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SA’s wicketkeeper has backed her team to bounce back after they folded for 69 against England

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-20252:03

Jafta: ‘We were a bit rushed against England’

South Africa’s wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta has welcomed the change in venue – they have moved to Indore – after being skittled for 69 against England in Guwahati on Saturday. South Africa will meet New Zealand in Indore on Monday, nearly a year after the teams had faced each other in the 2024 T20 World Cup final in Dubai. New Zealand have already played a game in Indore in this World Cup.”We always knew coming into a tournament like this, games like this happen,” Jafta said. “Because it’s such a long tournament, we just have to accept what has happened. Laura [Wolvaardt] capped it off nicely and said, we don’t become a bad batting unit overnight. Obviously, homework was done, and now we’re just looking forward to the next one.”We had to leave the town [Guwahati] behind us. When you look and you’re coming into Indore, the people have been fantastic. For us, it’s like a fresh perspective. We saw the first game they had – it was a high-scoring day. For us as a batting unit, it’s just to knuckle down and bat. Don’t think too much about the outcome. Just take it one ball at a time.”Related

Wolvaardt: 'We are much, much better than 69 all out'

New Zealand and South Africa meet after a year with both teams needing a pick-me-up

While Jafta admitted that South Africa had erred with their approach against England, she said her team “won’t dwell’ on the batting collapse.”We were a bit rushed,” Jafta said. “We weren’t really present in that moment. When I went back, I realised I wasn’t really present in the delivery I went out. It wasn’t a good day, but we won’t dwell on it. We’ve got another opportunity.”That opportunity comes against a New Zealand side, which is also coming off a defeat, against Australia. Jafta said that South Africa will not underestimate New Zealand whom they have not faced in an ODI since October 2023.”You have the likes of Amelia Kerr, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine – players who’ve been playing for a really long time,” she said. “But also, you’re not underestimating your Georgia Plimmer, your [Maddy] Greens, your Izzy Gaze – she came off. For us as a bowling unit, it’s about being very disciplined in how we go about our things.”Laura Wolvaardt tunes up for the match against New Zealand in Indore•ICC via Getty ImagesExecution, Jafta said, will be crucial, something the team has focused on during their recent tours of the subcontinent. South Africa won a T20I series 2-1 in Pakistan before the World Cup and took part in a tri-series involving India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, where they lost three out of four matches, in May.”We’ve been playing in these conditions – it’s nothing new,” she said. “I always make a joke, we’ve probably faced all of these deliveries in net sessions. Why can’t we just go into a game and execute? We had a blowout, but we’ve got New Zealand ahead of us.”We know that when it comes to being tactical, they [New Zealand] are probably high up there, so we have to bring in full intensity. Coach has said, ‘Leave everything behind. Tomorrow is another opportunity.’ A lot of different individuals will put up their hands in tomorrow’s game.”

Danny Rohl has now personally ordered the Rangers board make three new signings in the January transfer window, with the manager’s top transfer priority named.

Rohl is off to a solid start in the Scottish Premiership, recording victories in his opening two matches as manager, which means he already has more league wins to his name than Russell Martin, who left the Gers in nothing short of a terrible position.

Indeed, as a result of Martin’s awful start, the Teddy Bears have a lot of ground to make up if they are going to be serious contenders for the league title, with Hearts currently setting the pace at the top, opening up a 14-point lead.

As bad as the former Southampton boss was, the players must also take their share of the blame, however, and the Heart & Hand Podcast recently singled out a number of first-team stars for heavy criticism.

Consequently, the new manager may feel the need to strengthen his squad this winter, and his number one priority has now been revealed…

Rohl orders Rangers board to make three January signings

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Rohl has now ordered the Rangers board to make three signings in the January transfer window, with the club’s hierarchy ready to back their manager.

Top of the list is a ‘commanding’ new centre-back, given that doubts remain over Nasser Djiga, Clinton Nsiala, Emmanuel Fernandes, John Souttar and Derek Cornelius.

However, signing a new centre-back is not the only task on the agenda, with the 36-year-old making it clear he wants to bring in an energetic midfielder and a prolific striker.

It is clear to see why bolstering the backline is of the utmost importance, with the Gers looking shocking from a defensive point of view on multiple occasions this season, the most recent example of which being the display against SK Brann last month.

That result, in particular, will have underlined the size of the task at hand to Rohl, with James Tavernier being left disgusted by the performance.

Having also conceded nine goals across two legs against Club Brugge, the Gers should undoubtedly sign a new centre-back this winter, but a new striker wouldn’t go amiss either.

Tavenier is the only Rangers player to have scored more than two Scottish Premiership goals this season, despite being a right-back, highlighting the scale of the issues at both ends of the pitch.

Rangers urged to drop Youssef Chermiti ahead of AS Roma clash

As bad as Aasgaard: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was "so poor"

Danny Rohl must drop this Rangers flop who was as bad as Thelo Aasgaard at Hampden Park.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 2, 2025

Southampton are now eyeing Russell Martin as a replacement for Will Still, who was dismissed on Sunday night, but there could be competition for his signature from their Championship rivals.

After being relegated from the Premier League last season, the Saints were expected to mount a promotion push, but it has been nothing short of a terrible start to the campaign, having taken just 12 points from their opening 13 matches.

The 2-0 defeat at home to Preston North End was the final straw for Sport Republic, who relieved Still of his duties on Saturday, and Under-21s head coach Tonda Eckert has now emerged as a contender for the first-team manager’s job.

It would be a gamble to appoint Eckert, however, given that he is just 32-years-old and yet to prove himself at senior level, and an external appointment is also being considered…

Southampton eyeing Russell Martin to replace Will Still

According to journalist Alan Nixon (via GiveMeSport) Southampton are now eyeing former manager Martin as a replacement for Still, with the 39-year-old on standby for a swift return to management, having recently been dismissed by Scottish giants Rangers.

The Saints are not the only Championship club that hold an interest, however, with it being revealed that Norwich City are also considering the Englishman, given that there are doubts over Liam Manning’s future.

The Brighton-born manager is available without any compensation, which means he is an appealing option for the two Championship clubs, who could do battle for his services.

In truth, the former Rangers manager’s spell at Ibrox was a complete disaster, being sacked after just 17 games in charge, making him the shortest-serving permanent boss in the Scottish side’s history.

That said, the “exciting” manager, as hailed by analyst John Walker, could still be a good appointment for Southampton, considering the work he did at St. Mary’s previously, guiding them to promotion in the play-off final in the 2023-24 campaign.

The ex-Swansea City boss, who prefers to implement a 4-3-3 system, is also very experienced at Championship level, having taken charge of 138 second tier matches.

Games

138

Wins

60

Draws

34

Losses

44

Points per match

1.55

That said, it would arguably be a backwards step to appoint Martin, given that he was sacked by the Saints less than one year ago, after being unable to make the step-up to the Premier League, with his side losing 13 of their opening 16 Premier League games.

Southampton plotting move for James Ward-Prowse in January He's been told to leave: Southampton now plotting move to sign £30m PL star

The Saints could pull off an impressive move.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 2, 2025

Earlier, Zampa and Maxwell tore through the West Indies top order, taking five wickets between them

Alex Malcolm22-Jul-20252:48

Watch – Russell leaves to a standing ovation after 15-ball 36

A blistering, record third-wicket stand for Australia between Josh Inglis and Cameron Green, combined with five wickets to Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, denied Andre Russell a fairytale farewell to international cricket at Sabina Park and handed the visitors a 2-0 series lead.Player-of-the-Match Inglis smashed 78 not out off just 33 balls, with seven fours and five sixes, while Green made his second consecutive half-century, finishing on 56 off 33, to guide Australia to the target of 173 with eight wickets and 28 balls to spare after they were 42 for 2 in the powerplay.West Indies dropped six catches, including three in the seventh over of the chase. Inglis and Green were dropped twice each. Russell unfortunately dropped Inglis and Mitchell Marsh and conceded 16 in his last international over, having given West Indies hope with a remarkable 36 off 15 to rescue the home side from 99 for 5 in the first half.Earlier, Zampa and Maxwell had scythed through the top order, taking 3 for 29 and 2 for 15 respectively after West Indies had reached 63 for no loss by the eighth over thanks to Brandon King’s 51 from 36.0:57

Watch – Maxwell picks up two wickets in two overs

Australia spinners set the game upAustralia made the unusual move of picking two specialist spinners in the XI with an eye towards the T20 World Cup next year. Matthew Kuhnemann bowled three overs in the powerplay on T20I debut. His first two overs were excellent, conceding just ten runs, but the gamble from Marsh to bowl him a third straight did not pay off as King launched him for two sixes and two fours. It helped West Indies get to 49 in the powerplay with King facing 29 of those balls. He reached his 50 off 33. But Zampa and Maxwell tore through the West Indies top order straight out of the powerplay.King fell off the last ball of the eighth over to Zampa and Hope off the first of the ninth to Maxwell. They took 3 for 23 in four overs with brilliant control of length and line and some excellent help from their fielders. Marsh and Green took superb running catches back with the flight although Marsh dropped Roston Chase at cover off Zampa. The legspinner would later get his man in the 14th, when he also had Sherfane Rutherford miscuing to Green in the deep. It left West Indies 99 for 5 and Zampa with figures of 3 for 15 from three while Maxwell had 2 for 15 from two.1:41

Watch – Inglis scores an unbeaten 33-ball 78

Dre Russ puts on one final showThe crowd rose as one when Russell walked out to bat after earlier receiving a guard of honour from the two teams at a pre-match presentation. West Indies’ talisman and Jamaica’s hero rose to the occasion one more time, thumping three sixes in his first five balls off Ben Dwarshuis to get the home side back on track. He took down Zampa in the following over for a six and a four to dent the legspinner’s figures. Russell was 35 off 12 and threatening to destroy Australia in the death overs but he was undone by the guile of Nathan Ellis with Inglis holding a towering skier. Every Australian player shook Russell’s hand before he soaked in a standing ovation on the way off.Australia were a little shook thereafter. Both Cooper Connolly and Dwarshuis dropped simple catches in the deep while Mitchell Owen missed a simple run out to allow Gudakesh Motie to eke out 18 not out from nine balls and help West Indies post a defendable 172 for 8.2:01

Watch – Brandon King made 51 off 36 for West Indies

Contagious case of the dropsAustralia’s three drops were thoroughly outdone by West Indies, who clanged six in total and paid the price. The effectiveness of spin in Australia’s bowling innings saw the visitors promote Maxwell to open alongside Marsh for just the fourth time in his T20I career. The ploy was to attack Akeal Hosein in the powerplay. Maxwell switch-hit a six and a four off consecutive balls in the first over, justifying his promotion. But his struggles against pace and bounce were evident again as he edged Jason Holder behind for 12 off ten.Marsh was dropped twice in the fifth over off Hosein. First, Russell launched a Superman-style dive to his right at cover-point but could not hold on. Then Hope dropped a difficult bottom edge behind the stumps. Those misses did not prove as costly given Marsh skied Alzarri Joseph to Hope next over.But Motie’s first over, the seventh, proved the most expensive. Inglis sliced the left-arm spinner over cover and Russell again could not hold on running back with the flight. Green smashed a brutally struck return chance back at Motie next ball that he could not cling onto it. Two balls later, Hope dropped another one, this time an outside edge as Green tried to launch down the ground.Inglis and Green make them payThe cost of those drops was immediate. Green swept the next ball, the last of the seventh over, fine for four. Inglis flicked the first of the eighth for six before finding the boundary twice more in the same Joseph over. Inglis went up another gear with some extraordinary shot-making on a tricky surface. He lofted Motie off the back foot over cover and pulled him into the midwicket stand in the same over. He treated Russell with contempt to reach 50 off just 22 balls, launching him onto the roof over long-off before reverse ramping him twice in his final over in international cricket. Green joined the party launching four sixes himself.The final self-inflicted West Indies wound came when Holder dropped a skied ball from Inglis off his own bowling. At the start of the 12th over Australia had needed 73 off 54. By the end of the 14th, which cost Joseph 22 runs, Australia needed just four to win with 30 balls remaining after Green’s 50 had come off 28 deliveries.

Atletico Madrid are one of the biggest clubs in Spain and have some superstars on the books at the Metropolitano Stadium.

In fact, in the 2025/26 season, Atletico have an annual payroll of €157,285,000, with the average player earning an incredible €6m a season.

But who earns what under Diego Simeone? Every Atletico Madrid player has been ranked in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

1

Jan Oblak

€400,577

€20,830,000

2

Julian Alvarez

€240,385

€12,500,000

3

Antoine Griezmann

€180,385

€9,380,000

4

Conor Gallagher

€173,077

€9,000,000

=5

Marcos Llorente

€160,192

€8,330,000

=5

Alex Baena

€160,192

€8,330,000

7

Nicolas Gonzalez

€144,231

€7,500,000

=8

Alexander Sorloth

€140,385

€7,300,000

=8

Clement Lenglet

€140,385

€7,300,000

=10

Koke

€128,269

€6,670,000

=10

David Hancko

€128,269

€6,670,000

=12

Jose Gimenez

€120,192

€6,250,000

=12

Robin Le Normand

€120,192

€6,250,000

=12

Pablo Barrios

€120,192

€6,250,000

=12

Giacomo Raspadori

€120,192

€6,250,000

16

Thiago Almada

€100,000

€5,200,000

17

Johnny

€80,192

€4,170,000

18

Nahuel Molina

€72,308

€3,760,000

19

Juan Musso

€64,038

€3,330,000

=20

Giuliano Simeone

€60,000

€3,120,000

=20

Javi Galan

€60,000

€3,120,000

22

Matteo Ruggeri

€40,000

€2,080,000

23

Thomas Lemar

€31,250

€1,625,000

24

Marc Pubill

€23,846

€1,240,000

25

Carlos Martin

€16,154

€840,000

Here's a detailed look at Atletico Madrid's top 10 earners… 10 Koke €128,269 per week

Club legend and captain Koke has been on the books with Atletico Madrid since he was a child, with his first professional contract coming back in 2009.

Since then, Koke has recorded an incredible tally of over 690 appearances in red and white and has won nine major honours. His deal expires in 2026 as it stands.

9 Clement Lenglet €140,385 per week

After spending the 2024/25 season on loan at the Metropolitano from Barcelona, Clement Lenglet made his move to Atletico Madrid permanent.

The French defender signed a three-year deal worth €7.3m per season.

8 Alexander Sorloth €140,385 per week

Alexander Sorloth is on the same salary as Lenglet, although the Norwegian forward joined 12 months earlier from Villarreal.

His contract also expires in 2028.

7 Nicolas Gonzalez €144,231 per week

Nicolas Gonzalez is on loan at Atletico Madrid for the 2025/26 season from Italian giants Juventus, although the Spanish side will have the option to make a move permanent at the end of the campaign.

For now, Atletico will pay the winger €7.5m for the season in wages.

6 Alex Baena €160,192 per week

Joining in the summer of 2025 in a deal worth around around €50m from Villarreal was Alex Baena.

Capable of playing on either wing or as an attacking midfielder, Baena signed a five-year deal at the Metropolitano.

5 Marcos Llorente €160,192 per week

Also on €8.33m per season is versatile midfielder Marcos Llorente, who moved to the club from rivals Real Madrid in 2019.

Capable of playing as a right-back, right-midfielder or central midfielder, Llorente appears to be a dream player for Simeone and has turned out over 250 times for Atletico since his arrival.

4 Conor Gallagher €173,077 per week

English midfielder Conor Gallagher swapped Chelsea for Atletico in 2024, with the La Liga side paying around €40m for his services.

Gallagher signed a five-year deal worth €9m per season and looks set to play a key role at the Metropolitano during that time.

3 Antoine Griezmann €180,385 per week

Coming in at third place is Antoine Griezmann, who completed a permanent return to Atletico Madrid from Barcelona in 2022 for €40m.

His time at Camp Nou didn’t exactly go to plan, but he has been back scoring goals on a regular basis for Atletico and became the club’s all-time top goalscorer in 2024.

2 Julian Alvarez €240,385 per week

Atletico splashed the cash in 2024 to sign forward Julian Alvarez from Manchester City, who sold the World Cup winner for a club-record fee.

The Argentina international could end up costing the Spanish giants €95m (£78.9m) if all add-ons are met, with Alvarez picking up €12.5m per season.

1 Jan Oblak €400,577 per week

Comfortably top of the charts and Atletico Madrid’s highest-paid player is goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who earns a whopping €20.83m per season.

The Slovenia international has been one of the best ‘keepers in the world for some time now and has been with Atletico since 2014. His huge contract was signed in 2022 and runs until 2028.

Faf du Plessis stood in as captain for Delhi Capitals (DC) for the second game in a row, and opted to bowl in their final game of the season, against Punjab Kings (PBKS). DC’s regular captain Axar Patel had missed their previous match, against Mumbai Indians three days back, due to a flu, and continued to remain out of action.Du Plessis said at the toss that they were playing an extra batter in Karun Nair, with Abishek Porel dropped, and KL Rahul once again starting on the bench in their bowling-first XI. Tristan Stubbs will slot in as wicketkeeper in Porel’s place. DC also handed an IPL debut to Afghanistan’s opening batter Sediqullah Atal, with Dushmantha Chameera making way.PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, wants his side to build on the momentum even as they are already into the playoffs. PBKS have won three games in a row going back to when the IPL hadn’t been disrupted, and had last played six days back, when they beat Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur itself.PBKS played the returning Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis in their batting-first XI, as they replaced Mitchell Owen and Xavier Bartlett from the side that beat RR.Victory over DC will push PBKS up to 19 points, and with that, the No. 1 spot in the points table.PBKS bat-first XI: 1 Prabhsimran Singh, 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Azmatullah Omarzai, 10 Harpreet Brar, 11 Arshdeep SinghImpact Subs: Pravin Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Xavier Bartlett, Kyle JamiesonDC bowl-first XI: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Sediqullah Atal, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Sameer Rizvi, 5 Tristan Stubbs (wk), 6 Ashutosh Sharma, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Mukesh KumarImpact Subs: KL Rahul, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurna Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Darshan Nalkande

Sunderland made a “decisive” move for a former Premier League player this summer, with the individual in question scoring a huge Champions League goal this week.

Le Bris ready for "tough" Aston Villa challenge

The Black Cats are back in league action on Sunday afternoon, welcoming Aston Villa to the Stadium of Light, as the hosts look to continue their good start to the season.

On the flip side, Villa haven’t got going at all yet, not even scoring a single Premier League goal in their opening four games, but Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris expects a “tough” challenge for his side this weekend.

“It’s important to take points where it’s possible. Sometimes you play well and you can deserve to win something but in the end you don’t because the Premier League is really tough. But in different games, it’s possible to win points so we did that. The efficiency and the quality of our game connected so we need to keep going.

“Another tough challenge at home. We will prepare this game properly. We have one week and I hope we will be at the level.”

It was a hugely productive summer transfer window for Sunderland, with so many new faces arriving, but a fresh claim suggests that they missed out on acquiring the signature of one player.

Sunderland missed out on Champions League ace

According to TuttoSport [via Sport Witness], Sunderland made a “decisive” move to sign Juventus defender Lloyd Kelly earlier in the summer, tabling an offer and looking to snap him up for £17.4m, bringing him in on loan with an obligation to buy.

The 26-year-old rejected the Black Cats advances, though, as well as Fenerbahce’s, staying put in Turin and scoring a dramatic equaliser in his side’s 4-4 draw at home to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening.

Sunderland failing to sign Kelly is a shame, considering the Englishman is a proven player at the top level, making 64 appearances in the Premier League, as well as being able to shine at centre-back and left-back. Not only that, but Gary O’Neil showered him with praise during their time together at Bournemouth, having kept Mohamed Salah quiet in a game.

“I thought Lloyd was incredible. I think he had a 12-week ankle injury followed by a six-week calf injury. Didn’t have much time in between, and then came back today having not trained much, to play left back against one of the best wingers in the world. I thought he showed everything, the potential he has to be a top defender.”

Sunderland have signed a "genius" who's becoming their new Cattermole

Regis Le Bris could now have his very own Lee Cattermole in this Sunderland warrior.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 15, 2025

Kelly appears to be happy at Juventus, playing an important role in big games, but if the chance does arise for Sunderland to snap him up again in the near future, whether that be in January or next summer, they should look to strike a deal.

Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have parted ways with numerous top-level forwards who constantly produced the goods during their time at the club.

Harry Kane rose through the youth levels in North London, eventually making over 400 appearances for the Lilywhites – netting 280 goals – the highest individual tally in their history.

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However, he would depart the side back in the summer of 2023, leaving in a £82m deal to join German outfit Bayern Munich – with his legacy forever intact despite his departure.

Heung-min Son is another who has moved on to pastures new, joining LAFC this summer, ending his decade spell in the capital, which saw him and Kane break the record for the most combined goals between two players in Premier League history (47).

Losing such talents makes the job of replacing them a near-impossible one, but new boss Thomas Frank continues to hunt for added reinforcements ahead of his first season at the helm.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new attackers this summer

Savinho has been one of Spurs’ biggest targets over the last few weeks, with the hierarchy even submitting a £60m bid to try and land the Manchester City winger.

Such an offer was rejected, with further talks being held, but it now seems unlikely the 21-year-old will move to North London, with Pep Guardiola’s side wanting to keep hold of him beyond Monday’s deadline.

However, another name has entered the mix over recent days, with Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo reemerging on their shortlist, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

He recently claimed that the Lilywhites have “made some calls” to the Cherries over a deal for the Ghanaian, who penned a new contract until 2030 earlier this summer.

Romano also stated Frank’s side have stepped up their interest in the “last 24 hours”, but could have to fork out as much as £60m for the 25-year-old, who’s already scored twice in 2025/26.

Why Spurs’ latest target is just like Eze

Spurs’ hunt for a new forward has been a summer-long process, with numerous players constantly on their radar – including Eberechi Eze before his move to boyhood club, Arsenal.

The Lilywhites held constant discussions with Crystal Palace over a deal to land the England international – leading to terms being agreed between the two sides.

However, given Spurs’ inability to close other deals this summer, it was a surprise to no one to see a deal fail to cross the line, with the Lilywhites’ North London rivals swooping in at the 11th hour.

It was confirmed last weekend that the 27-year-old had joined Mikel Arteta’s side for a fee in the region of £67.5m, including add-ons, subsequently putting a huge dent in Frank’s ambitions of improving his front line.

Such a blow could be softened, especially if a deal for Semenyo gets completed before Monday’s transfer deadline, with the forward possessing numerous similarities to Eze.

He’s spent the last two and a half years at the Vitality, joining the Cherries from Championship side Bristol City – just as Eze did, when he linked up with the Eagles from QPR back in the summer of 2020.

However, despite their similarities, Semenyo, who’s also an Arsenal fan, managed to outperform him in numerous key areas last campaign – potentially offering Frank a versatile option across his front line in 2025/26.

The Ghanaian achieved a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate in the Premier League last season, a tally that could provide the new boss with the added ammunition he’s been craving within the final third.

Semenyo’s goalscoring ability is one thing, but he’s also showcased his superb technique to glide past the opposition – completing more take-ons than Eze, whilst also making over double the number of carries into the opposition box per 90.

How Semenyo & Eze compared in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Semenyo	Eze
Games played	37	34
Goals & assists	16	16
Shot on target accuracy	32%	27%
Progressive carries	3.9	2.4
Take-on success	51%	48%
Carries into final third	1.9	1.6
Carries into opposition box	1.9	0.7
Aerials won	1.9	0.2
Passes into opposition box	1.4	1.3
Stats via FBref

Such numbers would allow him to be a hit with the supporters, able to create an opportunity for himself out of nothing, before firing home and bolstering the side’s already potent attack.

However, he’s also able to be a provider, notching more passes into the opposition box per 90, with such a tally able to allow the likes of Richarlison the chance to build on their own impressive start to 2025/26.

£60m would be a huge sum spent on a new attacker, but it’s one that could prove to be a bargain if the forward can take his game to the next level in North London.

Missing out on Eze’s signature, especially to their main rivals, would have been a bitter blow, but it could prove to be a blessing in disguise if a deal can be reached for Semenyo.

Their own Rice: Spurs begin talks to force through "world-class" signing

Tottenham Hotspur have made their move to land a top-level European talent in recent days.

4

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 27, 2025

Four draws from four in the Premiership, amid a dismal Champions League exit, has ensured that the jury is still out on Rangers boss Russell Martin, with the former Scotland international facing an uphill task to win over the Ibrox faithful.

That said, regardless of whether or not the under-fire coach is the right man for the job, the Gers are evidently in need of further reinforcements before the window slams shut, with the centre-forward berth a particular area of concern.

Indeed, the Light Blues have seen Hamza Igamane already catch fire at new club Lille, amid a stunning brace on debut in Ligue 1, while Martin admitted that Cyriel Dessers has likely played his last game for the Glasgow giants.

With Danilo also continuing to underwhelm, amid his return of 13 goals in 58 games in Scotland, the pressure is on new man Bojan Miovski to hit the ground running. To ease that burden, however, a new addition now looks to be imminent.

Latest on Rangers' deadline day dealings

There is much to be done and little time to do it in, with reports emerging on Sunday evening that Rangers are in the race for Crystal Palace starlet Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, having been linked with the 22-year-old throughout the summer window.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, Portuguese journalist Sebastião Sousa-Pinto has revealed that Everton striker Youssef Chermiti is heading to Scotland amid his impending Ibrox switch, with the final touches being made on that deal.

As per Sousa-Pinto, that switch – which previously had looked set to be an initial loan – will be a permanent deal for a fee in the region of €15m (£12.7m), eclipsing the £12m previously dished out on Tore Andre Flo.

Transfer Focus

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Such a hefty price tag would heap instant expectation on the former Sporting CP man to perform, with there perhaps concerns that the 21-year-old could head in a similar direction as that of Adam Idah at rivals Celtic.

Why Rangers could be targeting their own Adam Idah

In one of the more surprising moves of the window so far, Swansea City have pounced to take Idah back to the Championship on a £7m deal, thus ending his turbulent 18-month stint at Parkhead.

Signed on an initial loan deal in January 2024, the Republic of Ireland international was an instant hit in Scottish football, having scored nine goals in just 19 games during that temporary spell, including the winner in the Scottish Cup final.

While 20 goals followed in all competitions last term, following a £9m permanent switch, the 24-year-old divided opinion among those of a Hoops persuasion, having since failed to score in the early weeks of the new campaign.

Despite his early hot streak, the ex-Norwich City man has perhaps returned to his former levels, having arrived in Glasgow after registering just 17 goals in 116 senior games at Carrow Road, as per Transfermarkt.

There could well be fears of Chermiti enduring similar struggles at Ibrox, with Martin and co gambling on a player who has also yet to prove himself at first-team level, after failing to score at all in 24 games for the Toffees.

Chermiti – 24/25 PL stats

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games

4

Starts

0

Goals

0

Big chances missed

0

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes*

0

Total duels won*

50%

Aerial duels won*

67%

Successful dribbles*

0.3

Stats via Sofascore

While the young marksman did net three times in 22 first-team outings in Lisbon, there remains little evidence that he can thrive at the elite level, with analyst Kai Watson even suggesting that he could be “[Umar] Sadiq 2.0”.

A player believed to have been “inspired by [Alexander] Isak”, as per The Athletic, Chermiti is yet to showcase that he can get anywhere close to the levels of the Liverpool-bound £130m sensation.

Of course, much like Idah in his early Celtic days, the Portuguese giant could surprise a few if he makes an immediate impact under Martin, although he will have to go a long way to repay his hefty transfer fee.

As was the case with Idah, the pressure on a young, marquee striker can be overpowering – time will tell to see whether the same applies for Chermiti.

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Glasgow Rangers will take a healthy lead over to Czechia next week after they hammered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at Ibrox under the lights on Tuesday night in their Champions League qualifier.

It was their best performance under Russell Martin, to date, with a clear style of play that brought success in and out of possession throughout the match.

The Ibrox boss made some bold calls with his team selection for the game, as he left out captain James Tavernier and Nicolas Raskin, whilst Oliver Antman was also handed a debut shortly after arriving in Glasgow from Go Ahead Eagles.

Antman did not need much time to settle into life in Scotland. The Finland international provided an assist of sorts in the first half, as his driving run won a penalty for the Gers.

He is not the only summer signing who has made a fast start to life with Rangers, though, as Djeidi Gassama continued to show that he has the potential to be an exceptional player for the club this season.

Why Djeidi Gassama can be a star for Rangers

The 21-year-old forward was signed from Sheffield Wednesday this summer to bolster the manager’s options on the flanks, but he did not arrive as a marquee signing.

Rangers reportedly paid a fee of around £2.2m to sign the French talent after he scored eight goals in 47 outings in all competitions for the Owls last term, which shows that he did not come in as a big-money recruit or a player with an outstanding record for his former team.

However, Gassama has quickly shown that he has the quality to emerge as a star for Martin and the Light Blues with his performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants.

Minutes

15

34

83

Shots

1

1

2

Goals

1

1

0

Key passes

0

0

1

Dribbles completed

2/2

0/1

2/3

As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman scored two goals and completed four of his six attempted dribbles in his first three outings for the club against Panathinaikos and Motherwell, before his impressive showing against Plzen on Tuesday.

Gassama added two more goals to his tally in the win over the Czechia outfit, scoring a curling effort in the first half before he headed into the bottom corner from Antman’s perfect cross in the second half.

The electric winger has offered a direct and exciting presence on the left flank for Rangers, and has provided goals to add substance to his performances, which is why he has the potential to be a superstar for the Light Blues.

Rangers made approach to sign new winger

According to Africa Foot, Standard Liege are looking to move on from winger Moussa Djenepo because of his wages, and the winger has a £1.7m release clause in his contract at the club.

Their report adds that Rangers and Leeds United, the two 49ers-owned clubs in Britain, have both made approaches over a potential deal for the winger this summer.

Transfer Focus

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However, the outlet does not explain whether or not either of those teams are planning to follow up on their interest in the former Southampton man, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he is an active target for the Gers.

Africa Foot reveals, though, that Tractor SC and Persepolis are both interested in a deal to sign the Mali international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

This means that Rangers may have to move swiftly to conclude a move for the former Premier League forward, if they decide to pursue his services before the end of the summer window.

Why Rangers should sign Moussa Djenepo

The Gers should swoop to sign the 27-year-old attacker in the coming weeks because he could be a bargain signing to play as a back-up for Gassama.

Djenepo and Gassama could be a brilliant one-two punch on the left flank for Rangers, with one starting and the other able to come off the bench to make an impact against tired defences.

Like the former Sheffield Wednesday man, the Standard Liege winger is a direct forward who likes to get fans off their seats by taking opposition defenders on. This is evidenced by his 2.2 dribbles completed per game in the Super Lig on loan at Antalyaspor in the 2024/25 season.

Dribbles completed

4.08

Top 1%

Dribble success rate

55%

Top 24%

Touches in the opposition’s box

6.12

Top 6%

Fouls won

2.89

Top 4%

Penalties won

0.17

Top 3%

Assists

0.00

Bottom 3%

Goals

0.17

Top 49%

As you can see in the table above, the Mali international excelled as a dribbler, committing defenders and winning fouls, in the Super Lig, but he did not back it up with goals and assists.

The wing wizard, who once scored a stunning solo goal for Southampton in the Premier League against Sheffield United, only scored two goals in 23 league games for Antalyaspor.

Djenepo, who only scored five goals in 91 games for the Saints, is unlikely to arrive at Rangers as a winger who is going to produce 20 goals and assists over a season, but that would not be his role.

The £1.7m-rated star was once hailed as “hugely underrated” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and the forward could play an underrated role as competition for Gassama on the left flank.

Martin could use the French winger to start matches and then bring Djenepo on as a perfect impact substitute, due to his terrific ability to dribble past players and win fouls to get the team up the pitch and to relieve pressure on the defence if they are holding onto a lead.

Overall, a £1.7m deal for Djenepo would be a low-risk signing that could allow the Gers to give Gassama a rest at the end of matches, whilst providing the Gers with another direct winger who can excite fans, even if he is unlikely to be a star player for Martin.

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