تلقى نادي برشلونة أخبارًا سيئة للغاية قبل يومين من الكلاسيكو، حيث لم يتدرب جول كوندي ورافينها مع زملائهما صباح اليوم الجمعة قبل لقاء قمة الدوري الاسباني.
ونشرت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية إن برشلونة لا يشعر بقلق كبير بشأن كوندي بعد أن قام بأداء التدريبات في صالة الألعاب الرياضية ولا يوجد أي خطر على مشاركته في مباراة الأحد في البرنابيو وسيتدرب بجانب زملائه غداً السبت.
وكان رافينها قد أنهى التدريبات يوم الخميس وهو يشعر بآلام لدرجة أجبرته على الغياب عن التدريبات في المدينة الرياضية اليوم الجمعة وغادر قبل نهاية التدريبات بتعبيرات وجه جدية للغاية.
أقرأ أيضاً.. لتعويض فليك.. سبب يعيق تياجو ألكانتارا عن قيادة برشلونة أمام ريال مدريد
وبعد أن كان من المتوقع أن يشارك رافينها بديلاً في مباراة الكلاسيكو بعد غيابه لمدة شهر، فقد أصبح اللاعب مستبعدًا تماماً من مباراة الكلاسيكو.
وتثير حالة رافينها قلقًا واضطرابًا في النادي، في حالة أن عادت له إصابته في عضلة الفخد الخلفية في ساقه اليمنى فقد تمتد فترة غيابه لشهر آخر على الأقل حتى ما بعد فترة التوقف الدولي في نوفمبر.
وقد يغيب رافينها عن أربع مباريات أخرى وهي ريال مدريد وإلتشي وكلوب بروج وسيلتا فيجو، وهذا يعني أنه سيعود ضد أتلتيك بلباو يوم 22 نوفمبر.
Amid concerns that Luis Diaz could leave the club this summer, Liverpool have now reportedly joined the race to sign a versatile winger in a deal worth £17m.
Al-Nassr still chasing Diaz deal
With Darwin Nunez reportedly edging closer and closer to a Napoli move, clubs in the Saudi Pro League have reportedly turned their attention towards an alternative Liverpool star in Diaz. The Colombian winger is yet to sign a new deal at Anfield and has just two years remaining on his current contract with fresh terms currently looking unlikely.
Whilst the Reds reportedly told Barcelona that Diaz is not for sale this summer, it will be interesting to see whether Al-Nassr are able to change that stance as they prepare to offer around €85m (£73m) to sign the former FC Porto star. Those at Anfield have already spent big this summer and may yet be tempted to do so again by selling Diaz.
Had this been this time last year, the idea of Diaz’s departure may have been absurd after Liverpool decided against welcoming extensive additions in Arne Slot’s first summer in charge. One year later, however, there will be question marks over whether a £73m offer is simply too good to turn down for those at Anfield.
Having broken the British transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz and since set their sights on £85m-rated Hugo Ekitike, Diaz could yet find himself plummeting down the pecking order in Merseyside. And if that is the case, a sale would be best for all parties as he enters the final two years of his current deal.
He betters Isak in key areas: Liverpool make the "next Mbappe" a key target
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ByAngus Sinclair Jul 1, 2025
With that £73m, not only could Liverpool spend big to sign a striker this summer but they could also turn their focus towards replacing Diaz with a younger, cheaper option.
Liverpool racing to sign Moussa
As reported by O Jogo and relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are now racing to sign Anis Hadj Moussa ahead of Nottingham Forest from Feyenoord, who value the 23-year-old winger at just €20m (£17m) this summer. The versatile Algerian can play all across the frontline and could offer Slot an instant replacement for Diaz if the Colombian departs.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Moussa
Diaz
Starts
22
28
Goals
8
13
Assists
3
5
Key Passes
35
56
In fewer appearances, Moussa managed to keep up with Diaz for the most part last season and a move into Liverpool’s frontline in front of new man Wirtz is only likely to increase his numbers.
Praised for a “fantastic” run of form by scout Jacek Kulig in December, in which he scored six goals in seven games, Moussa’s rise has been a pleasant surprise at Feyenoord.
Anis Hadj Moussa scores for Feyenoord
For just £17m, the winger could quickly become an impressive bargain compared to Liverpool’s high spending so far this summer. If they manage to sell Diaz for big money at the same time too, then Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes can tick off yet more impressive business.
Burns, Curran make half-centuries but 183-run target is hunted down with over to spare
ECB Reporters Network12-Jul-2024
Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s half-century steered the chase•Getty Images
Tom Kohler-Cadmore powered his way to a match-winning half-century as Somerset beat Vitality Blast South Group leaders Surrey by six wickets beneath the floodlights at Taunton.Set 183 to win, Somerset chased down their target with six balls to spare thanks to a forthright knock of 51 in 32 balls from Kohler-Cadmore, who hit three sixes and a trio of fours and shared in a crucial stand of 67 for the third wicket with Tom Abell.Academy product George Thomas impressed on his debut, raising an eye-catching 25-ball 40, while Sean Dickson scored a nerveless unbeaten 20 at the death to see Somerset home in front of a sell-out crowd at the Cooper Associates Ground.Surrey’s innings of 182 for 5 was built around a partnership of 107 in 12.2 overs between Sam Curran and Rory Burns. Returning from England duty, Curran raised 59 from 42 balls, Burns top-scored with 62 off 44 deliveries and Jamie Overton smashed a quickfire unbeaten 30 at the death.Somerset made light work of the chase to achieve an inside-the-distance victory that cemented their position in the top four and kept them on track for a place in the quarter-finals. Despite losing for only the second time this season, Surrey remain top of the table and on course to reach the knockout stages.Surrey won the toss, elected to bat and quickly plummeted to 24-3 inside four overs. Making his first T20 appearance at Taunton, Jack Leach saw off Dom Sibley, persuading him to hole out to Dickson on the mid-wicket boundary. Dickson again demonstrated safe hands when Will Jacks hoisted the next ball, sent down by Riley Meredith, to deep third man, while Laurie Evans miss-cued high to cover as Craig Overton made further in-roads.Curran and Burns made a decent fist of repairing the damage, advancing the score to 44 by the end of the powerplay, achieving a 50 partnership in 36 balls and lifting Surrey to 77 for 3 at halfway. Although boundaries were in relatively short supply by Taunton standards, the fourth wicket pair ran hard and Curran suggested a change in tempo when depositing Jake Ball over the long-on boundary for six and hoisting a Ben Green full toss high over square.With the innings still in the balance at 105 for 3 at the end of the thirteenth, Curran attempted to force the issue, going to 50 from 34 balls, guiding Meredith behind square to attain the landmark with his fourth four. Although less expansive in his approach, Burns nevertheless proved mightily effective, the former England man raising his 50 from 38 balls.Somerset badly needed a breakthrough and skipper Lewis Gregory obliged at the start of the seventeenth over, Curran finding Overton at long-on with the score on 131, having dominated a revitalising partnership. Burns departed in the penultimate over, offering a return catch to Ball, but former Somerset all-rounder Jamie Overton ensured there was no respite for the home side, mustering 2 sixes and a brace of fours in a hard-hit innings of 30 not out from 13 balls.Somerset needed to win to be sure of preserving their place in the top four and Tom Banton plundered three boundaries in one Tom Lawes over to set the tone. Encouraged by his partner’s example, debutant Thomas made a mockery of his rookie status by taking Dan Worrall for a six and 3 fours in an opening stand that yielded 42 in 3.2 overs.Surrey responded, Jordan Clark having Banton caught at mid-on for 17, but Thomas continued to take a liking to Worrall, harvesting another six and a further two fours off the Australian as Somerset advanced to 61 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Chancing his arm once too often, Thomas hit Cameron Steel high to mid-on and departed for a 24-ball 40, having announced himself on the Blast stage in style. Tom Kohler-Cadmore now took up the cudgels, greeting the advent of Chris Jordan by hoisting the England man high over backward square for six as the home side continued to exert pressure. The Yorkshireman smashed a straight six and two fours off Lawes, whose first two overs went for 35, as Somerset moved menacingly to 104 for 2, requiring a further 79 off 10 overs.Kohler-Cadmore went to his half century via 28 deliveries and he and Abel raised a 50 partnership from 31 balls to bring the required rate down below eight an over for the first time. But Surrey refused to lie down, Jordan and Jacks removing Kohler-Cadmore and Abell in quick succession to ask questions of the home side.Casting all doubt aside, Dickson struck an authoritative 20 off 12 balls with two fours in partnership with Gregory, who contributed 12 off seven deliveries in an unbroken partnership of 34.
Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt after getting hit on the arm against Ireland
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-20242:03
Flower on New York pitch – ‘Bordering on dangerous’
India will prepare for tough batting conditions when they play Pakistan on Sunday, said Rohit Sharma after his team beat Ireland by eight wickets on a difficult surface in New York.”I don’t know what to expect from the pitch to be honest, but we will prepare as if the conditions are going to be like this,” Rohit said after India dismissed Ireland for 96 in New York on Wednesday.In anticipation of pace-friendly conditions after South Africa and Sri Lanka played a low-scoring game in New York, India picked three fast bowlers, Hardik Pandya, and two spin-allrounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel instead of Kuldeep Yadav to strengthen their batting against Ireland.”I don’t think we can play four spinners here,” Rohit said with a laugh, having talked up India’s spin strength prior to the tournament. “When we picked the team, we wanted to have that balance. If conditions are there for the seamers, we wanted to have that. As we head into the later part of the tournament, spin will play a part later on.”Looking at the pitch and conditions, we are open to make changes and do what is required at that point, but today was a four-seamer pitch and we still managed to get two spinners, who are allrounders. It gives us balance heading into the game. It [Pakistan game] is going to be a kind of game where all XI of us need to contribute.”Related
Undercooked pitch could undermine India-Pakistan spectacle
Rohit Sharma retires hurt in India's opening T20 World Cup game
India quicks lead demolition of Ireland on fizzing pitch
Rohit scored a half-century in India’s chase against Ireland but ended up retiring hurt after getting hit on the arm by a short ball from Josh Little. On ESPNcricinfo’s Timeout show, former England coach Andy Flower said the New York pitch was “bordering on dangerous”.Jasprit Bumrah, who was Player of the Match for his 2 for 6 off three overs, was elated after playing his first T20 World Cup match since 2021. He had missed the 2022 tournament in Australia due to a back injury and enjoyed the conditions in New York.”Coming from India, when you see the ball seaming and doing quite a bit, with good bounce and pace, you’d never complain when there’s help for the bowlers,” Bumrah said. “You have to be proactive in this format, you can’t pre-empt things. You have to adapt to conditions. We played a practice game here [against Bangladesh], realised how the wicket is. We realised the new ball will do a lot, so I was just trying to stick to what is working for you.”[As a bowler] you want to cover all bases. Once the seam [movement] goes down, the wicket settles down. Yes, there was uneven bounce but you have to be prepared to bowl in all condition and I’m very happy with the outing.”
A Liverpool player who Mohamed Salah admits he loves playing with is expected to be the subject of an offer from a huge club, and he is open to the idea of leaving Anfield.
Who will Liverpool sign after Wirtz?
The Premier League champions have made a huge statement already this summer, with Florian Wirtz arriving for a British record fee of £116m from Bayer Leverkusen, with the German speaking of his delight at joining.
“I just thought that it was the right point in my career to make the next step and of course I wanted to get to a club that is from the top three in the world, and in my opinion Liverpool was one of them. Yeah, I just saw myself in the best hands in Liverpool. I was really convinced by the people here, by the idea, and everything what the club offers me was really good. And in the end [it was] also easy to be excited for me to come to Liverpool.”
Florian Wirtz
It’s now a case of seeing who else arrives at Liverpool this summer, with Milos Kerkez joining both Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong at the club, and various players are being linked with moves to Anfield.
Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi has been strongly mentioned in recent days, being seen as both a replacement and an upgrade on the departing Jarell Quansah, and Lyon winger Malick Fofana has been mentioned as a potentially superb attacking signings.
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There are also constant exit rumours surrounding various unwanted Liverpool players, however, and a fresh update has now emerged.
Nunez open to Liverpool exit as Napoli ready offer
According to The Athletic‘s Pearce on X, Napoli are now expected to table an offer for Nunez, with the striker “open” to a move to the Serie A champions:
“Napoli’s interest in Darwin Nunez has been registered and an offer is expected in due course. The Italian champions are the most serious contenders for the 25-year-old and he is open to moving to Naples.”
The £140,000-a-week and £7.3m-a-year Nunez needs to leave Liverpool before next season gets underway, with Arne Slot starting him just eight times in the Premier League last season.
The Uruguayan’s performances have been far too hit-and-miss for too long, even though Salah has admitted that he likes playing alongside him.
“Who do I most like to play with? It was Firmino. Now I feel like I generally like playing with Nunez. A lot of people don’t like him but I like playing with him.”
Nunez is arguably not at the level required to take this brilliant Liverpool team forward after scoring just five league goals last season, with an upgrade required this summer, but he will still leave as a popular figure, given his effort levels.
Napoli could be ideal for him, with their passionate fans likely to be drawn to him, and he could flourish playing in a weaker division than the Premier League.
Saha has will turn out for Rashmi Medinipur Wizards in the Bengal T20 league which starts on June 11
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2024
Wriddhiman Saha has moved back to Bengal after two years in Tripura•BCCI
Wriddhiman Saha is all set to return to Bengal for the upcoming Indian domestic season, and will also feature in the inaugural Bengal Pro T20 league that gets underway on Tuesday at the Eden Gardens.Saha, who represented Bengal for close to 15 years since making his first-class debut in 2007, moved to Tripura ahead of the 2022-23 domestic season as a player-cum-mentor. He had asked for his NOC after being hurt by comments by a senior administrator before the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy quarter-finals. After two years at Tripura, Saha is now back at Bengal.He wasn’t on the initial draft list of the Bengal Pro T20 league but has been picked by the Rashmi Medinipur Wizards team as a replacement for the injured Abhimanyu Easwaran. Wizards will be led by Sudip Chatterjee in the league and also have former India U-19 fast bowler Ishan Porel in their ranks.There are a total of eight teams taking part in the Pro T20 league. Each team will play seven league-stage matches, followed by the semi-finals and the final on June 28 at the Eden Gardens.”We are very happy to have Wriddhiman back in Bengal. Also, his interest in playing at the Bengal Pro T20 League will add more glamour to the League,” Snehasish Ganguly, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said.Saha, 39, has played 136 first-class matches, scoring 7013 runs at an average of 41.99. So far, he has hit 14 centuries and 43 half-centuries. This includes 1353 Test runs in 40 matches at an average of 29.41.Saha was picked up by Gujarat Titans at the IPL 2022 auction and was part of the side that won the title in its inaugural season. He had an underwhelming IPL 2024, though, where he could only manage 136 runs in nine innings while averaging 15.11. His loss of form coincided with Titans’ slide as they finished eighth in the season.
Turning their focus towards the Club World Cup, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a South American star this summer.
Who Wolves could sign next after Lopez
Wolves still have money to burn after welcoming Fer Lopez and could yet do so to make an emphatic statement ahead of Vitor Pereira’s first full season in the charge. The sales of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha may have dealt the Midlands club a frustrating double blow, but they have also provided those at Molineux with the funds to pursue names such as Harvey Elliott.
£85m release clause: Wolves make first approach to sign South American gem
The Midlands club could sign the midfielder in a cut-price deal.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 26, 2025
The Liverpool youngster seems to be edging closer to the exit door at Anfield and recent reports revealed that it is Wolves who are confident of getting a deal done to secure his signature. Priced at £40m, Pereira could yet welcome a player who just dragged England into the U21 Euros final with a fantastic winning goal to add to his first effort.
His price tag may seem steep on paper, but Elliott would be worth every penny on the pitch. At just 22 years old, the Liverpool gem is already a two-time Premier League winner and has also won both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup during his time in Merseyside. What makes those achievements even more special is the fact that he is yet to reach the peak of his powers.
Wolves have an opportunity to sign an underrated youngster this summer and must do everything to secure his signature. It’s then that Elliott could also be joined by a Club World Cup star as the focus remains on welcoming exciting young talents in the Midlands this summer.
Wolves make first Wallace Yan approach
As reported by Globo Esporte and relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves have now made their first approach to sign Wallace Yan from Flamengo. The 20-year-old forward has a release clause to join European clubs worth €40m (£34m) and could yet swap South America for the Midlands as a result this summer.
Flamengo's Wallace Yan celebrates scoring against Flamengo.
The young forward has already enjoyed the feeling of scoring against English opposition too, having netted Flamengo’s third goal in a shock 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
A player who was described as “selfless” by analyst Ben Mattinson in April, Yan is full of potential and joining following former Fluminense midfielder Andre to Wolves could be the perfect way to reach that potential.
The deal won’t come cheap, but the Brazilian proved that has the quality to match Premier League opposition when he squared off against Chelsea. Now, Wolves would be wise to make their move.
Even though he missed almost four months of action, it would be fair to say that Bukayo Saka was one of Arsenal’s best players this season.
It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, though, as the Hale End superstar has been getting better seemingly year after year for some time now.
However, even so, his tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances this year was nothing short of remarkable, and had he been fit for more of it, the Gunners might have run Liverpool a lot closer in the Premier League.
So, fans should be incredibly excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with a young wonderkid who’s been compared to the talismanic number seven.
Arsenal transfer news
Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other brilliant players linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and months, like Ademola Lookman and Karou Mitoma.
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The former could be available for around £55m this summer and would be a great addition to the Gunners’ squad, as in 40 appearances for Atalanta this season, he has scored 20 goals and provided seven assists.
Mitoma, on the other hand, could end up costing as much as £80m, and with a tally of 11 goals and four assists in 41 games, he might be less appealing of a target, even though he’s tried and tested in the Premier League.
Brighton & Hove Albion's KaoruMitomain action with Fulham's Timothy Castagne
However, neither of these wingers can be classed as a young up-and-coming wonderkid like Kenan Yıldız.
Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now interested in the tremendously exciting Juventus gem.
Interestingly, the report reveals that much of this interest stems from the soon-to-be-hired Matteo Tognozzi, who was a scout at the Old Lady and was the man who discovered the talented Turkish ace.
However, if the Gunners are to get their man, they’ll likely have to match the Italian giant’s asking price of up to €80m, which converts to about £68m.
Juventus' KenanYildizcelebrates
It would be a lot to spend on someone so young, but given Yıldız’s immense ability and potential, this is a transfer worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to Saka before.
How Yıldız compares to Saka
So, before we get into some of the other reasons Arsenal should be signing Yıldız this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Saka and where it has come from.
Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in last summer’s European Championships, before creating a list of the ten most comparable players.
By doing this, it concluded that the Englishman was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Turkish wonderkid in the entire competition.
Yıldız & Saka
Statistics per 90
Yıldız
Saka
Expected Assists
0.11
0.11
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.20
0.20
Passing Accuracy
83.65%
83.8%
Shot-Creating Actions
3.65
3.30
Goal-Creating actions
0.26
0.47
Tackles Won
0.53
0.57
Blocks
1.05
1.00
All Stats via FBref for EURO 2024
The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, expected assists, tackles won, blocks, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.
However, while a comparison to someone as brilliantly talented as the Englishman is certainly encouraging, it’s not the only reason the Gunners should be looking to sign the young Juve ace.
For example, the “special talent,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, can play almost anywhere in attack, from both wings to attacking midfield and even up top.
Moreover, despite being 19 for most of this season, the Regensburg-born prospect scored seven goals and provided five assists in 35 appearances, which comes out to a pretty decent average of a goal involvement every 2.91 games for someone so young.
Juventus'KenanYildiz
Ultimately, while it would be a lot of money, Yıldız looks like he could be one of football’s next great stars, and for that reason, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him – the comparison to Saka is a nice bonus.
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It is the dawn of a new era for Glasgow Rangers after Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises officially completed a takeover of the club last week.
They have immediately invested £20m into the club and will now oversee the search for the team’s next head coach, after Barry Ferguson stepped away at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
The former Scotland international was appointed as the interim boss after Philippe Clement was dismissed in February, and he only won six of his 15 matches in all competitions in the dugout at Ibrox.
Ferguson, whose team was held to a 2-2 draw by Hibernian on the final day of the Scottish Premiership campaign, failed to do enough to convince the board that he was the man for the job moving forward.
The 49ers and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell are now tasked with finding a manager who can bring glory back to Ibrox, after four seasons without a Premiership title.
One of the first items on the agenda for any incoming Rangers head coach should be convincing Nicolas Raskin to remain with the Gers beyond the summer.
Why Nicolas Raskin could leave Rangers
The Belgium international could move on from Ibrox in the summer transfer window, as Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Leeds United are both reportedly interested in the central midfielder.
Raskin has attracted interest from elsewhere due to his impressive performances for the Gers during the 2024/25 campaign, which led to him winning the club’s Men’s Player of the Year and the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year awards.
The 24-year-old star was deemed to be the best player at Ibrox this season and there are now teams who want to test how he would adapt to Premier League football next term.
Rangers, however, should be doing everything in their power to keep hold of the Belgian talent during the summer transfer window, because they will need as much quality as possible to finally beat Celtic to the Premiership title.
The former Standard Liege star is tenacious out of possession, as he averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and won 57% of his duels in the league this term, but the Light Blues star also provides plenty of quality on the ball.
24/25 Premiership
Nicolas Raskin
Appearances
33
Touches per game
68.4
Goals
4
Big chances created
9
Assists
10
Pass accuracy
87%
Dribbles completed per game
1.0
Dribble success rate
68%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Raskin is a player who thrives on the ball with his ability to both score and create goals from a central midfield position, whilst being efficient as a passer and a dribbler.
This suggests that the Belgian star would, therefore, love a manager who is committed to a ball-dominant style of play, which is why he should be pleased with the latest update on the Rangers manager search.
The latest on Russell Martin to Rangers
According to the Daily Mail, former Southampton head coach Russell Martin is one of the ‘main contenders’ to land the vacant managerial position at Ibrox.
The report claims that the former Scotland international, who had a loan spell with Rangers during his playing career, and Davide Ancelotti are the two main contenders for the role.
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It adds that Francesco Farioli, who recently left Ajax, and Brian Priske, most recently of Feyenoord, are also still in the running, but they are not as high up the list as Martin and Ancelotti.
The Daily Mail claims that the ex-Saints head coach was set to fall out of the race for the Rangers job when he was being lined up for the Leicester City position, but they have yet to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy, so he remains in contention to replace Ferguson at Ibrox.
Appointing Martin as the first head coach of the 49ers era could be good news for supporters who want to see Raskin remain at the club, as the central midfielder could be a perfect fit for the Scottish tactician.
Why Nicolas Raskin would love Russell Martin
Analyst John Walker hailed Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football”, due to the ball-dominant nature of how he wants his teams to play, and that could suit the Belgium international perfectly.
As aforementioned, Raskin is a technically brilliant footballer who constantly looks to make things happen from a central midfield position, with passes, dribbles, goals, and assists, and he could have plenty of chances to influence games in this manager’s system.
The clip above, from his time at MK Dons, is a flavour of the way Martin’s teams play, with plenty of short passes under pressure and movement off the ball to provide players with multiple passing options at all times.
Raskin would be a perfect fit for the way the ex-Norwich City and Rangers centre-back likes to coach his sides, because of his dynamism off the ball and his quality in possession.
Russell Martin’s attacking style of play
23/24 Championship
Southampton
League rank
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Martin successfully deployed a possession-based system to get Southampton promoted out of the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, building a team that was incredibly dominant when it came to passing forward and creating high-quality chances.
These statistics suggest that Raskin, who created nine ‘big chances’ in the Premiership, would thrive in his system as a midfielder who would constantly have chances to dictate play and create even more opportunities for his teammates with the dominance that the style of play creates.
Therefore, the Belgian midfielder could be more inclined to stay at Rangers for another year because of the prospect of thriving in a side coached by Martin, as it could help him to take his game to the next level ahead of a bigger move next year.
49ers not messing: Rangers advancing free transfer to sign 29 y/o defender
This time last year, Leeds United were full to the brim with nerves as a Championship playoff final awaited the Whites at Wembley.
Thankfully, no such heartache on the biggest stage is plaguing Daniel Farke’s men currently, with any loss to Southampton now a distant memory, considering the second-tier title was wrapped up in style this season by the West Yorkshire giants.
One downside to Leeds winning promotion could come in the form of Harry Gray’s development being hindered, with so much already anticipated of the teenager at Elland Road despite the attacker only being 16 years of age.
Gray's incredible rise at Leeds
Plenty of the hype surrounding Gray does come from his notable namesake, with his brother Archie now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur and a Europa League winner after exploding into life in the senior game with the Whites.
Farke was heavily responsible for the 19-year-old’s sudden rise in the first team, considering he gifted the versatile Spurs number 14 his first senior opportunities at Elland Road, with history now amazingly repeating itself.
Indeed, with Leeds’ promotion virtually wrapped up, the German would start to name the 16-year-old sensation amongst his substitutes, with his first official appearance for his boyhood employers coming against Stoke City last month.
With 11 goals next to his name playing for both the U18s and U21s too, this could well be the early beginnings of a future icon in West Yorkshire. After all, he has already been described as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation” by data analyst Ben Mattinson.
Gray might not be the only rising star that could soon work his way into Farke’s regular first team picture, though, with this fellow Thorp Arch product possessing the potential to be as big a talent as the much-talked-about striker if given time.
The Leeds youngster who could be as impressive as Gray
It isn’t the biggest shock in the world to see the Leeds conveyor belt continuing to churn out more and more top-drawer youngsters with the likes of Kalvin Phillips once beginning his journey with the Whites.
Sam Chambers could be the next prodigy to rise the ranks and make an impression; therefore, with the exciting 17-year-old also gaining his first meaningful senior opportunities this season when given a cameo late last year versus Plymouth Argyle in the league, alongside an FA Cup chance against Millwall in 2025.
These rare slices of senior action would follow on from Chambers thumping home this effort in pre-season action for Farke’s men, with the promising Scotman really catching the eye at a youth level for the Whites for his versatility all across the attacking positions.
Indeed, his ability to maraud down the wings or play as a number 10 has even seen his ever-improving game be compared to that of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling by SCOUTED editor Llew Davies, who stated that Chambers “breaks open games, beats presses, creates positive attacking situations. He’s a little bit like Grealish, Emile Smith Rowe and Dibling.”
Chambers’ G/A numbers for Leeds by position
Position played in
Games
Goals scored
Assists
AM
20
2
3
CM
5
1
0
CF
4
1
1
LM
3
0
0
RW
1
0
0
LW
1
0
0
RM
1
0
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Chambers will aim to follow in both Grealish’s and Dibling’s footsteps, therefore, as the electric duo were both raw gems themselves once upon a time at Aston Villa and Southampton before their big breaks.
If he can go on to live up to these lofty comparisons, he could even be a bigger talent than Gray, with the future looking very bright at Elland Road as Premier League football returns, alongside yet another generation of stars coming through that look extremely encouraging.
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