Glasgow Rangers striker Hamza Igamane has been one of the few bright lights of a rather underwhelming season.

The Moroccan arrived at Ibrox with plenty of raised eyebrows among the supporters, yet his performances on the pitch proved all the doubters wrong.

Due to his excellent form in January, Igamane was awarded the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month award recently, having netted five goals throughout the month, including an impressive hat-trick against Hibs.

Philippe Clement has a special talent on his hands. The question is, how long will he remain a Rangers player?

Hamza Igamane's future at Rangers

The 22-year-old scored against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League just before Christmas as the Gers secured a point against the North Londoners. Following the game, there were reports that scouts from Everton had travelled to watch the striker in action.

The Toffees weren’t the only team beginning to show interest in the Moroccan sensation, however, as West Ham United, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Newcastle United had all watched Igamane in action.

Rumours have persisted throughout the January transfer window, but it appears that only a mind-boggling offer will be enough to convince Clement to sell before the deadline on Monday.

Igamane won’t be at Ibrox for long though, especially if he maintains his current level of performance until the end of the campaign.

Hamza Igamane’s season in numbers

A return of 13 goals in 28 matches is certainly impressive, especially given the fact he hadn’t played senior football outside of Africa until his move to Scotland last summer.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is just how well Igamane has performed in Europe. Many didn’t expect him to be given much of a chance during the first few months of the season, but four goals in the Europa League demonstrate how effective the former AS FAR centre-forward has been in the final third.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Goals

9

4

Assists

1

1

Shots per game

3

1.8

Scoring frequency (minutes)

128

91

Big chances created

5

1

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s secondary competition, Igamane currently ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals (1.01), the top 5% for successful take-ons (2.53) and in the top 13% for shot-creating actions across the tournament this season so far.

No wonder clubs such as Everton are taking interest in the youngster, who, if he carries on like this, will have an extraordinarily bright future in football. No doubt about that.

It may prove to be difficult for the Light Blues to keep him at the club beyond this summer, especially with Premier League clubs sniffing around him.

Signing a potential replacement this month might be stretching things, especially as there are several areas which require strengthening first, but another centre-forward must surely be signed this summer.

It looks as though the manager is looking at options already, as the Ibrox side have been linked with a former international striker…

Rangers could land dream Igamane replacement

As reported earlier this week by journalist Alan Nixon, Rangers are monitoring the situation of Nottingham Forest centre-forward Emmanuel Dennis, who is seeking to end his nightmare spell at the club.

Championship clubs Watford and Sheffield Wednesday are also showing interest in the Nigerian international striker, but the Gers could well have the upper hand, especially with the chance to play in Europe and challenge for trophies.

Dennis hasn’t been named in a single matchday squad this term by manager Nuno Espirito Santo, with his last appearance for the club coming way back in May 2023.

Could Dennis be an ideal replacement for Igamane? It remains to be seen whether Clement is seeking a move before the window closes, or if he will wait until the summer transfer window.

Why Emmanuel Dennis would be a good signing for Rangers

The £40k-per-week striker might not have made an impact this season for Forest, but there is no doubting that with the right club, he could shine.

Indeed, he began to showcase his talents back in 2018, scoring twice for Club Brugge during a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Following these displays for the Belgian side, Dennis ended up joining Watford for a fee in the region of just £3.6m and it turned out to be a wonderful piece of transfer business by the club.

A return of ten Premier League goals and six assists may not have been enough to keep the Vicarage Road side in the top flight, but his performances caught the eye of Forest, who splurged £20m to bring him to the club in August 2022.

The move didn’t work out, however, scoring just twice in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign. Manager Steve Cooper did lavish plenty of praise on the 27-year-old upon his arrival, saying:

Loan spells with Basaksehir and Watford last season produced just four goals in total, but it is evident that escaping his current situation at Forest would allow him to play regularly again.

Igamane should remain at Rangers until the summer at least, but the more goals he scores, the harder it will be for Clement to keep him at Ibrox.

The Gers must be wary of past mistakes in the transfer market. Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos were two prized assets at the club and could have been sold for millions.

The board allowed both of their contracts to run down, however, meaning the pair left for nothing in May 2023. The same cannot happen concerning Igamane. Clement must get the best deal possible for the player.

Transfer Focus

If so, then signing Dennis as a replacement could be a wise move indeed, especially judging by his supreme talents in front of goal.

The next couple of days could be very interesting at Ibrox. Expect at least another signing heading through the doors before the window closes.

Let’s just hope Igamane isn’t going the other way.

Shades of Gazza: Rangers battling to land "dynamic" £3.5k-p/w star

Rangers are fighting it out to sign a former Liverpool midfielder.

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 31, 2025

Harry Kane moved into a league of his own after scoring yet another goal for Bayern Munich in their Bundesliga clash at Heidenheim.

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Kane scores against HeidenheimBags 60th goal since start of last seasonMoves into league of his own for goalsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kane scored his 24th goal of the Bundesliga season with his strike at Heidenheim on Saturday to take his goal tally to 60 since the start of last season in the German top-flight. According to StatMuse FC, the 31-year-old is the only player with 50+ goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign in Europe's top five leagues (Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, La Liga).

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Kane made an eye-catching move from Tottenham to Bayern in the summer of 2023 and since then he has been prolific for the German giants. His goals look set to help the Bavarians inch towards another Bundesliga title, which would be the first trophy of the England captain's career.

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Prior to the Heidenheim contest, Kane has scored 79 goals and bagged 24 assists in just 87 matches in all competitions for Bayern.

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After this game, Bayern host Mainz in the Bundesliga to round off April.

Lancashire have been in the running for three competitions this season and have won nothing. Defeat in the Royal London Cup final followed an agonising near-miss in the T20 Blast final that Hampshire famously won twice, and a Championship challenge that was finally extinguished by a six-point penalty for disciplinary reasons.For Keaton Jennings, Lancashire’s captain in the 50-over competition, another disappointment was hard to take, and it was testimony to his good nature and maturity that he was able to smile in the face of failure.”I suppose one positive is we gave ourselves a chance to win,” he said. “We got into two finals and in the Championship we have played some really good cricket and had we been able to force a result in a couple of games it might have been different.”It is tough to take. You can look back on every bad moment and be incredibly hard on yourself but the fact is the guys have played some really good cricket.”Jennings had been one of the culprits in a surprisingly error-ridden Lancashire fielding display – Kent’s outfielding comfortably outdid them – and then was dismissed for 72 when an untroubled innings was promising to set up victory.”Our catching was a factor,” he said. “Our fielding throughout the competition has been a stand-out for me. I don’t want to say exceptional, but the guys have thrown their bodies around and caught some seriously good catches.”He must be in the running for the reserve opener’s position on England’s Test tour of Pakistan, but it was not the time for him to wonder about it.”I’m not particularly wondering right now,” he said. “As far as England selection is concerned it’s completely out of my hands. This defeat is hard to take and I don’t want to look any further.”Kent’s player of the match as they took their first List A title for 44 years, ending a run of eight consecutive defeats in final since then, was Joey Evison, who collected his award while chants rang around the ground for the allrounder he is earmarked to replace – Darren Stevens, 26 years his senior, and stricken by a groin injury which ended his spell after eight oversEvison struck 97 on his return to Trent Bridge – he was loaned out to Kent for this season ahead of a three-year deal – and he also bowled a decisive penultimate over with Lancashire 22 short and the last pair at the crease. He looked nerveless, but revealed that he was troubled by cramp.”I was cramping up a bit so I was a bit worried about that,” he said. “I obviously didn’t drink enough. I was stretching quite a lot. It could have gone the other way. Liam Hurt can be quite dangerous in those situations, but the final ball came out nicely.”If you’d have told me at the start of the day I would get 97, as well as two wickets and a catch, and I would have bitten your hand off.”I think we outfielded Lancashire. They dropped a few catches and we managed to take them.”If Stevens could be expected to limp happily around the bar throughout the evening, his season, his Kent career, his entire career perhaps now at an end, Kent’s celebrations would have to be tempered. They are still not clear of potential relegation and face a demanding penultimate match against Championship-chasing Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday.

In a decisive move, Southampton are now already reportedly considering sending one particular January signing out on loan this month despite only just securing his signature on deadline day.

Southampton transfer news

The Saints needed a strong winter window, but were forced to settle for a mixed month in the transfer market with Alex Gronbaek the significant standout arrival out of the four who arrived. The midfielder has already got his Premier League start and victory under his belt too, having played his part in Southampton’s 2-1 defeat of relegation rivals Ipswich Town recently.

Whilst Gronbaek was one that the Saints managed to get over the line, Ivan Juric didn’t end the transfer window completely satisfied.

The Southampton boss told reporters when asked whether he was disappointed: “A little. There are some positions where we are missing players and that could be an issue in the future. But I understand the situation and it is difficult when you are bottom of the table to convince players. The club tried to bring me what I want – but we didn’t succeed.”

Now, after at least welcoming the young Victor Udoh, the Saints could be about to show the 20-year-old the door. According to Yeni Asir, as relayed by Sport Witness, Southampton are now considering sending Udoh out on loan to Goztepe SK, who are also owned by Sport Republic.

Juric not optimistic as senior Southampton figure suffers fresh injury blow

Frustrating news for the Saints…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 7, 2025

The Saints and the Turkish club have already done business in the past thanks to their ownership link and could now do business once again regarding Udoh. The young forward arrived on deadline day from Royal Antwerp, before being put straight into the U21s rather than the first-team.

That academy stay may be short-lived, however, with Goztepe potentially swooping in before Turkey’s deadline on February 13.

"Promising" Udoh is one for the future

Whilst there’s no doubt that Southampton could do with the added firepower, Udoh’s inexperience in senior football was always likely to stand in the way of the Nigerian making an instant impact. Instead, a loan move in pursuit of adding that experience to his game should prove to be an intelligent move from those at St Mary’s.

Dubbed “promising” by All Nigeria Soccer as he completed his move, Udoh impressed at youth level for Royal Antwerp enough to earn a place from the bench in 12 of their Jupiler Pro League games in the current campaign.

If he is to secure an instant loan spell away from St Mary’s in the coming days, then Udoh will be one to watch from afar. Even as Southampton continue to scrap away in an attempt to restore some pride to their season, they may yet have discovered a gem.

In an ideal world, whilst Juric came away disappointed from the January transfer window, the Saints have given him an eventual solution to lead the line for his side – be it in the Premier League or the Championship.

Objectively, Darwin Nunez is a talented centre-forward. One of the bravest, most influential, most tenacious. Thing is, though, Nunez has suffered from some woeful finishing across the past two-and-a-years at Liverpool.

Oh to lift the lid and peer within the complex mechanics of this Uruguayan striker. This enigma. Nunez fired two cool strikes past Mark Flekken on Saturday afternoon, coming up trumps for a Liverpool side that looked like it was heading for a third straight draw in the Premier League.

Liverpool had toiled against Brentford, whose resistance and togetherness has seen them thrive once again under Thomas Frank’s wing this season, but were finally breached in stoppage time by a forward who desperately needed some respite following a tough period.

Nunez doubled his Premier League goal tally for the season, converting Trent Alexander-Arnold’s drilled delivery before lashing a strike into the inside netting moments later, latching onto Harvey Elliott’s neat pass after a devastating break.

But. Liverpool will be under no illusions that Nunez hasn’t been good enough this season, still lacking the killer bite in the final third that, admittedly, was on show last time out.

Why Liverpool still could replace Nunez

Nunez will play a big part in Liverpool’s campaign over the coming months. Arne Slot revealed during his Friday press conference that Diogo Jota had picked up yet another fitness setback, ruling him out of his 12th fixture of the campaign.

Liverpool’s attacking depth secured three invaluable points to ultimately extend their dominant lead at the top of the Premier League, something that was not lost on Mikel Arteta and Arsenal as the Londoners squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Aston Villa.

The title, truly, is Anfield’s to lose, and while there’s a long, crooked road still ahead, Liverpool will only have themselves to blame if they do fail in their endeavour. Nunez, again, will be crucial, but his track record suggests that there is so much work to be done before he can prove himself worthy of being the number one at number nine.

Darwin Nunez – Premier League Record
Season	Apps	Goals	Shots (on target)	Big chances missed
24/25	16	4	1.6 (0.6)	3
23/24	36	11	3.0 (1.3)	27
22/23	29	9	2 9 (1.3)	20
Stats via Sofascore

The 25-year-old has been linked with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League in recent weeks, and while his Brentford display serves as a reprieve and a welcome one at that, FSG are still trawling through the market for a new top-class forward.

Transfer Focus

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

Liverpool eyeing new forward

As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are seriously considering a move for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo this year. The Frenchman is, of course, a topical name after being beaten by the Reds this weekend, but his performances across the campaign suggest that he could be perfect for the project.

It’s felt that Frank will forbid Mbeumo from leaving at the season’s midpoint, but offers in the ballpark of £60m could tempt the well-run outfit to cash in during the summer.

One of the English top flight’s standout performers this year, the 25-year-old is being pursued by a host of rivals, so Liverpool will need to up the ante at the negotiating table.

What Bryan Mbeumo would bring to Liverpool

Mbeumo’s quality will indeed be freshly pressed in Liverpool minds after his impressive performance against Slot’s side on Saturday, running Kostas Tsimikas ragged at times, with reporter Sam Tabuteau noting that he had “the measure” of the Greek left-back.

Ultimately, it was a bad day at the office for the Bees talisman, who stung Alisson’s palms with four strikes on goal – each, of course, saved.

That doesn’t detract from a rich overall season that has showcased some superb finishing in the Premier League, with Mbeumo actually ranking among the top 5% of positional peers in the division for goals scored (0.59) per 90, as per FBref.

He’s scored 13 goals in the division this season, featuring 21 times and adding three assists. Mbeumo is actually the joint-fifth highest scorer in 2024/25, five strikes behind Mohamed Salah and only two off Newcastle United hitman Alexander Isak.

Last season, The Athletic’s Jay Harris remarked that Mbeumo “cannot be stopped,” with Mbeumo starring in west London. Well, it’s clear that he’s raised his level since the summer, now among the Premier League’s foremost strikers.

Principally playing off the right flank, Mbeumo has got ample experience in a more conventional centre-forward role, endowed with the crisp finishing to align with a dynamic skill set and ensure his success.

Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford Stats by Position (PL)
Position	Apps	Goals	Assists
Right winger	62	22	17
Centre-forward	28	10	3
Attacking midfield	29	2	1
Stats via Transfermarkt

Slot’s Liverpool are a fluent and interchangeable side, with the likes of Luis Diaz featuring regularly as the central focal point. Mbeumo would stake his claim to having superior physicality to Liverpool’s contingent, with Nunez and Diaz tenacious characters but perhaps lacking in strength.

Mbeumo has averaged 1.3 tackles and 4.6 successful duels per Premier League match this term, as per Sofascore, so he clearly has an apt anatomical build for the duty.

At 5 foot 8, he’s diminutive and woulnd’t bring the kind of aerial threat that, say, Erling Haaland carries over at Manchester City, but Liverpool could benefit from the strengths that Mbeumo does possess all the same.

Liverpool might just have the tools to get over the line this season, clinching an incredible Premier League title in Slot’s first season at the helm. Nunez has proved that he can be a driving force in desperate moments, but is he mature enough, Slot-like enough, to lead the line over the coming years.

Mbeumo has proven through several years of hard toil that he is capable of being a consistent outlet in front of goal, and Liverpool must pull no punches in getting his prized signature added to the Anfield ranks.

Move over Nunez: 8/10 Liverpool star was the real star of the show

The Liverpool defender put in a fantastic performance against Brentford on Saturday.

By
Dan Emery

Jan 18, 2025

Thailand pulled off one of the biggest wins in their still-young cricket history, beating Pakistan by four wickets in their Women’s Asia Cup match in Sylhet this morning. The stars of the win in a low-scoring game were Natthakan Chantham, who led their chase of 117 with a 51-ball 61, Sornnarin Tippoch, who returned 2 for 20 in a strong Thailand bowling performance, and, right at the close, Rosenan Kanoh, who held her nerve against Diana Baig in a nerve-wracking final over to take them over the line.Prior to this, Thailand’s biggest win had come in the 2018 T20 Asia Cup, when they beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Kuala Lumpur. Against Pakistan, they would have fancied their chances after putting up 150 for 3 at a 2020 T20 World Cup match in Sydney, but the chase had been washed out. This time, Chantham ensured the result did go her team’s way, even though she couldn’t hang around to finish the job.The game appeared even at the midway stage of the Thailand chase. Thailand had lost a couple of early wickets to Tuba Hassan, but had then settled down, though there was no urgency in their run-scoring.After ten overs, they were 45 for 2, with 72 needed. Naruemol Chaiwai hit Tuba for four in the 13th, and then Chantham lifted Omaima Sohail down the ground for a six in the 14th, and suddenly, the equation was down to 44 from 36, and the momentum had clearly shifted.There had to be a hiccup, and it came in the form of Chaiwai and Tippoch falling in consecutive overs, to Kainat Imtiaz and Nida Dar respectively, but at the other end, Chantham went down the ground and over the fielder at long-on to get to a 45-ball half-century. It could have ended for her there, but Dar dropped a sitter in the deep off Nashra Sandhu’s bowling to give Chantham the break she needed.The Thailand players celebrate after pulling off the win over Pakistan•ACC

It became a bit of a scrap after that. Sandhu got rid of Phannita Maya, there was a lot of frenetic running, peppered by the occasional attempted big hit that didn’t go anywhere, and Chantham was lucky to avoid being run-out when Dar fumbled with the throw from the deep at the bowler’s end. Dar got her own back not long after, though, getting Chantham caught at deep midwicket, leaving Thailand with 11 to get from eight balls.That became ten from the last over, bowled by Baig. Wide. Single. And then the game-changer: a slog straight down the ground for four by Kanoh off a juicy full-toss. An inside edge to fine leg for two came next, then a scrambled single, and then the winning hit, a slog from Nattaya Boochatham over midwicket for a single.Earlier, after Pakistan chose to bat, they were kept in check by a disciplined Thailand bowling show.As such, with Sidra Ameen holding the innings together from the top with a 64-ball 56, Pakistan did put runs on the board, but the going was slow all along. Tippoch picked up the big wickets of Dar and Ayesha Naseem at a crucial juncture in the last quarter of the innings, while all the bowlers on view conceded runs at 6.50 or under.Despite the loss, Pakistan are placed second, behind India, with Thailand fifth in the seven-team table after registering their first win.

Ryan Giggs has called Cristiano Ronaldo the "best" he played with at Manchester United, even though he struggled to adapt to England at first.

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• Ferguson called Giggs out for tackle on Ronaldo
• Was a 'special player'
• Welshman ranks CR7 over Cantona

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• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Giggs was speaking to another team-mate, Rio Ferdinand, on the latest episode of . The most decorated Premier League player of all time was effusive in his praise of Ronaldo, but he did suggest the young winger struggled with the physicality and intensity of English football at first. Giggs recalled a training ground incident, where Sir Alex Ferguson called him out for going in too hard on Ronaldo, prompting the gaffer to call the Portuguese superstar "a special player".

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However it seemed the legendary manager wasn't always so protective. Perhaps to harden the mercurial winger up, Ferguson wouldn't call fouls on Ronaldo in training if the youngster was deemed to take too many touches. Eventually, that would click for Ronaldo, who went from being a showboating and tricky winger into the consistent goal machine we've seen over the past 20 years. Giggs described Ronaldo as the best player he's ever played with, ranking his impact ahead of the talismanic efforts of Eric Cantona when pressed by Ferdinand.

• WHAT RYAN GIGGS SAID

  Giggs said of Ronaldo: "He’s the best. I remember sprinting across in one game in the winter and I’ve took Cristiano out and the manager has gone mad. I’ve gone, ‘it’s a tackle gaffer,’ and he’s gone, ‘I know yeah but just take care. He’s a special player‘.

  "The first year was hard for him, but the more I think – and you’d seen it – more in training, where if he took too many touches he’s getting kicked. The gaffer wasn’t giving fouls."

  When asked if the manager specifically asked his senior players to try and toughen Ronaldo up, Giggs replied: "I don't think he needed to. I think we already did it."

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• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  Ronaldo, nowadays, is plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, and his next match comes on Saturday when they take on Yokohama F. Marinos in the Asian Champions League.

Everton have had a fair few transfer howlers over the previous few years, both in terms of signings and outgoings.

Former owner Farhad Moshiri didn’t enjoy the success that was predicated when he took over the Goodison Park side back in 2016.

Lavish amounts were spent on several players who failed to live up to expectations, while Everton began to slide further and further down the table.

The likes of Davy Klaassen, Andre Gomes, Cenk Tosun and Theo Walcott offered little to no contributions as the Toffees struggled under a succession of managers during Moshiri’s spell as majority shareholder.

Sean Dyche made a few decent signings during his spell in charge of the club, most notably Ashley Young and Iliman Ndiaye, who have both impressed this season.

Under David Moyes, the latter is emerging as one of the most important members of the first-team squad as they look to avoid a relegation scrap.

How much Everton paid for Iliman Ndiaye

Everton paid a fee in the region of £15m to sign Ndiaye from Marseille last summer, a fee which is beginning to look like a wonderful bargain indeed.

“Iliman is a player we have admired for a long time and we are delighted to bring a much sought-after player of his quality to Everton,” said Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell after the player’s arrival was announced.

“We think he will excite Evertonians and give our attack a different dimension.”

He was pursued by Dyche following his performances for Marseille during the 2023/24 campaign, scoring four goals and chipping in with five assists as the club reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Not the most prolific, but considering the fee and the fact he is still only 24, Dyche clearly had a feeling he could shine on Merseyside.

Iliman Ndiaye has shone for Everton

Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil were the two players who prevented Everton from slipping into the bottom three during the first few months of the season.

The Englishman operated as a No 10, while Ndiaye played in his preferred position on the left wing, working well together.

However, since McNeil has been out injured, the former Marseille man has stepped up to take full responsibility, scoring in his previous three Premier League matches, including a vital goal against Brighton to secure a 1-0 win.

It isn’t just his goals that are of huge benefit to the Toffees, as his overall displays have also been excellent.

In the top flight, the winger also created two big chances, averaging 0.7 key passes per game while succeeding with 2.5 dribbles per game, causing plenty of damage in the final third.

Furthermore, Ndiaye wins 50% of his total duels, while making 1.9 tackles, recovering 6.2 balls and making 0.7 interceptions per game, showcasing his defensive attributes, too.

This all-round game has clearly helped the Toffees create some breathing room between themselves and the drop zone.

However, might the club have performed even better if they had retained the services of a player who was sold by Dyche last summer?

Alex Iwobi, now at Fulham, is delivering some of the best football of his career under Marco Silva.

How much Everton sold Alex Iwobi for

During the summer of 2023, Dyche signed the likes of Beto and Youssef Chermiti on permanent deals, but it was evident that he would have to sell a player or two to balance the books.

Despite registering 10 goal contributions the season prior, Dyche decided to cash in on Nigeria international Iwobi that summer, knowing that he would be able to secure a decent fee for the midfielder.

Indeed, it was the Cottagers who came in with an offer worth around £22m, and he was on the move from Liverpool to west London.

It has since proved to be an inspiring one, as Iwobi has played a key part in Fulham’s success in the top flight over the previous two seasons.

Alex Iwobi has outperformed Iliman Ndiaye this season

The midfielder scored six times and grabbed two assists last season for Fulham, which was a sign of things to come ahead of the current campaign.

Hailed as “exceptional” during his spell at Goodison Park, Iwobi is living up to this praise throughout 2024/25, shining for the Cottagers as they aim to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League.

Alex Iwobi’s PL stats for Fulham

Metric

2023/24

2024/25

Goals

5

7

Assists

2

3

Big chances created

5

7

Key passes per game

1.7

1.9

Ground duels won per game

2.7

3.4

Via Sofascore

He has already surpassed his goal tally from last term, netting seven times for the club across 24 top-flight matches, recording three assists along the way.

Ndiaye may have scored one more goal, but he has contributed zero assists for Everton.

Elsewhere, Iwobi has also created seven big chances while averaging 1.9 key passes per game – more than the four chances created and 0.7 key passes recorded by Ndiaye in the same period.

Iwobi has also registered 2.01 shots per 90 in the Premier League this season, while registering 4.37 shot-creating actions, 0.54 goal-creating actions and 618 touches in the final third throughout 2024/25.

Compare this to Ndiaye’s stats across the same period, and it becomes clear just how much better the Nigerian has been in the final third.

The Everton star has registered 1.17 shots per 90 along with recording 2.53 shot-creating actions, 0.17 goal-creating actions and 359 touches in the final third.

These statistics prove that Everton should never have sold Iwobi, regardless of whether they needed to balance the books.

He is starring under Silva, who is utilising his strengths in a Fulham side that have defeated Newcastle United (twice), Nottingham Forest and Chelsea in the league this season.

Barring an almighty collapse, Moyes will keep Everton in the division ahead of next season, but just how good might the club have been had they kept hold of Iwobi?

Related Moyes must unleash "dynamite" star who's Everton's own version of Kluivert

Everton will look to carry their fine form from the PL into the FA Cup this weekend.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Feb 8, 2025

Glasgow Rangers chiefs Nils Koppen and Philippe Clement only dipped into the market to make one imminent addition to the side in the January transfer window.

The Light Blues bosses decided that they needed to bolster their options at the heart of the defence and opted to complete a deal to bring Rafael Fernandes in on loan from Lille until the end of the season.

Unfortunately, the 22-year-old gem made his full debut on a hugely disappointing day for the club, as they lost 1-0 to Championship side Queen’s Park at Ibrox.

It was not down to his performance, however, as the Portuguese talent was not at fault for the goal or one of the players tasked with breaking down the opposition’s defence.

Rangers' centre-back pursuit in January

Fernandes, though, was not the only central defender who was linked with a move to Ibrox during the recent January transfer window, as the Gers seemingly considered a number of options.

Multiple UK-based options were linked with Rangers. Norwich City centre-back Grant Hanley was touted with a return to the club he spent time in the academy at, only to end up signing for Birmingham City instead.

It was also claimed that the Gers board were keen to seal a swoop for Manchester United’s veteran centre-back Jonny Evans, but he remained at Old Trafford.

Further afield, Rangers reportedly made a bid to bring Niko Katic back to Ibrox from FC Zurich, only for him to end up signing for Plymouth Argyle in the English Championship.

Where Are They Now

Katic, who made 59 appearances for the Light Blues, was sold to Zurich by former Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the summer of 2022 and that is a decision that the club must now regret.

Why Rangers should regret selling Niko Katic

The Scottish giants must regret selling the Bosnia international for several reasons. Firstly, they were reportedly interested in bringing him back to the club last month, which suggests that it was a mistake to get rid of him in the first place.

They need cover in the centre-back position and, perhaps, keeping Katic at Ibrox would have meant that they had the required depth in that area of the pitch.

Also, the 28-year-old star’s performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup for Plymouth last weekend shows that he is also a top-quality centre-back who could have been starring for Rangers right now.

Arne Slot selected a Reds front three that included reported £49m signing Luis Diaz, £45m signing Diogo Jota, and £12.5m signing Federico Chiesa – £106.5m worth of talent.

Minutes

90

Goals conceded

0

Clearances

17

Blocks

3

Duels won

5/6

As you can see in the table above, though, Katic dominated those Liverpool attackers throughout the match to keep a clean sheet and progress through to the next round of the FA Cup.

These statistics show that the Plymouth star has the quality to step up and be a defensive “mountain”, as he was once described by Steven Gerrard, when his team needs him.

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Therefore, Rangers should regret selling Katic back in 2022 as they have gone on to miss him, given their interest in the defender last month, and he is now thriving in England with his new club.

تحدث قائد ليفربول فيرجيل فان دايك، عن تتويج فريقه بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ورفع الكأس على ملعب “آنفيلد” وسط الجماهير.

واختتم ليفربول موسمه بتعادل إيجابي أمام كريستال بالاس بهدف لمثله، في ختام مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال فان دايك في تصريحات نشرها موقع “ليفربول” الرسمي: “كان يومًا مؤثرًا للغاية، يوم مميز، لأمي وزوجتي وأولادي”.

وأضاف: “إنه لأمر رائع أن نكون أبطالًا، ولا يمكن لأحد أن يسلبنا هذا اللقب، اخترت هذا النادي لأنني شعرت بإمكانية تحقيق ذلك، وأنني شعرت بهذا الارتباط”.

وواصل: “أحب هذا النادي، وأحب جماهيره، وأحب ما يمثله ليفربول، أنا سعيد جدًا بتمديد عقدي لمدة عامين، هذا الحب لا يمر مرور الكرام، لذا استمروا”.

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وأردف: “كنت واضحًا تمامًا في رغبتي في أن يُسلمني آلان هانسن (لاعب ليفربول السابق) الكأس، ومارك وجو من مؤسسة أوين ماكفي لأنني أعمل معهم عن كثب خلف الكواليس”.

وشدد: “كنت مصممًا حقًا على أن يكون آلان هانسن هنا ويسلمني الكأس، أنا سعيد لأنه أراد ذلك لأنني التقيت به من قبل، ومن الواضح أنه أحد أفضل لاعبي قلب الدفاع في تاريخ ليفربول، كان الأمر مقدرًا، وبدا رائعًا أيضًا”.