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Sunderland might well have closed out their regular campaign in the Championship with a worrying five league defeats on the spin, but heading into the second leg of their playoff affair with Coventry City later on, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats are firmly in the driver’s seat.

Indeed, the promotion hopefuls lead Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues 2-1 on aggregate after a confident display on their travels last time out, with a potentially bouncing Stadium of Light atmosphere tonight seeing them over the line.

Le Bris will further hope he’s the boss that can consolidate Sunderland as a Premier League regular again if promotion is reached, with the Wearside outfit enjoying many a top-flight season previously when Jermain Defoe was heroically leading the line.

Jermain Defoe's heroics at Sunderland

It’s been a long time coming for Sunderland to be on the cusp of a Premier League return, with the Black Cats competing outside the luxuries of the top-flight since 2016.

The former Tottenham Hotspur star would attempt to keep his forlorn side up during the 2015/16 season against all the odds, but not even his regular heroics would be enough to keep the Wearside giants from sinking down despondently to the EFL.

The campaign prior, however, Defoe’s 15-goal haul in the tricky division would be enough for Sunderland to just about avoid relegation in 17th spot, but that same goal tally the season after would unfortunately go to waste.

In total, the firm Stadium of Light fan’s favourite would notch up a century of Sunderland appearances across three seasons, with 37 goals tallied up, definitely making him a standout purchase.

Well, it’s safe to say that as the Mackems potentially approach another campaign in the top-flight, they’ve found their best signing since the iconic Defoe.

Sunderland's best purchase since Defoe

Le Bris has managed to tempt some top-quality personnel to Sunderland since taking charge of the EFL giants, with Wilson Isidor up to 15 goals now from 50 games this season after netting in the first leg away at Coventry.

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While Isidor has certainly shone bright, it’s the remarkable coup of Enzo Le Fee who stands proud as Sunderland’s best signing in recent years.

As it happens, he had a huge role to play in his French compatriot finishing past Ben Wilson with confidence last Friday, with his defence-splitting pass giving Isidor plenty of time to compose himself before firing home.

This sublime moment of quality on such a pressurised stage backs up how much of an outrageous coup it was that Sunderland managed to obtain Le Fee’s services on loan in January, with Defoe also seen as a statement purchase back in 2014, considering his devastating prowess in front of goal in the Premier League was clear for all to see before relocating to the Black Cats.

Le Fee has also displayed his midfield elegance in some grand settings before Sunderland came calling, with the stylish Frenchman once on the desired shopping list of Liverpool off the back of picking up 15 assists on the books of Le Bris’ ex-employers Lorient.

Le Fee’s performance in numbers vs Coventry

Stat

Le Fee

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

43

Accurate passes

17/19 (89%)

Key passes

4

Big chances created

1

Stats by Sofascore

The classy 25-year-old would never manage to pull on the famed red strip of Arne Slot’s men, but he certainly looks comfortable donning the red and white of Sunderland at the moment, with the midfielder registering four key passes in total during the first leg win.

Therefore, much like Defoe managed in the Premier League when securing safety for Sunderland, the “really talented” midfielder – as he’s been labelled by his manager – could be as key to Le Bris’ men now as they attempt to leap back up to the big time.

After all, his sensational ability to produce a moment of spellbinding quality in an instant is a hugely effective weapon, particularly if a playoff final to come at Wembley is tense and in need of a game-changing spark.

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Posts ByHenry Jackson May 9, 2025

Aston Villa have a squad filled with players who shone for the club in the Champions League and Premier League this season.

It’s fair to say, though, that they haven’t been blessed with a natural, god-given talent since Jack Grealish departed in the summer of 2021.

The Englishman worked his way up from academy starlet to first-team sensation before leaving for £100m four years ago.

Why Jack Grealish was so good at Aston Villa

The 2024/25 season may not have been his finest at Manchester City, notably left out of the squad by Pep Guardiola for their final match of the season. Yet, he is still 28 and has plenty of football left in him.

“Of course, Jack has to play. That’s the truth. Jack is an unbelievable player that has to play football every three days. And it didn’t happen this season, and last season neither. And he needs to do it with us, or another place. But that is a question for Jack, his agent, and the club. If he stays, we’ll be fine, and he’ll fight like he fought since day one to make a contribution.” – Pep on Grealish.

During his spell with Villa, however, he was one of the finest talents in the country. He scored 32 goals and grabbed 43 assists across 213 matches, leading the club back to the Premier League in 2019.

As the years progressed, it became clear that Grealish was perhaps one of the finest academy graduates to play for the club. In his final season, the Englishman demonstrated his creative talents.

In just 26 top-flight games, he created 14 big chances for Villa, along with averaging an impressive 3.2 key passes and succeeding with 2.5 dribbles per game.

Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa statistics

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2020/21

27

7

12

2019/20

41

10

8

2018/19

35

6

8

2017/18

31

3

6

2016/17

33

5

5

2015/16

21

1

1

2014/15

24

0

3

Via Transfermarkt

While Villa have gone from strength to strength under Unai Emery since 2022, the Spaniard must wish he had a talent like Grealish at his peak to utilise.

With the summer transfer window soon to open, can Emery sign the next best thing for the Midlands side?

Aston Villa could sign their new Grealish

The Villa Park side are showing plenty of interest in a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze after he enjoyed a stunning campaign.

This culminated with the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Man City and this has driven his price up. Indeed, the Englishman is wanted by the Villans and could cost around £65m according to reports, should any club wish to sign him this summer.

The fee would shatter Villa’s record transfer, but there is no doubt Eze would be worth the price.

In the Premier League this season, the 26-year-old averaged 1.7 key passes and succeeded with two dribbles per game. Furthermore, he even created 12 big chances for the Eagles.

These statistics are comparable to Grealish’s from his final league season at Villa, and it suggests Eze has the ability to become their new attacking sensation.

Analyst Ben Mattinson lauded the midfielder as a “superstar” in April 2024. Fast-forward 12 months, and this sentiment certainly continues to ring true with the England international scoring 14 goals and supplying 11 assists during an outstanding season.

Couple that with the flashy and carefree nature that Grealish also exudes, and the Palace sensation with his extra end product certainly has the potential to eclipse what the current City star achieved in the Midlands.

The only stumbling block might be the fact that Eze wouldn’t be playing Champions League football should he move to Villa. If he does, however, there is no doubt that the London-born dynamo can lead Emery’s side to another campaign in Europe’s premier club competition.

The next few weeks could be interesting, to say the least.

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Posts ByHenry Jackson May 26, 2025

Chelsea are now nearing an agreement to sign a “world-class” star, and the deal could be closed as soon as “tomorrow”, according to reporter Daniele Longo.

Blues set for yet another busy transfer window

BlueCo certainly haven’t been shy to splash the cash since arriving at Stamford Bridge, and it looks as though yet another summer of heavy spending could be on the cards, with targets being identified in a number of key positions.

Given that Nicolas Jackson has just one Premier League goal to his name in 2025, a new striker appears to be of particular interest to the Blues, despite having already signed Liam Delap, and an offer has now been made for FC Porto’s Samu Omorodion.

Robert Sanchez has also been less than impressive, with Filip Jorgensen replacing the Spaniard at times last season, which means Enzo Maresca has also set out to sign a new goalkeeper, and Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on their pursuit of Mike Maignan.

With an offer now on the table, the Blues are making progress towards securing Maignan’s signature, and Longo has now taken to X to report on a further development, stating the AC Milan goalkeeper has reached a full agreement on a multi-year contract.

Not only that, but the west Londoners are “close to an agreement with Milan”, and the deal could be closed by “tomorrow”, suggesting it could be finalised before the June 10th deadline, meaning the Frenchman would be available for the Club World Cup.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jun 7, 2025 "World-class" Maignan could be exactly what Chelsea need

With the Blues set to return to the Champions League next season, it would make sense to bring in a goalkeeper who is proven at the top level, and the Milan shot-stopper certainly fits the bill in that regard.

The France international has 32 appearances to his name in Europe’s elite competition, while also catching the eye over a sustained period of time in the Serie A, once being lauded as “world-class” by writer Carlo Garganese after impressing in the Milan derby.

Maresca is also well-known for playing out from the back, which means it is important for his goalkeeper to be comfortable in possession of the ball, and the 29-year-old ranks in the 91st percentile for touches per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

All the signs indicate that Maignan could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, but it remains to be seen whether they are willing to stump up Milan’s valuation of €30m (£25m), given that the Cayenne-born goalkeeper will turn 30 in July.

In an attempt to continue a growing trend at the City Ground, Evangelos Marinakis is reportedly monitoring a deal to sign yet another South American gem for Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham Forest write to UEFA

In a ruthless mood as ever, Marinakis has wasted no time before attempting to take advantage of Crystal Palace’s UEFA troubles. The Eagles are at risk of being kicked out of European football despite qualifying for the Europa League last season, with John Textor’s involvement in both Palace and Lyon breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rule.

Whilst many have assumed that their European spot could go to Brighton & Hove Albion, who would move into the Europa Conference League, Nottingham Forest have seemingly spotted an opportunity of their own. The Midlands club have reportedly written UEFA in an attempt to take Crystal Palace’s Europa League place and move above the Europa Conference League as a result.

It’s not a move that will win many friends around the Premier League, but it is one that could have an impact on Forest financially and, therefore, in the summer transfer window.

With a place in the Europa League to offer, the Tricky Trees could turn their attention towards reported transfer targets such as Douglas Luiz. The Juventus midfielder has endured a nightmare first season in Turin and may now be on his way back to the Premier League after just one season away.

That said, the Brazilian may not be the only South American to complete a move to the City Ground this summer, with Marinakis now reportedly eyeing another talent.

Nottingham Forest monitoring Cepeda

As reported by Chilean outlet Prensa Futbol, Marinakis is now monitoring a deal to sign Lucas Cepeda from Colo-Colo for Nottingham Forest this summer. The Chile-born winger reportedly has a release clause worth just $5m (£4m), which could see those in the Midlands land a bargain deal for another South American talent.

It’s at the City Ground that Cepeda could follow in the footsteps of Murillo, Ramon Sosa, Carlos Miguel and others by swapping South America for the Premier League and Nottingham Forest. At just 22 years old, like those before him, the winger could realise his full potential at Nottingham Forest.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 10, 2025

It’s an impressive trend at the City Ground and one that Marinakis should be able to continue more than ever now that Nottingham Forest are in a position to offer European football.

Whether Cepeda is ready for the Premier League will be the big question, however. The winger only managed four goals and one assist last season following eight goals and four assists in the season prior. Given how talented the Forest squad is these days, there will also be questions as to whether Cepeda would earn the game time he needs in the Midlands.

Leeds United are ready to arrive on the Premier League stage once again and could now be lining up a swoop for a captain in one of Europe’s top five leagues, per a report.

Leeds United urged to bring in Premier League quality

Daniel Farke was lauded for the magnificent job he did at Elland Road last term after his side gained promotion to the top flight. However, the German coach knows more than most how big the jump is between the Championship and Premier League.

Back in 2021, the 48-year-old was sacked by Norwich City after the Canaries endured a tough start to life as a newly-promoted outfit, which will be a scenario the Whites will be desperate to avoid this time around.

With bringing in Premier League quality on the agenda, Paul Robinson has urged Leeds to sign Kyle Walker-Peters after he departed Southampton under freedom of contract following their relegation last term.

He stated: “I think he’s given himself a real opportunity now of being the master of his own destiny as to where he wants to go. I think the important thing is he just doesn’t go into a squad and be a bit-part player, but he goes into a team where he gets the opportunity to play every week.

“That could be Leeds, and it’d be a very good signing. With Firpo looking like he’s moving on, there’s an immediate opportunity to get in the team, though Tottenham will also be in for him, and it may depend on regular football.”

Related Romano: 49ers "in negotiations" to seal "complicated" £20m+ Leeds transfer

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Posts 1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 27, 2025

Versatile Juventus star Timothy Weah could also join Leeds after he turned down the opportunity to join Nottingham Forest, potentially presenting a coup if the Whites can put forward a compelling offer to the United States international.

Now, there is every chance Farke and company could now swoop to land a midfielder from France who would fit the bill at Elland Road.

Leeds prepare bid for Himad Abdelli

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Leeds are preparing a £12 million bid for Angers captain Himad Abdelli after scouting the Algeria international for an extensive period.

Farke is said to be a huge fan of the 25-year-old, who recorded 112 ball carries in Ligue 1 last term, drawing level with the likes of Florian Wirtz and exceeding Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

Five similar players to Himad Abdelli (Fotmob)

Mateus Fernandes

Southampton

John McGinn

Aston Villa

Iliman Ndiaye

Everton

Tete Morente

Lecce

Omari Hutchinson

Ipswich Town

Labelled “powerful” by Angers manager Alexandre Dujeux, Abdelli registered six goals and a solitary assist in 36 appearances last term and could become the Whites’ third signing of the summer after sealing deals for Lukas Nmecha and Jakub Bijol.

Leeds are in the market for attacking midfielders to bolster their chances of survival, and the man in question may be a cost-effective solution if all parties can come to agreement over a deal that sees Abdelli pitch up at Elland Road.

Tom Alsop top scores for Sharks as Joe Weatherley, James Vince fifties land in losing cause

ECB Reporters Network21-Jun-2024

Nathan McAndrew was electric with the bat and miserly with the ball as Sussex Sharks went second in the Vitality Blast South Group with a seven-run victory over Hampshire Hawks.Australian all-rounder McAndrew hammered 32 off 11 balls to boost an underwhelming score, with the help of Tom Alsop’s 43 off 27.James Vince bagged his fifth 50-plus score in his last six T20 innings against Sussex and Joe Weatherley picked up 68 not out.But McAndrew returned 1 for 21 – spoiled only by a penultimate ball no ball – before Danny Lamb defended 25 off the last over to give the Sharks a first Utilita Bowl win since 2020 and pull out a six-point buffer on Hampshire.The Sharks were stuck in and despite losing three wickets in the powerplay – all to a rampant Michael Neser – found regular contributors to reach a sizeable total.Neser – on his last Hawks appearance before Ottneil Baartman replaces him for the second half of the competition – had Harrison Ward skying straight up, Daniel Hughes bowled with a beauty which nipped back and John Simpson chipping to cover. The Australian returning 3 for 32.Fynn Hudson-Prentice forced wicketkeeper Ben McDermott to scramble under a high one and James Coles – who had held firm for 39 – was brilliantly caught by a sprawling Benny Howell at long off.At 73 for 5 at the halfway point, Sussex looked in danger but Hampshire old boy Tom Alsop and Danny Lamb settled things down with a 57-run stand.Lamb scooped a six but was otherwise jerky in his 28, but Alsop crescendoed through his innings, going from a sensible run-a-ball to 43 off 27 before he chipped to his former captain Vince at mid-off.If Alsop had been controlled for most his innings, McAndrew was unrestrained in his ball-striking from the moment his second ball disappeared into the square leg crowd.Two more sixes sailed into the stands and although he was dropped – a bizarre moment where Ollie Robinson was subsequently run out – his late innings blasting got Sussex to a defendable position.With 185 to win, Hampshire didn’t attack the challenge with gusto as McDermott and Fletcha Middleton fell in a flaccid 38 for 2 powerplay.A couple of 30s had been the high points of Vince’s Blast campaign but he grew through his innings and found the perfect rotating-the-strike partner in Joe Weatherley – the duo adding 88 for the third wicket.There were glimpses of peak Vince with a glorious cover drive as his 71st T20 fifty came up in 35 balls. But he never managed to explode to the required rate and departed for 53 when he rolled the ball back onto his own stumps.Weatherley converted to a half-century – having scored 48 and 49 earlier in the tournament – but his 68 off 47 was ultimately too slow for the rate.Benny Howell swatted two early sixes but faded, and although Weatherley sweetly struck the first four balls of the final over for four, Hampshire ended up seven runs short.

A landing failure of a small aircraft in Barbados has resulted in the South African team, along with ICC officials, being delayed by nearly six hours

Sidharth Monga27-Jun-2024

The final of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the West Indies, a tournament already affected by logistical challenges and ambitiously short turnarounds between matches, has not been spared from operational issues.A landing failure of a small private aircraft at the Grantley Adams airport in Barbados has resulted in the South Africa team, their families, commentators, match officials and ICC officials being stranded at the Trinidad airport. The Barbados airport was closed for inspections by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Barbados Police Service.Moments before they were about to take off from Trinidad, the pilots received the information of the runway closure in Bridgetown.”It appeared that the landing gear of the private aircraft did not deploy, but it is currently on the runway at GAIA [Grantley Adams International Airport] safely,” Sharleen Brown, Corporate Communication Specialist with GAIA, said in a statement. She confirmed that all three individuals on board – two passengers and a pilot – were unharmed.Related

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Passengers on the flight from Trinidad to Barbados were told the tentative rescheduled time was 4.30pm, which would amount to nearly six hours of delay. All the boarded passengers had to return to the terminal, merely the latest addition to the many delays endured by teams at the tournament.The worst was when Sri Lanka, South Africa and Ireland had to spend a whole night at the airport when travelling from Florida to New York. Even Afghanistan, who finished their last Super Eight match in the wee hours of Tuesday, had their flight delayed before playing their first T20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.This is the first time South Africa have made a final of a men’s World Cup. The final will be played on Saturday morning, as opposed to the usual tradition of playing on Sundays. That change meant the second semi-final, currently delayed because of inclement weather in Guyana, could not have a reserve day. Despite giving the two semi-finals the same amount of extra time to get a game in, the ICC has used different playing conditions if the matches needed to be shortened.

Fabrizio Romano has shared an intriguing Tottenham transfer update, which adds further weight to recent claims that new manager Thomas Frank is set to have a real influence on the club’s summer recruitment drive.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Spurs officially appointed the Dane this time last week, putting an end to the search for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in swift fashion, and reports suggest that Frank is already making his transfer wishes clear to chairman Daniel Levy.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

In a recent interview with the club’s media channels, Levy explained what made Frank the standout candidate, and they’ve already backed him with the permanent signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich for around £30 million.

“Whenever you have a new coach it’s always a fresh start. You always have different ideas. But we want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season,” said Levy.

“One of the things that stood out to me with Thomas is that he’s clearly highly intelligent. Great communicator. Super human being. Plus all the other technical aspects that are obviously important.”

The now-former Brentford boss has also broken his silence about becoming Tottenham’s fifth new manager since 2019, expressing his serious excitement to get started with a “massive” club.

“It’s a good squad. It’s an exciting, massive club with massive potential. So, it’s just super, super exciting,” said Frank in his first interview as Spurs head coach.

“I had very good conversations and meetings with [Daniel Levy, Vinai Venkatesham, and Johan Lange] where we discussed everything in depth – details about the club structure, processes – and of course I came with my views on things, how I saw it, my ideas, and the way I want to do things and how I try to build a team and a club.

“There’ll be ups and downs – right now, it’s a fairytale. Everyone’s happy, the sun is shining, it’s fantastic.”

One thing Frank didn’t speak about in his sit-down was the club’s pursuit of his ex-star at Brentford – winger Bryan Mbeumo.

Fabrizio Romano shares Bryan Mbeumo to Tottenham update

Spurs opened initial talks over signing Mbeumo recently (Sky Sports), but face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Man United, who are thought to be in pole position as things stand due to the Cameroonian’s desire to join Ruben Amorim.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano has now revealed that Tottenham began internal talks over a deal for Mbeumo right after Frank signed his contract to become their new manager.

“For sure, there is appreciation from Thomas Frank,” said Romano.

“And so it’s quite obvious to discuss a target like Mbeumo for Tottenham, because he’s one of the names they discussed internally as soon as he [Frank] signed his contract as new Tottenham manager.”

However, the respected journalist reiterates that United are indeed the frontrunners after already reaching an agreement with Mbeumo.

“We know with these clubs like Brentford, Brighton is always difficult to negotiate for their top players, so it’s not easy to reach an agreement, but United are on that,” he continued.

“They are talking to the club, always in contact with player agents, and with an agreement with Bryan Mbeumo, because the player wants to go to United. And so at the moment, United remain frontrunners on this story. Let’s see if they can be able to reach an agreement on the fee with Brentford.”

The Bees’ asking price is rumoured to be around £60 million, and if Amorim’s side don’t fancy stumping up the cash, it appears a reunion with Frank at Spurs could be a sound alternative for the “unbelievable” African.

أعلنت لجنة الانضباط في بطولة كأس الدوريات، عقوبة لويس سواريز، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي إنتر ميامي بعد البصق على أحد أعضاء الجهاز الفني لنادي سياتل ساوندرز، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات نهائي البطولة.

وتلقى إنتر ميامي والذي يلعب ضمن صفوفه النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي هزيمة ساحقة أمام سياتل ساوندرز في نهائي كأس الدوريات بثلاثية دون رد.

وتم تداول مقطع فيديو عبر وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي، وبدا أن لويس سواريز، يبصق على أحد أعضاء الجهاز الفني لفريق سياتل ساوندرز، عقب الهزيمة.

ووقعت الحادثة بعد صافرة النهاية، عقب شجار بين لاعبي الفريقين، أثاره سواريز بعدما أمسك بلاعب وسط الخصم أوبيد فارجاس، من رقبته قبل أن يضربه زميله سيرجيو بوسكيتس على ذقنه.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | بصق على المدرب.. سواريز يواصل إثارة الجدل بعد هزيمة إنتر ميامي

عقب ذلك دخل سواريز في مشادة كلامية مع أحد أعضاء الجهاز الفني لفريق الخصم، وأوقفه زميله أوسكار أوستاري، لكن سواريز بصق على المدرب.

وأعلنت لجنة الإنضباط الخاصة بالبطولة إيقاف مهاجم إنتر ميامي لويس سواريز 6 مباريات، ومن المقرر أن تطبق العقوبة على صاحب الـ 38 عامًا بدءً من النسخة القادمة من البطولة.

كما تمت معاقبة زميله سيرجيو بوسكيتس أيضًا بالإيقاف مباراتين بعد تدخله في الشجار الذي نشب بين اللاعبين والقيام بضرب أحد لاعبي الخصم.

Luis Suárez appeared to spit on a Seattle staff member after the final whistle in the Leagues Cup Final 👀

🎥: @MLS pic.twitter.com/gCMLdbwDlC — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 1, 2025

Russell Martin is now leading Glasgow Rangers’ pursuit to bring a “class” £18 million midfielder to Ibrox with Joe Rothwell, according to a recent report.

Rangers chasing multiple Ibrox targets as they close in on Rothwell

The Gers have already added Max Aarons to their squad since the appointment of Martin, but as the Scottish side don’t have long to wait until they return to competitive action, the club are working on multiple transfers to try and get their business done as early as possible.

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Posts ByDan Emery Jul 1, 2025

The next arrival at Ibrox is Joe Rothwell, who has joined Rangers on a permanent basis after both the Scottish side and AFC Bournemouth agreed a transfer fee. The 30-year-old has worked with Martin before at Southampton in the 2023/24 season, and his relationship with the now Rangers boss seems to have swung him to favour a move to Scotland, as he also had offers from teams in La Liga.

As well as moving for Rothwell, the Gers are also looking to sign not one but two more new midfielders. Current Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin is being linked with a move away, as several Premier League teams are interested in a potential deal.

Therefore, Rangers are looking at players who could replace him, and according to The Scottish Sun, the Gers are chasing a permanent deal for Metinho and are ready to ramp up their efforts to get a deal completed.

Martin leading Rangers move to sign £18m midfielder with Rothwell

As well as Metinho, according to TEAMtalk, Rangers are in talks with Southampton over a deal to sign Flynn Downes.

The report states that Martin is keen to reunite with the player once again after signing him in the summer of 2023 from West Ham United in a deal that was worth £18 million for Southampton, and before that, Martin worked with Downes during his time as Swansea City manager. It doesn’t state what type of deal Rangers are looking to do, as the midfielder is still under contract at St Mary’s until the summer of 2028.

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “class” by Dan Woffenden, has been a regular in the Southampton team in the two seasons at the club. In their promotion-winning campaign, Downes played 33 times in the regular season, as well as a further three games in the play-offs. Last season, Downes started 25 of the 27 Premier League games he featured in.

Flynn Downes’ Southampton stats

Apps

66

Goals

3

Assists

3

During his time at Swansea, Martin labelled Downes “incredible” and a player who does the “dirty work perfectly well”. Martin said: “Flynn was incredible; it’s difficult to single people out, but he does the dirty work perfectly well. He enables other people to do their roles brilliantly; he knows exactly what his role in the team is.”