Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has replaced Sergio Aguero in the Kings League and revealed his new team name.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Yamal replaces Aguero in Kings League
• Launches new team name and sends out message
• Barcelona next face Atletico in Copa del Rey semi-final

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Under the chairpersonship of Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero, Kunisports participated in the last two editions of Kings League Spain. However, the Argentine has now shifted the base of his team to the Kings League America as Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal replaces him in the league. The 17-year-old has also revealed the name of his new team, La Capital FC and sent out a 'champion' warning to his opponents.

Advertisement

• WHAT LAMINE YAMAL SAID

  Yamal was asked by reporters about the significance of his team's name, to which the Spaniard said: "The name? Well, it was my cousin’s idea, because in the end, we call our neighborhood 'La Capital' because for us, it’s the most important place in Spain, so 'La Capital'. And the crest, because I like pink, to be honest, and because it looked good." He also added: "Players who don’t have the heart of a champion don’t interest me."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The unique seven-a-side football league was started by ex-Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique in 2022. In the inaugural season of the league in 2023, El Barrio won the winter split, while xBuyer Team clinched the Summer Split. In 2024, Porcinos FC lifted the title.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

  The youngster will be back in action for Hansi Flick's side on Wednesday as they take on Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Copa del Rey fixture. The tie is currently level at 4-4 after a thrilling first leg.

Liverpool are “in the race” to sign an “unbelievable” defender, and talks could be held in the January transfer window, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Liverpool keen on a left-back

Having failed to reach his usual heights so far this season, the Reds are looking at finding a replacement for long-serving left-back Andy Robertson, and they have identified a number of targets. Antonee Robinson and Milos Kerkez are two of the Premier League stars being considered by Arne Slot, in light of their impressive performances in the first half of the season.

Although Robertson is deemed to be an important player, there is a belief that a younger option is required for the future, and Kerkez particularly fits the bill, given that he is just 21 years old.

Two of Slot’s main targets are currently plying their trade in the Premier League, but the manager is also looking at options from further afield, with Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, who will be a free agent in the summer, under consideration.

Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Tottenham Hotspur (a)

December 22nd

Leicester City (h)

December 26th

West Ham United (a)

December 29th

Manchester United (h)

January 5th

Nottingham Forest (a)

January 14th

BILD reporter Falk has now provided an update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Davies, and he has indicated that a move to Anfield is still a real possibility, despite widespread interest from other clubs.

Falk said: “True: Alphonso Davies is open to a potential transfer away from Bayern Munich. He’s not 100% fixed on Manchester United or Real Madrid. I heard that talks with Bayern, at the moment, are on ice until January.

“His agent, Nick Huoseh, will talk with any interested top club in the new year. When Huoseh is on his tour of England, Liverpool could get a meeting with him. It would be a good club for Davies, of course, given they play a style of football that would suit him. Liverpool, naturally, have a chance.

“I think Manchester United and Real Madrid are more concrete by comparison at this point in time. Bayern are also applying pressure to sign him up to a new contract. They’re still hopeful about making this work. So, Liverpool are still in the race, if they want him.”

Liverpool pushing to sign new £25m star and could have advantage over PSG

The Reds could have advantage over PSG.

ByHenry Jackson Dec 20, 2024 Davies impressing for Bayern

The 24-year-old’s attacking talents were on display for all to see at the weekend, chipping in with a goal and an assist in Bayern’s emphatic 5-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

The “unbelievable” left-back is well-known for his talent going forward, but he has also proven his defensive aptitude at times this season, perhaps making him the perfect long-term replacement for Robertson.

It will seemingly be difficult to win the race for Davies’ signature, given that a number of top clubs are keen, but his availability on a free transfer at the end of the campaign makes him a very attractive proposition.

Everton have now made a move to sign a “commanding” £12 million player this month, according to a reliable journalist.

Everton transfer news

Given that the Friedkin Group have completed their takeover of the Toffees, there is hope among the supporters that January could be a busy month for them. Everton remain near the bottom end of the table, and Sean Dyche will hope funds becoming available will allow him to bring players in, and that will help them climb the Premier League table.

Everton keen on signing £7m+ defender to replace both Coleman and Young

This could be a much-needed upgrade.

1 ByHenry Jackson Jan 3, 2025

The Merseysiders have been linked with a move for Yunus Akgun recently, and he would be an exciting addition for Everton, as he’s scored five goals in six Europa League appearances this season. The Toffees are expected to “knock on Galatasaray’s door” this month and make an official offer. This is because one of the two positions that Everton are looking to strengthen is the wide area.

The Premier League side are also looking to bring in a new right-back, and they are keen on signing Elias Jelert, who also plays for Galatasaray. The Toffees are keen to bolster this area of the team, as both Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman are not getting any younger, and they are keen to bring in a player for the future. The Turkish giants are willing to sell the player for around £7.4 million, so a move this month could happen if an offer arrives.

Everton make approach to sign "commanding" £12m player

As well as looking to sign a new right-back and winger, the Merseysiders are also looking to further strengthen their centre-back options, as according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon via Goodison News, Everton have made an approach to sign Juma Bah from Real Valladolid this month.

The 18-year-old joined the La Liga side on loan during the summer transfer window from AIK Freetong. Bah has impressed during his time at Valladolid, and he has now emerged on the radar of Everton, but a transfer doesn’t look as possible as the Toffees would have hoped for.

Nixon states that while Everton have made an approach to sign Bah, they would need to sell one of their defenders first before signing the 18-year-old. As well as Everton, Manchester City are also keen on landing the young defender, but Bah is against the idea of him being loaned out twice.

Therefore, given Everton and City’s situation, Inter Milan look set to complete the signing of Bah for around £12 million. If Everton are to beat Inter in the race to sign Bah, they will be hoping they can shift one of their current centre-backs on as quickly as possible.

Apps

10

Starts

8

Minutes per game

74

Clean sheets

1

Interceptions per game

1.0

Tackles per game

1.0

Balls recovered per 90

2.9

Clearances per 90

5.3

Bah has been rather impressive since joining Valladolid, and after he played for the club’s B team earlier this season, football analyst Chencho Alonso labelled Bah “commanding”. He said: “He was commanding and pushing forward, showcasing solid defensive concepts in movement and marking adjustments. He is very calm on the ball and plays simply.

“The next day, I said he would be called up in September for the first team, and on Saturday he was a starter.”

Chelsea made it five wins from five in the UEFA Conference League, despite the subzero temperatures in Kazakhstan. Enzo Maresca’s side won 3-1 against Astana, with two goals from Marc Guiu and a header from Renato Veiga in the first half.

The Blues held 69% possession, taking 23 shots in the game, creating five big chances and scoring three goals from their 1.19 xG generated. This dominant performance also allowed Maresca to hand out a few more Chelsea debuts, bringing the likes of Ato Ampah, Shumaira Mhueka and Kiano Dyer on from the bench.

Chelsea remain top of the UEFA Conference League, sitting on 15 points, scoring 21 goals in five games and only conceding four times. This leaves them with a goal difference of +17, the most in the competition.

Marc Guiu's performance vs Astana

Guiu has made nine appearances for Chelsea this season after joining the Blues this summer from Barcelona, for a fee of around £5m.

The striker has shown in his short time at the club that he is a hard-working forward, who will chase down balls, run the channels, and make the defenders’ lives a nightmare.

The 18-year-old Spanish forward had 22 touches in the game against Astana, taking three shots (two on target), making one key pass, winning one of his two ground duels, and, of course, scoring two of the Blues’ three goals.

But Guiu wasn’t the top performer, as there was another player who stole the limelight. In fact, it was a Cobham academy graduate who actually put in a man of the match display, stating his case for more senior team minutes this season.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Josh Acheampong's performance vs Astana

18-year-old defender, Josh Acheampong was outstanding in his full debut, securing a 7.9/10 match rating from 90MIN for his performance. This was Acheampong’s first appearance since he was “frozen out” of the first and U21 squads, as Chelsea attempted to agree terms of a new deal with the teenage sensation.

Acheampong featured against Barrow in the EFL Cup this season for the first team, playing 27 minutes in Chelsea’s 5-0 victory. His only other appearances prior to this Conference League game this season were four Premier League 2 games, where he provided one assist and totalled 273 minutes.

Josh Acheampong vs Astana
Stat	Acheampong
Minutes	90
Touches	101
Accurate Passes	76/81
Key Passes	1
Long Balls	4/6
Ground Duels Won	6/9
Interceptions	1
Tackles	4
Successful Dribble Attempts	2/2
Stats taken from Sofascore

Standing at 6 foot 3, Acheampong possesses an extremely athletic frame, is a powerful runner, and can win duels to the teams’ benefit, as shown against Astana, winning six of his nine ground duels, and making four tackles, helping the visitors to sustain pressure and keep the ball in the opposition half.

But the youngster also showed his class on the ball, full of confidence and poised with composure, making 94% of his passes, four out of his six long balls, and even playing a key pass for the team. His 100% dribble success is perhaps the most impressive stat line though, as his ability to carry the ball through central areas can often catch the opposition off guard.

The teenager’s performance was one that showed enough to challenge Maresca in the injury absence of Reece James, for Acheampong to feature in the Chelsea senior squad more frequently this season, deputising Malo Gusto as the right-back.

Chelsea want to re-sign "special" star who's shades of Cole & Hudson-Odoi

Chelsea looking to sign a player who has shades of both Hudson-Odoi and Joe Cole

By
Connor Holden

Dec 11, 2024

Pace bowler has only played six first-class games but has 26 Pakistan limited-overs caps

Matt Roller23-Jun-2022Worcestershire hope that Mohammad Hasnain will help them “blast teams out” after securing his services for the final six games of the County Championship season as their second overseas player.Hasnain, 22, has only played six first-class games in his career but has won 26 Pakistan caps in limited-overs internationals and was cleared to resume bowling earlier this month after being called for a suspect action at the BBL at the start of the year.Hasnain is due to make his debut against Middlesex on July 11 and will stay in the UK for the rest of the season. He was previously signed by Oval Invincibles as a ‘wildcard’ overseas player in the Hundred and will join his compatriot Azhar Ali in the Worcestershire side.”Azhar knows him very well and helped us do a bit of research,” Alex Gidman, Worcestershire’s coach, said. “He spoke very, very highly of him as a young man and as a character and his skill set as well. He is going to be exactly what the group needs, some real power and energy.”The longer the season goes on, the harder it becomes, so to have some fresh impetus when we really need it is going to be good for the guys. He bowls very quick, so a different skill set to what we have, and he will hopefully give us a chance of winning more games.”Worcestershire are fifth in the eight-team Division Two after two wins, four draws and a loss in their first seven games but are a point off third and are hopeful of a strong finish to the season.Paul Pridgeon, the chair of the club’s steering group, said: “We are going to have a real crack at the Championship. On fairly flat surfaces with Dukes balls, he might just help to blast teams out.”Hasnain said: “I’m really looking forward to my first taste of county cricket. I want to help Worcestershire win matches first and foremost, but I also want to play more first-class cricket, and this is an ideal opportunity.”It will also be part of my cricketing education playing in England on different pitches. Azhar has had nothing but good things to say about Worcestershire. I’m looking forward to joining up, and hopefully, I can make a similar impact to him.”Azhar will miss two Championship games due to his involvement in Pakistan’s Test series in Sri Lanka next month but is due to return later in the season.Worcestershire have also been boosted by the news that Jack Haynes, their leading run-scorer in the Championship, has only strained knee ligaments after fears he had torn them. He could return in time for their fixture against Glamorgan this weekend.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na tarde desta sexta-feira, o Palmeiras treinou na Academia de Futebol de olho na estreia pelo Brasileirão-2022, contra o Ceará, neste sábado, às 21h, no Allianz Parque. Foi a única atividade do elenco antes do duelo pela primeira rodada do campeonato. Par aa partida, Abel Ferreira terá o retorno de três titulares, mas ainda tem dúvidas em relação à condição física de Piquerez.

RelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: Assista aos bastidores da goleada do Palmeiras sobre o Táchira na LibertadoresVídeo08/04/2022BrasileirãoPalmeiras x Ceará: saiba como ir para o jogo no Allianz Parque neste sábadoBrasileirão08/04/2022VídeoVÍDEO: Assista aos gols de Carlos Vinícius, novo alvo do Palmeiras, na temporada atualVídeo08/04/2022

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

O elenco voltou a trabalhar no centro de treinamento da Barra Funda depois de passar todo o período diurno da quinta-feira em viagem. A delegação saiu de San Cristóbal-VEN pela manhã, onde venceu o Deportivo Táchira-VEN por 4 a 0 pela Libertadores, e chegou à noite a São Paulo, após conexão em Manaus.

Aqueles atletas que atuaram por mais de 45 minutos na última quarta-feira fizeram o aquecimento com o grupo e depois trabalharam à parte no gramado em atividades regenerativas. Os demais fizeram treinos técnicos. Em campo reduzido, o elenco foi dividido em times de nove jogadores para simulações de jogos; em seguida, a comissão portuguesa comandou exercícios de finalização.

O atacante Rony, o lateral-direito Marcos Rocha e o meio-campista Danilo, que ficaram fora da viagem para a Venezuela, treinaram sem restrições com o grupo. Já o lateral-esquerdo Piquerez, em transição física após sofrer um trauma no ombro direito na final do Paulista, treinou parte com o grupo e parte de forma separada com membros do Núcleo de Saúde e Performance.

Uma provável escalação do Palmeiras contra o Ceará é:Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Jorge (Piquerez); Danilo, Zé Rafael, Raphael Veiga e Gustavo Scarpa; Dudu e Rony.

As três últimas estreias do Palmeiras em Campeonato Brasileiro realizadas dentro do Allianz Parque terminaram com vitória palestrina por 4 a 0: diante do Athletico-PR (2016), do Vasco da Gama (2017) e do Fortaleza (2019). O Verdão, inclusive, nunca perdeu quando o primeiro jogo aconteceu na arena alviverde – além das três goleadas citadas acima, o time palestrino empatou com o Atlético-MG por 2 a 2, em 2015.

Além disso, a temporada de 2022 aparece como a mais vitoriosa e menos vazada da história do Palmeiras dentro do Allianz Parque, com 100% de aproveitamento em dez jogos e dois gols sofridos (média de 0,20 gol por jogo).

Chelsea star Sam Kerr could return before the end of the season after an ACL injury, but her international call-up does not hint at an early comeback.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Kerr called up by Australia Is not likely to play for themChelsea hope to have her back before season's endFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kerr's call-up by Australia does not hint at an early return from her ACL injury. While she may well play again before the end of the season, Australia have confirmed that she has not been cleared to return to competitive action, so will not feature in their upcoming double-header against South Korea.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Australia have also confirmed that Kerr will remain captain after being found not guilty of racially aggravated assault after an alleged altercation with a police officer. Kerr has made seven appearances for the Blues this season.

WHAT AUSTRALIA SAID

A statement from Australia's football association read: "Football Australia continues to stay in close, supportive communication with Kerr as she works toward full fitness. With the matter now concluded favourably for her in court, Football Australia considers it closed. Kerr’s longstanding record of dedication, professionalism, and leadership has consistently elevated Australian football, ensuring these recent circumstances do not overshadow her significant contributions – and she remains an inspiration to fans worldwide.

"As part of her return-to-play program, Kerr has now joined the CommBank Matildas training camp for the March/April FIFA Women’s International Window (31 March – 8 April 2025). Granted leave by Chelsea FC Women, she will continue her rehabilitation under the supervision of the CommBank Matildas' Performance Support team.

"This arrangement, developed in close collaboration between Football Australia and Chelsea FC Women, reflects a shared commitment to providing the best environment for Kerr’s recovery and re-integration into the national team. While she may participate in selected training activities, Kerr has not yet been cleared for competitive football, with her focus remaining on health, progression, and long-term readiness."

Getty Images NewsWHAT NEXT?

Kerr will continue her rehabilitation with the national team. Chelsea are top of the WSL and are in the semi-finals of both the Champions League and the FA Cup. If she is back in time, she could help the Blues challenge for those titles.

Manchester United are preparing a big-money offer for one of this season’s standout Premier League players, according to a new report.

Man Utd transfer rumours

Struggling United pulled off one of the scalps of the season on Sunday as they held league leaders Liverpool to a 2-2 draw at Anfield. A late goal from Amad Diallo was enough to seal a point for United after goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah had cancelled out Lisandro Martinez’s opener. Speaking after the game, Ruben Amorim said he was disappointed not to win.

“I don’t like to say that today is a step forward. I don’t know, I will do my job and, tomorrow, I will do the same things. We need to show the same mentality tomorrow in training. If we relax tomorrow, the same thing will happen again.

“Congratulations to the lads for the performance but not for the result,” he added.

Amorim also spoke on the future of Joshua Zirkzee, who has been linked with a January move away from United after what’s been a difficult first few months at Old Trafford.

“I want to keep Josh because he gives everything and he’s trying in training but we don’t know. The window is open and we will see what happens. We just need to focus on training and to take this for the other games. It’s just one point so let’s focus on the performance for the next games.”

Man Utd preparing Mbeumo bid

Should Zirkzee leave United, one man the Red Devils could reportedly replace him with is Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. The Cameroon international has been one of the Premier League’s star players this term, scoring 13 goals in 20 games – a tally bettered by only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Premier League Top Scorers 2024/25

Player

Club

Games

Goals

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

19

18

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

20

16

Bryan Mbeumo

Brentford

20

13

Alexander Isak

Newcastle United

18

13

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

20

13

Chris Wood

Nottingham Forest

19

11

Figures correct as of January 6, 2025.

According to a new report from Spain, amid Mbeumo’s good form, Man Utd are now willing to pay £42 million to bring him to Old Trafford this month. The publication claims that Amorim sees Mbeumo as the solution to United’s offensive struggles this season, with his side having scored just 23 goals in 20 Premier League games.

Brentford, however, would be reluctant to accept United’s bid for Mbeumo, with Thomas Frank seeing him as an “irreplaceable” part of his squad.

Earlier this season, Frank heaped praise on Mbeumo, describing him as “incredible”. He also said that he one day expects the 25-year-old to leave the Gtech Stadium.

“He’s a top player. I’m convinced he will play for a bigger club. I’d buy him if I was at a bigger club. We convinced him to stay and he’s very happy. All our players might need to leave us one day but a lot of them are happy because we have a top environment, with good people. We push each other.”

The 2024/25 Premier League season has been dominated by Liverpool’s brilliant start under Arne Slot, Manchester United’s continued fall from grace, Nottingham Forest’s unlikely Champions League bid and contentious refereeing decisions.

The latter is often the main talking point come Saturday evening, let alone Monday morning. William Saliba’s contentious penalty against Brighton saw the referees under the spotlight once again last weekend, while Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall was the centre of controversy in the EFL Cup when he perhaps ought to have walked before his late winner against Liverpool.

Here, FootballFanCast looks at 11 of the most controversial refereeing decisions of the current Premier League campaign, and why they’ve left players, managers and fans alike angry.

Related 10 of the worst referee mistakes in football history

Some say it’s the hardest job in football, but these refs got it really, really wrong.

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jan 7, 2025 11 Declan Rice second yellow v Brighton Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Declan Rice was sent off during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton in August after being shown a second yellow card after poking the ball away from Joel Veltman as he prepared to take a free-kick.

While by the letter of the law, the decision was correct, it incensed many Arsenal fans, and has continued to do so because other similar incidents have since gone unpunished.

Even referee Chris Kavanagh, who showed Rice the red, said he “didn’t like” the decision, but “had no choice”.

10 Pedro Neto penalty claim v Crystal Palace Referee: Tim Robinson

Chelsea were 1-0 up against Crystal Palace when Pedro Neto and Tyrick Mitchell sprinted towards a loose ball just inside Palace’s penalty area.

Neto beat Mitchell to the ball, poking it away with his toe, while Mitchell missed it, instead connecting with Neto’s legs and sending him to the ground.

Match official Tim Robinson judged Mitchell to have fairly won the ball, as did the VAR. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, later told Sky Sports that he would have pointed to the spot.

9 Ait-Nouri handball claim v Nottingham Forest Referee: Peter Bankes

Viewers were left puzzled as to why Rayan Ait-Nouri was not penalised for what appeared to be a blatant handball during Wolves’ 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.

Referee Peter Bankes dismissed appeals for a penalty after Ola Aina’s cross struck Ait-Nouri’s arm. VAR checked the incident and agreed with the on-field decision.

After the game, a tweet from the Premier League Match Centre account revealed that Ait-Nouri had escaped punishment because his arm was deemed to have been in a natural position when the ball struck it. An interesting call, to say the least.

8 Jhon Duran red v Newcastle Newcastle United 3-0 Aston Villa, December 26

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran was sent off when he was deemed to have intentionally stamped on Magpies defender Fabian Schar during Villa’s 3-0 loss at St James’ Park.

While some, including in the video below, agreed that it was right for the Colombian to be sent off, others, including former Villa star Dean Saunders, were outraged.

“There was no intent!” raged Saunders on TalkSPORT. “If you watch, Duran is trying to get to the ball past Schar.”

Duran reacted angrily to his sending-off at the time, kicking a water bottle as he left the pitch and having to be restrained by a member of Villa’s backroom staff. He was later charged by the FA with improper conduct.

7 Ebere Eze disallowed goal v Brentford Referee: Sam Barrott

Crystal Palace midfielder Ebere Eze was controversially denied a brilliant free-kick goal in the Eagles’ 2-1 defeat to Brentford back in August.

Eze had scored directly from a wide free-kick with the game goalless, but referee Sam Barrott had blown the whistle before the ball crossed the line for a foul by Palace’s Will Hughes.

Because of the early whistle, VAR was unable to review Hughes’ supposed foul, or Eze’s goal.

Eze later claimed that Barrott admitted to making an error by disallowing his goal, telling BBC’s Match of the Day: “I was told [by the referee] that he blew too early and made the mistake. It could have changed the game but we have to deal with it.”

6 Issa Diop foul v Liverpool Referee: Tony Harrington

Liverpool fans were left baffled when Fulham defender Issa Diop wasn’t shown a red card during the Reds’ 2-2 draw with the Cottagers in mid-December.

While challenging Andy Robertson for a bouncing ball, the French defender missed the ball and instead sunk his studs into the knees of the Scotsman, leaving him writhing in pain on the floor. Diop was only shown a yellow card by referee Tony Harrington, with the VAR deciding against overturning the original call.

To add insult to injury, Robertson was later sent off for a challenge on Harry Wilson.

5 Leandro Trossard second yellow v Man City Referee: Michael Oliver

Weeks after Declan Rice’s dismissal against Brighton, Leandro Trossard left his Gunners teammates in a similar pickle after being given a second caution, which also came from delaying the restart following a foul.

Leading 2-1 against champions Manchester City moments before half-time, the Belgian barged into Bernardo Silva, with referee Michael Oliver awarding the home side a free-kick.

Trossard appeared to kick the ball away after the whistle, which Oliver took as seeking to delay the restart of play despite Silva being prone at the time, while the winger protested his innocence as he may have been looking to set Gabriel Martinelli clear.

It was certainly on the pettier side as red cards go, and it was made all the more sickening for Arsenal given that Mateo Kovacic had escaped the same punishment for a pair of more egregious misdemeanours in a previous meeting (under Oliver) – even before they were pegged back by a late equaliser.

Related Every Premier League team's worst referee

Which referees are full of bad omens and shocking statistics? FFC breaks down each PL club’s least-wanted referee.

Posts 1 ByStephan Georgiou Oct 2, 2024 4 Matthijs de Ligt foul v West Ham Referee: David Coote

In what proved to be Erik ten Hag’s last game in charge of Manchester United, the Red Devils were tied with West Ham at one goal apiece when United defender Matthijs de Ligt conceded a late penalty.

Referee David Coote did not initially give a spot-kick, but it was overturned by VAR official Michael Oliver, who adjudged De Ligt to have fouled Hammers striker Danny Ings.

Jarrod Bowen stepped up and fired home, sealing victory for West Ham. Ten Hag was sacked less than 24 hours later.

Former Premier League referee Howard Webb, who is chief of refereeing body PGMOL, told Premier League’s Match Officials Mic’d Up show that he thought the decision to award the penalty was incorrect.

“I think this is a situation where we’d leave the on-field decision as it is, probably whichever way it’s called. On balance, I don’t think it’s a penalty kick,” he said.

We suspect that United fans may be grateful it was given.

3 William Saliba foul v Brighton Referee: Anthony Taylor

“I’ve never seen a decision like this in my career,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said after his side conceded a penalty against Brighton.

With Arsenal leading 1-0 thanks to Ethan Nwaneri’s goal, Joao Pedro went to ground following a clash of heads with Saliba while both contested a looping ball.

Referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty and the VAR saw no reason to overturn his original call.

However, other angles of the incident appeared to show Saliba getting a touch on the ball before catching the Brazilian, which is what angered Arteta, whose side ultimately dropped two points because of the decision.

2 Pervis Estupinan challenge v West Ham Referee: Rob Jones

Late on in West Ham’s recent draw with Brighton, Hammers defender Maximilian Kilman advanced the ball into midfield only to be met by a flying Pervis Estupinan, who appeared to leave the floor with both feet, clattering into Kilman with his studs up.

Referee Rob Jones immediately produced a yellow card, but it was then checked by VAR official Paul Tierney. His decision? Somehow, no red card.

Glasgow Rangers will be looking to complete some business in the January transfer window when it opens in the new year.

However, Philippe Clement might not have much money to work with at Ibrox, indicating that he could be forced to sell a player or two in order to raise some funds to strengthen his first-team squad.

Rangers' most expensive sales of all time

Who left Ibrox for the most money?

By
Ross Kilvington

Oct 9, 2025

While the mid-season window isn’t one for dramatic overhaul, if a few players could be moved on, combined with a couple of incomings, it could set the team up nicely for the second half of the season.

With this in mind, we have taken a look at five players who the manager could potentially sell in January…

Last 10 January signings made by Rangers
Player	Club signed from
Oscar Cortes	Lens (loan)
Fabio Silva	Wolves (loan)
Mohamed Diomande	FC Nordsjaelland (loan)
Todd Cantwell	Norwich City
Nicolas Raskin	Standard Liege
Aaron Ramsey	Juventus (loan)
Mateusz Zukowski	Lechia Gdańsk
James Sands	New York City (loan)
Amad Diallo	Man United (loan)
Scott Wright	Aberdeen
Via Transfermarkt

1

Cyriel Dessers

Linked to: Saint-Etienne

Heading into the last game of the year, Cyriel Dessers has scored 12 goals and registered four assists across all competitions this season, which represents a decent return in front of goal.

Having a player who is able to chip in with these sorts of numbers is surely valuable for Clement, but the reality is that Dessers is out of his depth in the current squad.

With Danilo returning to full fitness and the improvement of Hamza Igamane with every passing match, Clement already has two strikers who could be his main options between now and the end of the season.

According to reports, French side Saint-Etienne are reportedly keen on signing Dessers as Clement looks for a way to move the forward out of Ibrox.

The Ligue 1 side will need to stump up £3.3m if they wish to sign the Nigerian, and this might prove to be a major stumbling block. If a fee can be sorted, the move could work well for both parties and give the manager some much-needed funds which can be used to bolster his team.

2

Hamza Igamane

Linked to: Everton

Unlike Dessers, Hamza Igamane shouldn’t be a player that Clement looks to sell during the winter transfer window. The African gem has forced his way into the Belgian’s plans in recent months, particularly shining in Europe for the Light Blues, scoring four goals in the Europa League.

This has attracted attention from Everton, who reportedly sent scouts to watch the player during the European clash against Tottenham Hotspur before Christmas.

The Light Blues paid only £1.7m to sign the youngster from AS FAR during the summer, and this fee is now turning into a bargain, especially considering how good he could become.

There is no doubting that his long-term future lies away from Scotland, but the best course of action for Igamane would be to remain at Rangers for the next few years in order to develop and hone his skills.

Of course, if any offer arrives for the player that is simply too good to turn down, would the Ibrox side be able to reject it given the financial issues at the club?

3

Ridvan Yilmaz

Out of favour

During the summer, Brazilian left-back Jefte was brought to the Gers as competition for Ridvan Yilmaz. The Turkish defender suffered an injury early on in the season, which saw Jefte fill in on the left side of defence.

He suitably impressed, showing maturity way beyond his tender years and could be someone who raises a substantial profit for the Light Blues when he inevitably moves on.

Last January, several clubs were keen on signing Yilmaz, including Serie A side Hellas Verona. While there was no doubting his ability, the fact that Yilmaz spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch was a cause for concern.

Besiktas were even showing interest in the defender just a few months ago, and while he has recovered from his latest setback, it could be the ideal time to cash in on the Turk, especially with Jefte able to slot in with ease in his absence.

Much will depend on whether there are any suitable admirers during the winter window, but it is something for Clement to ponder.

4

James Tavernier

Turkish clubs previously interested

Following the end of last season, it looked as though James Tavernier’s spell at Rangers was naturally coming to an end.

He was coming off the back of a campaign which saw him register 36 goal contributions in all competitions – a feat among one of his finest at Ibrox.

Fast-forward a few months and the captain has scored just three times all season. He was subject to interest from Besiktas during the summer, while fellow Turkish side Trabzonspor were also keen on signing him, but he remained at the club.

If there is continued interest in his signature during the winter window, Clement should surely be looking to move him on, especially as it represents the final chance to secure a decent fee for the right-back.

5

Rabbi Matondo

Could be deemed surplus to requirements

Like Tavernier, Rabbi Matondo was also wanted during the summer window. Just a week before the transfer window closed, English Championship side Blackburn Rovers were showing some interest in luring Matondo down south.

Nothing materialised and he stayed at Ibrox for the first half of the campaign. While he may have scored twice and grabbed three assists, the Welsh winger has been injured since the middle of September, taking weeks to get back to full fitness.

He is in a similar situation to Tavernier in that his contract expires in 18 months, which means he could be heading into the final year of his deal should he remain at the club until the summer.

Clement can call upon Oscar Cortes, Nedim Bajrami and even Igamane as options on the left wing, which means Matondo could be considered surplus to requirements.

Much will depend on whether there is interest in Matondo or not given his recent injury issues. If there is, the Light Blues could look to move him on.

This would raise a decent fee which could be put towards bolstering the squad ahead of the second half of the season, freeing up some of the wage bill in the process.