Leeds United are interested in signing an in-demand French striker who is also wanted by Scottish giants Celtic.
Leeds transfer rumours following promotion to the Premier League
The Whites and Daniel Farke are preparing for life back in the Premier League following a successful Championship campaign.
Promotion was secured for Leeds over the Easter weekend which resulted in a party at Elland Road on Monday evening. Farke’s side secured wins over Oxford United and Stoke City, whereas Sheffield United fell to defeat against Burnley to guarantee a top two finish for the Whites and the Clarets.
Talking after sealing promotion to the Premier League, captain Ethan Ampadu said: “It’s amazing. If you look at the scenes here, as it was after the final whistle, just pure excitement. Within ourselves we’ve got another target, so we can enjoy this now, but we’ve got another target we want to achieve. But right now, it’s very good.”
Centre-back Joe Rodon added: “For me it hasn’t sunk in yet. I don’t think it will until the end of the season, but I’m just delighted for everyone involved with the club, the fans and what it means to them. It’s what everyone has worked for all season and I’m buzzing.”
With top flight football back in Yorkshire for the 2025/26 season, the 49ers Enterprises may look to splash the cash on several new signings, and a new centre-forward is thought to be on the wishlist.
Player
Fee
Joe Rodon
£10m
Jayden Bogle
£5m
Ao Tanaka
£2.95m
Manor Solomon
Loan
Largie Ramazani
£9.3m
Joe Rothwell
Loan
Isaac Schmidt
£2.5m
Josuha Guilavogui
Free
Alex Cairns
Undisclosed
There are doubts at Leeds over Joel Piroe’s ability in the top flight, despite the striker scoring four goals in the first half against Stoke on Monday. There are also concerns over Patrick Bamford.
There have been some forwards linked with moves to Elland Road recently, including AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham. However, a new up-and-coming young forward appears to be on the Leeds radar, going off a recent update.
Leeds keen on French forward Moussa Soumano
According to Africa Foot, Leeds are one of several sides keen on Ajaccio forward Moussa Soumano. Aged just 19, Soumano is also wanted by Celtic and Leicester City, whereas Brentford have already made an offer worth €3m (£2.5m) to sign the attacker.
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1 ByDominic Lund Apr 24, 2025
Also capable of playing on the wing if required, Soumano has scored five goals and provided two assists in 66 appearances for his current employers. Not exactly a prolific record, however, the 6ft French attacker has been hailed as a promising talent and is ‘considered one of the great hopes of Corsican football’ in Africa Foot’s report.
Soumano could be one to keep an eye on, with Leeds potentially looking to bring in some talented teenagers alongside some big names, just like they did with Crysencio Summerville and Mateo Joseph when they were last in the top flight.
Chelsea are now going all out to sign a “stunning” winger, and they may be willing to trigger the £42m release clause in his contract, according to a report.
Blues keen to strengthen in attack
Nicolas Jackson made a flying start to the campaign, but the 23-year-old is still without a Premier League goal in 2025, having now failed to score in his last 11 matches, most recently drawing a blank in the 2-2 draw against Ipswich Town.
The Blues’ disappointing draw against Ipswich may have significantly dented their Champions League aspirations, while also underlining the need for Enzo Maresca to strengthen his squad this summer, and new forwards are of particular interest.
Ipswich star Liam Delap is one of the main targets at striker, with the west Londoners recently opening talks over a deal for the Englishman, while they could also consider a move for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, who is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.
Sky Sports: Tottenham looking to sign £38m star who wants to leave Bayern
Tottenham are in the race for a winger, who has now made it clear he wants to leave his club.
ByDominic Lund Apr 13, 2025
Not only is signing a new striker on the agenda, but there may also be a need to bring in a new winger, given that Noni Madueke has widely been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
According to a report from Spain, a new target has now entered the frame, with Chelsea going all out to sign Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez, who has a £42m release clause included in his contract with the Spanish side.
The Blues are yet to make an official bid, but they are considering stumping up the release clause to ensure they win the race for Rodriguez’s signature, amid interest from other unnamed clubs.
Real Betis'JesusRodriguezcelebrates scoring their second goal
Betis hope to keep hold of the winger for at least one more season, but they are powerless to prevent his departure, should any of the interested parties be willing to fork out the release clause.
"Stunning" Rodriguez enjoying breakthrough season
The ongoing campaign has been a real breakthrough season for the 19-year-old, having made 24 appearances in all competitions, picking up two goals and two assists in the process.
The teenager has certainly managed to impress the Spanish media with his performances, having been lauded as “stunning” by journalist Alvaro Borrego, who adds the youngster will soon be part of the Spain national team set-up.
The Spaniard’s performances over the past year indicate he is a well-rounded winger, who is effective on the front foot, but also willing to pitch in defensively.
Statistic
Average per 90
Interceptions
0.64 (83rd percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.78 (90th percentile)
Progressive carries
4.59 (77th percentile)
Blocks
1.39 (94th percentile)
That said, while Rodriguez is showing very promising signs at such a young age, his attacking numbers are yet to justify a £42m outlay, and Chelsea should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.
For everything he has got wrong at Tottenham Hotspur, Ange Postecoglou has made plenty of brilliant signings.
For example, the likes of Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and James Maddison all improve the starting lineup when fit, while Kevin Danso and Antonín Kinský look like more than adequate deputies.
Moreover, the Australian has also signed some sensationally talented youngsters like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who will surely be key members of the team for years to come.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecoglou
However, not every signing has been perfect, and it would be fair to say that during his time at the club, Timo Werner has not been good enough, but in good news, another of the team’s youngsters will be the perfect replacement next season, and no, we aren’t talking about Mikey Moore.
Timo Werner's Spurs nightmare
Okay, calling Werner’s time in N17 a nightmare is likely overdoing it, but we don’t think we are all that far off if you look at his performance and impact since last January and consider the fact he’s making £165k-per-week.
Timo Werner for Tottenham
At the end of last season, the former Chelsea flop had racked up a reasonable enough tally of five goal involvements in 14 games, and while that’s really not too bad, it certainly wasn’t good enough to warrant the club re-signing him for another season.
Unfortunately, Postecoglou’s gamble has not worked out in the slightest this year, as, despite being given more of a role, the Stuttgart-born forward has fared even worse.
Appearances
14
27
Goals
2
1
Assists
3
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.35
0.14
For example, in 27 appearances across all competitions, the 29-year-old has scored just a single goal and provided three assists, which means he’s averaged a goal involvement every 6.75 games – talk about ineffective.
On top of lacking to contribute to the attack, the RB Leipzig loanee has also missed 11 games through injury, and while that is not his fault, it is a downside when he’s only at the club for a short spell, and based on reports from earlier in the season, it’s a spell that won’t be extended again.
Timo Werner in action for Tottenham
Now, the good news is that when he leaves, the club will already have an up-and-coming talent who could step into his role as a squad player, and it’s not Moore.
Spurs' perfect Werner replacement
So, when we are talking about the perfect replacement for Werner next season, we are talking about a winger who will play the odd game here and there but ultimately act very much as the third or fourth choice, which is why we don’t consider this to be Moore.
The Hotspur Way gem has already shown in flashes this season that he’s going to be good enough to genuinely challenge the likes of Wilson Odobert and Son Heunng-min for more regular football next season.
So, where does that leave us? Even if they are not going to be playing loads and loads of football next year, Postecoglou and Co are still going to want their Werner replacement to be good enough to make an impact when called upon, and for our money, the perfect candidate for that is Yang Min-hyeok.
The South Korean winger joined the club from Gangwon FC last summer but remained with the K League side until the new year, as their seasons run from February to November.
Moreover, despite being so young, he was a seriously important player for them.
Appearances
38
Goals
12
Assists
6
Goal Involvements *
0.47
He managed to rack up an impressive tally of 12 goals and six assists in just 38 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.11 games.
When he arrived in England, the North Londoners made the wise decision to send the “underrated” teenager, per analyst Joel Kim, out on a short-term loan to Queens Park Rangers, where he has since provided one assist in eight appearances, four of which have been starts.
On top of being capable of scoring and assisting goals, the Gwangju-born phenom is blessed with “power and pace”, according to Kim, which makes him sound like the perfect player to bring off the bench toward the end of games.
Finally, while some might consider loaning him out again next season, there is a strong argument that with him still being quite young, a campaign in which he’s in the first team and making substitute appearances in the Premier League might be just as beneficial for his development.
Ultimately, Spurs will need someone to fill in for the departing Werner next season, and while he’s unproven in the top-flight, Yang Min-hyeok seems like the perfect candidate.
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When West Bromwich Albion handed Tony Mowbray the reins for his second spell at the Baggies, another promotion, one that the impressive Carlos Corberan failed to deliver, was being dreamt of.
Indeed, Mowbray has been here before when guiding West Brom triumphantly to the Championship title back in 2008, with his task in the here and now to steer the West Midlands outfit to a playoff finish.
Part of that great side were players like Graham Dorrans, James Morrison, Robert Koren and, of course, Jonas Olsson.
Perhaps Mowbray has found his next version of the big Swede in 2025.
Jonas Olsson's time at West Brom
Last time the current manager took West Brom up to the promised land of English football, Mowbray did, unfortunately send his side straight back down.
But, the dismal relegation that did occur at the end of the 2008/09 season – which ultimately cost the manager his job – didn’t mean it was all doom and gloom at the Hawthorns, with Olsson sticking out as a formidable performer even as the Premier League slipped out of his new team’s grasp.
In total, the Swedish powerhouse tallied up 261 appearances donning a Baggies strip, with this unfortunate relegation blot on his resume not deterring him from going on to amass eight goals and six assists in the Premier League from 201 clashes.
Often using his towering 6 foot 5 frame to resiliently battle and grind out important wins, there’s one player in Mowbray’s current camp who bares similarities to the modern West Brom icon by displaying equal amounts of grit.
West Brom's new version of Olsson
The second-tier promotion chasers were very proactive in the busy January market, with the likes of EFL sharpshooter Adam Armstrong joining the ranks on loan, alongside Tammer Bany joining from Scandinavia in a surprise switch.
Amazingly, this isn’t the only pursuit from this neck of the woods that West Brom have signed off on in recent times, as tough defensive battler Torbjørn Heggem joined from Swedish top-flight side IF Brommapojkarna for a modest £500k last summer.
Heggem has managed to instantly fit in – much like Olsson after his move in 2008 – with a header being powered home back in December eerily similar to the many goals the Swede scored in crucial moments.
Moreover, the ex-Brommapojkarna titan has managed to shore up Mowbray’s side like the memorable number 4 before him, seen in Heggem winning a high five duels on average per Championship clash.
Games played
39
Games started
39
Goals scored
1
Assists
2
Touches*
67.8
Accurate passes*
44.5 (88%)
Ball recoveries*
3.3
Clearances*
4.9
Total duels won*
5.0
Clean sheets
12
The “outstanding” summer recruit – as he’s been lauded by pundit Carlton Palmer for his Baggies heroics – has also managed to collect 12 clean sheets from his 39 second-tier appearances, resulting in Heggem cementing himself as a regular by missing zero Championship games this season.
Heggem would love to round off his stunning debut season in England with a promotion in hand, as the 26-year-old no-nonsense defender potentially becomes more and more like West Brom’s next Olsson if he passes any upcoming hurdles in front of him with flying colours.
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There are signs that Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United project may yet take off.
The summer transfer window will be crucial. How the Red Devils navigate the market months will no doubt hold sway when it comes to the narrative in 2025/26. Will United turn a corner, or loop back to weary road’s already travelled?
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimlooks dejected at half time
Let’s dig into the most noticeable potential departure. Rasmus Hojlund has had a tough time this season, but there’s evidence that he should indeed be sold.
Man United's biggest winner from the international break
Hojlund scored the only goal as Denmark beat Portugal in the opening leg of their Nations League quarter-final tie in Copenhagen on Thursday night.
His reaction fanned the flames of social media discourse, having copied Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘siu’ celebration.
CR7 got the last laugh, as he so often has throughout his incredible career. Portugal defeated the Danes 5-2 (5-3 on aggregate) to advance to the penultimate stage, with 40-year-old Ronaldo notching his 135th goal for his nation.
It served as a reality check for Hojlund, 22, who was well-marshalled after scoring on Thursday. Indeed, he managed to strike on goal once but lost five of eight contested duels, as per Sofascore, failed with both his dribble attempts and failed to impose himself on the game.
Rasmus Hojlund for Denmark
Such has been the story of his season. Manchester United’s striker, who joined from Atalanta in a deal worth £72m in 2023, has regressed hugely this term, scoring just three goals across 24 Premier League matches.
Fabrizio Romano has already confirmed there appears to be tentative interest from Italian clubs and that the expectation is the number nine will be sold.
However, he’s not the only one, with another United member flattering to deceive on the same pitch as Hojlund on Sunday evening. He needs to be sold.
Man United's biggest loser from the international break
No, we’re not talking about Bruno Fernandes; the Portugal star is the linchpin of Amorim’s project, posting 12 goals and eight assists across 27 matches.
Bruno Fernandes celebrates for Manchester United
We are, however, drawing attention to Diogo Dalot, who wasn’t great against Denmark in both legs and may well follow Hojlund out the door this summer.
Journalist Alex Crook commented earlier this month that Dalot, 26, has “regressed” this season, lacking the completeness that United need at right wing-back. With just 22 goal involvements across 202 Man United appearances, he doesn’t have the attacking consistency Amorim would expect either.
Minutes played
66′
81′
Touches
46
48
Accurate passes
25/33 (76%)
26/30 (87%)
Key passes
2
0
Possession lost
10x
11x
Dribbles
0/1
0/2
Tackles + interceptions
2
4
Clearances
1
1
Duels won
1/4
3/8
Errors
0
1
Pencilling down their post-match thoughts after Monday’s win, Portuguese outlet Portugoal handed Dalot a rather flat 5/10 rating, writing: ‘Dalot is not a game-breaker – no shots, no key passes, no completed dribbles, and no surprise if and when Cancelo returns to the starting XI in June.’
Indeed, one careless throw-in after the interval nearly led to a damaging Denmark goal, something which may well have swung the pendulum away from the Iberian nation.
It typifies Dalot’s issues. He’s not sharp enough on the ball, creating little despite squandering possession regularly.
Further, the 26-year-old isn’t strong enough in the duel and doesn’t carry the ball as well as he could.
Man United need to strive for greatness, and selling Dalot will be part of the slow but steady solution.
Man Utd gem who left for £0 would be even better than Dorgu under Amorim
Man Utd might wish they had this player at their disposal
Ruben Amorim will be wanting to make a real mark on the Manchester United squad over the summer transfer window, offloading numerous players who aren’t at the level required.
The Red Devils have been languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table throughout 2024/25, falling way short of the expectations of the fanbase.
However, the 40-year-old has only had one transfer window to make an impact at Old Trafford, needing more time before a judgement is made on his tenure in charge.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimapplauds fans after the match
He will be hoping that the hierarchy will back him in his quest to lead the side back to the summit of the division – a position they undoubtedly belong in, given their previous success under Sir Alex Ferguson.
It looks extremely unlikely that he will be able to secure a reunion with one player, given the news that has emerged over his future over the last 48 hours.
Man Utd look set to miss out on Geovany Quenda
According to David Ornstein, Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Sporting CP wing-back Geovany Quenda for a fee in the region of £40m – a simply bonkers fee for a 17-year-old.
The deal will see the teenager spend next season on loan at the Portuguese side before signing an eight-year contract with the Blues and linking up with them in the summer of 2026.
Sporting CP's GeovanyQuendain action
United were previously in the race for his signature, with Amorim undoubtedly keen for a reunion, given the youngster’s form under his guidance back in his homeland.
Quenda has registered two goals and six assists in 43 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, with the Red Devils possibly ruing not agreeing a deal with Sporting before Chelsea swooped in.
However, the supporters shouldn’t worry, with the club already having a player who could become even better than the teenager should he receive first-team minutes in the near future.
The Man Utd star who could be Amorim’s next Quenda
Patrick Dorgu moved to the club in January from Italian side Lecce, looking to nail down the left-back role – a position that has often been a problem for various managers over the years.
The Dane has already starred in his short spell at Old Trafford, featuring six times across all competitions – with his best display coming in the Europa League on Thursday night.
However, the right side still remains up for debate, with Amorim potentially having his own version of Quenda in the form of 17-year-old Bendito Mantato, who has excelled at youth level.
Mantato can operate either in a full-back position or off either flank in the final third, having the versatility to feature in a wing-back role in Amorim’s five-back system.
The youngster has registered seven goals and one assist in his 14 youth appearances throughout this campaign, highlighting the attacking threat he possesses.
U18 Premier League
10
6
0
FA Youth Cup
1
1
0
UEFA Youth League
2
0
1
Premier League 2
1
0
0
Total:
14
7
1
However, analyst Ben Mattinson has dubbed the teen as “creative” and “explosive”, but also possessing a lot of the qualities that saw Quenda drop into a slightly deeper role – a decision that has taken his career to the next level, as seen by his pending move to Chelsea.
His 1v1 ability has caught the eye in the academy setup over the last couple of months, undoubtedly contributing to his tremendous goalscoring record for the youth side.
Mattinson previously stated his recovery pace makes him perfect for a wing-back, combining both of his key assets and allowing for the manager to have another talented teen in his squad.
If Amorim has been able to achieve such success with a youngster once, there’s no denying he could work his magic once again – this time allowing Mantato to thrive and fight for a place in the first team.
Amorim
It may be a risk to include such a young talent in the senior setup, but as seen during his time at Sporting, his high risk has produced high rewards, with the youngster potentially allowing the supporters to forget about missing out on the Portuguese star.
11 duels won, 100% dribbles: Man Utd ace is now as undroppable as Fernandes
Manchester United booked their place in the next round of the Europa League last night.
Looking to add to the likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly made contact in pursuit of signing another two rising stars for Ange Postecoglou.
Tottenham transfer news
Spurs’ struggles have been clear for all to see all season. Whilst they’ve suffered injury after injury to leave Postecoglou with no choice but to field makeshift backlines and blunt attacking trios, there’s an argument to be made that the Australian hasn’t helped himself at times.
Remaining stubborn over his tactics, the Lilywhites have been exposed over and over again, including in a recent 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.
Those in North London shouldn’t be too quick to put all of the blame on their manager, however, given how little squad depth he has been handed over the last year or so. It’s a problem that simply must be solved when the summer transfer window swings open and one which could once again be helped by the arrival of future stars.
Tottenham plotting move to sign "wonderful" ex-Real Madrid gem scouts love
He’s a rising star…
ByTom Cunningham Feb 28, 2025
According to The Boot Room, Tottenham have now made contact in the race to sign both Christos Mouzakitis and Charlampos Kostoulas in a double swoop from Olympiacos this summer.
Facing competition from North London rivals Arsenal as well as Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, Spurs should be desperate to get one over on their Premier League counterparts and land two impressive talents in the process.
Christos Mouzakitis for Olympiacos.
Starting with Mouzakitis, the Lilywhites would be getting an 18-year-old midfielder who’s already an established regular starter for what is a massive club in Greece. He’s made 16 Super League 1 appearances for Olympiacos this season, scoring once and assisting once for the senior team.
Meanwhile, by adding Kostoulas, Spurs would be signing a striker who already knows exactly where the back of the net is. At just 17 years old, the Olympiacos star has scored 11 goals in all competitions – including six league goals for the first-team.
"Robust" Kostoulas has key versatility
Having already taken Greek football by storm, 17-year-old Kostoulas could find himself attempting to steal similar headlines in the Premier League sooner rather than later. Given that Spurs has been the land of opportunity amid their squad depth problems in the last year or so too, a move to North London would be no bad thing for the young forward.
Crucially, if those opportunities to impress were to arrive at Spurs, Kostoulas would also offer Postecoglou some key versatility in return. As highlighted by analyst Ben Mattinson when praising the teenager’s “robust” ball-carrying ability, Kostoulas has developed into an attacking midfielder in recent months, but is still capable of moving into the lone striker role.
With plenty of competition for both his and Mouzakitis’ signature in the coming months, the impressive young striker looks set to have quite the decision to make this summer.
Celtic have now submitted an offer of up to £2.5m for an “amazing” versatile star in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.
Hoops supporters will be hoping to see a flurry of attacking reinforcements between now and the end of the current window, with Bojan Miovski one such player who has been linked with a summer switch to Parkhead.
The 26-year-old is now plying his trade at Spanish side Girona, but he has proven his worth in the Scottish Premiership in the past, proving to be a star man for Aberdeen and scoring 44 goals in 98 appearances for them.
Bojan Miovski for North Macedonia.
Meanwhile, Rapid Vienna winger Isak Jansson has been mentioned as a possible replacement for the outgoing Nicolas Kuhn, who is on the verge of joining Serie A side Como.
Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claimed Celtic have enquired about the availability of Jansson, and there has now been another key development.
Celtic make £2m+ bid for Jansson
According to a new update from Celts Are Here, Celtic have now submitted an offer of as much as £2.5m for the signature of Jansson this summer.
That said, a bit in excess of £3.4m has reportedly been made by an unnamed club, so the Hoops won’t have things all their own way. A rumoured valuation of £8.6m is said to be “super ridiculous”, according to the report, perhaps set with the goal of making Celtic and others enter a bidding war.
Losing Kuhn will clearly hurt the Hoops, considering what a dangerous and prolific performer he was for the Scottish champions last season, but in Jansson, they could have a fantastic option lined up.
The Swede has been capped internationally across four different youth age groups and can play on either wing or through the middle as a number nine, and he has racked up 17 goal contributions (10 goals and seven assists) in 45 appearances for Rapid.
Sweden Under-21s
3
0
Sweden Under-17s
20
2
Sweden Under-16s
1
0
Sweden Under-15s
2
1
At 23, Jansson is still a young player with plenty of time to improve as the years pass, so Brendan Rodgers may like the idea of developing him as a footballer, with Rapid sporting director Marcus Katzer lauding both his ability and sell-on value.
“One week after we exercised the purchase option in the season, we had an offer of more than £1 million on the table. He will clearly be transferred for many times what we paid for him. He has been an amazing success for us.”
There is a lot of competition for Jansson’s signature, however, so it won’t be easy for Celtic to strike a deal, but he is an ideal right-sided winger to come in and fill the void left by Kuhn, while his versatility also allows him to add depth across the attack as Rodgers prepares to fight on multiple fronts next season.
Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin knew that he had to make a fast start to the summer transfer window, especially with the Champions League qualifiers zooming into focus.
Indeed, his first competitive match against Panathinaikos is just a few weeks away, leaving no margin for error.
Date
Opposition
Competition
July 22
Panathinaikos
Champions League qualifiers
July 30
Panathinaikos
Champions League qualifiers
August 2
Motherwell
Premiership
August 9
Dundee
Premiership
August 23
St Mirren
Premiership
Lyall Cameron had agreed a pre-contract agreement with the Ibrox side back in January, but Martin has moved to bring in Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez to bolster his squad.
Of course, there will be several outgoings as well. Cyriel Dessers looks like he is set to leave Glasgow this summer. Hamza Igamane is another player who could be departing, with French side Lille reportedly agreeing personal terms with the young striker.
These potential sales will raise funds for the manager to further strengthen his squad as the weeks go on.
Aarons will add plenty of competition for James Tavernier at right-back next season, while Rothwell has played under Martin before, therefore knows his style of play well and won’t take long to get settled in.
Fernandez is a curious signing, however. He played in a Peterborough side that finished 18th in League One last season.
Aged just 23, there is plenty of room for growth, but can the Englishman turn into the next Calvin Bassey at Ibrox?
Why Rangers signed Emmanuel Fernandez
The first port of call for Martin upon his arrival at Rangers was to sort out the defence. Last season, the Gers conceded 71 goals across 58 competitive matches, which works out as 1.2 goals conceded per game.
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This figure has to improve if the Light Blues wish to challenge for domestic supremacy this season, no doubt about that. In comparison, Celtic conceded 59 goals in 57 matches last season.
Leon Balogun has already left, and it looks like Robin Propper could well be off in the coming weeks, leaving Martin with work to do.
With Aarons already signed, the announcement of Fernandez came as no surprise. The Ibrox side reportedly spent £3.5m to sign the centre-back and, at that price, Martin will be hoping he can settle quickly at the club.
The manager will utilise a possession-based style of play, encouraging his defenders to play out from the back, hence the move for Fernandez.
Emmanuel Fernandez
In League One last term, Fernandez succeeded with 67% of his dribbles, while also averaging a pass success rate of 87% for the Posh.
He even ranked in the top 17% when compared to his positional peers for touches in the opposition box (41), proving that he finds himself in dangerous positions on a regular basis.
These statistics certainly fit in with Martin’s style of play, and he could be a decent signing, provided that he contributes from the start.
Rangers haven’t had much success recently with players from the EFL, as they have largely struggled to adapt to Scottish football.
Fernandez will be the first of a few defenders through the door this summer. Recent news indicates that Martin is closing in on another centre-back in the coming days…
Rangers closing in on Premier League defender
The former Posh defender will surely be the first of several centre-backs making the move to Ibrox.
Leicester City defender Conor Coady has been linked with a move to Glasgow, although it remains to be seen whether he swaps the Foxes for Rangers.
Harry Darling was also linked with a reunion with Martin at Ibrox earlier in the transfer window, but he has decided to join Norwich City instead.
Journalist Anthony Joseph has given an update on the club’s chase for new signings, saying that Rangers are “close to agreeing a loan deal” for Wolves centre-back Nasser Djiga.
Joseph went on to add that the move would be a “straight season-long loan”, with the Ibrox side hoping to have the player booked in for a medical “in the coming days”.
Nasser DjigaNasser Djiga
An initial temporary deal could work out well for both parties and Djiga could even turn out to be an instant upgrade on Fernandez, that’s for sure.
Why Rangers must sign Nasser Djiga
The African defender only joined Wolverhampton Wanderers during the winter window from Red Star Belgrade, but he found game time hard to come by in the Premier League.
Indeed, the 22-year-old only played five times for the Old Gold in the top flight and experience north of the border will surely bolster his long-term ambitions at Molineux.
His performances at the Serbian outfit were impressive, however, especially during the first half of the season. While Fernandez can play out with the ball, it appears as though the 6 foot 4 Burkina Faso international is even better.
Wolves' Nasser Djiga before facing Crystal Palace.
Across 17 Serbian top-flight matches, Djiga not only succeeded with 95% of his passes, but the defender also succeeded with 80% of his dribble attempts, showcasing his desire to burst forward from the heart of the defence.
When compared to his positional peers in the Champions League last term, Djiga ranked in the top 5% for progressive carries (1.63) per 90, while also ranking in the top 23% for touches in the opposition penalty area (1.13) per 90.
Considering these statistics were recorded at the highest level of the game, Djiga should have no problem settling in at Ibrox.
Judging by his performances in Europe’s top club competition, the Wolves centre-back appears to be an instant upgrade on Fernandez and this could see him slot straight into the starting XI once he seals his move to Rangers.
Scottish analyst and content creator Kai Watson profiled the youngster amid his links to Ibrox, saying:
“He hasn’t been given a chance at Wolves but at Red Star he was a strong passer of the ball with a good understanding of the game. He seems like the ideal CB for Russell Martin.”
Martin’s aim is to bring in players who might not be massive names, but who fit his style of play perfectly.
Only then, can Rangers truly begin to challenge for domestic superiority.
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