Glasgow Rangers Premiership title hopes went up in flames on Boxing Day as they suffered their fourth league defeat of the season against St Mirren, conceding a late goal to lose 2-1.

If the pressure on Philippe Clement was easing up after several weeks of solid performances, then this defeat puts him right back at square one. Matches against Motherwell and Celtic are coming up over the next six days and more dropped points could see his position become untenable.

While thoughts are on these games, surely one eye is focused on the upcoming January transfer window, which gives the Ibrox side a chance to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Much will depend on how much of a budget the manager will be handed once the winter window opens next week, and he might have to sell a couple of players in order to raise significant funds.

This could see several players leave Ibrox, with one current first team player already attracting interest ahead of January – Cyriel Dessers.

Why Rangers should finally sell Cyriel Dessers

Unfortunately, Rangers are now in a position where they have to sell players before thinking of making signings, such is the nature of their finances.

Hopefully, Clement is ruthless and moves on those who are either taking up a place in the squad that isn’t warranted, or earning a lavish wage which is not representative of their performances on the field.

This could see a host of players depart the club next month, but it is Dessers who is the one attracting the most attention as of late.

Before Christmas, news emerged from France that Saint-Étienne were showing a keen interest in the striker ahead of making a potential move for the player once the window finally opens.

This wasn’t the first time that the Nigerian international had drawn interest from elsewhere. During the summer transfer window, Cagliari were hoping to bring the forward to Serie A, but no move ever materialised.

Things might have been different if Clement had more centre-forwards in his squad, but with Danilo still recovering from a knee injury and Hamza Igamane still settling in at Ibrox, it was perhaps too risky to sell Dessers.

January could be the ideal time for the club to recoup what they paid for him 18 months ago, especially as he hasn’t been the first choice over the previous few weeks.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Across 28 games in all competitions for the Gers, Dessers has found the back of the net on 12 occasions, yet he has scored just three league goals since the start of September.

Recently, Danilo and Igamane have taken turns being deployed as the lone striker in Clement’s 4-2-3-1 system, meaning Dessers has had to settle for a place on the bench.

Cyriel Dessers’ stats in the Premiership for Rangers

Metric

2023/24

2024/25

Goals

16

6

Assists

4

2

Big chances missed

27

6

Big chances created

8

2

Shots per game

2.9

1.7

Via Sofascore

Additionally, the striker is also earning £27k-per-week, which places him among the highest earners at the club.

All of these factors should be taken into consideration with regard to his future. Is he contributing enough considering his high wage? The answer is no. Therefore, if a decent bid arrives, then the Light Blues should accept it.

This could free up funds for Clement to move for a player they have been linked with lately who is currently shining in South Africa…

Rangers' search for a striker

As reported by South African news outlet SNL24 (via the Scottish Sun), the Light Blues have been keeping a close eye on striker Iqraam Rayners, who currently plays for Mamelodi Sundowns.

“There has been an enquiry about Iqraam (Rayners) from Rangers of Scotland,” a source told SNL24.

“I don’t think there has been an offer from them at this stage. What I know is they have shown interest and they continue monitoring him.”

There is no information on how much Rangers would have to pay to bring the South African to Glasgow, but it appears he is doing everything right in order to earn a big move abroad.

If a move for Rayners is concrete, this could see Dessers finally packing in what would be a popular move among the supporters. That’s for sure.

How Iqraam Rayners compares to Cyriel Dessers

Rayners may be the same age as Dessers, but he is currently in the form of his life for his club side.

Across just 17 matches in all competitions, he has scored 13 goals while chipping in with an assist, a wonderful strike rate in front of goal, that’s for sure.

Indeed, throughout the entirety of 2024, he has notched 24 goals for two clubs, which has led writer Joshua Henricks to hail the player as “impressive” due to his goalscoring ability.

Domestically, Rayners averages 1.7 shots per game, has created one big chance while succeeding with 75% of his dribble attempts. Crucially, he has missed only one big chance, indicating that he is more clinical in front of goal than Dessers, who tends to miss a large number of chances.

The 29-year-old has also shone for his country throughout 2024, scoring four goals in ten games for South Africa, with two coming during qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations as the nation avoided defeat in their group.

This proves that he is able to star on the international stage, suggesting he may not be fazed by moving to Ibrox in January.

With Hamza Igamane making the move to Scotland from Africa earlier this year and adapting fairly well, hopes are high that Rayners, who has more experience than the young Rangers striker, could follow suit.

Once again, finances could be the crux of any potential deal. If interest in Dessers is genuine, then securing a decent fee for the 29-year-old could certainly aid in Clement’s future transfer plans.

Will Rayners be included in this? Only time will tell, but the South African has proven his talents in front of goal throughout the calendar year.

Related Not just Bajrami: Clement must drop Rangers man who lost 11 duels

Rangers suffered defeat to St Mirren on Boxing Day

Posts 1 ByRoss Kilvington Dec 27, 2024

Manchester City got back to winning ways on Sunday, beating Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power.

Savinho, belatedly, opened his account for the club, on target in his 24th appearance in Sky Blue, before Erling Braut Haaland made the points secure in the East Midlands.

This though was just a second victory in 14 matches for the Citizens, moving the four-in-a-row champions back up to fifth, with Pep Guardiola himself admitting his team are “at risk” of missing out on next season’s Champions League.

With Guardiola having signed a new two-year extension back in November, Man City will need to undergo a major rebuild in 2025, so who will be top of incoming sporting director Hugo Viana’s wishlist?

Erling Braut Haaland's recent concerning form

After arriving from Borussia Dortmund, Haaland ripped up all the record books during his first two seasons at Manchester City.

Thus, despite the fact he’s currently the second-top scorer in the Premier League, behind only Mohamed Salah, this is considered a down-season for the Norwegian centre-forward, with the table below outlining why.

Statistic

22/23

23/24

24/25

Appearances

35

31

19

Minutes

2,769

2,552

1,709

Goals

36

27

14

Goals per 90

1.17

0.95

0.74

Goals – xG

+7.6

-2.2

-0.8

Shots

116

113

77

Shots per 90

3.77

3.99

4.06

During his debut campaign, Haaland broke the single-season scoring record, netting 36 times, while his goals – xG figure of +7.6 made him the second-most clinical forward in the division, although he’s currently performing below his expected goals figure, having more shots-per-90 than ever before this season, with these yielding fewer goals.

So, could a high-profile edition help get Haaland back to his best?

How Jamal Musiala would improve Manchester City

As reported by Caught Offside earlier this week, Manchester City are interested in signing Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain also interested in securing his services.

The 21-year-old is being targeted as a potential replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract expires next summer, although the Bavarian giants are currently negotiating a new contract with Musiala, hoping to tie down their most prized asset until 2029.

That aforementioned report claims Musiala is valued at €180m (around £149m), which would more than treble Bayern Munich’s record departure, selling Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona in 2022 and Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United last summer, both for €50m (£42m).

Meantime, this would also smash Man City’s transfer record, the £100m splashed on Jack Grealish in 2021.

So, would Musiala be worth this heavy investment? If anyone is, it’s got to be him.

Germany’s all-time most-capped player Lothar Matthäus compared his compatriot to Lionel Messi, exclaiming his delight that the “best player from the young English generation” chose to represent die Mannschaft.

Back in September 2022, during a UEFA Nations League fixture at Wembley, Musiala was in the very unique position of being booed by opposition fans due to the fact that he was facing his former nation; he previously represented England at youth level.

For his national team of choice, Musiala has scored seven senior goals to date, on target against Scotland, Hungary and Denmark during Euro 2024.

For Bayern Munich meantime, the youngster has a more than impressive 14 goals to his name already this season, coming in just 22 outings, breaking the deadlock inside 30 seconds as the Bundesliga leaders smashed RB Leipzig 5-1 in the final fixture before the winterpause.

Having scored 16 and 12 goals across the previous two seasons, it’s easy to see why Martin Rogers of Fox Sports has described Musiala as one of the best players on the planet, so it would be quite the coup if Man City were able to secure his signature.

Indeed, it would also prove fruitful for that man Haaland, with the German superstar possessing that innate creative touch having laid on six ‘big chances’ in the Bundesliga this season. Such creativity is being lapped up by teammate Harry Kane at Bayern, with the England skipper – who has 11 joint goal contributions with Musiala – describing his club colleague as “fantastic to play with”.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The playmaker’s desire to wreak havoc in the final third – as shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 4% in Europe for touches in the attacking penalty area – could help to drag City closer to the opposition goal, thus enhancing the opportunity for Haaland score.

Such a youthful combination could certainly be tantalising one at the Etihad, if this marquee deal can be pulled off.

Man City now eyeing move to sign Gundogan-like midfielder ahead of Arsenal

He’s one for the future…

1 ByTom Cunningham Dec 29, 2024

FIFA Appeal Committee has decided that CF Pachuca and Club León failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• CF Pachuca, Club León "fail to meet criteria on multi-club ownership"

• León did not accept FIFA's decision, will appeal the ruling

• FIFA has not yet named a replacement for León in CWC

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  FIFA announced on Friday that Club León will be excluded from the 2025 Club World Cup for failing to meet the multi-club ownership criteria outlined in Article 10, Paragraph 1 of the tournament regulations. Despite efforts to prove their operational independence, the club was unable to convince FIFA.

  In recent days, representatives from Pachuca and León held meetings with FIFA to argue that the two clubs operate independently, despite sharing some shareholders. However, FIFA ultimately ruled against León. Grupo Pachuca can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as León had earned their spot by winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

  "No person or legal entity may control or exert influence over more than one club participating in the competition," reads article 10 of FIFA's 2025 Club World Cup ownership rules.

  It remains unclear which CONCACAF club will take the place of Club León in the upcoming tournament, with FIFA saying "the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course."

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• J.LEAGUE
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The champion of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Club León, where Colombian James Rodríguez plays, was expelled from the 2025 Club World Cup on Friday for failing to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership. La Fiera shares Group D of the competition with Chelsea, Flamengo, and Esperance.

  According to FIFA, León's replacement will be announced soon, although the Liga MX club has stated that they will appeal the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS). Costa Rica's Alajuelense has expressed interest in taking that spot, as they won the 2024 Central American Cup.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT PACHUCA AND LEÓN SAID

  "We have just been informed by FIFA that one of the two teams: Pachuca and León, participants in the 2025 Club World Cup, will be excluded from the competition. We are dissatisfied with this decision, and we will appeal it to the highest levels, including the highest sports tribunal, as all the evidence and documentation proving our administrative and sporting independence were presented in a timely and transparent manner," the club said in a statement. "In our case, we will defend what was earned on the field in a fair, professional manner, and in accordance with the competition rules."

• getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR CLUB LEÓN?

  While this case is being clarified, La Fiera will host Pumas on Sunday, March 30, in Matchday 13 of the Clausura 2025. The team coached by Eduardo Berizzo is in second place in the tournament with 26 points.

أعرب مدرب برشلونة هانز فليك، عن سعادته عقب فوز فريقه على ريال مايوركا في منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وفاز برشلونة على نظيره ريال مايوركا بهدف دون رد، ضمن منافسات الجولة 33 من الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”، على ملعب “مونتجويك الأولمبي”.

وبهذه النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد برشلونة إلى النقطة 76 في المركز الأول بترتيب الدوري الإسباني، بينما تجمد رصيد ريال مايوركا عند النقطة 45 في المركز السابع.

طالع.. فيديو | بأقدام أولمو.. برشلونة يتخطى ريال مايوركا بصعوبة ويعزز صدارته لـ الدوري الإسباني

وقال هانز فليك في تصريحات لـ “BARCA ONE”: “فزنا بهدف دون رد، لكن كنا نستحق أهدافا أكثر، صنعنا الكثير من الفرص، لكن أنا سعيد لأننا حافظنا على نظافة شباكنا وسعيد أيضاً بطريقة لعبنا لأنها كانت جيدة جداً”.

وعن عدم تأثر الأداء بكثرة التعديلات في التشكيل، أوضح فليك: “الجميع شارك في أسلوب اللعب الذي أردناه، ومن الرائع أن ترى الجميع يُظهر كم هو جيد، وكم هو منسجم مع زملائه، هذه وضعية إيجابية جداً بالنسبة لنا”.

وعن المداورة، أفاد فليك: “أنا دائمًا مضطر لإدارة الأمور والتفكير في المباراة القادمة، لأنها دائمًا الأهم”.

وفيما يتعلق بـ داني أولمو، أكد المدرب الألماني: “من المهم جداً بالنسبة لنا أن يكون معنا حتى نهاية الموسم، هذا ما كنا نفكر فيه أيضاً قبل المباراة”.

وتابع: “لدينا الكثير من الأفكار حول من سيبدأ ومن سيجلس على الدكة، وبالطبع كنا نرغب في إجراء تغييرات أخرى، لكن في النهاية الأمور تسير كما هي والمباريات دائماً تكون مختلفة عما تتوقعه”.

وأكمل حديثه: “حارس ريال مايوركا كان جيدًا جدًا، لكن أعتقد أن فريقنا بأكمله دافع بشكل ممتاز، الطريقة التي لعب بها الفريق كانت جيدة جدًا، رأينا عددًا أقل من الأخطاء مقارنة بالمباريات السابقة، وأعتقد أننا قدمنا مباراة رائعة”.

وواصل فليك: “الجميع قام بعمل جيد جدًا، كان من الإيجابي أن يشعر كل فرد في الفريق بأنه داخل المجموعة، وهذا هو ما نحتاجه”.

وعن بيدري، قال: “إنه حاليًا في مستوى عالٍ جدًا، ليس فقط عندما تكون الكرة معه، بل أيضًا بدون الكرة، يُساعدنا كثيرًا من الناحية الدفاعية، والجميع يعرف مدى جودته”.

Punjab Kings opener gives glimpse of the thinking needed to have success as a batter in T20 cricket, after sensational takedown of RCB

Sidharth Monga13-May-20222:00

‘Our intent is always to play attacking cricket’

If you looked at Jonny Bairstow’s numbers coming into this match – 136 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 117.24 – you’d be justified in thinking he has had a tough tournament. These batters, though, can’t get so attached to numbers if they are to play proper T20 cricket.”It depends on what you class as a tough tournament really,” Bairstow said, when asked about his “tough tournament” leading up to his 29-ball 66 that set Punjab Kings up for a big win. “Because obviously I have been caught at fine leg twice, third man once, and run out on 19.5 overs so there is a difference in being unselfish and it being a difficult competition. I am happy with the way I have transitioned to opening the batting. It has been very enjoyable being back at the top.”Related

Livingstone, Bairstow set up winning total for Kings

Scenarios: Kings almost certain to make playoffs if they win their last two games

This is a welcome change, that batters are looking at their numbers with the added lens of intent and luck. Getting caught on the boundary is better than getting out looking for a single, and knowing that when you do actively look for boundaries you need a bit of luck to go with your skill. If it doesn’t come off, don’t get too down on yourself. To get batters to recalibrate success and failure along those lines has been one of the bigger challenges for T20 coaches.What Bairstow did on Friday was sensational. He scored 59 runs in the powerplay, taking down Royal Challengers Bangalore’s banker bowler Josh Hazlewood. To Bairstow, not a lot was different.”Just think that sometimes there is balls in your area, and you have to try to take advantage of that,” Bairstow said. “Sometimes it is fine lines where you might get caught on the boundary, just inside the rope, or you might get a thin edge on another one. Today was a good day. Was happy to take advantage of the powerplay.”It was especially important because Kings as a side have been given reason to doubt their cavalier approach this year. It is tough to remain philosophical about your method if the results are not going your way. Kings have often found themselves unable to maximise the death overs because they have gone too hard looking for a point of difference early on. To keep believing in that process is important but also difficult.”That has been generally been the ethos of how we have tried to go about all of the tournament,” Bairstow said. “That has been the way in which the guys want to go about the process of the game. You may have noticed sometimes we have lost wickets in clusters in the middle, which has stifled our progress on from there, but I think on the whole that was the way we wanted to try and go about I for a majority of the tournament. It doesn’t happen all the time but if we can do it more often than not, then hopefully when a couple of people stand up we can get that job done.”Liam Livingstone, who followed up Bairstow’s effort with 70 off 42, agreed. “It’s how we want to play our cricket,” Livingstone said. “Jonny was outstanding and really set the tone. From then on we were ahead of the game. It gave us a chance to probably – especially myself – get in and assess the conditions for a little bit longer than usual. So it was nice to be able to knock it around for a little bit before setting the platform to go at the end. Jonny set it up perfectly for the rest of the batters.”If we get our chance of putting the opposition under pressure then [we want to] make sure we do that. I think Jonny did that perfectly today. To one of their best bowlers [Hazlewood]. I think the intent that he showed in his first over put us way ahead of the game. Not just within the game but mentally as well.”

Glasgow Rangers extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight matches with a 3-0 win away at Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

The Light Blues remain 11 points adrift of Celtic at the top of the table but have closed the gap between themselves and Aberdeen down to two points, with a game in hand.

Hamza Igamane and Danilo scored the goals in the first-half to give the away side a comfortable lead, before James Tavernier sealed all three points in the second half.

It was another impressive performance from Igamane on the left wing, who has now scored four goals in his last four matches in all competitions.

Hamza Igamane's performance against Ross County

The 22-year-old whiz opened the scoring for the Gers in the first-half with a terrific strike, aided by a deflection, from the edge of the box after Jefte’s set to him from the left.

He did not hesitate to pull the trigger from range, without even taking a touch to set himself, and earned his luck with the deflection to find the back of the net.

Igamane also completed three of his four attempted dribbles and created one ‘big chance’ for his teammates in the game, which shows that he offered a threat in transition and as a creator, to go along with his goal.

However, it was not a perfect performance from the youngster, as he only completed 66% of his attempted passes and lost possession a staggering 22 times.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The real star of the show for Philippe Clement, and player who produced a complete performance against Ross County, was central defender Leon Balogun.

Why Leon Balogun was the star for Rangers

The experienced Nigeria international did not score and was not directly involved in any of the three goals for Rangers, yet he was the hero for the manager with his monstrous display at the heart of the defence.

Whilst Igamane let himself down at times with his loose touches and passes, Balogun only lost possession nine times from 78 touches and completed 84% of his passes, which speaks to how reliable the defender is on the ball.

The 36-year-old veteran, who was selected alongside John Souttar ahead of summer signing Robin Propper, was also almost faultless with his defensive work throughout the game to prevent the home side from causing Rangers too many problems.

Clearances

4

10

Interceptions

1

3

Tackles made

0

7

Ground duels won

0/0

8/9

Aerial duels won

1/1

4/7

As you can see in the table above, Balogun was incredibly dominant for Rangers and carried his centre-back partner in the match, making nine more tackles and interceptions and winning 11 more duels.

The Nigerian titan led the match in clearances, duels won, and tackles made, which illustrates just how impressive his work out of possession was for the Scottish giants.

Ross County only created one ‘big chance’ in the game and that was, in large part, down to the brilliance of Balogun, who combined quality on the ball with incredibly defensive strength out of possession, and that is why he was the real hero for Clement.

Rangers signed their own Kante before he left after one forgettable year

Glasgow Rangers thought they had their own version of N’Golo Kante, then he flopped.

ByDan Emery Nov 25, 2024

KKR have a marginally better chance because of their superior NRR, but a lot of results must go their way if they hope to progress

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2022Kolkata Knight Riders: M 13, Pts 12, NRR 0.160
Knight Riders have kept their chances of qualifying for the playoffs alive, but just about. Their qualification is not entirely in their own hands.Apart from Super Giants, three out of four teams – Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challenger Bangalore, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings – can still get to 16 points. If that happens, with Gujarat Titans having already qualified, Knight Riders are out of the race since they can get to a maximum of 14 points.However, qualification with 14 points cannot be ruled out yet given a maximum of five teams, apart from Titans and Super Giants (who would then qualify as the first- and the second-placed teams, respectively) can still tie on 14 points. The NRR boost Knight Riders got from beating Sunrisers by 54 runs could come in handy should such a tie on 14 points take place. Knight Riders’ NRR of 0.160 is currently the fifth best of the lot.Sunrisers Hyderabad: M 12, Pts 10, NRR -0.270
The big loss against Knight Riders has severely dented the chances of Sunrisers making it to the playoffs. Because of the margin of defeat, Sunrisers’ NRR is at present the second-poorest of the teams still in contention. Like Knight Riders, Sunrisers could also sneak through with 14 points. However, for Sunrisers it is more of an uphill task given their poor NRR and their current losing streak, which has now extended to five matches.

When we think of Jurgen Klopp, we think of brilliant white teeth, wide-stretched grin. A larger-than-life way about him that arrested the Red half of Merseyside and handed it the promise of something more.

But the revered German manager wasn’t all sunshine and daisies and feel-good factor and so on and so forth. He was ruthless. He built a dynasty from smouldering ashes, rid Liverpool of the rotted framework and birthed it anew.

Jurgen Klopp's ruthlessness

It’s fair to say that Klopp inherited a ramshackle side from Brendan Rodgers. Liverpool had not so much fallen by the wayside as been thrown into a ditch after the elated exploits of 2013/14, heralded by Luis Suarez.

Klopp needed to act. It became quite clear quite quickly that Anfield was in a figurative state of disrepair, with the money splurged from Luis Suarez’s serving only to get Rodgers sacked.

Arriving as a late starter in the 2014/15 season, Klopp bade his time, forgoing winter transfer activity and instead assessing his crop ahead of a concerted push the following summer.

Liverpool’s illustrious success over the past decade speaks for itself, but the man who made it happen did so by bringing in players of nascent brilliance and shaping them into world-beaters.

The flotsam was shifted. Jordan Ibe, Martin Skrtel and Joe Allen were hefted out right away, while Mamadou Sakho and Lucas Leiva moved on the following year. All one-time mainstays, all deemed incompatible with the new vision.

Ah, we’ve missed Christian Benteke. This one didn’t end with a warm parting handshake.

Why Klopp got rid of Christian Benteke

Benteke joined Liverpool from Aston Villa for a £32.5m fee in 2015. The Anfield side had flattered to deceive in their first post-Suarez year and Rodgers was skating on thin ice. Some new firepower was needed.

The Belgian had produced some monstrous performances at Villa Park, and he was considered to be a reliable and powerful Premier League marksman, having scored 49 goals across 101 appearances.

He wasn’t terrible at Liverpool, but he didn’t fit Klopp’s vision and was passed over to Crystal Palace, Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge providing Klopp, who engineered two of Europe’s most potent wingers, with the requisite quality.

Christian Benteke: Stats with Premier League Clubs
Club	Apps	Goals	Assists	G/A Rate
Crystal Palace	177	37	11	0.27
Aston Villa	101	49	12	0.60
Liverpool	42	10	6	0.38
Stats via Transfermarkt

At the time, Benteke said that Klopp “ignores” him, rarely starting him in the Premier League despite having supposedly registered an interest while he was at the Borussia Dortmund helm.

He’s ebbed and flowed since leaving, and it’s impressive that Liverpool actually managed to recoup £27m when selling him to Palace in August 2016.

While he wouldn’t touch the sides at the Merseyside outfit right now, it’s interesting to note that he’s actually outscoring Mohamed Salah.

Christian Benteke's performances in 2024

Plying his trade in the MLS for DC United, Benteke, now aged 34, is enjoying the twilit stage of his career. He’s enjoyed some return in 2024.

Across 33 appearances, the veteran has scored 25 goals and provided five assists across 33 matches, even outscoring the likes of Lionel Messi and Suarez, who he attempted to replace at Liverpool. He’s played more football, but it’s a mean feat nonetheless.

Benteke is even outscoring Salah, who has posted 15 goals and 12 assists across 21 matches under Arne Slot’s wing this season after notching just nine strikes during the latter half of Klopp’s swansong season, totalling 24 goals in all.

It’s a shame that it didn’t work out, but Liverpool have hardly failed to enjoy attacking riches since the Belgian’s departure and must view his rich year with fondness.

Imagine him & Salah: Liverpool keen on "one of the best CFs in the world"

Liverpool are still targeting reinforcements despite the superb start to life under Arne Slot.

1

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Ethan Lamb

Dec 4, 2024

Hampshire signing hopes for Hundred wildcard gig after missing out on squads for Sri Lanka tour

Matt Roller06-Jun-2022When Australia play the first of three T20 internationals against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday, the man who hit the winning runs in their most recent game will be more than 5000 miles away in the Hertfordshire village of Radlett, playing for Hampshire in the Vitality Blast.Ben McDermott flicked Haris Rauf off his pads for four to seal a three-wicket win over Pakistan in Lahore two months ago, finishing on 22 not out from No. 7, but the leading run-scorer in last season’s Big Bash finds himself squeezed out of the squad with several big guns returning, and is not part of the Australia A squad shadowing the main tour either.”Guys like Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith and David Warner are all back in the mix which pushed me out,” McDermott told ESPNcricinfo. “You get a go through injuries, stuff like that: Mitch Marsh got injured in Pakistan, Maxwell and Warner weren’t there. You’re aware that when those guys come back they have first preference.”It’s not the worst back-up plan to come to a really good club, play a full season in a T20 league different to the Big Bash and experience new conditions and expand my game. It’s always been a dream of mine to play county cricket.”I was signed with Derbyshire for two years: the first was deferred because of Covid and last year I was called up by Australia. I ended up playing two Championship games for Derbyshire – which was a bit of a surprise really because I was over for the Blast. It was an easy decision to come over – I jumped at the chance.”Related

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McDermott, 27, had a breakthrough season in the BBL for Hobart Hurricanes, scoring 577 runs with an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 153.86 and breaking up one of the competition’s most established opening partnerships between Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short.But despite a maiden international hundred in Pakistan – he made 104 from No. 3 in a tight defeat – he remains on the fringes of the Australia set-up, with sporadic opportunities in a number of different roles culminating in a T20I average of 15.82 and a strike rate of 94.38.Along with Alex Carey, Josh Inglis and Josh Philippe, he is one of a number of wicketkeeper-batters looking to stake a claim to be Wade’s long-term successor in the T20I team, and even took the gloves ahead of Wade in the most recent BBL.”It’s a really good side: it’s pretty packed,” he said. “They won the T20 World Cup so I don’t see it changing too much. It would be really nice to be in that squad and experience what those guys did in Dubai – it looked spectacular – and if I do well here it’s not going to do my case any harm.”But it’s going to be tough to crack into. I’ve had 25 [23] international T20s now and haven’t really taken those opportunities. I’ve had a good crack at a lot of different batting positions as well so hopefully I can really nail down a gameplan at the top of the order and keep being consistent with it.”McDermott made his first international hundred in Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesMcDermott has had a solid start to his Hampshire career: after five games, he is their leading run-scorer, with a top score of 60 off 35 balls in their first win of the season against Sussex on Saturday night.”I’ve had some starts here and there but hadn’t been able to do it for long periods of time,” he said after that innings. “Tonight was an exception and hopefully it is a kickstart for things to come. Tournament cricket is about momentum and I’ve never played in a tournament which is so congested, where games are coming thick and fast.”He is due to be available throughout the Blast along with his Hurricanes team-mate Nathan Ellis and both men have a secondary incentive to perform this week: they are both registered for Thursday’s wildcard draft for the Hundred and hoping to spend another month in the UK if selected.”They’ve both made big strides in the last two years and are key players for us at Hobart, as well as good friends,” Tim David, who has impressed for Lancashire in the Blast, said. “Ben is a high-class batsman and hopefully he’ll get a gig for the Hundred through that wildcard draft which is coming up.”McDermott said: “There seemed to be a lot going on with replacement players last year and I’m sure there will be some players coming and going with international duty too. I’m definitely in that wildcard draft; at this stage I’m focused on the Blast, but the Hundred looks like a serious competition so hopefully I can pick something up.”

West Bromwich Albion are now in advanced talks over a deal for a “full-back’s nightmare” after having a £5 million bid accepted, according to a Sky Sports reporter.

West Brom transfer news

The first week of the January transfer window has passed, and the Baggies are yet to sign a player or find a replacement for Carlos Corberan. The Spaniard left the club before Christmas, and Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill have all been in interim charge since.

Those three are expected to be in charge of their upcoming FA Cup game against AFC Bournemouth, but a shortlist has now been drawn up in the hope they find an appointment before their next league game against Stoke City.

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As their search for a new manager continues, it hasn’t stopped transfer talk from gathering pace involving the Midlands side. Earlier this week it was reported that West Brom are in the race to sign Adam Devine from Rangers. The 21-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season, but a move could happen this month as the Baggies want to add more competition to their right-back spot despite Darnell Furlong becoming one of the best right-backs in the league.

As well as looking to sign Devine, West Brom are also interested in signing Lewis Koumas on loan from Liverpool. The forward has impressed at Stoke City this season, scoring four goals in 29 appearances, and the Baggies, along with Sheffield United, are keen on securing him for the second half of the season.

West Brom in talks with representatives of £5m EFL player

Devine and Koumas are not the only targets for the Baggies, as according to Sky Sports reporters Lyall Thomas and Keith Downie, West Brom have had a £5 million bid accepted for Middlesbrough’s Isaiah Jones and are now in talks with his representatives.

The 25-year-old, who has been described as a “full-back’s nightmare” by journalist Josh Bunting, has been at the Riverside Stadium since July 2019. Joines joined Middlesbrough’s under-21s when he arrived, and after playing 22 times for that age group, he moved into the first team in the 2021/22 campaign.

Since then, Jones has been a key part of Middlesbrough’s starting XI under the managers they have had. The right-winger, who can also play down the middle and on the left-hand side, has taken his game to a new level under Michael Carrick, but despite playing 23 times in all competitions this season, Boro have now accepted a bid for his services.

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Downie reports that Middlesbrough have accepted £5 million bids from West Brom and Luton Town to sign Jones. Boro have now given the player permission to speak to both clubs as discussions take place over personal terms. He goes on to add that while the Baggies are keen on landing the winger, Luton are considered the favourites to sign Jones at this moment in time.