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Através das redes sociais, o Náutico fez o anúncio oficial da chegada de um reforço para o seu sistema ofensivo. Trata-se do atacante Vinícius, jogador com rodagem em vários clubes do futebol brasileiro que teve como sua última equipe o Larissa, da Grécia.

Atualmente com 27 anos de idade, o atleta formado nas categorias de base do Palmeiras (clube onde foi campeão da Copa do Brasil e da Série B do Brasileirão sendo o último título sob o comando de Gilson Kleina) tem em seu currículo equipes como Vitória, Ceará, Coritiba, Chapecoense e Criciúma.

A relação entre Kleina e o avante já vem de longa data pois, além de terem trabalhado juntos no clube de formação de Vinícius, eles também tiveram a oportunidade de defenderem, na mesma época, Coritiba e Criciúma.

Com essa chegada, agora o treinador do Alvirrubro terá nove opções para o seu sistema ofensivo, sendo as outras oito Salatiel, Kieza, Álvaro, Erick, Paiva, Matheus Carvalho, Thiago e Dadá Belmonte.

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Manchester United continued their mixed start to the new Premier League season with a frustrating 3-1 defeat away to rivals Arsenal at the weekend, with Erik ten Hag's men having now picked up just two wins from their opening four games to leave them languishing in mid-table heading into the international break.

Amid the disappointment of slipping up late on against the Gunners, a major cause for concern for United was the makeshift defensive partnership that ended the game at the Emirates, with Ten Hag forced to deploy former skipper Harry Maguire alongside fellow substitute, Jonny Evans for the closing stages.

While that scenario was largely a result of misfortune, it is hardly ideal to have to turn to those experienced, yet perhaps flawed figures, particularly with Evans – who re-joined the club earlier this summer – something of a veteran asset and with Maguire having appeared in line for an exit from Old Trafford last month, after being stripped of the captaincy.

The hope will be that this much-needed halt to proceedings will ensure that the Red Devils' usual starting options are fit to return when play resumes, with that Evans-Maguire axis unlikely to inspire too much confidence if they are to line up together again any time soon.

Who is currently injured for Man United?

Those late substitutions had been forced upon Ten Hag following the loss of Lisandro Martinez late on due to a foot injury, with the World Cup winner having only recently missed the latter stages of the previous campaign due to a fractured metatarsal.

Encouragingly, the 25-year-old has since travelled to link up with his Argentina teammates on international duty, albeit with it not totally certain at present as to whether he will be fit to feature for his country, with the full nature of the injury to be assessed.

With Raphael Varane already sidelined for at least the next few weeks, it was then also a real setback to see his replacement Victor Lindelof withdrawn against Mikel Arteta's side, with the Sweden star believed to have been struggling with illness during that frustrating loss.

To make matters even worse, Ten Hag is also not able to call upon Luke Shaw as a makeshift centre-back option as the Englishman looks set for an extended period on the sidelines, while Tyrell Malacia – who has featured in that role on occasion for his country as part of a back three – is currently on the treatment table.

That raft of issues could well force Ten Hag's hand over the coming weeks and months, with it perhaps wise for the Dutchman to consider turning to the academy ranks to find a possible solution, such as FA Youth Cup-winning captain, Rhys Bennett.

Who is Rhys Bennett?

The 19-year-old is still waiting to make his senior bow for the Red Devils after rising up through the academy ranks, although the teenager has certainly been part of Ten Hag's thinking in recent times, notably featuring in the pre-season friendly win over Leeds United.

While the centre-back did sustain an injury of his own during that 2-0 triumph – after also being sidelined during the second half of last season – that complaint was believed to be "minor", hence ensuring that he should be in line for selection if Ten Hag is to look his way.

That was not the youngster's first involvement in the first team, however, as he also played his part in the mid-season clash with Real Betis during the World Cup break back in December, with experienced teammate Tom Heaton noting that his young compatriot was "excellent" against the La Liga side.

Hailed as a "natural leader" and a "good character" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Bennett held the trophy aloft after scoring in the FA Youth Cup showpiece victory over Nottingham Forest back in May 2022, as United tasted glory in the competition for the first time since 2011.

Having led the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho amid that glorious success, the £730-per-week titan will no doubt be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his former youth colleagues by establishing himself in the first-team sooner rather than later.

What does the future hold for Rhys Bennett?

As stated above, a competitive senior bow has yet to emerge for the Manchester native, although it looks likely that the defender will have an important role to play at the club in the years to come, having only recently signed a new contract, alongside midfielder Dan Gore.

That show of faith would indicate that Bennett is certainly a player who is held in high regard by those at Old Trafford, with it perhaps time that his chance does finally come to impress at the elite level.

While there was perhaps just cause for bringing in a former title winner like Evans to help bolster the squad and offer his experience around the dressing room, it should not be the case that Ten Hag favours an ageing, 35-year-old ahead of what could well be a promising individual such as Bennett.

The Northern Ireland international hardly enjoyed the best of outings in that recent clash in north London after failing to prevent Declan Rice's effort which helped to fire the hosts into the lead, with Luckhurst writing for Manchester Evening News that the former Leicester City man was 'all over the place' for the goal.

It was, of course, a case of needs must as far as Ten Hag was concerned on the day, yet with Bennett seemingly edging his way back from his own injury setback earlier in the summer – having carried out individual training of late – it could be the younger man who establishes himself as the standout reserve option behind the likes of Martinez and Lindelof.

It would likely be a gamble for the former Ajax boss to turn to a figure who is yet to enjoy a taste of life at senior level, although United have a rich history with regard to promoting from within and giving chances to academy assets.

While Evans is a player at the tail-end of an undoubtedly impressive career, it could be the start of an exciting journey for Bennett at the Theatre of Dreams.

West Ham United were beaten 3-1 for the second successive Premier League match as they were defeated by Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

The Hammers, who were beaten by the same scoreline by Manchester City the previous weekend, were put to the sword by Jurgen Klopp's side.

Who scored in West Ham's defeat to Liverpool?

Mo Salah opened the scoring from the penalty spot as Nayef Aguerd's trip gave the referee an easy decision to make to award a spot-kick.

Jarrod Bowen brilliantly got in front of Virgil van Dijk to head in a cross from Vladimir Coufal into the bottom corner to make it 1-1 just before the break.

However, the Hammers were unable to hold on for a point as goals from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota in the second half secured all three points for the home side.

There were a number of disappointing performances on the pitch for West Ham, including Aguerd who gave away the penalty, but one player who let David Moyes down with his display was Michail Antonio.

How did Michail Antonio perform against Liverpool?

The former Nottingham Forest attacker failed to provide his team with an effective focal point through the middle of the pitch as Van Dijk and Joel Matip dominated him throughout the match.

Antonio has won 42% of his Premier League duels this season across his six appearances in the division but Liverpool did not allow him to use his physicality to hold the ball up for West Ham.

As per Sofascore, the experienced marksman lost a staggering 12 of his 16 duels (75%) and all six of his aerial contests during his 74 minutes on the pitch before Moyes opted to substitute him for Mohammed Kudus, who went on to win two of his three battles on the ground.

These statistics show that the two Liverpool central defenders found it far too easy to get the better of the 33-year-old striker, which meant that the Hammers were not able to retain possession as well as they would have hoped.

As a result of his lack of physicality against Van Dijk and Matip, Antonio ended his time on the pitch with just 23 touches of the ball in total, which was dismally fewer than his goalkeeper – Alphonse Areola – had in between the sticks (39) which illustrated how much he struggled in possession.

Instead of being a driving force for his team at the top end of the pitch, the ex-Sheffield Wednesday ace had less influence in his side's play on the ball than his goalkeeper.

The West Ham number nine only completed five passes, out of seven attempted, and missed a 'big chance' with the touches that he did have, showing that Antonio failed to get involved in the game with regularity and wasted the only presentable opportunity that came his way in front of goal.

Unfortunately, the striker certainly let his manager down at Anfield on Sunday and Moyes will now be hoping that the Jamaica international can quickly put this performance behind him ahead of the next Premier League match against Sheffield United next weekend.

The qualifying process for next year’s World Cup in England may have just ended last month in Zimbabwe, but for some countries the planning process for the 2023 World Cup is already in full swing. Six teams are in Malaysia this week with their end goal being that event, the first step of which is gaining promotion from World Cricket League Division Four.But staying course for qualification for the 2023 World Cup is not the only dangling carrot on display in Kuala Lumpur. Netherlands’ progression from Division Two into the World Cricket League Championship in 2015 paved the way for a spot in the 13-team ODI League and ODI status. Likewise, the six participants in Malaysia – Uganda, Malaysia, Denmark, Bermuda, Jersey and Vanuatu – are hoping that they can move up and gain a spot in the next edition of WCL Championship, anticipated to start in 2020, which brings with it precious fixtures to grow and develop.This is the fifth time Malaysia has hosted a WCL tournament, two more than any other country. It is ideal not just for its fairly central location in the context of a truly global tournament but also for the quality of the facilities – whether it is fully constructed stands and pavilions or sand-based outfield drainage which neutralises mid-afternoon monsoon rains – that are arguably the best in the Associate world, outside of the UAE.Here’s a look at the six contenders:

Uganda

Fifth at 2017 WCL Division ThreeSince WCL Division Five in Jersey in 2008, the hosts have historically finished in the top two 62% of the time, thereby securing promotion to the next division more often than not. Others put in average performances and stay in their division. But Uganda suffered the rare, shocking indignity of being relegated as hosts 11 months ago in Kampala. The consequences of a reduced fixtures list meant that long-time captain Davis Karashani has had to temporarily step away from the national team due to university and work commitments at age 31.Never a team that blows opponents away, they have always lurked around the higher divisions of the WCL due to their team-first ethos. Uganda remains one of the most intense fielding units on the circuit, regularly defending low totals in spite of a shaky batting unit. Under new leader Roger Mukasa and with the ageless allrounder Frank Nsubuga still contributing, don’t expect that to change too much in Malaysia.Player to watch: Mohammed IrfanThe nephew of Shahid Afridi turns the ball the other way with the arm, but like his uncle he is a monster basher of the ball when the mood calls for it. He was the team’s leading wicket-taker and scorer at last year’s Division Three, which included a blistering 108 not out off 71 balls against Malaysia.

Malaysia

Sixth at 2017 WCL Division ThreeThe tournament hosts have been hit or miss on home soil in the past: promoted as the runners-up at 2011 Division Six and 2014 Division Five; relegated at 2012 Division Four, and a mid-table finish at 2014 Division Three. A poor performance last year in Uganda followed by the departure from the playing squad of several senior players including Khizar Hayat means they are not considered favorites for promotion.In a squad that is desperate for regeneration, a pair with expectations pinned for leading a revival are the Singh brothers, Virandeep and Pavandeep. The younger of the two, Virandeep is a promising batsman while Pavandeep’s tall and lanky frame makes his left-arm spin awkward to face when released from his height.Player to watch: Muhammad WafiqThe medium pacer’s stats may not look too impressive, but, at 22, he is fairly quick by Associate standards. In a squad with more bowling depth he’d have more freedom as a strike bowler, but he still has the capacity to cause some damage before teams pick on the weaker links in the Malaysia attack.ICC/Peter Lim

Denmark

Third at 2016 WCL Division FourLike Malaysia, Denmark is a team in a state of flux and will have to adjust quickly to squad turnover in order to have success over the next week. Gone are former England Test quick Amjad Khan, fellow medium pacer Aftab Ahmed and offspinning ex-captain Michael Pedersen.New captain Hamid Shah has been tasked with the responsibility of shepherding the squad into a new era, but he still can depend on the veteran presence of Freddie Klokker for runs at the top of the order.Player to watch: Bashir ShahOn Malaysian pitches, which traditionally offer plenty of assistance to spinners, the left-armer is expected to be a handful to face. He took 13 in five games at the last Division Four in Los Angeles as well as another 13 the last time Denmark was in Malaysia for Division Four in 2012.

Bermuda

Fourth place at 2016 Division FourThe squad has been slowly spiralling toward Associate oblivion ever since their pinnacle moment of going to the 2007 World Cup. However, they temporarily arrested the decline 18 months ago in Los Angeles with a surprisingly resilient performance. After being blown out by the two sides that eventually gained promotion – USA and Oman – on the first two days of the tournament, they bounced back with wins over Denmark and Jersey, the former costing Denmark a promotion spot.Despite the absence of up-and-coming phenom Delray Rawlins – he has represented England Under-19s in the past, and, as a fully contracted Sussex player, could not get permission to play at this tournament – the squad still comprises some promising talent. Among them is Cejay Outerbridge, who took 11 wickets in Los Angeles to lead the attack, and top-order batsman Tre Manders.Player to watch: Kamau LeverockAfter wallowing in the lower-middle order for most of his senior-team career, the allrounder’s coming-of-age occurred in Los Angeles when he was promoted to open two matches into the tournament. He responded with 137 off 111 balls against Jersey and hasn’t budged from the top of the order since. Now he is one of the most explosive hitters on the Associate circuit. That he can contribute handy medium pace is a bonus. And yes, he’s the nephew of man Dwayne.Peter Della Penna

Jersey

First place at 2017 Division FiveJersey seem to have been moving back and forth between Division Four and Five since 2008, when they gained promotion on home soil along with Afghanistan. They’ve been promoted from Division Five thee times – in 2008, 2014 and 2016. Jersey have subsequently gone straight back in each of those seasons. However, one of those three successful seasons, in 2014, came in Malaysia.This is Jersey’s third WCL visit to Malaysia, having stayed put in Division Six in 2011. A team on the rise, their batting continues to be spearheaded by the Sussex-contracted Jonty Jenner. Charles Perchard is also hoping to make it two tournament wins from two in his early captaincy reign since taking over from opening batsman Peter Gough.Player to watch: Ben StevensJersey acutely felt Stevens’ absence in Los Angeles when they were relegated. He was forced to watch from the sidelines while receiving medication for an undisclosed medical condition. Taking the field once again in South Africa for Division Five last September, he turned in another sterling effort, finishing as the team’s second-highest run-scorer with 204 runs. He also ended tied for the tournament lead with 14 wickets.

Vanuatu

Runner-up at 2017 WCL Division FiveHaving been as low as the now defunct Division Eight in 2012, Vanuatu’s second-place finish in South Africa vaulted them to their highest global ranking. With their backs to the wall after losing their first two matches, they pulled off an incredible chase on the last day of round-robin action against Germany, chasing 228 in just 28.2 overs to overhaul the net run-rate tiebreaker deficit. Vanuatu then followed it up with a stirring six-wicket upset over Italy in the semi-finals.The advancement to Division Four coupled with revised ICC eligibility guidelines was all the motivation Vanuatu head coach Shane Deitz, the former South Australia wicketkeeper, needed to take the field again as he prepares to make his international debut for his adopted homeland. It comes more than 10 years after he played his final first-class match in the Sheffield Shield as he looks to boost a batting line-up, anchored by Jonathan Dunn and Nalin Nipiko.Player to watch: Patrick MatautaavaVanuatu’s rollercoaster ride at the end of Division Five was piloted by allrounder Matautaava, who produced one of the all-time great knocks in the history of the WCL with his 139 not out off 76 balls in the chase against Germany. He then followed that innings with 83 off 60 balls a day later in the win over Italy.

The international break came at a good time for Rangers, truth be told. The Gers had just lost the first Old Firm derby of the season, as Celtic extended the gap over Michael Beale's side to four points despite playing just four games in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

That defeat, combined with the thrashing at the hands of PSV Einhoven to end their Champions League dreams, has led to questions over Beale's future, and has put the need for good news high up on the priority list. And that's exactly what some recent contract news has given those at Ibrox.

After a rising star for the future put pen to paper on a new deal at the club, a number of media outlets covering Rangers reacted with delight.

What's the latest Rangers news?

Rangers will be hoping that the international break has handed Beale and his side a chance to regroup, before they go again in their return fixture against St Johnstone, who have already taken a point away from Celtic this season.

The Gers will at least be boosted by the recent news that 16-year-old Bailey Rice has signed a new deal until May 2026, despite receiving interest from many clubs, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Reacting to the news, one writer for This is Ibrox took to Twitter to say: "Fantastic to see Bailey Rice sign a longer deal. Has all the attributes to make an impact in a Rangers first team."

Meanwhile, the teenager also received plenty of praise from Four Lads Had A Dream, who responded, saying, "very good news" before the Rangers Rabble Podcast also spoke highly of the news, Tweeting: "Best deal that's been done this year."

With that said, it's clear that Rice is a highly-rated prospect at Rangers, and one that could play a key part in the club's future. The fact that he has been handed so much praise at just 16-years-old suggests that those at Ibrox have a potential gem on their hands.

Who is Bailey Rice?

It's no surprise that Rice is spoken so highly of by those who follow Rangers so closely. The 16-year-old made his senior debut last season, coming from the bench in the Gers' 3-0 victory against Livingston, to become the youngest ever player to play for the club. Making history like that, the midfielder more than deserved a new deal.

Speaking about Rice after handing him his record debut, Beale said, via The Daily Record: "He is only 16 and not often a young boy plays for Scotland in Spain on the Friday afternoon and then comes back to make his debut for Rangers on the Saturday. What a weekend for that young man. It is a pleasing moment for everyone who has worked with him and his family."

Everything is pointing towards a player with the potential to star for Rangers, and, as things stand, Rice has the world at his feet. It will certainly be interesting to see if Beale opts to hand the young midfielder even more opportunities to impress in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Graeme Souness, who regularly appears on talkSPORT, has some very kind words to say about one exciting Tottenham Hotspur player as he draws a comparison with Jude Bellingham.

Latest Tottenham news

Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Spurs has started near-perfectly, with the north Londoners tasting victory in three of their opening four league matches.

Impressive wins over Man United, Bournemouth and Burnley have showcased Tottenham's new attacking flair under Postecoglou; so far proving his supposedly risky appointment to be right one so far.

The Australian is slowly becoming a cult hero at N17 and certain Spurs players, like Dejan Kulusevski, admit they've been left "surprised" by just how good he's been.

"I've been a little surprised but he’s really good," said Kulusevski to the club's official website.

"We are a young team and everyone wants to play this way… It's clear that all of us players have done our best to listen as much as possible."

Scoring 11 goals over their first four matches, the same number as last season's treble-winners Man City, Spurs currently sit second and head into their Saturday clash against Sheffield United in good stead.

Who is Tottenham's best player?

There are cases to be made for quite a few of Postecoglou's squad in terms of their most in-form stars, including the likes of Son Heung-min, Cristian Romero, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma.

However, after signing from Leicester City in the summer transfer window, midfield star James Maddison has become quite the pivotal figure for Tottenham.

Scoring two goals and assisting two others in his first four league matches, the England international has dazzled as part of Postecoglou's new-look and exciting Spurs midfield.

Souness, speaking to Channel 4 ahead of England's 3-1 win over Scotland at Hampden in mid-week, even drew comparisons with £113 million Real Madrid superstar Bellingham.

The former Sky pundit even claimed he could be "far better" than Bellingham in terms of shooting and creating chances.

“I am an enormous fan of James Maddison," said Souness (via TBR)

"I think there is room for Maddison and Bellingham in this midfield.

“He is choosing Bellingham because he plays for Real Madrid. I think there is room for two of them – if he (Bellingham) is going to play off Harry Kane, then I don’t think he is as good as Maddison at that.”

How good is James Maddison?

Registering a brilliant 19 goal contributions (10 goals, nine assists) in the league alone over 2022/2023, Maddison starred as Leicester City's star player last term.

If he can replicate those numbers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which he is doing thus far, then supporters can expect a very exciting 23/24 campaign.

The former Norwich City star is exactly what Spurs have been crying out for in a creative central midfield presence.

Kevin Sharp, former batting mentor to England captain, sees encouraging attributes in Worcestershire prodigy

George Dobell06-Apr-2018

Joe Clarke could be the new Joe Root, according to Root’s former batting mentor.Kevin Sharp, for many years a player and coach at Yorkshire, worked with Root as a developing player. Now head coach of Worcestershire, Sharp believes 21-year-old Clarke shares many of the same attributes as the England captain and feels he would do well if picked for the Test team this summer.”Yes, he could be the new Joe Root,” Sharp told ESPNcricinfo. “He reminds me a lot of Joe Root’s credentials.”I met Joe Root as a 12-year-old and he had something special straight away. I knew that from day one. The way he went about his tasks, the way he talked about the game and the way he went about planning: he was always planning for the next level.”Joe Clarke’s the same. He’s a fine young player. He wants to play all types of cricket for England. He’s very self-driven.”A few years ago I told Joe Root to look out for a guy called Joe Clarke. He said ‘All right. OK then.”Clarke is clearly a huge fan of Root. During the days when the England and England Lions squads trained together in Australia during the Ashes tour, Clarke could be seen sitting in the closest net to Root as he batted and watching his every move intently. And, while Clarke did not score especially heavily on the Lions tour in the Caribbean, he redeemed himself with scores of 46, 71 and 112 in the North v South games. He had previously become the first teenage Lions player since Root.With England struggling to find much consistency in their middle-order batting since Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen left the team, Clarke could even himself in the Test team within weeks. He is clearly highly thought of by the likes of Andy Flower and, if he starts the county season well, he will have given himself an excellent opportunity to push for a middle-order spot.”It wouldn’t surprise me if he was picked,” Sharp said. “He would do well. He believes in himself, he’s hungry and he concentrates well. It absolutely wouldn’t be a problem if he got picked. He wouldn’t let himself or anybody down.”Of more concern to Worcestershire could be the fact that Clarke is out of contract at the club at the end of the season. Counties can make 28-day approaches to players (that means they can notify the county of a player who is out of contract at the end of a season and inform them they wish to speak to that player in 28 days) from April 10 this year and Clarke is likely to have several big-budget suitors.It may be relevant that he retains aspirations to keep wicket – a skill he feels could help him when it comes to England selection – and his ability to do so at New Road is blocked by the excellence of Ben Cox.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement is hanging on to his job by the thinnest of threads.

The 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat to Queen’s Park a couple of weeks ago should have been the final straw, yet he was still in charge for the clash against Hearts in the Premiership on Sunday afternoon.

Despite the Light Blues winning 3-1 at Tynecastle, courtesy of two own goals by Jamie McCart, the performance was hardly anything to be proud of.

Not only did Hearts create more big chances (five vs one) and take more shots (21 vs 15) during the game, but they also took more corners (ten vs seven) and made more passes (422 vs 385) during the match than the Ibrox side.

They were certainly extremely lucky to come away from the capital with all three points, that’s for sure.

Several players failed to perform to the levels we have seen over the previous few weeks, notably Hamza Igamane. The striker failed to get a shot on target throughout the game, while completing only 15 passes and taking 49 touches of the ball.

Since his goal against Aberdeen last month, the youngster has been a shadow of his former self in front of goal, failing to score since.

The manager will be hoping Danilo can recover from his injury swiftly to give the Moroccan star a rest, perhaps taking some pressure off of him.

Danilo hasn’t exactly endured the best of times since joining Rangers in the summer of 2023, but when fit, there is plenty to admire about his game.

Danilo’s Rangers statistics

Michael Beale spent a lavish sum of money on signing the Brazilian centre-forward from Feyenoord, around £6m to be exact.

For this outlay, the Ibrox faithful were expecting someone who could slot straight into the starting XI and make a huge difference in the final third.

Under Beale, he started just three times for the Gers, scoring just three goals, and it looked as though it was yet another waste of money, especially when he spent weeks on the sidelines after suffering a broken cheekbone in September 2023.

Under Clement, Danilo began to show the form expected of him, netting three goals and grabbing five assists, although disaster struck in December as a knee injury sustained against Hearts kept him out for the remainder of the season.

Despite taking longer than usual to return to full fitness, the 25-year-old scored six goals along with recording three assists between August and the start of January.

Against Aberdeen last month, Danilo suffered a shoulder injury and this has kept him out ever since. These setbacks are hampering any progress the striker is making on the pitch, which in turn, prevents him from building up consistency.

When healthy, there is no doubt Danilo is the finest centre-forward at Ibrox, but he is of no use when on the treatment table.

The Light Blues have sold their fair share of strikers since Steven Gerrard took over way back in 2018. Some have struggled since leaving Glasgow, while others have sparkled, fulfilling their potential outside the pressures faced at Ibrox.

Ryan Hardie certainly belongs in the latter category, enjoying a wonderful career south of the border.

Ryan Hardie's time at Rangers

Hardie came through the youth ranks at Rangers, going on to make his senior debut for the club during their spell in the Championship, scoring twice in just five games in 2014/15.

Spells on loan at Raith Rovers (14 goals), St Mirren (three goals) and Livingston (15 goals) between 2016 and 2019 did allow him to gain plenty of game time at senior level, but it became clear that he wasn’t going to make the grade at Ibrox, despite his talents.

As such, Gerrard sold the Scottish forward to Blackpool for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2019.

Hardie hasn’t looked back since…

Ryan Hardie's record since leaving Rangers

His initial spell with Blackpool was hardly a success, netting just once in 12 appearances for the club, but a move to Plymouth in January 2020 turned out to be a match made in heaven.

Since that move, Hardie has scored an impressive tally of 69 goals in 237 games for the club, helping them secure promotion back to the Championship during the 2022/23 season.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25 (so far)

29

7

2

2023/24

45

13

4

2022/23

54

17

4

2021/22

45

19

5

2020/21

51

6

7

2019/20

25

8

0

His first in the second tier produced 13 goals in 44 matches as the Pilgrims retained their status in the Championship. While he struggled to get going under Wayne Rooney earlier this term, new coach Miron Muslic has brought out the best in the 27-year-old.

Indeed, across his previous four matches, Hardie has netted five goals, including a stunning winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.

Scottish content creator Kai Watson hailed the former Gers striker after the clash against the Premier League title challengers, stating that he is now “thriving” following the change in the dugout.

Overall this season, he has scored seven goals for Plymouth in 29 games, chipping in with two assists.

If he maintains this current form, there is no reason why he cannot break through into double figures, while helping his club move up the table in the process.

These seven goals are also a bigger tally than what Danilo has recorded so far this season. That’s not to say Hardie is better than the Brazilian, which would be rather disingenuous given the circumstances, but it proves that perhaps Gerrard should have given him a chance.

If so, he might have proven the former Liverpool captain wrong and remained as a squad player.

His move down south has worked out better than anyone expected, especially after a rough start at Blackpool.

Where Are They Now

Under Muslic, Hardie has the opportunity to push on and become even better.

Rangers loanee who left in 2022 is now worth 2421% more than Lyall Cameron

One of the best players in the Premier League this season was on loan at Rangers not that long ago, so how has this youngster risen to stardom?

ByBen Gray Feb 14, 2025

Manchester United haven’t given up on a deal to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, according to one recent report.

Is Victor Osimhen leaving Napoli?

The Red Devils were busy in the summer transfer window and eventually signed a new centre-forward in Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta.

However, those at Old Trafford were seemingly interested in both Osimhen and Harry Kane prior to signing Hojlund but failed to sign either. As we know, Kane ended up making the move to Bayern Munich from Tottenham, whereas Osimhen remained at Napoli.

Things have taken a turn recently, though, with Napoli’s official TikTok account appearing to mock the forward, which has resulted in the player removing all Napoli-related images from his Instagram account.

Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, has hit out at the club and even hinted at legal action, saying:

“We reserve the right to take legal action and any useful initiative to protect Victor.

“A video mocking Victor was first made public and then belatedly deleted. A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment the boy is suffering.”

As a result, it looks as if a number of clubs are eyeing up a move for the Nigeria "superstar", including Man United.

According to The Sun, the Red Devils are one of three Premier League sides who are monitoring the player’s situation ahead of a potential swoop.

Arsenal and Chelsea could rival United, whereas European heavyweights Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the striker, who is thought to be valued at £150m.

How good is Victor Osimhen?

Osimhen, lauded as "world-class" by CBS commentator Matteo Bonetti, has starred for Napoli since joining back in 2020 from Lille, so it seems rather bizarre that the club’s social media team have seemingly mocked the player.

The 24-year-old has once again found the back of the net on a regular basis during the current campaign, scoring four times in the opening six Serie A fixtures and providing an assist in the first Champions League group game.

In total, Osimhen has now contributed to 78 goals in just 108 appearances in Italy, so you can see why some of the biggest clubs appear to be sniffing around his current situation.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €120m Transfermarkt valuation, a figure which stood at €40m when he moved to Napoli.

As per FBref over the past 12 months, Osimhen has placed in the top 1% of forwards for shots, top 2% for goals and touches in the penalty area and top 5% for the percentage of aerial duels won.

He could therefore effortlessly slot into Ten Hag’s plans at Old Trafford to star alongside the likes of Hojlund and Marcus Rashford, however, a £150m asking price could be too much for the Red Devils, especially as the club were treading carefully when it came to Financial Fair Play rules in the summer, bringing in seven new players.

Azhar Mahmood, bowling coach, warns that fast bowler’s workload must be managed across all three formats of the game

Melinda Farrell at Malahide13-May-20180:52

Mahmood calls on Pakistan to manage Amir’s workload

Mohammad Amir was forced from the field with a “chronic” right* knee injury late on the third day at Malahide, a development that will be the cause of some anxiety within the Pakistan camp not only as they look forward to the end of this Test but two more against England.Amir first went off the field after a three-over opening burst, with what appeared to be a slight limp. He came back out soon after, however, and though he was walking gingerly, he eventually came on to bowl again. Two balls in, however, he got into a discussion with captain Sarfraz Ahmed and though it looked as if Amir was suggesting that he finish his over, he eventually walked off. Medical staff will assess the injury after treatment overnight before deciding if he is fit to take part in the rest of the match, though initial assessments suggest it isn’t serious and that he could bowl tomorrow.”He has got a chronic knee problem which has slightly flared up,” said Azhar Mahmood, Pakistan’s bowling coach. “Hopefully, he will be okay tomorrow to bowl for us. He’s having treatment and hopefully tonight we will do a bit more treatment, tomorrow morning, ice as well, so he will be fine.”According to Mahmood, it has been a recurring problem for the fast bowler and it will do little to alleviate concerns about Amir’s long-term future in five-day cricket. Amir has spoken of wanting to manage his workload in the future with the help of a rotation policy that allows him to sit out occasional Tests.That concern comes from having bowled more international overs than any other Pakistan fast bowler since Amir’s return to international cricket in January 2016, a return after five years out. And though it has been over six months since Pakistan’s last Test and Amir has played plenty of cricket in between, this is now twice in two Tests he has gone off with an injury – against Sri Lanka in Dubai it was a problem in his right shin that forced him off.”Yes, you can say that because unfortunately he came back after five years and since he came back he played every format for us,” Azhar said. “We have to manage his workload as well so maybe that’s a sign for us to in the future to see where he stands and we’ve got a bunch of young guys coming up and we want to have Test bowlers separately to the one-day and T20s, so we are working on that and hopefully we can come up with something.”Mahmood emphasised that keeping Amir in Test cricket is Pakistan’s greatest priority.”We want him to play Test cricket because he is our No.1 bowler and we want him to run in and bowl for us. Workload – I have seen a lot of fast bowlers and their body can’t take it, so they just manage to play one format or two formats, but for him it’s a concern for us but hopefully we will manage his workload in the future.”Frustratingly for Amir and Pakistan, the injury occurred just as he was bowling probably his best spell of the tour so far. He got more swing as Ireland followed on than he did in the first innings, though his luck had not returned – two more catches were spilled off his bowling in that burst, bringing to 16 the number of missed chances off Amir’s bowling in his last 17 Tests.*3.15pm, May 14: this story was amended when the PCB clarified that the problem was with Amir’s right knee having originally said left