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Glasgow Rangers will start the 2023/24 season with a totally different look from how they finished the previous campaign.

Seven players have already been signed by Michael Beale and with moves for Danilo and Jose Cifuentes edging closer, it could be nine new arrivals by the time the Premiership season kicks off in just over a week.

Who will Rangers sign next?

With his business close to being completed, the Gers have been linked with a move for 19-year-old Dembo Saidykhan this summer, although the club could face some competition from the likes of Southampton and Toulouse for his signature.

Beale has signed just two defenders, Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun, so another centre-back is a must in order to boost the squad depth ahead of a hectic schedule which could see the Ibrox side play in four competitions should they qualify for the Champions League group stages.

A move for Arsenal defender Auston Trusty appears to have gone cold as talks have stalled while Jonathan Panzo has also been linked with a move to Glasgow, but nothing has materialised yet.

Beale could perhaps sign the wildcard option that is Saidykhan, and he could forge a solid future defensive duo alongside young Ibrox talent Leon King.

Who is Dembo Saidykhan?

There is no doubt a young talent can make their mark at Rangers, especially considering King’s rapid ascent from academy prospect to securing regular first-team football during the first half of last season.

The 19-year-old played 23 senior matches during 2022/23, with six coming in the Champions League, and he was even ranked third across the squad for tackles per game (1.7) and fifth for clearances per game (two) in Europe’s premier club competition.

This clearly suggests that despite his lack of experience, he has the talent to become a mainstay in a few years.

Saidykhan could perhaps become his ideal defensive partner, notably shining recently for the Gambia at the U20 World Cup.

Not only was he the seventh-best performer for his nation via overall Sofascore rating (7.05), but the defender showcased his passing ability, ranking fourth for accurate passes per game (45.8), suggesting that he is able to comfortably pass the ball from the defence and begin regular attacks.

Having also made 1.5 tackles and one interception per game, there is also nothing wrong with the 6 ft 1 titan's defensive ability as these numbers ranked him as the third-best defender across both metrics in the squad.

He was hailed as “agile” by journalist Hernan Federico Pacheco following his displays at the aforementioned tournament and these have clearly put him on the map in terms of a potential move to Europe.

Although he may not make inroads straight away, there is no doubt Beale is looking at finding talented youngsters and luring them to the Light Blues as he bids to lower the average age of his squad.

It could take a while, but a central defensive partnership consisting of King and Saidykhan may well be the norm at Ibrox in a few years.

Newcastle United have reportedly hit a "stalemate" in their pursuit of impressive Southampton youngster Valentino Livramento this summer.

Are Newcastle signing Livramento?

The £8,000-a-week right-back has been considered a strong transfer target for the Magpies in the current transfer window, having impressed for Saints since arriving from Chelsea in 2021.

Unfortunately, Livramento's 2022/23 season was ruined by a cruciate ligament injury, limiting him to just 26 minutes of Premier League action, but he was a regular before that point, making 34 appearances for the south coast club.

While it has looked likely that the Southampton starlet will end up at St James' Park this summer, coming in as competition for Kieran Trippier, a negative update has emerged.

What's the latest on Livramento to Newcastle?

According to The Telegraph's Luke Edwards, talks have stalled over Newcastle's interest in Livramento because of PIF's tactics of trying to under-sell their budget, throwing doubt over a summer move to St James' Park:

"The situation is complicated by the fact Newcastle have shown they can be deceptive when talking about the size of their budgets, as well as the identity of their targets, but they have more pressing priorities this summer than signing a right back to compete with captain Kieran Trippier.

"Sources at St James’ Park have repeatedly stressed that the asking prices have been “astronomically high” so far this summer and they do not have a huge amount of money to spend."

This is a frustrating update, with Livramento a very exciting young player with a high ceiling, once being hailed as a player with that special "aura" about them by Theo Walcott.

The hope is that this is simply nothing more than a blip in terms of negotiations, and that a compromise can be met, ensuring Newcastle acquire services of a gifted English player – one who has won five caps for England's Under-21s to date.

Granted, there can be reservations over any player who has suffered such a serious knee injury, but given the age and the advancement in how fitness setbacks are overcome nowadays, Livramento should return as good as ever, hopefully coming as Trippier's long-term replacement and successor at right-back.

Everton youngster Jarrad Branthwaite wants to leave the club during the summer transfer window, according to an update regarding his future.

When is Branthwaite out of contract at Everton?

The 21-year-old arrived at Goodison Park from Carlisle United back in 2020, and has since gone on to make 13 first-team appearances to date. Chances have been few and far between for him in an Everton shirt, however, and he spent last season on loan at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, where he played 27 times in the Eredivisie.

Branthwaite's current Blues contract expires in the summer of 2025, meaning that time is slowly ticking by before they risk losing him on the cheap, with the next 12 months possibly becoming the last realistic chance to receive good money for his services.

It could be that the decision is out of the hands of Everton officials anyway, however, with a fresh update suggesting that his time at the club could be coming to an end sooner rather than later.

Could Branthwaite leave Everton this summer?

According to Football Insider, Branthwaite "has told the club he wants to leave this summer", with Everton wanting to retain his services after being impressed with his performances for PSV, but possibly having to accept that his mind is made up.

Branthwaite sees his future elsewhere moving forward – he is "keen" to find a club where he will be guaranteed more regular first-team football in the coming years – with West Ham one of the clubs who could potentially sign him before the beginning of the 2023/24 season.

Losing Branthwaite this summer would be a blow for Everton, considering former manager Carlo Ancelotti once admitted he was "really impressed" with him during his time at the club, whereas he was called "terrific" by ex-Carlisle boss Steven Pressley, so the ideal outcome would be for him to stay for at least another season.

If Sean Dyche doesn't see the one-time capped England Under-21s international as a key man moving forward, however, it is pointless keeping hold of an unhappy player, instead allowing him to thrive elsewhere, as was the case at PSV.

That being said, there is no guarantee that things could pan out differently for Branthwaite at West Ham, should he move there, with the Hammers also having plenty of competition for places, so the centre-back must think long and hard before making what is a big decision in his career, although it appears as if he is leaning in the direction of an exit at this stage.

Manchester United are looking at "many goalkeepers" in the transfer market despite concrete links with Inter's Andre Onana, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on United's goalkeeper search?

Erik ten Hag still has big decisions to make before the Premier League season begins in mid-August, one of which being who he wants as his goalkeeper at Old Trafford.

With David de Gea's contract situation still unclear, all attention has been on who may come in to replace the Spaniard in between the sticks.

Inter's Andre Onana has been the man most frequently linked with being De Gea's successor, with the Italian side braced for an official bid from United for their stopper.

However, transfer insider Romano has claimed that the Red Devils are keeping their options open at the moment, with plenty of goalkeepers on their radar.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "Still no bid [for Onana] from Manchester United, as I'm speaking. Inter are still waiting for that bid because they are convinced that Manchester United will bid, and they know that Man United are exploring multiple options, not just Onana.

"It is true that they are considering many goalkeepers and many solutions, including the possibility of speaking again to David de Gea. So, they want to consider all the options, but among these options there is for sure Andre Onana."

He added: "Still time for internal discussion before attacking any situation for goalkeepers. So, this is the reality for Onana, still no bid on Monday morning."

Ten Hag is interested in a goalkeeper who complements his passing philosophy more than De Gea, much like Onana does, but a number of factors such as price, age and availability will naturally enter discussions surrounding a new number one at Man United.

Inter want somewhere around the £45m mark for Onana who was instrumental in the club's journey to the Champions League final last season and Coppa Italia triumph.

Who are United's other goalkeeper options?

One of the most obvious options available to Ten Hag is simply offering a new contract to De Gea, who has reportedly agreed to a pay cut to stay at Old Trafford. The 32-year-old won the Premier League Golden Glove award last season, keeping 17 clean sheets for the Red Devils.

Brentford's David Raya could be an alternative with the Spaniard desperate to leave the Bees this summer. The 27-year-old, who is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, was linked with Tottenham but the Lilywhites have since brought in Guglielmo Vicario, which likely means any deal would now be off the table.

Erik ten Hag is supposedly a huge fan of MLS goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic as well (via MEN), with the 23-year-old New England Revolution shot-stopper a name to keep an eye on at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur could well be set to rekindle their interest in Eintrach Frankfurt defender, Evan Ndicka, with the Lilywhites having previously been linked with the Frenchman back in January.

What's the latest on Ndicka to Tottenham?

According to journalist Fabrice Hawkins, the north London outfit are seemingly set to rival the likes of Roma and AC Milan for the signing of the 23-year-old, with the promising centre-back set to be a free agent when his contract expires later this month.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "AC Milan has made a contractual offer to Evan Ndicka, 3 M € / year over 5 years. Scalable salary.

"Roma offers 4 M € / year over a period of 5 years. For the moment the Italians are in the best position to sign him. He also had contacts with Tottenham."

This follows reports from Germany back in the winter window that suggested Spurs had held talks regarding the signing of the Paris-born rock, with the 6 foot 4 ace having spent the last five years with the Bundesliga outfit.

Who is Evan Ndicka?

The former Auxerre ace could well represent a real upgrade on Clement Lenglet at N17 for new boss Ange Postecoglou, with recent reports suggesting that the on-loan Frenchman is unlikely to be signed on a permanent deal this summer.

Having been snapped up on a temporary basis from Barcelona ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the 27-year-old formed part of a defence that shipped 63 league goals in 2022/23, an increase of 23 goals in contrast to the previous season.

While the one-time Sevilla man can not be solely blamed for those woes, it is telling that Tottenham were only able to keep one league clean sheet from his 26 Premier League outings, having notably been described as an "imposter" by ex-Spurs midfielder, Jamie O'Hara.

The addition of Ndicka then could well represent a dream replacement for the £145k-per-week dud, with the "phenomenal" talent – as previously hailed by former boss Adi Hutter – notably helping to keep six clean sheets from his 30 league appearances.

A left-footed option, like Lenglet, the younger man appeared to enjoy a far better season than his compatriot having achieved an average match rating of 6.81, as per Sofascore, while the Spurs loanee was only able to average 6.65 – ranking 20th among his teammates.

The Frankfurt ace appears to offer greater quality at defending his own box as he ranks in the top 17% for clearances and the top 20% for blocks made among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues, while Lenglet, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 19% and the bottom 40% for those same two metrics, respectively.

According to journalist Christopher Michel, Ndicka also represents an "exciting complete package" as he is also "extremely goal-threatening", having scored 12 goals and provided ten assists in 183 games for his current side, while Lenglet, by contrast also boasts a tally of 22 goal involvements throughout his club career, albeit from over 350 appearances.

That would indicate that the signing of the £20k-per-week sensation could be the defensive upgrade that Postecoglou is in need of.

Rajshahi and Rangpur post substantial victories in Tier 2

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2016

Tier 2Rajshahi Division posted their biggest win in first-class cricket by crushing Chittagong Division by an innings and 242 runs at home, in an NCL Tier-2 match that ended within three days. In doing so, they surpassed their previous best, an innings-and-207-run win over Barisal Division in December 2006.After bowling out Chittagong for just 141, Rajshahi declared on 558 for 9. Mizanur Rahman and Jahurul Islam made 144 and 131 respectively, while Junaid Siddique, Hamidul Islam and Muktar Ali struck fifties. Jahurul scored his first first-class hundred in nearly four years. He was also the only Rajshahi player involved in their previous record win, scoring a century in that match as well.In the second innings, Chittagong were shot out for 175 in 56.2 overs. Muktar Ali, Mamun Hossain and Habibur Rahman took three wickets each. Farhad Reza and Saqlain Sajib, who shared seven wickets in the Chittagong first innings, weren’t required to bowl in the second.In the other Tier-2 game, Suhrawadi Shuvo’s second innings seven-for gave Rangpur Division an unlikely 56-run win over the home side Sylhet Division.After winning the toss, Rangpur were bowled out for 217 before Sylhet grabbed a 30-run lead that rode on Zakir Hasan’s third first-class ton.Rangpur were then shot out for 183, leaving Sylhet to get 154 that should have been achieved easily. However, Sylhet were bowled out for 97 in 34 overs, with left-arm spinner Shuvo taking career-best figures of 7 for 45.Tier 1Dhaka Metropolis fought hard on the final day to secure a draw against Barisal Division in Khulna.After electing to bat, Barisal were held together by Sohag Gazi’s seventh first-class hundred.He made 142 and shared a 139-run stand for the fifth wicket with Abu Sayeem, who missed out on his maiden hundred by two runs. Gazi then added 111 runs for the seventh wicket with Monir Hossain, as Barisal finished on 419.
Arafat Sunny and Mohammad Ashraful had taken four wickets each for Dhaka Metro, but their efforts were nullified as Dhaka folded for 245 in their first innings. With the follow-on enforced and five sessions left, Dhaka began solidly and were aided by a rain delay at the start of the final day.
Fifties from Shadman Islam, Asif Ahmed and the captain Marshall Ayub ensured safety before Zabid Hossain and Abu Hider resisted in the final hour to secure a draw after 127 overs in their second innings.The Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra hosted the drawn game between Khulna Division and Dhaka Division. Rain only allowed play for four hours and 18 minutes on the first day, washing away the rest of the game.Khulna were on 172 for 1, with Anamul Haque unbeaten on 84 and Mosaddek Iftekhar 71, when play stopped at 1.48pm on the first afternoon. Both teams picked up three points as a result.

Celtic are keeping a close eye on Kwadwo Opoku this summer over a potential transfer deal, according to a report from Fussball Transfers via Sport Witness.

Who will Celtic sign this summer?

The forward is only 21-years-old but is already making waves in the MLS with Los Angeles FC, with the player having bagged nine goals over the course of his time in the first-team at the club. This year, the player has bagged two goals in 13 league outings so far, with his best rate coming last season when he managed seven in total.

His nine goal contributions in 2022 helped his side to finish second in the division and his performances have also led to him standing out as one of the best players in his position when it comes to comparing him against others in the Men's 'Next Eight' Competitions (MLS, Brazil Serie A, Eredivisie, Championship, Liga MX, Portuguese Primera Liga, Copa Libertadores and the Europa Conference League). He has one of the best non-penalty xG rates, sitting in the top eight percent with 0.34, and his passing rate is also extraordinary, with his 83% per 90 sitting him in the 96th percentile (or top four percent of players in those leagues).

It means that Opoku is standing out as one of the most exciting forward options amongst those leagues for his ability to not only generate and score chances but to help out his teammates and get the ball around the field too. It is these showings that have now led to interest in his services from elsewhere.

According to a report from Fussball Transfers via Sport Witness, Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are one of a number of sides who have him on their radar this summer. There are plenty of teams all queuing up for his services, with teams like Nice and Bordeaux having already made contact according to this report and Stuttgart in Germany doing the same. Even rivals Rangers have registered their interest. Celtic have now also thrown their name into the hat for his signature and are keeping tabs on the situation, with the player potentially only costing 3.7 million Euros (or just £3.1m).

Who is Kwadwo Opoku?

The forward predominantly plays on the right wing for Los Angeles FC, although he has had just as much success on the opposite flank too. He's also versatile in the respect that he can feature as a centre-forward too, although the goals and assists tend to start flowing when he is deployed on either flank.

He's also been picked for his country in the past too, having played for Ghana Under-17's side because of his talents. However, he has yet to have a full international call-up – and a move to a side like Celtic, where he could showcase his talents in Europe, might get him into that fold. If the Scottish side did sign him, they would be adding a goal-scoring and exciting winger who is capable of getting even better as he plays more football.

تحدث عدلي القيعي مدير التعاقدات الأسبق بالنادي الأهلي ورئيس شركة الكرة الحالي، عن صفقة الحارس محمود الزنفلي، المنضم إلى صفوف القلعة الحمراء، موضحاً سبب عدم ضم محمد بسام.

وقال عدلي القيعي في تصريحات عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “مسألة إننا نتعاقد مع حارس مرمي ليس له علاقة بمدى ثقتك بالمتواجدين في الفريق، فقدنا حارس مرمى كبير مثل محمد الشناوي ولدينا مكان لضم حارس آخر”.

وأضاف: “كنت أتمنى أن يأتي ضم محمود الزنفلي في فترة القيد الإفريقي ولكن أضعف الإيمان سيكون متواجدًا فترة الدوري”.

طالع أيضاً.. عدلي القيعي عن صفقات الزمالك وعبد الله السعيد: لا أعرف كيف فعلوها.. وأتعجب من تفكير لاعب الأهلي

وتابع: “حمزة علاء في النصف الثاني من الدوري سيكون منشغلا مع منتخب مصر في الأولمبياد وإذا أصيب أحد الحراس سيكون لدينا مشكلة في هذا المركز”.

وأوضح: “حاولنا أن نتعاقد مع محمد بسام وكان من أول لحظة هو الاختيار الأقرب ليكون متواجدًا معنا، ولكن كل واحد له أسبابه، القيادات الكبيرة في نادي سيراميكا كليوباترا كانت متفهمة موقف الأهلي ولكن أصحاب القرار الفني في الملعب كان لهم رأي آخر، طلباتهم مستحيل الأهلي يوافق عليها ولا يسمعها”.

وعلق : “مصطفى شوبير بعد محمد الشناوي، وهو واحد من أهم الحراس المتواجدين في مصر”.

وأردف: “أمير توفيق كان يعمل على التعاقد مع محمود الزنفلي، نادي الداخلية أبدى مرونة في الموافقات، واللاعب رحب بالانضمام ونتمنى له التوفيق، حارس مرمى يمتلك إمكانيات جيدة وموهوب، ولدينا 4 حراس مرمى جيدين”.

وأتم: “قمنا بضم محمود الزنفلي 6 أشهر على سبيل الإعارة بنية البيع، وكان هناك تعاونا جيدًا مع الداخلية”.

Sri Lanka’s new high performance manager Simon Willis, has said he aims to bridge the gap in standards between Sri Lanka’s domestic system and the international game.

Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Jun-2016

Sri Lanka’s new high performance manager Simon Willis, has said he aims to bridge the gap in standards between Sri Lanka’s domestic system and the international game.High-profile players and some administrators have repeatedly drawn attention to the ailing health of Sri Lanka’s first-class system. Though an overhaul of the Premier League tournaments is beyond Willis’ purview, he has outlined a vision to create a well-defined “player pathway” from grassroots cricket to the international level, and to create more cohesion within the system.”We’ve got to work together so that when players get picked, it doesn’t get two or three years to get established in international level,” Willis said. “We have to ensure that everything we do underneath – whether that’s A team, Under-23 or Under-19 – is preparing them for transition to an international environment.”That might not be just cricket skills. It might be travelling overseas. People might struggle being away from home for a long period of time. We need to prepare them for that. It might be playing in different conditions – like what we’ve seen in England with a swinging ball.”Sri Lanka have struggled in all formats over the past 18 months, making little impact in major limited-overs tournaments, and having lost 10 of their 14 Tests since December 2014. Much of that has been put down to difficulty in replacing retiring stars.”The first thing is to provide an oversupply,” Willis said. “We need more players than just one or two. We need to create competition. We want players banging down the door to get into international teams – both men and women.”But they should be capable of winning matches on consistent basis. Not just once a week or in two or three years. We see two of the greats who recently finished their careers – Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene – they were capable of winning matches in all formats, consistently. That’s the challenge we’ve got in our player pathway.”Willis said he would also aim to link Sri Lanka’s national team management more effectively with the domestic system. A breakdown in the relationship between the board, selectors and the team had led to the overnight sacking of a selection committee in March, on the eve of the team’s departure for the World T20.”From my understanding, there’s been a small disconnect between the national team and what’s going on underneath,” Willis said. “I see myself as the glue that links those things two together.”Graham Ford – the head coach of the national team – will tell us his needs, as well as Angelo Mathews, who is the present captain. Us as a team will be trying to identify players and develop them in certain ways and provide them with opportunity overseas or in this country, to develop international players that the national team requires.”Willis – who has a Level 3 certificate for coach education – has also been hired to up-skill Sri Lanka’s coaches. He said he hoped to work with local coaches to put in place a central database containing in-depth information on key players, and he also spoke about tapping into knowledge already contained in the system.”For me, it’s really important all Sri Lankan coaches are seen on the grounds. Whether that’ll be a provincial game or in a club game, we need to be out there watching players and communicating with coaches further down the chain. This is a part in the education process. It’s a two-way process. Not just top-down, we need to learn from those people who are specialising down the grass root level, because we can learn lessons along the way.”

Aston Villa are on the path to exciting things under the guidance of Unai Emery.

The Spaniard, who arrived in the Midlands in November, has taken Villa from relegation candidates to European hopefuls in just under half a year.

With just three games remaining for the Villans, Emery will be looking towards the summer transfer window, where he will get the chance to put his plans for the squad into practice, with a number of players already linked with moves to Villa Park.

Having managed in Spain for the majority of his career, the 51-year-old has been linked with many of his former players, including Pau Torres whom he left at Villareal to come to the Midlands.

News reported this week has revealed that another Spanish star is rumoured to be on the shortlist of talent wanted by Villa, as a Real Madrid forward has emerged as a potential candidate.

What’s the latest on Marco Asensio to Aston Villa?

As reported by The Athletic, 27-year-old Marco Asensio is a player that could end up in claret and blue by the end of the summer.

The Spaniard is out of contract at the Bernabeu at the end of the season, and should a deal not be agreed between player and club, he will leave as a free agent to a new destination.

Villa are one of the clubs monitoring his situation, with Emery reportedly seeing the forward as a player that could “significantly improve the team”, as he looks to bolster all areas of the squad.

It's also thought that the incoming Mateu Alemany has endorsed a move.

What could Marco Asensio bring to Aston Villa?

Likened to Lionel Messi by former Real Madrid star Jorge Valdano when speaking to Onda Cero radio, Asensio is a forward many clubs would desire to have in their arsenal.

Despite not being a frequent starter, due to the emergence of Rodrygo, the Spaniard has contributed to 14 goals in just 27 appearances in La Liga – eight goals and six assists – as well netting three in the Champions League – as per FBref.

The "magical" forward – as per Casemiro – ranks highest in Europe’s top five leagues for most non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, averaging 0.61, showing his attacking threat when called upon this campaign.

The potential introduction of the £164k-per-week wide-forward could bolster the progression of Jacob Ramsey, who has been a revelation for Villa under Emery and could provide healthy competition for a player that’s experienced some of the highest highs in European football.

Inspirational upgrades can prove to be vital in football when young players make the rise to the first team, should the three-time Champions League winner arrive at Villa Park, Ramsey could see Rodrygo’s rise to stardom at Madrid as a catalyst to boost his performance and give Emery a headache for selection.

The young Englishman, who has four goals and six assists this season, could even learn a thing or two from Asensio, with the Spaniard's creative marvel and experience potentially set to prove game-changing for Ramsey who will no doubt lean on him for advice.

Speaking at the UEFA Player of the Year awards ceremony in 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo tipped Asensio to one day become his successor in the Ballon d’Or, and thus, the idea of him joining Emery in the Premier League in an exciting prospect for Villa.

Only time will tell if the Spaniard will make the move from Madrid to the Midlands this summer, with contract talks still unclear, who knows what the transfer window may bring.