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An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their potential business towards the end of the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Light Blues have been offered the chance to sign England international Ross Barkley on a free transfer before the deadline passes.

According to Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry, the player’s representative has put the 28-year-old gem forward to the Gers after his contract was mutually terminated by Chelsea.

He Tweeted: “Ross Barkley’s name has been put to Rangers as his agent looks to find ex-Chelsea man new club.”

Joe Aribo heir

Ross Wilson must now pounce on this opportunity to bring Barkley to the club as he has the potential to be a superb addition, replacing Joe Aribo after he joined Southampton earlier in the summer.

The Nigerian was excellent for the Gers last term as he caught the eye in the number 10 role. He showed his ability on the ball throughout the campaign as he created nine ‘big chances’ and managed 1.8 key passes per match across 34 outings.

Barkley could now be the dream replacement for the now-Saint as he has the quality in possession to make a similar, if not greater, impact in terms of creativity.

Journalist Dominic King claimed that he used to be a “diamond” before fading at Stamford Bridge and he could now rediscover his form by coming over to Scottish football.

He is a midfielder who is capable of creating chances on a regular basis, opening up opposition defences to provide his teammates with opportunities in front of goal.

In his last two full Premier League campaigns, he created 2.39 openings per 90 minutes on loan at Aston Villa and then managed 4.5 per 90 in 2021/22 for Chelsea – albeit with only 180 minutes of football for the Blues.

He also managed six key passes in 96 minutes of Champions League football last term, along with six in 156 minutes in the EFL Cup. This means that he created 21 chances in 432 minutes of action in all competitions last season – 4.37 per 90.

The attacking midfielder, whose attitude was hailed as “first class” by Frank Lampard, also caught the eye whilst playing for England in 2021. In six European Championship qualifiers, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 8.02 as he scored four goals, provided three assists, and produced 2.2 key passes per game.

These statistics show that he is a fantastic creator who has the quality to unlock doors at the top level, which suggests that he would be a midfield magician for the Gers – much like Aribo.

He has the ability to break down opposition defences and Rangers could offer him the chance to play regular minutes, allowing him to prove that he can create at a high rate consistently over the course of a season – rather than in a handful of outings.

Journalist Dean Jones has been left ‘surprised’ as Southampton eye a move for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos this summer.

The Lowdown: Saints keep busy…

Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has been backed with an array of summer signings as new owners Sport Republic kickstart a new era at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Southampton have sealed arrivals for six players in the form of Gavin Bazanu, Sekou Mara, Romeo Lavia, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Joe Aribo and Mateusz Lis with the Premier League season now underway.

These additions bring vast potential but arguably little experience given the eldest of them, Aribo and Lis, are both just 25-years-old.

The Latest: Jones ‘surprised’ as Saints eye Ramos…

Now, given the latest news with Southampton holding talks over Ramos, reporter Jones has been left ‘surprised’ as the south coast side seemingly eye yet another young starlet.

He explained, speaking to GiveMeSport:

“It’s a really interesting option and he is one they’re looking into.

“I don’t know if he’s exactly what they need, to be honest. I’m surprised they’re not looking at people that are more established in the league or even in Europe.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Scoring just seven Primeira Liga goals in 17 starts last year for Benfica, we believe Ramos could come with potential but he’s not exactly a prolific figure – so his signing could turn out to be a gamble.

That being said, he averaged 1.9 attempts at goal per 90 domestically over 2021/2022, which is more than almost every Saints player managed in the English top flight bar Adam Armstrong (WhoScored).

If Southampton can bring him through the door, it will be interesting to see whether he can really upgrade Hasenhuttl’s options.

West Ham United and manager David Moyes are also eyeing a move for Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz amid their busy window.

The Lowdown: Hammers keep busy…

The Hammers are keeping well and truly busy ahead of their blockbuster Premier League opening weekend clash against Manchester City on Sunday as they remain linked with a host of players.

Lille midfielder Amadou Onana and Burnley star Maxwel Cornet are reportedly on the agenda for Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman with Napoli star Piotr Zielinski also mentioned in parts.

It appears the east Londoners have cast their net far and wide with reliable journalist Jacob Steinberg now sharing news on another possible target.

The Latest: Steinberg makes Brereton-Diaz claim…

Indeed, the reporter claims Brereton Diaz is also being watched by West Ham.

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Writing for The Guardian, he states that Moyes and co are ‘monitoring’ the Rovers forward with there being no sign of the Irons resting on their laurels.

The Verdict: Exciting?

Having scored 22 goals whilst assisting three others last season, regardless of those numbers coming in the Championship, it’s clear the Chile international could provide another injection of threat into Moyes’ side.

Brereton Diaz, reportedly valued at around £20 million, could be a real one to watch with pundits in the press even tipping him to be an ‘exciting signing’ for West Ham specifically.

Able to play both out wide and centrally, the forward would come with real versatility for Moyes and we feel West Ham would be wise to take their interest further.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been named as one of the clubs who have made contact with Manchester City regarding a possible move for versatile gem Oleksandr Zinchenko.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the Molineux outfit are said to have ‘asked’ the Premier League champions about the Ukraine international’s ‘availability’, with the player believed to be considering an exit from the Etihad Stadium this summer.

The report suggests that the 25-year-old – who still has two years remaining on his contract – has a preference to play in midfield, having largely been deployed at left-back under Pep Guardiola.

The latest suggestion is that any deal could cost in the region of £35m for a player who was bought for just £1.7m six years ago, although Arsenal are currently believed to be in the strongest position to land the 52-cap gem.

Reliable option

While perhaps not one of the marquee names among the City squad, Zinchenko has proven himself a hugely effective performer during his time in English football, slotting in comfortably on the left-hand side of defence in a role which is not his favourite.

Making that sacrifice to take on something of a makeshift role has paid off for the £22.5m-rated ace, who has gone on to be a vital squad player for Guardiola in recent years, racking up 127 appearances for the club in all competitions and winning four league titles in that time.

His performances have clearly made an impact on his manager, with the serial-winning coach having dubbed him “so reliable” a few years ago for his unerring consistency, while the 25-year-old’s team-mate Kyle Walker has  labelled him “incredible” due to his talent with the ball at his feet.

Bruno Lage and co would clearly be bringing in a player who rarely lets his team down, although categorising the £59k-per-week Ukrainian as a mere steady performer would be doing him a disservice, such is his undoubted quality.

That is rubberstamped by Zinchenko’s impressive comparison to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, in which he ranks in the top 1% for both progressive carries and progressive passes among full-backs, and also the top 1% for assists and the top 2% for pass completion.

A master in possession, restoring him to his preferred midfield role could well be of great benefit to those at Molineux, with the Old Gold seemingly in need of further additions in that department amid uncertainty over the future of Ruben Neves.

A rather expensive signing it could potentially be, but those at Wolves will know that it would likely prove to be very much worth it.

AND in other news, Shi can sign Lage his own Harry Kane with Wolves swoop for “incredible” goal machine

Raphinha’s proposed move from Leeds United to Arsenal is still on, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The lowdown

Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte claimed that the north London club had ‘pulled out’ of the race to sign the 25-year-old after reportedly sealing a deal for Gabriel Jesus, boosting Barcelona’s chances of landing the Elland Road star.

It emerged last week that the Gunners had submitted a bid for the Whites winger, but it was rejected because it fell significantly below Leeds’ valuation (via The Athletic).

The Yorkshire club are expected to allow Raphinha to leave without being ‘unfair’ or ‘obstructive’ if their demands are met.

The latest

Jacobs took to Twitter on Sunday night with a couple of telling updates on the Brazil international’s future at Leeds, ahead of what could be a pivotal week in the transfer saga.

Firstly, he tweeted: “Told Arsenal have not ‘pulled out’ of trying to sign Raphinha. Raphinha does want to see if a Barcelona deal is possible (Camp Nou move always been of appeal). It’s complicated and may require Ousmane Dembele to leave, hence why this week is key.”

In a follow-up tweet, Jacobs claimed: “Raphinha’s representatives haven’t blanked EPL suitors. Arsenal have further talks scheduled with them this week. Leeds will hold out for around £60 million. Barcelona need to find those funds. Raphinha wants to assess all options, and one of them remains Arsenal.”

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The verdict

Raphinha doesn’t look like an essential signing for Arsenal.

He played 33 of his 36 matches on the right flank last season, and that’s the role Bukayo Saka typically occupies at the Emirates Stadium.

In the England youngster, Arsenal already have a top-quality option, as his nomination for Premier League Player of the Season demonstrates, so perhaps the Gunners won’t feel pressure to meet that reported £60m asking price for the Brazil star.

That could ultimately work in Leeds’ favour as they do their utmost to keep Raphinha at Elland Road, but could this yet prove to be a long and drawn-out negotiation?

BBC journalist Fraser Fletcher has revealed that Glasgow Rangers have now made an offer to take Erik Botheim to Ibrox this summer.

The Lowdown: Goal poacher

Botheim built up a reputation of being a little bit of a goal poacher from his time at Bodo/Glimt last season, where managed a goal every two games in Norway’s top flight.

In the UEFA Europa Conference League, he scored four goals and made four assists in six matches, including five goal contributions in a 6-1 thrashing of Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma (Transfermarkt) – he certainly knows where the back of the net is.

Signing for Russian club Krasnodar in the January transfer window, Botheim is now set to leave after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Latest: Offer made

Taking to Twitter, Fletcher has revealed that Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team, among a number of other sides, have now made an offer to try and sign Botheim:

“Latest – Offers are now on the table for Erik Botheim. I’m told Marseille keen and pushing hard. Offers from all over Europe alongside Rangers. A much wanted man. Choice now rests with him. Clubs await news of the striker’s decision.”

The Verdict: Sign

Both Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe suffered from various injury problems last term, which left the Teddy Bears a little short up top at times.

Thus, bringing in Botheim as another striking option would seem a smart piece of business, as he could then provide cover and competition ahead of what looks to be another busy campaign.

The Light Blues will no doubt want another crack at Europe, and the 22-year-old has already shown what he can do on the big stage.

In other news, find out what ’embarrassing’ Gers update has now emerged here!

Liverpool have their final trophy challenge this weekend with the Champions League final coming up against Real Madrid, and now a reliable source has revealed a major injury update ahead of the clash.

What’s the latest?

According to Northern correspondent for The Times Paul Joyce, Thiago Alcantara has a good chance of being fit for the Champions League final on Saturday night.

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Joyce tweeted: “Jurgen Klopp said Thiago Alcantara has a good chance of making the Champions League final. He will train this afternoon [Wednesday].”

The midfielder was sidelined with an Achilles injury late into the first half of the final Premier League game of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

Supporters will be excited

There is no doubt that supporters will be excited that the Spaniard could be fit for the game in Paris this weekend, especially with the news following a promising update on Fabinho who has returned to full training today.

Impressively, Liverpool have lost just one game with Thiago and Fabinho starting in the midfield since the former Bayern Munich star joined the team, so if the pair could be fit for the game against Real Madrid it would be a massive advantage for The Reds.

Thiago is an undeniable and powerful influence in Liverpool’s midfield with 70.2 touches, 1.2 key passes and 1.9 tackles on average per game, scoring once and contributing four assists, creating three big chances and proving successful in 63% of his dribbles over 25 appearances in the Premier League this season.

The Spaniard is no stranger to Champions League finals either, winning the prestigious European trophy twice once with Bayern Munich the summer before he moved to Merseyside and the other with Barcelona, so his experience in the competition will definitely be a huge advantage for Liverpool.

With that being said, Jurgen Klopp will be absolutely delighted with the progress his injured players have made over the last few weeks to ensure they can put themselves in contention for the final game of an incredible season for the Kopites and will be hoping that his team can pick up their third and final trophy on Saturday.

AND in other news: Forget Tchouameni: FSG can get Anfield rocking with LFC deal for “dangerous” £21m tank

An update has emerged regarding Glasgow giants Rangers and their plans to bring a new number nine to Ibrox in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, Ross Wilson is plotting a swoop for Zak Lovelace ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that the Gers are chasing a deal for the young Millwall centre-forward and may be able to seal a transfer for a fee in the region of £200k. He has been offered professional terms by the English Championship club and will be able to move to Scotland for that nominal fee if he rejects their efforts.

Millwall will be able to rake in £1m for his services if any English clubs come in for his services, whilst Rangers are able to snap him up for a reduced valuation due to being outside of England.

Gio van Bronckhorst would love him

The Ibrox head coach would love to bring the striker to Glasgow in the coming months, as he would be a strong addition to the Rangers youth setup.

Lovelace has played five Championship matches for the Lions to date, despite only turning 16 in January, and he has been called up by England at under-16 level.

This shows how highly-rated he is within The Den, as his club have decided that he is ready to play professional football – at a high standard – at the age of 15 and 16.

Millwall manager Gary Rowett previously lauded the teenager’s attitude after he made his senior debut, saying: “I thought it was going to be one of those moments where the ball isn’t out of play and there’s a 15-year-old stood on the sidelines ready to make his debut. I was actually quite thankful they had a shot that missed, just because it allowed us to get him on. He had a big, big smile on his face and was desperate to get out there.

“We could have taken the easy route and put a senior player on there because we had Smudge [Matt Smith] left on the bench. But I just felt it was a game where we needed a bit of mobility at the end to stop them getting out.

“Young Zak makes a 50-yard sprint to try and stop them. He showed great appetite. He’s going to have a big career ahead of him, I’m sure.”

These comments from Lovelace’s manager suggest that he is doing all the right things in training and on the pitch when given an opportunity to play.

He has convinced an experienced coach to throw him into a pressured environment at such a young age, which suggests that he has the potential to develop into a fine player in the future, as he is already catching the eye for a team in the second tier in England at the age of just 16.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst would surely love to have him at Ibrox, as he can work with the youngster in the years to come and help him to blossom into a first-team regular for the Glasgow giants.

AND in other news, Rangers can finally replace Defoe in deal for lethal 29 G/A gem who “never gives up”…

Crystal Palace are already readying a January move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, according to Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: Gallagher linked with Palace

The Eagles were heavily linked with another move for the 22-year-old following a hugely successful Selhurst Park loan spell last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year prize.

Reports last month suggested that Palace had made an approach and even a formal offer for the midfielder, but as we know, he remained at Stamford Bridge.

Gallagher has gone on to make five Premier League appearances for the Blues in the early weeks of the new campaign, but it looks as if Palace haven’t given up hope of securing his services.

The Latest: Gallagher to Palace update

Nixon shared a story for The Sun regarding Palace and Gallagher on Saturday evening.

He claimed that Steve Parish and the Eagles have the money to make a move and are already readying a £20m bid for the four-cap England international in January.

The Verdict: One to watch

Described as a ‘monster’ by Palace-supporting journalist Tom Dutton, Gallagher hasn’t had the best of starts under Thomas Tuchel. He was shown a red card against Leicester City last weekend and frustrated the Chelsea manager in Saturday’s 2-1 win over West Ham.

It will be interesting to see if he remains in the team over the coming months, with N’Golo Kante currently sidelined through injury and Denis Zakaria signed on deadline day.

If Gallagher falls out of favour at Stamford Bridge, then you’d like to think everyone involved could be open to a permanent exit, making this one to watch from a Palace perspective.

Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattogram and Dhaka reached the BPL’s playoffs as the league phase drew to a close

Mohammad Isam12-Jan-2020Khulna finish on topNajmul Hossain Shanto’s maiden T20 century on the last day of the league phase powered Khulna Tigers to the top of the points table. They will now face Rajshahi Royals in the first qualifier, with Chattogram Challengers and Dhaka Platoon playing the eliminator.Khulna have recovered from their mid-tournament dip with their domestic batsmen coming to the fore. Mushfiqur Rahim has continued his good form but the runs from Shanto’s bat would encourage them most. Rilee Rossouw, with 458 runs at a strike rate of 158.47, has been their most consistent performer with the bat, while Robbie Frylinck, with 18 wickets at an average of 18.33, has given them good service with the ball.Mohammad Amir hasn’t always been effective, but the likes of Shafiul Islam and Shahidul Islam have helped the side along the way, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz must worry them heading into the crucial encounter against Rajshahi, having taken just one wicket from eight games so far.BCB team crashes outCumilla Warriors, the only team in the competition to be fully run by the BCB, finished fifth in the points table, four points behind Dhaka. It was a fitting end to a muddled season.Their first big surprise was handing the captaincy to Dasun Shanaka, and not a Bangladeshi cricketer. Soumya Sarkar ended up leading in two games but the BCB missed out on a great opportunity to groom a new T20 captain. They also didn’t give leading batting roles to domestic cricketers, with Bhanuka Rajapaksa and the underperforming Stiaan van Zyl getting the most opportunities at the top of the order. In all, they tried nine openers, of whom Rajapaksa, Dawid Malan, van Zyl and Upul Tharanga faced nearly 69% of the deliveries.Mushfiqur Rahim shapes to scoop over his shoulder•BCBSabbir Rahman was the biggest disappointment, scoring 204 runs in 11 matches at 18.54 and a strike rate of 112.08. Not too far behind was Abu Hider who took only two wickets in ten games, while conceding 10.44 runs per over. Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the standout performer, and was usually relied upon in tough situations including the Super Over against Sylhet Thunder.There was very little confidence shown by the board in its own T20 players, which went hand in hand with the lack of confidence shown on the field by the likes of Soumya, Sabbir, Hider and Sunzamul Islam.Batsman of the weekNajmul Hossain Shanto stole the show with his unbeaten 115 against Dhaka. He struck seven sixes and eight fours in his 57-ball knock, and doubled his runs tally in the tournament, literally, having made only 115 runs in his previous eight games.In fact, Shanto had a horrid start to the season with just five runs from his first four innings, and while one innings doesn’t quite do justice to his ability, his maiden T20 century would give him the perfect boost ahead of the playoffs.Bowler of the weekMujeeb Ur Rahman is the only spinner among the top ten wicket-takers in the league phase. His 15 wickets have come at an average of 15.86 but his most outstanding number is 5.06 – his economy rate. In the tournament’s history, only Ashar Zaidi, in 2015-16, has taken more wickets (17) with a lesser economy rate (4.78) in a single season.