انتقد مهاجم نادي مانشستر سيتي السابق، محمد صلاح وفيرجيل فان دايك، لاعبا نادي ليفربول موضحًا أن مستوى الثنائي بات مختلفًا هذا الموسم.

ليفربول يعيش فترة صعبة للغاية خلال هذا الموسم، حيث يتعرض الريدز إلى هزائم متتالية في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز وكذلك دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق ليفربول رقمًا سلبيًا بعدما هزم في 9 مناسبات من أصل آخر 12 مباراة لعبها النادي الإنجليزي في كافة المسابقات.

ويواجه آرني سلوت خطر الإقالة من منصبه كمدير فني لليفربول، وذلك وفقًا لما ورد في عدد من التقارير الصحفية والإعلامية.

وانخفض مستوى محمد صلاح بشكل مفاجئ خلال هذا الموسم، بالرغم من العروض الرائعة التي قدمها الدولي المصري خلال الموسم الماضي.

وأيد ويم كيفت، مهاجم مانشستر سيتي ومنتخب هولندا السابق، قرار إقالة سلوت من تدريب ليفربول في ظل مستوى الفريق هذا الموسم.

وقال كيفن في تصريحات لصحيفة ديلي تلجراف: “بتوقيعه مع فلوريان فيرتز وهوجو إيكيتيكي مقابل 137 مليون يورو و80 مليون يورو على التوالي، دفع ليفربول مخاطرة باهظة الثمن”.

وأضاف كيفن في حديثه: ”يتمتع لاعبا خط الوسط والمهاجم بالجودة، ومع ذلك لا يضمن هذا قدرتهما على المنافسة في كرة القدم الإنجليزية، فالنجاح في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز غالبًا ما يتطلب المزيد”.

أقرأ أيضًا .. ليفربول يراقب أحد مدربي الدوري الانجليزي لتعيينه خلفاً لـ سلوت وأوضح: “بعد مفاوضات صعبة ومطولة، كان الجميع في ليفربول سعداء بتجديد القائد فيرجيل فان دايك ومحمد صلاح لعقودهما، وهما ركيزتي نجاح الموسم الماضي، ومع ذلك فإنهما مختلفان تمامًا هذا الموسم”.

وأردف: “دفاع ليفربول بقيادة فان دايك يستقبل عددًا هائلًا من الأهداف، كذلك أداء صلاح محدود لكن، ألم ينسِ هذان اللاعبان مهاراتهما فجأة؟”.

واختتم: “بشكل عام، كان أداء ليفربول ضد نوتينجهام فورست وآيندهوفن محبطًا، لا توجد أي مؤشرات لإيقاف هذا التراجع، حتى الساحر آرني سلوت لا يستطيع قلب الأمور بين عشية وضحاها، لا يستطيع الفريق تسجيل الأهداف وما لم يخطر ببال أحد كان ممكنًا، إقالة سلوت بعد نتيجتين أو ثلاث نتائج سيئة أخرى هو أمر وارد”.

Wrexham are being advised to splash more cash in the January transfer window, despite seeing Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac oversee a record-breaking recruitment drive in the summer of 2025. Phil Parkinson has suggested that calls to spend again may be ignored, with the Red Dragons not expecting to be particularly busy in the new year.

Record spend: Wrexham invested £30m-plus in summer window

More than £30 million ($39m) was invested in fresh faces at SToK Racecourse ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. On the back of three successive promotions, another overhaul of Parkinson’s squad was required in order to have it ready for life in the second tier.

Not every deal done has been a resounding success, despite bringing plenty of Premier League pedigree to North Wales. It was, however, always going to be tricky bedding in 13 new arrivals and getting them to hit the ground running.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTransfer plans: What Wrexham have in store for January

With consistency having been an issue at times, there have been calls for Wrexham to strengthen again when another market opens for business on January 1. Parkinson, though, is now seeking stability and continuity.

Quizzed on his transfer plans, Wrexham’s manager told : “We'll monitor the injury situation, but we made a lot of changes in the summer and I feel we're only just getting a settled feel in the building. We won't be making too many changes in the January window. We want to continue to work with the players we've got. When you bring in 13 players, that's a big turnaround.”

EFL pundit tips Wrexham to splash the cash

Former EFL player turned pundit Don Goodman is among those to have advised Wrexham to ask Reynolds and Mac for more money early in 2026. He has told : “What you are seeing at the minute is loads of teams that are evenly matched and that gives a real opportunity. And it could be that Wrexham might not get a better opportunity. So, with that in mind, I think there probably will be money available in January, if necessary.

“If they go and spend money in January, I would expect it to be quality over quantity. I would expect maybe it would be a couple of players brought in that would go straight into the starting 11 and improve them rather than players brought in for the squad.

“When I look at that table, they are one of four teams, from 11th to 14th, on 21 points, which is four points off a play-off spot. I would expect them to have a real go, and spend some money in January. I don't know whether financial fair play will kick in and play a part so they'll have to really be careful and get some out before getting some in. But I would expect them to have a go.”

Parkinson is aware of what is being said by others, but that does not mean that he has to listen. He has done things his way at Wrexham since taking the reins in 2021 – enjoying a historic run of success in the process.

He added when asked again if he could look to heed Goodman’s advice and dip into the transfer market for quality over quantity: “I don't think we'll need a lot. We're always looking and, of course, you never rest on your laurels as a manager or as a group of staff, but equally, I don't want to disrupt the group too much.”

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Getty/GOALAnother promotion push? Next up for Wrexham

Reynolds and Mac have always been prepared to dig into their pockets if Parkinson feels the need to bolster his ranks. Record revenue has been generated by the Red Dragons, and that is helping to further enhance any recruitment budgets.

Wrexham are, however, in a relatively comfortable position at present. With Parkinson welcoming players back from injury and fresh faces feeling more settled in new surroundings, another promotion push cannot be ruled out. A return to Championship action after the November international break will be made when taking on Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday.

Derbyshire 698 for 6 dec (Reece 211, Madsen 198, Andersson 85, Donald 55, Dal 52*) beat Kent 271 (Ekansh 71, Dawkins 61, Morley 5-99) and 198 (Compton 65, Evison 53, Reece 5-63) by an innings and 229 runsDerbyshire routed Kent by an innings and 229 runs in their final Rothesay County Championship match of the season at Canterbury.Luis Reece, who scored 211 in Derbyshire’s only innings, took 5 for 63, while Ben Aitchison and Zak Chappell both took two wickets apiece as the visitors sealed third place in Division Two. Ben Compton was Kent’s top scorer with 65 but the home side already knew they would finish bottom, regardless of the outcome.Kent began day four on 135 for 5 in their second innings, 291 behind, and their tissue-paper thin hopes of avoiding defeat faded when they lost Harry Finch in the fourth over of the morning, lbw to Aitchison for 14.Aitchison, whose sister Holly is in the England squad for today’s Rugby World Cup final with Canada, then got the key wicket of Compton, again lbw and although Corey Flintoff hung around for 35 balls, he eventually pulled Chappell straight to Aneurin Donald at square leg and was caught for 11.Grant Stewart gave a sparse crowd some entertainment, hooking Chappell for six, but the bowler than had Matt Parkinson caught by Donald at short leg for a six-ball duck.The visitors concluded a win that had looked inevitable for the best part of three days when Michael Cohen flashed at Reece and was caught by a diving Brooke Guest, also without scoring. The wicket meant Reece became only the 51st person worldwide to score a double-century and take five wickets in a first-class match.

Richard Thompson insists 100-ball format will not change before end of current rights cycle

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025The tight turnaround between England’s international and the Hundred is a “short-term issue” which ECB chairman Richard Thompson has pledged will be solved for the next TV rights cycle.England’s men played one day before the start and two days after the end of the Hundred this year, leaving all-format players short on relevant preparation for the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. The same scenario will play out in 2026, with the Hundred expected to start two days after an ODI series against India and three days before the first Test against Pakistan.New investors in the Hundred will expect their England players to be available throughout the tournament. Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton and Ollie Pope missed London Spirit’s first game of this season, the day after the fifth Test at The Oval, which their incoming co-owner Nikesh Arora described as “disappointing” while calling for “better planning” by the ECB.Thompson acknowledged that the schedule is too crammed, speaking in his capacity as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society during England’s third ODI against South Africa on Sunday. “There are no easy answers, but the reality is we can’t have our cake and eat it,” Thompson told Sky Sports.”We want England players to play. This is our premium white-ball competition and we want England players to play in it. What we have to do is find a way of ensuring the schedule before and after the tournament [is better]. Take this year: the gap was a day or two days… That can’t be right.Related

• McCullum: England must 'find ways to deal with' packed schedule

• Bethell: 'I've got to be ready to perform in Ashes'

• Jofra Archer: 'There was an ooh or an aah every single over'

• Hundred squads face 2026 'reset' in bid for competitive balance

• Breetzke stars as South Africa seal series in five-run thriller

“If we’re going to get this level of investment, we’ve got to commit to ensuring our England players are available. We don’t want that to be at the expense of the success of England. We need to find a balance, and ultimately we can look at the schedule and we can try and free up time.”We’ve done this deal in the middle of a rights schedule. Come ’28, when we then cut the next deal for the next four years, we can cut this in a different way. We might have a short-term issue here, but we can overcome that.”Ultimately, if a player feels they’re injured, they’re going to rest themselves. They won’t want to play on an injury. England is still everything here. But we are not prepared to accept that you can’t find a halfway house and work with the owners to ensure that the owner will get what they need, and England will get what it needs.”Thompson also said that the tournament’s format will not change from 100-balls-a-side to T20 during the current broadcast cycle, which runs to the end of the 2028 summer, and denied that the sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises equates to selling the month of August to private investors.”I can categorically tell you it’s 100 balls next year,” he said. “I don’t think anything will change in this rights cycle. Sky [the Hundred’s main broadcaster] have bought 100 [balls a side]. Sky are not going to want to change that. It’s up to the owners and the ECB to decide what that might be in the future.”This is not English cricket selling off the family silver. This is English cricket bringing in investors to enable us to have a tournament that could challenge the IPL.”

Norwich City have held talks with one manager who has a 100% win record over the recently sacked Liam Manning.

When Norwich City could appoint Manning’s replacement

The Canaries finally parted ways with Manning after a seventh straight Carrow Road defeat prior to the international break.

The 2-1 loss to Leicester City was Norwich’s 10th defeat from 15 Championship games, leaving them in 23rd place and four points off safety.

Sporting director Ben Knapper said in a statement that he understood criticism from supporters and is looking to “repair the relationship” with fans.

“We have tried absolutely everything possible to work through this incredibly challenging period but, unfortunately, given the recent run of results and performances, we have been left with no choice other than to make a change at this stage.

“Liam and his staff worked tirelessly to move our football club forward. They are all fundamentally good people and we wish them the very best in whatever comes next.

“We very much understand the frustration and criticism from our supporters at this stage. So far, results and performances on the pitch haven’t been good enough.

“We accept that responsibility, but it’s now imperative that we start to repair the relationship with our supporters and do everything we can to give them something to get behind.”

Birmingham City vs Norwich City

22nd November

Norwich City vs Oxford United

25th November

Norwich City vs QPR

29th November

Watford vs Norwich City

6th December

Sheffield United vs Norwich City

9th December

Something that will get supporters back on side will be to appoint a winning manager, with former midfielder Gary O’Neil linked with the vacancy.

Norwich, according to reliable reporter John Percy, have interviewed O’Neil and want to appoint a new manager by November 22, the day club football returns and the Canaries travel to Birmingham City.

Norwich City hold talks with Will Still

Sky Sports reporters Zinny Boswell, Lyall Thomas and Anthony Joseph shared a Norwich City manager update on Wednesday morning, naming the three bosses who the Canaries have spoken with.

As well as former player O’Neil, Norwich have also held talks with Jon Dahl Tomasson and Will Still, with the former Southampton manager available following his St Mary’s departure earlier this month.

Still, who plays a 3-4-1-2 system, struggled to turn the Saints around, winning two of his 13 Championship games which resulted in his sacking a week prior to Manning.

He did defeat Manning and Norwich 3-0 at Carrow Road in an EFL Cup second round tie, though, which began a terrible spell at home for the former Canaries boss.

Still has a 100% win record vs Manning, and he was impressing over in France with Lens before his move to England, being linked with numerous jobs.

The 33-year-old is still inexperienced in English football, though, and after his spell on the south coast, taking a chance on Still would be a gamble by the Norwich board as they look to climb out of the relegation zone.

It could be a risk worth taking, although O’Neil and Tomasson have more experience in English football than Still.

Luis Suárez acknowledged that there are “many things” in which he is “not an example” after serving multiple suspensions for Inter Miami this season. The Uruguayan opened up about his disciplinary issues and admitted MLS has been more challenging than he expected, having already missed several matches due to on-field incidents.

• Getty
  

  'An example of rebellion'

  In a wide ranging interview with , Suarez addressed the numerous controversies that have followed him around this season – and throughout his career. He suggested that it is a recurring pattern in his footballing life. 

  "I often think that I can be an example of rebellion, of resilience, of continuing to fight, of continuing to struggle. On the other hand, there are many things in which I'm not an example," he said. "And I accept it, I know it, and I understand it. I've always fought against criticism: I debuted for Nacional at 18, and they criticized me for missing goals. That's when I started trying to turn the page on those criticisms, and then when I went to Holland, they told me I was fat, and they said the same thing at Ajax. 

  "Later, at Liverpool, they attacked me for my acts of indiscipline. Then, at Barcelona, for going through bad spells. In every stage of my career, I've always fought against the same thing." 

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• AFP
  

  Childhood difficulties

  The Uruguayan striker – widely considered one of the greatest players of his generation – revealed that a difficult childhood might have influenced his antics on the pitch. 

  "It's been like this since I was a kid. I didn't have enough to eat and I always had to go out and find food for myself and my family. It was always, always like that," he said. "Ever since I've had a conscience, I've always fought against everything. I've never had anything easy. I've never had anything easy, and that's always made me fight to the end." 

• Getty
  

  A tricky time in MLS

  Suarez also admitted that he has found MLS much harder than he anticipated. He joined Miami before the 2024 season, arriving in a Miami team that also featured Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets. 

  "Well, to be honest, I was a little surprised by all the travel and matches, but that's because we also happened to be at the club during a period when we qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League, the League Cup, and the Club World Cup, always reaching the final stages, and that means a lot of travel," he explained. "The trips are long, at least two hours of flight time, but we're used to it. No complaints whatsoever, on the contrary, we're trying to enjoy what's left. Sometimes it seems like people underestimate us, but when it comes to competing, the results speak for themselves. Winning matches isn't easy; every match is a challenge for us."

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• Getty
  

  Crucial stretch

  His comments come ahead of a crucial game for the Herons. They face FC Cincinnati next Saturday in the Eastern Conference semifinal. Suarez missed the previous fixture after picking up a one-game suspension for kicking out an opposing defender. Miami won that game 4-0, leading to some suggestions that the MLS Cup favorites might be better equipped to win without him.

A look at some of the takeaways from the men’s and women’s Super Smash that ended with Central Stags and Wellington Blaze winning respective titles

Deivarayan Muthu04-Feb-2025Stags’ youngsters roarNo Doug Bracewell (at the SA20 with Joburg Super Kings). No Ajaz Patel (injury). No Seth Rance (retired). No Josh Clarkson (impending fatherhood). No problem for Stags as they toppled a powerful Canterbury Kings side that included as many as ten players who have played international cricket for New Zealand.For the Stags, it was William Clark, 23, and Curtis Heaphy, 21, who sealed their chase of 136. Toby Findlay, another youngster, sparkled in the final, coming away with 3 for 29 in his four overs, including the big wicket of Daryl Mitchell. Having sussed out that the pitch was two-paced, Findlay used his variations well, often digging the ball into the track to mess with the timing of Kings’ batters. In his first season as a contracted CD player, Findlay emerged as a Super Smash champion and promises more for the future.Blair Tickner, the senior Stags seamer, finished with a chart-topping 16 wickets in nine innings at an average of 18.43 and economy rate of 9.21.Amelia Kerr shone with bat and ball in the Women’s Super Smash•Getty ImagesAmelia Kerr at it with ball and batHaving won the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in 2024, Kerr added the women’s Super Smash trophy to her cabinet. She racked up 441 runs in 12 innings – the highest in the men’s or women’s Super Smash this season – to go with 15 wickets in 11 innings at an economy rate of 6.06. Two of those wickets came in the final where Blaze successfully defended 104 in front of their home crowd.Kerr was also in the thick of the action in the Eliminator against Northern Brave, following up her 29 off 24 balls with 4 for 19. Blaze’s imports from across the Tasman, Hannah Darlington and Maitlan Brown, also played their part in them becoming back-to-back champions in the women’s competition.Jamieson, Shipley, Sears return to actionKyle Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Ben Sears, who were injured before the Super Smash, returned to action and hit full tilt in the competition. Having proved his fitness – and form – Sears also made New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy.Kyle Jamieson made a successful return from injury in the Super Smash•Getty ImagesAs for Jamieson and Shipley, they were part of an all-New Zealand Canterbury attack that troubled a number of batters. Jamieson, who didn’t play any competitive cricket for 10 months prior to the Super Smash, marked his return from back injury, with 2 for 26 against Otago Volts at Molyneux Park. Midway through the Super Smash, Jamieson earned a PSL deal with Quetta Gladiators and continued to operate without any apparent discomfort.In the men’s final, Jamieson burst through Jack Boyle’s defences with a sharp inducker and proceeded to dismiss Dane Cleaver, who had top-scored for Stags, but it was not enough for the Kings to wrest the title. Jamieson ended the tournament with 14 wickets in 12 innings at an excellent economy rate of 5.95.Shipley, who was also working his way back from a back injury, took 12 wickets in eight innings at an economy rate of 8.04. He also made some cameos with the bat in Kings’ run to another final.Meet Matt Boyle, the breakout star of the tournamentThough New Zealand don’t have the depth of India or England, they have some young talent bubbling through. Twenty-two-year-old Matt Boyle is the latest talent who is already being talked up as a future Black Cap. A tall left-hander who can hit the ball long and far, Boyle emerged as the top run-getter in the men’s Super Smash, with 377 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.70 and strike rate of 156.43 for Kings. Matt is the younger brother of Jack, who has moved to Central Districts from Canterbury and son of Justin Boyle, who played for both Canterbury and Wellington.Central Stags are Men’s Super Smash champions•Getty ImagesBoyle had also showcased his power for New Zealand XI in December last year, when he clattered an unbeaten 57 off 34 balls against a Sri Lankan attack, which included mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and slinger Nuwan Thushara, in a ten-over tour game in Lincoln.Bevon Jacobs watchAfter having secured an unexpected IPL deal with Mumbai Indians and having broken into the New Zealand squad, Bevon Jacobs turned up at the Super Smash for Auckand Aces, hitting 263 runs in eight innings at an average of 37.57 and strike rate of 140.64. His unbeaten 90 off 56 balls against Northern Brave in Hamilton was arguably the innings of this season. Having entered the fray at 30 for 3 in the fifth over, Jacobs propelled Aces to 187 for 5. Though Brave chased down the target, Jacobs served a reminder of his raw power and potential.After Aces were knocked out of the Super Smash, Jacobs headed to the UAE to link up with MI Emirates, the affiliate of his IPL side, in the ILT20.

Find out when the tournament starts, what the format is, who the defending champions are, and more

Shashank Kishore16-Jan-2025Who won the inaugural edition?
India won the first edition in 2023 under Shafali Verma’s captaincy in South Africa when they halted England’s unbeaten run in the final.When does this edition begin?
The tournament starts January 18 with Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa and Bangladesh all featuring on the opening day. We could also witness a special first on that day when Nigeria and Samoa play against each other – it’s the first women’s U-19 World Cup for both. The semi-finals will be played on January 31 and the final is slated for February 2.Related

• Women's Under-19 World Cup: five players to keep a close eye on

• U-19 Women's T20 World Cup: India grouped with WI, SL and Malaysia

• Tilly Corteen-Coleman named in England Under-19 World Cup squad

• Niki Prasad to lead India in Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup

How many teams are participating?
It’s a 16-team event, just like the previous edition. Apart from Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, it comprises all other ten Full Members, who qualified automatically based on their standings at the inaugural edition, along with Malaysia who secured a direct entry as hosts. The remaining five spots were filled through the regional qualifiers.Who are these five regional qualifiers?
Nepal (Asia), USA (Americas), Nigeria (Africa), Samoa (Asia Pacific) and Scotland (Europe). Among these teams, Samoa will be playing at their first-ever ICC tournament – men’s or women’s. Meanwhile, hosts Malaysia, Nepal, and Nigeria will be playing in their first women’s Under-19 World Cup.India U-19 are the defending champions of the tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesWhich teams played in 2023 but won’t be playing this time?
Rwanda, Zimbabwe, UAE and Indonesia haven’t qualified for this tournament. Rwanda had finished in the top eight in 2023, ahead of four Full Members including their African counterpart Zimbabwe, but had to re-qualify due to rankings criteria, which they failed to.What is the format of the tournament?
Unlike the men’s Under-19 World Cup, which is a 50-overs event, the women’s tournament will be played in a T20 format.The 16 teams are divided into four groups of four in a round-robin format. The top three from each group make it to the Super Six Stage comprising 12 teams.The teams that qualify for the Super Six will carry forward the points, wins and net run rate secured against fellow Super Six teams. Each team will play two matches at the Super Six stage, against the teams from the opposing group whose finishing positions were different from its own. The top two from each pool will then advance to the semi-finals.ESPNcricinfo LtdWas Malaysia always slated to host?
Initially, the tournament was to be jointly hosted by Malaysia and Thailand. However, the ICC had to move the entire tournament to Malaysia because Thailand’s venues weren’t deemed ready to host the tournament.Malaysia means games will be held at the Kinrara Oval, right?
You probably remember that for Sachin Tendulkar’s 141 not out from the DLF Cup in 2006 against West Indies? Or maybe from having watched Virat Kohli’s team lift the Under-19 World Cup in 2008? That ground, once Malaysia’s premier cricket venue, is no longer operational after Malaysia Cricket’s lease agreement with the land owners ended in 2022.How many venues will host games in this tournament?
Matches will be played at four venues: Bayuemas Oval and UKM YSD Oval in Selangor, the JCA Oval in Johor, and Borneo Cricket Ground in Sarawak.Who are some of the more famous alumni from the inaugural edition?
Shafali and Richa Ghosh were part of the inaugural edition as India’s captain and vice-captain, respectively. However, the tournament wasn’t a launchpad for them as they had already played a fair bit of international cricket by then.It was the same case for New Zealand’s Georgia Plimmer and Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne, although they had much less international experience. Since then, Plimmer has been part of New Zealand’s T20 World Cup-winning side and Gunaratne of Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup-winning roster.West Indies’ spin-bowling allrounder Zaida James went on to play an important role in the team’s first semi-final appearance in the senior T20 World Cup since 2018.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell was provided the funds to splash on a host of new signings for Russell Martin during the summer transfer window.

The former Everton surpremo was shaping the squad for the first time since his move to Ibrox in April, and there was plenty of movement in and out of the club.

As you can see in the graphic above, Thelwell was backed by the board when it came to incoming signings, as he splashed the cash on several significant additions.

The most expensive signing of the summer window was centre-forward Youssef Chermiti, who arrived from Everton in an £8m deal. So far, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal for Rangers.

Bojan Miovski was also brought in for a reported fee of up to £4.2m to bolster the club’s attack. The former Aberdeen man has only scored two goals in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Another Thelwell signing who has been underwhelming since his move to Ibrox in a £3.5m deal from Luton Town has been attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard.

Where Thelo Aasgaard ranks among Thelwell's Rangers signings

Thelwell signed eight players on permanent deals in the summer, on top of the Oscar Cortes and Lyall Cameron deals that were agreed before his tenure, and the bulk of them failed to make much of an impact.

Djeidi Gassama has been the best addition to the squad out of those eight players. The French winger has scored six goals and provided two assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which is more than any other summer signing has managed.

Oliver Antman, who joined from Go Ahead Eagles for £3m, has the most assists in the squad of any summer signing, with three, per Transfermarkt, and still has plenty of time left to improve at the age of 24.

Chermiti ranks just above Miovski, despite the fee, because he is five years younger than the Macedonia international and has more time ahead to develop and reach his potential at Ibrox.

That is also why Emmanuel Fernandez, who has started two games, ranks above Joe Rothwell, who is 30 and did not even make the bench for the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park.

That leaves Thelo Aasgaard in third place. That may sound like praise at face value, but it really paints a picture of how underwhelming Thelwell’s signings have been.

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 16 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and the assist was a short pass to Gassama before his wonder goal in the earlier clip.

Aasgaard was also sent off against Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park for Danny Rohl’s side, which means that he has as many red cards as goals for the club so far.

At the age of 23, the former Luton star has time ahead of him and may develop into a future star for the Gers, but his current performance level has been underwhelming, at best.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

That is why there may be some regrets over their decision to part ways with attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, who was released by Thelwell at the end of his contract in the summer.

Why Rangers must regret releasing Ianis Hagi

The Light Blues chief may regret releasing the Romania international because he would walk into the starting line-up over Aasgaard based on his form for Rangers and his performances for his new club this season.

Hagi currently plays for Analyaspor in Turkey after moving on from Ibrox as a free agent in the summer, despite showing some impressive displays in the Scottish Premiership last term.

After working his way back into the squad under Philippe Clement after a contract issue, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder scored four goals, created six ‘big chances’, and registered five assists in 16 league starts for the Light Blues, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the playmaker, who former Romanian international Ilie Dumitrescu dubbed “sensational” last term,provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants, whilst being utilised as a number ten or as a winger.

As aforementioned, Aasgaard has not shown consistency as either a scorer or as a creator since his £3.5m move from Luton, which is why the decision to release Hagi in the summer looks like a misjudged one.

As you can see in the table above, Hagi’s form in the Turkish top-flight is also vastly superior to the Norwegian midfielder’s for Rangers, as he has scored ten more chances and scored twice as many goals in fewer appearances.

These statistics show that the Romania international has taken the threat that he provided on the pitch for Rangers last season and carried it into his form in Turkey for his new club.

Hagi only turned 27 in October and is not a player who is heading into the final years of his career or is regressing as a player, as evidenced by his form this season, which makes it all the more surprising that the Gers allowed him to leave for nothing.

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By
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Their respective statistics suggest that the Romanian star would walk into the current Rangers team over Aasgaard, and that says it all about Thelwell’s recruitment in the summer, as it stands.

Manchester United have now reportedly made contact to sign 18-year-old Salvador Blopa from Sporting CP in an attempt to jump ahead of Real Madrid in the race for his signature.

Those at Old Trafford have kept an eye on the transfer market ever since the summer window slammed shut and with things looking up on the pitch, they could be well-placed to welcome a number of upgrades in 2026.

Ruben Amorim’s side entered the November international break without a defeat in five games, having drawn twice and won three to move up to seventh in the Premier League.

Whilst their wait for five wins in a row is ongoing, there’s no doubt that the Red Devils have taken a significant step. Whether that continues after the international break is the big question.

Man United will play host to Everton in what should be seen as a winnable game at Old Trafford against former manager David Moyes. They then face struggling sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in two of their next five games in a run that should see them push on even further.

Amorim’s not getting ahead of himself, however. After rescuing a late draw against Tottenham last time out, he told reporters that his side still have plenty of problems to solve.

It’s a sign of the high standards that the Man United boss holds and INEOS could yet help him to meet those standards by turning to the transfer market once again in 2026.

Man Utd have 'held conversations' to sign Blopa

As relayed by TeamTalk, Man United have now ‘held conversations’ to sign Blopa from Sporting CP and jump ahead of Real Madrid in the transfer race in the process. The 18-year-old can play right midfield, right-back and left midfield as one of the most versatile players that Sporting have to offer.

Out of all those positions, he’d likely solve Amorim’s right wing-back problem. As things stand, it’s Amad Diallo or Noussair Mazraoui in the role, but Blopa’s emergence could quickly cause United a much-welcomed selection headache down that side.

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The interest from Real Madrid and those at Old Trafford in Blopa should also come as little surprise. The teenager scored twice on his Sporting debut and earned praise from current manager Rui Borges, who told reporters: “Tactically he gave us what we wanted.

“In the B team he sometimes plays on the right and other times on the left, sometimes higher and sometimes lower. He’s a kid with very unique characteristics, athletic, and physically he’s going to grow immensely more.”

The Red Devils have built a reputation of turning Sporting’s stars into world stars and the versatile defender could be next.

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