Cristiano Ronaldo has shared a holiday snap as he and Georgina Rodriguez spend time together in the sun after Portugal's exit from Euro 2024.
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Nottingham Forest have had a tough time in recent seasons trying to replace a club legend who left the City Ground after promotion back in 2022.
Brice Samba played a pivotal role in helping Nottingham Forest end their 23-year Premier League exile, with his most impressive performance in a Forest shirt coming in his penultimate game for the club during the play-off semi-final victory over Sheffield United.
Samba made three crucial saves during normal and extra time, before making himself a hero during the penalty shootout. He saved spot kicks from Oliver Norwood, Conor Hourihane and now Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White, sending the club to Wembley and subsequently winning promotion.
However, after the play-off final, Samba decided he wanted to return to France, with the 'keeper departing and joining Ligue 1 side Lens for £4m – an absolute bargain for the French side.
The club made two loan signings for the goalkeeper position for the Premier League campaign, with Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas arriving on loan but not staying permanently.
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Nottingham Forest will regret not signing this goalkeeper.
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Tom Lever
Feb 15, 2024
This left them short in the goalkeeping department, with the club dipping back into the market last summer.
The Reds decided to buy goalkeeper Matt Turner during the summer from fellow Premier League side Arsenal for a deal rising to £10m with add-ons.
Turner, a USA international, has made 21 appearances for the club since his arrival, conceding 31 times with multiple errors coming from the 'keeper himself.
His mistake against Tottenham for Dejan Kulusevski's goal is just one of a number of errors he's made, with the former Arsenal man struggling to nail down the Forest starting position.
That was one of three mistakes leading to a goal that the USMNT star has made in 2023/24, a figure that puts him close to the top of the tree in the top flight.
|
Most errors leading to a goal: 2023/24 PL season |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Error count |
|
#1 Wes Foderingham |
5 |
|
#2 Nathan Collins |
4 |
|
#3 Matt Turner |
3 |
|
#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold |
2 |
|
#5 Alisson, Botman, Sa, Raya, Ream |
2 |
|
Stats via Premier League. |
|
His errors saw the club buy goalkeeper Matz Sels on deadline day in January, with Turner back down to the number two role – just as he was during his time at the Emirates.
On top of his £10m transfer fee, the club also paid for Turner's weekly wages. The 29-year-old signed a four-year deal last summer, with the American being handed a weekly wage of £40k – a figure higher than impressive teammates Murillo and Anthony Elanga.
Should the former Arsenal 'keeper see out his whole contract at the City Ground, the club will have paid him a staggering £8.3m in wages – a ridiculous amount for a goalkeeper who has been poor since his arrival.
|
Nottingham Forest's highest earners |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Weekly salary |
|
#1 Divock Origi |
£120k |
|
#2 Morgan Gibbs-White |
£80k |
|
#3 Felipe |
£80k |
|
#4 Chris Wood |
£80k |
|
#5 Callum Hudson-Odoi |
£80k |
|
#6 Ibrahim Sangare |
£75k |
|
Data via Capology. |
|
The deal for Turner at the time certainly raised eyebrows, with the Reds spending a decent chunk of money on a player who had never previously been a consistent number one in England's top flight.
Overall, the deal for the USA number one has been a failure, with the 'keeper already dropping down the pecking order just seven months after he arrived on Trentside.
The club should be looking to cut their losses on Turner this summer, selling the former Arsenal man and reevaluating the goalkeeping situation throughout the transfer window.
Manchester United's newest signing Leny Yoro is reportedly set to move into Mason Greenwood's former home in Cheshire.
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As Aston Villa battle to maintain their place in the Premier League's top four, they could use their new status as a potential Champions League club to land one of the bargains of the summer transfer window.
Aston Villa don't waste any time in the transfer market these days, with the pulling power to sign the likes of Moussa Diaby, Leon Bailey and Pau Torres on show for all to see in the past. And that was before the prospect of Champions League football. If the Villans qualify for Europe's elite competition, they should be better placed than ever to sign some top players.
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With that said, the Midlands club have already been linked with the likes of Maximilian Beier and Nico Williams in two deals that would instantly make an impact at Villa Park. Under Unai Emery, the only way has been up, both on and off the pitch, and that may be on show more than ever this summer.
Williams, in particular, would be a standout signing, given his place as one of La Liga's best young players and potential to become one of Europe's most exciting stars. But it's not the emerging talent stealing the headlines this week. Instead, it's someone who has enjoyed a ressurgent spell in Paulo Dybala.
According to Il Messaggero via Siamo La Roma, Aston Villa are above all in the race to sign Dybala this summer alongside Bayer Leverkusen and some Saudi Arabia clubs. The Argentine star has enjoyed an impressive revival since joining AS Roma and could now be on the move again as a result.
What's more, according to Fabrizio Romano, Dybala has a release clause of just €12m (£10m) between July 1 and July 31 with the decsion over a move up to the forward if an offer comes in from outside of Italy.
Ollie Watkins is enjoying an incredible season as it is, with only Erling Haaland scoring more than his 16 Premier League goals and no player assisting more than his 10 goal creations in England's top flight in the current campaign so far. But amid the transfer rumours, it's difficult not to wonder just how good he could then be with Dybala turning provider in an attacking midfield role. Villa's attack would undoubtedly reach a new level entirely with the Argentine involved.
|
23/24 League Stats (via Transfermarkt) |
Paulo Dybala |
Ollie Watkins |
|---|---|---|
|
Starts |
20 |
29 |
|
Goals |
12 |
16 |
|
Assists |
7 |
10 |
It's no surprise that former Roma boss Jose Mourinho was so full of praise for Dybala during his tenure, including when he said via Football Italia: “He is doing a very good job. He knows his players perfectly and he knows that from the midfield onwards, Argentina has a lot of options but for me Dybala is one of the best players in the world.
“Dybala has taken this responsibility to be an important player for Roma. He has the tranquillity of great players and I think that with the 60,000 at the stadium, he will be at the top.”
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has appeared to admit he dropped Casemiro for the FA Cup final, contradicting claims the Brazilian was injured.
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Rangers have completed two off-the-pitch deals ahead of what they hope will be a big summer ahead for the Ibrox side, and both concern individuals with key off-field roles.
On the pitch, Rangers are enjoying an excellent campaign under impressive boss Philippe Clement.
Currently second in the Scottish Premiership, they sit just a point behind their Old Firm rivals, but have a game in hand on Brendan Rodgers' side, and will move back into top spot should they emerge victorious against Hibernian this afternoon.
|
Scottish Premiership race |
||||
|
Pos |
Team |
Played |
GD |
Points |
|
1 |
Celtic |
30 |
+48 |
71 |
|
2 |
Rangers |
29 |
+48 |
70 |
Led by the best defence in the division, Ibrox still has to play host to an Old Firm derby, which could prove pivotal in deciding whether the title eventually ends up with Rangers or with arch-rivals Celtic once more.
There are question marks for the summer, though, with a host of stars out of contract at the end of the season and loanee Fabio Silva likely to be too expensive to keep on a permanent basis barring a major change in transfer stance from parent club Wolves.
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With wholesale changes seemingly inevitable, Rangers have already moved to head them off at the pass.
This comes as Rangers have confirmed two new arrivals at board level.
James Taylor has arrived to take up the role of Chief Financial Officer, while Creag Robertson has also stepped onto the board, being appointed the Ibrox outfit's new Director of Football operations.
As per Football Insider, Rangers have moved fast to install the new members ahead of what they anticipate to be 'a busy summer transfer window' in Glasgow. It is added that "both directors are expected to play a pivotal role in the day-to-day running of the club, including input to their transfer strategy this summer," which could see a change in targets identified between now and the end of the campaign.
The positions are likely to be the same, though, and Philippe Clement will be hoping that a central midfielder will be top of the list given the impending expiring contracts for Ryan Jack and midfield general John Lundstram.
A left-back is also a priority, with long-term defender Borna Barisic also set to become a free agent at the end of the season as it stands.
Meanwhile, Fabio Silva will have to be replaced, while reports suggest that the club are already keen to cash in on Sam Lammers, who is spending the second half of the season on loan in the Netherlands.
Football Insider adds that should Rangers prove successful this season, their transfer kitty is 'expected to inflate' as a result of qualification for the first phase of the new-look Champions League, which will be bigger than ever as a result of the revamped format, with UEFA pledging to hand out at least £2bn in prize money.
With or without Champions League football, there will be plenty for the new directors to sort out ahead of the new season should Rangers remain competitive into 2024/25.
A verdict on Leicester City's alleged breaches of PSR rules is not expected until the second half of the Premier League season.
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Weston McKennie is reportedly being lined up for a “surreal” €14m (£12m/$15m) transfer that will see the USMNT star join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.
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Glasgow Rangers' activity in the transfer market over the previous few years has been very Jekyll and Hyde in nature.
On the one hand, duds such as Carlos Pena, Juninho Bacuna, Jordan Jones and George Edmundson, plus a handful of others, have all graced the Ibrox pitch since the Gers gained promotion in 2016, yet they failed to have a positive impact.
On the other hand, however, the Light Blues have made the occasional signing, which has paid off. The likes of Jack Butland, Alfredo Morelos, John Lundstram, and Todd Cantwell are all players who arrived at Ibrox for either nothing or a very small transfer fee and exceeded expectations.
While Michael Beale may have been sacked due to some horrendous results during the early part of the season, he did bring two of the above to Ibrox, while also securing winger Abdallah Sima on a season-long loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion.
He was arguably one of the few bright sparks between August and October last year, scoring for fun despite Beale’s style of play being anything but.
The Senegal international enjoyed a productive spell at Slavia Prague between 2020 and 2022, scoring 16 goals and registering seven assists in just 39 matches, which sealed a move to Brighton.
Sima has yet to play a single game for the south coast side, spending a few spells out on loan, but it has been his stint in Glasgow which has been the most successful, showing that he has what it takes to make it for a top-flight club.
Across 33 games for the Glasgow side this term, the 22-year-old has found the back of the net on 15 occasions, chipping in with two assists too, making himself the undisputed number one on the left wing.
He was chosen to represent Senegal at the recent Africa Cup of Nations tournament, yet suffered a hamstring injury during training and was thus sent home in order to recover.
Philippe Clement said the injury would keep him out for at least two months, thus missing some crucial matches. The good news is, he should be back for the title run-in, with his presence in the starting XI key to any success the club go on to have between now and May.
|
Abdallah Sima's stats for Rangers this season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Metric |
Europa League |
Premiership |
|
Goals |
3 |
10 |
|
Assists |
0 |
2 |
|
Key passes per game |
1 |
1 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.8 |
1.5 |
|
Shots on target per game |
1.3 |
0.9 |
|
Via Sofascore |
||
Not only does Sima rank third among his teammates for goals and assists in the Premiership this term (12), but he also ranks first for successful dribbles per game (1.5) and third for shots per game (three), showing how effective he is in front of goal.
At the time of writing, Sima is currently valued at €7.9m (£6.7m) according to Football Transfers and if he can bounce back from injury to enjoy a goal-laden run across the final few matches, this will certainly increase.
He is one of the highest valued players at the club just now, yet going by inflation, a player who represented the Gers between 2002 and 2004 was worth a lot more upon his departure to Spain in the summer of 2004 – Mikel Arteta.
Towards the end of the 2001/02 season, it was announced that Rangers had secured the signature of Mikel Arteta for a fee of £6m from Barcelona, with Alex McLeish lavishing praise on the Spaniard.
"Mikel is an excellent young player and I'm sure he is someone who will really excite the Rangers fans," said McLeish.
"I think the fans will see a class act when he pulls on a Rangers jersey next season. He is very comfortable on the ball and he has an excellent touch and the great thing is his best years are still ahead of him.”
Arteta enjoyed a wonderful debut campaign in Glasgow, playing 27 league matches, scoring four times as the club won their first title since 2000. During the final game of the season, the Gers received a penalty during the final minutes against Dunfermline, knowing that a goal would likely seal the league crown.
Up stepped Arteta. With 50,000 supporters behind him and the weight of expectations on his shoulders, the youngster slotted the ball into the net like he was playing at the local park, thus entering the history books as the club became the first side in the world to win their domestic league 50 times.
Nine goals in 30 games the following season meant he was one of their better performers in an otherwise shoddy campaign, but when Real Sociedad came calling in 2004, McLeish had no choice but to sell him.
With financial issues hampering the club, Rangers accepted an offer of £3.6m from the La Liga outfit ahead of the 2004/05 season, meaning they had lost money on the deal.
In 2024 money, however – with Totally Money adjusted for inflation over the years – Arteta would be worth £13m in the market today, showing that Rangers hit the jackpot by moving on the young Spaniard when they did.
This means he would also be worth nearly £6m more than Sima, who has been one of their best performers this season, showing just how valuable Arteta was 20 years ago.
Having retired in 2016, Arteta is now the manager of Arsenal, and he stands on the brink of history. Should the Gunners win the Premier League title this season, he will break the record for youngest manager to ever win the competition.
José Mourinho was 42 years and 94 days old when he led Chelsea to the 2005 league title, while Arteta will be 42 years and 54 days old on the final day of the current campaign.
He has certainly come a long way since playing against the likes of Partick Thistle and Motherwell during his stint at Ibrox between 2002 and 2004, but he will always be fondly remembered as the player who sealed league title number 50 for the Light Blues on that wonderful day in May 2003.
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be in the market to find a replacement for current Parkhead number one Joe Hart at the end of the season.
The Hoops star has already confirmed that he will be retiring from professional football this summer, upon the expiry of his contract with the Scottish giants.
This means that the Glasgow-based outfit will need to find a new shot-stopper to take on the number one jersey ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic have already been linked with an interest in Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who is valued at a minimum of £10m, and £12.8m-rated Trabzonspor star Ugurcan Cakir.
Alongside those two titans, Hoops chiefs are now reportedly keen on another goalkeeper, in the form of a shot-stopper from the Bundesliga this season.
According to German outlet Bild, the Hoops are eyeing up a deal to sign Werder Bremen colossus Michael Zetterer to bolster their goalkeeping ranks this summer.
The report claims that Celtic have taken a liking to the talented ace and believe that his qualities on the pitch would make him a good fit for Rodgers' side next season.
It states that Werder Bremen would like to extend his current contract with the German club but there is currently a dispute between the two sides.
Zetterer, who started the season as the second-choice between the sticks, is currently contracted as a substitute goalkeeper and the club are refusing to upgrade his status to first-choice number one as part of a new deal.
This has left the 28-year-old gem hesitant to put pen to paper on an extension, and he is now keeping close tabs on the transfer market ahead of a potential exit, with interest from Celtic now emerging.
The Werder Bremen star has worked his way into the starting lineup this season and caught the eye with his heroic performance between the sticks in the Bundesliga.
In his 21 league appearances this term, Zetterer, who Sofascore claims does not have a weak foot and is comfortable playing out from the back on either side, has saved 72% of the shots on his goal and prevented 3.47 goals (xG) for his team to keep them in games.
This suggests that the 6 foot 2 giant has been an above-average shot-stopper in a major European league, as the German titan has conceded over three fewer than the xG of the shots on his goal suggested that he should have.
|
23/24 league season |
Michael Zetterer (Bundesliga) |
Joe Hart (Premiership) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
21 |
31 |
|
Sofascore rating |
7.33 |
6.83 |
|
Save success rate |
72% |
67% |
|
Successful run-outs per game |
0.5 |
0.3 |
|
Ground duel success rate |
100% |
40% |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the both-footed Werder Bremen cat has outperformed Hart in various metrics this season, with a higher percentage of shots saved, more sweeping actions per match, and far more success in one-on-one duels on the floor.
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This suggests that the 28-year-old, who is seven years younger than the former England international, could come in as an upgrade on the current Celtic number one, if he can translate those performances over to the Scottish Premiership.