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Manchester City “will be interested” in a title-winning manager to replace Pep Guardiola when the time comes for him to move on.

Guardiola assesses Man City's title chances

City make the trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League this weekend, looking to stay in touch with Arsenal and continue their good recent form, especially Erling Haaland.

When asked about the state of the title race on Friday, Guardiola gave a rather sarcastic response, but also feels positive about where his team are at currently.

“Our mentality and our body language are in the right spo,t and it will make us stable but (we need to) play better during 95 minutes. In the first two games, three games, for sure we are out and Liverpool is already done, and now it looks like Liverpool is done, and I tell you that they will be back.

“I said many times, I know all the pundits, all the specialists, former players, they know everything that is going to happen after five games. I’m not able to do that. I always wait 10, 15 games to know exactly what is going on but I think obviously Liverpool, Arsenal are there, someone else will be there, and hopefully we can be there.”

It remains to be seen how long Guardiola will stay in charge of City, but he will need to be replaced eventually, and an interesting name has been mentioned as an option to come in.

Title-winning manager backed to succeed Guardiola

Writing for Sky Germany, relayed by Sport Witness, Didi Hamann revealed Vincent Kompany could replace Guardiola at Manchester City one day, and Bayern’s recent contract extension may well have been designed to ward off the interest from the Etihad.

“FC Bayern extended Kompany’s contract until 2029, even though he still had 20 months left on his contract. I mean, the extension wasn’t a must, but I understand why they did it.

“Bayern probably have in mind that Manchester City will be interested in Kompany at some point when Pep Guardiola retires. It would be interesting to know if Kompany has a clause in his contract. Christoph Freund didn’t reveal anything about that on Wednesday evening, but he didn’t completely deny it either.”

Kompany’s status as a playing legend at City, and the fact that he is now a Bundesliga champions in charge of Bayern Munich, does make him a fairly obvious contender to be Guardiola’s successor at the Etihad.

At 39, he is an exciting manager who is growing all the time, with Bayern youngster’s Tom Bischof recent comments highlighting the effect he is having at Bayern, who are off to their best start to a season in their storied history.

Man City have Fernandinho 2.0 who's "one of the best players in the world"

Pep Guardiola may have found his new Fernandinho at Manchester City…

By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 24, 2025

City fans will hope that Guardiola is still around for years to come, with the Spaniard showing few signs of wanting to move on, but Kompany should be kept an eye on as a leading option, assuming he continues to impress at Bayern.

كشف الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، عن طاقم التحكيم المكلف بإدارة مباراة منتخب مصر ضد الكويت، المقرر إقامتها غدًا الثلاثاء، في منافسات بطولة كأس العرب 2025.

ويلعب منتخب مصر ضد الكويت، في إطار منافسات الجولة الأولى من عمر مواجهات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب بقطر.

ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس العرب، بجانب كل من الأردن والكويت والإمارات.

وتقام بطولة كأس العرب، في قطر، إذ انطلقت اليوم الأول من ديسمبر وتستمر حتى 18 من الشهر نفسه بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا. موعد مباراة مصر والكويت في كأس العرب

وتقام مباراة مصر والكويت، يوم الثلاثاء الموافق 2 ديسمبر 2025، في تمام الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

طالع | معلقي مباراة مصر والكويت في كأس العرب 2025 حكم مباراة مصر والكويت في كأس العرب 2025

ويدير مباراة مصر والكويت، طاقم تحكيم بقيادة النرويجي إسبن إسكوس، حكمًا للساحة، ويعاونه كل من: جان إيريك إنجان، مساعدًا أول، وإيزاك باشيفيكين، مساعدًا ثانيًا، وإسماعيل الفاتح، حكمًا رابعًا والهولندي دينيس هيجلر، حكمًا لتقنية الفيديو وأنطونيو جارسيا، حكمًا مساعدًا لتقنية الفيديو.

ويشارك منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العرب، بقيادة جهاز فني يضم حلمي طولان مدير فني ومعه أحمد حسن مديرًا للمنتخب وعصام الحضري مدربًا للحراس، وذلك بقرار من اتحاد الكرة المصري.

The Saudi Pro League is renowned for its wealth and ability to give players huge wages, but who are the most expensive signings in the competition’s history?

European football remains the dominant force in the modern game, with the likes of the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga generally possessing the best players in the world.

In recent years, the Saudi Pro League has increasingly come to the fore, offering footballers eye-watering weekly wages and tempting them away from European clubs in the process.

To some, it is a sub-standard league where players go to earn big money in the twilight of their careers, but others feel it could only continue to grow in the coming years, especially if it continues to attract some of the biggest names in the sport.

There have been plenty of big-money signings to Saudi clubs since its rise to prominence – here are the 15 most expensive to date.

Saudi Pro League: Most expensive transfers

Rank

Player

Transfer

Date

Fee (£)

1

Neymar

PSG to Al-Hilal

Aug 2023

£77.6m

2

Jhon Duran

Aston Villa to Al-Nassr

Jan 2025

£71m

3

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta to Al-Qadsiah

July 2025

£57m

4

Darwin Nunez

Liverpool to Al-Hilal

Aug 2025

£56.6m

5

Malcom

Zenit to Al-Hilal

Jul 2023

£51.4m

6

Otavio

Porto to Al-Nassr

Aug 2023

£51.1m

7

Moussa Diaby

Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad

Jul 2024

£50m

8

Ruben Neves

Wolves to Al-Hilal

Jul 2023

£47m

9

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Fulham to Al-Hilal

Aug 2023

£46m

10

Galeno

Porto to Al-Ahli

Jan 2025

£41.6m

=11

Ivan Toney

Brentford to Al-Ahli

Aug 2024

£40m

=11

Fabinho

Liverpool to Al-Ittihad

Jul 2023

£40m

12

Mohamed Simakan

RB Leipzig to Al-Nassr

Sep 2024

£37.9m

13

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Lazio to Al-Hilal

Jul 2023

£34m

14

Marcos Leonardo

Benfica to Al-Hilal

Sep 2024

£33.7m

15 Marcos Leonardo Benfica to Al-Hilal (£33.7m)

Kicking off the list is Brazilian youngster Marcos Leonardo, who joined Al-Hilal from Benfica earlier this year in a deal worth a reported €40m (£33.7m).

The 21-year-old forward was previously with Santos in his homeland, but he clearly felt that a Saudi move was best for his development at this early stage in his career. Only time will tell if it is the right call, but it has been rare to see such a young footballer head there.

14 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Lazio to Al-Hilal (£34m)

For a long time, it seemed inevitable that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic would end up at one of the best teams in Europe, having stood out as such a dominant performer for Lazio, combining talent and physicality in midfield.

It came as a huge shock to see him join Al-Hilal last year in a deal reportedly worth £34m, especially as he was still only in his late 20s at that point. Will he return to Europe in the future?

13 Mohamed Simakan RB Leipzig to Al-Nassr (£37.9m)

Mohamed Simakan made the decision to leave RB Leipzig and join Al-Nassr in September 2024, in a move worth €45m (£37.9m), linking up with Cristiano Ronaldo in the process.

Only in his mid 20s, the centre-back’s decision to move away from Europe arguably surprised some, but it is still early days, and the club’s success on the domestic and continental stages may determine whether he’ll come to regret saying goodbye to the Bundesliga.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the Frenchman will certainly be looking to make an impression as he seeks a first senior international cap.

12 Fabinho Liverpool to Al-Ittihad (£40m)

Liverpool enjoyed a glorious period in their history under Jurgen Klopp, winning plenty of trophies, and Fabinho played a massive role in the Reds’ success.

A world-class No 6 at his peak, the Brazilian’s ability started to wane in the 2022/23 season, with his body no longer allowing him to cover ground like he once did.

A Saudi move felt like the best outcome for all parties, and Fabinho moved to Al-Ittihad for a reported £40m the following summer.

11 Ivan Toney Brentford to Al-Ahli (£40m)

Much like Milinkovic-Savic, Ivan Toney felt like a player who was only on the up at Brentford, with a move to one of the Premier League’s biggest teams often mooted.

Instead, the England international left the Bees to join Al-Ahli in the summer of 2024 in a move that surprised many, even amid his contract issues in west London.

Reports of his eventual transfer fee were mixed, but most appear to indicate Brentford received a sum of around £40m.

10 Galeno Porto to Al-Ahli (£41.6m)

Former Porto star Galeno was one of two major signings in the January 2025 market for the Saudi Pro League, with the winger joining Al-Ahli for €50m (£41.6m).

Galeno had scored eight in 18 appearances for Porto before departing for the Middle East, and has already written his name into the history books, scoring in the AFC Champions League final against Kawasaki Frontale.

His arrival marks Al-Ahli’s most expensive signing, replacing Ivan Toney.

9 Aleksandar Mitrovic Fulham to Al-Hilal (£46m)

Many players who have moved to the Saudi Pro League have been individuals whose peaks have been and gone, but Aleksandar Mitrovic went there while in his prime.

He was just 28 when he opted to trade Fulham for Al-Hilal, but he is no doubt reaping the financial rewards. Mitrovic’s transfer fee was officially undisclosed, with the Cottagers indicating they had received a “club-record” fee. While it was thought to be close to £50m, a sum of £46m appears to be the most widely mentioned.

8 Ruben Neves Wolves to Al-Hilal (£47m)

Ruben Neves’ move to Saudi Arabia has to stand out as one of the biggest surprises having grown into such a key player at Wolves, while still only being in his mid-20s.

It looked like the Portugal star had the pick of his clubs given the natural talent he possesses in midfield, but the race for his signature was won by Al-Hilal, who paid £47m for Neves’ services.

7 Moussa Diaby Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad (£50m)

It looked like Aston Villa had signed themselves a gem of a player in Moussa Diaby, with the winger catching the eye with his quality and end product during his one season at Villa Park.

His campaign did fizzle out a bit as it went on, but few would have expected to see him ditch the Midlands side for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad, with the Villans receiving around £50m in the process.

It’s hard not to feel as though the Frenchman is wasting the best years of his career in a lesser division, although the financial aspects of the move are undeniably appealing.

6 Otavio Porto to Al-Nassr (£51.1m)

Otavio was always a highly rated figure for Porto, and became a key part of the Portugal setup before opting for a Saudi move instead of a European switch, which cost Al-Nassr €60m (£51.1m) in August 2023.

He’s not set the world alight in the Middle East, scoring just one goal and supplying five assists in 2024/25.

The Los Angeles Angels are tidying up their roster ahead of Opening Day, and their latest move may come as a bit of a surprise.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Halos are releasing outfielder Mickey Moniak. The 26-year-old was the No. 1 pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2016 MLB draft.

Passan also reported the Angels will pay Moniak $483,970.97 due to procedure laid out in the collective bargaining agreement about releasing a player so close to Opening Day.

After making his MLB debut with Philadelphia in 2020, Moniak was traded to the Angels in '22—alongside prospect Jadiel Sanchez—in exchange for pitcher Noah Syndergaard. Never hitting his ceiling as a former No. 1 pick, the outfielder spent some time with L.A.'s Triple-A Salt Lake Bees in '23 before playing the entire '24 season with the major league club.

Moniak has hit 32 home runs and tallied 105 RBIs with a career .230 batting average over five MLB seasons.

While his performances left a lot to be desired last season, Martin Odegaard is likely to remain Arsenal’s captain for some time to come.

The Norwegian international was made the Gunners’ permanent captain by Mikel Arteta in the summer of 2022.

Able to score goals, control the tempo of games, and create chances for his teammates, the former Real Madrid wonderkid was starting to get back to his best before his latest injury and will undoubtedly be a big miss for the next month.

However, while it seems unlikely that he will lose the armband anytime soon, there are several players in the squad who could succeed him, including one young talent in particular.

Arsenal's captains in waiting

The excellent news for Arteta is that currently, his squad is full to bursting with international superstars who’d be more than capable of taking the captain’s armband if Odegaard were to relinquish it or leave the club.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

One option that would go down brilliantly with the Emirates faithful is Bukayo Saka, as not only is he truly one of their own, but he’s already worn it on multiple occasions.

Moreover, the Hale Ender is without a doubt the most talented attacker in the side and someone who clearly has the mental fortitude for that sort of pressure.

At the other end of the pitch, both William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães could be excellent options.

The Frenchman is widely considered one of the most cultured defenders in the league, and with a new five-year deal signed, his commitment to the project is unquestionable.

Likewise, his Brazilian partner is a player who’d run through walls for the team, someone in the mould of Tony Adams who can get the crowd on their feet with a crunching tackle or a thundering headed goal from a corner.

Moreover, while Arsenal have been labelled pushovers and meek in the past, Saliba and Gabriel are anything but, and two of the reasons why the North Londoners are seen as so physical these days.

Finally, the name most fans would probably put forward as an immediate successor to Odegaard is Declan Rice.

The all-action midfielder wore the armband for West Ham United, and has now done the same for England and is simply one of the most reliable performers in the team.

On top of that, he’s vocal on the pitch, clearly passionate and embodies what many view as an old-school captain.

However, while all of these players could become Arsenal’s captain in the future, there is another, younger star who could be the one to take the armband off Odegaard when he’s ready to give it up.

Arsenal's future captain

One of the big positives for Arsenal last season was the emergence and development of young talents, such as Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale Ender made his debut for the team against Manchester City in September, was a core member of the starting lineup by the end of the campaign, and, while it might sound extreme, is someone who could take the armband from Odegaard in the future.

In fact, according to club insider Hand of Arsenal, the teenager is very much seen as a “future captain” thanks largely to him already having the “mentality of a seasoned veteran.”

Whether or not you agree that he could become the team’s leader, it’s impossible to deny that the Islington-born gem is already playing well beyond his years.

For example, he ended last season having made 39 first-team appearances, 26 of which were starts, with two of those coming in wins at home and away against Real Madrid.

Appearances

39

Starts

26

Minutes

2306′

Goals

1

Assists

2

Points per Game

1.95

Moreover, he opened his account for the Gunners with a sensational strike against City, and then, while he received plenty of criticism for it, showed an incredible level of confidence by mocking Erling Haaland with his celebration.

As if that wasn’t enough, he then scored on his debut for England, and now has six senior caps to his name, and stands a real chance of making it to next year’s World Cup.

Ultimately, it is still very early in his career, but Lewis-Skelly is an extremely talented player and has already shown that he has the attitude to make it to the very top.

Therefore, there is every chance he could be the one to replace Odegaard as Arsenal’s captain at some point in the future.

Arsenal star is "biggest talent in England" & he could take Saka's #7 shirt

The incredible Arsenal gem could become Mikel Arteta’s future Bukayo Saka replacement.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 16, 2025

Pep Guardiola has lashed out at Premier League referees, but claims he will never get them to explain their decisions after being on the receiving end of questionable calls for 10 years. The Manchester City boss was left incensed after Anthony Taylor and his team of officials – including those in the VAR booth – allowed a Tyler Adams goal for Bournemouth to stand during Sunday's clash at the Etihad Stadium.

• How USMNT star Adams contributed to Guardiola's anger

  City led that contest midway through the first half courtesy of another effort from prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland. Parity was restored, however, when USMNT star Adams hit the net. He did so despite the home side being of the opinion that Gianluigi Donnarumma was impeded.

  The hosts' Italian goalkeeper argued that his arm had been pulled by David Brooks at a corner, preventing him from getting a fist to the ball. With Donnarumma unable to make proper contact with a delivery flighted into his penalty area, Adams was free to bundle home from five yards out.

  City’s protests fell on deaf ears, with Donnarumma being booked for arguing his case. Guardiola was left riled on the touchline, as he turned to supporters and urged them to make more noise and get behind his players. The Catalan coach brought another contentious incident up afterwards, but was quick to explain why he will not be seeking an audience with Taylor and Premier League referee bosses.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Guardiola irked by many decisions since 2016

  Guardiola told reporters after being left puzzled by plenty of big decisions across his nine-and-a-half years as Manchester City manager: “I don't call to the officials and the referees, I'm not the manager to do that. I don't do it. Of course they will not call me, but [Brooks went] there and pulled [Donnarumma's arm] down and made it unstable. And after that, I'm sorry to tell you. But I said many times, I know all the referees, I know them one decade perfectly, what is going on in this stadium. I know it.

  “I don't call. I don't have time. My schedule is three games, I have games. I don't have time to waste my time talking. I said to [Taylor] after when we see each other, tell me if it's a foul or not because I'm waiting.

  “If it's a foul or not, just tell me. Just take a look. It's fine. They're brave here. In the Etihad they are brave, so brave. I'm one decade here and we know each other quite well. I'm so pleased with what we achieved with Man City, despite everything, so it has been so good. So good.”

• Guardiola explains why he will not meet with match officials

  It is not the first time that Guardiola has taken aim at Premier League officials. Having been at the Etihad Stadium since 2016, he has previously said of trying to steer clear of debates with those that have a difficult job to do: “I go to the game and I never ever know who is the referee. When I see their face, it’s ‘oh, I remember that face’. I never in my life talk about the referees before, during or after – never ever, ever.

  “A mistake can be a mistake and we are sad, and when it’s in our favour we are lucky. But I don’t waste my time. I have to economise, I have to choose with my time exactly what I have to do. I don’t spend one second (thinking) about referees, especially when we lose. All I am concerned about is what we have to do to play well. The decisions are the decisions and during the season there are moments that help you, sometimes not.”

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• Getty
  

  Man City fixtures: Dortmund & Liverpool next on the agenda

  Adams’ goal for Bournemouth counted for little in the grand scheme of things as the Cherries ended up leaving the Etihad Stadium empty-handed. Haaland grabbed his second of the game for City in the 33rd minute – taking him to 17 for the season at club level – before Nico O’Reilly wrapped up a 3-1 win on the hour mark.

  The Blues will be back in Champions League action on Wednesday when playing host to German giants Borussia Dortmund, before then welcoming Liverpool to Manchester for a crunch clash on November 9 that will take both sides into the next international break.

Manchester United have had some sensational midfielders over the years. Two of the players who spring to mind are Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick. The England pair formed a crucial midfield pivot in the later years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s dynasty.

Of course, Scholes was a graduate of the United academy and had plenty of success before Carrick signed for the club in 2006. Once they were playing together week in, week out at the Theatre of Dreams, they formed one of the best midfield pairings in the Premier League.

United have long been searching for a midfielder who possesses as much class as Scholes Carrick did. Kobbie Mainoo is someone who would surely fit that bill.

What Scholes has said about Mainoo

Life under Ruben Amorim this season hasn’t been easy for Mainoo. The 20-year-old has been continuously overlooked, which is strange given the pedigree he comes with, built up in such a short amount of time.

His astronomic rise under Erik ten Hag began with a spellbinding performance on debut away to Everton.

Mainoo’s technical brilliance was on show then, picking up the ball off the back four with ease and carrying forward to progress play.

Touches

61

Passes completed

38/46

Ground duels won

3/5

Aerial duels won

2/3

Ball recoveries

3

Long balls completed

2

Tackles won

1/1

He continued to shine in that United midfield, with Scholes someone who heaped praise on him.

The United great said, “I remember that calmness” Mainoo had on the ball, before going on to admit, “I just couldn’t believe such a young player could do that.”

Mainoo’s excellent performances were capped off last summer. He started and shone in the Euro 2024 final, which England lost 2-1 to Spain.

Given his quick rise and obvious talent, it is baffling that he continues to get ignored for a starting spot by Amorim.

Incredibly, United have a midfielder in the academy who might be even more like Carrick and Scholes than Mainoo, however.

United’s Carrick and Scholes hybrid at Carrington

The Red Devils are no strangers to incredible midfield talent. Of course, Scholes and Carrick are two of them, and Mainoo is the current example, but the likes of Paul Pogba certainly fit into the category.

Well, the next off the incredible production line at Carrington could well be Jim Thwaites. The 17-year-old has shone in the centre of the park for United’s under-18 side this season, under another midfield great, Darren Fletcher.

This season, sitting at the base of the midfield for Fletcher’s team, Thwaites has played six times in the under-18s Premier League. He’s started all of those games, skippering the side once and chipping in with a couple of goals.

Speaking of those strikes, and ones in the past, Thwaites is a bit of a specialist when it comes to free kicks. Look at this effort against Manchester City in what turned out to be a 4-2 defeat for his side.

The United youngster rifled home the set piece into the top left corner, with an inch-perfect effort.

That goal itself showcases Thwaites’ excellent ability. You can’t take a free kick like that without possessing technical brilliance. It is easy to see why he can be such a good controller in midfield, pulling the strings for his side.

In fact, coach Seb Ostergren was full of praise for the youngster. He said Thwaites is like a “hybrid between Scholes and Carrick,” noting he has the “line breaking forward passes” of United’s former number 16 and the “switches” of their academy graduate.

Thwaites is certainly a talent United fans can get excited for. At just 17 years of age, he knows how to make things tick in the centre of the park.

Once he gets used to the pace of senior football, he could become a huge asset for the club.

Man Utd's "homegrown Osimhen" at Carrington looks like their new Rashford

Manchester United already have a star who could reach phenomenal levels in the near future.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 23, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank compared Xavi Simons to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz as the playmakers continue to struggle for form since swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the summer. Simons left RB Leipzig to complete his move to Spurs, while Wirtz joined the Reds from former German champions Bayer Leverkusen as the Merseyside broke the British transfer record at that time.

Simons and Wirtz struggling form

Several star players arrived in the Premier League from the Bundesliga during the last transfer window, including star playmakers Simons and Wirtz. Simons was a target for Chelsea initially in the summer but the Blues drifted from the transfer race after they signed Manchester United outcast Alejandro Garnacho. Simons eventually ended up joining Spurs as the North London club was desperately looking for a creative midfielder after missing out on key targets Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze.

Wirtz has endured a testing start to life in England, with the huge price tag of £116 million ($156m) hanging around his neck bringing with it added pressure. The expectation is that a player of his undoubted talent will come good in time. The Germany international is, however, aware of the need to deliver the end product in order to silence any doubters and prove his worth. He will be hoping to savour collective success during his debut campaign on Merseyside, as major silverware is chased down, but also needs to post some eye-catching statistics as an individual.    

AdvertisementAFPSimons compared to Wirtz

Spurs boss Frank addressed the slow start of his star signing Simons in the Premier League as the German coach compared the Dutchman to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz.

Speaking to reporters, the Tottenham head coach said: "Very good comparison with Wirtz, also a very good player, just like Xavi, coming into a new country, new club, new city, just need to settle and it is part of it. We are all getting judged every game, but we also need to see the bigger perspective. I always look for glimpses, and Xavi, I asked him to be more arriving in the box, and when I looked back at the game, he did. Was there a bi,g eye-catching moment? No, but there were glimpses, so it’s going a little bit in the right direction."   

Goals and assists target set for Wirtz

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has set a target of goals and assists for Wirtz for the 2025-26 campaign that would justify his massive price tag.

Speaking in association with online casino BetWright, Murphy told GOAL: "It’s a difficult one because I think if Liverpool win the Champions League or win the league, his numbers become less relevant and the microscope on them becomes less because there has been collective success. If he is going to play the majority of the season as a 10 then you have got to be looking at, ideally, double figures for assists and goals – that would be a success. I think he has been a tad unfortunate in some ways, although you have to accept that he hasn’t started as well as we anticipated. I think he has been a bit unlucky because he has made a lot of chances that haven’t been converted. Sometimes if some of those go your way – [Mohamed] Salah missed a sitter against Everton, [Jeremie] Frimpong missed a sitter, a couple at Galatasaray, the beautiful flick at Chelsea that Salah mis-hit on his right foot. All of a sudden the narrative changes a little bit if a few of those go in, or it’s not as intense. I have seen so much to like about him, you can see his class and intelligence and his vision. I think he has been a little bit surprised by the physicality of the league and how intense and difficult that is, every game. In the Bundesliga you probably had more games where they were in control of the ball and not being up against so much intensity. You think of the Newcastle away game, for example, the power of Arsenal – every game you play in the Premier League is physically difficult. That’s probably the area where he has adapted the most."   

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Getty Images SportSimons in search of maiden Spurs goal

Simons has had only one goal contribution since moving to England in the summer, with his only assist coming in his league debut for the club against West Ham last month. The Netherlands international will now aim to register his first goal for Spurs as they take on AS Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.       

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is under immense pressure heading into the clash with Hibernian at Ibrox in the latest round of the League Cup.

It feels like a huge game for the former Scotland international after a tricky start to life in Glasgow, losing 2-0 to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox last weekend.

As the title of the highlights above suggests, the pressure is mounting on the Rangers manager due to the poor start to the season, with no wins in their first five league games.

The Scottish giants were also knocked out of the Champions League at the play-off phase with a 9-1 defeat to Club Brugge, which did little to help supporters warm to the new head coach.

On top of the poor results on the pitch, both domestically and in Europe, Martin has ousted Nicolas Raskin from the first-team squad for the last two matches.

The Belgium international did not feature at all in the 0-0 draw with Celtic or the 2-0 defeat to Hearts either side of the international break, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will get any minutes against Hibernian this weekend, although it has been confirmed that he will be a part of the squad.

Why Russell Martin is making a mistake with Nicolas Raskin

Before the defeat to Hearts, Martin said: “Nico is back training with the group but he won’t be in the squad. He has a duty to make sure he earns the trust of all his other team-mates.”

Of course, we are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes. Martin could be in the wrong. Raskin could be in the wrong. Both parties could be in the wrong. What is for sure, though, is that this situation does not benefit the football club.

Legendary Rangers striker Ally McCoist said “you cannot bite your nose off to spite your face” when asked about the situation with the midfielder. He is spot on.

Raskin has proven that he can be a difference-maker for the Gers, as shown in the clip above, after a return of five goals and 11 assists in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

Rangers have scored two goals in their last five matches in all competitions, failing to score in any of their last three, and this shows that they are lacking his quality in possession at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, Raskin also brings defensive quality to the pitch that could have helped the Gers in their 2-0 loss to Hearts and the first half against Club Brugge, when they conceded five before only letting in one with him on the pitch in the second half.

Ultimately, performances and results have not been good enough for Rangers. Another loss, particularly if Raskin is not involved as a starter, should force the board to part ways with the boss.

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With this in mind, Kevin Thelwell and the board must consider swooping to appoint Kevin Muscat, whose contract at SH Port expires at the end of this year, per Transfermarkt.

Rangers Journal’s Kai Watson described the English-born head coach as a “perfect” choice and one the fans have “wanted” for several seasons earlier this month. He has been linked with the Ibrox post in previous years as well.

Why Rangers should appoint Kevin Muscat

Unless Martin can turn things around, starting against Hibernian on Saturday, the Light Blues should fire their head coach to appoint Muscat because he could resurrect Raskin’s Ibrox career and get the team back on track this season.

Above all else, the 52-year-old manager has proven that he can win trophies. He has won a league title and a domestic cup with SH Port, on top of two league titles and one cup with Melbourne Victory and one league title and a super cup with Yokohama F. Marinos, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that he knows how to build teams that can win major trophies. Perhaps the most impressive part of his record is that he has done it in three different countries: Australia, Japan, and China. This shows that he can adapt to different cultures and ways of playing and still build a side to win consistently.

2025 (24)

2.13

2nd

2024 (30)

2.60

1st

2023 (34)

1.88

2nd

2022 (34)

2.00

1st

2021 (18)

1.83

2nd

As you can see in the table above, Muscat has won two league titles in the last four seasons, and still has six games left of the current campaign to make it three in four.

Rangers could tempt him to give up on a chance to turn things around and win the league title with SH Port by offering him the job at Ibrox, should they decide to part ways with Martin.

As well as being a winning manager, Muscat also has a style of play that could get the best out of Raskin. The aforementioned Kai Watson claimed that the manager plays “fast attacking football” with “relentless pressing”.

This suggests that he would be the perfect head coach to get the best out of Raskin because that combines the two parts of his game that he thrives on, fast attacking play and pressing to win possession back.

As aforementioned, the Belgium international is a creative midfielder who can set his teammates up for high-quality chances on a regular basis, but he is also a combative and tenacious defender who wants to get stuck in and win the ball back high up the pitch.

Putting him in Muscat’s favoured 4-3-3 formation, per Transfermarkt, could allow him to thrive both in and out of possession at Ibrox once again, rather than having to sit at the base of a ball-dominant Martin side that does not give him as much freedom to burst forward or to get up the pitch to be combative off the ball.

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Therefore, Rangers could revive Raskin’s Ibrox career by firing the underperforming Martin and appointing a head coach whose system and style would maximize the midfielder’s potential, while also enhancing the team’s overall winning culture.