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David “Syd” Lawrence, the former Gloucestershire and England fast bowler, has passed away at the age of 61 following a year battling motor neurone disease (MND).A strapping fast bowler, Lawrence played five Tests for England and making 280 appearances for Gloucestershire, taking 625 wickets for the county. In 1988, he became the first British-born Black cricketer to represent England. In 2022, he became his county’s first Black president. This month, Lawrence received an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours, having been named as one of the inaugural Honorary Life Vice-Presidents of the ECB earlier in the year.Lawrence was diagnosed with MND in 2024, a degenerative condition that affects the brain and nerves, causing muscle wastage. There is no cure, and Lawrence was working to raise money and awareness of the condition.Related

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In that time, he remained an inspirational figure at the club, sharing in their Vitality Blast success last summer. Gloucestershire assisted fundraising efforts with a “Pink 4 Syd” evening at the club, honouring Lawrence with a pink kit to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) during their men’s fixture with Hampshire Hawks in the Vitality Blast. Last week, his autobiography, “In Syd’s Voice”, written in partnership with his friend and former Mirror cricket correspondent, Dean Wilson, was published.A statement from Lawrence’s family read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dave Lawrence MBE following his brave battle with Motor Neurone Disease.”‘Syd’ was an inspirational figure on and off the cricket field and no more so than to his family who were with him when he passed.”A proud Gloucestershire man, Syd took on every challenge with everything he could and his final contest with MND was no different. His willingness to encourage and think of others right up to the end was typical of the man he was.”As President of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Syd took on the role with incredible pride and passion and loved every minute of it.”Syd’s wife Gaynor and son Buster thank everyone for the kindness and support that has been shown to them and the family so far and would ask that they are now given some time and space to grieve in private.”Lawrence played his five Tests and single ODI between 1988 and 1992. A genuine quick bowler, he debuted at Lord’s against Sri Lanka and went on to take 18 wickets, including his best of 5 for 106 against West Indies at The Oval in 1991.His career was cut devastatingly short when, in 1992, he fractured his kneecap as he ran in to bowl against New Zealand in Wellington. Though a comeback never truly materialised, barring a four-game stint for Gloucestershire five years later, he used retirement as a springboard to expand his horizons, becoming a nightclub owner and later a competitive bodybuilder.He was also a leading advocate for inclusion and diversity in cricket. In 2021, he spoke openly of his experience of racism at Gloucestershire, for which the club offered an unreserved apology. He was also involved with the African-Caribbean Engagement programme (ACE) in Bristol.”Everyone connected with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club will be devastated with the news of Syd’s passing, and we send all our love to his incredible family and friends,” said Gloucestershire Cricket chief executive Neil Priscott.”The executive team at the Club were of course aware of his fine record as a one-county man but we all got to truly know and love him as our current President. He was so passionate about the power of cricket and how our sport can touch people’s lives. Syd pushed us to reach out to communities far and wide and we shall continue to do that in his honour. Friday night’s ‘Pink 4 Syd; match was a fitting tribute to a Gloucestershire great, and we are very sad to have lost someone so special.”In a statement released by the ECB, chair Richard Thompson said: “David ‘Syd’ Lawrence was a true trailblazer of English cricket and a man of immense courage, character, and compassion.”His impact on the game extended far beyond the boundary ropes. As a fast bowler, he thrilled crowds with his pace and passion. As a leader and advocate, he broke barriers and inspired change, becoming a powerful voice for inclusion and representation in our sport.”Even in the face of his illness, David showed extraordinary strength and dignity, continuing to uplift others with his resilience and spirit. He leaves behind a legacy that will endure in the hearts of all who love cricket.”Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the entire cricketing community at this time.”

There are plenty of reasons why Rangers have endured a miserable season so far.

Most would blame under-fire manager Russell Martin, who has won just five of 15 matches in charge across all competitions to date, while others cite poor squad building and underwhelming recruitment.

It may not be the primary reason, but the departure of Václav Černý has to be a key factor.

The Czechia international spent last season on loan in Glasgow from Wolfsburg, joining Beşiktaş on a permanent deal this summer instead of returning, but he made quite the impression during his year in Govan.

Černý scored 18 goals in 52 appearances for Rangers, of which six came in the Europa League, a key figure as the Light Blues reached the quarter-finals, on target against Steaua Bucharest, Nice and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise before netting twice during the famous 3-1 victory over Fenerbahçe in İstanbul.

Thus, he was always going to be a near-impossible figure to replace, but has Martin unearthed the new Černý, a man who will be key to Rangers’ hopes in this season’s Europa League?

Oliver Antman's impact at Rangers

Ahead of Thursday night’s clash with Sturm Graz at Liebenauer Stadium, Oliver Antman is expected to start on the right-wing, chosen over Mikey Moore.

The Finnish international was introduced at half-time of last Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Genk, following Mohamed Diomandé’s red card, before starting Sunday’s hard-fought, last gasp 2-1 victory over Livingston, assisting James Tavernier’s opener at Almondvale.

The Finnish international was an exciting signing right from the off, having registered six goals and 16 assists for Go Ahead Eagles last season, helping them win the KNVB Beker for the very first time, the Eredivisie club’s first major silverware since 1933.

Less than 24 hours after arriving in Glasgow for around £3.5m, he was the star of the show as Rangers demolished Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 in a Champions League qualifier as the team put in, by some distance, their best performance under Martin.

However, soon after, he lost his place in the starting lineup to Spurs loanee Moore, but is seemingly the first choice once again.

However, is the winger on the opposite side even more exciting?

Rangers' new Václav Černý

In a season of few positives for Rangers, the form of Djeidi Gassama is certainly something worth being excited about.

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If Černý’s calling card last season was scoring goals in Europe, well the 22-year-old certainly took up that mantle from day one.

During the summer, after arriving from Sheffield Wednesday for a reported fee of £2.2m, the Frenchman scored four times in Rangers’ first three Champions League qualifiers, on target home and away as they dumped out Panathinaikos, before a double to down Viktoria Plzeň at Ibrox, the second of which completed a free-flowing team move, set up by Antman.

Speaking on BBC Sportscene after full time, former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday labelled Gassama an “electric winger”, adding that he is “direct, quick and a constant threat, [causing] defenders a lot of problems”, while manager Martin praised his “intensity” and goal threat, noting that is something the pair had worked on in training.

So, let’s outline Gassama’s statistics so far this season.

As the table documents, despite having not scored since Champions League qualifying in August, Gassama has been key to Rangers as an attacking unit, ranked first for goals, shots and shots on target as well as chances created and dribbling metrics.

The Frenchman has already shown that he is capable of linking up with Antman while, alongside Bojan Miovski, they should form a frightening front three at both domestic and Europa League level, looking to fire the Gers to victory in Austria.

Martin must drop Aasgaard to start "powerful" star in new Rangers formation

Russell Martin should drop Thelo Aasgaard from the starting XI to try out this new formation.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 2, 2025

Arsenal thumped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a hugely impressive Champions League outing on Tuesday, as Gabriel Magalhaes scored and assisted while Viktor Gyokeres netted a confidence-boosting brace. Three of the Gunners' four goals came directly from set-pieces, as Mikel Arteta's side became the second English side to beat Atletico in Europe this season, after Liverpool.

Arsenal had an opening within the first five minutes, as Eberechi Eze took aim from outside the area, and his shot took a looping deflection before crashing against the crossbar. Midway through the half, meanwhile, David Raya made a terrible mistake, as he attempted to shepherd the ball out of play, only to lose possession, and after Atletico took their throw-in quickly, Julian Alvarez could only shoot narrowly wide of the far post. 

After the half-hour mark, Arsenal thought they had the lead, as Martin Zubimendi won the ball high and fed Bukayo Saka; his shot was tapped in by Gabriel Martinelli, but VAR correctly ruled the Brazil international offside. 

After the resumption in the second half, Atletico also hit the bar, as Alvarez shot from the edge of the box and sent Raya scrambling, only for the Spaniard to be saved by the woodwork. But it was Arsenal who took the lead, four minutes before the hour, with Gabriel heading home a fine free-kick delivery from Declan Rice. 

Martinelli added a second just after the 60-minute mark, as he ran onto a fine Myles Lewis-Skelly through ball and found the bottom corner, before Viktor Gyokeres all but ended the game as a contest with a scrappy finish from the edge of the six-yard box. 

Gyokeres added his second, and Arsenal's fourth, on 70 minutes, after another exceptional Rice delivery found Gabriel at the back post, marking the end of a whirlwind 13-minute period in which the north London side marked themselves out as genuine European contenders this season. 

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (5/10):

Rush of blood to the head saw him steam out of his goal and lose the ball, but Alvarez could only fire wide. Fortunate that the Argentine's shot from range hit the bar, too. Erratic, and he had no need to be. 

Jurrien Timber (7/10):

Strong off the ball and good on it too as he continually attempted to head into Atletico territory. 

William Saliba (7/10):

Dealt with Sorloth very well, and was barely threatened by the imposing Norwegian. Won't get the headlines, but he's so dependable. 

Gabriel Magalhaes (9/10):

Scored a fine header, and then blocked a goal-bound shot mere seconds later, rather summing up his application at both ends. Assisted Gyokeres' second in a match-winning display from centre-back. 

Myles Lewis-Skelly (8/10):

Did well down his flank, locking Simeone down with a minimum of fuss. Poured forward whenever he could and one such dynamic run led to Martinelli scoring the second goal of the night. Deserves to play regularly on this evidence.

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Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Booked in the first-half, meaning he will be suspended for Arsenal's trip to face Slavia Prague.  Played well regardless, breaking up play effectively, and deserves credit for doing so while carded. This is the kind of game he thrives in. 

Declan Rice (8/10):

Truly exquisite ball in for Gabriel to head home to give the Gunners the lead. An understated performance otherwise, enlivened by some truly world-class quality, as his corner also directly led to Arsenal's fourth.

Eberechi Eze (5/10):

Early effort deflected onto the bar. Struggled a little to get on the ball as much as he would like and his influence waned as the game went on. Disappointing, especially given the performances of his midfield colleagues.

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Bukayo Saka (7/10):

Always willing to go at Hancko and got plenty of joy in doing so. Unfortunate that Martinelli mistimed his run or he would have the assist his play merited.

Viktor Gyokeres (8/10):

Scored the scrappiest goal of the season before adding a second at the back post. The relief was palpable, and every one of his team-mates will be hoping this is the start of a deluge. 

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Tapped in Saka's cross but was offside. Scored the second just after the hour after a fine assist from Lewis-Skelly. Never stopped running. 

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Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

On for Gabriel. Didn't do anything wrong after stepping into defence.

Ethan Nwaneri (6/10):

On for Eze. Didn't have a chance to run at Atleti.

Christian Norgaard (6/10):

Replaced Zubimendi. Slotted into midfield. 

Mikel Merino (N/A):

Replaced Gyokeres late.

Ben White (N/A):

On late.

Mikel Arteta (7/10):

This was rather nip and tuck for the first half, but once again set-pieces won the day. His histrionics on the touchline are often distracting – referees need to start booking him for his flagrant misunderstanding of where his technical area ends – but his team are unbelievable on their day, and this was one of their days. 

Nottingham Forest have officially lodged a complaint with UEFA following their dramatic 3-2 Europa League home defeat to FC Midtjylland, as the pressure mounts on manager Ange Postecoglou just six games into his reign at the City Ground. Forest chiefs were left incensed by the controversial officiating during Thursday’s European clash, which saw the visitors escape with three points amid a series of questionable decisions from French referee Willy Delajod.

• Forest erupt after Europa League chaos

  According to Delajod’s performance is at the heart of Forest’s outrage. Despite Midtjylland’s bruising, physical approach, the official showed just one yellow card to the Danish side, to wing-back Kevin Mbabu, while three Forest players were booked: Morato, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White.

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  Referee under fire after Midtjylland mayhem

  A particularly reckless challenge by Denil Castillo on Elliot Anderson early in the contest summed up the inconsistency, with the Midtjylland midfielder somehow escaping with only a verbal warning. Forest sources say the stop-start nature of the officiating killed their rhythm and denied them the chance to build any attacking momentum.

• Ange under fire: Six games, no wins and no mercy

  The defeat has left Postecoglou’s position hanging by a thread. The Australian boss, who only took over in the summer, has endured a nightmare start to life in Nottingham, with no wins from his first six games in charge. This is the worst record by a Forest manager for over 100 years, since John Baynes went winless in any of his first seven games in 1925. 

  Thursday’s loss marked yet another low point, with sections of the City Ground crowd turning on the manager by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning!”; a brutal soundtrack for a coach already fighting for survival. Fans also resurrected songs for former manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked only last month but has since resurfaced as West Ham boss.

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  Forest at a crossroads before international break

  Sunday’s clash with Newcastle could well determine Postecoglou’s fate. Club insiders admit that failure to end the winless run will almost certainly trigger a managerial change during the break. Forest’s owners are said to be “deeply concerned” about the team’s direction and fear that another loss could see morale sink even lower. 

Smith says his dismissal was a crucial moment in Australia’s semi-final loss to India

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Mar-20251:22

Agar: Australia building more depth a big positive despite loss

“I missed a full toss. It wasn’t ideal.” This is one of the greatest contemporary batters speaking on a moment that swung the match away from his team.Steven Smith was batting on 73 in the 37th over against India, and seemed set to guide Australia into the death overs. Then he ran at Mohammed Shami, got a full toss at around knee-height, and missed it completely. The off stump was rattled.From there, Australia got 66 runs off the 75 balls available to them. Alex Carey hit 61 off 57, batting with the tail in the later stages. Nathan Ellis tried to crash some late boundaries. But if you are looking for a moment in the match that paved the way for India’s dominance, this is a big one.Related

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“My plan was to try and put the seamers under a bit more pressure, and just rotate the spin,” Smith said after the match. “But I didn’t do it very well. I lost my wicket at probably a crucial stage. Had I batted a little deeper, we could have potentially got up to near 300 or something. Alex was batting really nicely at the other end. It was a disappointing time to get out, but that’s the game sometimes.”Australia only set India 265 for victory. But given this was likely the most batting-friendly surface at this venue for the whole tournament, Smith rued the chance to go big.”I think we had our opportunities throughout to post something up above 300,” Smith said. “We were probably just that one wicket down too many at a few stages throughout the innings. If we extended one of those partnerships a little bit, we’re probably getting up to 290 to 300 and we’re putting a bit of pressure on the scoreboard.Steven Smith was bowled by a full toss•Associated Press

“The square block as a whole, I think, has seen a lot of cricket over the last couple of months. We can see it’s pretty tired and that’s probably the reason why we haven’t seen a score above 300 in the tournament here so far. So we did a reasonable job, but we probably just lacked a couple of those partnerships just dragging out a little bit further.”Australia were also poor in the field. They dropped Rohit Sharma twice, and Virat Kohli was put down on 51. All of these were tough chances, though.”I think when you’re trying to squeeze the game and you’re trying to build a lot of pressure, you need to take those chances when you’ve got 260 [264] on the board,” Smith said. “But that’s the game, it happens. No one means to drop a catch. It’s part of the game.”

Tottenham are back in the market for a new number 10 once again, after they were beaten to the punch by Arsenal for Eberechi Eze, and it is a saga that Daniel Levy will want to forget very quickly.

After nearly a fortnight of back and forth between Crystal Palace and Spurs, the Lilywhites reached a verbal club-to-club agreement for Eze earlier this week, after also agreeing personal terms with the 27-year-old himself.

However, despite Levy’s deal being on the verge of completion at one stage, Kai Havertz’s injury prompted Tottenham’s north London rivals to swoop in and hijack their advanced move for Eze.

The England international ultimately chose to join Arsenal instead, with an agreement to sign for the Gunners now sealed and all hope of Tottenham signing him lost.

Given Mikel Arteta’s side managed to strike a deal in the space of one day, it isn’t a good look for Tottenham, who must get over their second public humiliation of the window after also missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White.

This summer’s pool of star playmakers who can genuinely make a difference is starting to run low, but Frank’s glaring need for a creative force remains after losing James Maddison to an ACL rupture – which is expected to keep him out for the majority of 2025/2026.

Spurs were once planning to head into the season with both Gibbs-White and Maddison, but ended up with neither. They also can’t turn towards Eze as a proven alternative to the pair either, so the situation has now reached emergency level crisis mode.

In terms of who they could still bring in before the looming transfer deadline, Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott remain rumoured options, at least for now.

Another player they’re now considering is Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss.

Totenham make approach to hijack Crystal Palace deal for El Khannouss

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham have inquired about El Khannouss’ situation after losing the race for Eze, and they could exact revenge on Palace in the process by hijacking the Eagles’ transfer.

Palace are apparently close to agreeing a £32m deal for the Morocco international (Sky Sports), after his £22.5m relegation clause expired recently, but the deal is still not completely done.

The 21-year-old averaged more key passes per 90 in the top flight than any other Foxes player last term, before they were relegated, and he’s even drawn comparisons to Man City sensation Rayan Cherki.

Tottenham seemingly have the chance to sign a “huge talent” as agents make contact to discuss his availability, as per a new report, and he was once “very close” to making the move to north London.

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Spurs have a few key items on their transfer checklist which are yet to be ticked off.

The Lilywhites have signed Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel on permanent deals, later adding both Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus to their list of summer signings, and they remain in pursuit of Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White despite their threat of legal action.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Finalising a deal for the latter is currently Tottenham’s main priority, according to Fabrizio Romano, who also told GiveMeSport’s Market Madness podcast that they’re confident of eventually sealing Gibbs-White’s signature.

“Tottenham remain confident about their chances of signing the player. But, obviously, now this is a legal topic. They need to have discussions directly with Nottingham Forest to find the solution,” said Romano.

“Of course, it changes the timing of the deal. Tottenham’s perfect plan was probably to sign Kudus and Gibbs-White in 24 or 48 hours. It is now going to take a bit longer, but they remain intent on signing the player.”

According to Alasdair Gold, Spurs also want a new number six to come in, and hold an interest in Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha. However, any deal would hinge on selling one of their current engine room men, most likely Yves Bissouma.

Links to Brentford striker Yoane Wissa haven’t gone away, either, with some credible media sources suggesting that the Congo international is open to reuniting with Thomas Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium amid interest from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

That being said, Newcastle appear to be the most advanced right now, and have already seen bids rejected for Wissa as they push to sign him for Eddie Howe.

If Spurs are beaten to the punch by Newcastle for Wissa, an intriguing chance to sign PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani has emerged, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

Tottenham offered chance to sign PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani

The Ligue 1 and European champions are demanding around £43 million for Kolo Muani, a price tag which Juventus are refusing to meet amid extensive talks to re-sign the forward, after his productive loan spell in Turin.

Now, Bailey has told TBR Football that agents have contacted Tottenham over Kolo Muani’s potential availability, coming after he was once on the verge of a move to north London in January.

“Kolo Muani’s move to Juventus has stalled,” said Bailey.

“They want him back, but they want a loan with an option. PSG are not keen, and they believe there are other clubs willing to take him on better terms.

“Kolo Muani has enjoyed life in Turin, but we are told that he remains keen on England – he was very close to joining Tottenham in January.

“Spurs are one of those contacted again, but so have the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle, both of whom are obviously in the market for new forwards. He is suddenly a name who is possibly back on the market, and he is intriguing to these Premier League clubs. He is still seen as a huge talent.”

The France international netted 23 goals and registered 17 assists in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt, during his best-ever season to date in 2022/2023, so it is clear as day that Kolo Muani does have it in his locker.

He also played a key role in helping his country reach the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. Kolo Muani is no stranger to the big occasion, and his versatility could also be a very useful asset to Frank as Spurs look to compete on multiple fronts next term.

Everton have already had a busy summer transfer window, bringing in their new centre-forward, Thierno Barry, who is essentially a direct replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

However, the Toffees aren’t done there when it comes to attacking signings, and are seemingly looking to sign an attacking midfielder, too.

Well, one man who they seem to show keen interest in is Manchester City academy graduate James McAtee. They are said to be keen to finalise a deal for the England under-21 captain. However, they will face competition from West Ham United, so a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium is far from a guarantee.

Thus, Everton are seemingly in for another Premier League attacking midfielder, if a move for McAtee doesn’t materialise.

Everton’s McAtee alternative

It remains to be seen if the Toffees actually manage to sign McAtee this summer, with the race for the Citizens youngster certainly a close one. It seems that the Toffees are set to enter another transfer battle for their alternative signing to City’s attacking midfield.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, David Moyes’ side have an ‘interest’ in signing Aston Villa academy graduate Jacob Ramsey this season. He has ‘previously been looked at’ by Everton who ‘retain’ their interest in the boyhood Villa fan.

They are not the only club that want the 24-year-old. Ironically, they are also set to face competition from Moyes’ former side, West Ham, with Nottingham Forest another team who have made the attacker ‘a primary summer target’ ahead of a possible departure by Morgan Gibbs-White.

As for a price for Ramsey, Villa could demand as much as £30m.

Why Ramsey would be a good signing

At 24 years of age, Ramsey is now an experienced Premier League player. Despite struggling with injuries at times during his career, he has built up a fantastic reputation in the top flight that has led Statman Dave to describe him as a “magic” player.

The Birmingham-born Villa academy star impressed at times last season. He made 46 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and grabbing seven assists in that time. Six of those goal involvements came in the top flight.

If you think those numbers are impressive, then his stats from the 2022/23 campaign really stand out. In the top flight that season, Ramsey bagged six goals and assisted seven, playing 35 games in total. That included a winning goal against Southampton at Villa Park.

Interestingly, the attacking midfielder is noted as statistically and stylistically similar to former Toffees star Adoulaye Doucoure, among players in their position in the Premier League, as per FBref.

More on those stats later, but it is certainly intriguing to note that Moyes wants to sign a player of the same profile as Doucoure, who was so important to him at the start of his second stint in charge at the club.

The Mali international was vital for the Toffees during his time at the club, with 21 goals and 14 assists in 166 games in that famous Blue shirt.

His winning goal against Bournemouth back in 2023 on the final day of the season kept Everton in the Premier League.

His record under Moyes last season showed just what kind of an impact he had going forward. A box-crashing midfielder, the 32-year-old only played 16 Premier League games under the Scot, but managed three goals and two assists.

Looking at those aforementioned FBref stats from last term, the similarities are clear to see. Ramsey averaged 0.22 goals and assists, and 1.17 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to 0.18 goals and assists and 0.98 key passes each game for Doucoure.

Goals and assists

0.22

0.18

Key passes

1.17

0.98

Progressive passes

3.78

2.88

Goal-creating actions

0.44

0.11

Progressive carries

3.39

1.47

Tackles and interceptions

2.11

2.04

The likeness is apparent, with Ramsey averaging far higher in some stats, such as ball-carrying, adding an extra element to his appeal. Keeping such a profile in the squad could be vital for Moyes and the way he wants his side to play next term. He could become the new Doucoure for the Toffees.

As far as McAtee alternatives go, Ramsey could be the guy Everton bring to play on Bramley Moore Dock next term. Signing a Premier League proven star for just £30m could be one of the bargains of the summer.

Ndiaye 2.0: Everton pushing to sign 'the 2nd best dribbler in the world'

David Moyes wants to add some more attacking quality at Everton this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 15, 2025

Rangers’ busy summer spending spree continues at Ibrox. Indeed, since Russell Martin’s appointment at Ibrox, the Gers have made six new signings to date, most recently bringing in Nasser Djiga on a season-long loan.

He follows Lyall Cameron, Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell, Emmanuel Fernandez and Thelo Aasgaard through the arrivals’ door at Rangers, but are the Glasgow giants now going to get their hands on a vastly experienced new centre-back?

Rangers aiming to bolster their back line

The start of Rangers’ season is now fast approaching.

Transfer Focus

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

Last Sunday, the Gers faced Club Brugge in a pre-season friendly, fighting back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge at home, thanks to second-half goals from Mohamed Diomandé and then youngster Findlay Curtis.

No such defensive sloppiness can be afforded in just ten nights’ time when the Light Blues commence Champions League qualifying, welcoming Panathinaikos to Govan, hence why Martin is targeting even more new signings this week.

Thus, according to a report by Sky Sports News, Rangers remain interested in signing Conor Coady from Leicester City.

Earlier in the window, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider claimed that the Gers were ‘in advanced talks’ with the Foxes, as they attempted to sign the centre-back, but this is yet to come to fruition.

As outlined by Rob Tanner of the Athletic, Leicester are actively looking to get some of their highest earners off the books, following their relegation back to the EFL Championship, so will surely be quite accommodating, as they too want this deal to get over the line.

Thus, it remains very possible that Coady will make the move to Rangers but, with Panathinaikos on the horizon, Martin will be eager for this deal to get done sooner rather than later.

How Conor Coady would improve Rangers defence

Right now, Rangers have seven senior centre-backs on their books, although this could be down to six, after a bid was accepted for Robin Pröpper, who is seemingly on his way back to FC Twente, as confirmed by Martin.

So, here are the options Martin currently has in his squad.

As the table outlines, there is not a huge amount of experience among Rangers’ current central-defenders but, given that he played in both the Champions League for Crvena zvezda and the Premier League for Wolves last season, Djiga has surely arrived to be first-choice.

Alongside, John Souttar is probably in pole position to partner the new arrival, having made 40 appearances for the club last season, accumulating 3,411 minutes, the most he has ever enjoyed in a single campaign of his injury-blighted senior career.

Thus, Coady’s potential arrival would probably be particularly bad news for the Scotland international, banishing him to the bench.

James Tarkowski, who played alongside Coady at Everton, labelled him a “great leader”, while his manager at Goodison, Sean Dyche, heralded his “immaculate” professionalism.

Meantime, Adam McNulty of Breaking the Lines praised his ability ‘to pick out a runner’, documenting his outstanding distribution, supported by the fact that, in the 2019/20 Premier League season, Coady completed more accurate long passes than anybody else.

Given that new manager Martin’s style of play prioritises control through possession, this could be an invaluable asset to have at the back.

But how do his statistics compare to those of Souttar? Let’s find out.

First and foremost, it is worth noting that the last two seasons were included for Coady due to his lack of action at Leicester, thereby providing a larger sample size.

With that in mind, the Englishman comes out on top for the vast majority of metrics included when compared to Souttar, notably attempting, on average, 17 more passes per 90, as well as five more forward passes.

Defensively too, Coady accumulated more interceptions and ball recoveries, while taking 11 more touches per game, underlining that he is a good fit for a Rangers team who, domestically, dominate possession but, in Europe, are forced to do a lot more defending.

Thus, this signing appears to be an absolute no-brainer for the Light Blues, one that they should do everything in their power to finalise as soon as possible.

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By
Ross Kilvington

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Manchester United desperately needed to hit the rebuild button this summer after a catastrophic 2024/25 season.

Indeed, the stale Red Devils slumped to a horrendous 15th place in the Premier League come the end of the 38-game slog, on top of also failing to secure a last-minute spot in Europe by coming up short in the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.

Therefore, this summer does feel as if it’s make-or-break territory for Ruben Amorim in the constantly pressurised Red Devils hot-seat, with the Portuguese manager aiming to not sink under all the strain by landing some top talents to help his underperforming team push on next season.

Man Utd in talks to land £51m midfielder

Matheus Cunha has already joined the building, with Bryan Mbeumo looking likely to be the next high-profile capture.

Cunha’s capture certainly caught the eye, but Mbeumo would no doubt be the biggest statement here, considering he scored 20 goals last season for Brentford.

Yet, as far as rumours go, another excellent addition might soon be entering the developing United camp in the midfield areas.

Indeed, according to reports in Italy, United and Atalanta are currently locked in negotiations over the Red Devils landing Ederson from the Serie A titans.

It’s stated that Amorim and Co. were interested in the energetic Brazilian last summer when offering up a fee around £42m, but Atalanta were looking for an offer nearer to the £51m region to consider parting ways.

Now, they could make this move a reality as talks continue, with it also being rumoured earlier in the hectic transfer window that Liverpool were intrigued by the possibility of landing the 25-year-old to bolster their own midfield department.

The Premier League strugglers aren’t blessed with depth in the middle of the park either, with both Christian Eriksen and Casemiro 33 years of age, meaning a new, fresh addition centrally would definitely boost Amorim’s side, away from just the high-profile addition of Cunha.

How Ederson can be United's new McTominay

Sealing a move for Ederson could mean United can finally get over the sad exit of Scott McTominay, with the lively South American a similar style of performer to the departed Scotsman, having also set Serie A alight with many standout performances.

Transfer Focus

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

Nobody would have anticipated the sharp rise McTominay would undergo when swapping his boyhood club for Antonio Conte’s Napoli last summer.

Indeed, just a season into his stay in Naples, the 61-time Scotland international steered Conte’s men to a triumphant Serie A title success.

He scored a sublime 12 goals and posted six assists in league action. Amazingly, he had only amassed seven more goals than this stunning amount when regularly plying his trade in the Premier League, even from a far greater tally of 178 clashes.

Ederson didn’t quite have a similarly impactful season for The Black and Blues, but he has shown over three seasons now in Bergamo a hunger to be involved in all phases of play, just like McTominay.

From 139 games and counting in the heart of the Atalanta midfield, the £51m “machine” – as he’s been labelled in the past by journalist Carlo Garganese – has collected 13 goals and four assists, with his relentless desire to get stuck in for his team’s cause also baring clear similarities to the ex-United academy product.

Glancing at the table above, Ederson actually beats McTominay when it comes to accurate passes per league clash in Serie A at 45.5 per clash compared to the Scotsman’s lesser 22.7, before you even begin to consider the Brazilian’s aggressiveness means he trumps McTominay’s ball recovery numbers too at five per match, next to his counterpart’s lower 4.2

Further heralded as “strong” by football journalist Tim Vickery in what he can offer in the midfield spots, this feels like it could be a golden capture on United’s end as they hunt down a similar star to McTominay.

United will have to hit the ground running next season to silence their loud naysayers, and with Ederson’s potential arrival onto the scene, Amorim’s options continue to look stronger and stronger all across the pitch.

Man Utd now negotiating "complex" big-money transfer to sell £200k-p/w star

He wants to leave.

By
Tom Cunningham

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