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Tottenham Hotspur are “potentially leading the race” for a striker “capable of scoring 40 goals a season”, with chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange trying to get one outfield signing through the door before February 3rd.

Tottenham targeting late January deal to sign new striker for Postecoglou

Dominic Solanke is expected to be out for well over a month after injuring his knee in training, and amid Spurs’ injury crisis, this spells real trouble for Postecoglou who has previous few alternatives to the 27-year-old.

Tottenham reach out to agents over signing "remarkably quick" £25m defender

Spurs could still get a centre-back over the line.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 31, 2025

Spurs tried to sign Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG earlier this month, but were eventually thwarted in their attempts by Juventus, who ended up winning the race for his signature and bagged the versatile attacker on a straight temporary deal.

Now, Levy and Lange’s attention has switched to Bayern Munich starlet Mathys Tel, and they appear to be making serious headway in pursuit of the versatile young striker.

Reliable media sources are claiming that Tottenham have already agreed a fee to sign Tel permanently for around £50 million, but the 19-year-old is apparently taking his time to make a decision over whether he’ll join the Lilywhites.

Sky Sports have their own update on the situation from this lunchtime, and they share exactly why Tel is in mixed minds over making the move to north London.

Tottenham leading Mathys Tel race, but player might desire loan move

As per the broadcast giant, via X, Tel might just want to leave Bayern on loan, rather than indefinitely – even if Spurs are possibly in pole position for his services after being the only club to submit a concrete bid.

“We understand that Tottenham are the only team to come in with a bid to buy the player,” claimed a Sky reporter.

“It’s a £50 million bid which the club, Bayern Munich, have certainly entertained that idea, but it’s the player who hasn’t decided.

“If he does want to move away, will he want to make it a permanent move? Potentially not, we hear. He might just want to go on loan, because he sees himself as having a future in the long-term at Bayern Munich. So, Tottenham potentially leading the race for him, but still a long way to go.”

If Postecoglou cannot land the highly-rated Frenchman – who former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsman said is capable of “scoring 40 goals a season” – it will be a major blow, and would force the club’s recruitment team back to square one yet again after missing out on Kolo Muani.

The January transfer window never seems to produce the same level of excitement as the summer one. Some clubs feel like they don’t need to do business midway through a season, while others dread it in case a bigger side targets one of their in-form stars.

Of course, there have been a few exceptions in recent years. Who can forget Chelsea’s spending spree in January 2023? Eight players were signed as the Blues spent in excess of £250m to bolster their squad.

January 2011 also provided plenty of excitement, as Chelsea splashed out £50m to sign Fernando Torres from Liverpool. The Anfield side subsequently used this cash to bring in Andy Carroll and Luis Suárez.

This year, however, there have only been a few major deals. We have taken a look at the biggest ones of the window.

15

Emmanuel Agbadou

Reims to Wolves (£16.6m)

Emmanuel Agbadou became Vitor Pereira’s first signing since taking over at Wolves. The centre-back cost the Old Gold £16.6m as the Portuguese manager bolstered his defensive options.

The Ivory Coast international arrives with plenty of experience, having made 75 appearances in Ligue 1 for Stade Reims and he could be a crucial signing as Wolves aim to avoid relegation.

Wolves' most expensive signings of all time

Football FanCast takes a detailed look at Wolves’ 10 most expensive signings of all time.

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 5, 2025

14

Claudinho

Zenit to Al-Sadd (£16.7m)

Claudinho spent three and a half seasons with Zenit St Petersburg, scoring 21 goals for the club during his time in Russia.

The Brazilian – who helped his country win Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 – made the move to Qatari side Al-Sadd, who paid €20m (£16.7m) to secure his services.

13

Seko Fofana

Al-Nassr to Rennes (£16.7m)

Seko Fofana made his return to Ligue 1 by agreeing a €20m (£16.7m) deal to join Rennes from Al-Nassr.

The 29-year-old helped his country win the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, while he has also played 139 matches in the French top flight, suggesting he could turn out to be an excellent signing for Rennes.

The 12 most expensive January window transfers of all time

Who is the most expensive mid-season addition in history?

By
Henry Jackson

Jan 24, 2025

12

Amine Gouiri

Rennes to Marseille (£18.4m)

Rennes spending big on Fofana meant that an outgoing was always on the cards. Ligue 1 rivals Marseille spent a reported €22m (£18.4m) including add-ons to sign attacker Amine Gouiri, with Elye Wahi having recently departed the Velodrome.

Gouiri, whose deal includes €3m worth of potential add-ons, will now link up with former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi in the south of France.

11

Jaden Philogene

Aston Villa to Ipswich (£20m)

Jaden Philogene only sealed a return to Aston Villa last summer, yet Unai Emery didn’t give him a fair crack of the whip over the first six months of the season.

Ipswich Town came in with a £20m bid, which was too good to turn down. The youngster has plenty of talent, and he could be a solid signing for the Tractor Boys as they aim to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

10

Donyell Malen

Borussia Dortmund to Aston Villa (£21m)

Unai Emery selling Philogene for £20m and signing Donyell Malen to replace him for £21.5m could be a wise piece of transfer business by the manager.

The 26-year-old has a plethora of experience playing in Europe, starring for both Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven, scoring 94 goals across 248 appearances for both clubs.

If he hits the ground running, Malen could turn out to be one of Emery’s finest signings at Villa Park.

9

Elye Wahi

Marseille to Frankfurt (£24.2m)

Eintracht Frankfurt sold Omar Marmoush to Manchester City, which meant they needed to sign an able replacement. Step forward, Elye Wahi. The French centre-forward joined the German side for a fee in the region of €29m including add-ons (£24.2m) from Marseille.

Injury problems had restricted the 22-year-old to just 14 appearances and three goals for the Ligue 1 side, but perhaps a fresh start in Germany could see him finally fulfil his vast potential.

8

Luiz Henrique

Botafogo to Zenit (£29.3m)

Luiz Henrique departed Brazilian side Botafogo to join Zenit in a deal worth a reported €35m (£29m).

The 24-year-old has won six caps for Brazil, scoring twice for his country, while he also helped Botafogo claim the Copa Libertadores for the first time in November 2024.

Henrique has played in Europe before, enjoying a productive two-year spell at Real Betis, which could stand him in good stead following his move to Russia.

7

Vitor Reis

Palmeiras to Man City (£29.6m)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wasted no time in bulking out his squad during the January transfer window. Brazilian defender Vitor Reis joined in a £29.6m deal from Palmeiras.

The 19-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract, despite making only 22 appearances for the Brazilian side. It is very much a transfer for the future, but what a future he has.

Man City's most expensive signings of all time

The Citizens have spent a lot of money over the years.

By
Barney Lane

Jan 28, 2025

6

Abdukodir Khusanov

Lens to Man City (£33.6m)

Reis wasn’t the only defender signed by Manchester City this month. Abdukodir Khusanov made history by becoming the first Uzbekistan defender to play in the Premier League.

Costing £33.6m from Lens, Guardiola has signed yet another promising talent, who could develop into a world-class centre-back.

The legendary drummer brought rock star energy to the BMO Stadium when he joined the club’s drumline during the action-packed draw

• Legendary drummer participated in LAFC's in-game percussion section
• Cool's appearance coincided with Green Day's concert dates in Los Angeles
• Musician supported LAFC during comeback draw in front of sold-out crowd

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  During LAFC's home match against St. Louis City, Green Day drummer Tré Cool made a surprise appearance in the supporters' section. He joined the club's official drumline to help lead chants throughout the second half. The punk rock legend, wearing an LAFC jersey, energized the 3252 supporters' group as the home team rallied from a goal down to secure a 2-2 draw in dramatic fashion. His appearance reinforces LAFC's reputation for attracting celebrity supporters.

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  LAFC battled to a 2-2 draw against St. Louis City at the BMO stadium with Cedric Teuchert opening the scoring for St. Louis just after half-time. But Denis Bouanga equalised in the 70th minute for LAFC only for a Nathan Ordaz own goal in the 89th minute to give St. Louis the lead back. However, Bouanga’s second goal of the night levelled things back up for LAFC in extra time.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The draw keeps LAFC in eighth place on the Western Conference table with 14 points after 10 league games, and they remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. They face the Houston Dynamo next on May 3 and then travel to the Vancouver Whitecaps on May 11.

Ousmane Dembele's brilliant performances for PSG have been rewarded with the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award as Luis Enrique's side eye two trophies.

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• Dembele named best player in Ligue 1
• Frenchman is league's top scorer with 21
• PSG could finish season with four trophies

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Paris Saint-Germain dominated the end-of-season UNFP awards in a ceremony held on Sunday night in Paris, with red-hot forward Dembele scooping the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award for his exploits in front of goal. The award comes right before two more finals that PSG will participate in – the Champions League and Coupe de France – as they eye a historic quadruple having already won the league and French Super cup.

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  Dembele joined PSG from Barcelona in 2023, experiencing a below-par debut season at Parc des Princes. In the first half of the current campaign, Dembele struggled to make an impact in Enrique's system, until the Spanish manager decided to tinker with his setup by deploying the Frenchman as a false nine instead of a winger.

  That small tweak has worked wonders for Les Parisiens, unlocking the full potential of Dembele, who has scored 33 goals and registered 13 assists in 46 games in all competitions, averaging a goal orassist every 67 minutes. His fine form in the final third has helped PSG dominate on all fronts, winning the Ligue 1 title emphatically. PSG will face Inter Milan in the Champions League final, while they'll lock horns against Reims for the Coupe de France. PSG's performances, as well as Dembele's fine form, have firmly put the former Rennes prodigy in pole position to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  PSG swept the UNFP awards, winning 14 gongs on the night. While Dembele won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award, Desire Doue won the Young Player of the Year and nine out of 11 in the Team of the Season were from the champions, with Rayan Cherki of Lyon and Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier filling the other two spots.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  After winning the French Super Cup in January and the Ligue 1 title in April, PSG are on course for a terrific quadruple. Their final Ligue 1 fixture takes place on Saturday, May 17, as they host Auxerre, before they turn their attention to back-to-back finals – and potentially a place in the history books.

Chelsea are showing strong interest in an “outrageous” forward who is wanted by some of Europe’s top clubs, and they are now readying a move, according to a report.

Blues eyeing a winger amid Mudryk uncertainty

With Mykhailo Mudryk in an uncertain situation after being suspended due to a positive drugs test, the Blues are assessing wingers for the summer transfer window, and they have a number of options in mind.

Enzo Maresca’s side are eyeing a number of players from the Premier League, with a £42m bid being prepared for AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, having been impressed by the versatile forward’s performances this season.

In the past few days, there have been widespread reports the west Londoners are also considering an audacious move for Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, while they have held an interest in Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho since the January transfer window.

The majority of winger targets will be well-known to Chelsea fans, however there are now reports they are considering an option that is a little more obscure.

According to a report from The Boot Room, the Blues are now showing the strongest interest in Roony Bardghji, with the FC Copenhagen winger attracting the attention of almost every top European club.

The 19-year-old is one of the most sought-after talents in Europe, having earned the nickname the “Swedish Messi”, and a move to the Premier League is considered a real possibility.

Chelsea on alert as "wonderful" midfield target cleared to leave for £25m

The Blues are in the race to sign a wonderkid who will be allowed to leave his current club this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

Feb 9, 2025

Bardghji, who is out of contract in December, has not played since sustaining a knee ligament injury in the summer, but he is now back in training.

Bardghji showing great potential

The major injury may have hampered the young Swedish forward’s development over the past few months, but he has put in some top performances in the past, which indicate he could be capable of making the step up to a top Premier League club.

The Kuwait-born winger bagged seven goals in 19 Superliga games during the 2023-24 season, and he has also impressed in the Champions League, most notably scoring the winner in a 4-3 victory against Manchester United.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig also seems to believe the Copenhagen man could go on to achieve great things, having previously lauded him as an “outrageous talent”.

The only concern over signing Bardghji will be the fact he hasn’t played in such a long time due to the knee injury he picked up in the summer, but the fact he is now back in training is a good sign.

It may be difficult to win the race for the starlet, given that so many top clubs are keen, particularly if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League, but it is promising news that a move is now being readied, making this one to watch.

The 49ers Group are in advanced talks over a possible takeover bid of Rangers Football Club, according to a new report.

Rangers limping to disappointing domestic season

The Gers are back in action on Saturday afternoon, as they welcome St. Mirren to Ibrox, in a game that Philippe Clement knows he cannot afford to lose. Despite a 3-1 win over Hearts last weekend, Clement remains under significant pressure, as the shock 1-0 defeat to Queen’s Park remains fresh in everyone’s mind and is still a major talking point around the football club.

Clement upgrade: Rangers could hire 4-3-3 coach as their answer to Rodgers

With Rangers manager Philippe Clement under ever increasing scrutiny, could the Gers’ re-hire a former manager to replace the Belgian?

By
Ben Gray

Feb 19, 2025

The Belgian is said to be battling to keep hold of his job in the long term, but despite the defeat to Queen’s Park, he remains in charge for now. Journalist Andy Newport says Clement is “clinging on to his job” and believes supporters have already made their minds up about the manager.

Looking ahead to Rangers’ next match, there has been some positive injury news, as Dr. Rajpal Brar told Ibrox News that while Danilo is unlikely to start against St. Mirren, the news on his shoulder is positive and he could feature.

“Considering he will have missed roughly a month or so, his ramp should take a few matches. The positive news is that this was an upper body, shoulder injury, so he could at least get back to conditioning quicker in the gym compared to a lower-body injury. The process will be tolerating first team training and then bounce minutes. Even if fit, he’s highly unlikely to start the next game.”

Rangers takeover latest as 49ers plot summer spending spree

It looks as though the 2024/25 season could be a huge disappointment for the Gers, but there could be some news that helps them close the gap to rivals Celtic. According to The Daily Record, the San Francisco 49ers Group are in advanced talks over investing in Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report states that top-level discussions began at the turn of the year as the 49ers look to invest in a multi-million deal. These talks have now advanced and if an agreement can be reached, Rangers would benefit from “a major cash injection which would then fund a spending splurge” come the summer.

They would also be granted access to “cutting edge, data driven technology for player recruitment” and “money spinning sponsorships and new commercial tie ups”. One person behind this investment is Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe, who has already shown such benefits at Elland Road by securing a huge sponsorship deal with Red Bull.

This is very much exciting news for Rangers and their supporters, as a new investment in the next couple of months means that they would head into the summer with a new cash flow, and that could allow them to compete with Celtic and pay larger amounts of money to secure players that they may have not been able to reach before.

It is unclear if Clement is going to be in charge during the summer, but if there is a change in the dugout, this investment could help bring in a new calibre of manager.

The SNL cast member made a public display of family pride during the season finale following the Eagles’ historic FA Cup win

• Nwodim's jersey choice came hours after Palace secured their first major trophy
• SNL star previously confirmed her family connection to Eze in 2023
• Eagles beat Manchester City 1-0 in the 2025 FA Cup final

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  During the closing moments of Saturday Night Live's season finale on May 18, 2025, cast member Ego Nwodim was spotted wearing a Crystal Palace kit. The SNL star was seen wearing the Eagles’ third jersey from the 2022-23 season just hours after her cousin Eberechi Eze and the club won their first major trophy by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Not only that, her fellow cast member Marcello Hernandez stood with his arm wrapped around Nwodim's shoulder as the two pointed and tugged at the shirt to celebrate the achievement.

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  Crystal Palace's 1-0 victory over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium marked the end of a 120-year trophy drought for the south London club. Eze scored the decisive goal, cementing his status as a club hero and validating his emergence as one of the Premier League's most exciting talents. The win represents one of the most significant upsets in recent FA Cup history, with Palace defeating Pep Guardiola's dominant Manchester City side against considerable odds.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Crystal Palace will complete their Premier League season with fixtures against Wolves on May 20 and Liverpool on the final day of the season on May 24 while basking in their historic achievement. For Eze, his focus will be on finishing the season strong so that he earns a call-up to the England national team ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Senegal scheduled for early June.

Simone Inzaghi is reportedly in advanced talks with Saudi club Al-Hilal, who are prepared to make him the highest-paid coach in world.

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• Inzaghi in talks with Al-Hilal over record salary
• Inter boss currently focused on UCL final
• Deal would make him world’s highest-paid coach

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Patrick Berger, Al-Hilal have identified Inzaghi as their top candidate to replace Jorge Jesus and are reportedly offering a salary that would surpass the current highest-paid manager. However, despite the lucrative offer, Inzaghi has put discussions on hold to concentrate on Inter's Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

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  Inzaghi has had a successful tenure at Inter, leading the team to multiple trophies, including the Serie A title in 2023–24 and reaching the Champions League final twice in three years. The Serie A giants are keen to retain him and plan to discuss a contract extension after the Champions League final.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Inzaghi's six trophies make him the third most successful manager in the club's history, behind Helenio Herrera and Roberto Mancini, who each won seven.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INZAGHI?

  For now, the Italian manager remains fully focused on Inter’s Champions League final showdown against PSG in Munich on Saturday. The Nerazzurri are chasing redemption after their heart-breaking 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the 2023 final. While they narrowly missed out on the Serie A title this season as Napoli clinched it on the final day, a European crown would mark a fantastic finish for Inzaghi’s side.

Glasgow Rangers are now searching for their fourth permanent manager since Steven Gerrard departed the club in November 2021.

In that time, just two trophies have been won – the 2022 Scottish Cup and the 2023 League Cup – while the Ibrox side reached the Europa League final in the 2021/22 campaign.

Aside from this, it has been underwhelming to say the least. Barry Ferguson replaces Philippe Clement on an interim basis until the end of the season, although there is nothing to play for apart from progress in Europe.

It is a sad state of affairs that the Light Blues’ hopes of domestic silverware are over by February, proving how badly the club has been run recently.

There is plenty of talent among the first-team squad. Under the right manager, this group of players could achieve some success. The key question now is who will take over the Light Blues ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Regardless of who it is, there are five players in the team who could be revived under a change of leadership. Rangers’ 3-1 first-leg win over Fenerbahce may rekindle hope of brighter times ahead, so which players could start a revival of their Ibrox careers?

£23k-p/w waste, Clement's mistake: 5 players the new Rangers boss must sell

The next Rangers manager will be sure to make some key changes to the playing squad when they take over the reins.

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 2, 2025

We have taken a look into who could benefit ahead of next season.

1

Mohamed Diomande

Mohamed Diomande was signed by Clement during the winter transfer window last season, initially on loan before signing permanently last summer.

The former FC Nordsjaelland midfielder has since racked up 62 games for the Light Blues, scoring seven times while chipping in with nine assists.

However, there are still doubts as to where his best position lies. This season, he has been utilised as an attacking midfielder (8 games) and in a more defensive role (17 games), while showcasing his talents across a range of metrics.

In the top flight, he has created six big chances while averaging 1.1 key passes per game. Defensively, Diomande has won 54% of his total duels and averages 1.1 tackles per match in the Scottish Premiership.

His positional flexibility has been one of his biggest strengths, but is it time for a manager to play him in a fixed role? With Lyall Cameron joining the club in the summer and the emergence of Bailey Rice, perhaps the Ivorian could shine if deployed as a No 10 next season.

If so, expect to see Diomande produce some of his best football for the Light Blues, which could lead to plenty of clubs showing interest.

2

Nedim Bajrami

It is safe to say that Nedim Bajrami hasn’t exactly produced the goods since joining the Ibrox side last summer.

For an outlay of £3.4m, the attacking midfielder has registered nine goal contributions in all competitions, often playing out of position on the left flank.

There have been flashes of his brilliance, most notably in the League Cup final against Celtic and during the Europa League games earlier this season, but was poor in the weeks leading up to Clement’s dismissal.

A new manager could look to bring out the best in the Albanian, who certainly has a point to prove in Glasgow ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

5 Rangers youngsters Barry Ferguson can now unleash at Ibrox

With Ferguson replacing Philippe Clement, he could turn to the club’s youth ranks as Rangers look to salvage what they can from their season.

By
Charlie Smith

Feb 26, 2025

3

Oscar Cortes

Clement secured the loan signing of Oscar Cortes in January 2024, although he lasted just seven games before suffering a season-ending injury against Kilmarnock in February.

At the time of writing, the Colombian winger has endured another injury-plagued season, featuring eight times. Rather than revive a player who hasn’t had the chance to show his worth, the new manager must get Cortes fit and healthy ahead of the new season.

The left-winger could cement his place in the starting XI by performing well in pre-season, particuarly since his position has been a troublesome one for the Gers since Ryan Kent departed.

Indeed, Ianis Hagi, Rabbi Matondo and Nedim Bajrami have played there throughout the current season. Cortes can be an ideal long-term solution to this problem, but the new manager must ensure he doesn’t suffer any more setbacks.

4

Danilo

Like Cortes, Danilo’s spell at Rangers has been blighted by injury since joining in a £6m deal from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023.

A tally of six goals and five assists last season was promising, although he played just 21 games due to suffering two serious injuries, hampering his overall impact.

Seven goals and three assists this season – including two goals against Celtic – demonstrated that the Brazilian could play a key part in the squad. More injury issues occurred when he damaged his shoulder in January, ensuring yet another spell on the sidelines.

If the striker can hit top form on his return, the new manager could have a player ready and raring to go ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Will they be able to bring out the very best in the 25-year-old? Only time will tell.

Philippe Clement sacked: 6 things the new Rangers manager must do at Ibrox

The next Rangers manager will have a big to-do list.

By
Ross Kilvington

Feb 24, 2025

5

Leon King

This may be a contentious choice, but Leon King is a player who is approaching a crossroads in his Ibrox career.

The centre-back featured 23 times for the Ibrox side during the 2022/23 campaign due to injury issues at the heart of the defence. The youngster even played in all six Champions League matches for the club.

Since then, he’s made a total of 11 appearances, with only two of those in the starting XI, indicating that Clement didn’t exactly trust the Scot.

Despite being thrown in the deep end during the Gers’ Champions League group stage fixtures a couple of seasons ago, King managed to win 50% of his total duels contested, while also averaging 1.7 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game.

It may not have been enough to see the club secure a win, but his performances certainly weren’t the worst out of the squad, that’s for sure.

Whoever arrives to take over the managerial vacancy this summer, King will be keen to impress. Now hopefully getting more regular game time at Queen’s Park until the end of the 2024/25 campaign, this could be the catalyst for a successful career at the club if given a chance next term.

If not, he could well be looking for a new team before the summer transfer window shuts. Hopefully, he can rise to the challenge, as he has the potential to be an excellent defender.

Lionel Messi may be well rested ahead of Inter Miami's FIFA Club World Cup campaign, with Argentina ready to experiment with "kids".

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• All-time great back in the Albiceleste squad
• Qualification for 2026 World Cup already secured
• Has tournament action approaching at club level

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Albiceleste have already booked their place at the 2026 World Cup. They will be looking to defend their global crown when the international elite descend on the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

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  Argentina are in the enviable position of being able to rotate heading into more qualification clashes with Chile and Colombia. No risks need to be taken on the likes of Messi, who has been in fine form for club side Inter Miami of late.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• DID YOU KNOW?

  They are readying themselves for Club World Cup duty – with that event getting underway on June 14 – and Messi could be returned to them after seeing his game time carefully managed while away with his country.

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  WHAT LIONEL SCALONI SAID

  Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni told reporters when asked about Messi's involvement – having seen him sit out the last international break through injury: "I've been talking to him, we're still talking. We've been in contact recently. We haven't decided whether he'll start or not for the match.

  "It would be good to know how he's feeling physically. It's clear that today we're in a position to try other things. In principle, he's ready to play, then we'll evaluate. He's coming off a good match last Saturday. In principle, he's ready to play, and we'll decide."