United on December 26.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Eastham was pivotal in a 1963 legal case that reformed the British transfer market, improving players’ freedom to move between clubs. For his services to football, he was awarded an OBE in 1973. After retiring in 1974, he transitioned into management, taking charge of Stoke City from March 1977 to January 1978.

Spanish clubs have reportedly threatened La Liga with potential legal consequences if Barcelona are allowed to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor.

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• Barcelona prevented from registering Olmo & Victor
• Laporta reportedly pulling the strings behind the scenes
• Clubs could take legal steps if La Liga allows Barca to register

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona’s management remains hopeful that La Liga will approve the registrations of Olmo and Victor, following their assertion that the €100 million (£83m/$104m) revenue from selling VIP boxes at Camp Nou satisfies the league's financial requirements. However, the deadline for such registrations has passed, leaving the outcome uncertain.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to other La Liga clubs, including Sevilla, Athletic Club, and Atletico Madrid, have intensified pressure on La Liga President Javier Tebas to scrutinize Barcelona’s financial dealings closely. The clubs have expressed concerns over alleged preferential treatment toward the Catalan giants, demanding that no exceptions be made in enforcing league regulations.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Reports suggest that a group of La Liga clubs are prepared to escalate the matter legally if Barcelona's registrations are approved. Allegations of unfair treatment have surfaced, with rival clubs reportedly threatening to submit a motion to declare the league competition void. They argue that similar cases in the past were handled with stricter enforcement, and showing leniency now would undermine the integrity of the league.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The standoff between Barcelona, La Liga, and rival clubs reflects broader tensions within Spanish football. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how financial regulations are enforced in the future. For Joan Laporta, the stakes are especially high, as a failure to secure the registrations may lead to further questions about his leadership and Barcelona's financial strategies.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement has admitted his frustration at one thing after his side's 3-0 defeat to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers beaten at Celtic in Old Firm derby

The Gers faced their most important game of the season so far on Sunday afternoon, as the Ibrox side made the short trip across Glasgow to take on their biggest rivals. After falling short to the Hoops in both the league and Scottish Cup last season, this was a chance for the Light Blues to make a statement, but they fell well short in that respect.

Instead, Rangers were soundly beaten at Parkhead, even though the visitors made a relatively positive start, and they found themselves 2-0 down at half-time with a mountain to climb.

Callum McGregor's long-range strike completely put the match to bed in the second half, compounding the misery for Clement's team, and the game ended up petering out on a bitterly disappointing afternoon for anyone of a Gers persuasion.

The defeat means that Rangers are now already five points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race after just four matches, and they cannot allow that gap to grow much more when the players return from the international break.

Clement fumes at particular aspect of Rangers defeat

Speaking after the game (via The Daily Mail), Clement admitted that the reaction to Rangers going behind was something that disappointed him hugely in the performance, saying:

"I was not happy with the reaction after the 1-0. It was not good enough. In the second half, there was a better reaction. But you have to become more open as a team, because you need to chase two goals and take more risks. So that also creates chances for them."

The Belgian also added that the "defensive faults made" were also a big problem for his side, on a day that many supporters will want to forget about in a hurry.

This was an afternoon that felt humbling for Rangers, with the pre-match hope being that they would show how much they have grown as a team from last season, having brought in so many new faces.

Instead, they were comfortably outplayed by a better side, and it suggests that the Gers have a massive job on their hands in order to wrestle the Premiership crown away from their most bitter adversaries.

That being said, Clement did call for patience, stressing that the average age of his team was younger than Celtic's, and that the scoreline "could have been a 3-2 or a 3-1 or a 3-3", so it's important that there isn't an overreaction to the result.

Fewer touches than Butland: Rangers must drop a star who lost 9/9 duels

The Light Blues attacker may have just played his way out of the starting line-up.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 2, 2024

It was undoubtedly frustrating, with Rangers failing to find top gear, but the hope is that this outfit will only grow as the months pass and new signings get to know each other better, remaining in the hunt for title glory in the process.

With just three wins in seven games, Glasgow Rangers have already been knocked out of the Champions League while trailing in the Premiership title race.

It is clear Philippe Clement had a lot to ponder during the recent international break. How can the Ibrox side improve, however? That is the key question that the majority of supporters will be asking as the domestic season makes a return this week.

After just a few weeks of the new season, only a couple of the summer signings had made much of an impact, showcasing how poor the transfer window was for the Light Blues.

Clement is short in several departments, which could have been solved by moving on those seeking an exit faster and trying to add key targets earlier in the window.

Of course, a few players looked as though they were on the way to signing for the Gers, until changing their minds and moving elsewhere, which was obviously disappointing.

The players Rangers missed out on this summer

Not long after the campaign ended, Rangers were showing plenty of interest in centre-back Jose Córdoba as Clement aimed to bolster his defence ahead of the new season.

Reportedly, the defender signed a preliminary contract with the Light Blues as it looked as though the first signing of what could be an important summer was going ahead.

A few days later, however, it emerged that the club had pulled out of a move for the Panama international before he moved to the English Championship, joining Norwich City.

The chance to potentially play in the Premier League while earning a bigger wage was an obvious incentive for the player, things which Rangers couldn’t offer.

Albion Rrahmani was another target that the Ibrox side missed out on this summer. The striker had a price tag of £5m set by his club side in order for any team to sign their prized asset, but this clearly became a stumbling block for the Gers.

No bid was made by Clement, and Rrahmani soon moved to Sparta Prague for a fee in the region of £4.25m, suggesting that the club should have sent in a tempting offer to see what might have happened.

These two players could well have slotted into the starting XI with ease and perhaps ensured the club started the season in a livelier fashion.

Clement isn’t the only manager of the club to miss out on players who were either key targets or those who went on to bigger and better things after Rangers were linked.

Indeed, someone who was linked last year has now been nominated for the Ballon d’Or this year – Cole Palmer.

When Rangers missed out on Cole Palmer

Michael Beale took charge of the Light Blues following the sacking of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst in November 2023 and enjoyed a decent start to his time in charge.

The Englishman won nine of his first ten matches in charge as he eyed silverware in order to salvage something from the season.

With the January transfer window open, Beale eyed reinforcements, eventually ending the month having brought Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin to Scotland.

Prior to the window closing, the Gers were also eyeing up a loan move for Cole Palmer, as the Manchester City youngster was looking for regular game time.

According to the Sun, the club had a loan bid rejected by Man City in order to bring Palmer north of the border for the second half of the campaign, as Pep Guardiola claimed the attacker had a part to play as City were chasing a treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

There is no doubt he would have improved the starting XI and Palmer is now one of the finest players on the planet.

Cole Palmer’s statistics at Chelsea

Despite Palmer playing a part in winning all three trophies for City, he surprisingly joined Chelsea last summer for £40m, which has since turned into one of the biggest bargains.

Throughout the 2023/24 campaign, the Englishman scored 25 goals and registered 15 assists in all competitions for the Blues, a record that saw him nominated for the Ballon d'Or.

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Palmer ranked in the top 1% for assists per 90 (0.48), the top 6% for shot-creating actions (5.70) and total shots (3.45) per 90 and in the top 8% for non-penalty goals (0.44) per 90, clearly flourishing at Chelsea after being given a starring role in the team.

These displays led to Gareth Southgate calling him up to the England squad for the 2024 European Championship, where he scored a stunning equaliser in the final against Spain.

Although England would lose the game, Palmer returned to Chelsea full of confidence, already scoring once and grabbing four assists in just three Premier League matches.

The “elegant” starlet – as so dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has since seen his market value increase exponentially due to his productive start to life as a Chelsea player.

According to Transfermarkt, Palmer is now currently valued at £67m, which represents a massive leap considering they only paid £40m for him just over a year ago, the same summer Rangers wanted him on loan.

Enzo Maresca would be able to land a substantial profit should the youngster seek a move away in the near future, although it is clear Chelsea will be determined to keep him for as long as possible.

Beale certainly chanced his luck in trying to get the sensation on a loan deal at the start of last year, and he would have thrived in Scotland, no doubt about it.

Even though it would only have been a loan deal, the club must rue not getting a move over the line, especially with how the Gers performed between January and May that season.

Clement must ditch Rangers star who earns more than Dessers

The Light Blues ace is willing to move on from Ibrox this month, amid interest in his services.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 8, 2024

Arne Slot slammed Trent Alexander-Arnold's critics after he scored a stunner in Liverpool's FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.

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• Alexander-Arnold starred in Liverpool's FA Cup win
• Scored a brilliant goal before half-time
• Slot defended the full-back after the match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool comfortably advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over League Two side Accrington Stanley on Saturday afternoon. Goals from Diogo Jota, captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, substitute Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa secured the win at Anfield, ensuring the Reds stayed competitive on all four fronts this season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alexander-Arnold scored the second of the afternoon as he let fly from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net. It was one sensational strike that led Liverpool fans to urge the club to tie him down to a new contract amid Real Madrid interest. However, the right-back was widely criticized for a defensive error during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United, which led to an early goal by Lisandro Martínez. Among his detractors was Roy Keane, who mockingly suggested Alexander-Arnold would be more suited to playing for League Two club Tranmere Rovers than for Real Madrid.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Speaking after the match, Slot was quick to defend his captain, saying: “I could talk for hours about that (goal), unbelievable. The biggest compliment Trent could get was the reaction of everyone after the Manchester United game. Every player around the world, maybe except for a few, has a bad game and that is completely normal, but the moment Trent has one, everyone has an opinion about it. Maybe that is because of the contract situation. I don’t know if that wasn’t there if people would have reacted in the same way. You have such a great first half of the season and you don’t play a good game against United – and that was clear for me, for you, the fans and the analysts who saw the game – but many of them were quite hard on him. I think it was good for him to play in our own stadium and feel the reception of the fans again, it was also special again today and that can only help him and us.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Alexander-Arnold’s current contract with Liverpool is set to expire at the end of the season, leaving him free to negotiate with other clubs this month. Reports suggest that Real Madrid are confident of securing his services, either through a pre-contract agreement in January or a formal transfer in the summer.