Pakistan were dumped out of the tournament after just three games, following defeats to the USA and India
Danyal Rasool04-Jul-2024
Gary Kirsten and Pakistan had a forgettable T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty Images
The uncertainty around the future of Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam as well as the fate of the selection committee lingers as head coach Gary Kirsten and selector Wahab Riaz submitted their tour reports to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi following Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. Pakistan were dumped out of the tournament after just three games, with defeats to the USA and India proving terminal to their campaign.The end of Pakistan’s World Cup was followed by a fierce – and a somewhat frenzied – backlash in the country. The selection committee of seven, widely viewed as being de facto headed by Wahab, was one of its central targets, while a perceived tactical ineptitude and culture of conservatism under the captaincy of Babar has also come under scrutiny. There remain unanswered questions about the selection of the squad itself, particularly around the continued non-selection of specialist legspinner Abrar Ahmed despite Shadab Khan’s indifferent form.Related
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However, as ESPNcricinfo reported last month, the PCB has chosen to take its time before launching into any major decisions. Pakistan do not have a white-ball engagement until November, allowing the PCB to wait till Kirsten and Wahab – who was also the senior team manager for the tournament – handed in their reports.It is understood the PCB remains open to a change of captaincy, though sticking with Babar has also not been conclusively ruled out. This partly stems from a lack of obvious candidates to replace him; when Naqvi decided to sack Shaheen Shah Afridi, he ultimately returned to Babar – who had only been replaced a few weeks earlier. That was following yet another poor showing at an ICC event – the ODI World Cup in India in 2023.Now that Kirsten and Wahab have submitted their reports, any decisions regarding the “surgery” Naqvi had reportedly been prepared to conduct do theoretically move closer. However, the PCB has consistently refused to put a timeline on any action, insisting they wish to make a considered decision rather than a quick one.
Manchester United have plenty of decisions to make this summer and Andre Onana’s future at Old Trafford may now have taken another twist, according to a report.
Andre Onana's Manchester United future uncertain
On the face of it, Onana is a name that divides opinion across the Red Devils’ support and his inconsistent performances last campaign won’t have won any favour among the undecided.
The Cameroon international conceded 65 times in 50 appearances across all competitions, and a string of high-profile errors have led Manchester United to look at the likes of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez as a potential replacement.
Shedding light on the rumours, ex-Premier League scout Mick Brown stated: “Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.
“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving. If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.“
Intriguingly, Manchester United have also been given the green light to pursue Porto stopper Diogo Costa, lending credence to the notion that they could be set for a change between the sticks this summer.
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Plenty of names may enter the hat to replace Onana if he is moved on, though it remains to be seen how events develop over the next few weeks.
That said, the Red Devils could now have their house in order on that front as Ruben Amorim tries to sort out his goalkeeping situation.
Man Utd could loan out Onana with John Victor lined up
According to The Sun, Manchester United could loan out Andre Onana this summer and sign Botafogo’s John Victor as a replacement for as little as £6 million.
In the case of Onana, Monaco are said to have asked the question over a temporary move, but his £120,000 per week wages have proved to be a stumbling block. The Red Devils would prefer to conduct a deal with a European club over a Premier League rival.
Andre Onana vs John Victor – who is a better fit for Manchester United?
Andre Onana – Premier League
Save percentage
67.2%
Goals conceded
44
Clean sheets
9
Pass accuracy
69.8%
Penalties faced/saved
1/4
John Victor – Brazilian Serie A
Save percentage
81.1%
Goals conceded
7
Clean sheets
6
Pass accuracy
79.4%
Penalties faced/saved
0/0
Victor may have a smaller sample size than Onana, but purely for demonstrative purposes, his statistics do stand up to scrutiny when evaluating the consistency levels needed for a Manchester United goalkeeper to succeed at Old Trafford.
Keeping ten clean sheets in 29 appearances across all competitions this season, he could be the man to succeed the Cameroon international, even if there will be difficulties to overcome in sanctioning his exit.
The squad will be led by Shubman Gill and will play five matches in Zimbabwe from July 6
Shashank Kishore24-Jun-2024
Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma impressed in IPL 2024•BCCI
Shubman Gill has been named captain of India’s T20I squad for the five-match series in Zimbabwe that begins on July 6. Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Riyan Parag and Tushar Deshpande all received their maiden India call-ups after impressive performances in IPL 2024.Dhruv Jurel has also been picked as the second wicketkeeper, his first call-up to the T20I squad after making his Test debut earlier this year against England.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are the only two players from India’s T20 World Cup squad who are also travelling to Zimbabwe; all of the other World Cup players have been given a break after the tournament ends on June 29.Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed, the other travelling reserves in India’s T20 World Cup squad along with Gill, are also in the squad for Zimbabwe. The team is likely to leave for Zimbabwe on July 1 and will be coached by VVS Laxman in the interim, with Rahul Dravid’s tenure ending with the T20 World Cup.The squad does not include Tilak Varma, who has played 16 T20 internationals since his debut in August last year. ESPNcricinfo learned Tilak had injured two fingers on his left hand ahead of Mumbai Indians’ final league game of IPL 2024 and is undergoing rehab at NCA in Bangalore. He was part of India’s most recent bilateral series, against Afghanistan this January, and also had a successful IPL season for Mumbai – 416 runs at a strike rate of 149.64.Abhishek’s inclusion comes on the back of a successful IPL 2024 for Sunrisers Hyderabad: 484 runs at a strike rate of 204.21 and 42 sixes, the most in the season. He had also played a pivotal role in Punjab’s run to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali title in November, with 485 runs at a strike rate of 192.46 as an opener.”It feels great to get this opportunity,” Abhishek said in a statement. “Finally my hard work has paid off. I will give my best and perform well for India.”Playing in his sixth IPL season, Parag had a breakout year for Rajasthan Royals, scoring almost as many runs in IPL 2024 as he had in five previous seasons. Offered a chance to bat at No. 4, Parag scored 40 or more in seven out of 14 innings; only Virat Kohli had 40-plus more scores (nine) this season. Parag’s 573 runs in 16 innings made him third on the leaderboard for most runs, behind Kohli (741) and Gaikwad (583).Reddy, a 21-year old seam-bowling allrounder, is believed to have impressed the selectors with his temperament in the Sunrisers top order. He made 303 runs in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 142.92, while also delivering 13.1 overs for three wickets. Reddy, like Abhishek and Parag, was a part of the BCCI’s target group of young players who have been under the NCA’s watch over the past year.Deshpande was the top wicket-taker for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024, with 17 wickets and an economy rate of 8.83.India play five T20Is against Zimbabwe in Harare on July 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14.India’s squad for T20I series in ZimbabweᏚhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.
Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada ran through the top order as Afghanistan folded for 56, their lowest total in T20Is
Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jun-2024
Tabraiz Shamsi picked up three quick wickets to hasten Afghanistan’s end•ICC/Getty Images
South Africa’s quicks ravaged Afghanistan’s top order, taking five wickets inside the first five overs, to send the opposition spiralling towards their eventual 56 all out in the first semi-final of T20 World Cup 2024.Then, although they lost Quinton de Kock early, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks calmly navigated the small chase on an exceedingly tricky Tarouba pitch.For a team infamous for playing jittery cricket in the knockouts, this win was dominant and clinical. South Africa left next to nothing to chance. They bowled beautifully, fielded well, and weathered some difficult early overs while pouncing on the loose balls.Related
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As their reward, they have their first ever berth in a men’s World Cup final, and continued their unbeaten run in the tournament, which now is up to eight matches. The margin of victory, by nine wickets and with 67 balls remaining, underscored the control they exerted on this match, from start to finish.Jansen and Rabada rip out the top orderThe Tarouba surface not only offered lateral movement but also a lot of bounce early on. With the heights that Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada bring to the table, South Africa had a great attack to exploit conditions.Kagiso Rabada flattened Mohammad Nabi’s off stump•AFP/Getty Images
Jansen struck at the end of the first over to remove Afghanistan’s batter of the tournament – Rahmanullah Gurbaz – who edged a ball angled across him to Hendricks at slip. In his next over, Jansen bowled Gulbadin Naib through the gate with a delivery that darted back into him.Rabada’s first over sent Afghanistan really into a nosedive. He jagged two balls back and hit timber on both occasions. The ball that clipped the top of Ibrahim Zadran’s middle stump was the killer – Ibrahim at that point was Afghanistan’s best hope of getting to a good score. Fourth ball, he took out Mohammad Nabi’s off stump with an even more stunning delivery. That over was a double-wicket maiden.Nortje and Shamsi do the restWith the top five gone, and their middle order having failed to produce much right through the tournament, Afghanistan were seriously struggling. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi closed down the innings from there. Nortje had Azmatullah Omarzai (the only Afghan batter to get to double figures) caught at deep point, then later knocked out Rashid Khan’s off stump.Shamsi bowled a leg-stump line to the right-handers and kept getting them lbw as the balls rushed onto them. They reviewed all three decisions, but the on-field umpires had given them out, and umpires’ calls on impact were good enough.Jonathan Trott and Rashid Khan during the innings break•ICC/Getty Images
Farooqi and Naveen can’t wreck South Africa’s top orderComing into this match, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq had 29 wickets between them. Their only chance of defending such a paltry score was running through the top order together.Farooqi added to his tournament-high wicket tally in his first over, setting de Kock up with some big outswingers before jagging one back in and making a mess of his stumps.And Naveen should have had Markram the next over, but most of Afghanistan’s players didn’t hear the thin edge to the wicketkeeper, and Rashid wasn’t sure enough of it to review the decision.Markram and Hendricks take the chase homeThere were still testing moments, as the pitch continued to play up, still often keeping low. But whenever Afghanistan bowled poor deliveries, South Africa’s batters pounced. The fifth over itself yielded 13 runs – more than a fifth of the target. South Africa got home in the ninth over, sparking restrained celebrations, even though this was a historic victory for them.
West Bromwich Albion supporters won’t have to wait too much longer to see who their beloved Baggies will play in the opening matches of the new Championship season.
Indeed, the always hotly anticipated fixture list will be released next week, with Ryan Mason hopeful that whatever selection of fixtures is thrust his side’s way, they can start the fresh second-tier campaign with a bang, instead of a whimper.
One figure that definitely won’t feature under Mason’s early tenure is Grady Diangana, with the Congolese forward reportedly edging ever closer to a Hawthorns departure, after failing to seal an extended contract this summer.
Diangana's current situation
Mason’s arrival on the scene might well have contributed to the former West Ham United man wanting to leave, knowing that the 33-year-old boss would want to stamp his mark onto proceedings from the get-go.
It is a sad severing of the ties, however, with Diangana once viewed as an electric menace donning Baggies blue and white in both the Premier League and in the EFL.
In total, the 27-year-old would collect an impressive combined tally of 48 goals and assists from 202 appearances in the West Midlands, with Diangana often having the Hawthorns masses in the palm of his hand when pulling off unbelievable finishes like the one above.
But, the output on Diangana’s end had begun to dry up – as seen in just four goals and three assists coming his way last season – with a reported reunion now on the cards for him to uproot to Valencia to link up with ex-Baggies boss Carlos Corberan to try and recapture his best.
Whilst Diangana looks forward to his possible moment in the sun in Spain, West Brom will no doubt be on the hunt for a replacement to bolster their options in attack.
West Brom's "fabulous" Diangana replacement
After all, the long-standing servant’s exit will be felt in terms of the personnel Mason can select from.
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Jed Wallace is the only other recognisable right winger in the depleted Baggies camp currently in the wake of Diangana moving on, whilst the rookie manager has even fewer faces to call upon in the number ten spot – another position that the 27-year-old was comfortable playing in – with John Swift also heading out of the building on a free transfer.
Therefore, in hunting down an immediate fix to Diangana’s exit, West Brom will need to win themselves a versatile and flexible presence who can play all over the attacking positions.
Who could that be? Well, former Derby County captain Tom Lawrence is perhaps their man. It has been reported by TEAMtalk this week that West Brom are interested in landing the now free agent forward.
Away from his ability to be adaptable making him a worthwhile candidate to replace Diangana, the 31-year-old also boasts a vast collection of goals and assists in the Championship himself, with a mighty 50 goals and 40 assists tallied up from 264 career appearances in the second-tier.
Staggeringly, that’s 42 more goal contributions than the Valencia-linked star managed during his entire Hawthorns spell, albeit from 62 fewer clashes.
Lawrence in the Championship by position
Position played in
Games
Goals
Assists
LW
157
30
21
SS
57
9
9
CF
21
5
2
RW
16
2
7
AM
6
2
0
LM
3
2
1
Sourced by Transfermarkt
The similarities don’t just stop here either, with Lawrence also prone to scoring an audacious strike or two during his celebrated Derby stay, much like Diangana at his Baggies peak.
His expertise in this regard even saw ex-Rams boss Gary Rowett label the entertaining Welshman as “fabulous” when the pair were together at Pride Park, as West Brom now pray he can arrive on the scene this summer and roll back the years to fire Mason and Co. to promotion.
Pulling off such a feat would make the managerial newcomer an instant icon at the Hawthorns, with Lawrence also entering into the club’s hall-of-fame no doubt by securing a promotion success Diangana could never get over the line.
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Setting their sights on fresh targets, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive £42m midfielder who already has a goal to his name at Villa Park.
Aston Villa face difficult summer
Whichever direction Aston Villa go down this summer, they must approach with caution. Their PSR concerns are likely to limit their spending unless they complete some ruthless sales. Those concerns make their defeat against Manchester United to cost them a Champions League place on the final day all the more frustrating for Unai Emery, who failed to hide his anger at the time.
Now, weeks on, it’s simply a situation that the Midlands club must prepare for. Rumours have already arrived as to who could be heading for the exit door as somewhat of a sacrifice for the Villans and it seems as though not many names are off the table completely.
Among those most mentioned has been Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine looked to be bidding an emotional farewell to Villa Park in the final home game of the season, sparking rumours that he could yet depart amid interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid.
Losing Martinez would be a frustrating but perhaps necessary blow for all involved at Villa Park, who could then have the chance to welcome incomings of their own. Already, Zepiqueno Redmond looks set to arrive on a free transfer from Feyenoord to commence Villa’s summer business, but they won’t want to stop there.
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With Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on their way back to their parent clubs, Emery has important roles to fill in his side and Villa have seemingly turned their focus towards signing a Premier League rival as a result.
Aston Villa racing to sign Mikkel Damsgaard
According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are now racing to sign Mikkel Damsgaard from Brentford this summer. The Bees reportedly value the Danish midfielder at as much as €50m (£42m) amid interest from the Midlands club as well as Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and West Ham United.
Villa Park received a first-hand glimpse of Damsgaard’s quality when he scored Brentford’s only goal in an eventual 3-1 defeat at the hands of Emery’s side. Even in the face of defeat, however, the 24-year-old showed what he’s capable of.
With 11 assists to his name last season – a number that only Mohamed Salah, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Elanga bettered – Damsgaard was often at the centre of Thomas Frank’s praise.
The Brentford boss told reporters after victory over Leicester in December: “He just got better and better.Today he was fantastic in every way possible. He had another performance and also did an assist. He ties our team and games together amazingly. It’s cool to see.”
Finally realising his potential, it may not be long before Damsgaard is on the move away from Brentford and perhaps even towards Villa Park if the Midlands club make their move this summer.
The return of David Moyes may have brought a smile back to Everton Football Club, although it’s fair to say that the shining light on Merseyside remains a certain Iliman Ndiaye, with the Senegal star enjoying a dazzling debut campaign at the club.
In a largely workman-like outfit, the 25-year-old is undoubtedly the difference maker, regularly popping up with a moment of magic – including his breathtaking brace amid an emotional Goodison Park send-off last month.
The manner in which the ex-Marseille man is able to jink his way through a sea of defenders truly is a sight to behold, with The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell rightly noting earlier in the season that he is the type of player who can “change an entire mood” at a club.
With a brighter future in store at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the £15m signing should surely be the centre-piece of the new Moyes era. On the same note, signings of a similar ilk should surely be on the agenda this summer.
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Change is afoot on the Blue side of Merseyside – not least with the move away from Goodison – with the end of the Premier League season sparking a mass exodus from the club, with the likes of Ashley Young, João Virginia and Abdoulaye Doucouré all set to depart upon the expiry of their contracts.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
That sea of departures has also seen the likes of Jack Harrison, Jesper Lindstrom, Orel Mangala and Armando Broja return to their parent clubs amid the end of their respective loan moves, albeit with the temporary capture of Charly Alcaraz set to be made permanent for a fee of around €15m (£13m).
The deal to sign the South American starlet could be followed by another exciting capture over the coming weeks, with the Daily Mail suggesting that the Toffees have taken the first steps toward signing Manchester City’s James McAtee, having ‘made checks’ on him.
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As per the report, both Nottingham Forest and West Ham United are also keeping tabs on the promising Englishman, while a raft of Bundesliga sides are also interested, namely Bayer Leverkusen.
The 22-year-old – who reportedly has a £25m price tag – looks destined to depart the Etihad amid his lack of game time. Merseyside, as it has been for Ndiaye, could be the perfect home this summer.
Why Everton need to sign James McAtee
While Everton were hardly taking too much of a risk on Ndiaye, considering the forward’s reasonable £15m price tag, that deal did present something of a gamble considering his difficult stint in Marseille prior to that, in which he scored just four times in 46 games for the Ligue 1 outfit.
In truth, the Toffees were largely banking on the then-24-year-old rediscovering the form he had showcased prior to his 2023 switch, having lit up the Championship with Sheffield United, after registering 36 goals and assists in 88 games for the Blades.
Much to the delight of everyone at Goodison, those heroics have now been replicated in an Everton shirt, with Ndiaye ending 2024/25 with 11 goals in all competitions, placing him ahead of Beto in the club’s scoring charts.
That gamble has more than paid off, hence why plumping for McAtee could reap similar rewards, with the England U21 international also previously shining during his two loan spells in Sheffield.
Indeed, between 2022 and 2024, the silky playmaker registered 22 goals and assists in 75 games at Bramall Lane, with that including a return of nine goals and three assists in the Championship in 2022/23. Ndiaye, lining up in the same side, provided 14 goals and 11 assists in the league that season.
McAtee’s record – last 365 days
Stat
Record(per 90)
Ranking*
Non-penalty goals
0.78
Top 1%
Shots
3.53
Top 6%
Assists
0.00
Bottom 1%
Shot-creating actions
1.96
Bottom 1%
Pass completion
80.7%
Top 22%
Progressive passes
3.33
Bottom 40%
Progressive carries
2.55
Bottom 29%
Touches in opposition box
5.88
Top 18%
Progressive passes received
9.22
Top 28%
Tackles
1.96
Top 11%
Interceptions
0.39
Bottom 41%
Blocks
1.96
Top 1%
*vs attacking mid/wingers in Europe’s top 5 leagues
Stats via FBref
Described as “a special player” by Pep Guardiola back in Manchester, McAtee has since had to bid his time with the Citizens, albeit while still registering seven goals from only nine starts in all competitions this season.
James McAtee
An intricate, left-footed playmaker who can operate centrally or off the right flank, McAtee’s quality has also seen him likened to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard in the past, with pundit Carl Asaba stating:
That likeness certainly bodes well for the impact he can make if given a consistent run of game time at Premier League level, with the Toffees hoping he can follow in Ndiaye’s footsteps by shining in the top-flight.
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Glasgow Rangers had to watch on as their city rivals were crowned champions of the Scottish Premiership for the fourth time in as many seasons.
The Light Blues, who were held to a 2-2 draw by St Mirren last time out, are a whopping 17 points adrift of first place with more matches left to play, which shows that they have not even made it a close race.
Rangers made the decision to part ways with Philippe Clement earlier this year and brought Barry Ferguson in on an interim basis until the end of the season.
The former Scotland international and ex-Rangers midfielder has only won three of his seven Premiership games in charge of the club to date, which does not suggest that he is the right man to take the job on a permanent basis this summer.
The Light Blues need a manager who can bring success back to Ibrox next season. A manager who can bring a league title back to Ibrox next season.
They need to find a head coach of Brendan Rodgers’ calibre. The Northern Irishman had proven himself to be a good manager in the Premier League before his move to Celtic, where he has been incredibly dominant.
Why Brendan Rodgers has been a big success in Scotland
Prior to his first spell at Parkhead, Rodgers earned promotion from the Championship with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign and finished 11th in his first top-flight season with the Welsh outfit.
That earned him a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2012, and he led the Reds to seventh, second, and sixth-placed finishes in the Premier League in his three full seasons in charge.
Rodgers joined Celtic for the 2016/17 campaign, winning the Premiership title in his two full seasons at the helm, before joining Leicester in early 2019.
The Northern Irishman enjoyed a largely successful time with the Foxes, winning the FA Cup in 2021, before his return to Celtic in the summer of 2023.
Season
Matches played
League position
22/23
28
19th
21/22
38
8th
20/21
38
5th
19/20
38
5th
18/19
10
9th
Stats via Transfermarkt
Since returning to Parkhead, Rodgers has claimed the Premiership title in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns, and has the chance to win the domestic treble by beating Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final this season.
This shows that he has been a huge success on the other side of Glasgow, and that may be down to, in part, because he arrived at Celtic off the back of several seasons of impressive performances as a manager in the Premier League.
Kevin Thelwell is set to join Rangers as their new sporting director this summer, after his contract with Everton expires, and he reportedly has a former Premier League manager in mind for the job.
Thelwell tells Rangers who would be a good appointment
According to Football Insider, Thelwell has told the 49ers, who are part of an ongoing takeover at Ibrox, that former Everton and Burnley head coach Sean Dyche would be a fantastic appointment for the club.
The report claims that Ferguson is not expected to be given the job on a permanent basis, after his interim spell comes to an end, and this means that the club will be in the market for a new head coach.
Everton managerSeanDychebefore the match
Football Insider reports that Thelwell is a big fan of Dyche, with whom he worked at Goodison Park, and he believes that the English boss has the mentality and character to thrive at Ibrox.
The outlet adds that the sporting director also believes that the manager’s direct, physical, style of play would go down well with the supporters in Glasgow.
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However, Football Insider does not reveal whether or not Dyche, who was relieved of his duties by Everton in January, would be open to a move to Ibrox this summer.
If the 53-year-old tactician is interested in joining the Light Blues, the 49ers could land their own version of Brendan Rodgers by bringing him to the club.
Why Rangers should appoint Sean Dyche
The experienced boss would arrive with similar credentials to the ones that Rodgers first arrived at Celtic with, as he has tasted promotion from the Championship and seasons of midtable finishes in the Premier League.
Everton manager Sean Dyche
Dyche has shown that he can get a team to win matches regularly to earn promotion, finishing second and first in the 2013/14 and 2015/16 Championship seasons respectively, but he can also set up a side to be resolute and tough to break down, to avoid relegation from the top-flight.
Sean Dyche’s Premier League career
Season
Matches played
League position
24/25
19
16th
23/24
37
15th
22/23
18
17th
21/22
30
18th
20/21
38
17th
19/20
38
10th
18/19
38
15th
17/18
38
7th
16/17
38
16th
14/15
38
19th
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Dyche has only been relegated from the Premier League in one of his full seasons in the top-flight, although he did leave Burnley on the edge of relegation with eight games left in the 2021/22 campaign.
The former Toffees head coach, therefore, knows how to create a good team spirit and a gritty mentality because he has led so many sides to safety throughout his time in the English top-flight.
Everton manager Sean Dyche
His mixture of experience coaching title-chasing teams and sides that wanted to avoid the drop suggests that he could be a great fit for Rangers, because he can use the former experience to compete for the title in the Premiership and the latter experience to produce hard-working, gritty, displays in big European matches.
Therefore, Dyche, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by Kieran Trippier, could follow in Rodgers’ footsteps as a proven Premier League coach who could arrive in Scotland to win major trophies in Glasgow, but this time at Rangers to end Celtic’s dominance in Scottish football.
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It is now down to Thelwell and the club to see if the former Burnley stalwart would be willing to take on the role, and if he is the best option available out of all of their targets.
Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta have identified a new “priority” forward target for manager Mikel Arteta, following an excellent run of form since the turn of the year, and his current club are apparently resigned to losing him.
Arsenal exploring summer deals for attackers
As widely reported, a key item on Berta’s agenda this summer is bringing in new attackers, both out wide and at centre-forward.
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Bukayo Saka was sorely missed during his lengthy absence, which occurred thanks to a serious hamstring injury, while uncertainty surrounds the future of Leandro Trossard as he fast approaches the final season of his contract at Arsenal.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Brentford (home)
April 12th
Ipswich Town (away)
April 20th
Crystal Palace (home)
April 23rd
Bournemouth (home)
May 3rd
Liverpool (away)
May 11th
GiveMeSport claim Arsenal could bring in a star alternative to Saka on the right-flank and a left-winger to cover the likes of Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli. A top target for the wide area is Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, who’s been heavily linked in the last seven days, following credible reports that Berta held talks with his representatives recently.
Williams will command huge wages of around £250,000-per-week to potentially join Arsenal, though, so Berta will be looking at other options as well, with there being no guarantee that the Spain international does end up completing a move to N5.
As well as a winger, Arsenal are firmly in the market for a new striker, and it is believed Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres has shot up to the very top of their wishlist quite recently.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokeres
According to reports in Portugal this week, Arsenal are preparing to make an offer for Gyokeres before the end of 2024/2025, so the Swede’s potential Premier League move could finally be on the cards after two sensational campaigns in the Primeira Liga.
In terms of a stand-in or competitor for Saka out wide, the Gunners have also been surprisingly linked with £200,000-per-week Man United outcast Antony recently, following his rejuvenated spell out on loan at Real Betis.
Arsenal identify Man United forward Antony as "priority" target
The Brazilian has racked up two goals and two assists over his last nine La Liga games for Betis, finding his feet quickly in Spain under Manuel Pellegrini since joining in January, and his 2025 performances haven’t gone unnoticed at Arsenal.
According to Spanish media sources, Arsenal have shortlisted Antony as a new “priority” target, and Betis appear resigned to losing the 25-year-old after his loan spell considering this competition from the Premier League.
The winger would be open to extending his Betis stay, according to this report, but all signs point towards him returning to Old Trafford or finding a new landing spot before the beginning of 2025/2026.
His rumoured price tag is set at around £40 million, which is seen as more realistic after his excellent loan at Betis, so he would be a fairly cheap option, discounting Antony’s wages.
He’s also been likened in playing style to PSG star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but following his lacklustre time in England, this move would be considered a huge gamble.
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has been handed a boost in his pursuit of a 52-year-old’s appointment in N17, with the high-ranking board chief said to be seriously attempting to bring him to north London.
Ange Postecoglou makes comment on Tottenham future
Following an alleged Ange Postecoglou row with Spurs supporters in their 1-0 London derby defeat at Chelsea, where he was seen goading the away end over Pape Matar Sarr’s introduction, the Australian has received serious backlash.
Tottenham ready to move for "elite" Postecoglou replacement after Chelsea loss
The Australian is treading on very thin ice right now.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025
Postecoglou brought on the Senegalese in place of Lucas Bergvall, which prompted boos from the Lilywhites fanbase, with Sarr then equalising with an excellently taken, albeit brief, strike from long-range.
Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures
Date
Southampton (home)
April 6th
Wolves (away)
April 13th
Nottingham Forest (home)
April 21st
Liverpool (away)
April 27th
West Ham (away)
May 3rd
In response, the Tottenham boss cupped his ear to those who jeered his decision to bring Sarr on. This incident hasn’t gone down well with supporters and critics alike, but Postecoglou has since insisted that he was merely celebrating the goal, which was eventually ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Postecoglou is now facing more pressure than ever before, especially following Tottenham’s sixteenth defeat in the Premier League alone this season, with Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola reportedly Levy’s top managerial target to succeed the tactician.
Celtic’s former boss was candid when asked about his long-term future this week, suggesting that Spurs need to think more long-term.
“I’ve almost lasted two years, it’s pretty good for Tottenham,” said Postecoglou on his job.
“At some point, I think the club needs to stick to something. If I say it now it sounds self-serving and defeats the purpose, so maybe not now. But I think that if you want to change the course of your events, you need to change materially a lot of things in terms of the way your outlook as a club.
“Last year was a good year, I don’t care what anybody says. We lost Harry (Kane). I know everyone talks about our start (but) we lost Harry, we finished fifth, we changed the way we played.
“It seems like, you have one good year, you have one poor year and then that’s it, ‘let’s move on to the next’, but that’s what I accepted so I can’t sit here and say, ‘ah, woe is me’. That’s the challenge I accepted.”
Daniel Levy handed Tottenham boost over appointing Fabio Paratici
As well as a new head coach, the north Londoners have been tipped to re-hire ex-managing director Fabio Paratici, who would play a key role in the managerial recruitment process.
Reports suggest that Levy has held talks with Paratici over re-joining Tottenham, and the chairman has apparently been “working hard” on his possible return (Graeme Bailey), but Milan are major foils in this move.
The Rossoneri are chasing their own sporting director, with Paratici’s worldwide football ban set to end on 30th June this year. However, according to Calciomercato, Tottenham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of the 52-year-old.
Tottenham Hotspur director Fabio Paratici
It is believed that Milan’s talks with Paratici have collapsed over various clauses they couldn’t agree upon, handing Levy a clear run at bringing back a former employee who enjoyed a productive stint at the club.
The Italian played a major role in Spurs’ appointment of Antonio Conte, whilst also orchestrating deals for Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr.