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The rot has stopped. Yes, Manchester United are finally up and running in the new Premier League season – but boy did they make hard work of it.

With the horror of the midweek trip to face Grimsby still very much fresh in the mind, the Red Devils were lively from the outset this time around for the visit of Burnley, having notably seen an early penalty decision chalked off following a coming together involving Mason Mount and Kyle Walker.

Former United loanee Martin Dubravka was in inspired form in the sticks, although not even he could keep out Casemiro’s deflected effort as the hosts eventually made their dominance pay just before the hour mark, with Clarets skipper Josh Cullen ultimately credited with the goal.

A second should well have been added before the break, although Amad could only fire wide with the goal gaping, with that profligacy unsurprisingly punished by Lyle Foster just after the restart.

That effort sparked a relentless period in which Bryan Mbeumo swiftly hit back for his first Old Trafford goal, although after seeing an equaliser ruled out for a marginal offside, the visitors – with the aid of the hapless Altay Bayindir – eventually did draw level through ex-Leeds United loanee, Jaidon Anthony.

Staring down the barrel of yet another disappointing result, Anthony then turned from hero to villain after pulling back Amad inside the area, allowing a certain Bruno Fernandes to right the wrongs of last week. And didn’t he deliver…

Bruno Fernandes' performance in numbers vs Burnley

There was certainly a familiar feeling creeping in as the game reached its dying embers, with United looking set to rue their wastefulness in front of goal, while having also been the victim of misfortune.

Indeed, Ruben Amorim could hardly contain his frustration at the sight of summer signing Matheus Cunha pulling up with injury in the first half, with the lively Mason Mount also withdrawn at half-time – presumably due to his own injury woes.

The ensuing second half was one of calamity and chaos, but it is in that backdrop that United’s main man thrives, with Fernandes stepping up when needed to secure a vital three points for his manager.

Also involved in the game’s opener following a wicked delivery into the area, the Portuguese playmaker nervelessly dispatched his penalty in added time to clinch the 3-2 victory. There was to be no Craven Cottage repeat on this occasion.

Not only then the headline-maker, Fernandes was also instrumental throughout in what was a largely positive performance in attack, having notably registered six key passes – the most of any player on the pitch.

Fernandes vs Burnley

Stat

Record

Goals

1

Assists

0

Touches

104

Pass accuracy

83%

Key passes

6

Successful dribbles

0/0

Accurate long balls

8/12

Duels won

7/16

Possession lost

19x

via Sofascore

For a man who was yet again the division’s chief creator last term, such a display has simply become the norm, with the 30-year-old again showcasing his importance to this turbulent outfit.

While he certainly relishes his talismanic status, the former Sporting CP star can’t do it on his own. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like he’ll have to…

Bryan Mbeumo steals the show vs Burnley

With Cunha crashing out and Mount also heading for an early bath, the constant presence in Amorim’s attacking unit was that man Mbeumo, with the Cameroonian speedster marking a fine performance by netting his first league goal of the campaign.

While makeshift left wing-back Diogo Dalot deserves much of the credit for his fine work in the build-up, Mbeumo is also worthy of praise for making space for himself inside the area with a clever piece of movement, before finishing with aplomb.

The ex-Brentford man calmly slotted home with the mark of a man who ended last term with 20 top-flight goals to his name, having swiftly shaken off his fatal missed spot-kick during Wednesday’s shootout defeat.

Right from the off this time around, the £65m man – who had sparked United’s comeback in midweek with his first goal for the club – looked like a real threat in behind, having notably been denied early on by the impressive Dubravka.

It was also his prodded pass which found Amad at the back post on the stroke of half-time, marking one of five key passes that the left-footer laid on during the match. Only Fernandes provided more.

That ability to operate as a clinical, yet creative force, like Fernandes, will be invaluable for Amorim, with Mbeumo repeatedly looking like making things happen for his side in the final third, even if that resulted in him losing the ball on 15 occasions.

As The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell noted, he was simply “quality in everything he did”, having also been handed an 8/10 match rating by the MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst amid his starring role.

Having been a real outlet on the opening day against Arsenal, as well as a scorer at Grimsby, Mbeumo has settled in rather comfortably into his new surroundings – much in a similar manner to how Fernandes did all those years ago.

Still only 26 – just slightly older than Fernandes was at the time of his switch from Lisbon – the one-time Troyes winger is displaying all the signs of being the club’s next creative, attacking figurehead, with Saturday’s outing hopefully a show of things to come.

Of course, Amorim and his charges will be aware that there are bigger fish to fry ahead, yet after all the noise of the last week, the Red Devils can head into the international break on a much-needed brighter note.

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Posts ByBen Goodwin Aug 30, 2025

تحدث هاني أبو ريدة رئيس اتحاد الكرة المصري، على تأهل منتخب مصر إلى نهائيات كأس العالم للمرة الرابعة في تاريخ الفراعنة، معلقًا على وجود توتر في العلاقة بين المنتخب الأول والمنتخب الثاني.

وقال هاني أبو ريدة في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “تأهل منتخب مصر إلى كأس العالم يمثل نعمة كبيرة، وقد تمكن المنتخب من الوصول مرتين إلى المونديال خلال فترات رئاستي للاتحاد، وهو إنجاز أعتز به.”

وتابع: “نستطيع تنفيذ برنامج محترم والمحافظة على لاعبينا، وهذا ما نجحنا في تحقيقه، فنحن نركز في عملنا ونوفر الحماية الكاملة للمنتخب والجهاز الفني”.

وعن استعدادات منتخب مصر لكأس العالم، أجاب: “الجميع يمتلكون الحافز، ونسأل الله التوفيق لنحقق شيئًا مميزًا، لكن الأهم في الوقت الحالي هو الاستعداد الجيد للمرحلة القادمة، بالأمس كنت في زيارة للمنتخب الثاني، والجميع كانوا سعداء بتأهل المنتخب ولديهم حافز كبير للفترة المقبلة”.

وبسؤاله عن وجود توتر بين المنتخبين الأول والثاني، أوضح: “هو منتخب واحد، ولا صحة لما يُقال، وقد طلبت منهم التركيز في مباراتهم لأن ذلك هو الأهم، فلابد أن يركز كل فرد في موقعه من أجل تحقيق أهدافنا ونتائجنا المرجوة”.

طالع | حسام حسن: كنت أتواصل مع “المعلم”.. وإسعاد المصريين هدفي

وردًا على ما تردد بشأن رحيل حسام حسن حال عدم تحقيق نتائج إيجابية في كأس أمم إفريقيا، أردف: “هذا الكلام غير صحيح ولا أساس له من الصحة، وقد قلت سابقًا إننا نستعد معًا لكأس العالم 2026، وهذه فرصة كبيرة أمام الجميع للعمل وإثبات الذات”.

وأتم: “العلاقة مع حسام حسن علاقة محترمة للغاية، وكلنا على قلب رجل واحد ونسير في طريق واحد، وما يُقال على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي لا أساس له من الصحة”.

Chelsea have sealed another outgoing from Stamford Bridge, and it takes BlueCo’s transfer income from this summer to nearly £160 million.

£50m Chelsea man close to agreeing exit as BlueCo eye "unplayable" replacement

The west Londoners are planning to go for a Premier League star.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 29, 2025

Enzo Maresca’s side reached a settlement with UEFA recently after breaching the governing body’s FFP rules, but in terms of the Premier League’s separate PSR laws, the west Londoners are in excellent stead.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

After taking home around £87.5 million worth of prize money from their triumph at the Club World Cup, Chelsea have the added benefit of Champions League revenue next season, with the Blues apparently poised to earn a minimum £80 million just from qualifying, according to football finance expert Stefan Borson.

This stream of cash flow doesn’t even take into account the players they’ve already sold this summer, with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Mathis Amougou and João Félix all bringing in well north of £100 million.

According to recent reports, a plethora of Chelsea fringe players are also nominees for the exit door – including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Tosin Adarabioyo, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Alfie Gilchrist and Nicolas Jackson.

Fulham are reportedly close to agreeing terms with Sterling over a potential £20 million move to Craven Cottage (TEAMtalk), which would add yet more funds to the Stamford Bridge coffers, and it is believed that RB Leipzig are after Chukwuemeka as the Bundesliga side negotiate letting Xavi Simons go the other way.

It appears more and more exits are firmly on the cards, but Chelsea can now officially add another player to their growing list of departures.

Ishe Samuels-Smith leaves Chelsea for Strasbourg

The Blues have agreed a deal worth around £6.5 million to sell defender Ishe Samuels-Smith to sister club Strasbourg, with the transfer announced by Chelsea this afternoon.

The 19-year-old agreed terms on a five-year deal at the Ligue 1 side before travelling to Austria for his medical (Football Insider), as Chelsea strike yet another summer window agreement with their sister club.

BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella also shared news, in a big boost for Maresca’s side, that Chelsea’s funds raised through player sales now totals around £158 million after his departure.

Samuels-Smith leaves Chelsea two years after signing from Everton, without making a single senior appearance in that time, but he’s at least contributed to the club’s healthy financial standing away from the grass.

Yorkshire have signed Northamptonshire seamer Jack White on a two-year contract after activating a clause in his contract allowing him to move to a Division One club.White, 32, only made his debut in 2020 but has built a strong record, particularly in red-ball cricket where he has taken 114 wickets 25.18.”I’m incredibly honoured and extremely excited to begin this new chapter with Yorkshire,” White said. “Headingley is a special place to play and having had discussions with the coach and the leaders of the club I’m looking forward to continuing to develop my game and playing my part in achieving success for Yorkshire.”Yorkshire finished second in Division Two last season, securing a return to the top flight for the first time since 2022.Gavin Hamilton, general manager of cricket for Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted Jack has committed his future to Yorkshire. He is a brilliant addition to the team – offering up another dimension to our bowling attack.”He’s someone who puts in the hard work and came into the professional game at a later stage of his development. He is the kind of player and person who will continue to add to our dressing room, and we look forward to working with him at the club.”Northamptonshire said they were “disappointed” to lose White, who was under contract until the end of the 2025 season.”While it is a real shame that Jack has decided to move elsewhere, everyone would like to thank him for his efforts in a Northamptonshire shirt and we wish him the best moving forward,” chief executive, Ray Payne, added.

Sunderland’s excessive summer spending looks as if it will continue all across a bumper July.

Already, £67m has been forked out to pick up Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, and Noah Sadiki, and that amount will soon rise as the bold Black Cats put together the finishing touches to secure Chemsdine Talbi from Club Brugge and Simon Adingra from Brighton for an initial fee of £18.5m.

Off the back of firing home seven strikes last season in Belgium, it’s fair to say the excitement levels at the Stadium of Light have risen even more as Talbi edges ever closer to calling Wearside his new home while the addition of Adingra, a Premier League-proven star, will no doubt raise the roof.

Yet, Sunderland aren’t done here when it comes to adding in gems from Europe down the wings to enhance their attacking personnel, as more statement moves wait in the pipeline.

Sunderland eye up club-record £39m move

The name that immediately springs to mind in this regard is Sassuolo star Armand Lauriente, with Sunderland definitely keen on the idea of adding the sparkling Frenchman to their camp very soon.

Transfer Focus

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

Unfortunately, their pursuit of the dynamic left winger has hit some turbulence, as reports suggest that the Regis Le Bris and Co. are a way off Sassuolo’s valuation of the 26-year-old at this point, which comes in at around the hefty £26m price range.

Obviously, Sunderland could well bounce back in this race and splash out such a high amount, considering money doesn’t seem to be too much of a concern for the newly promoted side this summer, but they might well be better placed to just go all out to land an upgrade on Lauriente instead by signing off on a club-record switch for Kerem Aktürkoğlu to move to Wearside.

Indeed, Turkish journalist Kutlu Akpinar – via his X account – has revealed that the Black Cats are keen on snapping up the pricey Benfica attacker this summer, with a £39m price tag above his head.

This really would be an earth-shuddering statement from Sunderland if a move were pulled off, with Aktürkoğlu performing at the very top of his game for many a season now.

Why Aktürkoğlu would be a big upgrade on Lauriente

Of course, Lauriente is just fresh off a 19-goal season himself for his current employers Sassuolo as Fabio Grosso’s men returned to Serie A in style.

On top of that, the £26m attacker has shown he can strut his stuff in both Serie A and Ligue 1 with a high 42 goals and assists coming his way from 133 appearances in these challenging leagues.

Aktürkoğlu’s G/A record at Galatasaray/Benfica
Season	Club played for	Games	Goals	Assists
24/25	Benfica/Galatasaray	55	18	16
23/24	Galatasaray	51	15	9
22/23	Galatasaray	38	10	14
21/22	Galatasaray	50	13	13
20/21	Galatasaray	31	6	3
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Yet, those promising numbers end up paling in comparison with Aktürkoğlu’s exploits with the explosive 26-year-old up to a staggering 94 goals and assists himself when plying his trade in both Turkey and Portugal.

Further, he has also managed to muster up an electric 11 goals and assists when competing in Europe’s most illustrious competition in the Champions League, with that £39m price tag next to his name not looking quite so steep anymore.

Instead, it could be deemed a far more worthwhile investment to make than trying to chase after Lauriente, with Aktürkoğlu already causing Premier League defences all sorts of headaches when he smashed home this effort versus Manchester United on Europe’s grandest stage in 2023.

Hailed as “silky” in approach by data analyst Ben Mattinson at the height of his glittering Galatasaray spell, the time might well be right for the Turkey international to now try and prove himself in another tough European environment in the Premier League.

He would surely be capable of pushing the likes of Enzo Le Fee and Romaine Mundle to a starting spot down the left, whilst Lauriente might fall victim to fading into the background next to such a proven and dangerous performer.

Le Fee 2.0: Sunderland lodge bid to sign 'one of the best LW's out there'

Sunderland fans could soon be cheering on a new star who might be their next Enzo Le Fee.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 9, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed revelling in the triumph of lifting the Europa League and restoring their place among Europe’s elite next term, but Daniel Levy’s decision to fire Ange Postecoglou highlights the hunger to sustain an even loftier level of success over the coming years.

With Thomas Frank snatched from Brentford to lead from the dugout, Spurs are in a good position to challenge at the top end of the Premier League once more, though summer signings will be needed to inject fresh quality within a tired squad, whose success has papered over what was a most difficult year indeed.

Antoine Semenyo’s name has been bandied about, but there’s one man above all others who Tottenham’s new manager would like to welcome to the fold.

Spurs make contact for statement signing

Earlier this week, Sky Sports revealed that Tottenham have been growing in confidence that they could sign Bryan Mbeumo this summer after initial discussions, having made contact with Brentford, despite the player’s preference to join Man United.

This is because the Londoners have appointed Frank, who has led Mbeumo to such impressive individual heights over the past couple of years.

And now, as per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, the Lilywhites believe that Champions League football and the chance for the 25-year-old to stay in London could play into their favour.

Mbeumo won’t come cheap after his exceptional season, with the Bees looking to bank around £60m for the right-sided forward.

What Bryan Mbeumo would bring to Spurs

Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland. Perhaps the Premier League’s three finest goalscorers. They were the only players to outscore Mbeumo last season, with Ipswich Town writer Alex Osborn hailing him as “one of the best wingers in the league.”

1.

Mohamed Salah

38

29

2.

Alexander Isak

34

23

3.

Erling Haaland

31

22

4.

Chris Wood

36

20

5.

Bryan Mbeumo

38

20

Not only has Mbeumo dazzled in front of goal, but he’s performed well across underlying areas. As per Sofascore, the Cameroon international averaged 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, and 4.7 successful duels last term, underscoring a roundedness that most goalscorers don’t boast.

His prolific style surely makes him a better pick than Semenyo, who is a fantastic player but would cost Tottenham in excess of £50m and only scored 11 goals in the Premier League last year, also racking up six assists across his 37 appearances.

Make no mistake, Semenyo is a talented winger who would have a big effect on reorienting Tottenham’s domestic form and fluency, but can he compete with Mbeumo, who is objectively one of the classiest stars in front of goal?

The Bournemouth man ranked among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the English top flight last year for shots taken, as per FBref, but only among the top 27% for goals scored per 90, with his efforts leading the data-driven site to draw up Mbeumo as one of his most comparable players.

If that is the case (and there are similarities: both players are physical and dynamic and potent across different positions), then surely the best track to go down would be to sign the more reliable and menacing player in front of goal.

Therefore, Mbeumo is surely the better pick to go for, especially when considering the kind of money that Bournemouth are looking to part with Semenyo.

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Spurs would be making a massive mistake signing this player.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 13, 2025

Burnley’s intimidating defence last season in the Championship was one major factor behind why Scott Parker’s men sealed automatic promotion on 100 points.

Whilst the Clarets did score a reasonable 69 strikes across the 46-game marathon, they amazingly only gave up 16 goals across that same period, culminating in the Lancashire outfit losing just two second-tier contests all season long.

Burnley have been known to be a well-drilled machine in this regard for many a year, with Sean Dyche the first notable manager to make the Clarets a hard-to-beat unit when he was situated in the Turf Moor dug-out.

Throughout his well-known stint at the Clarets, Dyche regularly called upon the likes of James Tarkowski to ensure opposition attackers knew they were in for a tough fight when attempting to break down Burnley’s rock-solid defence.

Tarkowski's defensive heroics at Burnley

Now lining up for Everton at 32 years of age, Tarkowski has Burnley to thank for initially kickstarting his career at the very top.

In total, the imposing veteran would go on to make 219 appearances for the Clarets, with his reputation throughout his stay at the club centring on his no-nonsense approach aerially.

His breakout season in the Premier League for Burnley would come about during the 2018/19 campaign, with the centre-back scoring three goals when putting his towering 6-foot-1 frame to good use, alongside winning a ridiculous 7.8 duels per league clash.

No longer at Turf Moor, he is certainly ageing like a fine wine. He secured ten clean sheets in league action across 2024/25 and most famously scored that thunderbolt of a goal in the dying embers of Goodison Park’s last Merseyside derby.

He’s a man for the big occasion and as Parker and Co go about strengthening their ranks, they’ll certainly be hoping to find their next Tarkowski.

Burnley's "outstanding" new Tarkowski

Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that Burnley will be able to keep all the components of their robust defence together past this transfer window, with CJ Egan-Riley and Maxime Esteve both reportedly heading for the exit door.

Therefore, a new, strong defender will surely be high up the Clarets’ shopping list, with rumours coming to the surface now from journalist Graeme Bailey suggesting 6-foot-4 brute Chris Mepham be on Parker’s radar as they aim to add numbers at the back.

Burnley are already well aware of how tricky a defender Mepham can be to get the better of, having clashed with him last season when he was out on loan with eventual playoff winners Sunderland.

The Welshman stood out as a powerful centre-back throughout that loan spell, and with plenty of Premier League experience in the tank at 61 top-flight games and counting, he could be just what Burnley desire in trying to land an up-to-date Tarkowski.

Mepham’s league numbers for Sunderland (24/25)

Stat (* = per game)

Mepham

Games played

38

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches*

65.7

Accurate passes*

45.2 (87%)

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Clearances*

6.1

Total duels won*

4.9

Stats by Sofascore

His similarities to Tarkowski are even more striking when glancing at the table above, with Mepham both a defensive option that is comfortable with the ball at his feet and joining in with attacks, but also a figure who will valiantly throw himself into duels for the cause, like the ex-Burnley captain.

Black Cats skipper Dan Neil would even herald Mepham as “outstanding” for his brave efforts during Sunderland’s promotion story, with Parker hopeful he could make a similarly quick impact at the heart of the Clarets’ defence if signed.

Burnley won’t want to just roll back the years in winning themselves a gritty defender like Tarkowski, however.

Even more so, the Lancashire underdogs will pray they can become a Premier League regular again, with Mepham joining potentially strengthening their chances of immediately staving off the drop.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 8, 2025

Glasgow Rangers and 49ers Enterprises could be a marriage made in heaven. Of course, things are still very much in the pre-wedding phase.

The club were crying out for new investment and this summer can see the beginning of a new era for the Light Blues. First of all, a permanent manager must be appointed, preferably sooner rather than later, especially given the size of the task at hand.

It remains to be seen just how big a budget the manager will be given this summer to improve the squad. It might be the case that he will have to sell a few players in order to raise funds and reduce the wage bill.

Vaclav Cerny, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, and Rafael Fernandes have all returned to their parent clubs following their respective loan spells at Ibrox.

Elsewhere, Ianis Hagi, Tom Lawrence, and Leon Balogun have all departed following the end of their contracts. Balogun and Hagi were both part of the squad that won the Premiership title in 2021.

A new era indeed. Regardless of who the new boss is, players such as Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell could be sold, especially after strong loan spells at Birmingham City.

Robin Propper must be another player who has to go this summer.

Why Rangers must sell Robin Propper

Last summer, Philippe Clement sought several signings that would turn his side from also-rans to title winners.

In came players such as Nedim Bajrami, Hamza Igamane, and Cerny, but it was the defence that the club really needed to strengthen.

Connor Goldson was sold after six years at Ibrox and a new centre-back was identified as being a priority for Clement ahead of the season.

This led to the Gers bringing in FC Twente captain Propper, who had made over 100 appearances for the Dutch side. On the surface, it looked like a shrewd signing, especially as the club paid just £1.5m to secure his signature.

After a few months, however, it was evident that the Dutchman was struggling to cope with the physicality of Scottish football. He was regularly being out-muscled and outfought by strikers of teams further down the table, while his lack of pace didn’t help either.

He delivered worse performances in the Europa League, and when compared to his positional peers in the competition, his statistics are poor to say the least.

Accurate passes

57.9

Tackles

1.6

Clearances

4

Total duels won

5.6

Possession lost

8.5

Balls recovered

3.3

Indeed, he ranks in the bottom 75% for pass completion percentage, progressive passes, progressive carries, and tackles per 90 in the Europa League. The defender just cracks the top 45% for blocks and clearances per 90 for the Light Blues.

While Rangers may have reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, they might have gone further had Propper not been part of the team.

He will turn 32 in September, and it is obvious that his best days are behind him, based on his disappointing performances for the Gers this season. Depending on the style of play of the new manager, Propper must surely be aiming to look for another team this summer.

With Balogun already departed and Ben Davies likely to be sold as well, signing a centre-back or two during the transfer window is imperative, and the arrival of a new one could result in Propper’s exit.

Could the 49ers turn to the Premier League to bring someone in?

Rangers eye swoop for Premier League defender

Last week, Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie delivered some transfer news on X surrounding the club’s interest in Ipswich Town centre-back Cameron Burgess.

He posted: “Rangers are interested in Ipswich defender Cameron Burgess as they seek to bolster their defence ahead of the new season.

“29-yo has played 18 times in the Premier League this season.”

The link certainly came out of the blue, but it was a welcome one. With Ipswich suffering relegation from the top flight, now could be the perfect time for the Gers to make a move for the Australian.

If so, the manager must axe Propper.

Why Rangers should sign Cameron Burgess

Across his 18 Premier League appearances for Ipswich Town this term, Burgess has won 3.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – while also making an impressive 6.9 clearances and 0.9 tackles per game for the Tractor Boys.

It wasn’t enough to see them slip back into the second tier, but Burgess wasn’t the problem, far from it.

Burgess has showcased his talents when compared to other defenders in the Premier League, ranking in the top 21% for aerial duels won (2.57), the top 2% for clearances (7.48), and in the top 5% for percentage of dribblers tackled (81.8%) per 90 this season.

Scottish scout and analyst Kai Watson hailed the defender amid the links to Rangers, saying: “Cameron Burgess may not be the most exciting signing on paper but he’ll bring necessary experience to the back, particularly if Balogun departs.

“He’s 6’4, left sided, an Australian international and uses the ball well (Ipswich struggled to keep it which impacts his %s).”

As Watson mentions, Burgess uses the ball well at the back, but what Rangers need is a defender who is physically capable of getting the better of opposition forwards in the penalty area.

Too often have the club seen opposition players get plenty of time in the final third, which has given clubs such as Motherwell, St Mirren and Hibs chances to secure victory against the Glasgow side this season.

Propper was a big factor in some of these defeats. By signing Burgess, the Gers will be getting someone who is currently at the peak of their powers.

His contract expires in a couple of weeks, which means he won’t cost the Light Blues a single penny, making the move all the more attractive.

Perhaps not the big-name signing many of the supporters are hoping for, but the Australian would offer some solidity to a backline which has struggled throughout 2024/25.

He won’t demand a massive wage either. Everything points to this being a smart piece of business by the club; that much is certain.

Gerrard's next Defoe: Rangers could sign PL "living legend" this summer

Rangers must make a move for a current Premier League striker this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 24, 2025

Glasgow Rangers need to change their transfer strategy if they wish to compete domestically next season.

Celtic will wrap up their fourth successive Premiership title soon, and if the Light Blues don’t change things this summer, the drought could go on for much longer.

Of course, much will depend on who becomes the new manager of the Ibrox side this summer as Barry Ferguson’s interim spell looks set to end in a few weeks.

Last summer, Philippe Clement signed players such as Hamza Igamane, Clinton Nsiala, and Jefte. This trio could potentially make the club plenty of money when the time to cash in arrives.

Signing a few experienced squad members is still important this summer, but the vast majority of transfer business should be focused on those who are yet to hit their peak.

With Lyall Cameron already making the move from Dundee to Rangers this summer, it appears the Gers are looking at raiding the Dens Park side for the second time in a matter of months.

Rangers target move for Josh Mulligan this summer

Journalist Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review has recently stated that the Light Blues are interested in making a move for Mulligan in a bid to add more Scottish talent to their squad.

The 22-year-old’s contract is set to expire this summer, which means the club won’t have to pay a penny in order to secure his signature.

This type of move is one that could offer plenty of rewards for the Gers for such a low-risk signing, something which needs to happen more often.

With James Tavernier’s future uncertain as he enters the last year of his deal in Glasgow, Mulligan could be an ideal heir for the Englishman.

Why Josh Mulligan would be a great signing for Rangers

The Scottish U21 international can play across a range of positions. For Dundee this season, he has played in the centre of the midfield, on the right flank, and at right-back.

While he might not be able to match Tavernier for goal contributions – five assists across 36 matches this season for Dundee – Mulligan still has plenty to offer going forward.

Indeed, in the Premiership this season, he has created eight big chances while also averaging one key pass and one successful dribble per game in the top flight.

A move to Ibrox would allow Mulligan the chance to play for a team that will fight for domestic trophies, plus giving him the chance to feature in European competition, whether it be the Champions League or Europa League.

Josh Mulligan’s market valuation at Dundee

According to Transfermarkt, Mulligan is currently worth €600k (£500k) at the time of writing.

Given his impressive performances for a relegation-threatened Dundee side, this value will surely increase in the next few months, especially if he moves to Rangers and showcases his talents.

If, and it’s a big if, Mulligan shines at Ibrox and becomes the player everyone expects of him, he will make the club millions in profit.

At this moment in time, however, there is another Scottish youngster in the first-team squad who is currently worth a lot more than Mulligan – Connor Barron.

How Connor Barron has performed for Rangers this season

In one of the worst-kept secrets last summer, Rangers finally announced the signing of Barron after weeks of rumours.

The midfielder left Aberdeen upon the expiration of his contract, duly made the move south to Ibrox, and was essentially seen as an ideal replacement for Ryan Jack.

Following 76 appearances for the Dons, it was clear that Barron was looking like a solid signing. He clearly knew how to perform in the Premiership and had made six appearances in the Conference League for the Pittodrie side last season.

His performances were hailed by Scott Gemmill, Barron’s U21 manager at international level, who said: “Connor is very impressive on and off the pitch the way he conducts himself.”

It didn’t take long for him to make his mark at Rangers, starting both of the Champions League qualifying matches against Dynamo Kiev, along with operating in the starting XI for the first 13 league games.

Connor Barron’s stats for Rangers this season

Metric

Europa League

Premiership

Accurate passes per game

22.7

40.1

Pass success rate

80%

90%

Tackles per game

2.3

2.1

Balls recovered per game

4.3

3.4

Possession lost per game

7.9

7

Via Sofascore

2025 hasn’t been as productive, however, as Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have established themselves as the main midfield duo at Ibrox in recent months.

This has left Barron resorting to appearances from the bench in order to get playing time. He did feature for 83 minutes in the recent 3-2 victory over Celtic at Parkhead and was even made captain for the 2-2 draw against Aberdeen a few weeks ago.

Overall, it has been a solid debut campaign in Glasgow for the young midfielder. In the Premiership, Barron averages a 90% pass success rate, makes 2.1 tackles, 1.1 clearances, and recovers 3.4 balls per game.

Furthermore, he loses possession only seven times per game and wins 50% of his ground duels each match for the Ibrox side, which suggests that he is reliable on and off the ball.

Connor Barron’s market valuation at Rangers

Although Barron initially arrived at Rangers for nothing, the Gers were forced to pay a fee of around £640k for the midfielder after they were due compensation because his career began at Aberdeen.

This still looks like it could become a bargain transfer for Rangers, especially considering his market value has increased recently.

Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Barron is now worth €2.5m (£2m) following an impressive debut season in Glasgow.

This means that he is currently worth even more than Mulligan, who is valued at £500k, and that illustrates how much the Gers hit the jackpot with the Scotland international.

Much will depend on who the new manager will be, but Barron has laid the foundations for a potentially successful spell at Rangers.

He is worth a lot more than Mulligan, and this valuation should rise exponentially as time goes on.

Whatever happens, it appears as though the club are looking to bring in the best of Scottish talent this summer. With Barron and Cameron now part of the squad, Mulligan could be the next player to link up with Rangers.

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Posts ByDan Emery Apr 23, 2025

And has anyone beaten his success rate of 75% as captain in ODIs?

Steven Lynch11-Mar-2025Rohit Sharma has won 42 of his 56 ODIs as India’s captain, a success rate of 75%. Has anyone got a higher win percentage than that? asked Rekhi Singh from India

Five wins out of five in the Champions Trophy did lift Rohit Sharma’s success rate to 75% in one-day internationals. Given a minimum of 35 matches in charge, the only captain with a bigger win percentage is Clive Lloyd of West Indies, with 76.19% (64 wins out of 84). As Rohit has said he’ll continue playing ODIs, he might yet surpass that.Faf du Plessis (71.79%), Ricky Ponting and Hansie Cronje (both 71.73%), and Mike Gatting (70.27%) all had win percentages above 70% in ODIs.KL Rahul averaged 140 during the Champions Trophy. Was this a record? asked Naved Ahmed from Pakistan

KL Rahul batted four times in the 2025 Champions Trophy, scored 140 runs and was out only once – ending up with an impressive average of 140. Given a minimum of three innings, that’s the highest batting average in any edition of the Champions Trophy, beating the 129 of Virat Kohli (258 runs) in England in 2017. The other 100-plus averages were recorded by the South Africans David Miller (121 this year) and Herschelle Gibbs (120 in Sri Lanka in 2002), and Sourav Ganguly (116 in Kenya in 2000). .Rahul is down the list for all multi-team tournaments, but another Indian leads the way there too: Ajay Jadeja scored 354 runs for once out – giving him an average of 354 – in a triangular series also involving Australia and Zimbabwe in 1998.The World Cup record is 166.50, by New Zealand’s Glenn Turner in the inaugural tournament in 1975.Was Rohit Sharma’s 76 the highest individual score in a Champions Trophy final? asked Mahesh Tripathi from India

Rohit Sharma did much to set up India’s victory in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai at the weekend: his 76 matched Hardik Pandya’s score in the 2017 final at The Oval.However, there have been seven higher scores in all Champions Trophy finals, including six centuries. Fakhar Zaman made 114 as Pakistan won that 2017 final, but the highest of all remains Sourav Ganguly’s 117 for India against New Zealand <in Nairobi in 2000.Sourav Ganguly scored 117 in the Champions Trophy (then the ICC Knockout) in 2000, the highest individual score in a final in the tournament's history•AFPHow often has anyone won a Test after being dismissed for less than 100 in their first innings? asked Nirmal Mendis from Sri Lanka

There have now been 13 instances of a team winning a Test match despite scoring under 100 in their first innings. That number excludes the controversial match in Centurion in 2000 when England declared at 0 for 0 and South Africa forfeited their second innings, but it does include the rain-affected game in Bridgetown in 1935 when England declared at 81 for 7 and went on to win by four wickets.The lowest first-innings total by a team that went on to win the Test is 45 all out, by England in Sydney in 1887. They managed 184 in their second innings, and bowled Australia out for 119 and 97. However, this feat is not restricted to such elderly matches: five of the 13 have happened in the current century, most recently in 2019, when England beat Ireland at Lord’s after being skittled for 85, then Australia by one wicket at Headingley after being bowled out for 67 in the first innings.Who’s the only opener to bat twice in a Test and be not out both times? asked Michael Fordyce from Barbados

This happened not terribly long ago, and I remember at the time being very surprised that it was unique. The opener concerned was Kraigg Brathwaite, and in the third Test against Pakistan in Sharjah late in 2016, he carried his bat for 142 in West Indies’ first innings, and was 60 not out in the second when they completed victory.Another distinguished Barbadian opener had a notable near miss: against New Zealand in Dunedin in February 1980, in the sixth of his eventual 116 Tests, Desmond Haynes was the last man out in both innings, scoring 55 and 105.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions