Centuries for top four batsmen – Pakistan's rare feat in Karachi

Also, Babar Azam’s career average has gone above 40 for the first time since 2016

S Rajesh22-Dec-20192 – Instances of the top-four batsmen scoring hundreds in a Test innings. Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam all got their milestones against Sri Lanka in the second Test in Karachi. The only previous instance of this was in 2007, when India’s top four – Dinesh Karthik, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar – scored centuries against Bangladesh in the first innings of the Mirpur Test. This, though, was the first such instance of it in a second innings, where there have only been four previous instances of three centurions among the top-four batsmen.ESPNcricinfo Ltd503 – Runs added by Pakistan’s first three wickets, which is Pakistan’s fourth-highest in a Test innings. Their highest is also against Sri Lanka – 555 – in Faisalabad in 1985, when Qasim Umar and Javed Miandad both got double-hundreds and added 397 for the third wicket. The three higher aggregates were all in the team’s first innings, though; in the second innings, there are only two instances of any team adding more runs for the first three wickets. The highest is also against Sri Lanka – 615 by New Zealand in 1991 – when Martin Crowe made 299 and Andrew Jones 186.ESPNcricinfo Ltd527 – The total runs scored by Pakistan’s first four batsmen, which is the fourth-highest for them. Their highest is 535 against India in 1983, but the more memorable effort was in 1958 in Barbados, when Hanif Mohammad scored a monumental 337 to avert defeat after Pakistan were forced to follow on.42.67 – Babar’s career average. It is the first time his average has gone above 40 since his third Test in 2016. At the end of 2017, Babar averaged 23.75 after 11 Tests. In the last two years, he has upped his game significantly, scoring 1232 runs – 616 each in 2018 and 2019 – at an average of 61.60. That average is the highest among the 14 batsmen who have scored 1000-plus Test runs in the last two years.

13 – Innings between hundreds for Azhar, who finally broke his poor run with his 118 today. In those 13 innings, going back to December 2018, Azhar had scored 162 runs at an average of 12.46. Despite that hundred, 2019 has been a lean year for him, with 11 innings fetching only 239 runs. However, it ensured that he has scored at least one Test century in each of the last six calendar years.193 – Runs conceded by Lasith Embuldeniya, which is the most by a Sri Lanka bowler while taking a maximum of one wicket in an innings. He went past Muttiah Muralitharan’s figures of 1 for 172, also against Pakistan in Karachi in 2009, also the last Test series Pakistan hosted.

Chelsea can forget Delap by unleashing "Cobham's finest" 17-year-old star

Nicolas Jackson is becoming a hot topic again at Chelsea, having returned recently from injury after missing five Premier League games due to injury.

Whilst the 23-year-old has scored nine times this season, also providing five assists, he is now without a goal in his last 11 Premier League games, last netting against Brentford in December.

Enzo Maresca has made it clear he is a fan of Jackson and his contribution to the team, making relentless runs in behind, pressing from the front and putting in those extra yards.

However, his lack of goals, paired with the likes of Cole Palmer’s drop in form, has seen Chelsea struggle to find the back of the net in recent months.

It seems almost inevitable Chelsea will sign a striker in the summer as they look to provide Maresca with another centre-forward to compete with Jackson. There is one man in particular who is dominating the links in the media as of late.

The latest on Chelsea's interest in Liam Delap

Liam Delap is being heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, with Manchester United also said to be in the running for the 21-year-old Ipswich Town striker.

The latest on any prospective move is that the Blues have reportedly held talks with Ipswich regarding a possible summer move.

Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapreacts

The English forward has made 31 appearances this season in the Premier League, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists.

The 6 foot 1 forward is built perfectly for the Premier League, having the physical capacity to bully defenders with his broad build, whilst having the technical quality to match, having joined the Manchester City academy in 2019 after coming through at Derby.

Liam Delap vs Nicolas Jackson in 24/25

Stats (per 90 mins)

Delap

Jackson

Goals

0.45

0.42

Assists

0.07

0.23

xG

0.35

0.56

Progressive Carries

2.23

1.99

Progressive Passes

1.15

1.48

Shots Total

2.25

3.33

Goals/Shot

0.17

0.13

G-xG

+0.12

-0.14

Shot-Creating Actions

2.31

3.06

Aerial Duels Won

1.92

0.79

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing Delap’s underlying metrics to Jackson’s, you can see how their two profiles differ, with the former offering a higher level of clinical finishing and box presence, winning 1.92 aerial duels per 90.

Both players have the ability to progress via their carrying quality and run the channels, but Jackson has shown a higher level to link and provide for his teammates so far, making more progressive passes and creating more shots.

However, rather than splashing the cash, perhaps Maresca could look towards Cobham to unleash their own Delap.

Chelsea's Cobham "jewel"

Looking back down the ranks at Chelsea and you will quickly notice a cracking young striker coming through the academy by the name of Shumaira Mhueka, often shortened to “Shim”.

Mheuka came over from Brighton’s academy in 2022, spending two years at Cobham before making his first senior breakthrough this season.

The 17-year-old possesses an innate ability to create his own shooting angles, having excellent agility and ball manipulation in and around the box. He has the ball-striking qualities to match and is already showing signs of utilising his body mass to protect the ball and unsettle defenders.

Mheuka has been described as “Cobham’s finest” by Jacek Kulig, who also labelled the young striker an “amazing talent” and it’s clear to see why.

The teenager has made 16 appearances for the U21 side in Premier League 2 this season, scoring four goals and providing two assists. In total he has scored ten goals in 21 appearances at youth level throughout 2024/25.

Last term he was on fire, however, bagging ten in 17 fixtures. His form in the youth ranks has already earned Mheuka four senior appearances, racking up 73 minutes across those four games.

Given the chance, Mheuka could prove to be the striker Chelsea need in years to come, saving the club a lot of money and fixing their goal-scoring woes all in one go. How long that takes and which development path is taken is another story.

A better signing than Huijsen: Chelsea preparing bid for £50m defender

Chelsea are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender this summer.

By
Dan Emery

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Nottingham Forest now ready to offer Jota Silva in exchange for £58m star

Nottingham Forest are now willing to offer attacker Jota Silva in exchange for an “incredible” star who has become a top transfer target for Evangelos Marinakis and Edu Gaspar, according to a recent report.

Nottingham Forest join transfer race to sign goalkeeper and striker

The Reds’ Champions League hopes suffered a slight blow over the weekend as they were beaten by Aston Villa, but Manchester City failing to win means they still have a five-point gap in the race to secure a top-four finish.

£25m release clause: Nottingham Forest join hectic race for "superb" star

They could trigger his release clause.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 7, 2025

There are seven games remaining to go in the league and the dream is becoming a real possibility for Nuno Santo’s side, so fans can be forgiven for looking ahead to the summer, as it could be a busy time if European football is secured.

Indeed, Nuno has his eyes on improving a couple of positions in this Forest team, as they’ve already been linked with several new defenders and attackers, but he is also planning on strengthening his goalkeeper department.

According to the Boot Room, Forest are the latest team to join the race to sign Aaron Ramsdale from Southampton. The Saints’ relegation to the Championship has now been confirmed, and Ramsdale is said to have a £25 million release clause in his contract, which has alerted Forest, and they have now joined several Premier League teams in looking to secure his transfer.

Southampton's AaronRamsdalelooks dejected after the match

As well as looking at Ramsdale, Forest have also made contact with Jean-Philippe Mateta over a potential move to the City Ground. The centre-forward has impressed once again for the Eagles this season and has put himself on Forest’s radar, but they face competition from Manchester United, who are also keen on a deal.

Forest ready to offer Jota Silva in exchange for Gyokeres

Mateta is not the only striker the Reds are looking at to help Chris Wood next season, as according to Correio da Manha, relayed by Nottingham Forest News, Forest are prepared to offer winger Jota Silva to Sporting CP in exchange for Viktor Gyokeres.

Sporting CP's ViktorGyokeres

The report states that the Premier League side and Marinakis have come up with a plan to offer Silva, as he’s highly rated by Sporting boss Rui Borges, and he’s struggled with game time at Forest this season. The Forest owner wants to do everything he can to bring Gyokeres to the City Ground this summer, and offering Silva may help them when it comes to negotiating a transfer.

The report does go on to add that despite the Reds being willing to offer Silva plus presumably a hefty chunk of cash, the deal will come down to the wishes of Gyokeres, who is not short of options heading into this summer. The Sweden star, who has been dubbed “incredible” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, is valued between £50-58 million.

Viktor Gyokeres’ 24/25 Liga Portugal stats

Apps

26

Goals

30

xG

24.63

Shots per game

4.2

Goals per game

1.2

Goal conversion

28%

Big chances missed

18

Assists

6

xAG

6.14

Big chances created

11

Silva, who is on a weekly wage of £25,000 at Forest, has played 26 times in the Premier League this season, but he has only started four games, and while he’s made an impact with some important goals and assists, he obviously hasn’t done enough to be a certain part of Nuno’s plans for next season and beyond.

Moyes personally pushing to sign "phenomenal" £30k-a-week star for Everton

Everton manager David Moyes is believed to be personally attempting to strike a deal for a “phenomenal” Premier League player this summer.

Everton need a new striker this summer

The Blues have once again avoided relegation to the Championship, pulling comfortably clear in the end after a worrying spell under Sean Dyche.

Moyes has come in and done an excellent job, and while Everton’s fortunes have improved with him in charge, he will be well aware that significant additions are needed to his squad this summer. A new striker needs to be at the top of the agenda, especially if Dominic Calvert-Lewin ends up leaving the club, as has been mooted for a while now.

Everton's DominicCalvert-Lewincelebrates scoring their first goal

Brighton striker Evan Ferguson has been linked with a move to the Blues ahead of next season, with the 20-year-old currently on loan at West Ham from Brighton. He hasn’t kicked on much for a while, but is still a player with so much promise.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town ace Liam Delap has been mentioned as an option for Everton, too, following an impressive season on a personal level. The Tractors Boys may be on their way back to the Championship, but the former Manchester City youngster has scored 12 goals in the Premier League.

Moyes pushing for Everton to sign "phenomenal" Ferguson

According to a new report from Football Insider, Moyes “really backs himself” to seal the signing of Brighton marksman Ferguson for Everton this summer.

The £30,000-a-week Republic of Ireland international’s stock has fallen of late, having burst on the scene for the Seagulls, but the Blues boss thinks he can “help him rediscover his early-career form”.

Ferguson jumps out as an eye-catching target for Everton, and while he isn’t as highly-rated as he was a couple of years ago, he still has so much time on his side to get back on track. Young players are always likely to lack consistency, so his current dip shouldn’t be overblown.

At just 20, the Brighton ace has already scored 13 goals in the Premier League, coming in 67 appearances, and he has netted five times in 20 caps for Ireland.

Seagulls teammate James Milner knows a thing or two about what makes a top player and he has lauded his colleague in the past.

Not just DCL: Everton's £55k-p/w "warrior" is finished & won't start again

Everton are set to undergo a series of changes in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 21, 2025

If Moyes believes he can get Ferguson back to his very best, he needs to be trusted, and if he manages to, Everton could have a superstar on their hands in no time at all.

Man City set to fend off Liverpool hijack and win race for £73k-a-week star

Manchester City are reportedly in pole position to pip Liverpool to the signing of an “excellent” player in the summer transfer window.

Busy summer of transfers expected at Man City

By City’s high standards, this season has been a huge disappointment, even though there is an FA Cup final against Crystal Palace to look forward to later this month. Pep Guardiola’s side’s defence of their Premier League had faded by Christmas, and they also failed to reach the Champions League knockout rounds.

For that reason, a big summer is needed when it comes to new signings, as City look to bring in fresh faces who can take them back to the top of the league, with older heroes such as Kevin De Bruyne moving on.

Kevin De Bruyne

Monaco youngster Eliesse Ben Seghir has been linked with a move to the Etihad ahead of next season, with the 20-year-old winger already scoring 15 times in 80 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

Meanwhile, Hugo Larsson has been mentioned as an option to bolster City’s midfield, with younger legs required after a tough campaign for the likes of De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic. The Eintracht Frankfurt ace has been a key man this season, averaging 1.4 tackles per game across 30 Bundesliga outings as well as providing goals from midfield.

Man City leading race to sign "excellent" defender

According to a new report from Football Insider, Manchester City are leading the race to sign Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso this summer, sitting in pole position ahead of Liverpool, who attempted to hijack the deal in recent days.

The update states that Guardiola’s men are “in the driving seat over the deal as things stand and have been working on the deal behind the scenes since January”.

Aston Villa's Leon Bailey in action with Juventus'AndreaCambiaso

The £73,000-a-week Cambiaso could be a fantastic signing for City, given his ability to play in either full-back position, as well as being able to drift into midfield and affect games.

The 25-year-old Italy international has a 91.8% pass completion rate in 30 Serie A appearances this season, with his quality on the ball ideal for Guardiola, and journalist Zach Lowy has described him as “world-class”.

Full-back is a position that must be targeted by City in the summer window, with Kyle Walker’s best days behind him on the right and Josko Gvardiol not necessarily a natural left-back despite his brilliance, and Cambiaso fits the bill to perfection.

Pep must axe Grealish by unleashing Man City's "explosive" star

Pep Guardiola must drop Jack Grealish and start Manchester City’s “explosive” winger.

By
Ben Gray

May 2, 2025

He is technically superb, versatile and at a good point in his career, and if Guardiola can sign him over Liverpool, it would be a statement of intent ahead of next season.

Delegation travels to Sunderland amid imminent talks to sign 19 y/o

A “wonderful” Sunderland player continues to be the subject of strong interest from a huge club, with exit talks now expected to begin soon, according to a new transfer update.

Sunderland set for Coventry showdown

The Black Cats face one of their biggest matches of the season on Friday evening, as they take on Coventry City in the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final tie. Regis Le Bris’ out of form side make the trip to take on Frank Lampard’s men fresh off an emotional final day of league action, so it will be difficilt to bring a positive result with them back to the Stadium of Light.

It has been a long and gruelling season for Sunderland, who started the campaign on fire and threatened to seal automatic promotion to the Premier League, only to tail off as the months continued to pass. In fact, they have lost their last five matches, which is clearly a concern despite the manager’s claims to the contrary.

Sunderland manager RegisLeBrisbefore the match

It looks like they will face Sheffield United in the final at Wembley if they do get past Coventry, following the Blades’ 3-0 win at Bristol City on Thursday. Promotion would be huge for Sunderland for so many reasons, not least in terms of keeping hold of key men, and a new update has now emerged regarding the future of one such individual.

Dortmund delegation travels to Wearside for Bellingham

According to Ruhr Nachrichten [via Sport Witness], Borussia Dortmund’s interest in Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham is “concrete”, with a summer move becoming more and more serious.

A delegation was sent to the North East on Wednesday to discuss the signing of the 19-year-old, whose brother, Jude, spent three years with the Bundesliga giants. They still have to negotiate with the player, his representatives and the Black Cats, though, with those talks expected to begin soon.

Keeping hold of Bellingham has to be a priority for Sunderland this summer, but it will be hard for them to retain him, especially if they fail to seal promotion. The midfielder may like the idea of moving to Dortmund, enjoying a similar path to his brother, with the teenager hailed by teammate Luke O’Nien earlier this year.

“Listen, Jobe’s a wonderful player. I’m one of his biggest fans, more than his dad. Don’t tell him that. I think Jobe’s wonderful. He’s a wonderful addition. He even comes in at half-time to give his perspective. That’s how much he’s grown into the game. Even though he’s not playing, he’s in at half-time. We’re asking for his perspective on the game because he’s a leader in our team.”

Bellingham’s brilliance was outlined by him winning the Championship’s Young Player of the Season award, so Sunderland losing him would be a crushing blow.

Uh oh: Worrying injury update emerges on Sunderland star ahead of Coventry

The Black Cats are set to be without an important player in their play-off semi final.

By
Dominic Lund

May 8, 2025

There does have to be some realism involved with the Black Cats, however, who will know that they may have to cash in at some point, with the report stating that they want £21m for his signature.

Birmingham could sign "top-drawer" star who's more exciting than Che Adams

Birmingham City ended up coasting to the League One title in style with five straight victories to close out the season seeing the Blues end on a record-breaking 111 points.

This was the first honour added to the St. Andrew’s trophy cabinet since Birmingham’s dramatic League Cup win over Arsenal in 2011, but the Tom Wagner-backed Blues will be hungry for more successes of this kind when heading up to the Championship.

Birmingham City owner Tom Wagner.

Back-to-back promotions will be the dream goal for Chris Davies’ men upon their re-entry into the tricky division, with some new statement signings needed to boost their chances of immediately feeling at home in the EFL’s elite league.

One of those major buys could be Che Adams, with the hectic rumour mill suggesting Birmingham are keen on snapping up their former star to add even more firepower to their ranks.

Former Birmingham striker Che Adams.

Birmingham's hunt for Che Adams

Late last month, Football Insider broke the news that Davies and Co were eyeing up a spectacular move to tempt Adams back to the West Midlands club.

They further stated that Birmingham were looking to add the 28-year-old back to their roster in order to possess a Championship ready goal machine, with Adams boasting 49 career goals in the difficult division.

But, both Jay Stansfield and Alfie May arguably deserve a crack at the level after firing home the goals to seal promotion for their side.

Moreover, Birmingham could seal a better and more worthwhile purchase than landing Adams by signing an EFL star who might make the likes of Stansfield and May even more prolific.

Birmingham eyeing a more exciting signing than Adams

Luring Adams back to St. Andrew’s won’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, considering he once joined former employers Southampton for a reported £15m.

On the other hand, snapping up the services of Peterborough United superstar Kwame Poku could be a lot cheaper, with a compensatory fee needing to be agreed between both the Blues and Posh as the Ghanaian ace’s contract is now expired in Cambridgeshire.

Whilst Adams’ impressive goal record might well justify whatever bumper fee Torino want, Poku would come in and offer far more than just goals for Davies’ men, with the excellent delivery in the video above proving the 23-year-old’s calmness under pressure to pick out an inch-perfect pass for a teammate.

Of course, Poku’s blistering game does also focus in on his ability to fire home strikes, considering he bagged a potent 12 league goals last season for Darren Ferguson’s men.

But, he can also be unselfish and creative marauding through the centre or down the right channel, meaning the likes of Stansfield and May could have chances galore put on a plate for them if the 5 foot 10 star does finally join.

On top of that, it’s not also guaranteed that Adams would return to the Blues and be an instant rip-roaring success, considering he fired home just 12 goals during his first two seasons at the level when last donning a Birmingham strip.

Poku’s league numbers (24/25) vs Stansfield & May

Stat – per 90 mins*

Poku

Stansfield

May

Games played

27

37

44

Goals scored

12

19

16

Assists

8

3

8

Touches*

46.3

29.0

21.9

Shots*

2.4

2.7

1.6

Scoring frequency

172 mins

142 mins

148 mins

Accurate passes*

20.3 (80%)

8.1 (69%)

10.9 (79%)

Big chances missed

3

13

13

Big chances created

9

6

7

Stats by Sofascore

Whereas, looking at the table above, it appears that Poku, Stansfield and May could become a terrifying trio for Championship defences to contain, with the “top drawer” talent – as he’s been lauded by Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony – chomping at the bit to prove himself as an attacking force in the far tougher league.

Also, reunions often just don’t go to plan either. Whereas, if Poku’s League One numbers are anything to go by, he could be the exact fresh blood Birmingham need to become an more formidable outfit stepping back up a division.

Birmingham closing in on signing their next Iwata for Davies

Birmingham City could soon snap up their next Tomoki Iwata with this summer purchase.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

May 18, 2025

Man Utd "in the mix" to sign Tottenham gem ahead of Europa League final

With the Europa League final on the horizon, Manchester United are now reportedly “in the mix” to sign a Tottenham Hotspur gem and get one over on Wednesday’s opponents.

Amorim "confident" about Europa League final vs Tottenham

Despite heading into Wednesday’s all-important clash off the back of yet another defeat, leaving Manchester United 16th and without back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time in their history, Ruben Amorim is surprisingly confident in his side.

The Portuguese manager told reporters earlier this week: “Of course, we have to believe. I am really confident. I feel that my players are ready for this game.

”They know what it means, not just for us but for our fans and for the club. After this season, we are ready to fight for the one thing that can help us remember this season in a different way. So I am really confident.

Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match

”We are living a season that is really strange because we are doing so well in Europe but, in the Premier League, we struggle. But we will be prepared for the final. It’s a different context and a different game. The most important thing is the change in mentality in my team. They compete and that is the most important thing for me.”

Of course, it’s not just silverware on the line for both Manchester United and Tottenham, either. A place in next season’s Champions League awaits for the victors in what would be some achievement, given their respective positions in the bottom half of the Premier League.

It must also be questioned whether Amorim should feel such confidence up against Ange Postecoglou’s side after the Lilywhites defeated the Manchester club 1-0 back in February to extend their unbeaten run against the Red Devils to six games.

Those at Old Trafford are pulling no punches in the build-up, however, and are now even reportedly “in the mix” to sign a Tottenham youngster just a few days out from the final.

Man Utd "in the mix" to sign Tottenham teenager Dexter Oliver

According to transfer journalist Graeme Bailey, Manchester United are now “in the mix” to sign Dexter Oliver from Tottenham this summer. The 16-year-old attacking midfielder is reportedly set to leave the North London club amid interest from around the Premier League.

Bailey told United in Focus: “There is some interest in Dexter Oliver, but there are a lot of clubs showing an interest, United are just one of them. They are in the mix.”

Romano: Man Utd close to signing “incredible” £90k-p/w Garnacho upgrade

Manchester United need to make sweeping changes if they are to succeed for Ruben Amorim next season.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

May 18, 2025

After the teenager reportedly refused to sign a two-year scholarship deal at Tottenham, Manchester United could swoop in and take full advantage. Following last season’s deal to sign Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal and now potentially this summer’s addition of Oliver from Spurs, it’s clear that Manchester United are still capable of attracting top talents at academy level.

INEOS and Amorim will hope that academy work eventually pays off too, as United’s senior side continue to struggle. Meanwhile, with it all to play for on Wednesday, the Red Devils will be desperate to take their first step back in the right direction.

Raskin would love him: "Exciting" manager now a main contender for Rangers

It is the dawn of a new era for Glasgow Rangers after Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises officially completed a takeover of the club last week.

They have immediately invested £20m into the club and will now oversee the search for the team’s next head coach, after Barry Ferguson stepped away at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Scotland international was appointed as the interim boss after Philippe Clement was dismissed in February, and he only won six of his 15 matches in all competitions in the dugout at Ibrox.

Ferguson, whose team was held to a 2-2 draw by Hibernian on the final day of the Scottish Premiership campaign, failed to do enough to convince the board that he was the man for the job moving forward.

The 49ers and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell are now tasked with finding a manager who can bring glory back to Ibrox, after four seasons without a Premiership title.

One of the first items on the agenda for any incoming Rangers head coach should be convincing Nicolas Raskin to remain with the Gers beyond the summer.

Why Nicolas Raskin could leave Rangers

The Belgium international could move on from Ibrox in the summer transfer window, as Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Leeds United are both reportedly interested in the central midfielder.

Raskin has attracted interest from elsewhere due to his impressive performances for the Gers during the 2024/25 campaign, which led to him winning the club’s Men’s Player of the Year and the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year awards.

The 24-year-old star was deemed to be the best player at Ibrox this season and there are now teams who want to test how he would adapt to Premier League football next term.

Rangers, however, should be doing everything in their power to keep hold of the Belgian talent during the summer transfer window, because they will need as much quality as possible to finally beat Celtic to the Premiership title.

The former Standard Liege star is tenacious out of possession, as he averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and won 57% of his duels in the league this term, but the Light Blues star also provides plenty of quality on the ball.

24/25 Premiership

Nicolas Raskin

Appearances

33

Touches per game

68.4

Goals

4

Big chances created

9

Assists

10

Pass accuracy

87%

Dribbles completed per game

1.0

Dribble success rate

68%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Raskin is a player who thrives on the ball with his ability to both score and create goals from a central midfield position, whilst being efficient as a passer and a dribbler.

This suggests that the Belgian star would, therefore, love a manager who is committed to a ball-dominant style of play, which is why he should be pleased with the latest update on the Rangers manager search.

The latest on Russell Martin to Rangers

According to the Daily Mail, former Southampton head coach Russell Martin is one of the ‘main contenders’ to land the vacant managerial position at Ibrox.

The report claims that the former Scotland international, who had a loan spell with Rangers during his playing career, and Davide Ancelotti are the two main contenders for the role.

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It adds that Francesco Farioli, who recently left Ajax, and Brian Priske, most recently of Feyenoord, are also still in the running, but they are not as high up the list as Martin and Ancelotti.

The Daily Mail claims that the ex-Saints head coach was set to fall out of the race for the Rangers job when he was being lined up for the Leicester City position, but they have yet to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy, so he remains in contention to replace Ferguson at Ibrox.

Appointing Martin as the first head coach of the 49ers era could be good news for supporters who want to see Raskin remain at the club, as the central midfielder could be a perfect fit for the Scottish tactician.

Why Nicolas Raskin would love Russell Martin

Analyst John Walker hailed Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football”, due to the ball-dominant nature of how he wants his teams to play, and that could suit the Belgium international perfectly.

As aforementioned, Raskin is a technically brilliant footballer who constantly looks to make things happen from a central midfield position, with passes, dribbles, goals, and assists, and he could have plenty of chances to influence games in this manager’s system.

The clip above, from his time at MK Dons, is a flavour of the way Martin’s teams play, with plenty of short passes under pressure and movement off the ball to provide players with multiple passing options at all times.

Raskin would be a perfect fit for the way the ex-Norwich City and Rangers centre-back likes to coach his sides, because of his dynamism off the ball and his quality in possession.

Russell Martin’s attacking style of play

23/24 Championship

Southampton

League rank

Pass accuracy

87.7%

1st

Passes into the penalty area

594

1st

Progressive passes

2556

1st

Shot-creating actions

1255

1st

xG

79.8

2nd

Points per game

1.89

4th

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Martin successfully deployed a possession-based system to get Southampton promoted out of the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, building a team that was incredibly dominant when it came to passing forward and creating high-quality chances.

These statistics suggest that Raskin, who created nine ‘big chances’ in the Premiership, would thrive in his system as a midfielder who would constantly have chances to dictate play and create even more opportunities for his teammates with the dominance that the style of play creates.

Therefore, the Belgian midfielder could be more inclined to stay at Rangers for another year because of the prospect of thriving in a side coached by Martin, as it could help him to take his game to the next level ahead of a bigger move next year.

49ers not messing: Rangers advancing free transfer to sign 29 y/o defender

He could be the first arrival of the 49ers era.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 31, 2025

He's scored at Villa Park: Aston Villa racing to sign "fantastic" £42m star

Setting their sights on fresh targets, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive £42m midfielder who already has a goal to his name at Villa Park.

Aston Villa face difficult summer

Whichever direction Aston Villa go down this summer, they must approach with caution. Their PSR concerns are likely to limit their spending unless they complete some ruthless sales. Those concerns make their defeat against Manchester United to cost them a Champions League place on the final day all the more frustrating for Unai Emery, who failed to hide his anger at the time.

Now, weeks on, it’s simply a situation that the Midlands club must prepare for. Rumours have already arrived as to who could be heading for the exit door as somewhat of a sacrifice for the Villans and it seems as though not many names are off the table completely.

Among those most mentioned has been Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine looked to be bidding an emotional farewell to Villa Park in the final home game of the season, sparking rumours that he could yet depart amid interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid.

Losing Martinez would be a frustrating but perhaps necessary blow for all involved at Villa Park, who could then have the chance to welcome incomings of their own. Already, Zepiqueno Redmond looks set to arrive on a free transfer from Feyenoord to commence Villa’s summer business, but they won’t want to stop there.

Aston Villa make offer to sign Serie A champion who’s now tempted by move

The Villans could tempt the defender into a move.

2

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 11, 2025

With Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on their way back to their parent clubs, Emery has important roles to fill in his side and Villa have seemingly turned their focus towards signing a Premier League rival as a result.

Aston Villa racing to sign Mikkel Damsgaard

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are now racing to sign Mikkel Damsgaard from Brentford this summer. The Bees reportedly value the Danish midfielder at as much as €50m (£42m) amid interest from the Midlands club as well as Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and West Ham United.

Villa Park received a first-hand glimpse of Damsgaard’s quality when he scored Brentford’s only goal in an eventual 3-1 defeat at the hands of Emery’s side. Even in the face of defeat, however, the 24-year-old showed what he’s capable of.

With 11 assists to his name last season – a number that only Mohamed Salah, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Elanga bettered – Damsgaard was often at the centre of Thomas Frank’s praise.

The Brentford boss told reporters after victory over Leicester in December: “He just got better and better.Today he was fantastic in every way possible. He had another performance and also did an assist. He ties our team and games together amazingly. It’s cool to see.”

Finally realising his potential, it may not be long before Damsgaard is on the move away from Brentford and perhaps even towards Villa Park if the Midlands club make their move this summer.

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