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Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale was backed by the board throughout the summer transfer window as he was able to bring in nine new players.

Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, Danilo, Jose Cifuentes, and Leon Balogun all came through the door on permanent deals, whilst Abdallah Sima joined on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.

As shown in the table above, the Scottish giants have only splashed the cash, to a significant degree, on one player in their history – Tore Andre Flo.

The Norway international joined from Premier League side Chelsea ahead of the 2000/01 campaign but things could have been different for Rangers if they were able to get their other target, as they failed to secure a player who could have been an upgrade on the ex-Blues man.

Were Rangers interested in Ruud van Nistelrooy?

Former Gers boss Dick Advocaat was reportedly keen on a deal to sign Dutch marksman Ruud Van Nistelrooy from PSV in the summer of 2000.

The ex-Light Blues tactician was prepared to make a £15m offer to sign the prolific ace, which would have been a Scottish transfer record at the time of the move.

However, he was unable to convince the Netherlands international to make the move to Scotland and fumbled the possible opportunity to bring him to Ibrox that year.

Advocaat then moved on from van Nistelrooy and did break the transfer record with a swoop for Flo later that summer after he did not do enough to persuade the Dutch star.

Rangers were interested in signing the lethal ace after he had caught the eye with his terrific form for PSV in his home country over the previous two seasons.

Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Dutch side during the 1998/99 campaign as he plundered a phenomenal 41 goals and ten assists in 46 matches across all competitions.

He followed that up with 32 goals and eight assists in 32 games for PSV during the 1999/00 season, which included a mind-boggling 29 goals and eight assists in 23 league outings.

In total, the outstanding finisher scored 77 goals and provided 20 assists in 90 matches for the club, which attracted interest from Rangers and convinced Advocaat to prepare a £15m offer for his services.

The Scottish giants were unable to get a move over the line for the prolific gem and he ended up signing for Manchester United in the Premier League later that summer.

How many goals did van Nistelrooy score for Manchester United?

Van Nistelrooy, who was once described as "devastating" by former teammate Rio Ferdinand, went on to score 150 goals in 219 matches for the Red Devils during his time in England.

He proved himself to be a reliable goalscorer for Sir Alex Ferguson as he contributed with 95 goals and 14 assists in 150 Premier League appearances for the club.

This means that he found the back of the net once every 1.46 matches in all competitions and once every 1.58 league games on average throughout his spell at Old Trafford.

The Dutch marksman, who won the Premier League Golden Boot with 25 strikes during the 2002/03 campaign, won the top-flight, the FA Cup, and the League Cup with United as he racked up silverware to go along with his personal achievements on the pitch.

By the end of his time in England, as he left to join Real Madrid in 2006, Transfermarkt placed his market valuation at a whopping €32m (£27.6m).

This means that his value had soared by £12.6m from the £15m that Rangers were willing to pay for him six years prior to that, which shows that the exceptional dynamo could have made the Scottish giants a significant profit in the future to go along with a constant stream of goals.

Instead, they signed Flo and the Norway international did not go on to enjoy as much success as van Nistelrooy did with his new club in 2000.

How many goals did Tore Andre Flo score for Rangers?

The former Chelsea number nine scored 33 goals in 64 matches in all competitions for the Light Blues over the course of two years in Scotland.

Flo produced 11 goals and one assist in 19 Scottish Premiership outings during his debut campaign with Advocaat's side, as he showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

He then racked up 18 goals and five assists in 30 league matches throughout the 2001/02, which meant that the Norwegian ace scored once every 1.69 top-flight games on average for Rangers.

The Gers forward did, however, struggle in Europe as he scored one goal in seven UEFA Cup appearances during his second season at Ibrox. Flo failed to step up to the plate against European opposition in the games where he could have showcased his ability against higher-quality opposition.

Overall, the former Premier League striker scored once every 1.94 clashes in all competitions for Rangers, which is not as impressive as van Nistelrooy's aforementioned output of a goal every 1.47 games for United throughout his spell in England after the Gers were interested in him.

Flo's market value also plummeted as the Dutch star's price soared. Sunderland signed the Norway international from the Light Blues in the summer of 2002 for a reported fee of £6.75m.

This was considerably less than the aforementioned £15.5m-rated move to Ibrox in 2000 and even less than the £27.6m that van Nistelrooy was valued at in 2006 by the time he left Old Trafford.

Therefore, Rangers had a nightmare with their failed swoop for the ex-Real Madrid and United star as he went on to prove himself to be a huge upgrade on Flo with his ability to find the back of the net at an exceptional rate at the top level.

Advocaat and the Gers could have benefited from his quality on the pitch for a few seasons before being able to sell him on for a significant profit, based on his soaring market value, and, instead, lost money on the ex-Chelsea finisher.

Chelsea boast one of the most affluent youth academies in world football that rapidly churns out young talent and while some have earned their opportunity to shine in the first team, others have been tossed by the wayside; sent out on loan or sold for a profit.

The likes of Reece James and Conor Gallagher have flourished in the senior setup since being given the chance, with the former being lauded as the best right back in the country on numerous occasions, although an injury-ravaged spell has somewhat curtailed his progression and prevented him from continuing his stunning form.

Mason Mount was another who prospered for Chelsea after rising through the youth ranks, making 195 appearances for the club before transferring to Manchester United for £55m this summer.

But where James, Gallagher and Mount are examples of the Blues utilising the talent from their youth setup effectively, the likes of Marc Guehi, Jamal Musiala, Declan Rice and Michael Olise have all seen their value skyrocket elsewhere since departing the club as youngsters.

Despite featuring on five occasions in the first-team at Chelsea, Nathan Ake is another star who left west London in 2017 and has become a revelation elsewhere.

How much did Chelsea sell Nathan Ake for?

On the back of their Premier League title triumph in 2016/17, spearheaded by Antonio Conte, Chelsea were stacked with defensive options and the Italian didn't see how Nathan Ake was going to dislodge the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz and Gary Cahill.

Instead, the Blues thought it would be better for his development to go elsewhere and after a successful loan spell at Bournemouth, the Cherries snapped him up for a club-record £20m in the summer of 2017.

In hindsight, Conte should have seen the potential in the Dutchman and given him chances to impress in the first team, but he preferred to stick with an ageing defence that helped him win the league title, staying faithful to Cahill and Luiz without planning for the future.

Offloading Ake would be a decision they'd live to regret as fellow international teammate, Virgil van Dijk, backed to him excel at the very top and labelled him as a "fantastic player" following his sensational performances for Bournemouth.

The 5 foot 11 stalwart would go on to make 121 appearances at the Vitality Stadium and scored an incredible 11 times before proving van Dijk right by making a £41m move to Manchester City in 2020.

How has Nathan Ake performed at Manchester City?

Man City have an abundance of quality in all areas of the field, particularly in the defensive areas, meaning Nathan Ake has had to bide his time for opportunities.

During his first two seasons at the club, the 28-year-old struggled to stamp a regular place in the team, making a combined 24 appearances in the Premier League.

While rarely featuring could have deterred the Dutchman, it actually spurred him on to become an integral part of Pep Guardiola's winning machine as he appeared on 41 occasions in all competitions in the 2022/23 season and was lauded as "exceptional" by the Spaniard for his contributions to their treble winning success.

Ake is first and foremost, an exceptional one vs one defender, who rarely gets beaten for pace, but he's also superb in possession and is crucial to kick-starting attacks from deep with his brilliant passing range, standing out among the best defenders in Europe's top five leagues for his ability on the ball.

According to FBref, when compared against his positional peers across the past year, Ake ranks within the top 1% for passes completed, the best 2% for progressive passes and pass completion, excelling with his ability to break the lines with his passing while manoeuvring out of tight spaces when the opposition active their press.

In the current climate, it's difficult to find a top-level defender who is complete when it comes to his out-and-out defensive attributes but also the influence they have on their side in the build-up phase, and Ake is certainly in that bracket.

Currently valued at a whopping £52m, as per Football Observatory, and entering the prime years of his career, not showing patience in the £160k per-week star is one of many mistakes that Chelsea have made in recent times.

Wrexham fans have been set the challenge of coming up with a “proper song” for an unsung hero snapped up by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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• Cannon snapped up in December 2022
• Helped secure promotion back into the EFL
• Important part of Parkinson's plans

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Andy Cannon joined the Red Dragons from Hull City in December 2022, bringing with him National League experience from a loan spell at Stockport County. He enjoyed promotion parties in back-to-back campaigns as Wrexham swept to a record-breaking title triumph in 2023.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The hard-working midfielder has been a regular in Phil Parkinson’s plans this season, taking in 31 appearances across all competitions. His value to the cause is not lost on those around him, while supporters have taken a consistent performer to their hearts.

• WHAT KER SAID ABOUT CANNON

  Cannon does not, however, hold the same standing at SToK Racecourse as the likes of star striker Paul Mullin and former Republic of Ireland international James McClean. Club director Humphrey Ker hopes that situation changes soon, posting on X following a 3-1 win over Morecambe: “Man of the Match performance. All hail @andycannon96, the prancing Prince of the Stōk Cae Ras. High time he had a proper song.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CANNON & WREXHAM?

  Cannon will not be overly concerned if he remains off the Wrexham song list. The priority for all concerned this season is to collect enough points from the club’s 10 remaining games in 2023-24 to ensure that they secure a top-three finish in League Two and automatic promotion.

Everton’s relegation worries in the Premier League are now a distant memory with David Moyes at the helm.

Since his return to the Toffees hot seat, the rejuvenated Merseyside outfit have only lost once in the Premier League, with a fifth victory from eight clashes on the cards if it wasn’t for a late Manchester United turnaround last time out.

Still, with how bleak times were under Sean Dyche, nobody at full-time would grumble too much with a share of the points, as the Scotsman continues to get the best out of players once cast aside by the ex-Burnley boss.

Everton star looks "transformed" under Moyes

The main Toffees man who has seen his career pumped full of new life since Moyes’ return opened the scoring against Ruben Amorim’s hit-and-miss Red Devils, with the revitalised centre-forward in the midst of an unbelievable purple patch of form.

Indeed, the “transformed” Beto – as he’s labelled by football journalist Henry Winter – now has five strikes from his last four Premier League outings, with the Portuguese striker in the right place at the right time to fire home a strike after some lax United attempts to clear the ball away.

This is the case despite Dyche regularly not throwing the imposing 6 foot 4 figure into contests, with all five of his league starts for the season coming under Moyes, as the ex-Udinese man more than continues to justify his fresh manager’s belief in him.

Whilst this is an obvious plus at Goodison Park, this new development could be another nail in the coffin for an injury-prone Toffees face, with an exit from the club growing closer.

Chalkboard

Big-money earner now looks finished after Beto emergence

Everton were in dire need of something fresh in the striker department, with Dyche’s Toffees very much goal-shy and tepid in forward areas when you consider his lowly side only bagged one meagre goal from his final five top-flight outings.

That’s where Beto has thankfully come to the rescue, but it could signal the end for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, therefore, who sees his contract with the Merseyside titans expire this approaching June.

From 14 more Premier League starts this campaign than Beto, the declining 27-year-old only has a weak three strikes next to his name, with this sorry tale of the Everton number nine unfolding for some time now.

Last season, Calvert-Lewin only bagged one more than his counterpart’s ever-growing total across 26 league matches, as his powers in front of goal noticeably began to wane more and more away from focusing in on his consistent spells out of the side owing to injury.

When looking at the table above, it does feel as if Calvert-Lewin has been steadily falling off since his 21-goal season back in the 2020/21 campaign, with a whole host of injury issues impacting the ex-Sheffield United attacker negatively.

Already missing from action for eight games this time around, Moyes and Co can only be patient with their £100k-per-week man for so long, as reports now even begin to surface that Everton are interested in a summer swoop for ex-Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham.

Whilst it’s clear that Calvert-Lewin can be a goal machine, his best days do seem to be behind him now, whilst Beto might well have more in the tank moving forward.

Everton can strike gold on "unsung hero" who's a £50m star in the making

He’s made a positive impression at Goodison Park this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 23, 2025

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was seen limping in pain during Norway training while on international duty.

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• Erling Haaland seen limping
• Striker on Norway duty
• Man City face Arsenal this month

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Video footage widely circulating on social media on Tuesday showed Haaland first bent over feeling towards what appeared to be his right leg. He then hobbled away in visible discomfort, shaking his head and putting both hands on his knees as he puffed out his cheeks.

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  City boss Pep Guardiola seemed to warn Norway about using Haaland carefully during this international break after the forward came off shortly before the end of the FA Cup quarter-final win over Newcastle at the weekend. "They know they are friendly games and they have to handle it wisely. Hopefully they can do it," he said, referring to upcoming fixtures against Czech Republic and Slovakia. Haaland had already missed 10 games across all competitions for City in December and January due to a foot injury.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND & MAN CITY?

  Although Norway are keen to pick up wins in those pair of friendlies, there is little consequence to them if Haaland misses out. His short-term fitness is of far greater importance to Manchester City given the crucial stage of the season they are now entering. City will face Arsenal when Premier League football resumes on March 31, with the Gunners currently ahead in the table by a point and Liverpool also sandwiched between them. Only 10 games remain. The first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu is also coming into view on April 9.

Rangers haven't exactly had a routine season so far in the Scottish Premiership, with Michael Beale's poor run of results leaving them with no choice but to dismiss the former Queens Park Rangers manager. In his place is Philippe Clement, who previously took charge of AS Monaco. The new boss has a difficult task on his hands, with the Gers in the midst of a slight transitional period that they hope will end with silverware once again.

More changes off the pitch are set to add to Rangers' woes, too, according to reports, with a key member of the club's backroom staff set to depart the club in favour of a Premier League move.

Latest Rangers transfer news

Even though Clement will be forced to wait until the January transfer window before he can make changes on the pitch and leave his mark on his new squad, Rangers can at least make some adjustments upstairs, for better or worse. The changes could take some getting used to for all involved, but if Clement has success, then the Gers will not be complaining, having already fallen seven points behind Celtic this season.

The latest Rangers transfer news suggests that Phil Cowen could be among the changes. According to Football Insider, the club's head of talent ID has handed in his notice, and has agreed to join Premier League side Arsenal as the head of their academy scouting. The news coincides with Rangers' reported attempts to land Brighton & Hove Albion recruitment chief Sam Jewell, however, perhaps making the move from Cowen more logical.

Jewell is reportedly weighing up the move, but is hesitant to leave Brighton at the highest point in the club's history, in a rise that he has played an important role in at The Amex.

Who is Phil Cowen?

The head of talent ID at Rangers since 2021, Cowen has played a part in the promotion of youth players such as Ross McCausland into the first-team at Ibrox. And as Clement looks to utilise every aspect of his squad, losing the Arsenal-bound Cowen could come as a major blow. It signals yet more disorganisation from a Rangers perspective, amid the recent managerial change.

If the Gers can land Jewell, then it may be seen as a good move all round, but there's no indication that they have the power to pull the Brighton man away from the impressive job that he's currently doing for the Seagulls. As for Cowen, he now has the opportunity to work with one of the best academies in English football, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Ashley Cole, and Tony Adams all graduating from Hale End throughout Arsenal's history.

After the international break, Rangers square off against Hibernian, where they will hope to put an end to the chaos both on and off the pitch by securing all three points in Clement's first game in charge. As the weeks go on, we'll get more of an idea just how far the new manager can take the Gers in the Scottish Premiership and Europe.

Sven-Goran Eriksson received a stand ovation from the Anfield crowd as he emerged from the tunnel to lead out the Liverpool Legends side on Saturday.

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• Sven-Goran Eriksson managing Liverpool Legends
• Former England boss is terminally ill
• Given standing ovation at Anfield

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Eriksson said it had been his lifelong dream to manage Liverpool and was given the opportunity of managing a team of Liverpool legends against a team of Ajax legends. The former manager revealed in January that he is fighting terminal pancreatic cancer and has been granted his wish to manage one final game at Anfield. As Eriksson walked out the tunnel for the first time on Saturday he was met with raucous applause.

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  Eriksson is a managerial icon and was greeted as such by Jurgen Klopp. Eriksson has managed the likes of IFK Gothenburg, Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester City. However, his is most well-known for his international managerial career in which he oversaw Ivory Coast, Mexico, the Philippines and England. Eriksson led The Three Lions and its 'golden generation' between 2001 and 2006.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ERIKSSON?

  Eriksson has managed to fulfil his dream of managing a game at Anfield. He, alongside John Barnes and Ian Rush, selected a side that included the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

New Rangers manager Philippe Clement is set for backing from the Gers board as one journalist shares some promising transfer news.

Rangers fixtures and results

The Gers look back on track after sacking former boss Michael Beale, with Clement unbeaten over his first two Rangers games in all competitions. They faced a tough Europa League task on Thursday evening after thrashing Hibernian 4-0 last weekend, with Czech Republic giants Sparta Prague awaiting them at the Epet Arena.

Clement's side came through unscathed, thanks to some early saves from Jack Butland, and even had late chances to snatch a win. While Sam Lammers and Danilo couldn't capitalise on those opportunities, Clement was still thrilled with Rangers' second half display.

"The second half was much better. In the end it was a game that was in the balance, the first half for Sparta, the second half for us," said the Belgian in a post-match press conference.

"But I am happy with the reaction in the second half. It has been a very special week, losing three left full-backs and because of that we had to change the system and doing that with two training sessions is very difficult for any team in the world."

Clement then went to praise the mentality of his Scottish Premiership title hopefuls, saying that his players were disappointed to only take a point away from what was a tough fixture.

"It is a very important point. Getting points away from home is really important but I am a winner, I want to win always and I want the team to have the same mentality.

"I saw it after the game, they were disappointed that they didn't win and that is the mentality we need in the next couple of months but in the circumstances we can be happy with a point against a team that plays really good football, a team with a lot of quality. The reaction in the second half was good and we need to build on that."

The Glasgow giants next face off against Hearts at the weekend after battering their Edinburgh neighbours, and on-lookers will be hoping Clement can keep building on the positive results of his early tenure.

Rangers chiefs set to back Clement

In more good news for the 49-year-old, it is believed that Rangers chiefs are determined to give him what he wants in the January transfer window. There has been little in the way of Ibrox rumours to come out recently, with former England Under-17 international Mason Cotcher being one of the only players linked with Rangers this week.

A summer of heavy spending for Beale could be to blame for this, but journalist Pete O'Rourke has now told Football Insider that Gers officials are set to back Clement regardless. O'Rourke says that the club are working very hard to make funds available for him, and those in power will do "everything they can" to ensure Clement's transfer wishes are fulfilled.

"I’m told the Ibrox board are working hard to make transfer funds available for new manager Philippe Clement," wrote the reporter.

"Funds are tight at Rangers – but sources say Clement is keen to put his own stamp on his new side by bringing in players known to him. I’m told club chiefs will do “everything they can” to give the Belgian what he needs to succeed this season."

Mikel Arteta says his Arsenal players have been "missing" each other over the international break and is relishing a "beautiful" end to the season.

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• Arsenal players return from international duty
• Arteta says squad's bond is very strong
• Manager relishing final stretch of the season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gunners boss Arteta says his players are chomping at the bit for the Premier League run-in and the bond between the squad is very strong as they "missed" spending time with the group while they were away with their respective countries.

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  WHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

  He told Sky Sports: "I saw the players walking into the building yesterday after the international break and they were excited, the energy was so positive and that is exactly what I want to see. It means they've been missing spending time with each other and I know that for a fact. They were happy to be back and that is a huge compliment to everybody who works at Arsenal, the staff as well. Now they know what is coming and they are ready for it. The most beautiful part of the season is still to play for."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal's clash with defending Premier League champions City on Sunday afternoon is potentially a season-defining encounter. Pep Guardiola's men, who are currently third in the table, hauled in the Gunners last season but the table-topping north London outfit will be determined to prove they have more steeliness to lift the trophy this time out. A win for the Cityzens could take them top if Liverpool fail to beat Brighton on Sunday but victory for the visitors will see them open up a four point gap on City.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Following this heavyweight clash in Manchester at 4.30pm, Guardiola's men host Champions League-chasing Aston Villa at the Etihad on Wednesday night, whereas Arsenal entertain relegation-threatened Luton Town on the same date.

Fans slammed Manchester United after reports emerged that they are set to offer Marc Skinner a new deal despite dismal show in WSL.

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• Man Utd set to offer Skinner a new deal
• Fans slam club for offering a new contract
• Red Devils have struggled under Skinner this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , United are planning to offer a new contract to their women's team manager Marc Skinner. The club are yet to present a formal offer to the coach but have reportedly entered negotiations and are discussing terms. The 41-year-old's existing contract expires at the end of the 2023/24 season and the decision to offer him a new deal was taken by the club's current leadership with input from INEOS.

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• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Fans were furious upon learning about the club holding contract talks with the manager despite the team's woeful performance in the current campaign where they find themselves fourth in the league, 15 points behind leaders Manchester City.

  A disappointed fan @reecethered123 predicted that the Red Devils will be relegated to the second division if Skinner continued at the helm with a post on X that read: "There's only 1 place we are going to then – the Championship."

  Another fan @maki_abraham has given up hope on winning trophies under the current manager's tutelage, predicting: "Sad day for @ManUtdWomen fans i’m done with this club terminated my contract with immediate effect."

  Manchester United were also accused of lacking ambition by @SammIK92: "Ugh, serious lack of ambition."

  And @DNeyko wants Skinner to leave the club, posting on X: "INEOS aint serious about ManUtdWomen by giving Marc Skinner a contract extension. The guys is just fraud #SkinnerOut #MUWomen."

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  The Red Devils have failed to win a single trophy since the English manager took charge of the club in 2021 after joining them from Orlando Pride. The club finished runners-up behind Chelsea in last season's FA Women's Cup. They even challenged the Blues for the WSL title in the 2022/23 season as the title race went down the wire.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  The club will be back in action on April 14 as they are all set to face in-form Chelsea in the semi-final of the Women's FA Cup on Sunday.