Tottenham will be thrilled that Arsenal have lost their "brain" Martin Odegaard for the north London derby, according to Rafael van der Vaart.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Odegaard limped out of Norway clashOut for around three weeksWill miss north London derbyWHAT HAPPENED?
Odegaard will miss this weekend's north London derby clash after limping out of Norway's clash with Austria. He has since been ruled out for around three weeks, meaning he is also going to miss Arsenal's first Champions League clash of the season, against Atalanta, as well as the Gunners' league game against Manchester City.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Spurs come into the game on the back of an unremarkable start to the campaign; they have won one, drawn one and lost one of their opening three games, and went into the international break on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle. As a result, Van der Vaart believes the club will be delighted the Gunners are without their captain. They will also be missing Declan Rice, who is suspended.
WHAT VAN DER VAART SAID
Van der Vaart told GOAL: “Yeah, (Odegaard being out is) massive. I mean, he's not only the captain but he's scoring goals, he's giving assists, every ball goes to him, he's the brain of the team, and you can always give the ball to him, and he's doing something good with the ball. So I think it's for Spurs, for him, it’s bad of course, but they can be happy that he's injured.”
The former Spurs star, who never lost a north London derby in which he scored, now believes Postecoglou's side can take all three points.
He added: “I have to say that I saw a few games also in the pre-season, and I think they look stable. Of course, they lost against Newcastle, that was a tough one. But when you win at home against Everton, quite easy. So I think they have confidence. And I think that the coach now will be quite happy with his squad, and especially now Arsenal are missing some midfield players, they have a good chance to win."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
Spurs play Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. A win for Postecoglou's side would mark their first victory against their north London rivals in five games.
International exemptions to allow an India touring party to arrive in Australia next summer would be seriously considered by the federal government in the event of wider travel bans, strongly suggesting that Cricket Australia will be able to avoid losing up to A$300 million in revenue in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.While the vast majority of CA’s staff continue to reel from being asked to stand down on 20% of their regular pay from next week, while executives and a skeleton staff remain on 80% of their salaries, the governing body is understood to have received highly encouraging news about their outlook, at least as far as the lucrative India tour is concerned.On Friday, the Australian prime minister Scott Morrison announced work on establishing a set of national principles for sport and recreation to assist state governments. “What is a safe way to be able to do that, and to get as much consistency as we possibly can across all the states and territories,” Morrison said. “That was strongly supported today by all the states and territories, having something along those lines they would find very helpful.”In terms of the big codes – AFL, NRL, things like that – they’re both working through states and territories presently. And what we’ll be doing, and particularly what the medical expert panel will be doing, will be drawing their proposals together. My understanding is that they have already had quite a lot of expert advice going into their plans. That will probably present a lot of the homework that needs to be done to support the expert panel in setting out what some of those principles are.”ALSO READ: BCCI suggests deferring World Test ChampionshipGovernments both in Australia and abroad have asserted the importance of finding ways for sport to return, not only as revenue raisers for sporting bodies and broadcasters but also as a means of aiding the morale of the wider public. The ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, is believed to have hammered home this message to Kevin Roberts and other board chiefs during conference call discussions this week, and it will be especially true if restrictions on large public gatherings mean that sport can only be viewed via television screens for quite some time.Such a scenario would likely leave CA with a hole of around A$50 million in its annual revenue of nearly A$500 million, but nowhere near the sort of blow they could have expected without being able to welcome India for a series of Test and limited overs matches due to pull the organisation out of the low point of its four-year revenue cycle.It will also raise further questions about how and why the CA chief executive Roberts – in moves endorsed by his board – chose drastic measures to stand down his staff a little more than a week ago while also pushing for deep cuts to the money CA distributes to its state association owners and the players represented by the Australian Cricket Association. CA is believed to have been advised by its auditors at PricewaterhouseCoopers that it is likely to qualify for the government’s JobKeeper scheme.On the players’ front, board to board meetings between a CA delegation of chairman Earl Eddings and board directors Michelle Tredenick and Paul Green, and an ACA cohort of its president Greg Dyer, chairman Shane Watson and board member Neil Maxwell, are believed to be imminent.However the states have been frustrated not only by a lack of financial information being provided but also by being asked to deal formally not with Roberts but his chief operating officer, Scott Grant.Information handed over by CA so far is believed to have been heavy on graphics and pictures but light on detail, not recalling a financial document so much as a brochure. Similar handouts were delivered by CA to the ACA during the 2017 pay dispute when Roberts led the governing body’s effort to break the players’ revenue sharing model until he was sidelined late in the process due to time running out, leaving the final dealings to his predecessor James Sutherland and also the former team performance manager Pat Howard.While the ACA is a partner in the game with CA, the state associations’ standing as CA’s structural owners and revenue beneficiaries is contributing to a rapid rise in frustration with the central governing body’s approach. Alienation of the state associations was one of the strongest themes running through the independent cultural review of CA that took place in 2018 in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, an area that Roberts had previously been directly responsible for as CA’s head of people and “One Team”, ostensibly devised to bring all parties closer.
Celtic still have plenty to play for before the end of the 2023/24 campaign as they bid to avoid a trophyless season on Brendan Rodgers' return to the club.
The Northern Irish boss was brought back to Parkhead for a second spell in the dugout last summer and is currently in danger of failing to win a trophy this term.
However, the Hoops are in the Scottish Premiership title race with Rangers, and are currently top of the division, and have an SFA Cup semi-final clash with Aberdeen next weekend.
This means that Rodgers could still lift two pieces of silverware by the end of the season if the Scottish giants enjoy a successful next few weeks.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looks on.
Focus will then turn to how the Bhoys can improve their playing squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, and work appears to already be underway on that front as the club have been linked with an interest in a talented attacking midfielder from England.
Celtic's interest in exciting Championship midfielder
According to a recent report from Football Scotland, the Hoops are keeping tabs on Coventry City number ten Callum O'Hare, who currently plays in the Championship down south.
The outlet claimed that Celtic have a 'genuine' interest in the former Aston Villa academy graduate, and could speak to his representatives at the end of the season to discuss a possible move to Parkhead.
It is, however, stated that a number of clubs in England, in the Premier League and the Championship, are also interested in securing his services and have put forward 'hefty' proposals in an attempt to convince him to join them.
In March, The Sun claimed that Southampton, Fulham, and Everton are all keen on the talented whiz, with the latter two both currently sitting in the English top-flight.
Callum O'Hare
The outlet also revealed that O'Hare has snubbed the chance to put pen to paper on a contract extension with his current club, which would make him a free agent at the end of the campaign.
His current deal is due to expire this summer and that would allow Celtic, or any of the other interested parties, to snap him up for nothing ahead of next season.
Rodgers must now work hard to convince the 25-year-old wizard to reject interest from other teams in England and to make the move up to Scotland to compete for trophies with the Hoops.
O'Hare could be an exciting signing to partner fellow mercurial midfielder Matt O'Riley in Glasgow, should Celtic keep hold of the Danish dynamo.
Matt O'Riley's exceptional Premiership performances
The former MK Dons star has been in sublime form in the Premiership so far this season as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.
No other Celtic player has matched his tally of 13 league goals in the division thus far, whilst his return of 11 assists is also two more than any of his teammates have managed.
The 23-year-old maestro has been directly involved in 24 goals in 33 appearances for the Hoops in the league, and has created 12 'big chances' and made 2.4 key passes per game for his side in those outings.
Key passes (very strong)
N/A
Taking set-pieces (strong)
N/A
Dribbling (strong)
N/A
Passing (strong)
N/A
Through balls (strong)
N/A
As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international does not have many, if any, weak points in his game and has been outstanding at creating chances, dribbling past opponents, and taking set-pieces for Rodgers, and Ange Postecoglou before him.
The left-footed magician's performances, however, have not gone unnoticed elsewhere as Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the talented gem.
A reported price tag of £25m has been slapped on O'Riley's head and it remains to be seen whether or not any team is willing to come in and pay that for the former Fulham youngster to snap him up from Parkhead this summer.
If Celtic can keep hold of their star performer in midfield, though, then they could land him an exciting attacking partner in the middle of the park by securing a deal to sign O'Hare on a free transfer ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Why Celtic should sign Callum O'Hare
Rodgers could strike gold for the Scottish giants with a move for the Coventry star because the manager could sign him for nothing and help the ace to thrive on the pitch before being sold on for a big profit further down the line.
EFL pundit and former England international Carlton Palmer claimed, in March, that O'Hare would be worth between £8m and £10m in the current market, if he had a decent contract that was not about to expire in the summer.
Coventry midfielder Callum O'Hare.
This suggests that Celtic could acquire a valuable asset for £0 if they secure his services, as they could immediately have a player worth up to £10m, who they could sell in a future window, if they sign him to a three or four-year contract.
The 25-year-old whiz, who Palmer claimed has had an "outstanding" season, missed 37 matches for Coventry due to a knee injury from December 2022 to October 2023, which left him playing catch-up earlier this term.
However, he has battled back to full fitness and enjoyed an impressive campaign with Mark Robins' side, showcasing his quality in possession at that level.
Shot-creating actions (4.00)
Top 4%
Pass accuracy (84.8%)
Top 1%
Progressive passes (6.57)
Top 1%
Progressive carries (2.69)
Top 6%
Successful take-ons (1.09)
Top 19%
As you can see in the table above, the £8.4k-per-week maestro ranks highly among forwards in the Championship in a host of progressive metrics, which shows that he can consistently progress the ball into dangerous areas whilst retaining a high pass completion rate.
The right-footed star has also chipped in with six goals and three assists in 16 league starts for Coventry, which is more than one goal contribution every other start on average.
O'Hare, who has been clinical in front of goal with six strikes from 3.95 xG (Expected Goals), is a terrific operator on the ball, who can contribute with goals, assists, and progressive play.
This is why he could be an exciting player to partner with the magical O'Riley, as they could both be a joy to watch with their play in possession, and why Celtic could strike gold with him as his attacking displays could then make him an attractive option to sell for a profit further down the line – per Palmer's valuation of him.
Barcelona have told winger Ansu Fati to leave the club this summer as they seek to cut costs.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Fati told to find new club
Spent last season on loan at Brighton
No room for him at Barcelona
WHAT HAPPENED?
Per Sport, Barcelona have told Fati that he must find a new club as he has no future under manager Hansi Flick. Fati has struggled with a recurring injury, plantar fasciitis, and that, coupled with his large wages, have made him expendable.
Advertisement
Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Fati has a contract with Barcelona until 2027 and has clocked 112 appearances for the club. Still, the signing of Dani Olmo and the potential acquisition of Nico Williams means there simply isn't space for Fati to stay at the club.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fati has also won 10 caps for Spain but he struggled on loan at Brighton last season, making 27 appearances, of which just three were Premier League starts.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images
WHAT NEXT?
Barcelona kick off the new La Liga season against Valencia this weekend as they bid to challenge at the top of the Spanish top flight once again.
Arsenal enjoyed another brilliant weekend, claiming another three points and climbing back to the top of the Premier League table.
Mikel Arteta's side once again have their fate back in their own hands, although before they can think about Sunday's clash with Aston Villa, they'll have to deal with Bayern Munich in the Champions League tonight.
The Gunners were excellent against Brighton & Hove Albion, but the German behemoths are a whole nother kettle of fish, and, as such, Arteta should look to drop Gabriel Jesus if he wants to secure a first competitive win over the Bavarians since 2015.
GK – Petr Cech
RB – Hector Bellerin
CB – Laurent Koscielny
CB – Per Mertesacker
LB – Nacho Monreal
CM – Francis Coquelin
CM – Santi Cazorla
CAM – Mesut Ozil
RW – Aaron Ramsey
LW – Alexis Sanchez
ST – Theo Walcott
Gabriel Jesus' stats against Brighton
Now, the first thing to say is that while the Spaniard should look at dropping Jesus for tonight's blockbuster clash, it's not because he was terrible on Saturday afternoon, just underwhelming.
The former Manchester City ace was a thorn in the side of the Seagulls and even won the penalty that opened the scoring, but he also missed a number of gilt-edge chances and made a few poor decisions at critical moments, which could seriously cost the Gunners in a European knockout game.
It might sound harsh, but it's an opinion shared by the Standard's Simon Collings, who awarded the tricky forward a 6/10 on the day, writing that he 'should have come away from this with a goal' and that he 'missed two good headed chances in either half.'
This summary is also backed up by the 27-year-old's statistics from the game. In his 64 minutes of action, the 5 foot 9 ace registered an expected goal figure of 0.44, took one shot on target and two off target, succeeded in just one of his six attempted dribbles, won a penalty, missed one big chance, took 43 touches, was accurate in just 82% of his passes, lost nine of his 13 duels, and lost the ball 14 times.
Minutes
64
Expected Goals
0.44
Goals
0
Shots on Target
1
Shots off Target
2
Shots Blocked
1
Dribbles Attempted (Successful)
6 (1)
Penalties Won
1
Big Chances Missed
1
Touches
43
Accurate Passes
18/22 (82%)
Key Passes
1
Duels (Won)
13 (4)
Possession Lost
14
In all, while he was effective at creating space and harassing Brighton's defence, Jesus was unable to put away the myriad of chances that came his way.
This may well cost the team in tonight's high-pressure encounter, so he should be replaced by someone who was able to take his chance on Saturday.
Why Leandro Trossard must start vs Bayern
The man who must start in place of the Brazilian tonight is Belgian international Leandro Trossard.
Despite only coming on in the 64th minute against his former side on Saturday, the 29-year-old "wizard", as journalist Charlie Haffenden described him, made his mark on proceedings by running the length of the pitch to score a brilliant chip to secure all three points for the North Londoners.
The goal was the perfect encapsulation of what makes him great: an intelligent position to win the ball, a clever run so that Kai Havertz could find him in space, a great touch to knock the ball into more space, and an expertly placed chip to finish the outstanding move.
It's this lethal streak that means he has to start against FC Hollywood tonight, as chances will likely be harder to come by, and when they do come, it's better they fall to him than Jesus.
Appearances
37
28
Goals
12
8
Goals per Match
0.32
0.28
Moreover, it wasn't just Saturday that the £90k-per-week star has shown his finishing ability, as in his 37 appearances this season, he has scored 12 goals, whereas his Brazilian counterpart has scored eight goals in his 28 games this year.
Ultimately, based on the game at the Amex and their finishing throughout the season, Arteta must start Trossard over Jesus against Bayern Munich.
Arsenal could sign their answer to Kane in "insane" £64m Jesus upgrade
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS group have made it clear that Erik ten Hag is not expected to guide Manchester United to a top-four finish in 2024-25.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
INEOS won't put pressure on Ten HagDutch manager not required to in top fourMan Utd play Arsenal on SaturdayWHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Devils are entering a new era with minority shareholders Ratcliffe and his INEOS group in charge of the football activities of the club. The British billionaire has already brought several changes off the field at the Premier League club, including changing the work culture and also roping in a sporting director, Dan Ashworth.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
After finishing the 2023-24 season in eighth position in the league – their worst-ever finish in the Premier League era – fans will hope that the club will make significant improvements in the upcoming campaign.
However, according to, Ratcliffe has not given any specific target to manager Ten Hag as he wants to make baby steps to achieve footballing success in the long run. INEOS are currently focusing on improving the existing infrastructure of the club and have sanctioned a £50 million ($64m) overhaul of the Carrington training base. As a result, the new co-owners will not pressure the Dutch manager to guide the club to a top-four finish in the league.
DID YOU KNOW?
United have already completed the signings of Lille defender Leny Yoro and Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna. The English giants, however, remain in search of a full-back and midfielder to further bolster their squad.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
Ten Hag's side will play their third pre-season friendly on Saturday as they take on Arsenal at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles as their tour of the US begins.
In recent times, Manchester United have had more than their fair share of dodgy transfer dealings. For example, last summer, the Red Devils acquired Antony from Ajax for a fee in the region of £85m.
Although a deal worth this much isn't too far-fetched in today's footballing world, for a player who possesses the quality of Antony, it feels as if Erik ten Hag was somewhat ripped off.
Granted, he did have a solid season in the top flight of the Netherlands as he contributed to a total of 22 goals in just 33 games, but, Cody Gakpo, who joined Liverpool in the following January window only cost the Reds an initial £37m.
In the former PSV man's final full season in the Eredivisie, he managed to involve himself with a total of 36 goals in 47 appearances.
This not only shows how much United were rinsed in the purchase of Antony, but, it also shows how much stats mean from the Eredivisie concerning the Premier League.
Gakpo has since hit the ground running at Anfield, however, during the 2023/24 term, the Brazil international has only contributed to two goals.
That said, Antony isn't the only one of the Red Devils' additions which hasn't worked out.
Why Jadon Sancho has struggled at United
Jadon Sancho was signed by United in the summer of 2021 for £73m. Upon arriving at Old Trafford, the winger had a fairly slow first season. He played 38 times but only managed a total of eight goal contributions.
Jadon Sancho
During the 2022/23 season, his form picked up somewhat as he managed to make it into double figures with his contributions and finished the season with finished the term with ten altogether.
Despite this slight upturn in form, journalist Tom McDermott described the attacker as the "weak link" within the squad.
These are not the sort of words you want people to describe when talking about your marquee signing from the previous season.
His upturn in form wasn't enough for Ten Hag to include him within his squad for 2023/24 as the former Manchester City youngster was isolated from not only first-team football but from training as well.
This is all whilst the attacker is earning £195k-per-week, which makes Sancho the Red Devils' eighth-highest-paid player.
1) Casemiro
£350k
2) Raphael Varane
£340k
3) Marcus Rashford
£300k
4) Anthony Martial
£250k
5) Mason Mount
£250k
6) Bruno Fernandes
£240k
7) Antony
£200k
8) Jadon Sancho
£195k
Following his isolation from the first team, Ten Hag chose to send Sancho out on loan to his former club, Borussia Dortmund where he has played a total of eight games and has assisted his teammates twice.
How much Rasmus Hojlund earns compared to Sancho
You may notice Manchester United's £72m summer signing is absent from this list. That is despite the attacker outperforming Sancho on all fronts.
Rasmus Hojlund has played a total of 30 games in all competitions for United and has managed to score 13 times during that time. The Norwegian has even managed to assist his teammates on two occasions.
However, despite outperforming both Antony and Sancho this season, as per Capology, the attacker only earns £85k-per-week.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
Although this is still an obscene amount of money for any footballer, when compared to his teammates, it feels minimal compared to the work he has put in.
If Ten Hag doesn't manage to let Sancho go in the summer, he will rinse the club for another £10.14m in wages throughout the next season.
This is a large pitfall for a player who is clearly no longer in the Netherlands managers' plans. He must be given his marching orders by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co in the summer.
Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has lavished praise on a defender as Tottenham allegedly push for his signing.
Spurs want another centre-back after Dragusin
Despite agreeing a £25 million deal for Radu Dragusin from Genoa in the January window, reports have suggested that manager Ange Postecoglou wants another centre-back at N17.
Suggestion £26m striker praised by Harry Kane could now join Tottenham
He’s got real potential.
By
Emilio Galantini
Feb 20, 2024
Dragusin's arrival comes as a welcome relief for Spurs who were at one point suffering from a real injury crisis at centre-half. Indeed, both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were unavailable for sizeable chunks of the mid-season, with Postecoglou forced to play a makeshift pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies at various stages.
While van de Ven and Romero are both available again, it's clear that one or two key injuries can leave Spurs short of options in a very sudden fashion. Eric Dier also departed for Bayern Munich in January, so perhaps bringing in another defender would be wise.
Tottenham's next league fixtures
Date
Crystal Palace
March 2nd
Aston Villa
March 10th
Fulham
March 16th
Luton Town
March 30th
West Ham
April 2nd
Tottenham have been linked with a fair few options already, like Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite most recently.
The former's deal expires this summer as things stand, so he could be available for Spurs to sign on a Bosman, unless they're beaten to the punch by clubs abroad who can agree a pre-contract right now. Branthwaite, though, is a particularly interesting case as the 21-year-old plays a key role under Sean Dyche at Goodison Park.
The homegrown defender is even being chased by Real Madrid, according to The Daily Mail, who also claim Tottenham are "pushing" to sign Branthwaite and are among the sides making a "most concerted" effort for this summer.
Branthwaite has been in very impressive form since returning from a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven last season, with more praise being thrown in his direction.
Carragher praises "special" Branthwaite as Spurs push
Speaking to Sky Sports on Monday, as transcribed by TBR, pundit Carragher has called Branthwaite a "special" player amid claims Spurs want to sign him.
“I think he is [special]. And what is really special as well is the amount of centre-backs we have in the Premier League aged 21 or younger," said Carragher.
“I remember being a young lad going in myself at Liverpool and it’s an unforgiven position, I had to go to full-back for the next three or four years and then go back to centre-back, so you can see the quality we have.
“Branthwaite has been outstanding, Murillo I think has been outstanding. But I think this lad has been pretty special and he’s a big part of why in my eyes Everton still have a great chance of staying up, him and his partnership with Tarkowski.”
Amid the Toffees' fierce relegation battle, their potential drop to the Championship could give Tottenham a big opportunity to tempt him down south.
Since the takeover of Todd Boehly in May 2022, Chelsea have spent over £1b on transfers as they aim to close the gap produced by the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool in recent seasons.
Players such as Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo have both joined the Blues for fees over the £100m mark – with the latter breaking the English transfer record after his move from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2023.
The club also brought in winger Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for a fee in the region of £45m back in July 2022 – with Sterling failing to make a real impact at Stamford Bridge.
The former Liverpool youngster has made 70 appearances for the Blues, scoring 17 times – a disappointing return for the hefty fee the club spent on him a couple of years ago.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has often stuck with the 82-cap England international despite some of his below-par performances this campaign. The Blues host Leeds United in the FA Cup on Wednesday night, with one player in the Chelsea squad more than deserving of a starting place.
Raheem Sterling stats against Liverpool
The 29-year-old played 67 minutes during the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, before being replaced by Christopher Nkunku – with Sterling achieving the lowest rating of anyone in the Chelsea squad, as per Sofascore.
Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling.
During his 67-minute display, the winger only achieved 19 touches – completing just eight passes, before being substituted.
The former Manchester City man has always been known for his dribbling ability. However, on Sunday, Sterling attempted three dribbles, failing to complete any of them and also lost possession seven times – giving the ball away once every nine minutes.
Minutes played
67
Touches
19
Accurate passes
8/10 (80%)
Shots
0
Key passes
0
Dribble success
0/3
Duel success
0/7
Possession lost
7x
Dribbled past
2x
Sterling further contested seven duels throughout the final, losing all seven of them – with his substitution justified given the stats from the encounter.
Given the attacker's poor performance, Pochettino should look to unleash winger Noni Madueke against Leeds United in their latest cup outing.
The man to replace Sterling against Leeds
The "unreal" Madueke, as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig, has found starts hard to come by under Pochettino, with the former PSV man only making four in the Premier League.
The 21-year-old, who joined the Blues from PSV for £30m last January, has huge potential as seen from his time in the Netherlands with the Chelsea faithful yet to see the best of the winger.
Madueke has scored twice for Chelsea in the Premier League this season, with his record impressive given the fact he's only managed 344 minutes in England's top flight.
Noni Madueke.
With the Blues in cup action against Championship side Leeds tonight, Pochettino should look to give the winger a rare start in order to stake his claim for a regular first-team position.
That, coupled with Sterling's current poor run of form, gives the Argentinian a free hit to let Madueke express himself and start to showcase why the club were so keen to spend a hefty amount on him given his tender age.
Rangers, after the loan exit of Sam Lammers and injuries to both Danilo and Kemar Roofe, are reportedly looking to add to their attacking options in Philippe Clement's first transfer window at the club. Reports suggest that they are even going head to head with Old Firm rivals Celtic in pursuit of a new forward.
Rangers transfer news
Despite already signing Fabio Silva on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers this month, Rangers still want to boost Clement's frontline with further fresh faces. The Gers have been linked with moves for Michy Batshuayi and Lawrence Shankland, who could both have plenty to offer at Ibrox. Batshuayi, a former Chelsea striker and Premier League winner would bring a wealth of experience to help the younger Silva. Shankland's Scottish Premiership goals this season, meanwhile, 13 in 21 games to be exact, would undoubtedly add extra firepower to Clement's side.
As per reports though, it may not be either of those options that the Gers choose to turn to in the near future. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers are in the race to sign Tommy Conway from Bristol City, but face competition from Celtic, Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The in-demand 21-year-old caught the attention of many in his last outing for Bristol, in which he netted the winning goal in an FA Cup upset victory over West Ham United.
Clement closing in on signing dream Sima partner at Rangers
Rangers have made an offer to sign a current Benfica defender
By
Ross Kilvington
Jan 17, 2024
With 18 months left on his current deal at Ashton Gate, Conway may have a decision to make sooner rather than later. Those at Ibrox will hope that his Scottish routes play a part in his choice, allowing Rangers to land a deal for the young forward at some stage. With a number of clubs interested, Conway is certainly one to watch both this month and during the summer transfer window.
"Excellent" Conway could be just what Rangers need
The last thing that Rangers will want is a short-term solution leading the line for Clement. Instead, they could do with a player of Conway's potential and current ability to slot straight into first-team football. In Conway, the Gers would have a player ready to perform at the level asked but someone who is far from the finished article and could yet reach the very top, creating an ideal situation. It's no surprise that the Bristol City man has attracted plenty of interest, either.
Conway's stats paint the picture of a player breaking through, having scored eight goals in 22 appearances in all competitions this season. Former manager Nigel Pearson knew all about the Scot's ability too, praising the forward after handing him his senior debut in 2021.
Pearson said via The Bristol Post: "Today Tommy Conway started, and I thought he was excellent. He was really good. Alex Scott going on, most people at the club hadn’t heard of these players before, the coaching staff didn’t know who they were."
Tommy Conway for Bristol City.
Added firepower seems to be the desire at Ibrox and now another option has reportedly been added to the list of potential fresh faces to lead the line. Eight points adrift of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic with two games in hand, any arrival could prove to be a difference-maker for Clement.