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Manchester United are already looking ahead to the January transfer window and could bid for an “incredible” talent once the market period opens.

Manchester United prepare for Premier League return as Onana departs

The international break is in full swing, and supporters of the Red Devils have been left to reflect on a mixed start to the campaign, resulting in one victory, a solitary draw, and a defeat within their first three Premier League matches.

Ruben Amorim will still be reeling from the effects of a shock EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town, albeit time moves on, and so does the narrative surrounding Manchester United.

In a surprise turn of developments, Andre Onana is set to join Trabzonspor on loan, something that Fabrizio Romano has added further context to via his platform on social media outlet X.

He stated: “André Onana agrees to join Trabzonspor, here we go! All contracts are now signed on player side, waiting on counter approval from Trabzonspor and travel next week. Deal done on loan from Manchester United as revealed on Saturday, no buy option or loan fee.”

Intriguingly, reports claim that Manchester United could join the race to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi after his failed move to Liverpool during the summer window.

Amorim does appear to be intent on strengthening his defence, but he has an alternative star in his sights that he could look to make inroads to sign once the mid-season market opens for business.

Manchester United set to submit Zeno Debast January bid

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are set to submit a January bid for Sporting Lisbon defender Zeno Debast after they’ve been spotted scouting him over the last few weeks. Arsenal are also keen on the Belgium international, though the Portuguese champions are holding out for a fee close to £69 million for his services.

Amorim can revive Mainoo by binning £150k-p/w flop in Man Utd system switch

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim can revive Kobbie Mainoo by changing his formation.

ByDan Emery Sep 7, 2025

However, Manchester United are more likely to come in with an offer around the £34.5 million mark, something that may test the waters, but won’t be enough to tempt him to England.

Anderlecht retain a 15% sell-on clause for Debast, and there may be room for negotiation on that front for the 21-year-old, who is primarily a central defender and has made five appearances this season.

Labelled “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Halle-born man would be another worthwhile long-term investment in Manchester United’s backline, though it remains to be seen if they can meet Sporting’s demands.

Rangers are now reportedly bracing themselves for Premier League interest in one of their key players this month in what could deal Russell Martin “huge blow”.

Latest Rangers exit news

Rangers’ summer transfer business is far from over on all fronts. Following a disappointing start to Russell Martin’s tenure, which has featured just two wins in six games, the Gers still have work to do when it comes to both incomings and departures. On the exit front, it would come as no surprise if the 49ers got ruthless and showed the likes of Jefte the door.

Exciting Gassama repeat: Rangers submit bid to sign "dangerous" £3.5m star

Rangers are reportedly in talks to sign a star who would be an exciting Djeidi Gassama repeat.

ByDan Emery Aug 13, 2025

According to recent reports, the Brazilian left-back has already agreed personal terms to swap Ibrox for Palmeiras and it’s now up to the South American club to agree terms with Rangers. Whether that deal gets done in time this month remains to be seen, but it would signal the end of an inconsistent year-long spell for the 21-year-old.

The defender started in Rangers’ defeat against Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday, but that may have been his final game for the club if recent reports are anything to go by.

It was after that defeat that Martin aired his disappointment in his side once again even as they still managed to go through to the next round of Champions League qualifiers.

The former Southampton boss said: “I am disappointed we lost, we had some really good moments but I am disappointed how many shots we gave them, how many chances we gave them and also I’m disappointed with how many times we got in and around their box with an overload, big numbers and then don’t execute the final pass.”

He may need to get used to disappointment too, with reports now indicating that Rangers could yet suffer a “huge blow” before the end of this summer.

Rangers braced for Premier League interest in Raskin

As reported by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers are now braced for Premier League interest in Nicolas Raskin in what could lead to a “huge blow” for the Gers.

Martin is reportedly desperate to keep his star midfielder even after he was one of many players to face his wrath on the opening day of the season. Whether Rangers can fend off any Premier League interest will be the big question, however, as the transfer window ticks by.

Australia’s captain will be further assessed ahead of the remaining T20Is and the Test

Andrew McGlashan20-Jan-2025Australia captain Alyssa Healy is a significant doubt for the remainder of the Ashes series after she was ruled out of the first T20I with a “stress response” in her foot on the same side as the injury she sustained at last year’s T20 World CupIt meant that Australia were led by Tahlia McGrath in what became a convincing victory to retain the Ashes at the SCG while the top-order vacancy was filled by debutant Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney will keep wicket.”As you can imagine, she’s pretty flat,” Mooney said. “She doesn’t want to miss any games for Australia and unfortunately for her, she’s missed a few in the last few months. We’ll put our arm around her, wait and see what the [medical] staff say and what the prognosis is.”But, certainly, she’s a key member of our playing group both on and off the field and we know what impact she can have to the outcome of the results on field. So, we’ll be keeping a close eye on making sure she’s okay mentally, but also doing all the right things with [the sports science sports medicine staff] well.Australia also had to contend with allrounder Ashleigh Gardner being ruled out with a calf injury. She will be assessed again ahead of the second T20I in Canberra.Related

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The injury to Healy meant that Australia pushed back announcing their squad for the day-night Test at the MCG which had been due to be named during the T20I on Monday.”Alyssa has got a stress response in her foot,” head of high performance Shawn Flegler told Fox Cricket. “We’re going to try and get a little bit more information before we make a call on her. It’s a big call for Alyssa. Test captain as well. So we’ll wait and see on what we come up with over the next 24-48 hours.””We’ve got a selector meeting tomorrow morning. We’ll see what plays out. We’re not going to rush into it. There’s still a week or so before the Test matchAfter returning from the plantar fascia injury sustained at the World Cup, Healy had her WBBL cut short by a knee problem which also meant she played as a batter only in the ODIs against New Zealand in December having missed the earlier home series against India.She returned to keeping duties for the three ODIs against England with the matches taking place in six days. The schedule is also tight for the T20I series with games in Canberra on January 23 then Adelaide on January 25.Even if Healy is able to play a part in either of those, there will be major questions over whether she can sustain the workload of a Test match, especially as a wicketkeeper.Depending on the prognosis for Healy, her participation in the WPL and the T20I tour of New Zealand in late March could also be in doubt.

England romp to first Test victory for ten years as wheels come off for SA in second innings

Firdose Moonda17-Dec-2024

Lauren Bell and her team-mates celebrate after Annerie Dercksen’s dismissal•Gallo Images/Getty Images

England 395 for 9 dec and 236 (Knight 90, Mlaba 6-67) beat South Africa 281 (Wolvaardt 65, Kapp 57, Luus 56, Bell 4-49) and 64 (Bell 4-27, Ecclestone 2-7) by 286 runsEngland have won their first Test in 10 years and as many matches by beating South Africa by 286 runs in Bloemfontein. They dismissed South Africa for 64 in their second innings, their lowest Test total after setting them a target of 351.Lauren Bell, who registered a career-best 4 for 49 in the first innings, rewrote her own record and picked up 4 for 27 to finish with a player-of-the-match haul of 8 for 76. Lauren Filer and Sophie Ecclestone were also among the wickets as England bowled South Africa out in 19.4 overs to win inside three days.South Africa’s dismal batting overshadowed the good work they’d done with the ball, particularly the performance of left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba. She became the first South African to take 10 wickets in a women’s Test and is now South Africa’s second-leading wicket-taker in the format. South Africa may have time to reflect on that once the dust has settled on their massive defeat. Theirs was the third-largest by runs in women’s Tests.England’s win was set up by a captain’s knock from Heather Knight, who scored her sixth Test half-century. She fell 10 short of a third hundred as she anchored an England innings in which most of the middle-order got starts but only she converted. Her most profitable partnership was a third-wicket stand of 67 with Nat Sciver-Brunt which was three runs more than South Africa’s second-innings total. They had only one partnership worth 20 and six in single figures, while only ten batters made it to the middle after Ayanda Hlubi was ruled out of the match with a torn hip flexor.By the time she would have been needed, all the damage was done. South Africa lost their openers in the 5.2 overs they faced before tea, both lbw. Laura Wolvaardt was caught on the back foot by a delivery that seamed in from Bell and, after being on the receiving end of a poor first-innings dismissal, she could not complain about this one.Anneke Bosch had slightly more reason to be unhappy. She was given out to Filer, to one that kept low and could have been missing leg. But the biggest talking point took place after the break when Bell appealed for a catch off Annerie Dercksen at short leg. It was not immediately given out and the umpires referred, despite the explicit absence of DRS for this contest, before Dercksen was sent on her way.Bell continued to find movement and bowled Sune Luus through the gate. Nadine de Klerk was run out for a pair, and when Chloe Tryon was lbw to an Ecclestone arm-ball, also for a duck, England were into the tail. South Africa’s starts with Sinalo Jafta at No.8 and she too went without scoring, pinned on the pads by Bell’s inswinger, to leave the innings in tatters at 44 for 7. Three overs later, Marizanne Kapp, their last remaining batter, was wonderfully scooped up by Beaumont at silly point without addition, and the end came quickly.Earlier, South Africa would have been fairly pleased with their work with ball in hand. De Klerk and Tumi Sekhukhune started well and were disciplined upfront. They gave away only 12 runs in the first six overs, with Sekhukhune removing Beaumont for 12, lbw to an inswinger. On this occasion, the absence of DRS proved no problem as she looked out, and was given.Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed the first ten-for by a South African in women’s Tests•Gallo Images/Getty Images

Sekhukhune was replaced by Dercksen, but then South Africa went for double spin with Mlaba at one end and Tryon at the other. Given the turn on offer and amount Mlaba gets, she was expected to be a threat and should have had a wicket in her fourth over when Sciver-Brunt edged as she lunged forward to block but Jafta could not hold on to the chance. Sciver-Brunt, on 19 at the time, went on to hit Mlaba for three fours in the over and the floodgates opened.Mlaba got Sciver-Brunt when she chopped on after a delivery kept low, but that only brought Danni Wyatt-Hodge to the crease, with her penchant for finding runs behind square on the off side. She rattled along to a run-a-ball 23, before slicing Sekhukhune to the fielder at deep third. Amy Jones then partnered Knight, who had reached her fifty off 99 balls, to lunch, to end a successful session. Despite England’s slow start to the morning session, they scored a total of 136 runs in the 27 overs bowled before lunch, at a rate of just over five runs to the over.Mlaba switched ends post lunch and had success from the Willows End. Amy Jones got a leading edge to Wolvaardt in the covers, minutes before it was announced that the South African skipper had earned a demerit point for expressing “excessive disappointment” when she was given out lbw in the first innings.She had reason to keep being pleased in the field though. Mlaba picked up a third when Charlie Dean flicked her to short mid-wicket, and though Knight moved into the 80s with a strong sweep off Sune Luus, that shot would prove her undoing. One over after Sophie Ecclestone had fallen in the same fashion to Mlaba, Knight was beaten by a ball that turned into her and struck her on the pad. Of course, she could not review.Ryana MacDonald-Gay was bowled through the bat-pad gap to become Mlaba’s 10th wicket. England’s innings ended with half an hour to go before the tea break. They only needed 69 minutes after that interval to end the match.

The RBNY 2 head coach says he loves coaching 'more than anything' after two months in his new post with the MLS Next Pro side

Michael Bradley says he 'loves' coachingAccepted RBNY II job earlier this yearFormer U.S. captain honored in pregame ceremonyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former USMNT captain Michael Bradley says that he has taken to coaching, three months after starting as manager of the New York Red Bulls' reserve side. Bradley spoke to reporters before the USMNT's friendly with South Korea on Saturday, where the midfielder was honored for his contributions to the U.S.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT BRADLEY SAID ABOUT COACHING

Bradley outlined his affinity for coaching.

"I don't feel like my career stopped. The routine is the same. I'm still at a training ground every day. I'm still on the field every day. I still watch games, watch training back like it's all the same," he said on Saturday. "Obviously, what I do is a little bit different, but in terms of the routine, in terms of the feelings that I get, the passion that I have. That part is about the game, and I'm a part of it every day. So that part is, it's one of the reasons why I stopped playing, and I knew that I wanted to coach.

"I didn't waste one second, because had I waited then maybe there would have been a little bit of emotion. But the fact is that I literally just turned the page and then began to begin the coaching. People ask me a lot like, 'Do you miss playing?' And the honest answer is, no. I loved playing more than anything in the whole world. But now I love coaching more than anything in the whole world. And when I miss playing, I just set up a training session that needs a neutral player to make myself a neutral player."

WHAT BRADLEY SAID ABOUT PLAYING FOR THE USMNT

In a pregame appearance on TNT, Bradley also commented on his U.S. career.

"Growing up, I would have done anything to represent the national team once," he said. "And to be able to do it the number of times I did, the experiences along the way, the big games, the special moments… it'll stay with me for the rest of my life."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Bradley is among one of the more successful U.S. players of all time. He made 151 appearances from 2006-2019, and captained the side 48 times. 

It wouldn’t be controversial to say that the last few years have been nothing short of a roller coaster for Tottenham Hotspur, and their squad building has reflected that.

Yet, for all the problems he had to contend with, plenty of which were of his own making, Ange Postecoglou led the club to their first trophy in 17 years last season, but that still was not enough to save his job.

So, new boss Thomas Frank has to somehow live up to the Australian’s European record, while rebuilding the squad into one that can seriously compete in the Premier League and the domestic cups.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and Co have already splashed £30m on making Mathys Tel’s deal permanent, and if reports are to be believed, the club have several exciting targets for the rest of the summer.

So, here’s what Spurs’ dream squad could look like if everything goes according to plan this summer.

The Goalkeepers Guglielmo Vicario keeps his place

After starting brilliantly for the club in the 23/24 season, it would be fair to say that Guglielmo Vicario wasn’t at his best between the sticks for all of last season.

Granted, he did miss a sizable portion of the campaign through injury, but according to FBref, he was in the bottom 24% of keepers for save percentage in the league.

Unfortunately, it was just as mixed a campaign for new signing Antonin Kinsky. While he impressed in his first game against Liverpool, he then made mistakes away at Anfield in the League Cup semi-final which reminded everyone he’s still a young, developing shot-stopper.

Lastly, Brandon Austin should remain the third choice, as he performed well enough in his three appearances last season.

Full list of goalkeepers: Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, Brandon Austin.

The Defence Spurs keep their incredible partnership

While it’s impossible to ignore the performance-related problems that severely hampered Spurs’ last season, and the often absurdly high line that led to many a goal for opposition sides, the biggest issue regarding the defence was fitness.

For example, Micky van de Ven missed a whopping 32 games for club and country, while Cristian Romero missed 27.

If the North Londoners can keep them fit, alongside the likes of Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie, and integrate the young Ashley Phillips and Luka Vuskovic, then there is every chance their defensive record will be streets ahead next season.

In terms of transfers, Frank and Co. need to ensure they keep hold of Romero, as Atlético Madrid continue to circle. Additionally, bringing in Antonee Robinson would add some brilliant depth.

The USMNT ace has been linked with a £40m move to N17, and while he might not be the biggest name around, he enjoyed a brilliant campaign with Fulham last season, racking up ten assists in just 36 league appearances.

Full list of centre-backs: Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, Ashley Phillips, Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies, Luka Vuskovic.

Full list of right-backs: Pedro Porro, Djed Spence.

Full list of left-backs: Antonee Robinson, Destiny Udogie.

The Midfielders Spurs battle Arsenal for international star

We have made it to the area of the team where Spurs have the most talent: midfield.

In fact, the North Londoners are blessed with so many brilliant players that Frank and Co should be looking to sell at least one in the coming weeks: Yves Bissouma.

That would still leave Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur to compete for the number six role, and then Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr as the specialist central midfielders.

The wealth of talent continues in the more attacking roles, as Dejan Kulusevski racked up 21 goal involvements in 50 appearances and James Maddison managed 23 in 45 games.

Appearances

50

45

43

Minutes

3450′

2718′

3303′

Goals

10

12

14

Assists

11

11

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.42

0.51

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

164.28′

118.17′

132.12′

They might not be alone either, as this summer has been yet another in which the club have been linked with Eberechi Eze.

The Crystal Palace star might appear closer to joining Arsenal as things stand, but with a £68m release clause, there is still a chance Levy and Co could finally sign the incredible international.

Moreover, considering he was able to produce 25 goal involvements in 43 games last season, we have no doubt he’d be a smash hit.

Full list of midfielders: Archie Gray, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Pape Matar Sarr, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Eberechi Eze.

The Attackers Spurs go big on the frontline

For all their problems last season – and there were plenty – Spurs were still a relatively effective attacking outfit, and ended the campaign as the league’s eighth top scorers.

Yet, sometimes the best course of action is to build upon your most significant strengths, and that might just be the approach Levy and Frank take this summer.

With that said, before getting to those who could come in through the door, let’s look at those who could leave, starting with Son Heung-min.

The captain solidified his status as a legend by lifting the Europa League last season, but it’s impossible to refute the fact that his impact on games has waned. Therefore, it could make sense for the club to act on the links to LAFC and Saudi Pro-League sides.

Likewise, following his successful season with Leeds United, it appears that the Lilywhites will cash in on Manor Solomon. At the same time, Dane Scarlett, Min-hyeok Yang, and Alejo Veliz would all benefit from another set of loan moves.

Transfer Focus

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

With that out of the way, it’s time to look at who could be coming in for Spurs this summer, and there are some seriously exciting names.

The first, and the one that feels most likely, is Mohammed Kudus, who has already been the subject of a failed £50m bid, but could be available for just £65m.

The “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Gary Al-Smith, didn’t have the best of campaigns last season, but was simply sensational in 23/24, scoring 18 goals and providing ten assists in 48 games.

The Ghana international will be excellent competition for Brennan Johnson, who was the club’s top scorer last season, and the young Wilson Odobert, who will be hoping for an injury-free year.

The opposite flank brings us to another genuinely exciting and young addition to the squad: Xavi Simons.

The Flying Dutchman, who could cost £60m, might’ve been described as “one of the best 10s in the world” by one data analyst, but his most played position last season, and across his career to date, is off the left – where he has scored 18 goals and provided 17 assists in 59 appearances.

Competing for the same starting berth should be Tel, who did just enough last season to convince Levy to sign him, and the potential superstar in the making, Mikey Moore.

It is probably still too early to see the Hotspur Way product start too many games next season, but like Ethan Nwaneri up the road last season, it could be the year rival fans really begin to take notice.

Finally, we’ve made it to the centre-forward position, and this could be particularly interesting next year.

The man most likely to retain his place leading the line is Dominic Solanke, as, although he wasn’t exactly prolific last season, the club-record signing was still effective, scoring 16 goals and providing eight assists in 45 games.

Appearances

45

40

34

Minutes

3393′

2871′

942′

Goals

16

20

5

Assists

8

7

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

0.67

0.20

Minutes per Goal Involvements

141.37′

106.33′

134.57′

However, he could have his work cut out to keep the position, as the North Londoners have been linked with a £50m Atalanta star, Ademola Lookman.

The former Everton star can play out wide, but has become more and more of a central striker in recent seasons, and to say he was effective for the Bergamo side last year would be a serious understatement.

In his 40 games, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by journalist John Bennett, scored 20 goals and provided seven assists, which works out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games.

Finally, as it looks like he won’t be sold at the moment, keeping Richarlison as the third-choice striker and to help cover other areas across the frontline seems the smart thing to do.

Full list of wingers: Mohammed Kudus, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, Mikey Moore, Mathys Tel.

Full list of strikers: Dominic Solanke, Ademola Lookman, Richarlison.

Spurs' answer to Gyokeres: £65m star is Frank's "top target" this summer

Spurs could seal their own game-changing signing this summer.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 7, 2025

After a record-breaking League One title-winning campaign last time out, Birmingham City will be looking to carry that momentum into the 2025/26 Championship season under Chris Davies.

Co-owners Tom Wagner and Tom Brady have big plans at St Andrew’s, and the Blues will be looking to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2011 as soon as possible.

Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town

August 8

Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City

August 16

Birmingham City vs Oxford United

August 23

Leicester City vs Birmingham City

August 30

Stoke City vs Birmingham City

September 13

To do that, new signings to help them in the second tier could be key, and the club have already made a start on their summer transfer business.

But who will start against Ipswich Town on August 8? Well, Grok, the AI tool on X, has forecasted Birmingham’s 25/26 line-up, with five new faces in the XI.

AI predicts Birmingham’s 2025/26 line-up 1 GK: James Beadle

After helping England to U21 European Championship glory this summer, goalkeeper James Beadle will be playing for Birmingham this season.

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3 ByKelan Sarson Jul 2, 2025

Signed on a season-long loan from Brighton, Beadle already has second tier experience after his time with Sheffield Wednesday in 24/25.

2 RB: Ethan Laird

A key member of the League One title-winning side, Ethan Laird has been predicted to keep his place in the Birmingham side.

His ‘pace and attacking contributions make him a mainstay’ under Davies, and Grok adds that Laird’s ‘enthusiasm and Championship experience will be vital’.

3 CB: Krystian Bielik

Club captain Krystian Bielik is also backed to retain his place in the XI, being described as a ‘cornerstone of the defence’.

Games

125

Goals

2

Yellow cards

32

Red cards§

2

The Poland international is still under contract until 2027 and Bielik’s ‘leadership and ability to play in midfield or defence ensure his place’.

4 CB: Phil Neumann

Alongside Bielik is new arrival Phil Neumann, who signed on a free transfer from Hannover 96 earlier this summer.

The German actually penned a pre-contract agreement at the beginning of 2025 and has been backed to go straight into Davies’ XI.

5 LB: Lee Buchanan

With Laird keeping his place at right-back, Lee Buchanan has been predicted to make his return from a serious knee to start at left-back.

Buchanan ‘is expected to hold down the left side with his defensive solidity and attacking overlaps’.

6 CM: Hayden Hackney

Backed to cost £10m from Middlesbrough this summer is Hayden Hackney, with AI-driven predictions suggesting Birmingham could target the 22-year-old versatile midfielder.

Grok says Hackney’s ‘ability to play multiple midfield roles would add dynamism’ to the Blues side.

7 CM: Paik Seung-ho

Partnering Hackney is Paik Seung-ho, who was a regular in 24/25, making 50 appearances in all competitions.

The South Korea international is likely to play a key role once more, and Grok says his ‘composure and work rate make him a certain starter in the Championship’.

8 CAM: Kanya Fujimoto

The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for Japanese attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto this summer, with his contract at Gil Vicente set to expire.

Still just 26 years of age, Fujimoto’s ‘creativity and flair would suit Davies’ attacking philosophy’.

9 RW: Demarai Gray

Returning to St Andrew’s this summer is academy graduate Demarai Gray, nine years on after leaving Birmingham for Leicester City.

Gray’s ‘Premier League experience and pace would be a major coup’ for the Blues, according to Grok.

10 ST: Jay Stansfield

Birmingham’s record signing Jay Stansfield was always going to keep his place in the XI after a successful first season as a permanent Blues player.

The striker already has ‘proven Championship quality which makes him the focal point of the attack’.

Birmingham City are currently preparing for a season in the Championship after they took League One by storm to secure the title with a record 111 points.

Chris Davies led his side to 34 wins and just three defeats in 46 matches in the third tier in his first campaign in charge of the club, and he is now tasked with building a team to take on the second tier.

As is natural with a promotion to a higher level, there are some players who played regular football in League One for Birmingham who may not make the cut as regulars next term.

One player who may not have as much game time for the Blues is left-winger Keshi Anderson, who started 27 of his 37 appearances this season.

Why Birmingham need an upgrade on Keshi Anderson

The 30-year-old attacker joined the club from Blackpool in the summer of 2023 and failed to deliver much in front of goal in the Championship during his first season, with a return of zero goals and two assists in 20 matches.

Transfer Focus

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

Birmingham’s relegation to League One provided Anderson with an opportunity to produce more quality in the final third at a lower level, with seven goals and five assists in his 27 starts in the third tier.

The left winger’s dismal return at Championship level in the 2023/24 campaign for the Blues and his decent but unspectacular haul this season in League One do not suggest that he is likely to be a key player for Davies next term.

Birmingham should aim for a forward who has the potential to deliver more quality, in terms of goals and assists, on a regular basis at Championship level, which is why they should swoop for Louie Barry.

Why Birmingham should sign Louie Barry

The Championship side should make a move to sign the English winger from their rivals Aston Villa, as GIVEMESPORT recently reported that he could be an option for the club.

Villa are set to send the 21-year-old star, who they valued at around £12m in January, out on loan for the 2025/26 campaign, and Birmingham should take advantage of that to bring him to St. Andrew’s this summer as an upgrade on Anderson.

Barry, whose composure was once hailed as “incredible” by Declan Rice, only played four times for Hull in the Championship in the second half of this season before an injury put an end to his time with the Tigers.

However, his form on loan at Stockport County in League One during the first half of the campaign suggests that he has the potential to be a big upgrade on Anderson.

24/25 League One	Louie Barry
Appearances	23
Goals	15
Conversion rate	21%
Big chances created	5
Key passes	23
Assists	2
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Barry scored more than twice as many goals as the Birmingham winger did in League One, despite leaving the division in the January transfer window, whilst fulfilling a similar tactical role as a right-footed forward on the left flank.

This suggests that the Villa youngster could come in to improve the firepower in Davies’ side heading into the Championship campaign, as he appears more likely to offer a threat at the top end of the pitch in the Championship than Anderson would be.

Birmingham could sign "incredible" striker who'd be Stansfield 2.0

Birmingham City could be about to land their next Jay Stansfield by surprisingly snapping up this incredible attacker.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 2, 2025

Therefore, Birmingham should put their rivalry with the Villans aside to thrash out a loan move for the right-footed star, who could take Anderson’s place in the team and potentially play a key role in a promotion push in the second tier next season.

Glasgow Rangers will have new owners and a new manager at Ibrox by the time pre-season comes along.

The deal for the 49ers Enterprises appears to be close to completion and this could give the Gers a massive boost ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Appointing a new manager is first up on the priority list for the 49ers and this decision could be the most important one Rangers make in their recent history.

Get it right and the Ibrox side could challenge Celtic for all three domestic trophies next season, reasserting their dominance of Scottish football.

Bring in the wrong man, however, and the same vicious cycle that has plagued the club since Gerrard left in 2021 will be repeated.

Whoever arrives in Glasgow as the new manager will have plenty of work to do. The first-team squad needs to be stripped of the deadwood, which will allow the manager to raise funds and clear the wage bill.

The likes of Ben Davies, Kieran Dowell, Rabbi Matondo and Tom Lawrence should all be moved on when the window opens.

On the other hand, several players have massive futures, notably Nico Raskin, Hamza Igamane and Mohamed Diomande.

The former two are attracting interest due to their performances of late, but Diomande also has an extraordinarily high ceiling in the game.

Why Diomande has such a high ceiling

While Raskin and Igamane have been generating plenty of interest of late, Diomande has gone about his business in a quieter manner.

That isn’t to say he isn’t as important, as the midfielder can operate in a few roles within the midfield area.

The 23-year-old has spent time as a number ten on occasions this term, contributing five goal involvements. While he has also played a number of games in a more deep-lying role for the Gers, he has still chipped in with seven goal involvements.

Crucially, the Ivorian starlet helped lead the Light Blues into the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season, and when compared to his peers in the competition, Diomande ranks in the top 6% for passes into the final third (4.11), the top 10% for interceptions (1.26) and in the top 20% for take-ons attempted (2.51) per 90.

These statistics prove that the midfielder can mix it with the best in Europe’s sister competition regarding those performance metrics.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Goals

4

1

Assist

7

2

Big chances created

11

3

Key passes per game

1.2

0.9

Total duels won per game

4.3

5.3

He was even better in the Scottish top flight. Going forwards, Diomande has created 11 big chances, averages 1.2 key passes, and succeeds with 64% of his dribble attempts.

Defensively, the midfielder wins 55% of his total duels contested, along with making 1.2 tackles, recovering 4.3 balls and making 0.6 interceptions per game for the Gers.

This combination of defensive solidity and attacking dynamism has seen the player shine at Ibrox throughout the current season. There is no doubt that he can continue to get better and better.

With a deal that runs to 2028, Diomande should be at Ibrox for the long haul. He currently earns just £12k-per-week which places him among the lower-earning players at the club.

There are several at the club who are taking more home than the African star, despite failing to impress.

Dowell and Matondo are notable examples, but it is Jose Cifuentes, someone who makes more than Diomande, who should be given the boot.

Why Rangers signed Jose Cifuentes

Michael Beale was in the market for a new midfielder ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and earmarked Cifuentes as someone who could offer plenty to the club’s cause.

His performances for LAFC during his time in America were certainly impressive. Across 121 games, he registered 35 goal contributions – 15 goals and 20 assists – while even helping the club win the MLS Cup during the 2021/22 campaign.

He even played twice at the 2022 World Cup for Ecuador, and it surely wasn’t going to be long before he sealed a move away from North America.

Enter Rangers. Given his contract was due to expire in December 2023, Beale spent only £1.2m to secure his services a few weeks before the transfer window closed.

On the surface, the “dynamic” midfielder – as dubbed by LAFC assistant manager Marc Dos Santos – appeared to be an excellent signing, especially judging by the fee. The reality, however, was rather different.

What went wrong for Jose Cifuentes at Rangers

Despite the hype surrounding his arrival at the club, the Ecuadorian would only go on to play 20 times for Rangers, scoring just one goal.

Chalkboard

He failed to have an influence on the pitch, and it was evident that Philippe Clement didn’t have him in any future plans.

The midfielder was thus sent out on loan to Brazilian side Cruzeiro, but this spell was cut short after six months, before he was shipped out to Aris Thessalonki last summer on another temporary deal.

In Greece, Cifuentes’s performances slowly improved and, at the time of writing, he has registered four goal contributions – one goal and three assists – while helping his club to fifth in the top flight.

It looks as though he could be set to depart Rangers this summer after admitting he wishes to turn his loan move into a permanent one when the campaign comes to an end.

The Light Blues have slapped a £2.2m price tag on his head, a fee which Aris will be looking to bring down should any potential move go through.

The Ecuadorian is currently earning £16k-per-week which is slightly more than what Diomande is taking home.

Hopefully, the new manager will be able to move Cifuentes this summer. Not only will it bring in a couple of million to spend on future transfers, but it will also help free up some of the wage budget.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite meant to be at Ibrox for the former LAFC star, despite a solid reputation upon arriving in Scotland.

Making a profit on him would be an excellent piece of business by the club, that’s for sure.

Their new Morelos: Rangers eyeing "top striker" who'd cost just £8,000

Rangers have their eyes on a talented young striker

ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now prepared to offload a top-performing regular this summer in a bid to reshape the squad and raise funds, with his replacement already there.

Tottenham make transfer plans amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Right now, it is being reported that under-fire boss Ange Postecoglou is facing the Spurs axe at the end of this Premier League campaign, which could happen regardless of whether they end up winning the Europa League.

Levy set for "big decision" as Tottenham look at hiring "master" £8m manager

Ange Postecoglou is increasingly likely to leave at the end of 24/25.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 23, 2025

This news comes courtesy of reliable journalist Matt Law and other credible media sources, with a parting of the ways becoming increasingly likely after Tottenham suffered their eighteenth Premier League defeat of the season against Nottingham Forest on Easter Monday.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

While the Lilywhites have a major chance to clinch their first piece of silverware in 17 years, that still may not be enough to save Postecoglou after a dismal domestic season, but their problems lie beyond just the manager.

Tottenham’s lack of strength in depth when compared to their elite Premier League rivals was exposed time and time again this season, thanks to the plethora of injuries to key players throughout 2024/2025, so this is an issue which needs addressing in the summer.

“[The top clubs have] been doing it many years. They know exactly what they’re doing,” said winger Dejan Kuluseviski, who criticised Spurs’ transfer policy.

“They’re bringing in a lot of players that are ready to play both competitions. And they are prepared for it.

“This year we cannot say that we’re prepared for it because we had so many injuries, and we did a lot of things wrong from the beginning of the season, and we’re paying for it right now.”

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in a piece for The Boot Room, Tottenham are planning to strengthen “almost all areas” of the squad in the next transfer window, but they must first raise funds.

Tottenham "ready to sell" Pedro Porro and replace him with Djed Spence

Bailey also writes that star right-back Pedro Porro could be among the players sacrificed, with the emergence of 24-year-old Djed Spence as an impressive full-back option handing Spurs a ready-made replacement for the Spaniard.

Tottenham are apparently “ready to sell” Porro and bolster their transfer kitty, but will demand north of £50 million for the ex-Man City and Sporting Lisbon defender as Levy eyes a small profit on the £40 million they paid for him.

While Porro has impressed, Spurs’ need to reinforce multiple areas of the squad is taking centre stage, and Spence has showcased that he’s more than capable of being entrusted with a regular starting spot on either flank.

The 25-year-old has been called “sensational” for some of his performances since joining Tottenham from Sporting when Antonio Conte was in charge, and he was a target for Real Madrid before Los Blancos eventually turned full attention to Trent Alexander-Arnold.