Rangers: Beale could repeat Leon King masterclass in ’23/24

Glasgow Rangers have endured one of their worst seasons in recent memory.

The Ibrox outfit will end the campaign trophyless while they have also sacked a manager and even managed to secure the record for the worst ever Champions League group stage performance, losing all six matches and scoring just twice.

Michael Beale will be aiming to put 2022/2023 firmly in the rearview mirror once their finally match has been played and turn his attention to the summer transfer window, with the squad badly needing to be overhauled.

It could be the Gers busiest transfer window in recent memory, especially with seven first team players out of contract and the Englishman will be eyeing up a fair few arrivals too.

Could the 42-year-old turn to the academy to save the club some money?

With plenty of young talent impressing for both the B team and U18s, next season could have a very different feel to it.

One player that Beale may consider giving more opportunities to is defender Lewis MacKinnon and the Ibrox side could certainly their repeat their Leon King masterclass.

Who is Lewis MacKinnon?

The 20-year-old centre-back plays in the same position as King, and he could follow in his footsteps by making the leap to the first team next term.

King is a stunning prospect, making his debut for the club under Steven Gerrard in 2020 aged just 16, he has since gone on to feature for the Light Blues on 28 occasions, gaining valuable Champions League experience along the way.

MacKinnon may not have made his senior bow yet, but there is no doubt the ability is there and with the club having nothing to play for across the final five matches of the season, there may be an opportunity to impress.

He offers a rare attacking threat from central defence having scored three times this term while the Northern Irishman has even stated that he aims to be “solid” in his own box, also admitting that he has improved while speaking to the media earlier this season, saying:

"The Lowland League has been more of a physical test, but when we play these top European teams you’re coming across a different challenge, it’s probably more technical playing against these teams. Ultimately, it will help us improve as a player, everyone’s enjoying it.

Leon King for Rangers

“If you look at the boys who got a start against Queen of the South, it just shows you that the pathway is there, and you just have to keep striving each day."

King has proven that there is indeed a clear pathway from academy to the senior side, and Beale could well unleash him either in the final few matches of this season, or bring him into the first team squad ahead of 2023/2024.

Everton's £100k p/w Ace Could Be Set For Dyche Flop

Everton midfielder Dele Alli will struggle to have a future at Goodison Park under manager Sean Dyche, says Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

What's the latest news involving Dele Alli?

As per BBC Sport, Alli sustained a hip injury on loan at Besiktas that cut his deal short and has since returned to his parent club Everton to commence his recovery.

The report alludes to a recent controversy surrounding the 27-year-old, who has had his struggles in recent years across a number of different clubs.

Toffees boss Dyche has spoken about his injury and off-field reports, stating: “He is not here. He has an injury which will keep him out for some time. Some of the stuff reported – they know what they should and shouldn’t be doing.

“As a manager, you cannot control everything in their lives. Should we be following them all day? You can only guide them. He has an injury which will take a while to sort out – it will be a number of weeks.”

During his time in Turkey, the Milton Keynes-born star netted three times in 15 appearances for Besiktas in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The Daily Mail report that Besiktas president Ahmet Nur Cebi is open to bringing Alli back to the Vodafone Stadium this summer if Everton are willing to let the once-hailed “genius” leave on a free transfer.

Daily Express journalist Taylor has suggested that Alli may not be a suitable fit for Dyche’s tactical framework.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Taylor said: I think it’s unlikely purely because of Dyche. Generally, is Dele a Dyche player? No. Dyche likes runners, he likes hard workers, Dele is a bit of a luxury player.

“That said, I’m not keen to jump in on the pile-on on Dele. Yes, he had the world at his feet, and yes, he should be doing more, he should be delivering, he shouldn’t be getting involved in the antics off the pitch.

“But, ultimately, we don’t truly know what he’s gone through. He may struggle mentally. When you’ve been at the top of the mountain and you fall down, you seem like a failure. I do feel an element of sadness about how his career has dropped off.”

Is there a way back for Dele Alli at Goodison Park?

It’s hard to tell at this point, though Everton could use a creative midfield presence heading into next season, which is something Alli can provide when on form.

Nevertheless, he hasn’t performed at a consistent level anywhere for quite some time now and Dyche may prefer to try and offload him in the summer if a suitable offer comes along for his services.

Media coverage surrounding the midfielder also hasn’t helped his cause; however, it would be best for everyone to focus purely on footballing matters involving Alli as he steps up his recovery from injury.

Come pre-season, we may get a better idea of what the future may hold for the £100k-a-week ace and whether he will still be at Everton or have moved on to new pastures.

However, if the Toffees are to go down, perhaps this offers the out-of-form midfielder an opportunity at getting his career back on track if he was open to playing in the second-tier.

Aston Villa’s £75k-p/w ‘Warrior’ Could Now Be Dropped

Aston Villa picked up another vital win in their quest for European football as they beat Fulham 1-0 at Villa Park last night, but it wasn't all positive for Unai Emery.

The Villans' progression since the dismal 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage in the reverse fixture, which saw Steven Gerrard lose his job as Villa's manager, has been clear to see in recent months as the Midlands club have a real chance of securing Europa League football at least for next season.

Emery's transformation of John McGinn, Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsey has been particularly impressive, but he is yet to work his magic with Emiliano Buendia, who struggled immensely despite the win last night.

How did Buendia perform in Villa's win against Fulham?

As per Sofascore, the former Norwich City man would earn a shocking 5.6/10 rating for his performance, which was comfortably the worst of any player to feature in the game from both sides.

Despite playing 90 minutes on Tuesday night, the 26-year-old would manage just 21 passes and lost the ball on 15 occasions, which is a notable decrease on the 27.2 he has averaged per game in the Premier League this season.

The Argentine midfielder, who earns £75k-per-week, was dubbed a "warrior" by Gerrard but certainly didn't display any warrior-like characteristics against Fulham, as he was consistently bested from a physical point of view.

He would win just five of his 20 duels during the game with a woeful success rate of just 25%, while he was also dribbled past on four occasions, which again is significantly worse than his average of 1.5 times per game in the top flight so far this term.

Unai Emery instructs his Aston Villa side as they face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

In a game where Fulham offered very little, with Andreas Pereira's early volley their only effort of the game, you would hope that Villa's attacking midfielder would have been far more involved, but he mustered just one key pass and no shots on target in the 90 minutes.

It was a surprise therefore to see him keep his place while Jacob Ramsey was subbed, with Bertrand Traore coming off the bench, and given the Burkina Faso international's recent goals as a substitute, he could soon be given the nod to start unless Buendia bucks his ideas up.

The attacking midfielder has featured 33 times in the Premier League this season but has just five goals and two assists, as he has perhaps never lived up to the form he was showing with Norwich in the Championship, having contributed 15 goals and 16 assists in his final term with the Canaries.

While injury concerns to the likes of Philippe Coutinho mean that Buendia is almost a guaranteed starter right now, he could well lose his place under Emery next season with the addition of new signings, as his form in 2022/23 hasn't really matched Villa's phenomenal performances under the Spanish manager.

Rangers Eyeing Swoop for Talented "Conductor" This Summer

Glasgow Rangers are eyeing a move for Barcelona youngster Pablo Torre as Michael Beale aims to strengthen his squad ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Pablo Torre to Rangers?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Rangers are looking at signing Barcelona sensation Torre on a loan deal for the 2023/2024 campaign.

The report states that the Ibrox side were interested in luring him to Scotland last summer and could try their luck again at the end of the season.

With Sporting director Ross Wilson having recently left the club to join Nottingham Forest, Beale could be given more of a free rein when it comes to transfers and Torre may be the one to benefit.

Could Rangers sign Pablo Torre from Barcelona?

There is certainly a chance of the club managing to secure the young prodigy on a season long loan deal similar to the one that brought Bayern Munich talent Malik Tillman to the club last year.

With Champions League football a possibility, this could further entice Torre, who would surely be given a starting berth under Beale should he join. If the Light Blues did secure his signature, they could be repeating their Mikel Arteta masterclass from 2002, when the Spaniard signed from the Catalan club for a fee of just £5.8m and he enjoyed two seasons at Ibrox.

The current Arsenal boss scored the title-clinching goal against Dunfermline back in 2003 that is still fondly remembered by the Ibrox supporters and despite spending just two years in Glasgow, he was one of the clubs standout performers during that spell.

There is no doubt Torre would shine in Scotland having already experienced Champions League football with Barcelona this term.

Across three appearances in Europe’s premier club competition, the 20-year-old has scored once, averaged 29.7 touches per game, completed 90% of his passes and made 0.7 tackles each match, not bad for someone who has averaged just 32 minutes in these three matches.

Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie dubbed the 5 foot 8 Torre a “conductor” when he played for Racing Santander back in 2021 and his signing could be especially pivotal if Rangers can't agree to a deal to sign Tillman on a permanent basis.

Pablo Torre for Barcelona

The youngster could be given a free role behind the striker under Beale which would allow him to flourish and during his final season for Racing, he scored ten goals and registered 11 assists across all competitions, suggesting he could add goals to the Rangers attack.

With Tillman’s success, a year-long loan move would be the ideal scenario for both clubs and the Gers could potentially hit new heights next season.

Arsenal’s £60k-p/w Rock Is One of Arteta’s Best Signings

League leaders Arsenal may have endured a slight wobble in recent games, although that should not detract from what has been a stellar season so far under manager Mikel Arteta.

After having missed out on Champions League qualification at the tail end of last season, the Spaniard has since transformed his youthful outfit into genuine title contenders, with the club's impressive recruitment having been vital in that recent resurgence.

The £32m arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko, in particular, has helped to spur on the north London outfit this season, with the Ukrainian gem having gone from something of a peripheral figure at former club Manchester City to now being a leading figure at the Emirates.

The versatile left-back's impact has been recognised by his manager who hailed him a "perfectionist", with few having been able to anticipate just how vital the 26-year-old would become in his new home.

The former City ace is not alone in having potentially proved any doubters wrong during his time in the capital, with teammate Aaron Ramsdale having also quashed early scepticism after signing from Sheffield United back in the summer of 2021.

How good has Ramsdale been for Arsenal?

As club legend Ian Wright noted last season, the England international had been somewhat "ridiculed" following his arrival in a £30m deal, with fans and pundits alike having questioned the wisdom in bringing in a player who had suffered back-to-back relegations with the Blades and for Bournemouth.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has also recently admitted that he had been "scratching his head" at the time of the goalkeeper's switch to north London, although has "never been more wrong" such has been the 24-year-old's impact to date.

Aaron Ramsdale for Arsenal

The £60k-per-week rock's fine form has also been praised by journalist Pete O'Rourke, with the respected insider telling Football FanCast that the stopper could well be among the best signings of Arteta's tenure thus far.

Asked where Ramsdale would rank among the best additions of the decade, O'Rourke stated: "Yeah, I think he's got to be up there. Came under the radar and obviously came in for a bit of criticism when he first arrived at the club.

"Arsenal did spend big money on him when they signed him from Sheffield United, who had just been relegated, so it was a lot of question marks about paying the big money for him. And obviously, he came in as the number two goalkeeper originally with Bernd Leno still number one, but he's worked really hard. He got that number one shirt midway through last season as well and he's held on to it."

The 6 foot 2 ace has been in particularly impressive form so far this season after keeping 12 clean sheets from his 31 Premier League outings, having been rather heroic in the recent draw away to Liverpool.

The one-time Cherries gem notably denied Mohamed Salah with a stunning, sprawling save late on in that thriller at Anfield, before remarkably keeping out Ibrahima Konate at point-blank range when the Frenchman appeared nailed on to score.

That "exceptional" performance against the Reds – as per Arteta – has only served to rubberstamp just how impressive Ramsdale has been for the Gunners thus far, with the point he neared his side potentially pivotal in the title reace.

Indeed, the Stoke-born titan has left a lot of those initial naysayers looking rather silly.

Spurs Hailed After 61 y/o’s Off-Field Decision

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has come to the decision that there will not be an increase in the prices of season tickets in north London.

What's going on at Spurs?

There are issues both on and off the pitch for Spurs to worry about at the moment with the club still without a permanent manager and failing to improve their league form.

Capitulation on Monday night against a relegation-battling Everton side was not what the Lilywhites needed in their hunt for a spot inside the top four.

Spurs now sit three points adrift of the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United who also hold a game in hand over the north London club.

Amid the issues surrounding the club currently, a report recently broke suggesting the club were considering a hike in season ticket prices for the new campaign.

This, naturally, angered many and saw a huge backlash from the club's supporters' trust who rallied against the notion of a potential price increase.

And speaking on the Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham podcast, Alasdair Gold has hailed the decision which has now been made to hold back on any change to the prices:

(1:02:00) "I think the club, you'd hope, would have felt they would have been mad to have gone through with a season ticket price increase after well, what the fans see as a lot of unkept promises.

"You know, that was the phrase used in the trust's statement a couple of weeks back, and it's absolutely spot on. The club have promised a lot of things that they haven't delivered on in terms of the football and the fans enjoying it.

"So yeah, this is as good as you can possibly get, I think a price freeze. And hopefully, it's the start of some good decisions by the club."

Should Spurs increase their ticket prices?

To start, the issues currently surrounding the club would suggest the notion of a ticket price increase would be completely unjust at this current time.

In the last few weeks, the club have fallen outside of the top four, been knocked out of the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as losing their manager and their director of football.

The club has been showing a negative trajectory in the last few months, so it is hard to see where the idea of an increase in ticket price could come from.

Harry Kane walks off as Tottenham Hotspur throw away their lead to Everton in the Premier League.

On top of this, and perhaps most importantly, Tottenham already have the highest season ticket price in the league.

With this in mind, there has been nothing on the pitch this season to suggest the fans should be paying even more money on top of what they already do.

The club have issues off the pitch they need to rectify first for fans to have any idea as to what the club's ambitions will be for next season.

A new manager, potentially a replacement director of football and the future of Harry Kane all wait to be resolved over the coming weeks, so a price increase will have naturally felt like a huge insult to the Spurs faithful.

And when it is also considered Levy recently awarded himself a £500k bonus, news of a potential increase in the price of season tickets was never going to go down well.

£3.5k-p/w Barcelona Starlet Wants To Stay At Club

Barcelona teenager Pablo Torre has confirmed that he would like to stay at the club and fight for his place next season rather than leaving.

What's going on with Torre and Barcelona?

The 19-year-old joined the club from Racing Santander last season, but has found first-team opportunities hard to come by, making just seven appearances in all competitions since his arrival.

The form of fellow young attacking midfielders Pedri and Gavi has blocked his path to the starting XI, and with Frenkie De Jong and Franck Kessie both ahead of him in the pecking order, his chances are limited.

He has started in just three of his seven appearances, and these came in the Champions League and Copa Del Rey. His lack of game time has meant that he may be better off elsewhere where he could gain more minutes.

However, a report from SPORT in Spain has claimed that with a decision to be made soon over his future under Xavi, that the Spaniard is keen to stay at the club, and his happy with his progress since his arrival.

"Pablo is very happy with how he has progressed training with the first team. He is learning every day. He has matured on a footballing level. He believes that it is better to continue learning, rather than going and looking for minutes in a different club. He believes that he will grow more here," the report stated.

Where could Torre fit in for Barcelona?

With Pedri currently injured and Barcelona 12 points clear at the top of La Liga, an opportunity could present itself for Torre to gain more experience in the coming weeks.

As an attacking central midfielder, he could line up alongside Sergio Busquets and Kessie or De Jong in the middle whilst Pedri is absent, which could also allow Gavi to gain a rest.

Barcelona soon have a Copa Del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid to navigate, with Xavi's side leading 1-0 on aggregate, and Pedri's fitness still unclear. The Blaugrana face Elche days before, and Gavi could be rested in favour of Torre for the trip to La Liga's bottom side.

Xavi has previously described the £3.5k-per-week starlet as a player with a "lot of talent," and if he is allowed to shine in the final months of the season, he can earn himself more trust from his manager which could see him gain more chances next season.

Spurs Issued Potential Blow Over 35 y/o Manager

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be interested in replacing Antonio Conte with Julian Nagelsmann – but the German is not expected to make a decision until the summer.

Is Nagelsmann Tottenham's first choice?

Having been released by Bayern Munich last week, it is reported Nagelsmann has emerged as one of the front-runners on the north London club's radar.

But he is not the only one with the director of football, Fabio Paratici, believed to have drawn up a shortlist of potential options for Daniel Levy to choose from.

Following the Italian's departure, Cristian Stellini – along with Ryan Mason – is expected to see out the campaign in the dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And the notion of potentially bringing in Nagelsmann over the coming days has been shut down by journalist Valentina Maceri speaking on Sky Sports:

"As far as we know, Nagelsmann has no interest to join a club right now because he wants to take his time to reconsider everything that he experienced at Bayern Munich.

"He wants to reanalyse everything he did with Bayern Munich. So he wants to take his time to breathe, to take a break and to rethink about what he has achieved so far as a very, very young coach."

Should Spurs look beyond Nagelsmann?

A big decision awaits the north London side over the coming days, with the prospect of seeing out the remaining 10 games with Stellini and Mason when there is Champions League football to play for.

Whatever Spurs do, it does feel as if recent results have put them in a position where Champions League football is going to be a big challenge with their injury issues in mind.

The draw against Southampton saw Spurs miss the opportunity to go four points clear of Newcastle United with 10 games remaining.

Julian Nagelsmann prepares for Bayern Munich's Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen.

And the issue now lies in the Magpies having two games in hand over the Lilywhites with the gap reduced down to two points.

This will put huge pressure on the shoulders of whoever is the manager for the remainder of the campaign.

If it is to be Stellini, then he certainly has some massive tests ahead of him with away trips to Liverpool and Newcastle as well as home games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United within the next month.

But there would remain some uncertainty as to whether a new face could provide a big enough boost at this stage in the season to get them over the lines.

And with Nagelsmann seemingly off the cards, it does reduce the number of realistic appointments, with only Luis Enrique and Mauricio Pochettino currently out of a job.

There is a lot of uncertainty around Spurs with the futures of Harry Kane and Fabio Paratici remaining unresolved as yet, so perhaps it is best for a potential new manager to wait until the summer to assess his options.

£32k-p/w Arsenal Star Urged Not To Make Big Decision

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal sensation Folarin Balogun should be patient over his international future, after he was pictured near the USA men's national team training base.

What's going on with Balogun?

The striker, who has excelled on loan at Stade de Reims this season, is currently eligible to declare for either England or the United States as his national team, and recently pulled out of the England Under-21 squad with injury.

He was later pictured in Orlando, causing potential excitement that he could declare for the USA, the country of his birth, but Watts has urged him to be patient over his decision.

The 21-year-old has scored 18 goals in his loan spell this season, and there are now big decisions to be made over his future at club and international level.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts claimed Balogun could be the natural successor to Harry Kane for England if he continues in his current form and that he should wait before declaring for either nation.

He said: "I think he'd be mad to make a decision now on his international future.

"I just don't think there is any rush for him to do that. I can understand the temptation of picking the US now, because they're throwing everything at him, they're making him feel really, really wanted.

"I'm imagining they're going to be offering him to be basically the poster boy at the World Cup in the build-up to the World Cup in four years' time. They desperately need a striker – he is that striker, he's very exciting, he's young.

"He could be the poster boy for the US, and that must be a very tempting prospect, and I'm sure there'd be lots of commercial opportunities with that as well.

"But that's not going to go away. And I just feel that the World Cup's still four years away, there's an awful lot of time yet left for him to make a decision.

"If he does harbour any sort of hope of playing for England, which you'd think he probably does, because he would have chosen the US by now if not, then why not just wait a little bit until the end of next season?"

What should Balogun do next?

Despite his incredible form on loan this season, he still has a decision to make over his future at Arsenal, as he is far from guaranteed game time due to the presence of Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard up front.

The £32k-per-week wonderkid could embark on a loan spell in the Premier League to earn regular minutes and try to force his way into the Arsenal side, and we feel his future at club level could impact his future on the international stage.

If he ends up becoming a regular striker at Arsenal and continues to improve, it would surely only be a matter of time before he came into consideration for England. However, if he leaves Arsenal or his form dips, he may lose that chance.

If he declares for either England or the USA now, he runs the risk of jeopardising his international future whilst uncertainty reigns over his long-term future at club level.

Leeds must ditch "leggy" £50k-p/w dud

Leeds United's struggling form has seen them slip into the relegation zone in recent weeks, as results for their fellow strugglers have started to pick up.

The likes of Everton and Bournemouth earning unexpected victories does little to offset their albeit impressive point gained against the high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion, as they still fall further behind.

There are numerous factors that are contributing to their abysmal season, with Javi Gracia desperately scrambling to find solutions to all of them in time to save them from a return to the Championship.

Although they are already set to be without Tyler Adams today due to injury, perhaps the Spaniard could look to completely refresh his midfield in favour of some youthful exuberance. Whilst the American has shone and his absence will be missed, to remove Marc Roca as well would hardly change much given how he has underperformed of late.

Brought in from Bayern Munich in the summer, his experience was expected to be invaluable in the engine room as a metronomic presence that would allow them to dictate the play. That has not been the case, and soon he must lose his place because of these consistently poor displays.

Who will play in midfield for Leeds?

Journalist Phil Hay offered a glimpse into what Gracia might be thinking for this clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, as he relayed the following information on Twitter:

"Gracia says Darko Gyabi and Archie Gray are midfielders he'll think about using while Adams is out."

Whilst this could at face value be seen as a sole replacement for their one absentee, given none of Roca's past five displays has surpassed a 6.8 rating, he too could be in the firing line.

In fact, his performance in that aforementioned draw with the Seagulls was particularly abhorrent, as he earned a 6.1 rating underpinned by just one duel won all game as he touched the ball just 42 times (via Sofascore).

Only in January had journalist Beren Cross slammed the £50k-per-week dud too, as he spoke on the LeedsLive Facebook stream after their FA Cup exit:

"Roca, I felt faded. I thought he had a pretty good first half, Marc Roca. Certainly not as refined in his tackling as [Tyler] Adams. But he got about the pitch well, put his foot in, was a disrupter to Brentford when they were trying to build attacks.

“But in the second half, he started to look quite leggy and tired and made some quite tired challenges which left Leeds in the lurch at times."

darko-gyabi-leeds-united-tyler-adams-marc-roca

This was a sentiment journalist Jonny Buchan echoed, who lambasted the set piece takers, namely Jack Harrison and the Spaniard, for their "unforgivable" poor deliveries, when speaking on BBC Radio Leeds [28 February 2023, 25min].

With the media clearly clocking on to his consistently poor showings, surely Gracia will be too. It might be a bold move, but there is no point relying on experience when the quality is so clearly lacking.

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