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Rangers have officially missed out on signing Rafael Santos Borre after Eintracht Frankfurt announced his signing, which is a blow for Steven Gerrard as he could’ve been a stellar addition to his squad at Ibrox.

The Bundesliga side announced his signing on a four-year deal from River Plate on a free transfer on Monday, which brings an end to Rangers’ reported hopes of bringing him in.

Would he have improved Gerrard’s squad?

Whilst Gerrard can boast a plethora of attacking talent in his squad for next season, the £15.3m-rated Santos Borre could have added some real Champions League quality ahead of Rangers’ return to Europe’s elite competition next season.

During his time at River Plate, the Colombia international would contribute an impressive 56 goals and 18 assists in 149 appearances, including eight goals in just 13 Copa de Liga appearances last season.

A player of Santos Borre’s quality would surely have found the net regularly with Rangers when you consider that they managed 92 goals in just 38 league appearances last season, so it is a shame for Gerrard that he is moving to Germany this summer.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone praised Borre’s development since his move to Argentina after struggling during his time in Spain, saying:

“The truth is that we have not talked about the issue of Borre. He is breaking it there in River, I am happy for him.

“He came very young (to Atletico) and the truth is that his growth has been tremendous – phenomenal.”

Could he have replaced Morelos?

Alfredo Morelos has been regularly linked with a move away from Ibrox in recent seasons, with Porto seemingly the main contenders to sign El Bufalo this summer.

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The 24-year-old has been superb for Rangers since joining the club from HJK Helsinki in 2017, contributing 94 goals and 43 assists in 194 appearances for the Teddy Bears in his four seasons at Ibrox.

He is also Rangers’ record goalscorer in Europe, which suggests that if he were to leave ahead of the 21/22 campaign, a proven goalscorer would have to be signed as his replacement if Gerrard’s side want to succeed in European competition.

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It is hard to ignore the similarities between Santos Borre and Morelos given that they are the same age and nationality, but if the Rangers star does depart this summer, Rangers will have to look elsewhere for a replacement for El Bufalo.

And, in other news… Rangers handed huge boost with Ibrox “warrior”, Gerrard surely delighted

Recent studies have shown that football is by far the most popular sport in the world, with 331.4 million fans worldwide. However, this popularity is not evenly distributed across all teams and leagues. The best-known clubs are undoubtedly those from Europe’s top leagues – La Liga (Spain), Premier League (England) and Ligue 1 (France) for example- which attract millions of viewers every week to their TV channels around the globe.

Why Has Football Become Such A Popular Sport?

There are many reasons, but one of the main reasons is that football is a very accessible sport. It doesn’t require any expensive equipment or clothing and can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. Additionally, football is a very social sport and can be played anywhere with enough space. This is why football is the most popular sport in the world.

Football is also supported by a lot of sponsorships and companies from many industries. From sneakers to betting companies, they are all looking to sponsor the next big footballing superstar. Betting companies, in particular, have adopted this sport to a different level, implementing the very latest technology to gain new customers. One example is the emergence of sports crypto betting which uses cryptocurrency as a mode of payment. Crypto betting offers more secure and reliable transactions compared to the traditional method of payment. It helps fans to bet on their favourite team without having to risk their information being exposed online. This “latest technology” will surely be the next revolutionary steps on how people enjoy entertainment, including providing a safe way for sports fans to bet on their favourite team.

Let’s look at some of the biggest football teams in the world right now in terms of the fanbase, achievement, money value, and recent performance.

Manchester United

Manchester United F.C. is one of England’s most successful clubs with 13 Premier League Titles and 20 FA Cups to its name. It has won 19 League titles in total, the most of any club in English football. It is also one of only six teams to have won the UEFA Champions League twice. The club’s fanbase has grown all over the globe and its commercial success enables it to buy new players almost every season…

Liverpool

Another English powerhouse is Liverpool F.C., which has won 18 league titles, 5 European Cups and 3 UEFA Cups. The club also boasts the record for the most FA Cup wins (7) and the most League Cup wins (8). Liverpool, much like Manchester United, enjoy a fanbase around the world.

FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a professional football club based in Catalonia, Spain. The club was founded in 1899 by Joan Gamper and has since then become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism. They are the most successful team in Spain, with 24 La Liga titles and 29 Copa Del Rey wins. They are also the only Spanish club to have won the UEFA Champions League, which they did four times. 

Manchester City

Manchester City F.C., also known as the Sky Blues has won 3 League titles, 5 FA Cups, and one Football League Cup in its history. The club started back in 1894 but didn’t rise to prominence until the late 1970s when it enjoyed a period of success under manager Joe Mercer and chairman Francis Lee.  They have since moved to a totally new level with the backing of Sheikh Mansour who became the majority owner in August 2008.

Arsenal

Arsenal F.C., one of the biggest football clubs in  Europe is based in Holloway, London. The club started playing under its current name in  1913 but didn’t rise to prominence until after they moved to Highbury Stadium in North London and were managed by Herbert Chapman. During this time, Arsenal won 13 league titles and 10 FA Cups in total. Arsenal’s fanbase is mainly in the United Kingdom.

Juventus

In Italy, Juventus F.C. is one of the biggest clubs around. It has been home to some of the greatest players in Italian football history and its 28 Serie A trophies place it second only to AC Milan (33). The club’s fanbase is mainly in Italy with many millions of fans scattered worldwide.

AC Milan

AC Milan, another one of the biggest clubs in Europe, has won 18 Serie A titles (the most out of any other Italian teams), 7 Coppa Italia titles, 5 European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, and 2 Intercontinental Cups. The club was founded back in 1899 by Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin. AC Milan’s fanbase is mainly in Italy, but there are millions of fans worldwide.

FC Porto

In Portugal, FC Porto is one of the biggest clubs around. It won a total of 20 league titles and 18 domestic cups, which makes it one of the most successful Portuguese football clubs of all time. 

PSG

In France, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique de Marseille (OM) are two of the biggest clubs around. PSG is among the most successful clubs in French football with 31 titles, while OM has won 9 league titles, 10 Coupes de France, 1 Coupe de la Ligue, and one European Cup Winners’ Cup. 

Bayern München

In Germany, FC Bayern München is currently one of the biggest clubs around. It has won a total of 25 Bundesliga titles, 18 DFB-Pokals, 5 League Cups, 5 UEFA Champions Leagues, and 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup. 

Real Madrid

Real Madrid , based in Madrid, Spain, is also one of the biggest clubs around. It has won a total of 33 La Liga titles, 18 Copas del Rey, 10 UEFA Champions Leagues, 2 UEFA Cups, 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, and 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup. 

These are some of the biggest football teams in the world right now. There are some others of course which are also equally as a powerhouse as those on the list.

This is why football has become the most popular sport in the world even though it is not one of the oldest sports. Football is accessible, socially engaging and technologically advanced. Most importantly, everyone across all age brackets can enjoy it regardless of their ability or financial background.

Photo by Thomas Serer on Unsplash

As per 90min, a concerning contract update has come to light regarding Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. 

The lowdown: The wait goes on

Despite all parties seemingly being at the table for some time, speculation continues to rumble on as to whether or not the 29-year-old will sign a new deal to remain at the club, having arrived from AS Roma in 2017.

Now into the final 18 months of a deal on Merseyside, Salah has already been linked with a sensational move to Barcelona in recent weeks, and the off-field discourse has seemingly impacted his on-field output as the usually lethal winger has failed to score from open play since netting against Norwich City in mid-February.

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However, perhaps unsurprisingly given his extraordinary goal return over the last five years, the club remain desperate to tie down the Egyptian King to a fresh contract.

The latest: Salah and Liverpool ‘some way apart’

According to 90min’s sources, Salah and Liverpool have been in discussions for ‘more than a year’ without a tangible breakthrough.

The report claims that the Reds’ owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are ‘willing’ to make the 82-cap Egypt star the highest-paid player at Anfield, but there is a ‘reluctance’ to pitch him amongst the best earners in the Premier League.

Furthermore, it is stated that the parties are still ‘some way apart’ in their negotiations as Salah attempts to earn a pay rise on a current £200,000-per-week salary (Spotrac).

The verdict: Just get it done

Of all the important decisions facing the club over the upcoming months and years, securing the services of the £90m-valued superstar is perhaps the most important alongside Jurgen Klopp’s own future beyond 2024.

Prior to recent struggles, the man hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by Ian Wright following a lightning-quick start to the 2021/22 campaign had been one of the leading lights in world football and remains pivotal to Liverpool’s trophy success this term and beyond.

Despite suffering a recent dip, so far this season Salah has scored 28 times and provided another 10 assists in 38 appearances – levels of output which make the potential completion of a new deal a salient moment in the Reds’ future at the very top table.

In other news, three Liverpool players in particular stood out against Benfica. Read more here.

Many Everton fans have been left slamming former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher for some comments that he made after their weekend game.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ weekly programme Ref Watch, in where Gallagher talks about the major incidents that happened in the top flight each weekend, he claimed that Aaron Cresswell’s yellow card for West Ham United against Liverpool was rightfully given, whereas Mason Holgate was right to be sent off against Tottenham Hotspur.

In his justification for the Cresswell incident, Gallagher admitted that he is ‘in the minority’ thinking that it should not have been a red, claiming that he does not think he catches the opponent like Holgate did, and that the difference was the ‘point of contact’.

Jurgen Klopp was not happy at all at VAR for not giving Cresswell a red, despite the similarities with Holgate’s challenge (The Daily Telegraph).

Gallagher also argues that the penalty awarded for a foul on Richarlison against Spurs was rightfully overturned, but also thinks that the referee was right not to play advantage as well, something some Toffees supporters disagreed with after an image after Hugo Lloris’ challenge was shared on Twitter.

There was a possibility that the decision would not be overturned, and so they feel as if the ref should have played advantage first and then potentially blow up.

Everton fans slam Gallagher

These Blues slammed Gallagher after The Athletic journalist Patrick Boyland shared his thoughts on his comments on Twitter:

“I think the week he tried to validate the penalty that Brighton got against us few years back was the moment I realised that “ref watch” was and is a complete waste of time.”

Credit: @bittertoffee

“He always agrees with the refs. It’s a completely pointless section”

Credit: @_GaryRoe

“Waste of space, he’s not going to go against his referee brethren!”

Credit: @NiallThompson20

“He’s worse than Peter Walton for following Mike Riley party line”

Credit: @mickybluey

“He is ridiculously biased. Can’t stand him.”

Credit: @peter_grace22

“Total joke mate”

Credit: @DavidRawsthorn6

In other news, find out when Rafa Benitez has been predicted to be sacked here!

Everton have struggled to score goals throughout their latest Premier League campaign in comparison to other teams in the bottom half of the table.

With 30 league games under their belt, the Toffees have only been able to find the net 33 times.

One figure who hasn’t been particularly helpful in terms of scoring goals for Frank Lampard’s team is Salomon Rondon. Having made 15 appearances in the league, the Venezuelan has scored just once, which came during their 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace back in December.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though the Toffees are looking at bringing in another attacking player who could push the 32-year-old out the door.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Merseyside club are eyeing up a summer move for Benfica attacker Everton Soares.

With a total of 272 appearances under his belt for Benfica and his previous club Gremio, the Brazilian has scored 62 goals and provided 35 assists in the process. This shows just how capable the 26-year-old is of scoring and setting up goals, something that Lampard’s side have often lacked this season.

To highlight what a deadly attacking figure he has been for his side in the Portuguese league this term, only three other Benfica players have racked up more shots at goal than Everton (34), who also has the third-highest number of crosses in the squad (58).

The Brazil international has also shown how useful he can be off the ball for his team by making 20 tackles in total throughout the campaign.

Labelled an “exceptional” player by Marcelo Paz, the £37k-per-week talent could be just what the Merseyside club needs in order to become a deadlier attacking team than they have been this season.

Despite predominantly being a wide player, adding the Benfica star to Lampard’s squad could give the likes of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin the chance to play up front together, which could then push Rondon out of the club.

Having been described as being “desperate” to score goals for the Toffees by Noel Whelan, the Venezuelan should not be in Lampard’s plans for next season given his lack of goals during a difficult campaign for him and the club.

In other news: Everton must launch move for “outstanding” 25-year-old “Wolverine” as insider claim emerges

With Southampton still searching for their first Premier League win of the season, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are set to take on Leeds United at the weekend once the international break has ended.

Ahead of the match against Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who are only two points ahead of the Saints in the league table, Southampton could be without one of their regular players for the clash.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by the Daily Echo that Adams has been ruled out of Scotland’s World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands and is also a doubt for Southampton’s match at the weekend, which surely won’t make Hasenhuttl happy.

Southampton signed Adams back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Championship club Birmingham City on a five-year deal for a reported fee of £15m.

Since then, the 25-year-old, who is currently valued at £18m according to Transfermarkt has made 83 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, managing to score 13 goals and provide ten assists in the process.

Even though Adams has yet to score a goal for the Saints this season across all competitions and has only managed to provide one assist, we still feel Adams will be a big miss for the club if he can’t play against Leeds.

With the striker racking up 1.4 shots per game, the joint-third highest of any Southampton player in the league so far this season alongside James Ward-Prowse, he has still been an attacking threat. Follow that up with his 1.4 key passes per game, the joint-highest also alongside Ward-Prowse, and it demonstrates why his absence would be felt hard by the boss this weekend.

If Adams does end up being unavailable for the match at the weekend, we feel that Hasenhuttl should give Armando Broja a chance to start. He managed to score in midweek for Albania in their World Cup qualifier against Hungary so is in good form.

However, the manager will undoubtedly be hoping that Adams’ injury is not a serious one so he will be available for selection as soon as possible. The Saints need that first win of the season in order to climb away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Ralph must unleash “perfect” £9m-rated Southampton gem, he’s a real game-changer – opinion

Fulham appear to be closing in on a deal that will see Fabio Carvalho extend his stay at Craven Cottage.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Peter Rutzler, with The Athletic journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that it is looking increasingly likely that the 18-year-old winger will put pen to paper on a new contract with the club, despite the reported interest of Leeds United, West Ham United, Norwich City and Porto.

Earlier reports had claimed that the England U18 international had rejected the club’s initial offer of a new deal, however, following Rutzler latest update, it would appear as if further talks have been positive between the player, his representatives and Fulham.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “It is looking increasingly likely that Fabio Carvalho will sign a new contract. It’s understood the club, player and his representatives are in positive talks, with growing confidence he’ll sign. A good thing too, as this kid looks the real deal.”

Music to the ears of fans

Considering the sheer amount of potential Carvalho appears to possess, in addition to the fact it had started to look as if the winger could be on his way out of the club this summer, Rutzler’s latest comments will undoubtedly be music to the ears of Fulham fans.

Indeed, the £225k-rated man has highly impressed over his three Championship appearances for Marco Silva’s side so far this season, scoring two goals, registering one assist and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making three passes per game.

These returns have seen the youngster average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.40, ranking him as the Cottagers’ second-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, it would very much look as if Carvalho not only has a fantastic future in the game, but the youngster could well play a key role in Fulham’s push to secure an immediate return to the Premier League this season.

So, should the forward go on to sign a new deal with the west London side this summer, it would undoubtedly be a significant boost for both Silva and fans of the club alike.

In other news: Contact made: Khan opens talks for “quality” £12k-p/w ace, Fulham fans will be buzzing

As per L’Equipe, via Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension managing director Fabio Paratici, have been gifted a transfer boost involving Paris-Saint Germain striker Mauro Icardi.

The Lowdown: Spurs offered chance…

Last week, news had emerged concerning the Argentina international and both Spurs and manager Antonio Conte had been presented with a chance to sign Icardi in January.

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According to Foot Mercato, the player’s representatives have been working on trying to find him a new club with his chances at PSG limited, with Icardi’s agents offering him out to Tottenham among others.

This comes as Spurs search for a striking alternative to Harry Kane up front, with the most linked forward so far coming in the form of Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic.

The Latest: Paratici boost emerges…

As Spurs’ transfer chief Paratici sets his sights on January, he may well have been gifted a boost if he wishes to bring Icardi to north London after the offer from representatives.

L’Equipe (via SW) explain that PSG, while wishing to make back their €50 million (£42.6m) transfer costs for the striker, may well accept less for his services.

As such, they state that it would be a ‘surprise’ if the Ligue 1 giants don’t now accept a more reasonable offer.

The Verdict: Take advantage…

The 28-year-old would undoubtedly strengthen Conte’s forward line so this bit of news comes as a real potential transfer boost.

Icardi’s 121 goals and 31 assists in 219 Serie A appearance before his move to France is a real indicator of the player’s quality in front of goal and there is little doubting he could challenge Kane for a place going forward.

The £157,000-per-week star has even been lavished with praise by legendary Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini, who called him ‘world class’ and extremely tough to play against.

For a potential discounted price as PSG seek to offload, how can Paratici say no?

In other news: Conte wants player gone in January with final decision made, Spurs chiefs already told to sell…find out more here.

Celtic enjoyed a rampant summer transfer window with no fewer than 12 first-team players being welcomed through the Parkhead doors by Ange Postecoglou.

However, January arrivals are looking a little more troublesome for the Australian boss with huge transfer fees potentially having to be spent.

What’s the word?

It’s no secret that the Hoops will need £6.5m in order to lure Jota to the club on a permanent basis and for a man of his talents, it seems a plausible deal to complete.

However, if they want to land fellow loanee, Cameron Carter-Vickers, permanently they will have to cough up an even steeper fee.

In a fresh report courtesy of the Daily Record, it hands a hammer blow to Celtic’s chances of acquiring his signature next year.

Carter-Vickers signed a new one-year extension with parent club, Tottenham, before agreeing on a temporary switch to Parkhead. Yet, it’s now been claimed that the Bhoys will need as much as £10m in order to activate a full transfer.

Significant blow

This is news that is likely to leave Postecoglou fuming, such is Carter-Vickers’ importance to the Celtic side this season.

The American has made an instant impact in Glasgow, hammering home an effort from range on his debut against Ross County back in September.

Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength while in the famous green and white hoops, winning a colossal 4.1 aerial duels per game, the third-highest in the manager’s ranks.

Furthermore, his tally of 1.2 interceptions per appearance is the fourth largest number when compared to the rest of his colleagues.

What’s elevated his status so quickly in the Celtic side is a number of defensive injuries. Christopher Jullien hasn’t been seen all year while Carl Starfelt and Stephen Welsh have recently suffered from their own fitness problems.

Celtic have hardly been perfect from a defensive point of view this term either, keeping 11 shutouts in 28 matches this term but that’s primarily been down to a lack of depth.

Thus, signing Carter-Vickers permanently, either in January or next summer, would have been an important addition to their ranks.

Instead, they are left staring at a potential £10m transfer fee, one they are unlikely to pay when you consider that Odsonne Edouard remains their record signing at £9m.

They do, of course, still have plenty left in the bank following the sales of Kristoffer Ajer and Edouard a few months ago, but this will come as nothing other than a blow to their chances of landing the central defender.

Considering how well the 23-year-old has taken to life under Postecoglou, this revelation is sure to leave the manager rather angry and dismayed.

AND in other news, Huge boost: Alan Nixon delivers promising Celtic update that will leave fans buzzing…

Many Sunderland fans were absolutely delighted with the performance of Callum Doyle during their 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic last Saturday.

The Black Cats got their campaign off to the best possible start as they picked up three points against the Latics. Gwion Edwards gave Wigan the lead, but Aiden McGeady levelled from the spot soon afterwards before Ross Stewart netted to give the home side the victory.

The weekend’s clash was Doyle’s first game for the Wearsiders since making the move on loan from Manchester City (Transfermarkt). The 17-year-old played beyond his years at the heart of the back four, winning four duels and making four interceptions (Sofascore) and Lee Johnson will be hoping that the  teenager can have a big impact on his team’s fortunes as they target promotion to the Championship.

It was a video from Twitter user @VickyKDB_MCFC which prompted numerous Sunderland fans to praise the teenager. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on his “ridiculous” Black Cats debut.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Doyle’s performance

“Absolute quality.”

Credit: @PhilipCh42

“This kid is going to be something special”

Credit: @swinneymr

“I said mate he’s ridiculous for his age and I think he’ll go far in the game. Wish we could have got him for 2 seasons which was what was originally reported”

Credit: @Baldy_95

“Callum Doyle was like a Rolls Royce yesterday. He oozes class and has a big future ahead of him”

Credit: @DaveyPalmer1

“Some fans already calling him the Manchester Maldini. Playing beyond his years already. City have got a gem, just hope he develops like his potential is showing”

Credit: @podmundo

“Unreal lads, fan favourite already. Very strong in the air and when he gets by any stretch ‘beaten’ his blistering pace pays up, great. Bullied the most physical striker in the league last season. Cracking ball playing centre back.”

Credit: @LewisBa98875240

In other news, many Sunderland fans love this man’s appointment.