Glasgow Rangers are on the cusp of something very special at Ibrox if they can maintain their excellent form of late as Philippe Clement has transformed the club’s fortunes.

Prior to the Belgian arriving, Michael Beale had led the Gers to a terrible start to the 2023/24 season. Three Scottish Premiership defeats in the first seven matches looked as though it could derail their campaign before it even got off the ground.

Thankfully, Clement arrived in the nick of time, and he is already beginning to deliver after just a few months at the helm.

With the January transfer window just around the corner, the onus will be on the Belgian coach to sign another few new faces to bolster his squad.

Rangers transfer news

It is natural at this time of the year for the club to be linked with a few players, and 2023 is no different.

Over the previous few weeks, defender Ben Godfrey has been touted for a move to Ibrox, while his teammate Mason Holgate is another centre-back that the club have shown interest in of late.

The most recent rumour surrounding the club is that they are reportedly interested in Portuguese striker Fabio Silva, who looks set to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers next month.

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ByRoss Kilvington Dec 22, 2023

Clement recently lost Danilo to a serious knee injury which could keep him out until April at the earliest, and this is a major blow for the club.

Not only that, but the Light Blues could also lose Cyriel Dessers and Abdallah Sima to their respective nations when the African Cup of Nations takes place next month, and that would leave the 49-year-old coach short of attacking options.

This issue may have been avoided had Beale made a more concrete effort to sign a player who shone in the English Championship last year, as Viktor Gyokeres was a player the club seemingly showed interest in.

He is now starring for Sporting CP in Portugal and Gers supporters, along with Beale, may now be wondering what could have been.

When Rangers wanted to sign Viktor Gyokeres

The Swedish striker enjoyed a wonderful season with Coventry City during the 2022/23 season as they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League.

In the Championship, Gyokeres scored 21 goals and grabbed a further ten assists in what was a fruitful campaign in front of goal, and it clearly attracted plenty of interest from afar.

The Light Blues enquired about how much Coventry would expect for a player of his magnitude during the summer and the Sky Blues slapped a £20m valuation on his hand, which was seemingly too much of a fee for the Ibrox side.

It was hardly a likely move in the first place, but signing someone who could find the back of the net as easily as the 25-year-old may have solved Beale’s problems.

Instead, he secured the signatures of Dessers, Sam Lammers, and Danilo, who have scored 14 goals between them throughout the 2023/24 campaign – three fewer than Gyokeres’ total at Sporting in the same time period.

It is clear that Beale had a shocker about failing to try and work out a deal for the Swede, especially with the way he is playing plus the fact he could have secured the Gers a major profit after a couple of seasons in Scotland.

Rangers could have secured a terrific young player, who was coming off the back of a sensational season, with room to grow and, instead, signed then-28-year-old Dessers after his six-goal haul in the Serie A.

Viktor Gyokeres’ season in numbers

The former Coventry striker is in such incredible form that he is currently attracting interest from Premier League side Arsenal ahead of the January transfer window, and it represents a stunning rise over the previous 12 months.

He cost the Portuguese club £20m in the summer, and they will not want to move on one of their prized assets just six months into his stay.

They would have no choice, however, if a potential suitor pays his €100m (£87m) release cause, and it would ensure they received a stunning profit for just a few months of service for the player.

Gyokeres was hailed by his former teammate Maxime Biamou as “unplayable” during his spell in the Championship last season, while manager Mark Robins claimed that he was “one of a kind” earlier this year, and it proves just how big an impact he made at Coventry.

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While the £20m certainly looked lavish, the pressure was on the player to replicate the form he had displayed in England, and with Sporting also playing in Europe, it was a big test.

So far, he has passed with ease. The 25-year-old not only has 17 goals across all competitions, but he currently ranks first across the squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.85), along with ranking first for goals and assists (15), shots on target per game (1.3) and successful dribbles per game (2.5), indicating just how vital he has been for his new club this term.

Not only has he impressed among his own team, but the striker is also one of the best performers when compared to his positional peers across the continent.

Indeed, when compared to other strikers in men’s next top 14 competitions over the previous 12 months, Gyokeres ranks in the top 1% for progressive carries (4.41), touches in the attacking penalty area (8.12), and assists (0.38) per 90 while also ranking in the top 3% for successful take-ons (2.41) per 90 and the top 2% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.52) and these statistics make him an attractive choice of signing for a variety of teams.

He will only get better too, which is the scary thing, and it represents an opportunity missed that the Gers may look back on in a few years with some regret, especially judging by the mammoth release clause inserted into his contract.

Instead, Clement will have to power on by using the likes of Dessers and Kemar Roofe (when fit) as his attacking options, and it is clear something needs to be done about this next month.

The January transfer window has been rather fruitful for the Light Blues in recent seasons, with players such as Todd Cantwell, Ianis Hagi, and Nico Raskin and someone along these lines who could bolster the squad would be a big bonus in the chase for glory this term.

Al-Nassr claim that Cristiano Ronaldo “keeps reaching new heights”, with another 50-goal season within reach for the all-time great.

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• Portuguese shining in the Middle East
• Showing no sign of slowing down at 39
• Major silverware in his sights for 2024

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has not hit that mark since 2016. He was on the books of Real Madrid back then, as he plundered 450 goals for the Blancos in total and became their greatest ever marksman. CR7 went five years without reaching 40 in a single campaign after leaving Santiago Bernabeu.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He has burst back through that barrier in style this season, with Ronaldo showing no sign of slowing down at 39 years of age. With relentless dedication to his craft keeping him in the best possible shape, there is every reason to believe that the Portuguese can continue for several more years.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  An extension to the most lucrative contract in world football has been mooted at Al-Nassr, with the Saudi Pro League outfit delighted to have Ronaldo’s ability and marketing appeal on their books. They believe that his game can be taken to even greater heights.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  There is still a chance for Ronaldo to reach a half-century this season, as he sits on 48 goals with two more Pro League fixtures to be taken in – starting with a trip to Al-Riyadh on Thursday. Major silverware is also in his sights as Al-Nassr prepare to face arch-rivals Al-Hilal in the King Cup of Champions final.

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow crushed Kolkata Knight Riders, who slumped to their fifth consecutive defeat. The Sunrisers Hyderabad batting pair put on 131 in just 12.2 overs, which reduced the 160-run chase to a cakewalk in the end.Bairstow finished unbeaten on 80 off 43 balls with four sixes and seven fours while Warner, who was the only batsman to be dismissed in the second innings, made 67 off 38 balls with three fours and five sixes.When they bowled, it was Rashid Khan who held back the Knight Riders middle order after Khaleel Ahmed had given them a strong start with a three-wicket haulESPNcricinfo Ltd

Khaleel thwarts a fast KKR startChris Lynn and Sunil Narine struck five fours and three sixes in the first 2.3 overs, and just as they reached a crescendo, Khaleel’s slower ball stung Narine’s leg-stump. The left-arm quick had been struck for a six and two fours off two previous deliveries, so his celebration was understandably one of rage.Khaleel made it a double breakthrough when he removed Shubman Gill, who guided the ball to point where Vijay Shankar took a simple catch. The Knight Riders were already losing much of their early impetus when Bhuvneshwar had Nitish Rana caught behind and Dinesh Karthik self-destructed with a run out in the ninth over.Lynn held back, or holds back?The usually big hitting Chris Lynn ended up making his slowest IPL fifty – 51 off 47 balls – having been at the crease for an hour and a half. He would have gone after almost every ball but the Knight Riders also needed him to bat through after they lost four wickets in less than six overs, for only 31 runs.Lynn, who added 51 runs for the fifth wicket with Rinku Singh, got out with three overs left in the innings and even Andre Russell couldn’t salvage a decent enough score this time.Knight Riders finished with 159 for 8 in 20 overs, due in large part to Russell coming in late and Lynn holding himself back.Another Warner-Bairstow specialIn four out of nine innings so far, Warner and Bairstow have put together a 100-plus stand, now just behind Dhawan and Warner for most century partnerships for the first wicket in the IPL.Warner began the onslaught with a straight six off newcomer Prithvi Raj. But only a few balls later, KC Cariappa put down a sitter at deep point off Bairstow’s slash. Sixteen came off that over, before Cariappa’ nightmare outing continued, leaking 20 runs off his first over, which included two sixes.They brought up the 100-run stand in the ninth over, before Warner pasted Narine for his fifth six. Bairstow, who was the more conservative of the two openers, got two more lives, on 55 and 58, before Raj bowled Warner in the 13th over. Bairstow, then, cut loose in the 15th over when his third and fourth sixes completed the chase.

While the right-back position is thought to be Aston Villa's priority right now, the club have also considered adding a new winger to their squad in the January transfer window. As pointed out by The Athletic, Leon Bailey is the only out-and-out winger regularly used by Unai Emery, but he could look to recruit another who fits his vision.

Having backed out of a move for Jack Harrison late in the summer window, Villa have considered an array of new targets. They're said to be admirers of Crysencio Summerville at Leeds, and it's even been claimed that they agreed a fee with Hellas Verona for Cyril Ngonge, only for the player to turn his nose up at the move. Now, though, a fresh candidate has emerged, one who will be very familiar to Premier League audiences.

Villa make contact over Zaha

According to Football Transfers, Villa have made an approach for Galatasaray's Wilfried Zaha, a player Emery loves and even tried to sign in 2018 when he was still the manager at Arsenal. The Spaniard is described as a "huge fan" of the 31-year-old.

There's a feeling that a deal in January will be difficult given that Zaha is "happy in Turkey" and not actively looking for a transfer, but it's also possible that interest from a club in Villa's position – they're currently second in the Premier League table – could turn his head.

Zaha can give Premier League defenders nightmares again

After nearly a decade at Crystal Palace, Zaha joined Galatasaray on a free transfer last summer. He's made a good start to life with the Super Lig club, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in 22 appearances across all competitions. The highlight of his season so far was perhaps his goal away to former club Manchester United in a 3-2 win in the Champions League group stages, one that proved to be key in the battle for a Europa League berth. That was no flash in the pan – Zaha has consistently delivered, ranking fourth in the Turkish top-flight for non-penalty goals and assists per 90 minutes (0.89).

One of Zaha's biggest draws is no doubt his vast Premier League experience. He's racked up over 300 games in the competition, netting 68 times (including three against Aston Villa) and setting up another 43. Former Crystal Palace defender Matt Lawrence says he became a "wonderful footballer" during his years at Selhurst Park.

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The Ivorian became known for his ability to torment defenders, finishing in the league's top eight for successful take-ons in five of his final six seasons. He also became a "master" at drawing fouls in these scenarios, as journalist Ben Cross said, with defenders rarely able to stop him by fair means. He would rank in the top five for free-kicks won in each of his last seven campaigns in South London.

Given his age, signing Zaha would undoubtedly be a short-term move, but on the flip side, he's a proven commodity who could help secure a top-four place or even more.

Kylian Mbappe is finally heading to Real Madrid, but fans have branded him the 'Kevin Durant of football' following the transfer announcement.

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Mbappe joining Real Madrid on free transferFans compare move to Durant's Golden State switch in 2016Claim that Mbappe 'won't get respect' in SpainWHAT HAPPENED?

In 2016, NBA star Kevin Durant made the free-agency move to the Golden State Warriors from the Oklahoma City Thunder, after the Warriors had made it to two straight NBA finals and were considered the closest thing to a super team. Football fans have now likened Mbappe's Real Madrid move to Durant's and have claimed that the Frenchman "won't get the respect" that he craves even if he wins the Champions League with the 15-time champions, who have won the title twice in the last three seasons.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Speaking on X, @Nicocantor1 said: "You win Champions League on Saturday and sign Mbappé on Monday. It’s giving Kevin Durant"

Another X user named @raptalksk said: "Is Mbappe going to Madrid comparable to Kevin Durant going to Golden State?"

Bayern fan @clinicalmusiala added: "We officially say Haaland won the debate. Haaland made City Ucl champions while Mbappe needs to join one. Kevin Durant of football."

@HermanWaita posted on X: "Kylian Mbappe will be the Kevin Durant of football. A world-class talent who joins an already stacked team that was winning every title before he joined. Like Durant, he won't get respect for all the trophies he'll win at Real Madrid & that will bug him."

@WeavusChrist stated: "Mbappe joining the CL winners 10x worse than anything Durant or Bron ever did"

@fledglings25 wrote: "Dressing room fallout, Vini shouting at Mbappe like Draymond did to Durant. I will love it and I think I deserve it."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mbappe has already laid down his legacy on the sport despite still only being at the young age of 25. He has one World Cup to his name and also possibly the greatest performance in a World Cup final, along with 15 domestic trophies with Paris Saint-Germain, as possibly their best player ever. The Frenchman has received a lot of criticism for his inability to win the Champions League so far in his career and has only come close once, in 2020, when PSG lost in the final to Bayern Munich.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

The 25-year-old is currently participating in the French national team camp in preparation for the upcoming European Championship in Germany. Les Bleus will head into the tournament as one of the favourites to win the competition and they will be hoping Mbappe can turn up for Didier Deschamps' side as he has so often, before he officially touches down in Madrid ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Discarded England batsman says he is targeting a return to international competition in time for the 2020 T20 World Cup

Andrew Miller and Nagraj Gollapudi22-May-2019Alex Hales has said he is targeting the T20 World Cup in Australia next year for a potential England comeback, but declined to offer either an apology or an explanation for his actions, after speaking for the first time since his deselection from the World Cup squad for recreational drug use.Hales was attending the Caribbean Premier League draft in London, where he was picked up by Barbados Tridents for this year’s competition. He said that he remained an England fan at heart and would be “watching and cheering” his former team-mates as they seek to live up to their No. 1 ODI status, and win the World Cup for the first time in their history.But when asked if he had found it difficult to look on from the sidelines while England completed their preparations for the World Cup, a tournament for which he would have been an automatic squad pick, Hales twice declined to comment.”I’m not here to comment on that, sorry … I’m not here to talk about that,” Hales said, before the CPL press officer stepped in to change the line of questioning. He later conceded he “probably won’t go” to any World Cup matches, which include England’s fixture against Pakistan at his home ground of Trent Bridge on June 3, but added “I’m not really here to talk about that”.Instead, Hales insisted he was looking forward to enjoying some downtime in the coming weeks – as a white-ball specialist, he will not be involved in Nottinghamshire’s extensive period of Championship cricket – before throwing himself into action in the T20 Blast, which gets underway with Worcestershire’s visit to Trent Bridge on July 18, four days after the final of the World Cup.Then, if Nottinghamshire fail to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Blast, which take place in the first week of September, Hales will head straight to the Caribbean at the end of August and compete in the remaining month of the CPL – although his stint with Nottinghamshire will still take precedence if they qualify for Finals Day on September 21.Alex Hales hits high down the ground•Getty Images

Beyond that, he has been retained for a second year by Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League, and remains hopeful of earning a contract in Australia’s Big Bash. “I would love to play in that,” he said. “I’ve not got the ball rolling but, fingers crossed, it’s a good tournament.”I’m just playing white-ball cricket now, so any chance I get to play a pretty high profile with some good players is a good opportunity.”I just want to get back playing what I love most, and that’s cricket,” he added. “This is such a good opportunity to go and play at the Kensington Oval, a ground where I’ve got such good memories, and play in such a big tournament in some different conditions.”His ultimate aim, however, is to get himself back into the England frame – a prospect that Ashley Giles, England’s director of cricket, did not rule out when announcing his removal from the England reckoning earlier this month.However, Hales’ initial reaction to his ejection, a strongly worded statement issued through his management company, allied to Eoin Morgan’s subsequent statement that he had shown “complete disregard” for the team’s values, means that he would appear to have a considerable amount of ground to make up if he is to be back in England’s plans in time for the trip to Australia in October next year.”I hope the door is not closed, that’s one of my aims, that T20 World Cup,” Hales said. “I’m going to go through the process, hopefully score some runs in these tournaments and see how we go. I want to enjoy my cricket.”I think it’s a good opportunity,” he said of his status as a white-ball specialist. “These tournaments now are well respected all around the world, particularly by the selectors and ECB. I’d love to use these tournaments to hopefully get back into the frame for next year.”Addressing his plans for the coming months, Hales added: “I’ve got a few things to do with the ECB, there’s obviously a process to go through, and then start training, I guess. Once I start playing again, the next 12 months will be really busy, so I will enjoy a mixture of some downtime, and then start getting prepared for the Blast by playing some second-team games for Notts.”In spite of his deselection, Hales has retained his ECB contract so still has the gym programme and nutritional support that came with his England employment, and with Trent Bridge just two minutes down the road from his Nottingham home, he will continue to be supported by his county, as had been made clear by the ECB in addressing the implications of his drugs ban.”I’m blessed to play there,” he said. “Peter Moores is a wonderful coach, respected round the world. He keeps in regular touch with me to see how I’m doing, and if I ever want to practice, he’s there to chuck balls all day, he loves it.”I enjoy the responsibility of having my own choice of when to train, and when to go to the gym,” he added, insisting that there was no temptation to return to four-day cricket to keep up his on-field appearances.”I found it difficult going from red-ball to white-ball, so being able to focus on one thing, I find it easier. A lot of county guys go six months all winter without playing, it’s something we’re used to, but I’ve got some downtime now and so I’ll work on a few things leading into a big 12 months.”Reflecting on the World Cup, which begins with England’s clash with South Africa at The Oval on May 30, Hales said he still backed his team-mates to win in his absence.”I will [be watching],” he said. “I am still a fan and I wish the boys the best. What we’ve done over the last few years is unbelievable, the guys deserve to win it, and I will be sat there watching and cheering.”Apart from England, I’d say India [are favourites to win], but the way all teams are playing at the moment, you never know. It’s a really open tournament, I’m really looking forward to watching it.”On the subject of England’s explosive batting power, Hales said: “It’s everyone’s natural game, everyone has natural ways to be aggressive. We have got matchwinners all the way down to Adil Rashid at No. 11, It’s just hitters and hitters that keep coming at you. If one person doesn’t come off, another person will. It’s a really good, exciting line-up.”

With a 'golden generation' coming to its end, a new-look Red Devils squad is set for its first major tournament

Having allowed a 'golden generation' to pass them by without any major silverware to show for it, a youthful Belgium are preparing for their first major tournament since being shorn of some of their biggest stars in the modern era. That doesn't mean they won't have plenty of quality and experience on show at Euro 2024, though, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Jan Vertonghen and Romelu Lukaku all still key players under Roberto Martinez's successor, Domenico Tedesco.

Those veterans of the national team will surely be on a mission to make amends for Belgium's dismal showing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar where they fell at the first hurdle, exiting a favourable group that contained Croatia, Morocco and Canada. At Euro 2020 – arguably that so-called 'golden generation's' best chance of winning a major trophy – the Belgians saw their dream ended at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners, Italy.

Expectation will be wildly different this time around in Germany, and that means the pressure will be somewhat off for Tedesco and his team, but there is no doubt they will still be desperate to go as deep into the tournament as possible.

Tedesco announced his squad on May 28 and the Red Devils' tournament journey begins against Slovakia on June 17, with Romania and Ukraine completing Group E.

But who has made Belgium's 25-man Euro 2024 squad? GOAL takes a look…

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  GOALKEEPERS

  Tedesco's biggest drama arose in the goalkeeping department and involved one of his star players. World-class Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been sensationally left out after an ACL injury sidelined him for most of the season, with another knee injury seemingly putting paid to his chances in March.

  He is remarkably fit again, but it wasn't simply a matter of physical rehabilitation for the shot-stopper; he has had a monumental fallout with the head coach over being overlooked for the captaincy in June last year, and fanned the flames in March – calling Tedesco a liar on social media after the coach claimed he had "tried absolutely everything" to repair the relationship.

  Wolfsburg's Koen Casteels and Matz Sels, who joined Nottingham Forest in January, have both been deputising in the Madrid star's absence, but Tedesco has confirmed the former will be his No.1 in Germany.

  Belgium had been considering calling up Roma's Mile Svilar, but he legally cannot switch allegiance back to the country of his birth having already represented Serbia.

  Name	Club
  Koen Casteels	Wolfsburg
  Thomas Kaminski	Luton Town
  Matz Sels	Nottingham Forest

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  DEFENDERS

  Belgium's most-capped player, Vertonghen, is still knocking about aged 36 and is surely set for his final tournament in Germany, but his long-term defensive partner Toby Alderweireld was not recalled amid rumours he could come out of international retirement.

  Rennes' versatile Arthur Theate has been given regular minutes alongside Vertonghen by Tedesco, having been included in the squad for the 2022 World Cup, as has Wout Faes of Leicester, but it's still not clear exactly what the configuration will be.

  Uncapped 23-year-old full-back Maxim De Cuyper has seen off competition from a host of other youngsters, including Burnley's Ameen Al-Dakhil and Genoa's Juventus loanee Koni De Winter, to make the final cut.

  Name	Club
  Timothy Castagne	Fulham
  Zeno Debast	Anderlecht
  Maxim De Cuyper	Club Brugge
  Wout Faes	Leicester
  Thomas Meunier	Trabzonspor
  Arthur Theate	Rennes
  Jan Vertonghen	Anderlecht

• Getty Images
  

  MIDFIELDERS

  Looking as good as ever despite missing half the season after hamstring surgery, De Bruyne will undoubtedly be Belgium's creator-in-chief in Germany. Based on Tedesco's recent line-ups, the Man City star will be flanked by two more defensive-minded midfielders.

  Axel Witsel is one such option as he has come out international retirement after just one year. The veteran will be competing for a starting place with Amadou Onana, Orel Mangala, Aster Vranckx and Youri Tielemans.

  Young Arthur Vermeeren looks like being Belgium's next midfield superstar, but fellow youngster and big-money Chelsea signing Romeo Lavia, 20, misses out after an injury nightmare this season.

  Name	Club
  Yannick Carrasco	Al-Shabab
  Kevin De Bruyne	Manchester City
  Orel Mangala	Lyon
  Amadou Onana	Everton
  Youri Tielemans	Aston Villa
  Arthur Vermeeren	Atletico Madrid
  Aster Vranckx	Wolfsburg
  Axel Witsel	Atletico Madrid

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  FORWARDS

  Lukaku completes Belgium's experienced spine and he will be expected to deliver the goods as the spearhead of the attack, but the configuration around him will look very different to the days of Dries Mertens and Eden Hazard. RB Leipzig hitman Lois Openda has won the battle to be Lukaku's understudy, with Fenerbahce's Michy Batshuayi – a staple of the squad – notably left out altogether.

  Jeremy Doku's impressive debut season at Man City should see him lock down a place out wide, and it will be interesting to see whether Arsenal's Leandro Trossard can make himself a regular starter now that some big names have stepped aside, too.

  In terms of youngsters, Charles De Ketelaere has earned his place after a fine loan spell with Atalanta, having endured a nightmare in his first season with AC Milan in 2022-23. PSV winger Johan Bakayoko, linked with Liverpool, is also on the plane.

  Name	Club
  Johan Bakayoko	PSV
  Charles De Ketelaere	Atalanta
  Jeremy Doku	Manchester City
  Romelu Lukaku	Roma
  Dodi Lukebakio	Sevilla
  Lois Openda	RB Leipzig
  Leandro Trossard	Arsenal

There looks set to be significant upheaval in the goalkeeper ranks at Celtic in 2024. The incumbent Joe Hart is coming to the end of his contract of the club, and rather than trusting Scott Bain or Benjamin Siegrist to succeed him if he does leave, it looks like Brendan Rodgers wants to go out and recruit a new face.

That's why the Hoops are reportedly planning a loan-to-buy deal for Caoimhin Kelleher at Liverpool, who could potentially command a club-record fee. In the meantime, Siegrist could join Hart in heading for the Parkhead exit door.

Celtic ready to offload Siegrist

According to Football Insider, Celtic are ready to loan out Siegrist before the end of the January transfer window. If a reasonable offer arrives in the time that remains, the Hoops are prepared to accept it, and that message will no doubt be passed on to his suitors.

"Multiple European clubs" have been considering moves for Siegrist in January, and news of his availability on loan will alert those interested parties. It just remains to be seen who makes the first move.

Siegrist deserved a bigger shot

It's arguably a surprise that Siegrist hasn't taken on a greater role at Celtic. Signed on a free transfer in 2022 off the back of what then-manager Ange Postecoglou called "fantastic" performances at Dundee United, he looked poised to mount a challenge for the no. 1 spot.

Siegrist had played 145 games for United, conceding an average of exactly one goal per match but also surpassing a half-century of clean sheets (52). In three of his four seasons, he ranked inside the league's top four for shutouts, leading the way in 2019/20 with 12 to help his side achieve promotion.

He would then match that tally in the Scottish Premiership the following year and also made more saves (130) than any other 'keeper in the division. His save percentage of 78.2 was also the second-best, so it was no surprise that he landed United's player of the year and players' player of the year awards.

He remained up there for those metrics in his final year at Tannadice too, finishing fourth for total saves (101) and fifth for save percentage (72.7). His former manager Micky Mellon called him a "brilliant goalkeeper" and said his success was down to training "like a monster".

Celtic plot loan-to-buy move for "exceptional" target, could be record fee

Brendan Rodgers and the Hoops will have to break the bank to get the deal done.

ByDavid Comerford Jan 22, 2024

Unfortunately, he's barely had a look-in at Celtic. He was at least the immediate back-up to Hart at first as Postecoglou named him on the bench for all 19 league fixtures prior to a serious calf injury, and every Champions League group-stage match. He made his only two appearances for the club in the early rounds of the League Cup and helped Celtic thrash Ross County 4-1 and Motherwell 4-0. Perhaps, without his injury, he would have retained his spot for the semifinals against Kilmarnock and final against Rangers, which his side won 2-1.

As it was, he missed that chance to improve his standing and hasn't played a single match this season. It was telling that, when Hart got himself suspended with a red card against Livingston in September, Rodgers looked to Bain as his substitute and then his starter. In fairness, even the Scotsman has only appeared in those two games, so Rodgers is clearly dissatisfied with both of his back-up options.

Siegrist may be under contract in Glasgow until 2026, but it looks like his Celtic career is as good as over.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em busca de garantir a continuidade do Campeonato Paulista, a Federação Paulista de Futebol confirmou que o confronto entre Palmeiras e São Bento será realizado no estádio Independência, em Belo Horizonte, na próxima quarta-feira (17). A partida foi adiada da terceira rodada por conta da participação do Verdão na final da Copa do Brasil e tem mando do time de Sorocaba.

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A definição ocorreu devido ao veto de eventos esportivos no estado de São Paulo até o dia 30. A medida faz parte do pacote de ações mais restritivas impostas pelo governo paulista, que busca controlar a quantidade de casos da Covid-19.

> Confira e simule a tabela do Paulistão

Deste modo, a FPF busca alternativas para realizar os confrontos que estão marcados entre os dias 15 e 30 de março e uma saída encontrada foi levá-los para outro estado.

Além disso, a Federação se reuniu, nesta segunda-feira (15), com Patrícia Ellen, secretária de Desenvolvimento Econômico, Aildo Rodrigues Ferreira, secretário de Esportes, e Marco Vinholi, secretário de Desenvolvimento Regional, para discutir a continuidade da competição. A FPF se reunirá, ainda, com o Ministério Público para tratar deste assunto.

> Relembre as camisas do Palmeiras fabricadas pela Puma

Sendo assim, o Palmeiras terá de viajar para a capital mineira para enfrentar o São Bento, na próxima quarta-feira (17), às 19h (horário de Brasília), pela terceira rodada do Paulistão.

Amid reports that midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is ready to quit Tottenham in search of more game time, it's been reported that a 25-year-old is also open to leaving as one club ready a January offer.

Spurs sealing loan exit deals to trim Postecoglou's squad

Alongside the confirmed signings of midfielder Timo Werner and defender Radu Dragusin, Spurs have also moved to rid themselves of players by agreeing many temporary deals.

Related "Growing chance" – Spurs could table bid for "exciting" player after Nusa

The Lilywhites have been busy this window.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 21, 2024

Djed Spence, Eric Dier, Ashley Phillips, Japhet Tanganga, Sergio Reguilon and Ivan Perisic have all departed N17 on loan, coming after goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also put an end to his near 12-year stay at Tottenham by joining Los Angeles FC.

These departures make much-needed room for potential new signings, while also helping to save the club serious money on wages. The likes of Dier and Perisic will leave permanently in the summer anyway, given their contracts expire around then, which gives both Bayern Munich and Hajduk Split opportunities to snap them up for free in win-win situations for them and Spurs.

More exits certainly haven't been ruled out before February 1 either, as uncertainty surrounds the futures of Bryan Gil and Hojbjerg.

Gil is attracting interest from Serie A and Spain, while there have been widespread rumours from as back as October last year that Hojbjerg could make way so Spurs can make a move for Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

Hojbjerg reportedly wants to leave Tottenham before deadline day, but the north Londoners will only sanction his exit if it means a permanent move, either this month or later in the year.

There have also been reports that Al Nassr made a bid for Emerson Royal which was rejected, but the Saudi Arabian side could still come back in with another offer.

Emerson open to leaving as Al Nassr ready new bid

Indeed, according to HITC, the Brazilian is actually tempted by the move. Emerson is said to be open to the prospect of joining Al Nassr as they prepare another offer, and while Tottenham are also open to doing a deal in theory, manager Ange Postecoglou would be put in a precarious position with his lack of right-back depth behind Pedro Porro.

The former Real Betis star has also been a capable deputy to call upon this season, even partnering Ben Davies at centre-back when both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were unavailable.

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has also branded Emerson a "very quick" and "relentless" player when at his very best, so Postecoglou surely won't want to lose him mid-season.

All confirmed Tottenham deals for January

Transfer

Timo Werner

Arrival (RB Leipzig, loan)

Radu Dragusin

Arrival (Genoa, permanent)

Djed Spence

Exit (Genoa, loan)

Eric Dier

Exit (Bayern, loan)

Ashley Phillips

Exit (Plymouth, loan)

Sergio Reguilon

Exit (Brentford, loan)

Japhet Tanganga

Exit (Millwall, loan)

Ivan Perisic

Exit (Hajduk Split, loan)

“Let me tell you, this guy is very, very good. He is all action," said Campbell to Football Insider when Spurs first signed the player in 2021.

"He is up and down, very quick and loves to attack. The way Spurs play, with the full-backs bombing on, he is perfect. He is relentless down the flank because he is an incredibly fit guy."