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Glasgow Rangers play a match at Ibrox for the first time in 16 days as they welcome Hibernian as the visitors in what is a mammoth Premiership clash.

A win for the Gers will see them leapfrog Celtic at the summit of the table, thus piling on the pressure on their Old Firm rivals, who don’t play until Sunday.

Since the 1-0 defeat to Benfica more than two weeks ago, Philippe Clement will have been aiming to get some of his injured players back to full health, yet some are still unavailable…

Rangers team news vs Hibs

Ahead of the league clash, Clement spoke to the media on Friday afternoon as he discussed the state of his squad ahead of the coming matches.

“Sterling, Dowell, Sima and McCausland are back in training,” said the Belgian manager.

“Ridvan, Jack, Cortes & Danilo are out. Ridvan is not long-term, but we will see next week.”

Some good news mixed with a few blows, but the positives look like they are far outweighing any negatives, especially as it shouldn’t be long before the injured players make a return.

Cause for concern could be on the left flank, however, as Sima and Cortes are both still missing. Fabio Silva has done well depositing there, but Clement may move him into a more advanced role in place of Cyriel Dessers against Hibs.

This could see Rabbi Matondo awarded a start in what could be an ideal opportunity for him to stake a claim in the starting XI.

Rabbi Matondo’s season in numbers for Rangers

The £23k-per-week winger looked as though he was ready to depart Ibrox last summer after a poor debut season, yet he impressed in pre-season ahead of the current campaign.

He finally scored his first goal for the Gers during the 2-2 draw against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League qualifiers, being hailed as a “bright spark” in the process by journalist Euan Robertson.

While a few injuries have disrupted his progress since then, the 23-year-old has added another three goals to his tally, along with grabbing four assists, showcasing his talents in spells.

Clement could throw him into the mix today and the Welshman could form a dangerous duo with Silva.

In the Premiership this season, Matondo has created four big chances, averaged 0.7 key passes per game and succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per game, clearly indicating that the youngster is able to power past opponents on a regular basis while creating chances for his teammates to convert.

With four goals in his first 14 appearances for the Light Blues, Silva, meanwhile, certainly appears to be enjoying himself in Glasgow while thriving under pressure.

Having Matondo on the left wing supplying him with chances galore could mean the Portuguese striker adds to his goal tally against the Easter Road side.

It will be the first time the duo link up from the first whistle should they be unleashed in the starting XI and Clement will be hoping the pair can cause the Hibs' defence plenty of problems.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Gio Reyna has hinted at having a future with Borussia Dortmund, with the USMNT star suggesting that a summer transfer is not on the cards.

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• Midfielder endured tough time in England
• Linked with clubs across Europe
• Delighted to be back in BVB squad

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 21-year-old was tied to a new contract by BVB during the winter transfer window, but also allowed to link up with Nottingham Forest on a short-term loan. A spell in the Premier League did not play out as planned, with game time proving to be in short supply.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There has been plenty of talk regarding a move away from Signal Iduna Park for Reyna, but he is delighted to be back in those surroundings and has no intention of bidding farewell to them any time soon. The United States international figured for Dortmund in a 2-0 friendly win over Aston Villa.

• WHAT REYNA SAID

  Reyna stepped off the bench in that contest and is pleased to be back among familiar faces after a testing period in his career that also included a disappointing group stage exit at the 2024 Copa America: “Back in the best stadium in the world! Season 24/25. Let’s go!!!”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Those are not the words of somebody pushing for a switch elsewhere, with Reyna seemingly keen to add to the 121 appearances that he has made for Dortmund since making a senior breakthrough. There is, however, still plenty of time before the next transfer deadline passes and anything is possible.

Juventus Women earned a 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich in their penultimate pre-season friendly, with Alisha Lehmann featuring off the bench.

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• Juventus draw 0-0 with Bayern Munich
• Lehmann came off bench in second half
• Lionesses star Stanway kept quiet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Juventus Women travelled to Germany for their penultimate pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich. The match finished 0-0, with left-back Lisa Boattin claiming after the match that Juve are "on the right track" ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, their first under new head coach Massimiliano Canzi.

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  Canzi's side entered the game off the back of their success in The Women's Cup in the United States. Facing stern opposition in the form of Bayern, winners of last season's Bundesliga, the Bianconere were praised for producing a "good performance" against Lionesses star Georgia Stanway and Co. Canzi changed his entire XI in the second half, with Lehmann coming on for the final half hour as she continues to settle in following her move from Aston Villa earlier in the summer.

• WHAT LISA BOATTIN SAID

  After the match, Boattin said: "This game was a real demonstration of how we’ve been working this summer. We’ve been training well, a good side is forming here and, as a result, a really good group. We’re happy with the draw because it shows we can go toe to toe with Bayern Munich, who are a very strong team. We’re on the right track and looking forward to the start of the season, to play important matches where points are at stake.

  "We, of course, want to start on the right foot, and now we have one more friendly before we play away at Sassuolo to start the season. We will look to make the most of the game against Freedom to be ready for the first competitive game of the season."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

  Juventus will take on Freedom FC in their final pre-season outing before kicking off the new Serie A season with a trip to Sassuolo on September 1.

Since being taken over in 2008, many things have changed about Manchester City. They are completely unrecognisable on and off the pitch, are now considered one of, if not the best team in world football, and have a superb footballing structure off the pitch.

Not only have their owners invested in the first team, but they have also put money into the community to help develop a better area around the Etihad Stadium, and they have put £200m into the City Football Academy, which is opposite the Etihad, as of May 2021.

City’s investment into their academy has begun to pay dividends in recent years. Whilst they often bring talent in from elsewhere, such as Romeo Lavia, who they signed in 2020 from Anderlecht before selling him to Southampton in 2022, for £10.5m, they have seen homegrown success, players who cost them nothing and could result in profit or a first-team place.

Cole Palmer came through the City academy, and broke into the first-team before being sold to Chelsea last summer for £40m, where he now has 25 Premier League goal involvements in 26 games. Rico Lewis made his debut in 2022, where he scored, and is now an important squad member under Pep Guardiola.

However, there is one academy graduate whose first-team career so far for City has been wonderful, and he is now recognised as one of the most valuable players in world football.

Phil Foden's Man City career in numbers

The player in question is Phil Foden, who was signed by City at the age of eight and has risen through their academy ranks, eventually becoming one of the most important players for Pep Guardiola’s side

Foden’s time at City has been exceptional so far. He has already won 16 major trophies at just 23 years of age, which includes five Premier League titles and a Champions League which was one-third of a historic treble in 2022/23.

He has already made 262 appearances for the Citizens and has 82 goals and 51 assists to his name so far. The attacker had a rapid rise into City’s first team and has thrived under the tutelage of Guardiola since he was given his debut in November 2017. He has never looked back.

Phil Foden's transfer value in 2024

According to CIES Football Observatory, there are only two players currently more valuable than Phil Foden in world football, namely Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham. The England star is valued at £171m, the same as international teammate Bukayo Saka, and Real Madrid duo Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior. He's also valued far higher than the likes of Rodri (£86m) and Bernardo Silva (£51m).

This is certainly reflected in Foden’s exemplary 2023/24 season so far. The 23-year-old has arguably been the best player in the Premier League this season.

He currently has 14 goals and seven assists in the top flight, with 22 goals and ten assists in all competitions. The latest of which was a simply scorching strike in the Bernabeu as City drew 3-3 with Real Madrid.

For context, only Erling Haaland has more goal involvements for City this season than Foden’s 32, with the Norway striker currently sitting on 36 in total.

Described by his England teammate Declan Rice as “very very special” back in 2021, it is clear why Foden is so highly rated and valued. Credit must be given to his manager Guardiola, who has given him a new role in central areas of the pitch this season, which is clearly working for his side and for the player.

It is somewhere that Foden himself has admitted to preferring to play. In an interview with Sky Sports following his hat-trick away to Brentford in February, the 23-year-old said “I'm enjoying playing in the middle and that's where I see myself. Hopefully I can get more game time playing there."

Playing centrally allows Foden to get on the ball much more between the lines, and he can have more of an impact in the final third. This season, he averages 2.23 passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 16% of positionally similar players in Europe, as per Fbref, which shows how much more control he can have on the game in central areas.

It is perhaps unsurprising to Guardiola that Foden is playing as well as he is this season. The former Barcelona manager has previously described him as “the most, most, most talented player I have ever seen in my career as a manager”. That is high praise given that Guardiola managed Lionel Messi in his prime.

If Foden continues this upward trajectory, he could become one of the greatest English players of all time. He does not seem to be slowing down any time soon, and there is likely a decade or more left of his career. It certainly feels like we are witnessing the career of one of the all-time great Premier League footballers.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is set to be sacked by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who already has a "great manager" in line to come in, according to a new report.

Man Utd manager rumours

The Red Devils scraped through their FA Cup semi-final against Championship side Coventry City at the weekend, requiring penalties to set up another final with rivals Manchester City.

United were 3-0 up before folding in the final 25 minutes, something which has put more pressure on Ten Hag’s long-term future at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe said prior to the game that patience is required among the Old Trafford fanbase and promised to turn things around.

“We're not there with football yet. One of the biggest problems with football is you get these new guys coming into the team, they're capable people but they're all on gardening leave. It's a big problem in football. The fans are impatient. It's a journey, they have to be patient. It's not a light switch. We will turn it around.”

In regards to who could replace Ten Hag, there has been a long list of names. Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, England boss Gareth Southgate, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou and Brentford’s Thomas Frank are just some of the managers linked, with contact made with Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel in recent days.

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However, it looks as if another candidate is leading the race to take over from Ten Hag.

Ten Hag set for Man Utd sack

According to Neil Custis of The Sun, Ten Hag is set for the sack following Sunday’s display at Wembley against Coventry, losing the faith of the United supporters.

The Old Trafford hierarchy, including Ratcliffe, witnessed the ‘turning of the tide in person’, with the Dutchman set to be let go in the summer, even if they lift the FA Cup next month.

Custis adds that former Chelsea manager Graham Potter is in pole position to come in for Ten Hag, with previous reports claiming that Ratcliffe has held talks with the 48-year-old.

Potter has been out of work for over a year now after leaving Chelsea but has an admirer in Ratcliffe, and after turning down a move to Ajax recently, could be in line for a return to management with United. As can be seen, though, Ten Hag has a considerably better record than Potter in the Premier League, so a move could be a gamble.

However, Potter has been called a “great manager” by former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who previously hailed is communication skills. “Graham Potter is very good at communicating with everyone. And he doesn’t care if you cost £100m or £20m, he will treat you in the same way. That’s the mark of a great manager.”

Joao Cancelo has delivered a parting message after leaving Manchester City for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.

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• Cancelo joins Neymar at Al-Hilal
• Deal worth around €25 million
• Spent last season at Barcelona

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Portugal international has completed his permanent move to Al-Hilal after finding himself out of the picture at the Etihad Stadium. Cancelo spent last season on loan at Barcelona and the season before that with Bayern Munich, and his departure appeared inevitable upon his return to the Premier League champions.

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  Cancelo was a regular in Pep Guardiola's title-winning teams of 2020-21 and 2021-22, but a lack of playing time sparked a move to Bayern in January 2023. He now joins a host of stars at Al-Hilal, including Neymar, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic, after leaving City in a deal worth around €25million (£21m/$27.9m).

• WHAT CANCELO SAID

  "I would like to wish everyone at City continued success in the future," Cancelo said in his farewell message. "I had many very special moments during my time here at this great club. I would like to thank my team-mates, the coaches, all the staff at City and the fans for everything during my time here."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CANCELO

  Cancelo could make his debut for Al-Hilal in Wednesday's clash against Al-Riyadh. The 30-year-old will also be in action for Portugal in their Nations League contests against Croatia and Scotland next month.

Liverpool's last lap under Jurgen Klopp has seen a detrimental stumble that has allowed Arsenal and Manchester City to take command in the Premier League title race, with hopes of clinching the trophy minute at this point.

To triumph against the odds would take an incredible nosedive in form from both rivals at the final stage, compounding the recent struggles that have seen Liverpool crash out of the FA Cup and the Europa League.

And while the Carabao Cup was clinched back in February, there is an unavoidable, unshakeable sense of poignancy, of regret, surrounding what teased to be a stunning ending, fitting of the dynasty that the 56-year-old created on Merseyside.

Still, Liverpool have rebuilt following the dismal efforts of the 2022/23 campaign and perhaps it's apt timing for Klopp to stand down, relinquish the reins and allow the club to enter its next phase.

Arne Slot is the man to succeed the German, and he will find the complex situation around Mohamed Salah at the forefront of his concerns when he touches down in Liverpool this summer.

Mohamed Salah's recent form

Last summer, with Liverpool losing their place among Europe's elite, Saudi side Al-Ittihad sought to secure a flagship signing by bringing Salah to the Middle East, though their eye-watering £150m advance was rejected by FSG last August.

Salah, who was respectful throughout the process, remained at Liverpool and proved exactly why keeping him in the squad was such a pivotal success, having plundered 24 goals and 13 assists across 41 appearances for the Reds this season.

The Egyptian star ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists and touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 21% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

He's been the linchpin of a largely excellent campaign, though this recent decline in form has been concurrent with his side's acute nosedive, with Liverpool's wastefulness in front of goal the crux of the slump.

Indeed, the £350k-per-week forward has scored just one goal across his past six Premier League outings, failing to assist a teammate and winning only two matches.

The 31-year-old still has much to offer at the apex of the great game and pointers suggest that he feels remaining at Liverpool, where he has bagged 298 goal contributions from 346 fixtures, notably winning the Premier League and the Champions League, is the best place for his remarkable career.

However, Salah's imperfections have been accentuated following the recent dip, the fatal blip, and now there is a palpable sense that Slot may not view Salah as the fulcrum of his Liverpool attack when the Dutch manager gets to work on English shores.

Slot and his tactical brand have a semblance to that of his Anfield predecessor, Klopp, but there will of course be changes and his thrash-metal style could see the prolific Egyptian lose that unwavering starting berth that has already cracked, a fissure stemming from his decline and seeing Klopp bench him twice in the past four top-flight outings – erupting in a heated touchline row.

Should Salah remain at the club, as is expected at this point, it's unlikely that a high-profile, high-cost replacement will be targeted this summer, but Dominik Szoboszlai could find himself undergoing a tactical alteration…

Why Slot must unleash Szoboszlai at right wing

Few would question that Klopp knew what he was doing when he fashioned Szoboszlai into a deeper-lying midfield position than he might be accustomed to, signing the Hungarian gem from RB Leipzig for £60m last summer.

Turbo-powered, elegant and enterprising, Szoboszlai proved to be a colossal upgrade on Henderson in the centre of the park, even being declared as an "artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his early exploits in the Premier League.

But injuries and an unrelenting schedule have taken their toll on the 23-year-old, who has been one of the most noticeable strugglers throughout the recent period of inconsistency in Liverpool's campaign, starting only one of the Reds' last three league games.

Still, as per Sofascore, over the duration of the Premier League season, the £120k-per-week dynamo has completed 87% of his passes, averaging 1.7 key passes and 5.6 ball recoveries per game.

But this has all been as an operator in the heart of the midfield, a position that is not his natural placement but necessary to charge Klopp's team – the recreation of players such as Gini Wijnaldum in the past further proves this point.

Slot plays with a 4-2-3-1 formation and, as such, will probably not use Szoboszlai at the base of the engine room, where Alexis Mac Allister would thrive alongside a specialist No. 6.

Hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller during his career in Germany, Szoboszlai might just find that in a new system, playing a role that better suits his skill set, he rises to a position of prominence and sustains it under the guidance of Slot.

Last year, with Leipzig, he principally played on the right wing, reaping the lion's share of his direct goal contributions through such means. Salah will hope to hold down his long-time Liverpool position but Slot's football demands energy, movement and multi-functionality.

Salah is averaging 0.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season, winning 35%, as opposed to 2.2 per fixture during his historic 2017/18 term, succeeding with 63% of his forward forays. Szoboszlai, clearly, offers more energy than that declining aspect of the Egyptian game.

Ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, the 6 foot 1 player is patently pushing toward his favoured role in and around the final third.

He might not have the elite goalscoring ability of Salah, but this style of play could suit the new regime just perfectly, with Trent Alexander-Arnold spraying passes into the danger area that his Hungarian counterpart can latch onto with penetrative pace and power.

Who knows, perhaps Salah might find himself shaping into a new, more central position, where he can maintain his sharpening playmaking ability – no Premier League player has created more big chances than he this term (21) – and benefit from the robust creative qualities of Szoboszlai.

One thing's for certain, Slot has much to chew on when he arrives at Anfield, tasked with leading Liverpool to more glory after the brightest period in generations.

Liverpool hit the jackpot on £75m "legend" who was better than Salah

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Luis Suarez received a special gift from his Uruguay team-mates ahead of the Inter Miami star's final game for the national team.

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• Suarez retired from international football
• Tributes ahead of final game
• Fans display "Luis 9 Eternal" tifo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a poignant moment before kickoff, Suarez was handed a special gift as a token of appreciation for his contributions to the national team over the years. The prolific striker opened the wrapping to find a laminated poster of him in the famed No. 9 jersey with a caption that read: "Unico de Inigualable" (Unique and unmatched).

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  Meanwhile, fans in the stands unfurled a massive tifo that read "Luis Eternal," a testament to the striker's enduring legacy in Uruguayan football. Throughout the match, supporters chanted his name, celebrating his legendary career with the

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Suarez's final appearance for the national team took place at the historic Estadio Centenario, a fitting venue for his farewell, the stadium which hosted the first-ever FIFA World Cup final in 1930.

  The match itself was a hard-fought affair, with both Uruguay and Paraguay vying for points in the World Cup qualification campaign. Suarez came closest to scoring in the first half when he connected with a cross from Facundo Pellistri, but his right-footed volley struck the post, leaving the crowd on the edge of their seats. He finished with 143 appearances for Uruguay, scoring an impressive 69 goals—making him the nation’s all-time leading scorer.

Bayern Munich players are reportedly "surprised" by new boss Vincent Kompany's methods despite a bright start to the season.

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• Kompany accused of a lack of communication
• Squad selection seems perplexing to many seniors
• Players want more clarity from the manager

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Bavarians have made a perfect start to their campaign and their latest thumping 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League indicates that the team is heading in the right direction. Despite the positive start, it seems that trouble is brewing inside the Allianz Arena dressing room.

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  According to several Bayern players have raised concerns about the lack of clarity in Kompany’s decisions on the lineup, with some feeling that the 38-year-old coach's communication style leaves much to be desired. It is reported that Kompany informed the matchday lineup via WhatsApp, just one day before their Bundesliga fixture against Holstein Kiel, which ended in a 6-1 victory for Bayern. While the result was positive, how players were informed about their playing status reportedly left some feeling unsettled.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Several key figures like Aleksandar Pavlovic, Mathys Tel, and Michael Olise, who had all played key roles in the previous 2-0 victory against SC Freiburg, found themselves starting on the bench with Sacha Boey, Joao Palhinha, and Kingsley Coman brought into the lineup. What made Kompany’s choices even more surprising was his decision to leave out seasoned stars like Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, and Alphonso Davies from the starting XI. Whereas, Leon Goretzka was not even included in the matchday squad for the game.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

  It is common for managers to rotate squads in the early part of the season to keep players fresh, but the abruptness and uncertainty surrounding the selections have caused unrest. Bayern do have a deep squad and intense competition for places, but even seasoned professionals are used to a more transparent approach when it comes to lineup decisions. Their next test comes in the Bundesliga on Saturday when they face Werder Bremen.

Aston Villa, lead by the club's director of football operations Monchi, have held talks over signing an £80,000-per-week star in Europe this week.

Emery preparing for Liverpool after Conference League disappointment

On Monday, the Villans could take a mighty stride towards Champions League football next season with a good result at home to Liverpool, and manager Unai Emery has urged his side to put Thursday night's disappointing Conference League clash behind them.

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Villa were tipped as one of the favourites to win this season's Conference League, but bowed out to Greek Super Lig giants Olympiacos following a 2-0 defeat abroad. They lost the tie 6-2, which will come as disappointing given Emery had a real chance to clinch some major silverware.

However, the prospect of Champions League football returning to Villa Park takes much more precedence, and Emery is now on the verge of securing fourth mathematically – barring a late capitulation them and unexpected surge from rivals Tottenham.

“We are motivated and excited,” said Emery ahead of Liverpool. "Of course, we have to be frustrated but not a lot because only one team can win [the Europa Conference League]. If we are frustrated a lot, it doesn’t make sense.

“My idea is to recover myself as well and my message is clear: move on. We have to try to finish the season doing an amazing, amazing season if we are getting the objective in front. Even if we are without it, we are in Europe next year in the Europa League.”

In the background, club chiefs are also preparing for what will be a crucial transfer window. Villa are keen to sign a new attacker for Emery next season, and if they qualify for Europe's most elite competition, it could go a long way to tempting some of their bigger name targets.

Monchi, according to a report by TEAMtalk, has travelled to Europe this week for discussions over signing an £80,000-per-week forward.

Aston Villa hold talks over signing Iheanacho in Greece

Indeed, Leicester City star Kelechi Iheanacho is set to leave the King Power this summer on a free as things stand – alerting Villa to his availability at zero cost.

As per TT, Aston Villa chief Monchi has held talks with Iheanacho's reps in Greece this week, with the club keen to sign an astute back up to Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran.

The Nigeria international, who has 47 caps for his country, has also been praised for his speed by Pep Guardiola and helped Leicester to the Championship title this season.

"Incredible. The quality was there, he was a young player here and I believe in that moment with Gabriel and Sergio we didn't have much space," said Guardiola on Iheanacho.

"He is a fantastic person, we had a good relationship together so I'm delighted that it's going well lately. He's playing for the injured Maddison and of course he links really well with the midfield and he's good in behind.

"He's fast and in the final third he has the right tempo, he's so clear in front of the goal".