There is no need to shy away from the fact that Glasgow Rangers need to improve in a lot of areas if they want to claim to be the best club in Scotland once again.

They have not won the Scottish Premiership title for four years and ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy added to the cabinet.

Russell Martin has arrived at Ibrox this summer with the ambition of bringing the Light Blues back to the top, but there also needs to be improvements made off the pitch when it comes to recruitment.

Kevin Thelwell and the recruitment team have to ensure that the former Scotland international has the tools at his disposal to put a successful team on the pitch, whilst also maximising any potential sales.

As you can see in the graphic above, the Gers do not have a particularly rich history of selling talent, with no sales worth more than £20m in their history to date.

However, they have still done well to maximise the money that they have got from sales in recent seasons, with Antonio Colak’s exit from the club standing out as one great example of that.

Rangers hit the jackpot with Antonio Colak

There was a point in time when it looked like the Croatian centre-forward was on course to go down as one of the greatest Rangers strikers of the modern era, after his lightning-fast start to life at Ibrox.

He joined the Light Blues from Greek side PAOK in the summer of 2022 and caught the eye with his early performances in the Scottish Premiership as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first-choice number nine.

Livingston

0

0

Kilmarnock

1

0

St Johnstone

1

0

Hibernian

0

1

Ross County

2

0

Celtic

0

0

Dundee

2

0

Hearts

2

0

St Mirren

2

1

Motherwell

0

0

As you can see in the table above, Colak scored ten goals and provided two assists in his first ten games for the club in the top-flight, which shows that he was on course to be an incredibly prolific number nine for the club.

However, a change in management, with Michael Beale coming in, essentially put an end to his time at Ibrox, as he only went on to score four goals in his last 14 outings in the league after that.

Colak was then sold to Parma for a reported fee of £2.5m in the summer of 2023, and the Gers hit the jackpot with that fee when you consider what he has gone on to achieve.

The Croatian forward has only scored four goals in 48 matches for Parma and Spezia combined since leaving Scotland, and is now valued

at just £850k by Transfermarkt.

This shows that the Scottish giants struck gold with his sale because he failed to replicate his early form at Ibrox elsewhere and is now worth significantly less than the £2.5m they got for him.

European club pushing to sign Rangers star

The Light Blues could be about to repeat the masterclass they played with Colak amid interest from a European side in one of their current centre-forward options.

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 Scottish Sun, AEK Athens are pushing to sign Cyriel Dessers from the Scottish giants within the next 48 hours, from Sunday night.

The report claims that the Greek team want to accelerate a deal for the Nigeria international in the next couple of days because they want him to join them on their pre-season tour of the Netherlands this week.

It adds that they have offered a fee of £4m for the experienced marksman, but Rangers are holding out for a fee of £5m, and that haggling over the fee is the last step in a potential deal.

Dessers has already agreed personal terms with AEK Athens, which is why it is now down to the clubs to thrash out a fee, and there could be progress in the coming hours.

Why Dessers could be Colak 2.0

The Nigerian striker could follow in Colak’s footsteps by leaving Rangers and failing to replicate the success that he had at Ibrox in front of goal.

Given how dominant Rangers and Celtic are in the Premiership, playing for one of the big two in Glasgow is a great opportunity for strikers because they know that they will get plenty of chances to shine.

In two seasons at Ibrox, Dessers missed a staggering 48 ‘big chances’ in the Scottish top-flight for the Light Blues, which shows that he has had plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net in the division.

A haul of 34 league goals in two seasons is a respectable return for the striker in isolation, but the 48 ‘big chances’ that he missed suggest that his finishing has not been good enough and that the forward should have even more goals to his name.

Appearances

12

xG

5.49

Goals

3

Big chances missed

10

Ground duel success rate

36%

Aerial duel success rate

45%

As you can see in the table above, Dessers also struggled in front of goal in the Europa League, underperforming his xG and missing ten ‘big chances’.

These statistics suggest that the Nigerian striker, who former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness described as “infuriating” and “invisible” at times, will not continue to score goals at an impressive rate if he is in a team that does not create enough chances for him, because of his below-par finishing.

AEK Athens only scored 48 league goals this season, compared to the 80 Rangers scored in the Premiership, which suggests that Dessers would be part of an inferior attacking unit and would not get as many chances to score.

This, therefore, means that the striker’s value could decrease in the years to come, as a result of a lower goal return, and the Light Blues could look back on a £4-5m deal as a great success, as they can with Colak’s £2.5m exit, as Dessers may not be able to replicate his goalscoring form for the Gers in Greece due to his underwhelming finishing.

Dream Dessers replacement: £6.5m star now keen on signing for Rangers

This Rangers target has said that he would “suit” a move to Ibrox this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 22, 2025

It is now down to the club to get the best possible deal for the Nigeria international in these negotiations with AEK Athens in the coming hours.

Footballers who possess a unique style of play, supreme technical ability or untapped potential are often referred to as ‘streets won’t forget’ players.

Whether it be Premier League one-season wonders like Michu, tricky mavericks such as Hatem Ben Arfa or players who simply grabbed their moments on the biggest stage like South Africa World Cup star Siphiwe Tshabalala, football fans will always have a soft spot for those players who captured hearts and minds.

Some, like Adel Taarabt, never fulfilled their true potential, while others had glittering careers, but the rise of social media and the pure volume of football coverage has led fans to yearn for those stars who rocked up once a week on a Saturday afternoon with no intention other than to amaze their spectators.

Top ‘streets won’t forget’ players in Premier League history
10. Yannick Bolasie
9. Andrey Arshavin
8. Papiss Cissé
7, Dimitri Payet
6. Morten Gamst Pedersen
5. Mousa Dembele
4. Jay-Jay Okocha
3. Adel Taarabt
2. Michu
1. Hatem Ben Arfa

“The boy Michu has been a revelation,” Sir Alex Ferguson once said of Swansea’s Spanish striker. “To sign him for just £2 million and get 20 goals out of him – what a bargain!”

Such cult hero status doesn’t exclusively belong to goalscorers however, as Mousa Dembele proved during his time at Tottenham Hotspur. The Belgian only found the net ten times in 249 appearances for Spurs, but is regarded as one of the most technically gifted midfielders of all time.

Dembele's teammates called him the one of the best players in the world

Winning 82 caps for Belgium, Dembele drew praise throughout his career for his ability to evade the press, weaving his way out of trouble as a deep-lying midfielder.

Dembele started his career as a winger and idolised legendary forward Patrick Kluivert, which led to him being almost impossible to dispossess in midfield, and Harry Kane once said he was the most technically gifted player he’s played with.

Plenty of Spurs stars have echoed this sentiment down the years, with Dele Alli claiming Dembele was the best player in the squad back in 2016, and current captain Son Heung-min revealing: “Mousa he is incredible. I haven’t seen a player like this. I have never seen this.”

Perhaps the best indication of a player’s talent however is what their opponents have to say, and Arsenal icon Jack Wilshere named Dembele as his toughest ever opponent – even despite being left in awe of Lionel Messi.

Dembele at Tottenham	Starts	Goals	Assists	League Finish
2012-13	26	1	3	5th
2013-14	22	1	1	6th
2014-15	10	1	1	5th
2015-16	27	3	1	3rd
2016-17	24	1	1	2nd
2017-18	21	0	0	3rd
2018-19	7	0	0	4th

With elite teams now spending hundreds of millions on finding the perfect midfielder, the Tottenham legend’s aesthetically pleasing style would catch a hefty fee in today’s transfer market.

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Who are the winners and losers from AI’s table?

1

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 7, 2025

Usman Khawaja has said he believes Australia should be playing Afghanistan in bilateral cricket although is sympathetic to the human rights issues for women stemming from the Taliban rule.Cricket Australia has twice withdrawn from playing Afghanistan – a Test match due to be staged in Australia and a T20 series overseas – citing “a marked deterioration in human rights for women and girls”, but continues to face them in ICC events.Related

• No bilateral cricket with Afghanistan till there's 'a level of progress', says CA chief

• Human rights question hangs over success story of Afghanistan's men

• Rashid on Australia not playing Afghanistan in bilaterals: 'Don't know the solution for that'

Rashid Khan again commented on the situation in the aftermath Afghanistan’s famous victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, saying that he couldn’t understand how World Cup events can happen but not bilateral cricket.”I personally think yes we should be playing Afghanistan,” Khawaja told Nine Newspapers at an Amazon Prime event in Melbourne. “I am sympathetic to both sides of the puzzle. I totally respect and agree with a lot of aspects of the stance Cricket Australia has in terms of women’s cricket in Afghanistan, but there’s also another side to it, of promoting and growing the game.”This is the second time Australia have backed out of a bilateral series, and I talked to Rashid Khan. He was really disappointed, more so because the Afghanistan people love cricket, and for them cricket is one of the few things they enjoy and brings happiness, and the fact they were going to play Australia was going to be huge, and they don’t get to see that now. So it actually hurts the people, and the people are separate from the government.”Khawaja also referenced Afghanistan players appearing in the BBL, with Rashid having become a star for Adelaide Strikers over the years. Rashid initially threatened to withdraw from the competition last year over CA’s stance but subsequently made himself available before suffering an injury.”It’s a little bit hypocritical too if we say no we’re not going to play Afghanistan, but then allowing Afghanistan cricketers to play in the BBL,” Khawaja said. “They 100 percent should [play], but then how do you do one and not the other?”Speaking after Afghanistan’s victory in St Vincent, Rashid said: “Some things which are not under the control of anyone in cricket, and that’s something we can’t do anything about it. Wish we could do something, and wish that was a kind of solution for it, we would have been happy, but I don’t know what’s the solution for that.”

Bangladesh’s Hridoy says he should’ve finished the game off after putting his side in a strong position

Sidharth Monga11-Jun-20241:01

Manjrekar: Maharaj’s final over was poor, but Bangladesh’s batting was poorer

South Africa’s decision to bat first in New York on Monday, at a ground that they have won two matches chasing at the T20 World Cup 2024, was actually a tribute to Bangladesh’s bowling.”Third game on the wicket,” Player of the Match Heinrich Klaasen said about the decision. “These guys are incredible when the wicket becomes slow. So that was the biggest reason why we didn’t want to chase 120. Because the wicket was definitely better than other games. But given Bangladesh, when pressure is on, and they have to go into cutters, they’ve got some of the world’s best cutter bowlers and their spinners are high quality. So that was the biggest reason why we chose to bat first.”Then South Africa found themselves in trouble at 23 for 4, but chose to pull out of it like you would in the middle overs of an ODI. They went into a T20I knowing aiming for just a run a ball, not minding staying even below six per over as long as they were just a boundary away.Related

South Africa target four-in-four with Nepal preparing for Kingstown party

Bangladesh fall short as SA conjure a win from nowhere

Stats – New lows for Bangladesh in chase to forget

“I think David [Miller] showed us in the previous game [against Netherlands] how to bat on this wicket and it’s almost a similar way that we bat in the middle overs in a one-day game,” Klaasen said. “So, our mindset is not even close to T20 cricket. You just want to get in and find a way to bat at a run a ball. And we know you’re one or two hits away just for going over the run-a-ball strike-rate.”2:25

Should cricket revisit the leg-bye rule on a referral?

Hridoy: ‘I should have finished the game’Three teams have been involved in close chases in these conditions. South Africa, under Miller’s stewardship, won despite never getting ahead of the chase. Pakistan lost using the same approach. Bangladesh lost an early wicket, but never did – or were never allowed to – get ahead of the chase. Their best batter on the day, Towhid Hridoy, said there wasn’t much wrong with going at around a run a ball, just that he should have gone on for longer.”From that position I should have finished the match,” Hridoy said when asked if Bangladesh could have perhaps tried to get ahead of the rate sooner. “It’s difficult for new batsmen to adjust to the conditions. In that position, I should have finished the match.”Hridoy fell in the 18th over, leaving Bangladesh 21 to get off 17 with five wickets in hand. One would back the chasing side in most conditions, but this pitch has been difficult and the outfield slow.When you lose by just four runs, you do tend to assign greater significance to otherwise smaller events. Hridoy was left looking at some umpiring calls without complaining about them. One of them was an lbw that was given out but they got it reversed only to lose out on possible leg-byes.”See, ICC rule is not in my hands, but at that time those four runs were very important for us,” Hridoy said. “The umpires are also human beings, and they could have made a mistake. But we had two-three more wides, which were not given. So, in a match like this, where hardly a run is being made in a low-scoring match, one or two runs are a big factor. So, I think those four runs or two wide runs were close calls. Even my out was the umpire’s call.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now ready to join Aston Villa and Leeds United in the race to sign a £25 million “animal”, according to a recent report.

Wolves chasing more additions after Lopez signing

Wolves confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window on Friday, as attacking midfielder Fer Lopez joined the club from Spanish side Celta Vigo in a deal worth £19 million.

Lopez may be seen as the player to replace Matheus Cunha, who joined Manchester United earlier in this window. After signing for the club, Lopez revealed it is an “amazing opportunity for his career” and believes manager Vitor Pereira is “top”.

Related Offer made: Wolves make bid to sign "electric" 13-goal striker with Lopez

He could become their second signing of the window.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 17, 2025

“It’s an amazing opportunity for my career to play in the Premier League, and I’m very happy.

“[Manager] Vitor [Pereira] told me he thought I was a good fit in the squad, and when it’s a club like this, you have little to think about.

“The team did very good when Vitor came, and I think he is top, so I’m very excited to be with him.”

The Midlands side may not have to wait long until they get their next signing through the door, as Sky Sports have reported that Wolves are showing “intent” when it comes to signing Conor Coady. The centre-back is free to leave Leicester City, but Wolves are not the only team eyeing a deal, as Russell Martin is keen to bring the experienced defender to Rangers this summer.

Wolves ready to join Aston Villa and Leeds in Raskin race

Not only do the Midlands side want to beat Rangers to the signing of Coady, but according to Record Sport, Wolves are set to enter the bidding for Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin.

The report states that the Premier League side have been keeping a close eye on the midfielder’s performances in the last 18 months, and he is now high on their list of potential targets in this transfer window. It goes on to add that Raskin’s representatives are now also aware of the interest from Wolves.

Raskin, who has been dubbed “unbelievable” by Kris Boyd in the past, still has two years remaining on his contract at Ibrox, but the Gers’ technical director Kevin Thelwell is preparing a new contract offer for the midfielder to keep him at the club. However, a new report has revealed that Raskin is “ready to quit” Rangers and could soon tell the club of his desire to leave.

Nicolas Raskin’s 24/25 Scottish Premiership stats

Apps

33

Starts

29

Goals

4

Shots per game

1.3

Assists

10

Touches per game

68.4

Big chances created

9

Key passes

1.3

Passing accuracy per game

46.8 (87%)

Tackles per game

2.8

This would not only be welcome news for Wolves, but it would also come as great delight to Aston Villa and Leeds United, who are both keen on signing the Belgium international.

Raskin’s potential arrival at Molineux would be a costly one, as it’s been claimed that Rangers would look to get around £25 million should he leave this summer.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and his ‘scattergun’ approach to the transfer window continues, with a fresh report claiming that discussions are now being held over a marquee Serie A star.

Arsenal told key Benjamin Sesko transfer condition as agent makes statement

He’s expressed what it will take for the Slovenian to leave Leipzig this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Berta operates a different transfer strategy to his predecessor, Edu. Rather than identifying one key target to seriously pursue, the Italian is known to work on numerous deals simultaneously before landing on the best one for a key position.

“The best way of describing it is that Andrea Berta’s approach is different to Edu. If he was going to a party, he would lay out three or four outfits, try them all on and finally decide what to wear,” said reliable journalist Ben Jacobs on talkSPORT recently.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

“With this race for a number nine, what’s happening is that both deals, for Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, are being advanced or ‘tried on’ before a bid is made. Andrea Berta is out in the market, effectively lining up both deals, whereas Edu tended to pick one and be very meticulous, and then discreetly try and get it over the line, often with a series of bids.

“It was either a very smart tactic because Arsenal had confidence that they would get that man, or it dragged on, and we got more summer sagas. We won’t see that with Andrea Berta.”

This was echoed by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg last month, who revealed that Berta held talks over “numerous” transfer targets for the wide area.

Recent reports from Turkey state that one of the many wingers on Berta’s Arsenal radar is Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

Yildiz was said to have emerged as a “prime” Arsenal target recently, and a further update has now come to light on their interest.

Arsenal in discussions with Juventus over signing Kenan Yildiz

As per news outlet Juve FC, the Turkey international commands a valuation of around £85 million, following an excellent 2024/2025 campaign where he finished the Serie A campaign as the Old Lady’s best-performer by average match rating, according to WhoScored.

It’s also reported that Arsenal have entered discussions with Juventus over signing Yildiz, despite their unwillingness to sell the 20-year-old, as they also try to tie him down with a new deal which could run until 2031.

Juve view Yildiz as a future star and cornerstone of Igor Tudor’s team, while the player himself isn’t exactly chomping at the bit to leave either, despite some contact made with his “close” circle.

The Turk is currently starring at the Club World Cup for Juve, scoring in their 5-0 win over Al Ain, and with £97 million worth of prize money on offer to the victors, Tudor won’t want to lose one of his star men before the tournament ends.

He played two Tests for India in 1996, picking up three wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-20243:49

Kumble and Manjrekar pay tribute to David Johnson

Former India fast bowler David Johnson has died at the age of 52.Known for his pace, Johnson came into the Indian side on the basis of some fine performances for Karnataka in the domestic circuit. He recorded figures of 10 for 152 against Kerala in the 1995-96 Ranji Trophy season.He made his Test debut in Delhi against Australia in 1996. With Javagal Srinath injured, Johnson bowled in tandem with his Karnataka team-mate Venkatesh Prasad. He then went on a tour of South Africa and played in the first Test. But the lack of control meant his Test career lasted just two games, in which he picked up three wickets.