All posts by n8rngtd.top

Kylian Mbappe, who needs just six goals to become his country's all-time top scorer, believes he "can score against anyone" ahead of France's World Cup qualifying clash against Azerbaijan on Friday. His participation in the game, however, remains uncertain, with the Frenchman picking up a minor ankle sprain in Real Madrid's 3-1 win over Villarreal in La Liga last weekend.

• Mbappe eyeing Giroud's throne as France's all-time top scorer

  Giroud retired from international football in 2024 after making 137 appearances and a record 57 goals for Les Bleus. Mbappe currently sits in second position, having scored 52 goals in 92 games. The Frenchman, who has been in breathtaking form at the start of the season, will be aiming to eclipse Giroud in France's next two games – two relatively easy fixtures against Azerbaijan on Friday and Iceland next Monday.

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  Giroud record not on Mbappe's mind at the moment

  Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the France captain said: "I'm not breaking any taboos when I say I can score goals against anyone. Every match has its own reality. [Azerbaijan] is a team that held Ukraine to a draw, where we didn't have it easy. The stakes are higher than just scoring goals, even if we're not going to deprive ourselves of that.

  "I think I'll beat [Giroud], but when, I don't know. Maybe tomorrow, who knows? Maybe later. It's something that will come naturally and I'll move on from there."

• Mbappe finally the player Real Madrid thought they signed in 2024

  A record-breaking individual season was overshadowed by Real Madrid's failure to secure major silverware. The Frenchman often struggled, especially during the first half of the 2024-25 season, before finding his feet and finishing the season with the Pichichi and European Golden Shoe awards. 

  This season, though, Mbappe has been in transcendental form, scoring 14 goals in 10 games for Los Blancos and finally giving the impression that the version of Mbappe Madrid thought they signed in the summer of 2024 has arrived.

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  Will Mbappe feature for France on Friday?

  In Madrid's most recent outing, a 3-1 win over Villarreal last weekend, Mbappe came off in the 82nd minute, just moments after he scored a goal. After the game, head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that the 26-year-old had only suffered a minor ankle sprain. 

  Regardless, he was called up by France boss Didier Deschamps in hopes that he would recover from his knock in time for Friday's clash against Azerbaijan. The former Paris Saint-Germain player missed team training this week, but Mbappe confirmed he would participate in training with the rest of his squad on Thursday.

  "I want to play, the coach wants me to play, I don't think there will be any problems," Mbappe said. "I feel good, we're talking to the coach. I'm going to train today, it's the last test but I'm not particularly worried."

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is set to tie down star midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur to a new deal. The Uruguay international's current contract expires in the summer of 2026 and Spurs are not willing to let him leave for free next season. Bentancur has made a bright start to the season under new boss Frank and has started in four out of their first six Premier League matches.

• Spurs don't want to lose Bentancur for free

  Bentancur, who joined the north London club in 2022, has entered the final year of his Spurs contract and is yet to sign a new deal. Tottenham are desperate to hold on to the Uruguayan star and are considering offering him a new contract as they don't want to lose the midfielder for free next summer, according to .

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  Frank hails Bentancur as 'top professional'

  Speaking about Bentancur's future at the club, Spurs boss Thomas Frank said: "I think, first and foremost, I’m very happy with Rodri. He’s been a very good player for us, a top professional in every aspect. I’m happy with him, he’s happy with being here. I know that for a fact. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the future."

• Bentancur's extension priority after Romero's new deal

  Frank has made it his priority to tie down Bentancur to a new deal after Cristian Romero agreed to sign a new contract earlier this season, after he was made the captain of the club. The Argentine received the armband following the departure of club legend Son Heung-min.

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  Two more Spurs stars' contracts due to expires next season

  If Bentacur agrees to sign a new deal, then only Yves Bissouma and Ben Davies would be left in the first-team squad with contracts due to expire next summer. Frank's side next face Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday.

It’s set to be a very busy end to the transfer window all across Europe, but perhaps no more so than at Chelsea.

Given their need to balance the books, and the fact they’re currently employing 42 senior players, the Blues are hoping for a mass exodus between now and Monday’s deadline.

Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, David Datro Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and others are all up for sale, so it’ll be interesting to see how many do indeed depart in the coming days.

Meantime, despite having made nine new signings this summer already, Chelsea are expected to make at least one more.

Chelsea's search for more signings

As reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic on X, Chelsea are currently ‘evaluating the possibility’ of signing Fermín López from Barcelona.

Transfer Focus

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

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Spain international was valued at £43m by Barça, who do not want to sell the 22-year-old, but are open to offers, given their ongoing financial problems.

Nevertheless, given how little time remains in the window, this appears a long shot, although you never know, but there is a highly-rated young talent that Chelsea are far more likely to get their hands on in the next few days.

That’s because, again, as reported by Ornstein in the Transfer DealSheet, Chelsea are ‘expected’ to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United, with the Argentine winger still ‘keen’ on a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have already seen multiple bids rejected for Garnacho this summer, with Manchester United holding out for a fee close to £50m, despite the fact he clearly has no future at Old Trafford.

This one is likely to go right to the wire, so will the 21-year-old escape the infamous Carrington bomb squad and belatedly move to West London?

What Alejandro Garnacho will bring to Chelsea

Despite having only celebrated his 21st birthday as recently as last month, Garnacho has plenty of experience under his belt.

Already, he has amassed 144 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 26 goals, the unquestionable pick of the bunch being this jaw-dropping overhead kick against Everton at Goodison.

Last season, despite having now been cast aside by Rúben Amorim, Garnacho was a key figure as Manchester United endured their most miserable season since the mid-70s, as the table below documents.

As the table highlights, Garnacho ranked in the top three for every attacking statistic at Manchester United in the Premier League last season, only outscored by Bruno Fernandes and Amad, while he was clear in first place when it came to all dribbling-based metrics.

As a result, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him a “diamond”, while Statman Dave asserts that he is one of the best two young wingers on the planet, alongside Lamine Yamal, which is certainly high praise.

So, why would he have a bigger impact at Stamford Bridge than Fermín?

Well, the young Spaniard, while obviously highly rated, is significantly less experienced, starting only 39 times for Barcelona to date, with his breakthrough only coming last season, but even then he saw just 12 La Liga starts.

Also, central midfield is certainly the strongest section of Chelsea’s team, with Moisés Caicedo alongside Enzo Fernández, arguably, the best pairing in the division, while Enzo Maresca has also deployed Reece James in that position, with Roméo Lavia and Andrey Santos very viable alternatives too.

This is not to say Chelsea are not overflowing with wingers, but Garnacho appears better equipped to come in and make an impact straight away.

Thus, while of course prioritising sales, the Blues should focus on finalising the deal to bring Garnacho to Stamford Bridge, rather than being distracted by Fermín.

Better than Simons: Chelsea tempted to make late move to sign £80m star

Chelsea could secure a statement deal by landing this £80m Xavi Simons alternative.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 24, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have commenced their official search for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement after months of speculation about the Australian’s long-term future, with Spurs announcing on Friday that they’ve parted company.

Daniel Levy slammed for sacking Ange Postecoglou

It is safe to say that chairman Daniel Levy’s controversial decision to sack Postecoglou has been met with fierce criticism.

Levy "impressed" after holding Tottenham talks with £4.5m-per-year manager

The Spurs chairman has taken a personal liking to him.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 7, 2025

According to The Telegraph, Spurs’ squad themselves are furious about the call to hand Postecoglou his P45, just over a fortnight after he helped to end the club’s 17-year wait for major silverware and qualify for the Champions League.

Son Heung-min called Postecoglou a Spurs legend and bid him farewell in an emotional goodbye message on Instagram, and he’s not the only Lilywhites star to come out in support of the former Celtic boss over these last few weeks.

“Always listen to the room. Pedro Porro said keeping Postecoglou would be good for the dressing room, while James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray all publicly backed him. It all links to that famous saying: if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” said Sky Sports journalist Sam Blitz in a critique of Postecoglou’s exit.

“Yes, Postecoglou had his faults – the league form was a shambles. But his season objectives last August would have been to get into the Champions League and win a trophy.

“He did that, albeit in a fortunate way. And he even went against his ‘Angeball’ principles to achieve it – showing he could be developing into more than the stubborn manager with one plan. In getting rid of the Australian, Levy is back to square one. And whoever he brings in faces an uphill struggle.

“If you’re Thomas Frank or Andoni Iraola, you should look at when Nuno Espírito Santo – an experienced manager who took outsiders into Europe – took the step-up to that role. He lasted 17 games.”

It is actually hard to argue with this assessment, but as Levy’s remorseless scythe swings again on the Spurs managerial merry-go-round, another tactician must now step into Postecoglou’s shoes.

Daniel Levy decides on Thomas Frank as Tottenham talks advance

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Tottenham are expected to advance in talks with Frank, who would make the serious step-up from Brentford to manage a side competing in the Champions League next season.

According to Tottenham News, Levy has now “settled” on Frank as his preferred manager to replace Postecoglou, so it appears the north Londoners are prioritising a move for him right now.

The Dane’s has led Brentford through solid campaigns on a shoe-string budget, perhaps appealing to Levy in the process, but reservations lie with his lack of top-level pedigree or trophy-winning experience.

Levy will also have to pay Brentford around £8 million to hire Frank by triggering his release clause.

An “excellent” Newcastle United player is thought to be a priority target for one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs this summer.

Newcastle players who could leave this summer

While the Magpies are expecting a busy summer transfer window in terms of new signings, especially if Champions League football is secured this weekend, there are plenty of current star names being linked with exits before next season gets underway.

Alexander Isak is the player that Newcastle will be most desperate to retain, but the Swede is believed to be the subject of interest from some huge clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal.

Meanwhile, the Reds could reportedly be back in for Anthony Gordon this summer, having shown a willingness to snap him up last year. They see him as a potential replacement for Luis Diaz, although signing Florian Wirtz would surely put paid to their interest in the Magpies ace.

There are others who Newcastle want to ensure are still at the club in 2025/26, like Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali. However, another exit claim regarding another individual has emerged.

"Excellent" Newcastle player wanted by Man City

According to Fabrizio Romano on X, Manchester City are targeting a move for Newcastle defender Tino Livramento as their primary right-back target, with the 22-year-old potentially becoming the first player to leave St James’ Park this summer despite the rumours elsewhere:

Losing Livramento would be a setback for the Magpies, considering he has proven to be the natural heir to Kieran Trippier in his position, and still has his best years ahead of him.

The £50,000-a-week Englishman has enjoyed an impressive season for Newcastle, starting 31 of his side’s 37 Premier League matches and being lauded by Eddie Howe:

“Athletically, Tino’s excellent and we know that, and we’ve seen that since he’s come to the football club, but to have that responsibility of playing left-back on the opposite side to his natural foot and play the way he has and also build the relationship with Harvey [Barnes] that he has done.”

If Livramento ultimately decides that he would rather join City than stay at Newcastle, Paul Mitchell must do all he can to ensure that the club receives huge money for him in order to sign a top-quality replacement.

The 22-year-old isn’t out of contract at St James’ until the summer of 2028, putting the Magpies in a strong bargaining position, but hopefully, he will feel that his future belongs with his current team, seeing plenty more success coming their way.

Glasgow Rangers will have new owners and a new manager at Ibrox by the time pre-season comes along.

The deal for the 49ers Enterprises appears to be close to completion and this could give the Gers a massive boost ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Appointing a new manager is first up on the priority list for the 49ers and this decision could be the most important one Rangers make in their recent history.

Get it right and the Ibrox side could challenge Celtic for all three domestic trophies next season, reasserting their dominance of Scottish football.

Bring in the wrong man, however, and the same vicious cycle that has plagued the club since Gerrard left in 2021 will be repeated.

Whoever arrives in Glasgow as the new manager will have plenty of work to do. The first-team squad needs to be stripped of the deadwood, which will allow the manager to raise funds and clear the wage bill.

The likes of Ben Davies, Kieran Dowell, Rabbi Matondo and Tom Lawrence should all be moved on when the window opens.

On the other hand, several players have massive futures, notably Nico Raskin, Hamza Igamane and Mohamed Diomande.

The former two are attracting interest due to their performances of late, but Diomande also has an extraordinarily high ceiling in the game.

Why Diomande has such a high ceiling

While Raskin and Igamane have been generating plenty of interest of late, Diomande has gone about his business in a quieter manner.

That isn’t to say he isn’t as important, as the midfielder can operate in a few roles within the midfield area.

The 23-year-old has spent time as a number ten on occasions this term, contributing five goal involvements. While he has also played a number of games in a more deep-lying role for the Gers, he has still chipped in with seven goal involvements.

Crucially, the Ivorian starlet helped lead the Light Blues into the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season, and when compared to his peers in the competition, Diomande ranks in the top 6% for passes into the final third (4.11), the top 10% for interceptions (1.26) and in the top 20% for take-ons attempted (2.51) per 90.

These statistics prove that the midfielder can mix it with the best in Europe’s sister competition regarding those performance metrics.

He was even better in the Scottish top flight. Going forwards, Diomande has created 11 big chances, averages 1.2 key passes, and succeeds with 64% of his dribble attempts.

Defensively, the midfielder wins 55% of his total duels contested, along with making 1.2 tackles, recovering 4.3 balls and making 0.6 interceptions per game for the Gers.

This combination of defensive solidity and attacking dynamism has seen the player shine at Ibrox throughout the current season. There is no doubt that he can continue to get better and better.

With a deal that runs to 2028, Diomande should be at Ibrox for the long haul. He currently earns just £12k-per-week which places him among the lower-earning players at the club.

There are several at the club who are taking more home than the African star, despite failing to impress.

Dowell and Matondo are notable examples, but it is Jose Cifuentes, someone who makes more than Diomande, who should be given the boot.

Why Rangers signed Jose Cifuentes

Michael Beale was in the market for a new midfielder ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and earmarked Cifuentes as someone who could offer plenty to the club’s cause.

His performances for LAFC during his time in America were certainly impressive. Across 121 games, he registered 35 goal contributions – 15 goals and 20 assists – while even helping the club win the MLS Cup during the 2021/22 campaign.

He even played twice at the 2022 World Cup for Ecuador, and it surely wasn’t going to be long before he sealed a move away from North America.

Enter Rangers. Given his contract was due to expire in December 2023, Beale spent only £1.2m to secure his services a few weeks before the transfer window closed.

On the surface, the “dynamic” midfielder – as dubbed by LAFC assistant manager Marc Dos Santos – appeared to be an excellent signing, especially judging by the fee. The reality, however, was rather different.

What went wrong for Jose Cifuentes at Rangers

Despite the hype surrounding his arrival at the club, the Ecuadorian would only go on to play 20 times for Rangers, scoring just one goal.

Chalkboard

He failed to have an influence on the pitch, and it was evident that Philippe Clement didn’t have him in any future plans.

The midfielder was thus sent out on loan to Brazilian side Cruzeiro, but this spell was cut short after six months, before he was shipped out to Aris Thessalonki last summer on another temporary deal.

In Greece, Cifuentes’s performances slowly improved and, at the time of writing, he has registered four goal contributions – one goal and three assists – while helping his club to fifth in the top flight.

It looks as though he could be set to depart Rangers this summer after admitting he wishes to turn his loan move into a permanent one when the campaign comes to an end.

The Light Blues have slapped a £2.2m price tag on his head, a fee which Aris will be looking to bring down should any potential move go through.

The Ecuadorian is currently earning £16k-per-week which is slightly more than what Diomande is taking home.

Hopefully, the new manager will be able to move Cifuentes this summer. Not only will it bring in a couple of million to spend on future transfers, but it will also help free up some of the wage budget.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite meant to be at Ibrox for the former LAFC star, despite a solid reputation upon arriving in Scotland.

Making a profit on him would be an excellent piece of business by the club, that’s for sure.

Their new Morelos: Rangers eyeing "top striker" who'd cost just £8,000

Rangers have their eyes on a talented young striker

By
Ross Kilvington

May 12, 2025

Manchester United have a make-or-break summer under boss Ruben Amorim, needing to make the overhaul he desires to get the best out of his first-team squad.

The 40-year-old took the reins back in November from Erik ten Hag after he was sacked, looking to lead the side back up to the top of the Premier League table.

However, with just a handful of games to go, the Red Devils sit in the bottom half of the table, closer to the relegation zone than a place within the European spots.

They could still secure a place in the Champions League next season should they win the Europa League, potentially having a final against fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur.

Regardless of whether they are in Europe again next season, Amorim will want new signings to improve their league standing and push for a top-four spot in 2025/26.

An update on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Given the cost-cutting operation currently in place at United, it remains to be seen how much funds the manager will have at his disposal to make the signings he desires.

Whilst Matheus Cunha will remain the club’s number one option, Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has once again emerged on their shortlist ahead of the summer.

The Swede has once again been subject to interest from the Red Devils, with talks already being held over a possible switch to see him reunite with his former boss.

However, further progress has already been made elsewhere in an attempt to secure the signature of Real Madrid’s star forward Rodrygo, with reports in Spain putting United firmly in the race for his services.

They’ve reported that the Red Devils have already submitted a €80m (£68m) offer for his services, but it remains to be seen whether the LaLiga giants will accept such a bid.

It also states that the Brazilian wants to stay in Madrid but could be tempted by a move to the Premier League, needing to make a decision whether or not he’s keen on the transfer.

Why United’s £68m target would be perfect with Bruno

Bruno Fernandes has been United’s shining light in attacking areas over the last few months, playing a pivotal role in their success in the Europa League – as seen on Thursday night.

The 30-year-old registered two goals in the win over Athletic Club in the first leg, handing them an advantage over the return leg at Old Trafford next week.

His subsequent double has taken him to a staggering 19 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, by far and away the highest of any player within the first-team squad.

However, such a tally could be bolstered even further next year should the club conduct a deal for Rodrygo, with the Brazilian having all the tools to thrive alongside Fernandes at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old has registered 14 goals and nine assists for the LaLiga giants, a figure that would certainly see United increase their output within the final third.

He’s also managed to complete 2.3 successful dribbles per 90, along with 2.3 chances created – potentially partnering the Portuguese international behind the strikers and providing endless opportunities.

Rodrygo, who’s been labelled “one of the best” by current boss Carlo Ancelotti, has also starred without the ball, winning 67% of the tackles he’s entered alongside 5.3 duels won per 90 – fitting perfectly into Amorim’s hard-working and relentless system.

Should the club pull off such a signing over the summer transfer window, it would be an excellent piece of business that would add needed quality to the forward line.

£68m may seem like another hefty fee forked out by the hierarchy, but given his age and his form, he’s only going to develop further, potentially being the Red Devils’ leading talisman for many years to come and leading them back to Premier League success.

Amorim must offload 5/10 Man Utd dud who’s becoming the new Van de Beek

Manchester United took a huge step towards the Europa League final last night with a 3-0 win over Athletic Club.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 2, 2025

The next few weeks are vital for Enzo Maresca’s future as Chelsea manager, with the Blues having two huge chances for glory currently on their plate before the end of 2024/25.

They face a huge battle for a place in the top five of the Premier League, subsequently securing them Champions League football, whilst also having the chance to win the Europa Conference League.

It remains to be seen if the Italian will be in charge next season should he fail to achieve both of their goals, undoubtedly falling well below the expectations set upon his appointment.

Regardless of what Maresca is able to accomplish between now and the end of May, more signings are expected this summer, to help the side edge one step closer to battling for a title.

The hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with one player already in the frame over a potential summer move to Stamford Bridge.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt to land Dean Huijsen

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have made huge progress in their pursuit of landing Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, but still face serious competition from elsewhere.

Real Madrid and fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United have all been credited with interest in the 19-year-old who has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, one report has claimed that the Blues have held multiple rounds of talks with the defender’s representatives over a potential deal to move to West London.

It remains to whether Huijsen would want a move to Maresca’s side, but the signs are all positive – especially considering his team are still open to negotiations with the club’s hierarchy.

Despite the interest in the Spaniard’s signature, the club already have their own superb talent who’s valued more than Huijsen – highlighting the excellent work the club have done in previous years.

The Chelsea star who’s worth even more than Huijsen

Chelsea have done tremendous work in the transfer market over recent years, getting themselves some bargains even though they’ve spent over £1.2b since 2022.

Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have both cemented their places in the first-team, starring frequently this season, with the latter undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the division – as seen by his Team of the Year nomination.

However, despite the success with the additions, they’ve also managed to develop countless homegrown talents, numerous of which have played a key role in Maresca’s side.

Levi Colwill is just one of those academy players to make the step-up into the professional ranks, missing just three league games in 2024/25 – showcasing his importance to the side.

The 22-year-old has been the most consistent figure at the heart of the backline, going from strength to strength with increased minutes in West London.

When delving into his stats from the current season, it’s evident how impressive he’s been, more than deserving of his place in the England setup over the last couple of months.

Colwill, who’s been labelled “superb” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed a 90% pass accuracy in the Premier League, whilst also managing to win 2.6 aerial battles per 90 – having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

As a result of his performances to date, his market value has soared, now valued at £47m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Huijsen, who’s only valued at £36m.

Given his rise, the club should put more resources into developing young talent, reaping the rewards in the long-term, just as they have done with the 22-year-old.

However, that being said, a partnership of Colwill and Huijsen at the heart of the defence could set them up for future success down the line, given the pair’s tender ages.

Time's up: Maresca must axe 3/10 Chelsea dud who was even worse than Palmer

Chelsea’s 3/10 dud looks out of time after worse performance than Palmer

By
Connor Holden

Apr 18, 2025

Chelsea are set to have a busy summer on the pitch, even with the Premier League season almost at its conclusion.

Indeed, they are taking part in the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the United States of America, with the first game on the 16th of June against Mexican side Club Leon.

Thus, they might be looking to make some early transfers. The 2025 summer window opens for ten days at the start of June, to allow teams competing in the Club World Cup the chance to strengthen their squad beforehand.

It might well be in the Blues’ interest to sign someone in that short window, and they have actually been linked with one attacker who could even move at the start of June.

Chelsea looking to sign a new striker

It may not seem surprising that Chelsea want a new striker this summer, given they are the sixth biggest underachiever for expected goals in the Premier League, as per Understat.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, the man who could help solve those issues is Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.

According to recent reports from Spain this week, Chelsea are one of the sides who ‘have already initiated’ a move for Guirassy this summer. There is thought to be a ‘real possibility of leaving Germany’ for the striker in the coming months.

However, the West Londoners are surely going to face stern competition for Gurassy’s signature. Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus are also interested in signing the striker, who has a £60m release clause in his contract, should anyone want to bring him in.

Why Guirassy would be a good signing

It has been an incredible season for Guirassy in 2024/25, who has excelled leaps and bounds in a Dortmund side that has struggled overall. He has 29 goals and five assists in 41 games played so far this term.

There is certainly a case to be made that the striker has done his best work in the Champions League. He’s scored an incredible 13 goals in 14 games, notching up four assists alongside those strikes.

It is perhaps not too difficult to pinpoint the best performance from the Guinean striker in Europe’s premier club competition. He scored a hat-trick in the quarter-final against Barcelona, which proved to be in vain as his side got eliminated 5-3 on aggregate. However, it was still an mightily strong performance to grab a 3-1 home win on the night.

Perhaps Guirassy could provide the goals that Nicolas Jackson has struggled to score at times in 2024/25. The Chelsea striker is talented but perhaps a little inconsistent, with nine goals and five assists in 29 games in all competitions.

When comparing the goal-to-game ratio of Jackson and Guirassy, there is a clear difference. The Dortmund number nine is currently scoring 0.7 goals per game this term, whereas Chelsea’s main man up front averages just 0.3, a stark contrast.

Indeed, one thing the “unstoppable” Dortmund star, as scout Antonio Mango once described him, has on his side is experience.

At 29 years of age, the Dortmund sensation has plenty more years in professional football than the Chelsea number 15, who is just 23 years of age. With that being said, there is still a difference in how clinical they are in front of goal.

Interestingly, a statistical comparison via FBref can be drawn between Guirassy and former Blues striker Kai Havertz, now an Arsenal player.

He scored 32 goals for the club over three years, including a winner in the Champions League final in 2021.

As for the numerical comparison between the two, there are several areas where the pair are similar. For example, Guirassy averages 0.50 goals per shot on target compared to Havertz’s 0.43 goals per shot on target each game and they link up play in a similarly strong way, with only 0.10 difference in the number of key passes they supply per 90 minutes.

It is hard to see a reason why Gurassy wouldn’t succeed at Stamford Bridge. The Dortmund star is deadly in front of goal, as the numbers show, and in that sense would be an upgrade on Jackson.

Chelsea fans will surely hope he can replicate what Havertz did in that famous Blue shirt. They probably wouldn’t say no to a Champions League final winner, a competition in which he has serious pedigree already.

Chelsea preparing £43m offer for "surprising" new striker target

The west Londoners have another name on their agenda.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 23, 2025

With the season gradually coming to a close and Rangers’ managerial decision therefore approaching, Ibrox legend Ally McCoist has had his say on one candidate who he believes would make every game a “fight”.

Rangers' search for a permanent boss continues

This time last season it looked as though Philippe Clement had all the tools to become a successful manager at Rangers. He had pushed Celtic all the way without taking charge of a full campaign so, naturally, similar progress was expected at the start of his first full season in the Ibrox dugout. Fast-forward almost a year, however, and the Belgian is out of a job and Rangers have been out of the Scottish Premiership title race for some time.

Since appointing interim boss Barry Ferguson too, things haven’t got much better for the Scottish giants, who lost three consecutive top flight games at Ibrox before holding on for a draw against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.

Whether they advance past the La Liga side in the second leg or not though, Rangers look unlikely to hand Ferguson the job on a permanent basis.

As bad as Propper: Ferguson must axe Rangers dud who made just 4 passes

Having battled to a goalless draw at Ibrox, Rangers manager Barry Ferguson must axe his “frustrating” star at San Mamés in next Thursday’s second leg.

By
Ben Gray

Apr 11, 2025

Instead, names such as Rafa Benitez and even Jose Mourinho have been mentioned as potential candidates in recent months. The latter, in particular, would certainly provide plenty of box office moments, but it remains to be seen whether the Gers can lure the so-called Special One away from Fenerbahce.

Away from two experienced candidates, meanwhile, Ally McCoist believes that one “interesting” manager who has not received many mentions would get Rangers fighting again.

McCoist: Sean Dyche would make Rangers "fight"

In an exclusive chat with Football FanCast, Rangers legend McCoist had his say on the Gers’ manager race, speaking highly of Sean Dyche in particular.

Out of a job since being shown the door at Everton in January, Dyche could certainly do with another opportunity to step into the dugout and one that is away from the troubles that the Toffees often had during his reign.

The Rangers job would undoubtedly be the biggest job of his career so far too, having previously taken charge of sides who were expected to scrap away in the bottom half of the Premier League.

Whilst Dyche’s Everton spell has mixed reviews, Rangers should look towards his time at Burnley, in which he took the Clarets into the Europa League on a minimal budget, as an example of what he is truly capable of.