Tag Futebol

New Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has a huge job ahead of him after the club officially confirmed his Ibrox appointment on Monday.

The German boss arrives just days before a trip to Brann in the Europa League, and is taking over a team that won five of their 17 matches under the previous manager.

Russell Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad that was built by the 49ers during the summer transfer window, as evidenced by his statistics in the graphic above.

The Martin signings most at risk under Rohl

The first thing that Rohl needs to do as the new head coach of Rangers is assess the squad to get a rough idea about what his preferred XI and usual set of substitutes will be.

As shown in the graphic above, Martin made plenty of additions to the team during the summer transfer window, but not all of them hit the ground running, as evidenced by the results.

Youssef Chermiti, who has not scored a competitive club goal since he left Sporting in 2023, may be at risk, as he has failed to deliver a goal or an assist for the Gers. Max Aarons, on loan from Bournemouth, may also be at risk as he has fallen down the pecking order in both full-back positions.

Joe Rothwell, per Sofascore, has lost 53% of his duels in midfield in the Scottish Premiership this season, and he could be at risk if the manager wants more robustness in the middle of the park.

One of the summer signings that Rohl must bin when the next window opens, though, is central defender Nasser Djiga, who should be sent back to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Why Danny Rohl should let go of Nasser Djiga

Martin swooped to sign the centre-back on loan from the Premier League side in the summer, but he has failed to prove his worth in the opening three months of the campaign.

Djiga’s worst moment so far, which was described as “disastrous” by Heart & Hand’s David Edgar, was when he inexplicably left the ball to allow Romeo Vermant to score for Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off.

There have been other contenders, though, as he was sent off against Dundee for a last-man foul in August, and Michael Stewart claimed that he “has not helped his team out” after the defender stayed on the floor calling for a foul in the build-up to Alloa Athletic’s first goal in the League Cup.

This shows that the centre-back has failed to perform on multiple occasions across multiple competitions for the Gers since his move to the club on loan.

A loan player for a club the size of Rangers should either be a player who fills a gap, which you could argue Max Aarons does as a back-up full-back, or has the quality to make an immediate impact on the pitch.

Djiga, unfortunately, does not hit either of those criteria at the moment. Whilst you could say that he fills a gap as a back-up centre-back, it is at the expense of Emmanuel Fernandez, who has not made a matchday squad since August.

Dundee United

0

Falkirk

90

Sturm Graz

0

Livingston

0

Genk

0

Hibernian

0

Hearts

45

Celtic

90

Club Brugge

90

Club Brugge

90

As you can see in the table above, Djiga has largely been an unused substitute across all competitions for Rangers since he was hauled off at half-time against Hearts.

The Gers reportedly paid a fee of £3.5m to sign Fernandez from Peterborough United in the summer, and sporting director Kevin Thelwell claimed that he “can have a big future” at Ibrox.

It does not seem prudent to spend £3.5m on a promising young centre-back only to exclude him from matchday squads in favour of a loanee defender, with no option to buy, who has made several costly mistakes this season.

Not just Gassama: Rohl can ignite Rangers star who looked lost under Martin

Danny Rohl could ignite this Rangers star’s career after his struggles under Russell Martin.

ByDan Emery Oct 21, 2025

Therefore, Rohl should axe Djiga from the squad, if there is an early release clause in the loan deal or if Wolves are willing to take him back, in January and should look to afford Fernandez more chances to prove that he was worth the £3.5m investment in the summer.

Bayern Munich have once again posted record revenues, crossing €978 million (£858m/$1.1bn) in turnover for 2024–25. But as CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen proudly declared, the club’s success isn’t built on billionaire handouts or reckless spending. “We don’t have anyone handing us millions,” he said, defending Bayern’s prudent philosophy amid football’s inflated transfer market and the Premier League’s financial dominance.

Bayern’s record year and a clear message from the CEO

Bayern are thriving both on and off the pitch. After a commanding 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen used the club’s annual general meeting to send a message to Europe’s financial heavyweights as he stressed Bayern will not compromise its principles.

The German giants reported a record turnover of €978.3 million, marking a 2.8 per cent rise from last year’s €951.5 million, while achieving a pre-tax profit of €42.5 million and a net profit of €27.1 million. Even with increased player wages and infrastructure spending, Bayern’s balance sheet remains among the healthiest in Europe. Dreesen stressed that the club could have achieved an even higher profit if not for continued investments in sporting success:

“Without investments, we could have delivered another record profit. But we want maximum sporting success, not maximum economic profit.”

This further underpins Bayern's model which focuses on sustainable growth, not extravagant risk. “Economically, despite all the naysayers, we have once again achieved a record year,” Dreesen added.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCompeting in a ‘stormy’ transfer market

Football’s transfer market has never been more volatile. Dreesen called it “stormy times,” noting that global spending surged over 50 per cent this summer to $9 billion, led largely by Premier League clubs. While English teams spent freely, Bayern’s approach remained measured with their marquee signing being Luis Diaz, acquired well within their financial limits.

"We can afford every transfer we want to make. But we don’t want to make every one, and certainly not at any price. We define what’s sensible – not others. Our ironclad principle is that we don’t spend more than we earn. That has been true in the past and it will remain true in the future," Dreesen explained during the meeting.

Reflecting on Premier league spending big and the record increase in transfer market, the Bayern CEO said: "The transfer market has seen a record increase of over 50 percent this summer – to over nine billion US dollars. We're competing with clubs that don't have to work nearly as hard for their money as we do. We don't have anyone just handing us a few million out of their pocket. But you know what? I think that's really great."

Bayern's financial strength built over years

Bayern’s resilience didn’t emerge overnight. Over the past five seasons, the club’s revenue has grown from €698 million in 2019–20 to nearly €1 billion in 2024-25, despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing heavy losses across Europe. During the 2020-21 season, Bayern still managed to post a net profit of €1.9 million even when matchday income dropped by nearly €70 million.

Their steady recovery saw revenues climb each year, driven by robust commercial deals (€240 million), matchday income (€260 million), and merchandising (€150 million). The club’s equity capital now stands at €585.5 million, one of the strongest among football institutions worldwide.

President Herbert Hainer celebrated another milestone with membership growth. Bayern gained 50,000 new members in 2025, bringing the total to 432,500, more than any other football club globally. This widespread fan ownership, coupled with financial prudence, further anchors Bayern’s identity.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportBayern CEO against taking the Bundesliga abroad

While Bayern embrace financial growth, Dreesen drew a firm line on one issue, taking Bundesliga matches abroad. He rejected the idea outright, arguing that domestic football’s soul lies in its local roots and loyal fans.

"I'm completely against regular Bundesliga matches abroad. But I'm a big believer in making the Bundesliga more global. My appeal to everyone remains: To paraphrase Franz – get out there, play football – anywhere in the world," said Dreesen.

While Bayern are committed to expanding their global footprint, they remain firmly rooted in respecting the local fan base and the cultural essence of German football. This balance between global reach and local loyalty is reflected in their international youth development efforts, like expanding their academy in Rwanda. It’s a reminder that Bayern’s growth isn’t just about profits or visibility, it’s also about nurturing football’s future and staying true to its community values. Bayern’s expanded focus on youth development through their Kigali academy partnership shows the club’s commitment to nurturing talent globally while supporting social impact.

حسم التعادل السلبي مواجهة غزل المحلة ومودرن سبورت، التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

والتقى غزل المحلة مع مودرن سبورت، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، على ملعب المحلة.

طالع.. بعد رحيله عن الفريق.. ماذا قدم يانيك فيريرا في مسيرته مع الزمالك؟

وشهد اللقاء إهدار علي فوزي، لاعب مودرن سبورت ركلة جزاء لصالح فريقه ليفشل في الفوز.

ورفع غزل المحلة رصيده إلى 16 نقطة في المركز الثامن من مركز ترتيب مسابقة الدوري المصري.

في الجهة المقابل رفع مودرن سبورت رصيده إلى نفس عدد النقاط في المركز العاشر. ركلة جزاء مودرن سبورت المهدرة أمام غزل المحلة

With nine needed off the final over with six wickets in hand, RR seemed to have the edge, only for Mitchell Starc to turn the script around

Shashank Kishore16-Apr-20252:32

Are RR overdoing the left-right combinations?

DC won the Super OverNine runs needed, six wickets in hand – it should have been a routine finish for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2025. But Mitchell Starc flipped the script, delivering five pinpoint yorkers in a sensational final over. Dhruv Jurel couldn’t find two runs off the last ball, and Starc dragged the game into a Super Over.RR imploded in the Super Over, lasting just five balls and losing both Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal to run outs. DC chased down the 12-run target in just four deliveries.Munaf Patel penalised

Munaf Patel, the DC bowling coach, has been fined 25% of his match fee and one demerit point has been added to his record for breaching the IPL code of conduct during the game against RR. The statement by the IPL did not specify the nature of Munaf’s offence. He was, however, spotted arguing with a match official when he was not allowed to send a reserve player into the middle to pass on a message.

With DC needing 5 off 3, Tristan Stubbs pulled Sandeep Sharma for six to seal DC’s fifth win in six games that took them to the top of the points table. Stubbs had earlier contributed a vital unbeaten 18-ball 34 in regulation time to help DC score 42 off the last three overs.The Stubbs showThe 200-run mark had been breached on each of the last eight T20s by the side batting first at Arun Jaitley Stadium. DC didn’t look like getting anywhere close, until Stubbs joined hands with Axar Patel, who also injected momentum with his takedown of Wanindu Hasaranga to make 34 off 14.RR also didn’t finish well. Sandeep, who had figures of 3-0-14-0, bowled four wides and a no-ball in what proved to be a 11-ball over that ended with Maheesh Theekshana dropping a sitter, the over costing 19.There was also a reprieve for Stubbs on 12 when Parag put down a regulation chance at long-on. And he hurt them with some important runs at the death – all contributing to RR chasing a bigger total than they would have.While Stubbs’ runs were crucial, a gun throw running around from wide long-on to restrict the penultimate delivery to a single in regulation time – with RR needing 3 off 2 – was invaluable.1:42

Pujara: Rahul needs to go hard even after the powerplay

The drop that could have proved costlyIt could have so easily turned pear-shaped for Stubbs before that blockbuster finish. Nitish Rana was reprieved on 20 when Stubbs palmed the ball over the long-on boundary to deny Axar a wicket.Rana’s wicket would have been the perfect double-strike for DC, who only five balls earlier had dismissed Jaiswal when Kuldeep Yadav lulled him in flight and had him drag one to long-on.Rana kicked on to make 31 more off 12 deliveries to take pressure off RR going into the last three overs from a slightly precarious 73 off 36, with the ball gripping. It needed a gun inswinging yorker from Starc in his third over to dismiss Rana, with RR needing 28 off 14. Shimron Hetmyer and Jurel then needed 9 off the final over, but couldn’t manage a single boundary as Starc nailed his yorkers.Starc’s ragged start and Samson’s injuryBefore the finish, Starc had a nightmarish start when Jaiswal hit him for a sequence of 4, 6, 4 in his first over. Jaiswal chewed into Starc’s full-length deliveries, clearing the front leg and moving them with brute force over the infield towards the short leg-side fence. When he bowled short and into the body, Jaiswal got inside the line and pulled him imperiously over deep backward square.1:38

Bishop: We saw the best of Starc tonight

Jaiswal’s early impetus also seemed to have an effect on Sanju Samson, who found his hitting range until a suspected side issue forced him to retire hurt with RR 61 without loss in 5.3 overs. The two balls leading into him retiring out were picked for a four and a six. But it was only when he reached out to cut Vipraj Nigam, that he pulled up and went off straightaway.Porel, Rahul lead DC’s fightDC lost Jake Fraser-McGurk and Karun Nair early. Fraser-McGurk holed out to mid-off, and Nair, fresh off an IPL high score in his comeback game, was run out for a three-ball duck after being roughed up by two Jofra Archer short balls. Before that, Abishek Porel picked 23 off the second over, by Tushar Deshpande, to get going.Rahul was cautious to begin with, the slowness of the surface making it tough for stroke making. At one stage, he was on 17 off 18 but couldn’t quite push on – eventually falling for a 32-ball 38 when he pulled Archer to deep midwicket.Porel, too, struggled to bring out the big hits after his turbocharge, eventually falling for 49. Fortunately for DC, Axar injected momentum that Stubbs carried forward to give them a total to bowl at, which they defended in the end courtesy Starc’s mastery.

Everton blanked against Aston Villa at the weekend, but David Moyes must be pleased with his side’s start to the 2025/26 campaign.

An exodus was needed this summer, but the dramatic upheaval on the blue side of the River Mersey emphasised the need for accuracy in the transfer market.

Seven points from four Premier League games and a three-match unbeaten run have given the Toffees a platform, but it could have been three wins from three save for some shoddy finishing against the struggling Villa.

Beto was the culprit.

Beto misfires against Aston Villa

He’s come on leaps and bounds under Moyes’ wing, has Beto, but there’s no doubt that the Bissau Guinean striker has flaws within his game, and is prone to ghosting on different occasions across the campaign.

The 6 foot 4 forward fits Moyes’ mould: he is a tower of a talisman and commands the skies well; he has scored twice across five games in all competitions this season, three of which came from the starting whistle.

But Beto has only one goal in the Premier League, and could maybe have tripled his tally against Aston Villa, horribly scuffing a chance into a yawning net when played through by Iliman Ndiaye.

Thierno Barry was signed in the summer to add competition at number nine, but the 22-year-old is raw and not yet settled within the harsh climes of the Premier League.

It’s at moments like these that some fans might wish for another goalscoring option.

Everton will regret selling Beto upgrade

It’s a shame that Moise Kean didn’t prove to be a talismanic figure in Toffee blue.

Kean initially started his professional career with a weight of expectation, such a prodigy he was billed. Things got a little stagnant, though, it’s got to be said, with his £25m move from Juventus to Everton aged 19 doing little to further his career.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Under Farhad Moshiri’s ownership, Everton signed Kean in 2019, but it’s not unfair to stress that the Italian failed to bring it together, scoring twice in the Premier League across 32 fixtures, picking up a red card too. The criticism lacing Moshiri’s dysfunctional reign is thick, but a move for Kean spoke of ambition, for sure.

But it didn’t work out, and after a spin of loan spells, Kean found himself back in Turin for a similar figure that Everton first paid for him. Thus, financially, it wasn’t a shocking blow, but the player’s struggles certainly suggest it was a poor signing.

Perhaps viewed as the successor to Romelu Lukaku’s former place in Everton’s team, Kean was one of many misfires in the transfer market during that long and interminable period of struggle, and his recent exploits back in Italy highlight what might have been in England.

Because Kean struggled even after leaving, peripheral at Juventus. But a move to Fiorentina has resurrected his career and then some, having scored 25 goals and supplied three assists across all competitions at La Viola last season.

It’s clear that Kean needed that return to his home country to develop into the player he is today, but Everton saw something and failed to make it work.

Powerful and clinical and with a “scary” physicality, as has been noted by reporter Carlo Garganese, Kean very much might have been Everton’s next version of Lukaku. Indeed, two years after the Belgian’s mammoth sale to Manchester United, it’s not improbable that Lukaku’s name was brought up during internal discussions ahead of the successful bid for the teenager.

His dribbling has come on so much. Data from FBref reveals Kean ranks among the top 14% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, but also the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, demonstrating an athleticism that Lukaku used to project with such strength on his opponents.

It’s something Moyes might have made good use of in this current Everton setting. The Merseysiders and their boss have pulled away from pragmatic perceptions and have shaped into a modern hybrid form.

Man United

4

7.9

Chelsea

9

7.7

Man City

5

7.6

Brighton

4

6.6

Everton

5

6.3

Fifth Everton sit in the xG (expected goals) rankings for the Premier League campaign so far. Early days, of course, but evidence of growth and newfound attacking impetus.

The caveat being they have only scored five goals, highlighting room for improvement in the ball-striking department. It’s not an egregious deficit by any means, but a striker of Kean’s ability could add that difference to stretch Everton even higher up the table.

Lukaku, in his Everton form, would surely be riding the crest of a wave right now, and Kean could be too. The Azzurri star, after all, was named ‘the new Lukaku’ upon his big move to Goodison Park.

So Moyes and Everton have Beto, and that’s not all that bad. The 26-year-old is a strong and sturdy striker; he commands the box well, tussling with defenders and knocking headers down to his teammates. He is a better player for Moyes’ appointment.

Only, Kean is clearly a cut above, and while it’s hopeless to rue missed opportunities to develop stars who weren’t shining at the time, it must be a frustration for the new board.

Whether Barry comes good is another question, and the Frenchman certainly has the potential to overtake Beto and set his marker as Everton’s starring striker, but he’s not there yet, and Kean could have been a difference-maker this season.

Now worth more than Grealish: Everton must regret selling "phenomenal" star

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa brought into sharp focus Everton’s lack of quality strikers, so they must regret selling this phenomenal striker.

ByBen Gray Sep 14, 2025

It has been a dire start to the 2025/26 season for Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side have picked up a single point so far this term, and are yet to score a goal, three games into the new campaign. It is a worrying sign.

Of course, losing players like Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, who were both on loan for the second half of last season, has impacted them.

That is why, on transfer deadline day, the West Midlands side are pushing for a new attacker.

Aston Villa’s latest attacking target

With the transfer window set to slam shut at the earlier time of 7pm, it does not give Emery long to add an attacker to his squad.

Transfer Focus

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

Fabrizio Romano is reporting that there are ongoing ‘negotiations’ for Villa to sign Manchester United star Jadon Sancho today, amid the prospect of Emi Martinez heading in the other direction.

Both clubs are attempting to secure an ‘agreement’ on those deals.

Romano explains that the England international ‘has to decide his future today’, and a move to Villa Park could offer a viable solution. A fee of £20m was quoted for the forward earlier in the window, and that could be a fee Villa need to pay themselves.

Why Sancho would be a good signing

Described as a “maverick” in his younger days by former coach Louis Lancaster, Sancho’s career trajectory has perhaps not gone as expected. His time at Old Trafford has been far from easy, although he did impress on loan at Chelsea last season.

At 25 years of age, Sancho has bags of Premier League experience now. He’s featured 89 times in the English top flight for the Red Devils and Enzo Maresca’s Blues, with 12 goals and 11 assists coming in that time.

Of course, the London-born star became known thanks to his sensational time at Borussia Dortmund. Over two spells in Germany, Sancho played 158 games, scoring 53 times and assisting 67, helping win the DFB-Pokal in 2020/21.

Well, this would be a move similar to one Villa made in January, when they brought Asensio in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Real Madrid star enjoyed a successful loan spell at Villa Park for the second half of last season, where he was able to get his career back on track after falling out of favour in the French capital.

Asensio only played 21 times for the club, but had a huge impact on Emery’s attack. He was deadly in front of goal, bagging eight times, and chipped in with an assist, too.

It is easy to see why Sancho could be the second coming of Asensio at Villa Park. Both players have somehow seen their careers take a bit of a downward spiral, falling out of favour at their respective clubs.

Yet, with the Spaniard able to play regular first-team football and become a key player for Villa, he bolstered his stock once more. It is easy to see how Sancho could do the same.

Their numbers from last season are similar, too. For example, Sancho averaged 1.94 key passes and 2.3 take-ons completed per 90 minutes.

In comparison, Asensio notched up an average of 2.12 key passes and 1.06 completed take-ons each game.

Key passes

1.94

2.12

Progressive passes

4.59

5.36

Take-ons completed

2.3

1.06

Progressive carries

5.2

2.72

Ball recoveries

5.05

3.05

Sancho could certainly become Villa’s new Asensio and really get his career back on track at Villa Park. He is clearly a talented attacker who could thrive in the pockets for Emery and help revitalise a struggling Villa attack, which is missing Asensio’s impact.

Next Rashford: Aston Villa exploring late deal for "special" £31m star

Aston Villa could seal a sensational last-gasp deal by snapping up this special attacker.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2025

While it’s not quite panic stations just yet, it would be fair to say that the shine has been taken off of Arsenal’s pre-season preparations over the last week or so.

It started with an underwhelming defeat to Tottenham Hotspur out in Hong Kong, and then the mood around the club got even worse following the 3-2 loss at home to Villarreal on Wednesday.

It wasn’t just the losses that shook confidence in some supporters, but also the nature of them, the lack of genuine cutting-edge, and specifically, Viktor Gyokeres’ ineffectiveness in the latter match.

However, the good news is that, based on reports, it looks like Arsenal are targeting someone who’d be able to get the Swede firing in no time at all.

Arsenal target perfect teammate for Gyokeres

While the last two games have certainly dented the excitement that some fans were feeling ahead of the new Premier League season, it should be said that this summer has still been a largely positive one, especially when it comes to transfers.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, in addition to Gyokeres, Andrea Berta and his team have made five first-team additions to Mikel Arteta’s squad, with the likes of Noni Madueke and Christian Norgaard looking like excellent depth options and Martin Zubimendi the perfect long-term six.

Yet, things could still get better as the club are still looking to bring in at least one more player, someone who could help the former Sporting CP star explode next season.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Sebastian Vidal, who has reaffirmed that Arsenal are very interested in signing Eberechi Eze this summer.

The journalist has revealed that even though talks have somewhat stalled, the Englishman remains a key target and that a player sale may make it easier to secure his services.

It’ll likely be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has more than proven his ability and would be more than worth the effort it takes to get him, especially as he could get Gyokeres firing right away.

Why Eze would get Gyokeres firing

Okay, so while there is every chance that things will naturally improve the more games he plays in the team, it was obvious that the biggest problem for Gyokeres against Villarreal was the lack of opportunities being created for him.

Unlike Kai Havertz, who likes to drop back into midfield whenever he can, the Swedish superstar is very much your archetypal centre-forward, someone who spends most of his time in and around the penalty area, and rarely takes his shots from outside the area.

In this case, it’s clear that Arsenal need someone who can get the ball to him with relative ease, either through brilliant ball-carrying or passing, and fortunately, it looks like Eze would be excellent at the former.

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for successful take-ons per 90.

In other words, the Palace “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, is elite at getting past opposition defenders and driving into dangerous areas before firing off a shot or laying the ball off for a teammate.

Another reason to believe the £100k-per-week gem could be the one to help the former Sporting star explode next season is the output he managed in a mid-table side last season.

In 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes, the 27-year-old game-changer managed to find the back of the net 14 times and provide 11 assists for good measure.

Appearances

36

43

Minutes

2285′

3303′

Goals

11

14

Assists

6

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

134.41′

132.12′

That means he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, which is the sort of output that could seriously boost Gyokeres’ own goal and assist tally.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to add another attacking dimension to the team before the end of the summer, and not only would Eze do that, but he’d also get the most out of Gyokeres.

A dream for Saka: Arsenal plot move to sign "world-class" £43m sensation

The incredible attacker would help Arsenal and the Englishman reach another level.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 6, 2025

Celtic have been fairly active throughout the summer transfer window in terms of moving players who are not part of Brendan Rodgers’ plans out of Parkhead.

The Hoops have cashed in on both Gustaf Lagerbielke, who signed for Braga, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon, who signed for Nantes, after they both spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan.

Maik Nawrocki and Luis Palma have also been allowed to leave the club on loan for next season, joining Hannover and Lech Poznan respectively, as they look for more regular game time.

This shows that Celtic are starting to thin out their squad in order to make room for new recruits, as Rodgers has decided that those four players were not going to play integral roles for him on the pitch in the 2025/26 campaign.

These exits now mean that both of the centre-backs who were signed to replace Carl Starfelt in the summer of 2023 will not be part of the squad next season.

Lagerbielke and Nawrocki were both part of the squad in the 2023/24 campaign and the latter played a small role in the side last term, but they have now both moved on.

Celtic have failed to replace Carl Starfelt

The Sweden international signed for Celta Vigo in LaLiga shortly after Rodgers returned to Parkhead for a second spell in the summer of 2023, which led to the signings of Lagerbielke and Nawrocki.

However, the pair combined for just 13 starts in the Scottish Premiership in the last two seasons, and it has now been decided that they are not good enough to be regulars for the Hoops next season.

This shows that the Scottish giants failed to bring in a right-footed centre-back who is good enough to play in place of Cameron Carter-Vickers, who has missed 22 matches in the last two seasons through injury, or alongside him.

They had a player with the quality to fulfill that role when Starfelt was at the club, as the Swedish titan was a regular starter under Ange Postecoglou in the Premiership in the 2022/23 campaign before his move to Spain.

As you can see in the table above, the powerful defender played a pivotal role as part of the treble-winning team, winning the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air across 28 appearances in the league.

Lagerbielke and Nawrocki, as evidenced by how their careers at Parkhead have gone, failed to adequately replace him in the summer of 2023, but the Hoops are now eyeing a central defender who could be a Starfelt repeat.

Celtic lining up move for Swedish centre-back

According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Celtic are lining up a potential swoop for Hammarby centre-back Victor Eriksson this summer.

The reporter claims that Rodgers sent his top scout, Paul Tisdale, to watch the Swedish colossus in action against Charleroi in a Conference League qualifier on Thursday night, a game in which he scored the winner in the 119th minute.

Nixon adds that the Scottish Premiership champions are monitoring the 24-year-old defender, hence why they sent Tisdale to assess him in the flesh earlier this week.

Transfer Focus

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

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to pay the reported fee of £2m that it would take to prise him away from the Swedish outfit before the end of the summer transfer window.

Why Celtic should sign Victor Eriksson

Celtic should push ahead with a deal to sign the Sweden international because he could arrive at Parkhead as a Starfelt repeat, and not just because they were born in the same country.

The £2m-rated star is another right-footed central defender who could provide valuable back-up to Carter-Vickers, whilst also being competition and a potential centre-back partner for him. This is a role that needs to be filled, given the USA international’s aforementioned injury problems in the past two seasons.

Eriksson could come in as a Starfelt-esque figure in that respect to take up that position in the squad, competing with Carter-Vickers for a starting spot whilst also providing broader centre-back depth alongside left-footed defenders Liam Scales and Auston Trusty.

The 24-year-old titan’s performances in the Swedish top-flight in the last two seasons also suggest that he has the potential to be a dominant figure at the heart of the defence when called upon for Celtic, much like Starfelt was during his time in Glasgow.

Eriksson, who has only made one error that led directly to a goal in the last three Allsvenskan seasons combined, has showcased his ability to make numerous defensive interventions whilst also winning the majority of his duels in Sweden.

As you can see in the table above, the towering star is particularly dominant in aerial battles and is aggressive in his defending, with plenty of tackles and interceptions each game on average.

As well as being impressive on paper, the Hoops target is also highly regarded by his peers. Former teammate Abdelrahman Boudah said: “He can’t lose a duel, he’s an animal. I think he is the best centre-back in the Swedish league of all time. People don’t understand how crazy fast he is.”

Putting all of this together, Eriksson appears to be an incredibly dominant and mobile central defender who can use his speed and strength to consistently make tackles, interceptions, and clearances, as well as win duels.

This is why he could arrive at Parkhead as a Starfelt repeat. Not because he is Swedish, but because the Hammarby star has the potential to be a colossal right-footed centre-back for Rodgers next season if the club can get a deal over the line.

Celtic could sign their best CM since O'Riley in swoop for 18-goal star

Celtic could sign their best midfielder since Matt O’Riley by landing this reported target.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 31, 2025

When Dan Mousley walked out to bat on his ODI debut in Antigua, he was playing his first List A match in three years.And one million pounds to whoever in the audience knows which team his previous game was for. Because it was obviously, clearly, never-in-doubtedly for Burgher Recreation Club against Nugegoda Sports and Welfare in Sri Lanka’s 2021 domestic competition .A series of broken fingers meant he had been short of cricket, so a 20-year-old Mousley approached a coach at the Warwickshire Academy with connections to Sri Lanka and asked if he could get a game. A few weeks later he was off to Colombo.Mousley has never been one to do things the usual way. A point he is now proving with his one-of-a-kind “offspin”.Related

• Jafer Chohan leaves England tour to prepare for Lions, Big Bash

• Rihanna has to wait, it's family time for Salt and Bethell

• Buttler powers England to 2-0 series lead vs WI

Bowling 116kph/72mph yorkers off three steps, his first international wicket was secured with his signature move. Right-arm, round the wicket, fast, straight, out. Rovman Powell the victim.No one in the world bowls like Mousley does. According to CricViz, he is the fastest spin bowler since ball tracking records began in 2006. And by miles.The second fastest spinner on record, Manimaran Siddharth, averages 99kph/61.5mph. Mousley averages 109kph/68mph. The fastest he has been clocked is 132kph/82mph during the Hundred, but even he accepts that may be a juiced reading.”We’ll take it anyway,” he jokes.His speed has always been part of his style. But compared to when he was younger and encouraged to slow down, now he is being encouraged to lean into it.”I don’t know where he’s got it from,” England captain Jos Buttler said of Mousley, who was entrusted with the final over of West Indies’ innings on Sunday. “As a captain, it’s unique. Everyone will see him now and so they’ll come up with plans. But his character is one of his biggest attributes and to deliver a bit of unique skill and give us a point of difference is fantastic.”While Mousley is new to the international scene, he wouldn’t have been to Powell. Mousley’s fast spin/seamers first rose to national attention during the Hundred when he delivered a triple-wicket final set of ten to snatch victory for Birmingham Phoenix against Trent Rockets. In the Rockets team that day was Powell himself.Mousley will be a fascinating case study of whether this is the future appearing in front of our eyes, or a fad that’ll soon be understood by batters and launched into orbit.With T20 scores always on the up, some commentators, including Sourav Ganguly, have called upon bowlers to step-up and up-skill. New challenges have to be presented to players and Mousley is presenting one.If you wanted to be cruel, you could make the case that Mousley’s bowling is, by traditional aesthetics, bad. In the warm-ups, when other spinners are hammering the tea towel that’s been draped on a length, he is spraying it at pace in various different directions. There is no spin on the ball as it is released, instead he has flipped his fingers round and bowled what’s pretty much a standard seamer.But, as former England offspinner Gareth Batty once told ESPNcricinfo, there is “no place for your traditional ball in T20 cricket”.”Any player that is not trying to get better and diversify is a sitting duck,” he added.Mousley is not a one-trick pony either, with eight first-class wickets at an average of 38.37, he is capable of bowling in a traditional manner with a traditional skillset. But if you’re bowling to Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran, pretty offies aren’t going to get you very far.In short, rather than attempting to always bowl wicket-taking deliveries, he is trying to bowl the ball that is hardest to hit for six.”I’m just trying to use the conditions,” says Mousley, who has played the majority of his T20 cricket at Edgbaston, which often has one long side and one short. “I know I bowl a lot of yorkers, but I try and use the dimensions and try to use the wind as much as I can.”Batters are honed on a lifetime of responding to certain cues. It is why left-handed bowlers feel faster than right-handed bowlers because batters don’t have the same level of muscle memory hard-wired into their body. And it’s this lack of familiarity which Mousley feeds off. Stick the ball in his hand and give him a ten yard run-up and he’s a 70mph seamer who’d go the distance. But off three paces and from round the wicket? No-one has seen that before. Batters are concert pianists that have been trained within an inch of their life; Mousley is asking them to play jazz.”It started off because people say offspinners can’t bowl at right-handers,” Mousley says.”But I don’t believe in that, I made it clear at Warwickshire I didn’t believe in that and then ended up getting a bit of confidence. It went from there. It’s a different skill, it’s probably not traditional offspin but it’s one of those things which I’ve just learnt to bring into my favour. It’s okay to be different as a bowler.”And if there’s one thing Mousley’s bowling is, it’s exactly that.

Aston Villa are just one month away from their opening Premier League game of the season against Newcastle United, and things have been far too quiet on the transfer front.

Related NSWE now prepared for bidding war to sign "underrated" star for Aston Villa

The Villans could light a fire in the transfer market.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Jul 18, 2025

Today, Unai Emery’s side confirmed the signing of young defender Modou Kéba Cissé from LASK on a pre-contract agreement, and he’ll link up with the club next year after spending 2025/2026 on loan at the Austrian outfit.

Cisse follows teenage duo Yasin Ozcan and Zepiqueno Redmond to the Midlands, as well as goalkeeper Marco Bizot, with Villa spending an estimated total of just £6 million so far this window.

Aston Villa’s best performers in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Youri Tielemans

7.08

Morgan Rogers

6.92

Marcus Rashford

6.82

Tyrone Mings

6.81

Ollie Watkins

6.80

via WhoScored

Unfortunately for Emery, this window has been dominated by Villa’s battle against both PSR and UEFA’s FFP rules, which have undoubtedly played a role in their lack of activity.

Villa ‘resolved’ their PSR issues by selling their women’s team to V Sports prior to the June 30 footballing financial deadline (The Athletic), negating the need to sell star players, but were fined around £10 million by UEFA recently for FFP breaches, and that could rise to £23 million if they fail to comply again within the next three years (BBC).

The sale of their women’s team, according to UEFA’s club financial control body (CFCB), won’t be counted as profit in the eyes of FFP.

“The sale of tangible or intangible assets, the exchange of players (so-called ‘swaps’) and the transfers of players between related parties” all cannot be included in submitted accounts, read a statement by the CFCB.

Taking this into account, Villa may still be forced to sell a high-profile player or two before deadline day. It is the almighty task of Monchi and NSWE to also ensure that they back Emery ahead of another campaign in Europe.

Their failure to qualify for the Champions League next season already appears to be having grave consequences, but that isn’t to say Villa cannot spend a penny.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is a target for the club, and media sources suggest they’ve made an approach for the Senegalese in a bid to strengthen their squad.

Unai Emery clear he's interested in signing Nicolas Jackson for Aston Villa

TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey have an update on their links to the Blues forward, who could now leave Stamford Bridge after Chelsea completed the signings of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap for a combined £90 million.

Bailey reports that Emery has made it “known” he’s keen on reuniting with Jackson at Villa, after the pair previously worked together at Villarreal, so the Spaniard has a personal interest in signing the centre-forward.

Agents have reached out to the Villans to express Jackson’s availability, too, alongside Man United.

He was actually described as one of Chelsea’s “most important” players last season by Joe Cole, but he’s no longer considered ‘untouchable’ by Maresca’s side.

That being said, they’re also apparently in no desperate rush to sell, with The Mail and journalist Matt Barlow surprisingly reporting that Chelsea value Jackson at around £100 million.

Of course, Villa won’t be willing to pay nine figures, but if they can obtain a realistic price tag, there is reason to believe he’d be an excellent addition.