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Leeds made it seven wins in a row in the Championship and also kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet as they thumped Swansea 4-0 in South Wales on Tuesday. Crysencio Summerville and Joel Piroe put the Whites command with a quickfire double inside the first 10 minutes, and Wilfried Gnonto effectively settled the game before the break. The Italian would add another in the second half to round out the victory.

Elsewhere, Southampton suffered a first defeat in 23 league matches away to Bristol City, which means that Leeds now climb into the automatic promotion places. They have played a game more than the Saints, but all the momentum is with Daniel Farke's side right now. In fact, the only concern to arise from Tuesday night was an injury to Patrick Bamford.

Bamford had been due to start the game, but he picked up an issue in the warm-up, and Farke had to draft in Joel Piroe late on instead. Leeds are now anxiously waiting for more information on the issue.

Bamford injures knee before Swansea game

Reporting from Farke's post-match press conference, The Athletic's Phil Hay offered a Bamford update. The striker has apparently hurt his knee, but Leeds aren't yet sure whether any ligaments have been damaged.

The player himself was optimistic that the issue isn't "too bad", but Leeds will of course need him to undergo specialist examination to determine whether he requires a spell on the sidelines.

"Teacher" Bamford had been flying

Bamford didn't make his first league appearance of the current season until the end of September after suffering a hamstring injury during pre-season. Since his return, he's started six Championship games and appeared in 16 more off the bench.

He wouldn't score his first goal of the season until the 3-0 win over Birmingham City on New Year's Day, but had been in great form since then. Before Tuesday's game, he'd scored five goals and provided two assists in his last nine appearances in all competitions.

Leeds titan who won 100% duels was as good as Gnonto & Summerville v Swans

The former Swans star enjoyed a wonderful visit to his former club on Tuesday.

ByDan Emery Feb 14, 2024

That stretch earned him Leeds' Player of the Month award for January, and also saw him nominated for the PFA Fans' Player of the Month prize for the whole division.

Farke made his admiration for Bamford clear in January when he said: "I'm really happy and delighted for Patrick because he had such a difficult time. We don't have to speak about two difficult years in total, but also this season. I think he had a really good pre-season, was more or less on the edge to start the first game, first home game of the season, then the long term injury, eight weeks out."

Rank

Player

G+A/90

1

Crysencio Summerville

0.90

2

Dan James

0.75

3

Patrick Bamford

0.62

4

Wilfried Gnonto

0.56

5

Joel Piroe

0.55

The Englishman also seems to be an important figure in the dressing room at Elland Road based on an observation from Graham Smyth before the FA Cup replay against Plymouth, when he played a "teacher" role by calling over young striker Mateo Joseph and imparting some advice during the warm-up. If this is a significant injury, then, Bamford will be a huge miss.

The January transfer window slammed shut for Celtic at the start of this month but that has not stopped speculation as one player has reportedly been told that he is free to leave the club.

Latest Celtic transfer news

According to Football Insider, central defender Yuki Kobayashi has been told that he can leave Parkhead if his agents can find a new team for him to join.

The report claims that a proposed move to HJK Helsinki collapsed earlier this month, which has left him in the lurch and without a chance to play first-team football in the short-term.

It states that he is not in Brendan Rodgers' plans at Celtic and that the centre-back is 'actively' searching for a way out of Glasgow, with possible moves to countries that still have their respective transfer windows open.

The club agreed a deal to sign him from Japanese side Vissel Kobe in November 2022, officially joining in January 2023, and the young talent put pen-to-paper on a whopping five-year contract.

Ange Postecoglou swooped to snap up the then-22-year-old defender on a permanent deal and that has turned out to be a blunder from the Australian head coach, as the club have endured a nightmare with the left-footed enforcer during his time in Scotland so far.

Yuki Kobayashi's time at Celtic in numbers

The 23-year-old flop still has over four years left to run on his contract, which expires in the summer of 2028, but has already been told that he is free to leave this year.

Rodgers has clearly not seen enough from him in training over the last eight months or so to suggest that Kobayashi has the required quality to be a first-team regular for the Hoops any time soon, hence why the Northern Irish boss has sanctioned a departure.

He has not made a single senior appearance for Celtic during the 2023/24 campaign but did play six times for Postecoglou in the Scottish Premiership last term.

Appearances

Six

Starts

Five

Tackles per game

0.3

Interceptions per game

0.7

Ground duel success rate

38%

Aerial duel success rate

36%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Australian boss did provide the left-footed enforcer with plenty of opportunities to showcase his quality as a starter but the former J1 League star did not grasp them.

The £8.3k-per-week dud left far too much to be desired from a physical perspective as opposition forwards found it too easy to get the better of him, both in the air and on the deck, over the course of those six outings.

In his last appearance for the Hoops, Kobayashi played the full 90 minutes and lost four of his six duels as Celtic were hammered 4-2 by Hibernian.

It is not a surprise that Rodgers has not opted to utilise him ahead of the likes of Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Maik Nawrocki, among others, so far this season as the Japanese defender failed to deal with the physical nature of Scottish football last season.

Therefore, the Hoops have had a mare with Kobayashi, who has not been a successful signing as it stands, as they are now looking to cut ties with the 23-year-old, just over a year into a five-year contract.

Arsenal are enjoying another brilliant season in the Premier League under former player Mikel Arteta, with his side currently sitting just two points off leaders Liverpool with 12 games remaining.

Arteta's side have only lost four times in the league so far this campaign, with the Gunners boasting the best defensive record in the division – conceding just 23 times in the 26 league games so far this season.

The North London side have also kept ten clean sheets in the Premier League – two more than any other side, with Arteta's side adopting Sir Alex Ferguson's quote that "attacking wins you games, defending wins you titles".

One player has been crucial in the club's attempts to end their 20-year drought without a Premier League title after his summer arrival at the Emirates. However, his time could soon be coming to an end in Arsenal red.

Aaron Ramsdale's record at Arsenal

David Raya joined the Gunners on loan with an option to buy last summer, with the Spaniard being crucial in Arsenal's attempts to get one over Manchester City after their title battle last season.

Aaron Ramsdale has subsequently dropped down the pecking order, with the former Bournemouth 'keeper now becoming Arteta's second-choice behind the in-form Raya.

The "phenomenal" 25-year-old – as dubbed by David Seaman, has made 88 appearances since his debut for the club in 2021. However, only five of those have come in the Premier League this season, with Ramsdale suffering as a result of Raya's arrival.

Very few would have predicted this turn of events on the back of last season, with Ramsdale earning a spot in the PFA Team of the Year after helping Arsenal finish as runner-up behind Manchester City.

During his two and a half years in London, he's kept 28 clean sheets for the Gunners in England's top flight, form that saw him become a regular in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

It's clear from his time at the Gunners that Ramsdale is a top-quality Premier League 'keeper and is way too good to sit on the substitute bench week in and week out, with the club potentially wanting to off-load the 25-year-old due to his high weekly wage.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

How much Aaron Ramsdale has cost Arsenal

The Stoke-on-Trent-born goalkeeper joined Arsenal for a deal totaling £30m including add-ons from relegated Sheffield United during the summer of 2021.

His four-year deal saw him earn £110k a week, a figure that is £10k a week more than teammate and flavour of the month Jorginho, who has enjoyed a positive spell in the Gunners' midfield of late, notably winning the Man of the Match award last time out against Newcastle.

#1 Kai Havertz

£280k

#2 Gabriel Jesus

£265k

#3 Declan Rice

£240k

#4 Martin Odegaard

£240k

#5 Thomas Partey

£200k

#6 Bukayo Saka

£195k

#7 William Saliba

£190k

#8 Gabriel Martinelli

£180k

The 'keeper has spent over two-and-a-half years in the capital accumulating over £15m in wages – taking the total price of his deal to £45m since his move from the Blades.

With Ramsdale still having 28 months left on his deal, Sporting Director Edu may look to move him on in the summer whilst his transfer value is still at its peak, subsequently clearing some money off the Gunners' expensive wage bill.

He was linked with a move to Chelsea and Nottingham Forest during the January window, with Arsenal unable to find a replacement for Ramsdale. However, the summer will give both parties a good chance to complete a move away from the Emirates, allowing the talented 'keeper to develop his game further.

Despite Erik ten Hag's proclamation that Manchester United are "consistent" as of late, in truth, they have been far from that this season.

The results have not always been a true reflection of the performance, with the opponent’s poor finishing often saving the Red Devils.

Nevertheless, United are still sixth in the Premier League, but they will face an uphill battle to earn Champions League football.

That said, the only positive that can be taken from this season is the development of youth and Ten Hag’s trust in handing the youngsters the opportunity to not just progress but become key players in the first team.

Kobbie Mainoo is a prime example of that, but there is a handful of inexperienced gems that could be relied upon to provide competition to some underperforming first-team players.

Antony’s 23/24 campaign in numbers

The fact that Man United once paid £82m for Antony doesn’t seem real, with the winger dramatically falling short of the expectations that are attached to a player of such a price tag.

After scoring on his first three Premier League starts, it seemed as though the Brazilian would become a fan favourite and lockdown the right-wing spot for years to come.

However, his decline over the last year has been catastrophic, which can be highlighted by his statistics across all competitions this season, but it has been his Premier League performances that have left plenty to be desired.

To sum up Antony’s season so far, in 21 league appearances, the 24-year-old has failed to register a single goal contribution, which simply isn’t good enough at this level.

The only goal of his dreary campaign came against lowly Newport County in the FA Cup at the start of 2024.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that he hasn’t made a league start since December, but Ten Hag does have a wildcard in his pocket that he can unleash instead of the former Ajax star.

Man Utd gem is quietly becoming Ten Hag's "best player" ahead of Garnacho

The star even thrived against Manchester City.

ByTom Lever Mar 6, 2024 Man Utd's teenage Antony replacement

Omari Forson is a player that Ten Hag seems to really believe in, with the 19-year-old forward being an "exceptional" talent, as per analyst StatmanDave.

The Dutch manager has played the attacker three times in the Premier League and has already handed him his first start.

This was against Fulham in the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford recently, where he showed glimpses of quality via one big chance created, but he clearly lacked experience.

Despite that, Man United’s U21 player/coach Tom Huddlestone, was full of praise for the young English forward, stating:

“He reminds me of the way Bukayo Saka plays. He’s good with both feet and can finish very well, especially with his left foot.”

Premier League

3

0

1

Premier League 2

4

3

1

UEFA Youth League

2

2

1

EFL Trophy

2

2

0

Total

11

7

3

Forson’s statistics for the youth team this season also support Huddlestone’s quote, as he is clearly a reliable finisher who plays with a level of calmness and composure just like Saka.

The number 62 is also versatile and comfortable playing on either wing, just like Arsenal’s number 7, who originally featured on the left when he broke into the team and is now thriving as one of the best right-wingers in the league, scoring 13 Premier League goals this campaign already.

It’s quite obvious that Forson has a long way to go until he can be anywhere near the level of Saka, but he has already gone one better than Antony this season by picking up an assist in the league against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Even as Manchester United dramatically came from behind to knock Liverpool out of the FA Cup quarter-finals, the issues in the squad were exposed for all to see, as Bruno Fernandes and Antony found themselves in a makeshift backline late in the game. That said, it's clear where the Red Devils' summer focus should be, and one man has already been linked with an Old Trafford switch as a result.

Man Utd transfer news

In the first transfer window under Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United have the chance to prove that this truly is the beginning of a new era. They have the chance to finally get things right in the transfer market; the chance to finally turn around a sinking ship weighed down by past silverware towards fresh Premier League glory. And the rumour mill has already started on that front.

Man United scout exiting 21-year-old with agent contact made

He had Premier League interest in January

ByTom Coates Mar 3, 2024

Reports have so far linked United with the likes of Donyell Malen, Weston McKennie and Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz, who knows all about Manchester after his time at Manchester City. The rumours will only continue to pick up as the months go by too, as we start to see Ratcliffe's potential plan fall into place.

Included in that plan could also be some bargain deals. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Manchester United are eyeing a move to sign Tosin Adarabioyo, who is set to leave Fulham as a free agent at the end of the season. United will reportedly have to fend off as many as six other Premier League clubs to land the defender's signature, however, in a busy race this summer.

Those six other clubs are reportedly Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle United and West Ham United, highlighting just how many options Adarabioyo has to choose from. Given United's need for a central defender though, they will hope that Old Trafford is his next destination, despite being a former Manchester City academy player.

"Fast" Adarabioyo can replace Varane

With Raphael Varane's future still uncertain, Manchester United should welcome the idea of replacements, especially since the Frenchman is now 30-years-old and often struggling with injuries. And that's where Adarabioyo should come in for a bargain price.

The pending free agent has played a vital part in Marco Silva's side this season, helping the London club earn victories over the likes of Spurs, Arsenal and even Manchester United in what could prove to have been an audition at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, the stats suggest that he's more than kept up with Varane this season.

Progressive Passes

39

54

Tackles Won

10

10

Interceptions

18

14

Aerial Duels Won

45

21

What would make a deal for the 26-year-old even sweeter is that Pep Guardiola was once a fan, saying during Manchester City's pre-season in 2016: "We have to tell Tosin he has a lot of steps to get better, so it's not done, the player isn't done. But he has all the quality.

"He is fast, he is faster than the people can believe it. He's strong in the air. He has the quality to look behind the line for the next step, the next pass, but he has a lot of things to improve and I hope I can help him to develop his skills.”

Aston Villa return to Premier League action this coming Saturday as they face Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A win will allow them to continue building momentum ahead of the final few weeks of the season, especially as the Midlands side are looking to cement fourth place in the table, which will bring qualification for the Champions League next season.

Unai Emery could tinker with his starting XI ahead of the clash against the Old Gold, but one player who must be included is Morgan Rogers, as the youngster had a stormer for England U21s against Luxembourg on Tuesday evening.

Morgan Rogers’ stats for England U21s against Luxembourg

In the game prior, Rogers had grabbed an assist, but he was on a whole new level in midweek for the U21 side.

Not only did he receive a Sofascore rating of 8.9/10 for his performance, but the youngster also scored twice, made two key passes, took four shots and succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts.

Goals

2

Assists

0

Key passes

2

Big chances created

1

Successful dribbles

1/1

This was made even more impressive by the fact Rogers played for just under half an hour, coming on as a second-half substitute for Jay Stansfield.

The Villa starlet also won 100% of his total duels contested while losing possession just once during his cameo, and it is clear this display should give Emery a selection headache.

Morgan Rogers’s statistics for Aston Villa this season

The former Middlesbrough winger enjoyed a sparkling opening half to the 2023/24 campaign, scoring seven goals while notching a further nine assists. This type of form was not going to go unnoticed, and it was Villa who finally secured his signature on deadline day for a fee which could rise to £16m.

Since arriving at Villa Park, the 21-year-old has made seven appearances without scoring or grabbing an assist, but there have been plenty of positives on show.

He was given a start against Ajax in the Conference League last 16 clash and delivered a mature performance which saw the club come away from Amsterdam with a 0-0 draw.

During the tie, Rogers looked lively on the left of the midfield, succeeding with five of his six dribble attempts while winning seven of his ten ground duels, showing that he wasn’t fazed either by the occasion or the opposition.

The winger also started in Villa’s final match prior to the international break against West Ham United, playing just over an hour in the 1-1 draw.

Again, he proved to be a threat out wide, succeeding with two of his three dribble attempts and taking one shot on target before being brought off.

While those performances haven’t been sensational, it is clear Rogers could be a wise investment for Villa over the next few years, and he will only continue to improve the more he plays in the top flight.

His display during England U21s victory in midweek shows he is currently full of confidence, indicating that Emery should certainly be looking at unleashing him in the starting XI against Wolves on Saturday evening.

Aston Villa struck gold selling ace who’s now worth 6x less than Cash

The former Villa star has suffered with injury since leaving the club in 2022.

ByTom Lever Mar 26, 2024

Tottenham are "first in line" for a major summer signing as they look to beat Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus side to a £21 million defender.

Spurs eye new centre-back after Radu Dragusin

Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou wants to bring in more defensive cover in the summer window, regardless of their £25m deal for Radu Dragusin in January.

Tottenham talking about signing £30m star for Ange – Sky Sports journalist

Spurs chiefs are in discussions over moving for him.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 27, 2024

The Romania international was brought in as cover for Micky van de Ven, and made his full Spurs debut away in a 3-0 defeat to Fulham where he endured a very difficult afternoon.

Dragusin has been working tirelessly in Tottenham training, according to his agent Florin Manea this week, and his potential is vast. However, despite the 22-year-old's presence, Postecoglou admitted to the press earlier this month that supporters could see another defender come in this summer.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Given the arrival of Dragusin, we believe it would make little sense to go for a marquee option like Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite, who Spurs have been passively linked with in the last few months.

Instead, more astute options are out there for the taking, like soon-to-be free agents Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham) and Lloyd Kelly (Bournemouth). Johan Lange could also look abroad for a solution, with Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori thought to be attracting their interest.

Tottenham "first in line" for Calafiori signing this summer

The Italian has been a revelation for Bologna this campaign, amassing a 90.1% passing accuracy as a composed and assured presence in their back line over 24 Serie A appearances (WhoScored).

Empoli 0-1 Bologna

7.76

Bologna 1-0 Lazio

7.65

Bologna 4-0 Lecce

7.49

Bologna 1-1 Genoa

7.34

Bologna 1-0 Atalanta

7.26

According to Tutto Juve this week, Tottenham are "first in line" to sign Calafiori this summer and actually stand out as favourites over Italian heavyweights Juventus.

This comes after a claim that the defender could cost just £21 million to prise away from Italy, with his performances being heralded. Football analyst Ben Mattinson, writing on X, branded Calafiori a "monster" for his aerial ability.

Leeds United could be without a "fantastic" star for this evening’s Championship clash with Sunderland, according to Phil Hay.

Leeds’ remaining Championship fixtures

Remarkably, despite sitting on 86 points after 41 games, the Whites sit outside the automatic promotion places with five Championship games remaining.

Daniel Farke’s side have been in incredible form during 2024, losing the first of their 15 second-tier games during the calendar year on Saturday away to Coventry City.

Leeds United 3-0 Birmingham City

1st January

Cardiff City 0-3 Leeds United

13th January

Leeds United 2-1 Preston North End

21st January

Leeds United 1-0 Norwich City

24th January

Bristol City 0-1 Leeds United

2nd February

Leeds United 3-0 Rotherham United

10th February

Swansea City 0-4 Leeds United

13th February

Plymouth Argyle 0-2 Leeds United

17th February

Leeds United 3-1 Leicester City

23rd February

Huddersfield Town 1-1 Leeds United

2nd March

Leeds United 1-0 Stoke City

5th March

Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Leeds United

8th March

Leeds United 2-0 Millwall

17th March

Watford 2-2 Leeds United

29th March

Leeds United 3-1 Hull City

1st April

Coventry City 2-1 Leeds United

6th April

However, they still need Leicester City or Ipswich Town to slip up between now and May 4th, whereas Leeds may have to be almost perfect to earn an automatic return to the Premier League.

The run-in begins tonight with a meeting with Sunderland at Elland Road before another home game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

After that, Leeds travel to Middlesbrough on Monday 22nd April, with their penultimate fixture away to Queens Park Rangers on Friday 26th April. The final game of the season sees Leeds host Southampton on Saturday May 4th.

Leeds team news vs Sunderland

Leeds received a welcome injury boost on the weekend against Coventry with the return of Ilia Gruev, Connor Roberts and Wilfried Gnonto to the matchday squad.

However, for tonight’s game with Sunderland, regular Ethan Ampadu, who has captained the Whites for the majority of 2024, is a “major doubt” due to illness.

This will come as a big concern for Leeds, with Ampadu yet to miss a minute of Championship action this season, starring in both midfield and in defence.

The summer signing has struck up a brilliant relationship with fellow Wales international Joe Rodon at centre-back since the injury to Pascal Struijk, so being without Ampadu would be a big blow.

Ampadu has also come in for praise from Farke during his first season in Yorkshire, with the Leeds boss saying earlier in the campaign:

“Overall a fantastic season, we are more than happy how he has developed also since we signed him.

“You couldn’t predict that it would work that smoothly and on this level when we signed him because he had also a few tough, tough years. But he’s doing exceptionally well.”

The Saudi Pro League – also known as the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) for sponsorship reasons – dominated the 2023 summer transfer window with many high-profile players leaving Europe in favour of a move to the rapidly rising division.

Cristiano Ronaldo started the trend, of course, taking an enormous contract at the start of the year to play for Al-Nassr.

And, now, with the 2024 summer transfer window edging closer, Football FanCast takes you through the latest news and transfer rumours…

Why players moved to the Saudi Pro League

Essentially, it came down to investment from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, or PIF. You'll have heard a lot about it when PIF purchased Newcastle United, of course.

The same fund purchased majority stakes in Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad. The former two are the biggest clubs in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The latter two are the biggest in Jeddah, the country's second-largest city. All four now have incredible wealth behind them and are looking to make waves.

Latest Saudi Pro League games, results, league standings and top scorers

FFC brings you the latest of the action from the Saudi Pro League, as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar do battle.

ByMark Marston May 28, 2024 Saudi Pro League 2024 summer transfer window dates

The Saudi Pro League's summer transfer window is set to open on July 1, 2024, which near enough aligns with the rest of Europe's top leagues.

The window will remain open until September 7, 2024, whilst the other leading divisions in Europe will slam their doors shut on 1st.

Competition

Window Opens

Window Closes

Saudi Pro League

1 July 2024

7 September 2024

Premier League

14 June 2024

1 September 2024

EFL

10 June 2024

1 September 2024

La Liga

1 July 2024

1 September 2024

Serie A

1 July 2024

1 September 2024

Bundesliga

1 July 2024

1 September 2024

Ligue 1

10 June 2024

1 September 2024

Players who joined the Saudi Pro League

A steady stream of players have followed in Ronaldo's footsteps by ditching European football for a go at the Saudi Pro League and that trend is expected to continue this month.

The RSL outlaid an eye-watering £701.3m on transfer fees last summer, which doesn't account for the colossal wages on top of that.

So who decided to make the move? Here's a rundown of the 20 most expensive signings:

#

Player

Left

Joined

Fee

1

Neymar

Paris Saint-Germain

Al-Hilal

£78.3m

2

Malcom

Zenit St. Petersburg

Al-Hilal

£52.2m

3

Otávio

Porto

Al-Nassr

£52.2m

4

Rúben Neves

Wolves

Al-Hilal

£47.8m

5

Aleksandar Mitrović

Fulham

Al-Hilal

£45.7m

6

Fabinho

Liverpool

Al-Ittihad

£40.6m

7

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Lazio

Al-Hilal

£34.7m

8

Riyad Mahrez

Manchester City

Al-Ahli

£30.4m

9

Sadio Mané

Bayern Munich

Al-Ahli

£26m

10

Gabri Veiga

Celta Vigo

Al-Ahli

£26m

11

Roger Ibañez

AS Roma

Al-Ahli

£26m

12

Jota

Celtic

Al-Ittihad

£25.3m

13

Aymeric Laporte

Manchester City

Al-Nassr

£23.9m

14

Allan Saint-Germain

Newcastle United

Al-Ahli

£23.6m

15

Seko Fofana

Lens

Al-Nassr

£21.7m

16

Kalidou Koulibaly

Chelsea

Al-Hilal

£20m

17

Renan Lodi

Marseille

Al-Hilal

£19.7m

18

Luiz Felipe

Real Betis

Al-Ittihad

£19.1m

19

Bono

Sevilla

Al-Hilal

£18.2m

20

Edouard Mendy

Chelsea

Al-Ahli

£16m

Latest Saudi Pro League transfer rumours

In the winter transfer window, things were rather quiet in comparison to the summer, with clubs putting their wallets away to recover from what was a mental 2023 for transfers.

However, with the months flying by, there are a few rumours that have been circling around already ahead of the summer…

Romelu Lukaku Chelsea to Al-Ittihad

According to Rudy Galetti (as per Tribal Football), Al-Ittihad have already opened talks over the possibility of signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea in the summer.

Al-Ittihad and other teams from the Middle East have shortlisted the Belgian as a "main target", which won't come as an issue for the Blues as they've done just fine without him this season.

Idrissa Gueye Everton to Saudi Pro League

According to Football Insider, Saudi Pro League clubs are ready to pounce to sign Idrissa Gueye this summer.

According to reports, Gueye's contract with the Toffees is set to expire this summer, and Saudi Pro League teams are 'ready to approach' him. The Senegalese player would be interested in relocating to the Middle East.

For Gueye, joining a Saudi Arabian team is reportedly seen as "an attractive proposition."

Mohamed Salah Liverpool to Saudi Pro League

Jose Enrique has claimed (as per Grosvenor Sports) that Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool this summer if the opportunity to move to the Saudi Pro League presents itself.

He stated:

“If the right offer comes then I think Salah will leave because I think he was actually trying to leave last summer. They were offered something like £200 million for him last summer and that was a real offer!

“When you get an offer like that, usually it means there is already an agreement between the player and the club. I think Salah had already agreed to go and I believe that he will finally go to Saudi Arabia this summer.

“Jurgen Klopp is leaving so it is the perfect time for Salah to go. There is a new cycle happening at Liverpool and lots of changes, so it is perfect for him. This will likely be the final big contract of his career, so I think he’ll leave for Saudi Arabia.”

This comes after a string of very sub-par performances from the Egyptian.

Glasgow Rangers may have to go through the remainder of the season without the services of Abdallah Sima, as the winger suffered an injury during the recent Scottish Cup semifinal against Hearts.

Having stuttered their way to a 2-1 win over St Mirren on the weekend, Phillipe Clement will be praying that the winger miraculously recovers as the Ibrox side struggled without his presence in the final third.

Abdallah Sima may have played his final game for Rangers

Having just returned from a hamstring injury which kept him out for a few months after he sustained it on duty with Senegal during the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Sima made an immediate impact in only his second game back against Celtic.

The on-loan winger was brought on for the second half before netting the second goal with just five minutes left, as Rangers scraped a 3-3 draw at Ibrox.

Against Hearts, however, he pulled up within 15 minutes and was subbed by Clement, who discussed his condition after the game, saying:

“We’re going to see and make an assessment tomorrow. He felt some tightness in his hamstring, I hope it’s not so bad. We hope we can have Abdallah in the next couple of weeks because he’s been really important in that period where he was fit and he was coming back now. So we will see.”

Goals

11

Assists

2

Key passes per game

0.9

Big chances created

2

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

With just five games left – four Premiership fixtures plus the Scottish Cup final – might the Ibrox faithful have seen the last of Sima?

Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers this season

Since arriving on loan last summer from Brighton and Hove Albion, Sima has been one of the club’s better performers in front of goal.

In 38 games, the 22-year-old has scored 16 goals while notching two assists, made even more impressive by the fact he missed a large chunk of the season due to his hamstring injury.

There is no doubt Clement will miss the player once he returns to Brighton this summer. Unless he can stump up the cash to sign him permanently, the Belgian will have to find a replacement who can fill the void left by the Senegal international.

The left-winger currently earns £8.5k-per-week during his loan spell, which is among one of the lowest wages in the squad, behind colleagues such as Kemar Roofe, Danilo and Rabbi Matondo, who haven’t contributed near as much as Sima has this term.

The Light Blues have a history of signing expensive flops on high wages, often failing to live up to the lofty expectations placed on them when they arrive in Glasgow.

One of the most notable recent examples is that of Cedric Itten, who arrived to plenty of excitement, only to stutter his way through two seasons at Ibrox.

How much Rangers paid for Cedric Itten

Ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, Steven Gerrard was desperate to bolster an attack that had stagnated in the months prior to the previous season being halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before Christmas, the Gers were in the mix for the league title, yet a run of just four wins out of nine following the winter break ensured the club slipped out of contention.

That summer, Roofe was brought in from Anderlecht along with Itten, who Gerrard signed from Swiss side FC St Gallen for a transfer fee believed to be around £3m, which indicated that he was of high quality.

It soon became apparent that Gerrard had overpaid massively for the Swiss striker.

Cedric Itten’s Rangers statistics

Having scored 36 goals in just 63 games for St Gallen, it looked like Rangers had signed a player who certainly knew where the back of the net was.

His first season at the Light Blues was hardly a success, despite them ending a ten-year wait for a league title. Across 37 games, Itten managed to score just six goals, while grabbing a further three assists, hardly £3m worth of impact, let’s put it that way.

He was sent out on loan to German outfit Greuther Furth, netting just two goals in 12 appearances, although one did come against Bayern Munich.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst recalled him in January as he sought to give the striker a second chance at Rangers, yet he failed to grab the opportunity presented to him.

He scored just twice in seven games, surely ruining his chances of remaining with the club heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

That summer, he was sold for a cut price fee of just £1.5m, meaning the Gers had lost out on money by selling so cheaply as he returned to his homeland to join BSC Young Boys.

Cedric Itten's wage at Rangers

Not only did the centre-forward cost £3m to bring into the club in the first place, he was also earning £14k-per-week during his two-season stay, which included paying his wages while out on loan in the Bundesliga.

Combining his transfer fee plus total wages earned during his dismal spell in Glasgow, Itten rinsed the Ibrox side dry of around £4.5m. Considering he scored just eight goals in 48 appearances, it proved to be a massive waste of funds – earning even more than what Sima is currently making at the club.

Perhaps it was Scottish football that was the problem, as Itten has shone since returning to Switzerland. During his first season with Young Boys, he won the domestic double, registering 35 goal contributions – 23 goals and 12 assists – across 39 matches.

He may have only scored ten goals during his second season, but he is still performing fairly well.

Hopefully, Clement will avoid mistakes like those that were made by his predecessors as he looks to strengthen his first-team squad in the summer transfer window.

Itten is just one of a host of players who joined the club that failed to replicate their form which saw them secure a move in the first place.

With his budget uncertain, the Belgian may not have the funds to make expensive mistakes this summer.

Rangers could have a possible Sima replacement brewing in "exciting" teen

Rangers may have seen the last of Abdallah Sima at Ibrox…

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 27, 2024