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Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Nicolas Raskin has attracted interest from other clubs in the summer transfer window, thanks to his performances at Ibrox over the last year or so.

Premier League sides Wolves, Aston Villa, and Leeds United have all been linked with an interest in the Belgium international, who is said to be valued at £25m by the club.

Despite his undoubted quality, which is backed up by interest from Premier League clubs, Raskin as not helped Rangers to pick up any wins in the first three Scottish Premiership matches.

The midfield star has failed to score or create a ‘big chance’ in any of the three games, fortunately registering an assist when the ball deflected off his thigh and teed up Findlay Curtis to score from range.

Rangers have failed to score more than one goal in all of their league outings, so far, and that is why it would be an even bigger blow for them to lose a difference-maker in the final third, rather than Raskin, before the deadline closes.

European side plotting bid for Rangers star

Whilst noise over Raskin’s future has gone quiet, despite the report interest from down south earlier this summer, there is still plenty of chatter over what will happen to one of Russell Martin’s star forwards.

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 Daily Record, Lille are preparing to submit an offer to sign Glasgow Rangers centre-forward Hamza Igamane before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Ligue 1 side are set to propose an initial fee of £9m with add-ons that could take it up to £12m, as they look to test the Scottish giants’ resolve.

It adds that Lille have already had one bid turned down for Igamane and that they have now reopened talks to sign the forward, who Martin claimed said he was injured and unavailable to come on as a substitute against St Mirren.

The Daily Record reveals that Rangers want a fee close to £15m to allow the forward to leave, but Lille are not willing to go that high and will offer a £12m package in an attempt to get a deal done near the end of the window.

Why selling Igamane would be a big blow for Rangers

Losing Igamane this late in the window would be an even bigger blow than losing Raskin because he is the kind of player who can turn poor performances into positive results.

Raskin is not a natural game-changing attacker who is going to score and create goals out of nothing on a consistent basis, which is partly why he has been unable to turn the tide in the first three games.

That is not a criticism of the Belgian maestro, who is a joy to watch in midfield at times, but it just speaks to the kind of player Rangers need right now, and that player is Igamane.

Hamza Igamane’s 24/25 Premiership form
Match	Goal contributions	Score
Kilmarnock (H)	Goal	6-0 win
Ross County (A)	Goal	3-0 win
Motherwell (A)	2 goals	2-2 draw
Hibernian (A)	3 goals	3-3 draw
Dundee (A)	Assist	1-1 draw
St Johnstone (H)	Goal	3-1 win
Aberdeen (H)	Goal	3-0 win
Celtic (A)	Goal	3-2 win
Aberdeen (A)	Goal	2-2 draw
Aberdeen (H)	Goal	4-0 win
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Morocco international helped to turn losses into draws and draws into wins with his contributions in the final third last season in the Premiership.

Igamane, who analyst Ben Mattinson claimed tries “outrageous” efforts in games, showcased his game-changing quality when he scored the winner against Celtic at Parkhead back in March, in the clip below.

The 22-year-old attacker is the kind of player who can turn a game on its head by delivering a moment of magic, which is what Rangers have sorely lacked in the first three games of the league campaign.

This is why selling Igamane would be an even bigger blow than losing Raskin this summer, because he has more potential to be an influential player for the Light Blues in the Premiership.

As well as Aarons: Martin must drop Rangers lightweight who lost 100% duels

Russell Martin must drop this Rangers lightweight as well as Max Aarons.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 24, 2025

With a matter of hours left to hand Russell Martin the upgrades that he needs following a disastrous start to life at Ibrox, Rangers have reportedly turned their focus towards a former academy graduate.

Who Rangers could sign on deadline day

It’s been a big summer for Rangers. The Gers have welcomed over 10 fresh faces, new ownership and a new manager in Martin. So far, however, things haven’t exactly gone to plan. The Gers are winless in the Scottish Premiership, out of the Champions League in humiliating fashion and some are already questioning Martin’s ability to turn things around.

Imagine him & Miovski: Rangers make last-gasp offer for "devastating" star

Rangers have reportedly made a last-gasp offer to sign a star who could shine alongside Bojan Miovski.

ByDan Emery Sep 1, 2025

Alas, the transfer window is still open. There is still time for Rangers to welcome some much-needed upgrades and there are still a number of players to watch. Among the reinforcements that are likely to arrive is a replacement for Hamza Igamane.

The talented forward refused to come off the bench during Rangers’ draw with St Mirren earlier this month before swiftly sealing a move to LOSC Lille to leave the Gers scrambling for options.

Several names have been mooted since then and another forward could arrive even after Bojan Miovski signed on the dotted line. In that department, the Scottish giants could certainly do with all the help they can get after yet another lackluster display going forward against Old Firm rivals Celtic.

One of the names mentioned to that end has been Youssef Chermiti. The young Everton forward has struggled with injuries and struggled to break into the Toffees’ strongest side since arriving from Sporting Club in 2023, but a loan move could quickly turn his fortunes around.

Meanwhile, alongside an inexperienced option, Rangers have also reportedly set their sights on signing a Scotland international in a last-minute move.

Rangers readying McLean move

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Rangers are now readying a late move to sign Kenny McLean from Norwich City. The 33-year-old, who has made 41 appearances for Scotland, is currently struggling to break into Liam Manning’s strongest side despite the Canaries’ poor start in the Championship and could move on as a result.

Amid all of their own current struggles, Rangers would benefit from McLean’s experience at both club and international level. It’s on the biggest stage that he’s earned the highest praise too.

Former teammate and ex-Celtic man Stephen O’Donnell told reporters in the build-up to Euro 2024: “His physicality is good as well, he has got pretty much everything.

“Kenny has had a good career and I will be looking forward to seeing what role he has in the upcoming games. At this stage now, the team has been together that long, they all bring their own characteristics to the table and Kenny is a lively lad.”

In what is expected to be a busy deadline day, the midfielder would stand out as a solid arrival for those at Ibrox, who must get things right.

New Napoli signing Sam Beukema heaped praise on team-mate Kevin De Bruyne as the defender claimed that he was left "surprised" by the Manchester City legend's humility. De Bruyne, who left City after 10 years this summer to join Napoli on a free transfer, has made a bright start to his life in Italy as he has already scored two goals in five appearances for his club, across all competitions.

Beukema surprised by De Bruyne's humility

Like De Bruyne, Beukema switched to Napoli during the summer transfer window from Bologna on a five-year deal. The Dutch centre-back is loving his life in Naples and has already made some close friends in Belgian duo Romelu Lukaku and De Bruyne. The 26-year-old spoke highly of the two senior players' character, while claiming he was surprised by their "humility".  

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport"They surprised me a bit"

In an interview with , Beukema said: "They are two high-level players. They surprised me a bit, because they are very humble. We have joked many times together, and they’ve helped me settle into the group. Lukaku has been here for one year already. I’m so happy to be here with them and face them in training sessions. I can’t wait to continue with them." 

De Bruyne backed to guide Napoli to back-to-back Serie A titles

Former Italy international Paolo Di Canio has backed De Bruyne and Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund to shine for Napoli and help Antonio Conte's side win their second consecutive Serie A title in the 2025-26 campaign. Di Canio also praised the club for their impressive transfer activities during the summer.    

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Getty Images Busy schedule awaits Conte's side

Conte's side are currently in action against AC Milan in the Serie A. They will next host Sporting CP in a Champions League clash on Wednesday, before taking on Genoa in the Serie A again on October 5.   

The England star faces plenty of competition at the Gunners from Chloe Kelly, Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord, but still has a big part to play

One can only imagine what Jocelyn Precheur, head coach of London City Lionesses, was thinking when Beth Mead came off the Arsenal bench last weekend and killed any chance of his team getting anything out of their first game in the Women's Super League. Just a few weeks prior, Precheur had spoken with the England forward about a potential move. Now, having decided to stay with the Gunners, here she was showing just why the club was interested, producing two assists within just 83 seconds of each other to put victory at the Emirates beyond doubt.

London City made a bigger splash in the summer transfer window than perhaps any other side in Europe – and certainly within England – by signing Grace Geyoro for a world-record fee on deadline day to cap several months of impressive business which had brought established names like Nikita Parris, Katie Zelem and Danielle van de Donk to the newly-promoted club. For a while, it looked like Mead would be added to that list, with the ambitious outfit, backed by the billions of Michele Kang, offering her a move that would surely bring with it more game time.

Off the back of a summer in which she largely played the role of substitute as England retained their European Championship crown, having also found herself on the Arsenal bench more often than not in the second half of last season, few would've questioned Mead's decision had she opted for a switch. But her incredibly impactful cameo on Saturday was evidence that she still has plenty to give in north London, as well as for England.

• Getty Images
  

  Competition for places

  In some ways, Saturday's performance encapsulated Mead's 2025. Since Chloe Kelly's arrival at Arsenal at the end of the January transfer window, in a loan deal that would be made permanent this summer, the 30-year-old has struggled for consistent starts at club level.

  Indeed, since Kelly's second Arsenal debut, Mead has started just six times for her club and has appeared as a substitute on eight further occasions. Kelly, meanwhile, has made 10 starts and three sub appearances. Only twice have the pair started together, with head coach Renee Slegers preferring to combine the two with the other wide options in her squad, rather than with each other.

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• Getty Images
  

  Making the most of minutes

  Yet, despite her opportunities becoming more limited than she is used to, Mead has remained effective. She scored three goals and provided three assists in that period after Kelly's arrival last season, for an average of one direct goal contribution every 102 minutes, with the biggest of that half-dozen being her classy assist in the Champions League final, setting Stina Blackstenius up for the goal that made Arsenal champions of Europe.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Changing roles

  It was a similar story at Euro 2025. Mead went into that tournament with England as a starter, having featured from the get-go in each of the Lionesses' last five outings before the competition got underway in Switzerland. She'd justified her place, too, despite reduced minutes at Arsenal, producing three goals and two assists in that spell. When Sarina Wiegman picked her first XI of the tournament against France, Mead was in.

  But it quickly became apparent that a change was needed to balance the England team out. After a flattering 2-1 loss in that opener, Wiegman moved Lauren James from the No.10 role to the right wing, meaning Mead dropped to the bench. Despite that, she would still play a crucial role in the Lionesses' second-successive continental triumph via impressive cameos off the bench throughout the knockout stages.

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  'Tough club to walk away from'

  No senior player ever really wants to be a super-sub, especially not one with Mead's pedigree. It thus made total sense for London City to try and prise her away from Arsenal this summer, with more minutes sure to give her a greater shot of returning to that England XI. But it was always going to be hard for her part ways with the club she has grown into a superstar with over the last eight years, especially when she didn't have to.

  "It’s a tough club to walk away from," Mead told last week. "When you’ve been somewhere this long it holds a very precious place in your heart. I have another year left on my contract, I still think I’m more than good enough to compete and be able to play in this team and I know I bring something different."

Liverpool signed a “truly generational talent” in Florian Wirtz last month, as the German playmaker has been described by sports media professional Cristian Nyari.

His playmaking and flair will certainly help cover for the sale of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who now performs his talents in Real Madrid white.

Sure, the Reds have paid Bayer Leverkusen £100m up front, with the possible add-ons raising the deal to a British-record £116m, thus adding an incredible dimension to Arne Slot’s Premier League champions.

And Liverpool may yet welcome another attacking player to the fold, for rumours concerning Luis Diaz’s potential Anfield sale this summer are persisting.

Why Liverpool might need a left winger

Last month, Liverpool rejected Barcelona’s advances for Diaz, with the 28-year-old identified as the perfect piece to complete Hansi Flick’s frontline.

Slot wants to keep the 28-year-old on Merseyside, but every player has a price, and the Colombian is entering the penultimate year of his contract.

And according to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Liverpool may find the perfect heir in Rodrygo, who will be allowed to leave Real Madrid this summer after playing a fringe role under Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup.

The Brazil international has, however, been valued at a jaw-dropping €100m (£85m), so it would definitely take the big-money sale of a forward like Diaz to facilitate the deal.

Why Rodrygo would be a Luis Diaz upgrade

As per the report, Rodrygo would be open to a move to Liverpool, even if Arsenal currently lead the race for his signature, but he would only make the leap if given assurances that his place would lie on the left wing.

Luckily, Liverpool would be happy to oblige, for Diaz could be sold to get the transfer wheel spinning.

Rodrygo, 24, has routinely been fielded out on the right flank across his years at Los Blancos, but he’s long considered the alternate flank his most effective role, something that was reflected through his statistics across the 2024/25 campaign.

Right winger

29

8

5

Left winger

12

6

6

Centre-forward

8

0

0

Described as a “world-class superstar” by his former Real teammate Luka Modric, Rodrygo could absolutely come to prove an upgrade on Diaz, should he be entrusted with a regularity of minutes in his favoured position.

Liverpool’s South American sensation did post 17 goals and eight assists last season, but Rodrygo actually hit the same number of goal involvements (25) despite his travails.

Given his junior age and incredible mastery of the grand Champions League stage, there’s every chance that Slot could hit the jackpot by signing the one-time Santos prospect. He already boasts 25 goals in just 64 games in Europe’s premier competition, while Diaz has scored just ten times in 34 outings.

Moreover, Rodrygo has demonstrated that he can match Diaz’s crisp passing and his energy. As per FBref, the Brazilian ranked among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last term for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Ultimately, Liverpool would be selling a crucial part of the Slot project in Diaz, but Rodrygo is more than his equal and could prove to be the perfect investment to propel this team up to the next level.

Huijsen 2.0: Liverpool enquire to sign one of the 'most complete teen CBs'

Liverpool could be set to target their next centre-back sensation, in the mould of Dean Huijsen

ByRobbie Walls Jul 10, 2025

Warwickshire 254 and 321 for 9 (Hain 111*, Burgess 79) drew with Hampshire 298 and 453 for 6 dec (Vince 166*, Dawson 120, Hannon-Dalby 3-65)A dogged rearguard action from Warwickshire denied Hampshire a third successive victory as a hard-fought Vitality Championship match ended in a tense draw at Edgbaston.Chasing 498 to win, Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 40 for one and batted out the day for 321 for nine thanks largely to a seventh-wicket partnership of 183 between Sam Hain (111 not out, 254 balls) and Michael Burgess (79, 162).They came together with their side in serious trouble at 123 for six but batted with patience and technique to consume 55 overs and steer the match towards a draw.Hampshire pressed hard in the closing overs but had to settle for a draw having largely outbowled a home attack including Chris Woakes. For Warwickshire, though their fourth-day resolve saw them escape defeat, their wait for a championship victory goes on. In Division One, only they and neighbours Worcestershire have still to record a win this season.Warwickshire badly needed that resolve in the second half of the day after their top order collapsed in the first. They took a big hit from the fifth ball of the morning when Keith Barker bowled Will Rhodes.Hampshire winkled out another three in the morning session. Danny Briggs, having eked 26 from 81 minutes, flashed at a wide ball from Barker and nicked it. Dan Mousley edged spinner Liam Dawson to slip and Ed Barnard was bowled by a beauty from James Fuller.When, to the ninth ball after lunch, Jacob Bethell played back fatally to Kyle Abbott and fell lbw, Warwickshire were 123 for six with 66 overs to survive. That is the sort of challenge that Hain and Burgess relish, both having batted the Bears out of many a hole, and they duly got their heads down again.Hain struck his 800th four in first class cricket on his way to reaching 50 (116 balls) and grew in fluency as the afternoon went on. Two sixes pulled over long-leg off Fuller saw off the old ball and the new one also failed to part the seventh-wicket pair.Hain biffed a Felix Organ full toss to the boundary to reach his 18th first class century and Burgess passed 4,000 first class runs and struck his 500th four in an innings of high diligence. Warwickshire were closing in on safety when, with 11 overs left, Burgess edged a cut at Organ and the ball rebounded off the wicketkeeper to Nick Gubbins at silly point.A fired-up Fuller then rattled Woakes’ off stump and Hampshire were buzzing with 40 balls in which to take the last two wickets. With the tenth of those, Fuller hit Craig Miles’ off stump, leaving last man Olly Hannon-Dalby with five overs to survive.A Fuller lifter rapped Hain on the hand, a blow that required lengthy treatment, but with only 21 balls left the batter soldiered on, abetted by Hannon Dalby (a steel-nerved 0 not out, 11 balls) to see his side to a draw.

With Liam Delap heading for the exit door, Ipswich Town have reportedly made their first move in an attempt to replace their star man with a Manchester City gem this summer.

Chelsea closing in on Delap move

Whilst it seemed as though it was Manchester United in the driving seat in the race for his signature, Delap has handed the Red Devils an unexpected rejection and is reportedly heading to West London. As revealed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have even already booked a medical to sign the Ipswich star after triggering his bargain £30m release clause.

Although Delap’s pending departure is an undeniable blow, it’s one that Ipswich would have been expecting ever since their Premier League relegation was confirmed and the forward’s cheap release clause was revealed.

Manager Kieran McKenna, perhaps more than most, will be well aware of the impact that Delap’s exit could have. The Ipswich boss was as honest as ever when speaking about the rumours linking the former Manchester City gem with a move away from Portman Road, recently telling reporters: “Liam’s looking at his options for next year, which I think he is entitled to do and we support him with that.

“I think we have given him permission to do that this week. It’s a very important decision for his future. Of course there is a lot of interest – and rightly so. I think part of his week has been having some of those conversations.”

As frustrating as his departure will be, Ipswich have already moved on quickly this summer with reports now suggesting that they’ve made their first approach to sign a potential replacement.

Ipswich make first approach to sign £10m Mubama

According to Romano, Ipswich have now made their first approach to sign Divin Mubama from Manchester City this summer. The 20-year-old forward is a player with plenty of promise and showcased his potential for City’s youth side by scoring an impressive 17 goals in 15 games throughout the campaign.

Now, he could ready for first-team football and will cost Ipswich £10m if they push on with their move this summer.

It should come as no shock to see those at Portman Road turning their attention towards Manchester City’s academy for a second time. Their move for Delap, despite their relegation, remains impressive and one year on they could repeat that stroke of genius by signing Mubama.

If "sensational" Ipswich star leaves, it would be as disastrous as Delap

Ipswich Town could also lose this sensational star away from just Liam Delap leaving Portman Road.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 23, 2025

Described as “strong aerially” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Manchester City talent could replace both the goals and physical presence that Delap often offered McKenna’s side across the last 12 months. For £10m, all signs are pointing towards a player full of promise.

Glasgow Rangers will need a new manager in the dugout at Ibrox when the 2025/26 campaign gets underway later this year, having relieved Philippe Clement of his duties in February.

Barry Ferguson came in to replace the Belgian head coach as an interim manager until the end of the season, and his side did beat Aberdeen 4-0 last time out in the league.

However, the former Rangers central midfielder has only won five of his 13 matches in charge of the club in all competitions, losing four of those games.

Ferguson’s most recent managerial experience before his current stint at Ibrox came at Alloa Athletic in the 2021/22 campaign, when he lost 17 of his 33 games at the helm.

These statistics do not suggest that the former Scotland international is the right man to lead the Light Blues back to glory in the Scottish Premiership moving forward, which is why he should not be a contender for the job.

It does appear as though Rangers are set to look externally for their new head coach this summer, as they have been linked with a move for Davide Ancelotti.

Why Davide Ancelotti could be exciting for Rangers

It was recently reported that the son of Carlo Ancelotti, who is currently part of his father’s coaching staff at Real Madrid, is closing in on the Rangers job.

The Light Blues were reported to be pushing to bring him to Ibrox to convince him to take his first role as a senior head coach, rather than going to join his dad when he becomes the Brazil manager later this year.

The Rangers-linked coach has worked with his father at Real Madrid, Everton, and Bayern Munich, and has been described as an influential figure behind the scenes.

Former Bayern midfielder Javi Martinez, as quoted by the BBC, hailed Davide’s influence on Carlo: “The evolution process never stops and it is more difficult to adapt for older coaches. Davide completes Carlo and helps him understand the evolution of football. Davide is incredible: prepared, serious, a great person, like his father.”

As you can see in the graphic above, he has learned from one of the best managers around, given the incredible number of trophies his father has won, and that illustrates why him being an influential figure on his coaching staff is a big positive ahead of a possible move to Rangers.

This is why, despite his lack of outright managerial experience, Ancelotti could be an exciting appointment for the Gers and a chance to get behind a new era at Ibrox, which could be kickstarted with an excellent signing.

Rangers make contact to sign English forward

According to The Herald, Rangers have made contact with Blackburn Rovers forward Tyrhys Dolan to remain informed on his situation ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Gers want to keep tabs on the English attacker, who could become a free agent this summer if he does not extend his contract with the Championship side.

Transfer Focus

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

It reveals that Blackburn would value Dolan between £5m and £10m but they could lose him for a nominal compensation fee if he runs down his contract to sign for the Light Blues.

The report, however, adds that Premiership rivals Celtic are also monitoring the winger ahead of a possible swoop for his services in the summer window, which shows that there will be competition for the 23-year-old dynamo’s services.

This means that Rangers may have to act fast once it becomes clear that Dolan will be available to sign when his contract at Ewood Park expires at the end of June, as they will have to beat other teams to his signature.

The board should push to get a deal over the line for the Blackburn star because he could be an excellent signing to kick the Ancelotti era off with a bang, should a move to appoint the Real Madrid coach go through.

Why Rangers should sign Tyrhys Dolan

The Light Blues could kickstart the Ancelotti era in exciting fashion by signing Dolan because he is a promising young talent with the potential to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch in Scottish football.

At the age of 23, the Blackburn star would arrive with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player, which means that he could be a long-term addition to the side as well as having the quality to make an instant impact.

As you can see in the clip above, Dolan is also a player who has showcased his quality in the final third in the Championship for the English side this season.

The incredibly versatile attacker, who can play on the left, on the right, as an attacking midfielder, or as a striker, has shown that he has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis if put in the right environment.

Dolan has only averaged 38.1 touches per game in a Blackburn team that ranked 16th in the league for xG, with 51.6 xG in 46 matches, which shows that he was not getting loads of touches in a well-coached attacking side.

Vaclav Cerny, meanwhile, has delivered 12 goals and three assists with 50.7 touches per game for Rangers on the right flank in the Premiership this season.

24/25 season	Cerny (Premiership)	Dolan (Championship)
Appearances	31	44
Touches per game	50.7	38.1
Shots	90	51
Goals	12	7
Conversion rate	13%	14%
Big chances created	6	7
Assists	3	6
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Dolan enjoyed a better conversion rate of shots to goals than Cerny has managed so far this season in the Premiership, and created more ‘big chances’ for his side with roughly 12 fewer touches per game on average.

These statistics suggest that the English star’s output at the top end of the pitch could soar if he was put in a Rangers team that gives him plenty of touches in the final third, with more chances to take shots and create chances as an exciting wide player.

Dolan, once hailed as “outstanding” by former boss John Eustace, would also provide an exciting celebration for supporters when he scores, as shown in the clip above.

In all seriousness, though, he could be the perfect first signing of the Ancelotti era as a superb young talent who has the quality and the potential to be a star at Ibrox, with the chance to be more influential in the final third as part of a more dominant and attacking team than he has been at Blackburn.

Rangers: 49ers plotting statement signing of "very talented" £4m Brazilian

The Gers’ prospective new owners have set their sights on a midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

May 13, 2025

Aston Villa are battling Manchester United in the race to sign a teenager who has a release clause worth just £4 million, according to a new report.

Aston Villa's plans for the summer begin to take shape

Villa are hoping to seal a spot in next season’s Champions League, as the race to finish in the top five in the Premier League gathers pace in the final weeks of the campaign. But whether the Midlands side secure Champions League football or not, it is likely to be a busy summer for Unai Emery and co. as most summers have been since his arrival.

Aston Villa may already be close to signing an "elite" Rogers replacement

Aston Villa will be considering who they can swoop in for if Morgan Rogers departs the club.

ByKelan Sarson May 1, 2025

There is a lot to decide in regards to the futures of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, both of whom are on loan from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively. Meanwhile, rumours have started to begin regarding the future of Morgan Rogers, as he is linked with several high-profile teams in the Premier League.

But Villa’s focus will be on strengthening the team this summer, and one player they appear keen on signing is Kevin de Bruyne. It was reported last week that Villa held internal talks over signing the Belgian this summer.

It’s now been reported by Football Insider that club chiefs are ready to go and sign De Bruyne should Emery want a deal to be done. The midfielder is coming to the end of his contract at Manchester City and therefore can be picked up on a free transfer.

Aston Villa face Man Utd in race to sign £4m teenager

As well as looking at signing an experienced head like De Bruyne, the Villans also have their eye on adding more exciting youth to their team. According to Spanish reports, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are among the teams interested in signing Christian Kofane from Albacete Balompie.

The report states that as well as Villa holding a keen interest in the 18-year-old forward, Manchester United and Newcastle United are also in the race to sign the teenager. It claims that all three clubs have already made contact with Albacete Balompié over signing Kofane, but so has ‘half of Europe’, with teams such as Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Villarreal, Real Betis, Lille and AS Monaco all interested.

Kofane, who is described as a ‘sensation’ in this update, is under contract until 2031, but this report does state that he has a release clause which is worth €5 million, which is roughly £4.2 million, and this is described as easily affordable for the Premier League teams.

Apps

15

Goals

6

Assists

1

Kofane has gathered more attention in recent weeks, as he’s scored five goals in his last seven games. His arrival at Villa Park would likely see him join up with the club’s academy team, but the Villans must believe that Kofane has the ability to become a star for their first team, and therefore, they may be willing to trigger his release clause, given it is a small amount.

The 29-year-old has had an up-and-down India career but that has worked in her favour

Sruthi Ravindranath15-Jun-2024D Hemalatha’s life was going exactly as she had planned. It was the 2015-16 season and she had started playing cricket only three years prior. But she rose through the ranks and was already on the verge of being called up to the Indian team. But a motorcycle accident left her with a broken wrist. She had injured her top hand. She was advised to take a year or two off from playing cricket. Excessive hand movement may aggravate the injury, she was warned.”‘ (that was the biggest setback of my life),” Hemalatha, who was only 20 at the time of the event, said to ESPNcricinfo. “I couldn’t digest the fact that I was going to lose two years to this. I was at my peak age. I was in form. In cricket, not playing for 2-3 months is seen as a setback, and one or two years was drastic, especially at the start of my career.”Even with her wrist bandaged, she was itching to hold her bat. She would check the grip every time she walked past it. In just one and a half months after the accident, she took out the bat, swinging it around with her bottom hand. And within seven months, she was back to playing full-time. She owes all of it to her ‘love’ for cricket.”Every time I looked at my bat, I’d want to pick it up. I was mentally stressed just thinking about it. It’s probably [the thing] that pushed me to recover within seven months. But that was the time I worked on my mental strength. It’s only during those hard times you’ll think more. The way you speak to yourself, the reason you’re working to achieve. The hard times taught me how to grow mentally. That’s my life lesson.”Hemalatha was forced to start from scratch again after her accident, but very soon found herself in the India A mix. Following a couple of impressive performances for India A against the Australia and England A sides, she earned a maiden call-up to the senior side in March 2018. She eventually made her India debut in July that year against Sri Lanka following which she also found a place in the T20 World Cup squad in 2018.Even after making the India squad, her career continued on an up-and-down course. After the Women’s Asia Cup in October 2022, she spent the next 16 months out of the team.Hemalatha: My strike rate should be more than 100, I focus on that•ECB via Getty ImagesIt was the “mental strength” Hemalatha had cultivated during these difficult times that played a big role in her comeback into the Indian team this time around. After sitting out of the senior side for 16 months following an average run, she was called up for the T20I series against Bangladesh in April-May this year. Her superb outing in that series has also earned her a spot in the white-ball sides for the South Africa series. And it’s an opportunity she is not taking for granted.”When I realised I’m getting a chance again [with the Indian team], I told myself I wanted to make use of the opportunities,” she said. “It doesn’t matter at which level you play, you need that mental strength. Playing for India is a big goal, but only if I perform in these smaller games I can get there, and for that too you need mental strength. Even when I made my India comeback, I didn’t take it easy. It was not my end goal. I never thought ‘there’s nothing bigger than this’. Even after getting there, I was focused on giving my best for the team, was thinking of all the ways to win a game.”Hemalatha says they were small games but in actual fact, those games, and her performances in them were anything but small. She scored 199 runs in six innings at 49.75 for Railways in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy last year. She scored two fifties and played a part in Railways’ title win in the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy this year and then went on to win the Women’s Inter-Zonal ODI Trophy with Central Zone. She shone brightly in Gujarat Giants’ otherwise dull season in the WPL, her 74 off 40 against Mumbai Indians being one of the highlights.With Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia out due to injuries and Hemalatha showing the kind of consistency that could no longer be ignored, India gave her the No. 3 role in Bangladesh and she didn’t disappoint.During her comeback match, the second T20I in Sylhet, she showed off just how well she strikes the ball, coming down the track to middle offspinner Sultana Khatun over cow corner for her first big hit of the day, ending with 41 off 24 balls. Over the course of four games, she showcased a fine range of shots, from picture-perfect cover drives to lofts down the ground to sweetly-timed sweeps to finish with a series-highest strike rate of 141.55D Hemalatha was a bright spot in an otherwise dull 2024 WPL campaign for the Gujarat Giants•BCCI”My strike rate should be more than 100, I focus on that,” Hemalatha said. “I work on my basics and that helps with my hard-hitting. Batting is all about timing, so I work on that. If you have good timing, the ball will go long. I have been working on my range-hitting as well. Even during the WPL I worked on it. I don’t focus only on that in my training though, if there’s a requirement for me to hit it, I will. But if there’s a situation where I need to stay at the crease, I will stay. I can play both. I never plan my innings before.”Hemalatha got to know women played cricket professionally only before she got into college in 2012. She was excited about the prospect of making a career out of it. Her parents, initially hesitant about her new career path, eventually encouraged her to take it up. Her father had one piece of advice for her: ‘Whatever you do, put your heart into it’. She learnt her basics from her coach, Sriram, in her neighbourhood. Once she got selected for the Tamil Nadu state team, she started training under Peter Fernandez, a well-known cricket coach in Chennai.She then moved from Tamil Nadu to the Railways domestic team, where she played with Mithali Raj, one of her idols. They played together in the Indian team as well and were reunited at the WPL where Mithali is Giants’ mentor.”Mithali is a legend,” Hemalatha said. “You can ask her anything – about the game, mindset, how to go about the match… just anything. She has all the answers. It has helped me tremendously on and off the field. She knows what my strengths are. She talks to me about plans against specific bowlers, how to hit on a specific pitch, she gives so many inputs. We discuss even during practice. Even after I come back from batting we have a proper chat.”Hemalatha expects a lot from herself. In the middle of that breakthrough series in Bangladesh, she was certain she was playing an innings that she didn’t like only to arrive in the dressing room and be celebrated for her strokeplay.”Harmanpreet [Kaur, the India captain] is a fighter, she’s very aggressive on the field” Hemalatha said. “Off the field she’s very friendly and amazing. After the second T20I, she came up to me and told me that I have beautiful shots. Only then was I convinced that I actually played well. When I came out after batting, everyone was full of praise. When I was playing, I wasn’t too satisfied. But when the team told me I played well, I got convinced.”From here, Hemalatha will be keen to take all the motivation and confidence she has gained over a career that has had plenty of highs and lows to make her spot in the India side permanent.