Lewis Gregory named Lions captain for upcoming one-day and four-day series in Australia

Matt Roller14-Jan-2020

Moeen Ali will take part in a Lions training camp•AFP

Moeen Ali will join an England Lions camp in Loughborough on Wednesday ahead of their upcoming tour to Australia in a mentoring role.Moeen, the offspinning allrounder whose most recent international appearance came in last summer’s first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, declared himself unavailable for the ongoing Test series in South Africa, writing in his column that he was hoping to “freshen up” while away from the side.He is expected to remain absent for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka this March, having signalled his intention to “see out” his contract with Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League – although Jack Leach’s early return from South Africa could push England to test Moeen’s resolve on the matter.Either way, his presence at Loughborough suggests that his relationship with the ECB remains very healthy. He will travel to South Africa for the white-ball leg of England’s tour at the end of the month, having been named in both the ODI and T20I squads.Moeen will be joined at the Lions camp by Tim Bresnan, who played 23 Tests and 119 white-ball internationals for England between 2006 and 2015, with the pair asked to share their respective experiences of playing in Australia and adjusting to local conditions.”I’d like to thank Tim and Moeen for their time this week at the camp,” ECB performance director Mo Bobat said. “I’m sure the information and experience they can impart will be very useful to many members of our squad as they look to hone their games to Australian conditions.”The ECB has also confirmed that Lewis Gregory, the Somerset allrounder, will captain the Lions for both the 50-over and four-day legs of their tour, which starts later this month.Gregory, who made his international debut during England’s T20I series in New Zealand in November, is Somerset’s T20 Blast captain, and has previously captained the Lions in white-ball cricket against Pakistan A last winter and in red-ball cricket against Australia A during the 2019 summer.Tom Abell, his county team-mate, is vice-captain for the white-ball series, while Keaton Jennings – who is in line for a call-up to England’s Test squad for their tour of Sri Lanka – will be Gregory’s deputy in the four-day games.Gregory said: “It’s an honour to be chosen to captain the Lions again and I’m looking forward to what will be a great challenge in Australia. I can’t wait to lead the team out at the iconic MCG against Australia A and try to lay a foundation for future England success Down Under across the whole tour.”I’m fortunate to have some good experience around me, including Tom and Keaton – my vice-captains. It’s important to have reliable people to turn to for advice, as well as players who have experience of playing in Australian conditions, such as Mason Crane, Craig Overton and Richard Gleeson.”It promises to be a tough but rewarding tour and one that will help all of us improve our games in unfamiliar conditions.”Bobat added: “Lewis was an obvious choice to captain the Lions in Australia and I’m confident he’ll bring out the best in our two squads. His previous experience leading the Lions shows that he commands the respect of his team-mates. Tom and Keaton will provide great support in the white and red-ball formats respectively.”

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino says the club have a young player in their ranks with an absolutely elite mentality, with his reputation and promise growing larger by the week.

Chelsea looking to salvage Europe and win FA Cup

Pochettino, it's safe to say, has been under plenty of pressure over his debut campaign in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

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He’s been a standout in Pochettino’s team.

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The Argentine's side have been very stop-start over 2023/2024, but could still salvage a place in Europe next season with games in hand on the likes of Newcastle and West Ham United just above them in the table.

Sealing a Conference League place wouldn't exactly be viewed as the season of dreams by supporters, especially after their club pumped over £400 million into the squad last summer, but winning the FA Cup would give Chelsea plenty of confidence and something to build upon for next term.

Chelsea's next league fixtures

Date

Sheffield United (away)

Sunday

Everton (home)

April 15th

Arsenal (away)

April 23rd

Aston Villa (away)

April 27th

Tottenham (home)

May 2nd

The next few months could be make or break for Pochettino, with Chelsea thought to be looking at managerial alternatives in case the 51-year-old's tenure is brought to an unceremonious end.

He's been reliant on a few key stars to help save something from this very inconsistent season, and the pick of the bunch has arguably been summer signing Cole Palmer.

The 21-year-old arrived in west London as one of England's hottest young talents, having seriously impressed at Man City when given the chance. In pursuit of more guaranteed game time, Palmer opted to make the move to Chelsea, where he has since bagged a brilliant 16 goals and eight assists in just 25 league appearances.

Pochettino praises Cole Palmer's elite mentality

Speaking to FourFourTwo this week, Pochettino has hailed Palmer's elite mentality at Chelsea, describing it as one of his "best skills".

“One of his best skills is his mentality, his capacity to deal with the pressure," said Pochettino after their dramatic 4-3 win over Man United.

"He's young, I think it's his first season playing very consistently. I think it's amazing the way he deals with the pressure. He can be a very good player. If we talk today, it's impossible to not say he's a top player, no? But he can still do things to improve."

Commenting on the last-gasp win over United, Pochettino added that he wants to entertain the fans with attacking football, and Palmer will be absolutely key to that.

“Football is about entertainment, a spectacle that is about to score goals, feel the passion and to build the passion when you play," Pochettino continued.

"The team needs to translate to the fans. Of course the fans will connect with the team when we start like that today, the way we wanted to always [start]. When you play Manchester United, when you play Burnley, when you play in every single game.

“But yes, I like to score goals, I don't like to concede goals like today, but this is the normal process."

وجه أسطورة منتخب فرنسا وناديي برشلونة وآرسنال الأسبق، تييري هنري، انتقادات قاسية لمواطنه، كيليان مبابي، الذي يقدم مستوى سيئًا للغاية مع ريال مدريد.

وانتقل مبابي في الميركاتو الصيفي الماضي بالمجان لصالح ريال مدريد قادمًا من باريس سان جيرمان ولكن النجم الفرنسي لم يظهر بمستواه المعروف بعد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بنزيما: فينيسيوس هو مشكلة مبابي في ريال مدريد

وقال هنري في تصريحات عبر شبكة “CBS Sports” الأمريكية: “أعتقد أن الفريق بأكمله محبط من مبابي، الأمر ليس سهلًا بالنسبة له لأنه لاعب جديد”.

وتابع: “رغم أن علينا منحه الوقت الكافي إلا أنه عليه أن يبذل مجهودًا أكثر ويشارك في النواحي الدفاعية وهو ما لم يفعله أمام ميلان”.

واستمر: “جود بيلينجهام هو من يحاول دائمًا أن يقوم بدور مركز 9 من خلال الركض وكسر الخطوط وتشكيل الخطورة على مرمى المنافس”.

وواصل: “لكن عندما تنظر لمهاجمك الأساسي لا يقوم بواجباته ولا يساعد زملاءه عكس ما يقوم به بيلينجهام رغم أنه ليس في هذا المركز، الإرادة والرغبة مختلفة بينهما”.

وأضاف: “لقد قام بيلينجهام بكل شيء، وفي النهاية، يقوم المدرب باستبداله، إذا كنت في مكانه سأغضب جدًا وأركل الزجاجة مثله”.

وزاد: “أعتقد أن مبابي سيتحسن مستواه لأنه لن يكون أسوأ من ذلك، نحن لا نطلب منه أن يحتفظ بالكرة مثل ديدييه دروجبا، لا نطلب منه أخذ الكرة ومراوغة الجميع ولكن يجب أن يظهر بمستوى جيد سواء كان جناحًا أو في مركز 9 أو 10، انظر إلى أنطونيو روديجر فهو يفعل ذلك”.

وعن أداء ريال مدريد: “هناك افتقاد للتوازن، هذا أمر واضح تمامًا، عندما كان يحدث ذلك في الموسم الماضي كان يشارك رودريجو ولكنه الآن على مقاعد البدلاء، لم تكن هناك أي فعالية من فينيسيوس، بينما رودريجو كان يوازن الفريق سواء معه الكرة أم لا”.

وأتم: “أعتقد أن أنشيلوتي سيعاني كثيرًا لإيجاد التشكيل المناسب مع وجود كل هؤلاء النجوم ليعيشوا معًا، لا يمكنك أن تخسر 4-0 ثم 3-1 وتستقبل تسعة أهداف على أرضك، ربما تستطيع القيام بريمونتادا (أمام بوروسيا دورتموند) ولكن لن تفعلها 3 مرات متتالية”.

Rangers have been dealt a potentially massive injury boost ahead of a defining period in their season, according to a fresh update at Ibrox.

Rangers dogged by injuries

The Scottish Premiership giants return to action with the league visit of Hibernian on Saturday afternoon, knowing they can go two points clear of Celtic at the top of the table, once they have played the same number of matches.

While Philippe Clement's side are in a great position to seal a special achievement this season, a string of injuries are threatening to hold them back in their quest for glory.

The likes of Danilo, Kieran Dowell and Abdallah Sima have all been relatively long-term absentees, affecting the level of depth at the manager's disposal. Those aren't the only individuals who are unavailable currently, however, with key midfielder Todd Cantwell also among those on the injury list.

Ridvan Yilmaz has now been added to the absentees, too, having hurt his leg on international duty last week, acting as a real concern, considering he has featured regularly at left-back this season, making a total of 22 appearances in the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers handed Yilmaz huge injury boost

According to a source who has spoken to The Daily Record, however, Yilmaz could be back for Rangers' massive clash with Celtic, with his injury suffered for Turkey not as serious as first thought:

"We’re hoping the recovery process will only take seven to 10 days. Fortunately the injury is not too severe. While we don’t want to put an exact date on it, we’re hoping he will be in the squad or, even better, on the pitch against Celtic."

This is fantastic news for Rangers, assuming Yilmaz does make a speedy recovery, considering how close a potentially defining league clash with Celtic is. The Gers host their biggest rivals on April 7th, and the result at Ibrox could easily end up determining where the title ends up come the end of the season.

Appearances

22

15

Starts

15

13

Goals

1

0

Assists

1

3

Tackles per game

1.1

1.5

Key passes per game

1.7

1.8

Interceptions per game

0.8

0.8

Granted, Borna Barisic is a safe pair of hands who could fill in for the Turk if he is not back in time for the pivotal derby clash, but the latter has been more of a regular under Clement for a reason, representing a younger option.

His manager has also said of him, "he has made a really big evolution – Ridvan is a fighter and we need fighters," with his mentality something that could really come to the fore as a critical period in the campaign arrives.

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Given Rangers' bad luck of late, it wouldn't be a shock to suddenly see Yilmaz ruled out of the Celtic match, missing more action than this update has claimed, but having him available would be a welcome shot in the arm.

Liverpool's 3-1 victory over Sheffield United on Thursday evening was a testament to the belief and doggedness that has been restored under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage last season.

The Anfield side certainly fell remarkably flat last season but powerful summer signings to the midfield and an almighty wave of youth emergence has lifted the squad back to prominence, having clinched the Carabao Cup already, perching top of the Premier League table after 30 fixtures and awaiting Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals.

With Klopp's farewell parade in full swing, the lingering, gnawing dread that is the German's departure persists, and while former frontrunner Xabi Alonso will remain at Bayer Leverkusen, there is confidence that the right alternative will be picked.

Speaking of Leverkusen, who are arguably in the finest form across Europe this term, Liverpool might not be grabbing their manager this summer but there are rumours that one of the table-topping German club's highest performers could be headed for Merseyside.

Liverpool eyeing Bundesliga star

Liverpool focused solely on the reconstruction of the midfield last summer but focus might turn elsewhere in the months to come, and with Trent Alexander-Arnold long touted for an eventual move to midfield, the Reds appear to have registered an interest in Jeremie Frimpong.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are preparing to battle against Arsenal and Manchester United for the dynamic wing-back's signature, enticed by the bargain £35m release clause in Frimpong's contract.

The 23-year-old is set for a trophy-laden campaign under Alonso's wing and might feel that a move to English football would be the best move for his skyrocketing career.

Jeremie Frimpong's season in numbers

Frimpong was formerly a member of Manchester City's unrelenting youth production line, but he failed to make his mark and signed for Leverkusen in a £11.5m back in January 2021 after leaving Pep Guardiola's outfit for Celtic, where he made his name.

He's been a well-regarded talent for some time but he has come alive under Alonso's management and has been in scintillating form this season, posting 12 goals and 11 assists from 35 games in all competitions as Die Werkself cruise toward the Bundesliga title, also into the DFB Pokal final and awaiting West Ham United in the Europa League quarters.

Liverpool could yet meet this Leverkusen superteam in continental competition and Frimpong will be one of the biggest thorns to deal with, with his 23 direct goal contributions this season surpassing that of Luis Diaz (18) and Diogo Jota (also 18).

As per FBref, Frimpong ranks among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 2% for progressive carries and successful take-ons, the top 8% for assists and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90.

It goes without saying that he's something of a sensation in the attacking third, with talent scout Jacek Kulig aptly summing him up as "one of the best wing-backs in Europe."

1.

Ben White

Arsenal

2.

Jules Kounde

Barcelona

3.

Kyle Walker

Manchester City

4.

Alejandro Grimaldo

Bayer Leverkusen

5.

Andy Robertson

Liverpool

It is important to note that Frimpong is not a traditional right-back, ranking among the bottom 5% of positional peers for tackles and the bottom 1% for progressive passes per 90 to underscore this.

While he's in the upper echelon of attacking wide defenders, the same bracket as Alexander-Arnold, the respective phenoms could not be more different in their approach, with Liverpool's vice-captain thriving through his genius ball-playing ability, operating as a defence-splitting outlet from deep.

Frimpong would provide Liverpool with an excellent new dimension, but one can't help but feel it's a move that doesn't make an incredible amount of sense.

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Joe Gomez is starting to ply his trade across a range of different roles but he is a fantastic right-back. Moreover, Conor Bradley has burst onto the scene with frightening success this year and signing Frimpong might just prove to be detrimental to the 20-year-old's development.

Transfer could ruin Conor Bradley

Bradley is undoubtedly one of the finest talents at Liverpool right now, and that's saying something. Klopp's swansong season has seen so many exciting teenagers burst onto the scene but few would argue that Bradley isn't the creme-de-la-creme.

Winning Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Season award while on loan with the League One club last season, the Northern Ireland international has gone from strength to strength since breaking into the first-team with regularity in January, taking advantage of Alexander-Arnold's recent injury issues.

And what a breakthrough it was, with Bradley scoring one goal and supplying six assists across 20 appearances for the Anfield side this season, instrumental in winning the Carabao Cup and fighting for major honours to this point.

He ranks among the top 17% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 1% for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for passes attempted, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles and blocks and the top 15% for aerial duels won per 90.

In the Premier League, while only playing eight matches, Bradley has blitzed competition and averaged 1.8 key passes, 3.5 tackles, 5.0 ball recoveries, 1.4 dribbles and 7.5 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

He's the real deal and with so much room still for growth. Bradley has the trappings of a world-class star and while Frimpong is a top-class attacking outlet, described as a "monster" in the final third by The United Stand's Beth Tucker, he does not boast Bradley's roundedness and defensive tenacity by half.

It just doesn't make sense to inhibit the development of one of the Premier League's most prodigious up-and-comers for a player who ostensibly doesn't have the same spread of elite qualities.

Bradley must be provided with the platform to grow into the player that Klopp and all involved at Liverpool know he is capable of blooming into.

David Beckham's son Brooklyn was rushed to hospital with a broken shoulder, he has revealed.

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• Brooklyn requires medical attention
• Sustains broken shoulder
• Unclear how injury happened

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Brooklyn Beckham posted a selfie on Instagram in which he revealed that he was in a hospital bed, and required medical intervention after sustaining a broken shoulder. It is unclear how exactly the injury came about, but he posted that his wife, Nicola Peltz, is looking after him.

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• WHAT BROOKLYN SAID

  Brooklyn posted on Instagram: "Broke my shoulder but all good cause I have @nicolaannepeltzbeckham to look after me xx love you babe."

• THE GOSSIP

  Brooklyn and his wife have endured a difficult time recently, having lost their pet chihuahua Nala, and started legal action against the dog groomers whom they believe to be responsible. Now, David's son will have to undergo some physio to get back to full health.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Brooklyn and Nicola will work on getting the former back to full fitness. He is perhaps best known as an influencer, although he would claim that he is a chef.

Former Charlton Athletic striker Alfie May, now of Birmingham City, is in contention to clinch the 2023-24 PFA League One Player of the Year award.

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May nominated for League One Player of the Season awardJoined Birmingham City last monthWon League One Golden Boot award last seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The 31-year-old English forward, who won the Golden Boot award in League One in the 2023-24 campaign with 23 goals, has been nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award. May scored 27 times in 50 appearances across all competitions as Charlton finished 16th in the league.

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His time with The Addicks lasted for just one season, though, as the attacker has now moved to Birmingham, where NFL legend Tom Brady is an investor. The Blues finished 22nd in the Championship last season and got relegated. Ahead of starting their campaign in the third division, they have bolstered their attack by roping in the top goalscorer of the league from the last campaign.

DID YOU KNOW?

Along with bagging the top goalscorer's award, May was also named Charlton's Player of the Year and was also included in the EFL League One Team of the Season.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ALFIE MAY?

The English striker could play his first competitive match for Birmingham City on August 10 as the club begin their League 2024-25 season journey against Reading.

The upcoming summer transfer window for Arsenal could depend on how their season ends in the Premier League and the Champions League.

They are still competing to win both competitions and their success in those tournaments could decide the level of target they are able to attract ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

However, despite there still being a number of weeks left to play before the end of the season, Mikel Arteta and Edu are already hard at work to identify targets.

The Premier League giants are reportedly looking at a central midfielder to bolster their options in the middle of the park, with a replacement for Jorginho possibly on the cards.

Arsenal looking for Jorginho replacement

According to CaughtOffside, the Gunners have identified Real Sociedad maestro Martin Zubimendi as a potential addition ahead of the summer transfer window. The report claims that the club are likely to consider him as their priority target in that midfield position, as they do not believe a deal for Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz is realistic at this moment in time.

It states that they are leaning towards a swoop for the Spain international due to there being a release clause in his contract that would allow Edu to get a deal done for €60m (£51m), and they believe that Luiz would be considerably more expensive to sign from their Premier League rivals.

CaughtOffside adds that Zubimendi could be lined up as a replacement for Jorginho, whose contract expires at the end of the season, at the base of the Gunners midfield.

The outlet claims that Italian giants Juventus are interested in a deal for the former Chelsea metronome and have already been in contact with his representatives ahead of a summer move, which would then open up a space in Arteta's squad for the Sociedad star.

Martin Zubimendi compared to Jorginho this season

At the age of 32, Arsenal may see it as the right time to allow Jorginho to depart on a free transfer, rather than extend his deal by another 12 months, to replace him with Zubimendi.

The 25-year-old La Liga star has been in impressive form at the base of his team's midfield this season, where he has showcased his defensive quality.

23/24 season

Martin Zubimendi (LaLiga)

Jorginho (Premier League)

Appearances

30

22

Sofascore rating

7.06

6.94

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.8

1.5

Ball recoveries per game

5.4

2.1

Dribbled past per game

0.6

0.5

Duel success rate

54%

56%

Pass accuracy

86%

90%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish battler has offered more to his side than Jorginho when it comes to winning possession back through tackles, recoveries, and interceptions. This suggests that he could be more useful to Arsenal in big games, domestically and in Europe, when they will need to be strong out of possession to secure the win.

However, the Gunners man boasts the superior passing accuracy and that is something Arteta could work on with his compatriot to improve his all-round game over the years to come.

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Zubimendi, who was once dubbed an "incredible" talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, still has plenty of time left to develop and improve over the years to come, at the age of 25, and could be a long-term signing for Arsenal.

Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen on N'Golo Kante as a backup to Conor Gallagher with the France star eager to play Champions League football again.

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Gallagher in limbo over Atletico transferSpanish club set sights on KanteFrench star interested in returning to EuropeWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Kante has become a prime candidate for Atletico as doubts grow over the club’s ability to finalize a deal for Gallagher. The English midfielder's potential move to Atletico seemed all but confirmed earlier, with the player even participating in training sessions with the team. A £34 million (€39.3m/$43.1m) deal had reportedly been agreed upon, hinging on the transfer of Samu Omorodion to Chelsea. However, with Omorodion's deal collapsing, Gallagher's future now hangs in the balance. Chelsea have instructed Gallagher to return to London, where he will continue training with the under-21 squad while negotiations continue – with Joao Felix now emerging as a surprise candidate to head to Stamford Bridge.

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Kante, known for his tireless work rate and defensive prowess, would bring valuable experience and stability to Atletico’s midfield. Despite his move to the Middle East, the World Cup winner remains an attractive option for top clubs and was earlier linked with a shock move to West Ham. Moreover, the financial package, considering his recent free transfer to the Saudi club, could make him a more affordable option compared to Gallagher.

Atletico have reportedly initiated discussions with Kante's brother, who also serves as his representative, to gauge the player's interest in a move to the Wanda Metropolitano. Kante's camp has expressed a willingness to join Atletico, a prospect that aligns with the midfielder's desire to return to the competitive landscape of European football, particularly the UEFA Champions League.

DID YOU KNOW?

However, Kante's salary demands could pose a challenge. His wages significantly increased following his move to Saudi Arabia, and for a return to Europe, he may need to lower his financial expectations. Al-Ittihad are aware of these discussions but have opted not to interfere, as they have yet to receive any formal offers for the French star. This indicates that a deal could be on the table if Atletico decide to move forward with their interest.

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Goal/GettyImageWHAT NEXT?

Kante's physical fitness and ability to compete at the highest levels were evident during his performances in the European Championship. His skills and experience would be invaluable in La Liga, where his style of play aligns well with the league's tactical demands.

In addition to bolstering their midfield, Atletico are also focusing on strengthening their central defence. The club have identified several candidates, including David Hancko, Piero Hincapié, and Clément Lenglet, as potential signings to fortify their backline, and the addition of a player like Kante, alongside a new central defender, would address two critical areas of need for Diego Simeone's squad as they prepare to challenge city rivals Real Madrid for the championship.

Philippe Clement will be keen on improving his Glasgow Rangers during the summer transfer window, with the hopes of building a team that can dominate domestically over the coming years.

If his January signings are anything to go by, then the future certainly looks bright under the Belgian, as it appears he prefers to sign young talents who are ready to make a mark at a club like Rangers rather than signing established professionals on a big wage.

This could see the Light Blues finally establish a player trading programme which will see them generate significant profits by buying low and selling high.

Mohamed Diomande will join the Gers on a permanent basis at the end of the season for a transfer fee in the region of £4.3m and there is no doubt he will prove to be a massive hit over the next few years.

Clement will be hoping he can secure a major return on his investment should Diomande eventually move on from Rangers. Judging by his recent displays, he won’t be in Scotland for too long, that’s for sure.

The Belgian manager signed Fabio Silva on loan during the winter window. While he won't be around next season, it still proves that his reputation can attract players of his type of quality, and he has shone in Scotland.

Fabio Silva’s statistics for Rangers

Having scored just once for Wolverhampton Wanderers during the first half of the season, it was clear another temporary move would be best for the Portuguese striker during the remaining few months of 2023/24.

As December came to a close, it was announced Rangers had secured his services on loan until May, as Silva would add something extra to the club’s attacking options.

Goals

2

Assists

0

Successful dribbles per game

0.4

Key passes per game

0.6

Big chances missed

4

So far, the 21-year-old has netted four goals in 15 appearances. With four big chances missed in the Premiership, his goal tally should be higher than what it is, but Silva has been a breath of fresh air in the starting XI recently.

Silva averages two shots per game in the top flight, along with averaging 0.6 key passes per game, succeeding with 0.4 successful dribbles per game and winning 2.8 total duels per game.

The youngster has either been deployed as a centre-forward or out wide on the left flank, and it is arguably the latter position in which he has impressed the most.

Against Benfica during the Europa League last 16, second leg, Silva attempted six dribbles attempts during his spell out wide, succeeding with three, while even making one key pass and taking 50 touches, indicating that he was willing to get on the ball as often as possible in order to create chances.

The on-loan dynamo could be a crucial player during the final few weeks of the season for the Light Blues, especially if he continues adding to his goal tally.

Fabio Silva’s market value at Rangers

At the time of writing, Silva is currently valued at €12.8m (£10.9m) according to Football Transfers, ranking as the most valuable player in the current Gers squad.

If he continues his recent form, this value may even increase by the time he returns to the Old Gold in the summer, and it could give him the confidence to kickstart his career at Molineux.

While he may be the highest-valued player at the Light Blues currently, judging by inflation, a player sold by Alex McLeish in 2002 is valued much higher if judged by inflation – Tore Andre Flo.

How much Rangers signed Tore Andre Flo for

Having won five out of the six available domestic trophies available to him during his first two seasons, Dick Advocaat was struggling during the opening few months of the 2000/01 campaign.

Martin O’Neil had rejuvenated Celtic as they were about to embark on a treble-winning season, while it was clear the Dutchman needed to make another signing or two.

In November of that year, the former PSV Eindhoven manager splashed out a club record £12m fee to sign Flo from Chelsea with the hope that he could add a spark to the Gers side.

Tore Andre Flo’s Rangers statistics

The Norwegian instantly endeared himself to the supporters by scoring on his debut against Celtic in a 5-1 victory as it looked like he could be a wonderful addition to the squad.

Throughout the rest of the season, Flo added another 12 goals before enjoying a productive 2001/02 campaign.

Across 46 matches, Flo found the back of the net on 25 occasions as the Light Blues won the domestic cup double. The former Chelsea star perhaps wasn’t the most consistent of players, but he knew where the back of the net was.

Despite his form the season prior, McLeish was under pressure to sell players due to the club’s deteriorating financial situation. With Flo one of his prized assets, it was natural that he would be the first to be sold.

How much Tore Andre Flo is worth in 2024 money

The Norwegian striker was sold to Sunderland for a fee of £9.9m in August 2002 in order to help their financial situation.

In 2024, money, however – with Totally Money having adjusted for inflation over the years – Flo would now be worth £37.9m, a staggering increase.

It proves that while Rangers perhaps overpaid to sign Flo in the first place, managing to recoup a decent chunk of their initial outlay allowed McLeish some breathing space as they hit the jackpot on the centre-forward.

He may not go down as an icon among the Ibrox supporters, but Flo ended his career in Glasgow with 38 goals across 72 matches, which works out as around a goal every 1.9 matches, a decent enough record to say the least.

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His value in 2024 would see him be the most valued player in the Rangers squad by a mile, with only Silva coming anywhere near to him.

The Glasgow side might not be in a position to spend £12m like they did at the turn of the century, but Clement will be hoping to buy players for a fraction of the price in order to make a big profit on them in the future.