Glamorgan looked set to win before three dropped catches in last three overs came back to haunt them

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2024Gloucestershire 142 for 8 (J Taylor 70, van der Gugten 2-8) beat Glamorgan 140 for 6 (Northeast 46*, M Taylor 3-21) by two wicketsGloucestershire completed a superb win over Glamorgan with Jack Taylor’s 70 setting up a remarkable comeback from 45 for 5 to secure a two-wicket victory.Glamorgan looked certain to claim the win before three dropped catches in the last three overs came back to haunt them as Josh Shaw hit the last ball for six to take the visitors past their target.Runs for Sam Northeast and an excellent spell from Timm van der Gugten had put Glamorgan into a winning position before Taylor’s 70 from 48 balls set up the victory for Gloucestershire.Gloucestershire looked to be heading for a large defeat before Taylor’s innings allowed them snatch the win from the very last ball.The Glamorgan innings was characterised more by touch than by power with their top three looking to work the ball around in very bowling friendly conditions. Kiran Carlson tried some early innovation and was dismissed as a result. He attempted to scoop a ball from Shaw over the keeper and was caught at backward point by Matt Taylor.With the early wickets of Carlson and Labuschagne, Northeast was happy to soak up the pressure that the Gloucestershire seamers applied, and he was going at under a run a run a ball for much of his innings. Northeast finished on 46 not out from 42 balls, the lowest not out score by an opener in a full 20-over innings in the competition’s history.

Marnus Labuschagneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee pic.twitter.com/b5J7dpetk5

— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) June 20, 2024

Colin Ingram looked to be more aggressive and fell when he attempted to on drive down the ground off the bowling of Matt Taylor for 25. When Chris Cooke fell to the next ball Glamorgan were 76 for 4. When Ben Kellaway was caught at deep square leg in the next over off Marchant De Lange that became 81 for 5.Dan Douthwaite and Northeast put on the biggest stand of the Glamorgan innings but that was broken after the pair had added 37. Northeast added 22 in the final overs with van der Gugten to get Glamorgan to 140 for 6 from their 20 overs.The Gloucestershire innings got off to a poor start with the new ball once again causing serious difficulties for the batting side. They were 29 for 3 at the end of the powerplay and really struggling to get going.Van der Gugten bowled four consecutive overs from the Cathedral Road end to finish with figures of 2 for 8 in a spell that included a maiden and just one boundary.The introduction of the very first over of spin in this match brought immediate rewards for Glamorgan when Marnus Labuschagne took a spectacular one-handed catch while diving full length off the bowling of Mason Crane to dismiss Ben Charlesworth as Gloucestershire stumbled to 53 for 5 after 10 overs.Jack Taylor batted brilliantly throughout but benefited from some sloppy fielding after he had passed fifty with both Carlson and McIlroy putting him down off the bowling of Crane.Taylor was run out in the last over to seemingly end Gloucestershire’s hopes but Northeast dropped Shaw off the penultimate ball to give him the chance to win the game with his six off the final delivery.

Marcus Stoinis and David Warner extricated Australia from an uncertain position in their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Oman with the result ultimately a comfortable 39-run win on a tricky Barbados pitch.When Glenn Maxwell fell for a golden duck, continuing his horror run with the bat, they were 50 for 3 and thoughts briefly turned to what could unfold but Stoinis and Warner added 102 off 64 balls to ensure Australia did not stumble early in their bid for ICC trophies across all three formats.Stoinis was dropped on 9 and then bludgeoned six sixes as he turned around a sluggish start with Oman’s bowlers keeping pressure on their big-name opponents for 14 overs. It was hard work for Warner, who became Australia’s leading run-scorer in men’s T20Is, but he used his experience to not throw the innings away.Australia were then largely efficient with the ball as Mitchell Starc struck in the opening over with an inswinging low full toss – although he was later unable to complete his spell as he left the field but it was confirmed as cramp – and Stoinis’ fine day continued as he added three wickets. Nathan Ellis, who had been selected ahead of the rested Pat Cummins, struck in his first over to claim a maiden World Cup wicket.Marcus Stoinis was in the thick of the action – both with ball and bat•ICC via Getty Images

Oman’s moment(s) to remember

For well over half of Australia’s innings, this game was far from one-way traffic. Scoring was tough on a niggly surface and after the powerplay the total was 37 for 1 – Australia’s lowest in their last 15 T20Is dating back to the previous T20 World Cup. Head put away one well-timed cover drive early on but timing was hard work for him and Warner with Head picking out mid-off with a drive to lift Bilal Khan’s spirits after his Super Over disappointment against Namibia.Mitchell Marsh couldn’t get going before picking out long-on, then came Oman’s big moment. Maxwell, coming off an IPL where he averaged 5.77, drove at his first ball from Mehran Khan and Oman captain Aqib Ilyas dived full length to his left at cover to hold a spectacular catch. It was Maxwell’s fifth duck in 10 T20 innings.

Stoinis takes his chance

Stoinis survived the hat-trick ball but there was no immediate release of pressure for Australia. After ten overs they had crept to 56 for 3 with the next two overs only bringing seven runs. Warner began to break the shackles with consecutive boundaries off Zeeshan Maqsood, but then it was a case of what might have been for Oman.On 9, Stoinis edged a turning delivery from Ilyas which wicketkeeper Pratik Athavale could not gather – it was tough but not impossible. Two balls into the next over from Mehran, Ayaan Khan arguably paid the price for not being right on the rope at long-off when he held a good catch, but was unable to stop his backwards momentum taking him into the boundary.That was the first of four sixes Stoinis struck in the over and from there he was away, bringing up a half-century from 27 balls. Australia’s first 14 overs had brought 80 runs; the last six brought 84.Marcus Stoinis and David Warner scored fifties to boost Australia•Associated Press

Warner’s record

Before this match, Ricky Ponting lauded the winning mentality of Warner as he closes out his international career and said he was the type of player needed at World Cups. He couldn’t quite move through the gears in the same manner as Stoinis but reached a 46-ball fifty having earlier gone past former captain Aaron Finch to top Australia’s run-scoring charts in the format. Finch, at the ground as a broadcaster, appreciated the moment. There was one unfortunate moment for him after being dismissed when he started to accidently walk into the Oman dressing room before being redirected.

Professional Australia close it out

A target of 165 was always likely to be beyond Oman. Starc’s opening over was a bit of a mixed bag but he pinned Athavale lbw when a low full toss hammered into the toe, although Australia needed the DRS to get the lbw decision. Oman were then grateful for the review system when Ilyas was given lbw to Starc but even live the on-field call from Joel Wilson looked a poor one.Ilyas deposited Stoinis for a six over deep square leg but two balls later edged a lifting delivery to Matthew Wade. Stoinis became only the third player, after Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo, to score a fifty and take three wickets in a men’s T20 World Cup match. However, Oman did not completely fade away as Ayaan provided a couple of moments of late defiance with two sixes off Adam Zampa while Mehran ensured they could cross 100 and bat out the innings.

Arsenal’s transfer business so far hasn’t won universal approval from every critic, with talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor now slamming a “very odd” decision by new sporting director Andrea Berta, manager Mikel Arteta and the Gunners’ recruitment team.

It’s been a fairly productive first month of the window for Arsenal.

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Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi recently finalised his long-awaited move to the Emirates Stadium, flying to London last week as he put the finishing touches on his £56 million move to the Premier League.

After Zubimendi, Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga swiftly followed his Spanish compatriot, with the Stamford Bridge outcast set to join Arteta’s side in a £5 million move.

Most recently, though, Arsenal agreed a deal to sign Brentford captain Christian Norgaard as a direct replacement for veteran midfielder Thomas Partey – who’s set to leave N5 after his contract expires on June 30.

The 31-year-old has been a vital cog in Brentford’s system for years, and his proven Premier League experience is a major attraction which perhaps gave Norgaard the edge over fellow reported targets like Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume, who was also reportedly considered by the club.

Arsenal are set to sign Norgaard after swiftly reaching an agreement with Brentford, as reported by multiple reliable news outlets, but this call has now been questioned by Agbonlahor.

Gabriel Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Christian Norgaard deal

Speaking to talkSPORT, the pundit called their deal for Norgaard a “very odd” one, going on to claim Arsenal are shopping at “Asda” while rivals Man City and Liverpool shoot a bit more upmarket.

“He’s an OK player. I get it for value, he’s a decent player, but you’re losing Thomas Partey,” said the ex-Aston Villa striker.

“It just seems a bit odd. Arsenal haven’t been able to agree a contract with Partey, that’s what’s happening, so say it’s over money. You’re paying £9milion for Norgaard – just give it to Partey as the difference in wages he’s asking for.

“Why not just give it to him? You know what he can do. It’s very odd. Arsenal don’t seem to be shopping in the top shops like Manchester City and Liverpool. They’re shopping at Waitrose, Arsenal are at Asda.

“I get it, Jorginho’s gone, and you need cover, but I’m sure Arsenal fans are looking at Liverpool spending £116m on Florian Wirtz and the money Man City are spending and thinking, ‘Come on, we don’t mind Norgaard coming in, but we need a top striker’.”

The actual fee for Norgaard could reach up to £15 million if performance-related odd-ons are achieved, so this transfer could turn out to be even more expensive from Arsenal’s point of view.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to envisage the Dane playing week-in, week-out given Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice’s presence in midfield. Norgaard could still work wonders as a utility player in Arteta’s squad, and may have been an even deeper issue regarding the club’s failed new contract talks with Partey.

Burnley are preparing for life back in the Premier League and could now be in the lead to sign a proven international defender, according to a report.

Burnley ready to break cycle of newly-promoted clubs in Premier League

Many newly promoted sides of the past have found it difficult to transition to life in the Premier League after claiming promotion, which is something the Clarets are desperate to change at Turf Moor.

Speaking ahead of their return to top-flight action, Nedum Onuoha believes Burnley should use Brentford as an example of how to survive and grow among the elite of the English pyramid over the next few years.

He explained: “It sounds a bit dull if you are a Burnley fan, but stick with the process. Clubs that manage to maintain their identity, can end up doing well. Brentford, for example. They never really deviated away from the model that they have, and now they’re an established Premier League side.”

Nevertheless, signings are necessary for the EFL Championship runners-up to build a squad that can live up to that feat. CJ Egan-Riley could be set for the exit door, and Burnley are now plotting an ambitious swoop for Liverpool’s Joe Gomez that could total £25 million.

Rennes midfielder Jordan James is also on Scott Parker’s radar. This development may become an ideal trade-off between youth and experience if Josh Brownhill leaves Turf Moor, signalling that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes in Lancashire.

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The revolving door of transfer speculation never stops and Burnley are now reportedly in the lead to win the race to sign a talented defender with top-flight experience.

Burnley could win the race to sign Chris Mepham

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with EFL Analysis, Burnley could trump Sheffield United and Sunderland to sign Chris Mepham, potentially on a free transfer with his contract at Bournemouth set to expire at the end of this month.

The Wales international earns £35,000 per week and spent the campaign on loan at the Black Cats, scoring once in 40 appearances as they also claimed promotion via the playoffs.

Chris Mepham’s campaign for Sunderland in numbers – EFL Championship (Fotmob)

Tackles won

31

Aerial duels won

109

Interceptions

34

Recoveries

138

Blocks

3

Dubbed “superb” by Dan Ballard, Bournemouth also have an option to extend his deal for a further 12 months despite his contract being set to run out, though Bailey anticipates that Burnley could skip to the front of the queue in any case.

He stated: “It could be one of those promoted teams. Do we see Burnley coming in for him? They may have to lose Maxime Esteve, and they’ve lost CJ Egan-Riley already. I wouldn’t rule Burnley out of the running on that one.”

Whether Bournemouth do activate his extension clause or not, the Clarets appear to be well in the race to bring Mepham to Turf Moor and he would be an ideal fit given he has made over 60 Premier League appearances across his career.

Celtic are brilliant at signing and developing young players before selling them on for profit on the future, as evidenced by the stars they have sold over the years.

As recently as January, the Scottish Premiership champions raked in a reported fee of £10m for Japan international centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi from Rennes, yet he does not even place within the top sales in the club’s history.

Celtic’s most expensive sales

Player

Fee

Kieran Tierney

£25m

Matt O’Riley

£25m

Jota

£25m

Moussa Dembele

£20m

Odsonne Edouard

£18.5m

Kristoffer Ajer

£13.5m

Virgil van Dijk

£13m

As you can see in the table above, the likes of Jota, Matt O’Riley, and Kieran Tierney have all been sold for more than twice as much, the latest of which was O’Riley’s move to Brighton last summer.

Two of those players are also now back at Parkhead. Jota returned to Glasgow from Rennes on a permanent deal in January, whilst Tierney has joined on a free transfer from Arsenal, six years on from his move to the Premier League.

These are some of the top examples of players who have thrived in the Premiership for Celtic before making the club millions by moving elsewhere, and a great example of their brilliant recruitment work is central defender Kristoffer Ajer.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Kristoffer Ajer

In February 2016, the Scottish giants paid a reported fee of just £650k to sign the centre-back after a trial spell at Parkhead from Norwegian side Start.

The Hoops identified the young defender as a promising talent at the age of just 17, and were patient with him before they introduced the starlet to the first-team.

Ajer spent time in the academy, playing youth league football, before being sent out on loan to Kilmarnock in the Premiership, before his emergence as a senior option for Celtic in the 2017/18 campaign.

The towering youngster then went on to score seven goals and provide seven assists in 176 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops before his exit in the summer of 2021.

Kristoffer Ajer’s soaring market value at Celtic

Date

Market value

February 2016

£650k reported fee

February 2017

£680k

August 2018

£1m

August 2019

£2.5m

January 2021

£3.4m

June 2021

£6m

July 2021

£13.5m reported fee

Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Ajer’s market value soared way beyond the initial £650k that the Hoops reportedly paid Start to sign him as a 17-year-old.

In the summer of 2021, Premier League side Brentford reportedly paid a fee of £13.5m to sign the centre-back, breaking their own transfer record, which represented a huge profit for Celtic.

This shows that the Scottish giants hit the jackpot with the young defender as they identified his potential at an incredibly young age and went on to benefit from it with performances on the pitch and a huge fee when he left.

Celtic enquire about deal for teenage star

Celtic could find their next version of Kristoffer Ajer this summer amid reported interest in another 17-year-old centre-back prospect to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to Mozzart Sport, as relayed by B92, Celtic are interested in a deal to sign Red Star Belgrade central defender Veljko Milosavljević in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have already made an enquiry about the 17-year-old starlet, and made an offer of £5m that was turned down by the Serbian outfit.

It adds that two teams from England are also eyeing up the young centre-back, but they have yet to make any official bids for his services as of yet.

Red Star Belgrade are said to want more than £5m that Celtic put on the table for the teenage titan, although the report does not mention exactly how much they would want for him.

Why Celtic should sign Veljko Milosavljević

The Hoops should sign the Serbian youngster before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September because he has the potential to be Ajer 2.0 at Parkhead.

Whilst he would not arrive for a cheap fee of £650k, given that they have already had an offer of £5m turned down for him, the Red Star talent would arrive as another teenage centre-back with the potential to develop and improve, therefore growing in value in the future.

Despite not turning 18 till this weekend, the Celtic target has already played 19 first-team matches for the Serbian giants, and established himself as a regular in the league in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Milosavljević initially caught the eye in the Serbian youth league, winning 11.8 duels per game across eight starts in the division, before being made a permanent member of Vladan Milojevic’s first-team squad.

24/25 Mozzart Superliga

Veljko Milosavljević

Appearances

14

Starts

11

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.2

Dribbled past per game

0.2x

Error led to shot

0

Error led to goal

0

Penalties committed

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the teenage talent started 11 of his 14 outings for the Superliga champions, as the centre-back showed that he could compete in a team that was chasing the league title.

Milosavljević, who scout Gianni Bellasi described as a “physically imposing” defender, proved himself to be a reliable option at the back, despite his inexperience, with zero errors that led to shots, goals, or penalties.

That is particularly impressive when you consider that Liam Scales made two such errors and Auston Trusty made five such errors in the Premiership for Celtic this season, in a title-winning side for Brendan Rodgers.

This shows that it is not easy to play a lot of games without making costly mistakes as a centre-back in a dominant team, given the nature of how much they look to play out from the back, but the Serbian star has shown promise in that respect.

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Therefore, Milosavljević could follow in Ajer’s footsteps at Parkhead if Celtic sign him this summer because he is a 17-year-old centre-back talent who has shown that he has the qualities to be a reliable figure at the back if he can adapt to Scottish football.

Of course, there are no guarantees in football and there is no telling exactly how he will develop, but his career to date suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting signing for the Hoops.

Netherlands tripped up South Africa in the previous two men’s World Cups. They will be targeting a hat-trick, in conditions that might suit their style of batting better

Firdose Moonda07-Jun-20243:21

Morkel: South Africa cannot expect to roll Netherlands over

Match detailsNetherlands vs Nepal
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Once is coincidence, twice is a clue, and three times is proof.To paraphrase Agatha Christie, that is the narrative around South Africa’s meeting with Netherlands at this T20 World Cup.The Dutch beat South Africa at the 2022 tournament and ended their semi-final hopes in a match where South Africa appeared to be sleep walking, and then beat them again at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they exposed South Africa’s vulnerability in the chase. If they to do the treble, not only will Netherlands take the lead in Group D, but they will offer conclusive evidence of the threat they pose to Full Members, especially South Africa.Of course, it will take doing after South Africa’s opening performance against Sri Lanka, where they reduced their opposition to their lowest T20I total and chased it down in fairly straightforward fashion thanks to the most stable middle-order of their white-ball era. In Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, South Africa have bankers and big-hitters and, for this match, they also have the advantage of experience. They’ve already played at Eisenhower Park, and have first-hand knowledge that run-scoring doesn’t come easily; Klaasen said they are prepared to use their “cricket brains” and play “smarter cricket”.But the conditions could be good news for Netherlands, who are not naturally a line-up of big hitters and build their innings on a foundation of turning ones into twos. In other words, they tend to take a slightly more conservative approach to batting, which may work well here, but they’ll be wary of the uneven bounce of the surface and will have to come up with plans to counterattack especially against South Africa’s seamers. Their own bowlers were exemplary in Dallas and will look to build on that performance against a line-up that will likely be more proactive than Nepal’s, but who they have managed to keep quiet not once, but twice in the past. Third time’s the charm, they say.Paul van Meekeren with Sybrand Engelbrecht after Netherlands’ win over South Africa in the 2023 ODI World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

Form guideSouth Africa: WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Netherlands: WLLLWIn the spotlight: Reeza Hendricks and Vivian KingmaAfter not getting a game at the 2022 T20 World Cup, Reeza Hendricks is the first-choice opener at this event and, as the batter with the lowest strike-rate in T20Is in South Africa’s top six, will be desperate to show what he is capable of. He had limited opportunity in the Sri Lanka match – he only faced two balls before being dismissed Test-match style by Nuwan Thushara, whom he edged to slip. Now he has had time to come to terms with how to play in New York and must combine his shots with the patience he must have, after waiting so long for an opportunity this high-profile.Vivian Kingma went wicketless against Nepal but that is no reflection of the threat he posed. He got movement upfront, swung the ball away from the right-hand batters, beat the bat on several occasions and found the edge in a spell that set the tone for the Dutch. On a surface that could have considerably more assistance for him, South Africa’s top order will want to be at their most watchful while also finding a way to target the bowlers around him.Team news: Do Netherlands play an extra seamer?Anrich Nortje’s stunning return to form against Sri Lanka means South Africa may not have to tinker with the bowling combination, and Gerald Coetzee and Tabraiz Shamsi may have to wait their turns to get a game. The batting line-up should be unchanged, with no space for Ryan Rickelton yet.South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markam, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich NortjeConditions in New York may tempt Netherlands to include an extra seamer and they have Kyle Klein in their squad. But it could come at the expense of a shortened batting line-up and they may not want to risk that.Netherlands: 1 Michael Levitt, 2 Max O’Dowd, 3 Vikramjit Singh, 4 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 5 Scott Edwards (capt, wk), 6 Bas de Leede, 7 Teja Nidamanuru, 8 Logan van Beek, 9 Tim Pringle, 10 Paul van Meekeren, 11 Vivian Kingma2:42

Which Netherlands bowlers will South Africa look to take down?

Pitch and conditionsWe’re going to see a “new” surface at the venue tomorrow with one of the middle pitches set to make their first tournament appearance, and there will be many eyes on it. The same surface will be used for the India-Pakistan match, so this fixture is something of a test run. From what we’ve seen so far, both pitches 1 and 4 have been tricky for batters because of inconsistent bounce. The ICC has acknowledged the quality has not been up to the standard expected and that it is working on a “remedy.” So far, it has been observed that grass has been shaved off one of the surfaces, which could reduce some of the bounce.At least, everyone can fully focus on the strip and not overhead because the weather is set fine, with highs in the mid-20s.Stats and trivia Netherlands have beaten South Africa in their previous two World Cup meetings, but have not won any matches against them outside of those two. Ottneil Baartman is the leading South African wicket-taker in T20s this year and the sixth-highest overall. His 34 wickets have come at an average of 15.17, the best among the top ten wicket-takers. At 121.13, Max O’Dowd has the highest career strike rate in the Dutch squad. Five South Africans – Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Aiden Markram – have higher numbers than that. Quotes”We definitely want to get back a couple of games against Netherlands. They just do the basics extremely well. The moment they get on top of you, they become a difficult beast. When they do the basics right, they do it so well that they keep squeezing you. They have unbelievable outfielding, so it’s not easy just to shift that momentum against them. For us, it’s a big game.”
“We’re lucky in the sense that we play on a lot of different wickets. Back in the Netherlands, we play on artificials, we play on spicy wickets, we play on spinning wickets. So, for us it’s about adapting to whatever the wicket brings to us.”

Russell Martin is the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, but he’s got plenty of work to do if he’s going to be a success at Ibrox.

Last season, the Gers finished second in the Premiership, a whopping 17 points adrift of the champions, and ended the campaign trophyless, most notably dumped out of the Scottish Cup having suffered their first-ever home defeat against lower-league opposition in the competition.

So, if the Light Blues are going to be ready for the start of Champions League qualifying next month, Martin is going to want to be very busy in the transfer market, so could he be reunited with a player for the third time?

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to a report by EFL Analysis, Rangers remain interested in signing centre-back Harry Darling, labelling this potential move to Glasgow a ‘very intriguing prospect’, with Norwich City also pursuing the defender.

The 25-year-old is a free agent, having left Swansea City, and has twice played for Martin before, first at Milton Keynes, before the new Rangers manager signed Darling three years ago when he was in charge of the Swans.

Recently-appointed Norwich boss Liam Manning, who replaced Martin at MK, described Darling as “outstanding”, adding that he is more than “capable” of playing at a high level, so could he turn down the Canaries and reunite with Martin once more?

How Harry Darling compares to Robin Pröpper

According to reports in the Netherlands, Robin Pröpper is set to re-join FC Twente this summer, with the Eredivisie side willing to pay around half of the £2.5m they received for the centre-back a mere 12 months ago.

The Dutchman made 43 appearances during his first, and potentially only, season at Rangers, scoring during victories over both Celtic and Dundee United, but more notably getting sent off just 13 minutes into the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club.

Pröpper himself admitted that “maybe I underestimated” the level of competition one faces in the Scottish Premiership, with his performances often widely criticised, including by Aaron Nijjar of Football Insider, who noted that his ‘struggles continued’ following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in December.

Meantime, Ewan Paton of the Rangers Review believes that Scottish football is ‘too quick and physical for his capabilities’, suggesting that supporters would be pleased to see the back of him.

But, would Darling be an upgrade? Let’s assess the pair’s respective statistics to answer that question.

Darling vs Pröpper 2024/25 comparison
Statistics	Darling	Pröpper
Appearances	39	43
Minutes	3,337	3,210
% of dribblers tackled	56.5%	55.6%
Tackles per 90	0.8	1.2
Interceptions per 90	0.6	0.9
Clearances per 90	5	3.8
Ball recoveries	152	36
% of aerial duels won	64.2%	54%
% of ground duels won	66%	53.25%
Average Sofascore Rating	7.23	6.69
Stats via Transfermarkt, FBref, Sofascore

As the table outlines, pretty much across the board, Darling comes out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics included.

Worth considering that also, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest division in the world, with the Scottish Premiership down in 43rd, albeit 11 of Pröpper’s outings did come in either Champions League qualifying or the Europa League.

Writer Kai Watson believes that Darling would be ‘perfect’ for Martin’s system, labelling him ‘very comfortable on the ball and a brilliant passer’, underlining that this deal is a no-brainer for Rangers, especially considering he’s a free agent.

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Birmingham City are reportedly in talks to complete the long-term signing of a top target in their third deal of matching kind this summer.

Birmingham have to be "picky", says Davies

The Blues are preparing for life back in the Championship, following such a dominant and memorable title-winning season in League One, with the club in an exciting place currently.

Manager Chris Davies has outlined Birmingham’s approach this summer, admitting that they now need to be “picky” with signings, which hasn’t always been the case under him.

“Last season we found that we were convincing players and selling them a project. I was saying to them, ‘Look, come here and in 10 months’ time we won’t be in League One, we’ll be a Championship team’. Now they’re coming to us. A lot more are coming to us, ‘We want to be part of this’.

“You’ve got to be a bit more picky now about who you engage with. Birmingham is a club that is going somewhere and everybody wants to be at a club that’s going somewhere. A lot of people are talking about the club around the country, and internationally as well, so people want to come here. It’s important now that we make sure we pick the right ones.”

Birmingham are being linked with some exciting players, from Tommy Doyle to Demarai Gray, and now it looks as though they are looking to get another important piece of business over the line.

Birmingham in talks to sign Davies permanently

According to a new update from Birmingham World, Birmingham are in talks with Ben Davies over completing a permanent move to the club, following a successful loan stint from Rangers last season.

The Englishman only has one more year remaining on his current deal in Scotland, so they may be happy to cash in on him now, with his current market value said to be £2m.

The club have already completed two deals of this kind this summer, turning the loan moves of Alfons Sampsted and Taylor Gardner-Hickman into permanent signings.

In Davies’ case, the former Liverpool defender made 35 appearances in League One overall, 32 of which were starts, and he averaged 6.2 clearances and 4.1 aerial duel wins per game en route to the Blues comfortably securing promotion to the Championship.

Appearances

35

Starts

32

Minutes played

2959

Clearances per game

6.2

Aerial duel wins per game

4.1

Tackles per game

1.1

Goals

1

Assists

1

Now 29, Davies is a hugely experienced head who could be a great squad option for Birmingham, with Klopp speaking fondly of him after he arrived at Liverpool in a shock deal in January 2021.

“He’s a really good footballer, looks like a proper leader in this Preston team, good in challenges, looks football smart, can play different positions because he played in a back three and a back four and all these things. That makes him really interesting so I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

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There are few negatives to Birmingham snapping up Davies this summer, and if he performs like he did last season, the Blues’ hopes of a good campaign will be improved instantly.

Water is wet, the sky is blue, and Chelsea are incredibly busy in the summer transfer window.

Like they do every year, the Blues are making the most of silly season, already welcoming in Premier League-proven talents like Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.

Moreover, they have also reportedly agreed a deal worth around £55m to sign the incredibly exciting Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund.

However, it’s not all about the incomings, as the West Londoners have already made a few sales and are looking to make a few more, although one potential exit could end up being something of a Mohamed Salah repeat.

Chelsea's summer sales

While most of the attention this summer has been on the club’s incomings, and rightly so, Chelsea have already made a few sales.

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The biggest thus far has been Bashir Humphreys’ move to Burnley, where he spent last season on loan, for a fee supposedly around £10m.

The full-back isn’t the only Blues player who was on loan last season to leave this summer, though, as Kepa Arizabalaga made the incredibly familiar move to Arsenal for around £5m earlier this month.

Interestingly, based on reports, the Spaniard might not even be the only Blues player to move to the Emirates this summer.

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Noni Madueke could follow Kepa to the red side of North London in the coming weeks or months.

In fact, the Italian journalist claims that the Gunners are in talks with the player’s representatives, and that he’d be “open” to a move.

In terms of the money involved, reports from earlier this month claim that the Englishman could end up costing £55m.

While there are certainly some who would see this as an excellent sale for Chelsea, there are also ways in which it bears a resemblance to Salah’s departure all those years ago.

Why Madueke's move could be Salah 2.0

Okay, so before the pitchforks and torches come out, we are not in any way trying to argue that Madueke is as good a player as Salah is today, as that would be patently absurd.

However, there are some similarities between them and this potential transfer to that of the Liverpool star.

The first is that it could be another example of Chelsea selling a young and exciting right-winger years before they hit their peak.

While he was not indispensable last season, the former PSV Eindhoven star was a useful player to have in the squad and someone who showed glimpses of brilliance.

For example, the “unbelievable” forward, as dubbed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, racked up a tally of seven goals and four assists in just 32 Premier League appearances, and in Europe, he was even better, scoring three goals and providing one assist in five games.

Madueke’s FBref scout report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Progressive Carries

6.82

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

4.12

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.04

Top 4%

Touches (Att Pen)

8.15

Top 4%

Non-Penalty xG

0.43

Top 6%

Shots Total

3.54

Top 7%

Progressive Carrying Distance

154.28

Top 7%

Shots on Target

1.33

Top 8%

All Stats via FBref

Moreover, he possesses some genuinely world-class skills, as, according to FBref, he ranked in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes.

In other words, there were almost no players better at getting the ball up the pitch and into seriously dangerous areas than the Englishman.

Don’t just take our word for the potential of the winger though, as coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst has argued that he’s “further along on his journey than Salah was at the same age” and that “if he continues to work hard, then he could and should be recognised as one of the world’s best down the line.”

Additionally, if the Reading-born ace does get to the very top of the game, then he could end up being as much of a thorn in the Pensioners’ side as the Egyptian has been, only this time for an even bigger rival.

Ultimately, while he’s nowhere near Salah today, Madueke has the ability to be something special, and if Chelsea let him go to a rival now, they could end up regretting it in the same way they regret losing the Liverpool star all those years ago.

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A Rangers star who Russell Martin is looking to keep at Ibrox is now “ready to quit” the club this summer, according to a new report.

Martin expecting new Rangers signings before Panathinaikos clash

The Gers don’t have long until their first competitive game of the 2025/26 season, with a two-legged Champions League qualifier against Greek side Panathinaikos scheduled for the end of July.

Martin and the 49ers Enterprises are therefore looking to get deals over the line before July 22 and the first leg at Ibrox, with the new manager expecting a couple of signings by then.

Midfielder Lyall Cameron became the club’s first official signing of the summer after penning a pre-contract agreement back in February, whereas right-back Max Aarons will move to Rangers on loan from Bournemouth.

More could be on the way, but several incomings may also be coupled with a few departures. The likes of Robin Propper and Cyriel Dessers heavily linked with leaving Ibrox.

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There have also been rumours of an exit for Nicolas Raskin, however, Martin wants to keep both Raskin and Hamza Igamane and build his Rangers side around the pair.

Despite this, a new worrying transfer update has now emerged on Raskin’s Rangers future.

Nicolas Raskin "ready to quit" Rangers

According to a report from Ibrox News, Raskin is “ready to quit” Rangers over the coming months and “could soon inform Rangers of his decision to leave”.

It is added that the Belgium international “is only willing to depart Ibrox if a side from a top league is to show a strong interest in his signature”.

The 24-year-old, dubbed “unbelievable” in the past, has been linked with the likes of Aston Villa and Leeds United, with the latter also owned by the 49ers.

Games

48

Goals

5

Assists

11

Yellow cards

11

Red cards

0

Minutes played

3,845

After joining in January 2023, Raskin has gone on to make 95 appearances in total for the Gers, half of which came in 2024/25 where he was a key man under both Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson.

Ibrox News have added that “there is no guarantee of a move as things stand”, but with plenty of time until the transfer window closes, it does look as if an exit could materialise between now and September 1.