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Newcastle United have stepped away from the action zone as the October international break takes the stage. But Newcastle are anything but idle, having appointed a new technical director in Ross Wilson from Nottingham Forest.

Wilson, 41, leaves the City Ground having overseen a rise from relegation candidates in the Premier League to European contenders, having finished seventh last year after heavy spending.

In the dugout, Eddie Howe is a meticulous man. He knows every nook and every cranny of his opponents’ half, having profiled each player and grasped their strengths and their weaknesses. Wilson has a personality apt to connect with the tactician’s own bearing.

Newcastle have earned their flowers for their fast rise in the years since PIF completed their club takeover, qualifying for the Champions League in two of the last three seasons and winning the Carabao Cup last year.

But Paul Mitchell left his post less than one year after Dan Ashworth departed, and there’s no denying the Magpies recruitment drive has been knocked somewhat out of kilter. That is now anticipated to change.

Ross Wilson's recruitment record

Before Nottingham Forest, it was Rangers. While in Scotland, it was Wilson who sat behind the desk when Steven Gerrard led the club to the Premiership title, still the Gers’ sole title success since 2011.

And after moving to the Premier League, his reputation has only grown, with Wilson considered a real coup for the Tynesiders and further evidence of the fall from stability at Forest.

According to the i Paper, it is understood that Newcastle will seek to reward Sandro Tonali, Sven Botman and Tino Livramento with new deals once the transfer specialist is instated.

One of Wilson’s biggest strengths is his ability to identify and sign first-team candidates who both align with the manager’s tactical vision and the club’s wider culture.

Though this summer was one of much upheaval at Newcastle, there’s no denying Howe has eased the loss of Alexander Isak to Liverpool with a range of impactful additions, Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw in particular shining across the early months of the season.

Still, the direction has been at times uncertain, business taking an almost fragmented quality. Wilson, in tandem with Howe, could change that, with some exciting potential options already being discussed.

Who Ross Wilson could sign at Newcastle

Wilson signed his fair share of first-team players at Nottingham Forest, having joined from Rangers in 2023. At the time, the Midlands side were embroiled in a relegation battle in the Premier League and had not yet parted with Steve Cooper and brought in Nuno Espirito Santo.

Forest now have their own issues, with Edu and Nuno’s conflict leading to a divorce which has left the club’s meteoric rise in tatters. Wilson played his part, though, and may now fancy a step-up to St. James’ Park.

Newcastle, for sure, have work to do if they wish to settle permanently alongside the Premier League elite. With Wilson and Howe working together, this could bear dividends, especially when considering Howe’s recent comments regarding Elliot Anderson, who was sold to the City Ground for about £35m in 2024 as the Toon scrambled to ease their PSR suffering.

Last week, the manager called Anderson, 22, a “precious” talent who he would “love” to welcome back to his boyhood club, and now Newcastle have landed Wilson, that potential lane of communication has very much stretched open.

It would be a costly one to engineer, to be sure, but now, it certainly seems a whole lot more likely.

And there’s more. Nick Pope is still performing at 33 years old, but he’s out of contract at the end of the season and a replacement might be required, even with Aaron Ramsdale having joined on loan in August.

James Trafford came within a whisker of signing for the Magpies this summer, and now that he’s on the fringes at Manchester City, he might recieve a call from Wilson down the line.

That should just about do it. Howe leads a complete and robust Newcastle side, but even though £55m was forked out for Forest’s Anthony Elanga this summer, there might be a desire to add another winger to the ranks.

And who better than Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who was very much on the club’s radar this summer? The Cherries fought off interest from many of the Premier League’s biggest hitters, with the Ghanaian forward signing a new contract at the club.

The vultures still circle, though, and Newcastle are among that kettle of suitors looking to strike a deal, having prepared a bid in the final weeks of the window. Liverpool are also keen, showing interest as recently as this week, and they have been met with demands of a £75m payment from the south coast club.

Semenyo would cost a pretty penny, alright, but there’s little question that he’d be a fantastic addition, having scored six goals and supplied three more across seven top-flight appearances this season.

We know already that Howe wanted to bring the prolific forward to the club, and now Wilson will help promote Howe’s vision.

GK

James Trafford

RB

Tino Livramento

CB

Malick Thiaw

CB

Sven Botman

LB

Lewis Hall

DM

Sandro Tonali

CM

Bruno Guimaraes

CM

Elliot Anderson

RW

Antoine Semenyo

LW

Anthony Gordon

ST

Nick Woltemade

It’s exciting to note that even with Isak having been sold this summer, Newcastle have a dynamic crop of players capable of hitting even loftier heights than were struck last season. But with the likes of Trafford and Anderson and Semenyo added to the fold, Newcastle would go from strength to strength.

One Premier League analyst has even claimed Semenyo is “one of the best players in the world”. These are the heights Newcastle must be striving for, and Wilson can make it happen.

Howe has found the next Saint-Maximin in "frightening" Newcastle star

Summer signing aims for Saint-Maximin’s flair with Newcastle’s need for consistency

ByWill Miller Oct 11, 2025

Delhi Capitals’ (DC) signing of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the remainder of IPL 2025 has hit a snag, with the BCB stating that it hasn’t been approached for a no-objection certificate (NOC).Usually, the IPL only announces signings after a player has received an NOC from his home board. According to its CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, however, the BCB had yet to receive a request for one.”Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday. “We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”Related

• Bangladesh are all systems go for two-game face-off against T20I-happy UAE

• BCB to finalise Pakistan tour based on government directives

• DC announce Mustafizur signing after Fraser-McGurk exits IPL 2025

• IPL to allow temporary replacements for last leg of 2025 season

Mustafizur is part of the Bangladesh T20I squad that is due to play back-to-back away T20I series against UAE and Pakistan, both of which clash with the IPL. On Wednesday, hours after the IPL announced his signing as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mustafizur flew out to Dubai with the rest of Bangladesh’s squad.Bangladesh are due to play two T20Is in the UAE on May 17 and 19, followed by five in Pakistan on May 25, 27 and 30, and June 1 and 3. Those two series are in conflict with the IPL; DC are set to play their last three league matches on May 18, 21 and 24, followed by the playoffs should they get there.ESPNcricinfo has sought a response from DC on this development.

Things have gone a bit mad at Chelsea since Todd Boehly completed his £2.45 billion takeover back in 2022. The Blues currently have a whopping estimated annual payroll of £164,216,000, with the average Blues player earning more than £4.5m per season.

A clear out in the summer helped things a bit, as the likes of Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ben Chilwell headed for the exits, however, the Blues still spent more than £250m on new signings for Enzo Maresca.

Football FanCast has ranked every Chelsea player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Rank

Player

Gross pay per week

Gross pay per year

1

Raheem Sterling

£325,000

£16,900,000

2

Reece James

£250,000

£13,000,000

3

Wesley Fofana

£200,000

£10,400,000

4

Enzo Fernandez

£180,000

£9,360,000

5

Marc Cucurella

£175,000

£9,100,000

6

Pedro Neto

£160,000

£8,320,000

7

Moises Caicedo

£150,000

£7,800,000

8

Cole Palmer

£130,000

£6,760,000

9

Joao Pedro

£125,000

£6,500,000

=10

Tosin Adarabioyo

£120,000

£6,240,000

=10

Jorrel Hato

£120,000

£6,240,000

12

Alejandro Garnacho

£110,000

£5,720,000

13

Jamie Gittens

£108,000

£5,616,000

=14

Mykhailo Mudryk

£100,000

£5,200,000

=14

Liam Delap

£100,000

£5,200,000

=14

Levi Colwill

£100,000

£5,200,000

17

Benoit Badiashile

£90,000

£4,680,000

18

Axel Disasi

£80,000

£4,160,000

=19

Robert Sanchez

£60,000

£3,120,000

=19

Estevao

£60,000

£3,120,000

=21

Marc Guiu

£50,000

£2,600,000

=21

Filip Jorgensen

£50,000

£2,600,000

=21

Trevoh Chalobah

£50,000

£2,600,000

=24

Malo Gusto

£45,000

£2,340,000

=24

Romeo Lavia

£45,000

£2,340,000

=26

Gabriel Slonina

£40,000

£2,080,000

=26

Dario Essugo

£40,000

£2,080,000

28

Andrey Santos

£35,000

£1,820,000

29

Facundo Buonanotte

£25,000

£1,300,000

30

David Datro Fofana

£15,000

£780,000

31

Tyrique George

£7,500

£390,000

=32

Josh Acheampong

£5,000

£260,000

=32

Leo Castledine

£5,000

£260,000

34

Jimmy-Jay Morgan

£2,500

£130,000

Here's a detailed look at the top 10 Chelsea earners… 10 Tosin Adarabioyo £120,000 per week

After securing the services of Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham in 2024, Chelsea were able to offer the defender a big contract.

Those at Stamford Bridge handed Adarabioyo a four-year deal on more than £6m a year, and he has gone on to become a regualr under Maresca.

9 Joao Pedro £125,000 per week

Chelsea splashed the cash on Joao Pedro early in the 2025 summer transfer window, with the Brazilian even able to jet out to the USA and play a part in the Blues’ Club World Cup triumph.

Pedro scored some important goals at the CWC and cost an initial £55m from Brighton.

8 Cole Palmer £130,000 per week

Cole Palmer has been Chelsea’s standout signing under Boehly, going from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge after struggling to break into Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side.

Some may have questioned the Blues for paying £40m to sign Palmer, but he’s been the star man and was rewarded with a new extension to his £130,000 per week deal through until 2033 last year.

7 Moises Caicedo £150,000 per week

Moises Caicedo is Chelsea’s second most expensive signing of all time after they pipped Liverpool to a deal back in 2023.

Arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion in a transfer worth a whopping €116m, Caicedo looks set to play an important role over the coming years as he looks to justify that price tag.

6 Pedro Neto £160,000 per week

Another big-money signing, Pedro Neto swapped Wolverhampton Wanderers for Chelsea in Maresca’s first transfer window to add yet another attacking star to the Blues’ ranks.

He starred at Molineux and was arguably their most important player when fit, and he’s been a reliable performer so far in London.

5 Marc Cucurella £175,000 per week

Left-back Marc Cucurella is next on the list, picking up £175,000 per week. The Spaniard was another to swap Brighton for Chelsea and has had his ups and downs in west London.

He now appears to be first choice under Maresca, though, so he’ll be hoping to become one of the first names on the teamsheet while under contract.

4 Enzo Fernandez £180,000 per week

Chelsea’s club record signing, Enzo Fernandez is only the fourth highest-paid player at Stamford Bridge, something which may surprise some.

The Blues did fork out a whopping €121m for the Argentine’s services from Benfica, and now, they’ll be hoping Fernandez and Caicedo can star in midfield over the coming years.

3 Wesley Fofana £200,000 per week

On £200,000 per week is central defender in Wesley Fofana. Signed from Leicester City in 2022, Fofana has also had his injury issues at Stamford Bridge.

He managed just 29 Premier League appearances across his first two seasons with the Blues.

2 Reece James £250,000 per week

Club captain Reece James picks up £250,000 per week. The right-back has struggled to stay fit in recent seasons but is under contract until 2028.

His injury history appears to be a cause for concern for the Blues, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do with one of their top earners if he can’t remain fit.

1 Raheem Sterling £325,000 per week

Top of the charts is Raheem Sterling, who actually isn’t in Maresca’s first-team plans at Stamford Bridge. The winger spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Arsenal, however, the Gunners didn’t want to make a move permanent.

Sterling is still under contract until 2027, picking up just under £17m a season with the Blues.

Jose Mourinho revealed that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez sent a message to him upon his return to Benfica. The Portuguese head coach said that his former boss told him he was happy to see him return "to a club of your calibre", reminding fans once again of the mutual love and admiration shared between the two men.

• Mourinho has returned to Benfica after 25 years

  After being sacked by Fenerbahce for failing to qualify for the league phase of this season's Champions League, Mourinho marked an immediate return to coaching by signing for Benfica, the club where it all began for 'The Special One' in 2000. Mourinho will remain with Benfica until June 2027, although a surprise 'break clause' has been inserted in the contract which will allow both sides to part ways earlier than the expiry of the contract.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Florentino's special gesture to Mourinho

  Right after he returned to Benfica, Mourinho received messages from Perez, the president of his former club. "I'd like to say that President Florentino sent me a message saying, 'I'm very happy that you've returned to a club of your calibre,' and to hear this from the president of Real Madrid himself," Mourinho revealed.

• A reunion with Real Madrid in January

  Mourinho arrived at the Bernabeu in 2010 after firing Inter to a historic continental treble. In his three years as Los Blancos' head coach, the Portuguese won three titles, including La Liga in 2011-12 and the Copa del Rey in 2010-11. In 2013, Perez urged Mourinho to prolong his stay at Madrid, but the 62-year-old felt his time was up. Now, Mourinho will face the Merengues for the first time over 12 years after parting ways with them, when Benfica welcome Xabi Alonso's side at the Estadio da Luz in the final league phase matchday of the Champions League in January.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  Mourinho's next managerial assignment

  The Setubal-born manager faced his first loss with Benfica on Tuesday as an own goal from Richard Rios was enough for his former side Chelsea to grab a win. This weekend, his troops will be up against Porto, with whom Mourinho won the Champions League in 2004.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo acertou na última quarta-feira (14) a renovação de contrato do goleiro Young até o fim de 2026. O acordo ainda não foi anunciado oficialmente pelo Tricolor. O vínculo anterior do jogador, revelado nas categorias de base em Cotia (SP), ia somente até agosto. E sua permanência é uma vitória particular do técnico Dorival Júnior.

Desde março Young e seu estafe haviam encerrado as conversas com o clube do Morumbi pela renovação. O cenário era pouco inspirador para a promessa de 21 anos. Com a contratação de Rafael e ainda com Jandrei e Felipe Alves no elenco, era apenas a quarta opção para as metas são-paulinas.

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+ Lance! estreia nova marca e se reposiciona no mercado de mídia esportiva

Dono de passaporte europeu, o jovem estudava propostas para deixar o Tricolor. O destino mais provável era o futebol italiano, conforme o LANCE! chegou a revelar.

Tudo começou a mudar no início de maio. Jandrei sofreu um trauma na mão esquerda. E o revezamento para a reserva de Rafael, agora titular absoluto, foi bruscamente encerrado após os problemas de relacionamento do técnico Dorival Júnior com Felipe Alves, que acabou sendo afastado do cotidiano e só voltou a trabalhar com o grupo após pedir desculpas pelas faltas nos treinos e se recusar a viajar para Fortaleza (CE) com a delegação.

Pois bem. Jandrei voltou a treinar nesta quinta-feira (15), ainda com menos intensidade. Alves figura constantemente nas imagens divulgadas pelo clube dos treinos no CT da Barra Funda. Mas quem vem sendo relacionado para as partidas é Young, ao lado de outra promessa da base, Leandro. Parece ser algo definido pelo treinador. E que mostra o clima de despedida dos veteranos em detrimento dos jovens.

Conforme o L! revelou, o São Paulo apostava nas conversas internas de Dorival para convencer Young a assinar a renovação. À reportagem, fontes ouvidas confidenciaram que foi exatamente isso que aconteceu. O treinador expôs seus planos para o futuro para a posição a tendência é que Young assuma de vez o posto de reserva imediato do titular Rafael. Primeiro de forma esporádica, como agora, quando Jandrei estiver contundido ou impossibilitado de atuar. Depois de forma fixa a partir de 2024.

Young foi promovido ainda pelo técnico Hernán Crespo no início de 2021. Deste então, entre idas e vindas de volta para a base, parecia ter se estabilizado no posto de terceira opção são-paulina para suas metas. Algo que não cativou seu estafe, já que recusou investidas anteriores da diretoria para prorrogar o contrato.

O que muda agora? Tudo. Porque as saídas de Felipe Alves e Jandrei mexerão as peças no tabuleiro no final do ano. Ambos têm contrato somente até o final do ano e não devem ficar. Só com o novo intocável Rafael à disposição, os arqueiros vindos da base ganham mais espaço. E nada indica que serão buscadas contratações para a posição. Há a promessa disso aos representantes de Young. Promessas essas que pelo jeito eles acreditaram.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

MatériaMais Notícias

O Red Bull Bragantino contratou o lateral-direito Vinícius Lago, de 17 anos, que estava no Atlético-GO. O Massa Bruta vai pagar R$ 1 milhão à vista, mais R$ 500 mil no próximo ano e pode chegar a pagar mais R$ 1,5 milhão caso algumas metas sejam atingidas.

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Vinicius Lago chegou em Bragança Paulista na última terça-feira, 25, e vai integrar o time sub-23, que se prepara para disputar a Copa Paulista. O jovem, que tinha contrato com o Atlético-GO até 2027, assinou a rescisão com o Dragão na última sexta-feira.

– Estou muito feliz com mais esse passo que dei na minha carreira, ser vendido é uma coisa que todo jogador sonha, ainda mais pra um time com uma estrutura como a do Bragantino, espero ser muito feliz aqui e dar passos grandes dentro do clube – afirmou.

Nottingham Forest’s success story last season in the Premier League was heavily dependent on the goalscoring heroics of Chris Wood.

The Tricky Trees will be competing in the Europa League thanks to their lethal New Zealander, who would finish the campaign with a blistering 20 league strikes next to his name as Nuno Espirito Santo’s men soared to seventh position.

It will be up to Wood to keep up these explosive levels heading into next campaign, with some help potentially coming his way in the centre-forward department if Forest can strike up a deal for this lethal striker to join.

Forest in race to sign goalscoring veteran

Away from adding in more strikers, the experienced 33-year-old will, for sure, be joined by an exciting new winger supplying him with chances in the form of Dan Ndoye.

It has now been confirmed that Ndoye will don Forest red ahead of the 24/25 season, having finally agreed a deal to move from Bologna to the City Ground for a bumper £35m.

He could soon be followed through the door by another statement addition in the form of Chelsea outcast Christopher Nkunku, alongside another deal potentially getting off the ground for this goalscoring veteran to join Nuno’s expanding ranks.

A move for Mehdi Taremi does appear to have more legs at this point than the Frenchman boldly switching Stamford Bridge for the Midlands, with a report by the Tasnim News Agency stating that the Iranian marksman is tempted by the prospect of a Premier League move, away from current employers Inter Milan.

Inter are also noted as being keen to offload the 33-year-old, amid interest growing in his services from Fulham, Leeds United, and West Ham United, on top of Forest throwing their hat into the ring.

Forest will hope they can strike gold with another seasoned striker joining the ranks, with Taremi possessing the same goalscoring prowess that Wood has showcased at the City Ground all across his nomadic career to date.

Why Taremi can become Forest's next Wood

On the books of Porto, before embarking on a big move to Italy, Taremi had managed to reach the same heroic status that Wood has now achieved at the City Ground.

In total, the seasoned 33-year-old would fire home a prolific 91 strikes for his Portuguese employers from 182 outings, with his overall career tally standing at a devastating 202 goals from 445 clashes subsequently.

Games played

445

531

Clubs played at

7

15

Goals scored

202

182

Assists

101

43

He hasn’t had it all his own way, however, with his current spell in Serie A only seeing him score a meagre three times from 43 clashes. Yet, he will back himself to bounce back and get back to his best if Forest comes calling, with Wood also displaying that same level of resilience across his lengthy playing days to date.

Indeed, the towering 6-foot-3 striker has experienced plenty of ups and downs himself when lining up for a mammoth 15 different teams, with an equally barren spell coming his way at Newcastle United, just before the Tricky Trees became his next home.

Only five goals would be handed to him from 39 appearances on Tyneside, yet Forest’s gamble in acquiring Wood has more than paid off, with their “outstanding” striker – which he was labelled by Match of the Day 2 pundit Stephen Warnock – now 36 strikes down and counting for Nuno’s high-flyers.

With Taremi coming in at the same age as Wood, alongside also boasting a similarly lofty 6-foot-2 frame, this might well go down as another shrewd catch if a move accelerates into motion, with the in-demand Iranian also receiving glowing praise for being “ridiculous” in front of goal by Rio Ferdinand.

With Igor Jesus also in through the door this summer, Nuno’s centre-forward options could soon be brimming with even more quality if the Inter number 99 makes his Premier League dreams a reality.

Next Gibbs-White: Nottingham Forest hold talks over signing £30m "menace"

Nottingham Forest could snap up their next version of Morgan Gibbs-White by securing a deal for this £30m star.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 30, 2025

Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin will be hoping to keep hold of his top talents at Ibrox between now and the end of the summer transfer window.

The likes of Hamza Igamane, Nicolas Raskin, Cyriel Dessers, and Mohamed Diomande have all been linked with moves away from Scotland, but all remain with the Light Blues at the time of writing.

A whole host of English clubs, who are all due to play in the top-flight south of the border, are reportedly interested in signing Raskin from Rangers.

Losing the Belgium international, who delivered four goals and ten assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, would be a big blow to Martin ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Rangers eyeing up new midfielder

However, Rangers could soften the blow of potentially selling Raskin in the coming weeks by signing an Italian star they are reportedly keen on bringing to Ibrox.

Transfer Focus

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

According to The Boot Room, Martin is interested in a deal to sign Spezia central midfielder Salvatore Esposito for Rangers before the end of the window.

The report claims that there is plenty of competition to land the Italy international’s signature, though, as Everton, Sunderland, Celtic, Brighton, Burnley, Fulham, Brentford, and Fulham are also keen on him.

It adds that Spezia, who failed to earn promotion to the Serie A via the play-offs, are open to a loan with an option to make it permanent next summer.

Rangers must now see off significant competition from their closest rivals and teams in the Premier League in England to sign Esposito, who could be a Raskin repeat at Ibrox.

Why Rangers should sign Salvatore Esposito

The £9m-rated star’s form in the 2024/25 campaign suggests that he would arrive in Glasgow as the dream replacement for the Belgian ace in the middle of the park.

He could provide similar qualities in midfield as a number eight who can make an impact, with both goals and assists, at the top end of the pitch, whilst also being strong in his physical duels out of possession.

Esposito was once described as a “set-piece specialist” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it is no wonder when you see the clip of his goal against AC Milan in the clip above.

He is more than just a set-piece whiz, though, because the Italian star ended the regular 2024/25 season with an eye-catching haul of seven goals and nine assists in the second tier in Italy.

24/25 season	Raskin (Premiership)	Esposito (Serie B)
Appearances	33	34
Goals	4	7
Big chances created	9	18
Assists	10	9
Duels won per game	6.6	7.3
Ground duel success rate	57%	68%
Aerial duel success rate	56%	51%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Esposito offered similar qualities to the ones that Raskin offered Rangers in the Premiership, with his contributions on and off the ball.

These statistics suggest that the Spezia sensation has the play style and the quality to be a Raskin repeat at Ibrox as a central midfielder who can make a big impact at both ends of the pitch.

This is why Rangers should push hard to win the race for his signature in the coming weeks, because signing Esposito would mean that losing the Belgian star would be less of a concern for Martin.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the 24-year-old ace will be able to translate his form over to the Premiership, but the list of Premier League clubs chasing his services points to how highly thought of his talents are.

Bad news for Souttar at Ibrox: Rangers plotting move to sign "great leader"

Having already made six summer signings, plenty more are forecast to follow at Rangers, so will they secure a deal to sign a “great leader”?

By
Ben Gray

Jul 13, 2025

Of course, in a dream world, Rangers will be hoping to keep hold of Raskin whilst also adding Esposito to the squad to provide competition for places in midfield.

Leeds United now want to sign an “amazing” attacker who was once the top goalscorer in the Europa League, according to a new report.

Leeds chasing new attacking signings after Nmecha

The Whites have already added Lukas Nmecha as an attacking signing to their squad this summer, but it appears, given recent speculation, that Daniel Farke is keen to add more options to his forward line.

49ers now weighing up Leeds move to sign "electric" £20m+ Ligue 1 striker

Contact has already been made by the Whites.

2

By
Brett Worthington

Jul 13, 2025

Lecce centre-forward Nikola Krstovic remains a mooted target for the Yorkshire side, and it has been claimed they could be ready to make a new offer for the striker. But the Championship title winners do face a problem, as Krstovic is reportedly keen on either staying in Italy or playing for a team competing in Europe.

Meanwhile, Graeme Bailey has revealed that Leeds are also eyeing a move to sign Josh Sargent from Norwich City. The USA international has worked with Farke before at Carrow Road, and the German is thought to be keen to reunite with the player once again, but they face stiff competition, as fellow Premier League rivals Burnley are also keen on striking a deal.

But the list of attacking options doesn’t stop there, as the Whites are even considering a move to sign Evann Guessand, who is expected to leave OGC Nice this summer. Leeds reportedly made contact with the player last month, but they face competition from fellow Premier League teams Sunderland and Brentford.

Leeds want to sign "amazing" attacker who was once Europa League top scorer

As well as a new striker, Farke is also looking at improving his attacking midfield options, and according to RMC Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are interested in signing Yusuf Yazici from Greek side Olympiacos.

The attacking midfielder only joined the Greek giants in September last year, but given he only made one appearance before suffering an injury that has seen him on the sidelines for eight months, he could now be on his way out. Despite his injury, Yazici is attracting transfer interest, as the Whites and an unnamed French side are keen on signing the 28-year-old.

It is unclear how much Yazici could cost Leeds, but he is still under contract until 2027. The Turkey international is very versatile, as he can operate anywhere as an attacking midfielder, right-winger or centre-forward. In fact, despite his main position being an attacking midfielder, Yazici surprised many during the 2020/21 season, as he finished the Europa League campaign as the top goalscorer with seven goals for Lille.

Yusuf Yazici’s club career stats
Clubs	Apps	Goals	Assists
LOSC Lille	135	29	15
Trabzonspor	120	27	22
CSKA Moscow	12	8	2
Olympiacos	1	0	0

In the past, Yazici has also impressed many high-profile players, with former Real Madrid and Arsenal midfielder Mesut Özil labelling Yazici as an “amazing” number 10. Ozil said: “Yusuf Yazici is an amazing No. 10. We have a lot of similarities his left foot, his position, his passing, and his calmness on the ball.”

There are a number of players within the Glasgow Rangers squad at Ibrox who are facing uncertain futures at the club during the summer transfer window.

The likes of Nicolas Raskin, Mohamed Diomande, Hamza Igamane, and Cyriel Dessers have been linked with moves away from the club, as European sides are looking to snap them up.

However, at the time of writing, the Scottish Premiership giants have not accepted any bids from teams for any of their star performers this summer.

One player who does look set to be on his way out of Ibrox, though, is central defender Robin Propper, after FC Twente and Rangers agreed a fee for the defender, who is now negotiating an exit with the club.

There are also players in the squad who have not been linked with moves away, yet they may still be playing for their long-term future under Russell Martin during pre-season.

Oscar Cortes’ 18-month loan deal finally turned into a permanent transfer, for a reported fee of £4m, this summer, but it remains to be seen if he has a future at Ibrox.

Why Oscar Cortes may not have a future at Ibrox

The Colombian forward first arrived in Glasgow on loan from French side Lens in the January transfer window in 2024, and spent 18 months on loan at the club before his permanent transfer became official at the start of July.

However, injury issues have plagued his career in Scotland to date. Cortes has only played 16 times in competitive games for the Light Blues so far, including just 11 appearances in the entire 2024/25 campaign.

This means that Martin cannot rely on the winger to be available on a regular basis for the Gers moving forward, until the 21-year-old gem proves that he can avoid injuries for a prolonged period of time.

For now, there is no guarantee that he can be relied upon as a starter because he has only been available for 16 games in the last 18 months, which is simply not enough.

24/25 Premiership

Oscar Cortes

Appearances

10

Starts

4

Goals

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.4

Assists

0

Dribbles completed per game

0.6

Stats via Sofascore

As concerning is the fact that his performances on the pitch have also left a lot to be desired, as you can see in the table above, as he did not deliver any goal contributions in the Premiership last season.

Cortes was given opportunities when fit and available, as shown by the fact that he started 40% of his appearances despite his injury issues, but did not repay the faith shown in him with quality performances.

This is why the former Lens man, who can play on the left or the right flank, may not have a long-term future at Ibrox unless he can turn his career around by keeping fit and delivering quality displays on the pitch.

A fresh report linking Rangers with interest in another right-sided attacker does not spell good news for Cortes, though, as the club could land an upgrade on him.

Martin pushing Rangers to sign Premier League winger

According to Football Insider, Glasgow Rangers are interested in a potential swoop to bring Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to Ibrox from Crystal Palace this summer.

The report claims that Martin is the driving force behind the club’s eagerness to secure a deal with the Premier League side for the 22-year-old attacker, as he would like to work with the gem next season.

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Martin tried and failed to sign him on loan from Palace during his time in charge of both Swansea and Southampton in the English Championship, which shows that Rak-Sakyi has been a long-term target for the former Norwich defender.

Football Insider adds that Rangers would like to bolster their options in the wide areas, particularly after Vaclav Cerny returned to Wolfsburg after his loan spell at the club, and that they are keen to bring the Eagles youngster, who is valued at up to £10m, in on loan for next season.

It now remains to be seen whether Martin will finally get his wish at the third time of asking, or if he will fail in his pursuit of a deal for Rak-Sakyi once again in his managerial career.

Why Rak-Sakyi would be an upgrade on Cortes

The 22-year-old English winger would arrive at Ibrox as a big upgrade on Cortes if the club can strike a deal with the Premier League side to sign him on loan.

Rak-Sakyi’s availability, first and foremost, would make him an upgrade on the Colombian. The former England U21 international played 36 times for Sheffield United in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he played 21 more games than the Rangers flop managed.

This suggests that the Palace attacker is far more likely to be available for Martin to select on a week-to-week basis next season, as he does not have as bad of a recent injury history as the ex-Lens flanker.

Rak-Sakyi, once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, would also join Rangers as an upgrade on Cortes because of the quality that he can provide whilst playing on the right wing, cutting in on his left foot to provide a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side.

24/25 Championship per 90

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Percentile rank vs wingers

xG

0.32

Top 13%

Goals

0.36

Top 11%

xA

0.18

Top 22%

Assists

0.10

Bottom 46%

Chances created

1.51

Top 31%

Dribbles completed

2.44

Top 7%

Touches in the opposition box

7.69

Top 2%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the £10m-rated star ranked incredibly highly in a host of key attacking metrics in the Championship last season, although he was unfortunate to rank lowly for assists given how many high-quality chances he created.

Rak-Sakyi scored seven goals and provided two assists in 22 starts in the division for Sheffield United, which is nine more goal contributions than the zero Cortes produced for Rangers in his ten outings in the Premiership.

Therefore, Rangers could land a big upgrade on their £4m winger by signing the Palace winger this summer, both because of his potential to be available with greater regularity and because of the quality that he can offer at the top end of the pitch.

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Posts ByDan Emery Jul 14, 2025