Glasgow Rangers find themselves in a Premiership title race following their 3-1 win over Ross County on Wednesday and the future looks promising.

Philippe Clement has transformed things at Ibrox in recent times and the next couple of months could see the Gers add to their League Cup triumph from earlier this season.

Securing either of the remaining domestic trophies would be a bonus following the dreadful start to the season under Micheal Beale, and Clement will be targeting the summer transfer window as a chance for him to improve his squad ahead of 2024/25.

Six players are out of contract come the end of the current season, most notably John Lundstram and Borna Barisic, yet there has been no news regarding any extensions, and the Croatian has been attracting interest of late.

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Borna Barisic’s future is unclear at Rangers

Speculation was rife in January that the defender was close to leaving the club, especially considering AS Roma were long term admirers of the left-back.

They were not the only club showing interest, as Dinamo Zagreb from his homeland also looked like they were going to make him an offer if Clement was going to move him on last month.

Nothing materialised, however, and Barisic remains in Glasgow until the end of the season, but with Clement looking to bolster his squad in the summer, it could well be his last stand at Rangers.

Indeed, according to Football Insider, Barisic is in fact ready to leave the Gers for nothing when his contract expires at the end of the season and this suggests the Belgian manager will need to find a replacement during the transfer window.

With Ridvan Yilmaz showcasing his talents over the previous few weeks, does Clement need to splurge out millions on another signing, or could he utilise some of the talent that is emerging through the academy?

Perhaps, young Robbie Fraser could be an ideal candidate.

Robbie Fraser’s future looks bright at Rangers

It’s safe to say that the club have a plethora of talent coming through the ranks on both the left and right sides of the defence.

Johnly Yfeko has already made one first-team appearance this season and is progressing nicely in the B team, while Adam Devine – who can operate on either flank – played a few matches last season for the Gers and is currently on loan at Motherwell, scoring his first professional goal against Aberdeen recently.

Fraser, however, could be ready to take the next step and secure his senior bow for the Light Blues sooner rather than later.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst looked as though he saw plenty of promise in the youngster as Fraser was named on the bench for Rangers during their Champions League clash against Ajax in 2022, and he clearly showcased plenty of ambition to play for the first team, discussing his chances after signing a new contract that same year, saying:

“I feel like I’m getting closer to making that next step into the first team hopefully. I felt that it was the right opportunity to push on.”

The 20-year-old defender clearly shows no shortage of confidence and, given the fact he is also the captain of the B team, he clearly has the right mentality to eventually force himself into the first-team reckoning.

Barisic was known more for his attacking qualities than his defensive acumen, and Fraser shares his love for bursting forward down the left flank, scoring four goals and registering ten assists across 53 youth team matches.

When he does score, they are often excellent goals and one of his free-kick efforts was hailed as “superb” by journalist Jordan Campbell, proving he can be a goal threat from a dead-ball situation.

While Yilmaz has gotten over his recent injury woes to establish himself as a first-team regular since Christmas, Fraser could be an ideal rival to the Turkish defender.

Ridvan Yilmaz’s season in numbers

The former Besiktas defender endured a tough debut campaign in Scotland, making only 11 starts across all competitions for the Gers as injuries hit him hard, and it looked as though he was on his way out during the summer.

Beale still saw Barisic as his number-one choice for the left-back slot, but when Clement arrived in October, the youngster began to see some more action.

Yilmaz has started 13 of Clement’s first 24 matches in charge and has taken full advantage of the fact that Barisic missed several games due to injury prior to Christmas, and he looks like a new player.

The 22-year-old has certainly displayed his attacking qualities, ranking second among the squad for big chances created (five) in the Premiership, while also ranking fourth for key passes per game (1.4), second for successful dribbles per game (1.3) and 12th for goals and assists (two) and there is no doubting his ability to succeed Barisic at left-back over the coming seasons.

This suggests the Light Blues will be more than comfortable going forward without the services of Barisic, as Yilmaz appears to be adept at in attack, while also demonstrating his defensive abilities over the previous few months.

The Gers were linked with numerous names with regard to the left-back position during the January transfer window as it looked as though the club were going to lose either Yilmaz or Barisic.

With Fraser making waves in the B team over the previous 12 months, Clement may have a player who will cost nothing, but could certainly rival Yilmaz for the left-back spot over the next few years.

Until the 49-year-old manager builds up a successful player-trading model, he may do well to utilise some of the young talents coming out of the academy, as if given regular game time, they can succeed.

Ross McCausland is a perfect example. Brought into the side due to injuries back in October, he has shown glimpses of his vast potential, while even scoring on the European stage.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Fraser has yet to taste senior action with Rangers, but with the games coming thick and fast, there may just be an opportunity or two for him to take between now and the end of the campaign, especially if injuries occur.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set for a big summer of spending should they continue their strong form under Ange Postecoglou, with chairman Daniel Levy ready to loosen the purse strings once more ahead of the new campaign.

Spurs loving life under Big Ange

One of the most entertaining sides in the Premier League, Tottenham and their new boss have bought an exciting brand of attacking football to north London that offers a stark contrast to the football on offer by Postecoglou's predecessors, and which has swept the Spurs faithful along for the ride, with plenty of late goals giving them a helping hand on the way.

Such has been his success that he has recently been linked with the soon-to-be vacant Liverpool role, though the Australian has distanced himself from that posting in recent days.

“I may be on a shortlist? I don’t think I want to say anything about that because I don’t think that’s ever going to enter my brain space for what is my priorities in life and my profession right now”, he told the media when quizzed on the matter.

In fact, it appears that he is already looking forward to the summer transfer window in north London.

Spurs chiefs plot youth overhaul

As can be seen below, Tottenham haven't been afraid to splash the cash since Postecoglou came to the helm, and have been richly rewarded with a fine season so far. They were one of just nine sides to make a permanent transfer in January, signing Radu Dragusin from Genoa, while they also bought Timo Werner to the club on loan with an option to buy the German in the summer.

Spurs arrivals under Ange

Cost (£)

Guglielmo Vicario

15m

James Maddison

40m

Brennan Johnson

45m

Micky Van de Ven

35m

Manor Solomon

Free

Alejo Veliz

10m

Radu Dragusin

25m

Timo Werner

Loan

Now, they are keen to continue their upward momentum and Daniel Levy has reportedly loosened the purse strings in north London once more.

According to Football Insider writer Pete O'Rourke, the ex-Celtic boss will be backed with a "huge" overhaul in the summer window, with a defender and a winger high on his list of priorities. Top of the list is a striker though, with Spurs among the clubs to have been credited with an interest in Brentford attacker Ivan Toney in recent weeks, with the England attacker also attracting the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea and almost certain to leave Brentford this summer.

They have already landed one signing this summer, with Spurs snapping up talented teen Lucas Bergvall from Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish top flight. They have also completed deals for young trio Luka Vuskovic, Ashley Phillips and Alejo Veliz in recent months, and they want to build up a core of young and exciting players before they become household names, with a "blitz" of Bergvall-esque deals expected throughout 2024.

With a feel-good atmosphere in north London at the moment, it is easy to see why the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is an attractive destination right now.

Imad Wasim, the Pakistan spin-bowling allrounder, has signed for Nottinghamshire as an overseas player for their Vitality Blast campaign. He will be available immediately, going into the squad for Friday night’s game against Derbyshire.Ranked second among T20I bowlers by the ICC, Wasim has been an integral figure in Pakistan’s rise to the top of the team rankings in the format, and has an economy rate of just 6.28 in T20 cricket over the course of his career.”With the nature of the international schedule, it’s a very difficult market in which to sign overseas players – far more difficult than it used to be,” Nottinghamshire director of cricket, Mick Newell, said. “With Imad becoming available on the back of the World Cup, we acted as quickly as possible to secure him.”The paperwork and clearances have taken a little bit of extra time, meaning we’ve had to start the tournament without him. But it’s good to now be welcoming him into the squad ahead of the next fixture against Derbyshire.”He brings an additional spin-bowling option that we think we can benefit from and he’ll strengthen our middle-order batting as well. With the venue we’ve got here at Trent Bridge and with the level of support we get here now, we are an attractive proposition to overseas cricketers.”Imad joins compatriots Faheem Ashraf, Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir and Fakhar Zaman to become the fifth Pakistan international with a contract for the Blast this season, though Zaman’s Glamorgan debut was delayed by visa issues and Amir has still to feature for Essex due to a similar issue.Nottinghamshire, who won the competition in 2017, were the favourites for the title this season, but started their campaign with a defeat against holders Worcestershire and a washout against Yorkshire before getting back on track with victory over Northamptonshire.Imad will fill the club’s second overseas slot, alongside captain Dan Christian. Notts had previously suggested Christian would be their only overseas signing for the Blast, but a serious knee injury to allrounder Steven Mullaney meant they swooped for reinforcement.”I can’t wait to represent the Outlaws in T20 cricket,” Imad said. “Trent Bridge is a wonderful ground with fans who are passionate and knowledgeable.”They were a generous audience during the One-Day International earlier this year and Trent Bridge under floodlights looked amazing.”My aim is to contribute to the Outlaws going all the way. They did it in 2017 and we have an exciting squad with lots of international talent that’s capable of doing it again.”This will be Imad’s first stint in the county game, though he has previously played club cricket for several different teams in England, including Papplewick, Burnley and Bradshaw. He will be available for the whole of the Blast, barring a two-game break at the end of August for his upcoming wedding.He was only picked in six of Pakistan’s eight World Cup games, but ended the tournament with 162 runs at a strike rate of 118.24, and was his team’s most economical bowler.

GOAL rates all of the Bleus on show as Real Madrid's new Galactico missed a glorious chance before suffering a suspected broken nose

France kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Austria on Monday night but the World Cup runners-up did not impress – or nor did star man Kylian Mbappe. Real Madrid's new signing may have been involved in the key moment of the game, with Max Wober somehow contriving to head Mbappe's cross past his own goalkeeper, but the winger was guilty of squandering a glorious chance to put the game to bed after finding himself one-on-one with Patrick Pentz.

Truth be told, a second goal would have flattered France, who took the lead out of nothing – and, even more frustratingly for Austria, just seconds after they had been denied a clear corner after Mike Maignan had made a huge save from Christoph Baumgartner, who had been put in on goal by Marcel Sabitzer's sublime lay-off.

Austria applied even more pressure during the closing stages of the game but France, as they so often do, found a way to win in spite of an underwhelming display from several star men, including Mbappe, whose evening ended early with him being substituted because of a suspected broken nose.

Below, GOAL rates all of the France players on show in Dusseldorf…

Getty Goalkeeper & Defence

Mike Maignan (7/10):

By no means over-worked but made an absolutely vital save from Baumgartner with his foot when the Austrian seemed certain to score.

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Decent from a defensive perspective but doesn't offer much going forward.

Dayot Upamecano (6/10):

Made plenty of clearances but always looks like a liability in possession.

William Saliba (7/10):

Nearly gave the ball away in a dangerous position at one point but was his usual composed self for the most part, always willing to break the lines. Also hoovered up possession for France.

Theo Hernandez (8/10):

A wonderful attacking outlet down the left flank, the AC Milan star was involved in most of France's best moves during the first half.

AdvertisementGetty Midfield

N'Golo Kante (7/10):

His recall raised eyebrows but there were undeniable flashes of the old Kante during a dynamic display, particularly during one brilliant break that he started by winning possession high up the field, while he also made a vital interception in the closing stages. His passing wasn't great at times, though.

Adrien Rabiot (6/10):

Got forward well during the first half but his influence faded the longer the game wore on, which was no surprise given he was a fitness doubt beforehand. Subbed with 20 minutes to go.

Getty Attack

Ousmane Dembele (6/10):

Caused all sorts of problems with his pace and quick feet during the opening period, getting two opponents booked for reckless challenges. But his end product remains a serious source of frustration, so it was hardly a shock to see him replaced not long after he'd picked up a yellow card himself.

Antoine Griezmann (5/10):

A frustrating night for the versatile attacker, who was uncharacteristically loose in possession, while he also took a nasty blow to the face after being sent flying into the advertising hoardings.

Marcus Thuram (5/10):

Didn't take his chance to impress at all, taking the wrong option on more than one occasion.

Kylian Mbappe (6/10):

Obviously deserves credit for the run and cross that effectively won France the game but this was nothing like vintage Mbappe. His one-on-one miss after racing away from the Austrian defence beggared belief. Seemed to break his nose late on and was subbed.

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Getty Subs & Manager

Eduardo Camavinga (N/A):

Took over in midfield from Rabiot in the 71st minute and put himself about.

Randal Kolo Muani (N/A):

Came on in place of Thuram but was unable to make an impact.

Youssouf Fofana (N/A):

Replaced Griezmann in the dying minutes.

Olivier Giroud (N/A):

The veteran striker was only brought on late in the game but was guilty of a shocking miss.

Didier Deschamps (5/10):

A winning start for the Bleus boss but a performance that arguably raised more questions than it answered. France's forward line failed to fire, while they didn't dominate in midfield at all and his subs didn't make much of an impression on the game.

The India captain also speaks about how better fitness levels have helped his bowlers perform better in Test cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2019

IDI via Getty Images

Virat Kohli is “very excited” by the idea of the soon-to-start World Test Championship (WTC), which, for India, will begin with a tour of the West Indies next month. India have picked younger players for the tour that will start with three T20Is, followed by as many ODIs, and end with two Tests that will be a part of the Test championship cycle that starts with the Ashes next month.”It [the WTC] is very exciting. I think it’s happening at the right time for Test cricket,” Kohli told the . “Although you are going to play a bilateral series, the meaning and importance are way more. You have to plan for every series. I was excited about something of this sort and now it’s coming to life.”The WTC will be contested among the top nine Test-playing nations over a two-year cycle, at the end of which the top two teams will play the final in June 2021. For the limited-overs series, India have picked middle-order batsmen Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer again, whereas Navdeep Saini and Rahul Chahar are in line to make their international debuts.”They are amazing,” Kohli said of Rishabh Pant, Iyer and Shubman Gill (who wasn’t selected). “The level of confidence that they have is amazing to see. As I have mentioned so many times before, at 19-20, we were not even half the players these guys are. Skills have developed because of exposure to tournaments like the IPL. It’s the best thing that can happen to a cricketer. They are so confident by the time they come here that they learn very quickly from their mistakes because they have already played in front of so many people. But the intent has to be that ‘I am using this platform to play for my country’. And I think that these guys are in that zone.”Kohli, however, didn’t want the youngsters to repeat the mistakes that he made in his initial years.”I made many mistakes when I was growing up. I got distracted and wasn’t focused initially. Then I pulled my way back. I am grateful for where I am. The only thing that should stay with you is hard work.”One of the ways through which Kohli has become one of the best batsmen in the world is through his fitness routine which has rubbed on to his team-mates in the Indian dressing room. Kohli said the results showed even more for the bowlers in Test cricket.”I realised after playing Australia in 2012 that the template is changing very fast in world cricket. These guys [Australians] are getting fitter,” he explained. “They are able to bowl consistently, bat for longer periods. [they were not bowling loose balls]. I wondered how was it possible that over a period of four Test matches, you don’t get loose deliveries to hit. Then I figured out that it’s a question of fitness level. I wanted to improve my fitness first because I didn’t want to be left behind.”That’s how they [other players] came around the whole thing. You can see the difference in Test cricket. Our guys are not giving loose balls anymore. Batsmen fear our bowlers because they are able to bowl for longer periods regularly. They have clarity in their mind because their body is supporting their mind.”India’s tour of the West Indies comes soon after their semi-final exit at the World Cup, in which they were firm favourites along with eventual champions England. India went down against New Zealand after topping the league stage and winning seven of their eight completed matches.”What we have spoken to the team is that you should be proud of the way you have played and must never forget that,” Kohli said about their World Cup performance. “The moment you start taking credit away from what you’ve done, you start putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. The important thing is to be humble about what you do but at the same time, don’t beat yourself up to the extent that you lose your admiration. That balance is very important.”Most importantly, it builds your character because suddenly this thing happens. When your belief is right up there and everyone’s playing so well, and suddenly, you know, you’ve been outplayed. It’s very difficult to digest because you know you didn’t make many mistakes to be knocked out. When you make mistakes, you can point them out and take ownership of that but when you have been outplayed then the acceptance becomes difficult. You wake up and think you didn’t do much wrong but we are still out.”

Liverpool are absolutely flying this season and are currently preparing for a trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in the Premier League, top of the table and in a commanding position across cup competitions.

Anfield is brimming with confidence and manager Jurgen Klopp has masterminded a revival after the 2022/23 campaign's struggles but is, by his own admission, "running out of energy" and will step down from his position at the end of the term.

The rumour mill erupted with possible replacements – Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, instrumental in Liverpool's Champions League triumph in 2005, is the frontrunner – and FSG will make their decision in the coming months.

Liverpool's manager shortlist

Alonso is not the only name on the list, with esteemed transfer insider Fabrizio Romano – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – revealing that Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi is the other top target for Liverpool at this stage.

The Italian journalist said: “I still insist on two names confirmed who are Xabi Alonso and Roberto De Zerbi, who for sure are on the list. But I'm sure they will take their time and I'm still sure that Liverpool want to appoint a sporting director before deciding who is going to be the new manager."

Roberto De Zerbi is perfect for Luis Diaz

De Zerbi is an exciting manager and has done a stellar job with Brighton, leading the club into the Europa League and being praised for his "special and unique" approach by Pep Guardiola.

De Zerbi's style does differ from Klopp's – as does Alonso's – and it's important to remember that the best way to replace the German will be to target a manager to can succeed with their ideology, irrespective of how it aligns with the current system.

Implementing a possession-based game centring on intelligent patterns and patience in build-up play, De Zerbi would not bring the heavy metal approach that has worked wonders on Merseyside over the past eight years, but Liverpool's players could certainly adapt and absorb the methods, with the 44-year-old's style perfect for Luis Diaz down the left channel.

The Colombian has ebbed and flowed from form this season but is enjoying a purple patch at present, scoring three goals and providing one assist in January, and ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

Player

Club

Joao Felix

Barcelona

Samuel Chukwueze

AC Milan

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Napoli

Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal

Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace

Source: FBref

His ball-playing crispness and electric pace make for a player fit to flourish under De Zerbi's wing, contributing effectively to the passing of the play and driving forward to latch onto defence-splitting through balls from playmaking peers.

He bears similarities to Kauro Mitoma and could emulate the Japanese star. To elucidate this point, Mitoma ranks among the top 20% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 19% for assists, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking box per 90.

De Zerbi has never lost to Klopp across four matches – winning two and drawing two – and could spark the fluency to allow Diaz to play his best football, seamless and slick as he floats up the pitch and toward the danger area.

تحدث مدرب برشلونة هانز فليك، بعد الفوز أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس في منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2024-2025.

وتغلب برشلونة على ألافيس بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، في إطار مباريات الجولة التاسعة للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”، وسجل روبرت ليفاندوفسكي الأهداف الثلاثة.

وقال فليك في تصريحاته بعد المباراة: “إنه لأمر رائع أن نفوز بهذه الطريقة في الشوط الأول، والخبر الجيد الآخر هو أننا حافظنا على شباكنا نظيفة، أنا أقدر حقًا ما فعله الفريق في الشوط الأول”.

وأضاف بشأن أداء ليفاندوفسكي: “إنه مذهل، إنه الأفضل أمام المرمى وفي منطقة الجزاء، ما يفعله رائعًا، إنه مستعد دائمًا للتسجيل، أنا سعيد لأنها ثلاث نقاط أخرى، وبالنسبة لليفاندوفسكي الجميع دعموه، وأود أن أسلط الضوء على ذلك”.

وأشاد بلاعبه رافينها قائلاً: “إنه القائد وهذا أمر جيد بالنسبة له، لقد قام بعمل جيد، من الجيد جدًا أن يكون قائدًا لبرشلونة، إنه لاعب ديناميكي، إنه لاعب على أعلى مستوى”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ليفاندوفسكي: لم ألعب هذا الكم من المباريات في حياتي.. ونتمنى عودة المصابين

وعن الفارق بين تلك المباراة والمواجهة أمام أوساسونا، أفاد فليك: “لقد كان الشوط الأول مختلفًا تمامًا، كنا نعلم أنه ليس علينا ارتكاب الأخطاء، لأنهم يمتلكون هجمة مرتدة رائعة، لقد لعبنا جيدًا، لقد كان شوطًا أول رائعًا”.

وفيما يتعلق بلاعبه جول كوندي، أوضح مدرب برشلونة: “كوندي كان بحاجة إلى الراحة”.

وعن فيران توريس، وإصابته، أشار: “لا نعرف بعد، لكنها إصابة عضلية، غدًا سنعرف المزيد”.

واستطرد: “نأمل في استعادة اللاعبين، لكن علينا أن ننتظر ما سيحدث في الأسبوعين المقبلين (خلال التوقف الدولي)”.

وسُئل مجددًا عن إصابات اللاعبين، خاصة مع إصابة داني كارفاخال لاعب ريال مدريد بالرباط الصليبي، ورد: “أتمنى الأفضل لكارفاخال، نيابة عن برشلونة، وبالنسبة لفيران توريس لا نعرف إصابته، في الهجوم ليس لدينا الكثير من الخيارات”.

وعن الفارق بين برشلونة وفريقه الأسبق بايرن ميونخ، وسيلتقي الفريقان في دوري أبطال أوروبا بشهر أكتوبر الجاري، علّق: “أنا لا أحب المقارنات، فهي مواقف وفرق مختلفة، سعيد لوجودي هنا وأن أكون المدرب، لكن في كرة القدم يمكن أن تتغير الأمور بسرعة، نحن نركز على المباريات المقبلة”.

وحول رد فعل الفريق بعد الهزائم أمام أوساسونا وموناكو، أتم فليك: “بالنسبة لي كانت هناك أسباب وراء خسارتنا في موناكو وأوساسونا، لم نكن جيدين، قمنا بتحليلها، الأمر يتعلق بالتحسن والتفكير بشكل إيجابي، لا أقلق بشأن الماضي”.

Aston Villa suffered a disappointing defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Tuesday evening and the loss may see Unai Emery dive back into the transfer market.

The Midlands side has already agreed a £15m deal to sign Middlesbrough winger Morgan Rogers, and the youngster will hopefully sign on the dotted line on Wednesday.

The Spaniard will be aiming to bring in at least one other player to aid his cause, especially with the club looking to end their 28-year major trophy drought in the coming months.

Aston Villa could make another signing after Morgan Rogers

The chase for Rogers dominated the headlines at the club over the previous couple of weeks and Emery will be relieved to have gotten a deal over the line.

Aston Villa could complete record-breaking move after Rogers deal

Aston Villa could look to sign a Portuguese star to cover multiple positions.

By
Tom Lever

Jan 31, 2024

With his attacking options bolstered, could the 52-year-old now make a move for a defender?

According to reports from Spain earlier this month, Villa are showing interest in Atlético Madrid defender Mario Hermoso ahead of making a potential late move for the Spaniard.

The 28-year-old's contract expires this summer and this could tempt the Villa boss to make a move for him in the dying embers of the transfer window to give his defence a boost.

The former Espanyol man could even turn out to be an upgrade on Clement Lenglet in the process.

The stats that prove Mario Hermoso is an upgrade on Clement Lenglet

The on-loan Barcelona defender has not quite had the impact many expected at Villa Park this term, playing just 12 games in all competitions.

Having remained on the bench for his first 14 Premier League matches this term, Lenglet has started the previous five league matches for Villa, yet they have secured just one win in that time, conceding nine goals.

On the other hand, Hermoso has started 18 of Atletico’s 20 La Liga games and is a key member of the squad.

Indeed, the 5 foot 11 Spaniard has not only made more tackles per game than Lenglet (1.6 vs 1.4) domestically, but he has also made more interceptions per game (1.1 vs 0.6), recovered more balls per game (6.3 vs 2.8) and has completed more accurate passes in the opposition half per game (23.3 vs 23) and these statistics indicate that he could be a more useful option than the 28-year-old Villa centre-back.

Football writer Zach Lowy lauded him as a “revelation” a few years ago and Emery could certainly bring the best out of him alongside Pau Torres at the heart of the Villa defence.

It is clear that the former Arsenal manager does not place much trust in Lenglet considering how often he has featured in the Premier League and a move for Hermoso could bolster their backline.

He will be hoping that the defeat to Newcastle is just a blip and that they can consolidate a top-four spot in the table over the coming weeks.

With an FA Cup replay against Chelsea approaching along with European matches to come in March, Emery must improve his squad depth between now and the end of the transfer window.

MatériaMais Notícias

Destaque na vitória por 5 a 1 sobre o Madureira, na última segunda-feira, o atacante Gabriel Barbosa foi o convidado desta quinta da FlaTV. Mostrando mais uma vez gratidão pela marca alcançada com os dois gols no Raulino de Oliveira – alcançou Renato Abreu na artilharia do Século XXI -, o camisa 9 demonstrou vontade em aumentar o números de títulos com o Manto.

-São números expressivos. Espero que eu possa aumentar o número de jogos, gols, e, principalmente, de títulos. Estamos perto de mais um. Espero que a gente possa vencer no domingo – afirmou o atacante, antes de complementar:

-Feliz por esse recorde quebrado. Agradecer meus companheiros, a torcida, aos meus pais e a Deus por me abençoar em vários momentos que ficaram marcados para sempre. Se tornar o artilheiro do século no Flamengo não é um feito qualquer. Muito feliz em participar desse momento e divido com meus companheiros – finalizou Gabriel Barbosa, em entrevista ao canal do clube.

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Iniciando sua terceira temporada como jogador do Flamengo, Gabriel Barbosa igualou os 73 gols de Renato Abreu pelo clube, e agora ambos dividem a artilharia do Rubro-Negro no Século XXI. O ex-meia, que teve duas passagens pelo Ninho do Urubu, falou com o camisa 9 durante a entrevista à FlaTV.

– Está batendo minha meta, fazendo de tudo de bom e melhor ai, hein? Parabéns pela meta. Você é um artilheiro nato, gostou de fazer gols. Te acompanhei no Santos. Sua vontade sempre foi imensa, não gosta de perder. Com certeza ainda vai fazer muitos gols – afirmou Renato Abreu em ligação.

– Saudades e obrigado. Jogamos um pouquinho juntos, aprendi muito contigo. Bati uma meta que por muito tempo foi sua, o que mostra que você também é craque – respondeu Gabriel Barbosa, que jogou com Renato Abreu no Santos.

One of Mitchell Starc or Josh Hazlewood could have to make way with their fellow quick looking in irresistible form

Daniel Brettig in Southampton25-Jul-2019Having seen James Pattinson up close, even Australia’s Test match spearhead Pat Cummins can only agree that it may be the touring side’s best option for the Ashes to break up the hegemony of the “big three” he has comprised with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.In a warm-up match billed as little short of bloodsport between the fringe members of the Australian squad, Pattinson has been a standout performer, confirming the danger he can pose when in rhythm with the Dukes ball in English conditions.As arguably the shrewdest bowler in the Australian attack, and recently joint vice-captain to Tim Paine alongside Travis Head, Cummins could not deny the evidence of his eyes after seeing Pattinson at very near his best in Southampton – room must be found for him to return to the Test team, even if it means one of Starc or Hazlewood make way.ALSO READ: Bowlers pose rare conundrum, snapping at the heels of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood”Yeah, potentially. I think we are blessed at the moment with riches,” Cummins said. “As long as I’ve been playing, Patto’s always been around and unfortunately hasn’t had great momentum the last few years. The four of us have been around. Sids [Peter Siddle] has obviously played a lot and done really well over here. We’ve got Tremain, Bird, Neser who have also done really well for Aussie A. It’s a weird one, because everyone’s been bowling beautifully.”It’s going to be tough to whittle that down to five or six for the selectors. But we’ll see what the selectors go with. I like bowling with all of those guys. I’ve done a little bit with all of them. In the five-Test match series in Australia, we played four of them. But it’s very rare that you keep the whole group together for five Tests so whoever it is, everyone’s in form and bowling well. They all get along. So let’s see what happens.”Speaking specifically about Pattinson, who claimed 4 for 35 across 23 overs over two innings in the warm-up game, Cummins said that with all cylinders firing, the 29-year-old was nothing short of world class. “He’s impressive isn’t he? It’s the first time I’ve seen him live in a couple of years,” Cummins said.”You hear from guys playing him in state cricket, and who’ve faced him in the nets, about how well he’s been bowling. When he’s on fire, he looks that class above. His Test record so far is brilliant. Unfortunately, he hasn’t played for a few years.”I haven’t played a lot with him to be honest. In terms of changes, I haven’t seen a lot. I think, if there’s anything, he’s a bit more patient. He still gets fired-up but he’s not trying to blast teams away. He’s confident in his body and getting through 20 overs in a day and just bowling good areas. When he’s up and running, he looks as good as anyone else in the world I reckon.”Cummins was an important if somewhat low profile performer during the World Cup, often taking on the middle overs while Starc dominated the top and tail, but in Test matches he has a far more central role. With Starc off the field to get precautionary scans on a sore knee, Cummins took the new ball in the second innings, responding with the wicket of Joe Burns.”I hadn’t bowled a long spell for quite a while and trying to learn some of the nuances of bowling in Test matches,” he said. “That first spell I think I bowled seven yesterday. It is kind of weird. You start of fresh and then after three or four, you’re hurting a little bit. So just those kinds of things, trying to bowl a few bouncers and get the pace up. It’s nice. I think there’s probably not too many bowlers going around the world who’ll say they prefer one-day cricket.”I’ve always found there’s something a little bit more in the wicket, a little more with the red ball. It seems to swing a bit more and stay hard a bit longer. And I like the contest of bowling 20 overs in a day and trying to outthink batsmen, use your bouncers. There are so many different phases of Test cricket. It’s my favourite form of cricket. You play cricket because you want to influence games and win games. As a bowler, when you’re sitting at home and chuck on the TV you see a swinging Dukes ball, you get pretty excited so we’re here.”Hopefully, we get some wickets where it’s going to swing and seam. I’m excited. I think the last six months we’ve bowled with the white ball, knowing that once we get the Dukes ball, hopefully it will swing a bit more and be able to adjust to that. And after a couple of sessions, I feel like I am where I want to be. We know not every Test match the ball swings around, but you feel like you’re always in the game.”