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The terms of a “secret” release clause in Harry Kane’s contract at Bayern Munich have been revealed, with it possible that the former Tottenham striker could return to the Premier League in 2026. In order for that to happen, two key conditions must be met – with any suitors in English football likely to be keeping a close eye on events in Germany.

England captain finally lifted trophy curse

Kane, having become Spurs’ all-time leading scorer, stepped out of his comfort zone in 2023 when heading to the Allianz Arena. He had to be patient in pursuit of elusive major honours, but broke his trophy curse when becoming a Bundesliga title winner in 2024-25.

AdvertisementGettyGoal numbers: Kane's record for Bayern

He has since gone on to savour Supercup glory, with his remarkable tally of goals for Bayern standing at 98 through 103 appearances. The 32-year-old has been in red-hot form this season, netting two hat-tricks already, and appears set to make more history.

Shearer's record in Kane's thoughts?

Kane has, however, been generating exit talk in Bavaria. There have been rumours of interest from Barcelona, while a return to England would allow the prolific No.9 to chase down Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goals record.

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GettyFee & how to trigger: Kane could leave Munich

According to , there is a £57 million ($77m) clause in Kane’s contract that can be triggered in the summer of 2026. In order for that cut-price fee to become active, the ex-Spurs star must inform Bayern of his intention to leave before the end of the winter window in January.

With a chance to seize momentum, the USMNT's performance indicated such momentum is further away than ever

More of the same, That's the best way to sum it up.

If you appreciated Mauricio Pochettino's U.S. men's national team experimentation throughout 2025, you'll understand some of the decisions that went into Saturday's friendly against South Korea. If you weren't a believer in that roster and lineup tinkering? More frustration. No matter which side you were on, it was another loss.

Despite the return of several key players, the USMNT were never really on the front foot in a 2-0 loss to Son Heung-Min and South Korea, the seventh in 17 games of this Pochettino era. There were some bright moments, but few real signs of life. Despite the lessons learned in the spring and summer, the team of the fall offered little more than their predecessors, albeit against a very good South Korea team. 

South Korea and LAFC star Son Heung-Min – who played for Pochettino at Tottenham – stepped up as he so often does, netting the opener in the 19th minute. He played a part in Lee Dong-Gyeong's goal just before halftime, too, providing the assist against an overwhelmed USMNT defense.

There were chances on the other side, for sure, but far too few. South Korea, by and large, looked comfortable, even in the moments in which the USMNT tried to force them out of that comfort zone. South Korea, No. 23 in FIFA's world rankings, took a 2-0 first-half lead over No. 15 USMNT and never let up.

In their last seven matches against top-25 teams, the U.S. have been outscored 11-2 in the first half, and haven't beaten a non-North American top-25 squad since Iran at the 2022 World Cup. The U.S face No. 17 Japan on Tuesday.

For those USMNT players who weren't in the Gold Cup, this is, essentially, a third consecutive loss, following the Nations League exit in March. Just 10 months from a World Cup, there are still very real questions about this team and this group, who did little to prove a point in their latest opportunity to do so.

Yes, Saturday included a mix of experimentation and stars, and that mix didn't work. Now, as the World Cup edges ever-closer, Pocehttino seems no closer to getting that formula right. The clock is ticking.

GOAL rates the USMNT's players from Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defense

Matt Freese (6/10):

No real blame for him on the goals, and he did make one fantastic save late. Despite the scoreline, he didn't hurt his case, starting in his seventh straight game.

Max Arfsten (5/10):

Had one very bad sequence in the first half but, generally, the game was focused on the other side. That prevented Arfsten from really doing what he does best: going forward, as the U.S. largely played through Sergino Dest.

Tim Ream (5/10):

Put out a few fires, but didn't really have any chemistry with Tristan Blackmon. That led to him running a bit more than you'd like, which obviously isn't his strength at this point in is career.

Tristan Blackmon (3/10):

Just no excusing some of his play in the first half. Fell asleep on Son's goal, had a few bad passes and didn't exactly cover himself in glory on other South Korea attacks, either. A rough debut.

Sergino Dest (6/10):

Probably the best USMNT player on the field. Created a few half-chances and frequently looked to take on defenders as he usually does. One of few positive signs for a team that will be glad to have him back.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Tyler Adams (4/10):

A poor game by his standards. Couldn't really progress the ball and, even when he did get stuck in, he generally either committed a foul or didn't get the ball. 

Sebastian Berhalter (5/10):

Did some positive things, headlined by a good shot early on and one really good cross. But also clearly struggled with the quality of the opponent throughout the game.

Diego Luna (6/10):

Out of all the players on the field, Luna was the one most keen to try things. That's not a surprise, but those don't always come off. Still, you get points for trying, especially in such a frustrating performance otherwise.

Getty ImagesAttack

Tim Weah (5/10):

Never really broke free in the way that the USMNT needed him to. Had one shot go 50 feet over the goal in the second half, which seemed a good metaphor for both him and the USMNT.

Josh Sargent (4/10):

A pretty hopeless job, to be fair. His only service generally came via hopeful longballs, which asked him to win one-on-ones with Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-Jae. Have fun with that.

Christian Pulisic (5/10):

Unfair to say anonymous, but certainly wasn't the main character here, either. Got on the ball plenty, but didn't do much of anything in the final third. Not the performance he really wanted or needed, especially compared to Son's explosiveness for South Korea.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Alex Freeman (6/10):

Touted as a potential Dest replacement in moments of need, Freeman looked the part in his second-half run out.

Chris Richards (7/10):

Came on and immediately calmed down the defense. Also nearly scored on the USMNT's best chance of the game. That's why he's arguably the most locked-in starter in this group.

Cristian Roldan (6/10):

A logical substitution, even if he did join camp late. Provided some stability and won the ball back a few times.

Folarin Balogun (7/10):

This game was better designed for him than for Sargent, so it's worth wondering what it would have been like if he got the start? Illustrating that fact – his eight touches in the box compared to Sargent's one.

Alex Zendejas (7/10):

Similar to his appearance against Mexico in the fall, the Club America star came in and brought life. Tried hard to make something happen, so credit to him for that.

Jack McGlynn (6/10):

Played about 10 minutes or so. Was tidy enough on the ball, but nothing outstanding.

Mauricio Pochettino (3/10):

Tactically, got certain things right but certainly got some aspects very wrong. Yes, the game was defined by individual errors, but Pochettino picked the individuals, which is how the USMNT end up in this spot.

Short says he is intent on claiming a permanent opening spot ahead of Fraser-McGurk after blasting 41 off 26 in a match-winning opening stand with Head

Alex Malcolm12-Sep-2024″All yours now champion.” That was the caption David Warner posted on his Instagram Story picture of himself and Jake Fraser-McGurk sharing a drink following his T20I retirement in June.It was assumed by Warner and the majority of Australia that Fraser-McGurk was his natural successor at the top of the order in Australia’s T20I side and possibly the ODI team as well.But Australia’s selectors aren’t so sure at the moment, and Matthew Short is intent on making his case to be the permanent partner to Travis Head after making 41 off 26 in a blistering match-winning 86-run stand off 36 balls to take the opening T20I away from England’s reach before the end of the first powerplay in Southampton.Related

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While Fraser-McGurk’s meteoric star has shot from the fringes of domestic cricket into the stratosphere in less than 12 months thanks to a mind-blowing IPL, Short has been the country’s most consistent all-format batter at Australian domestic level in the past two years and the most dominant opener in the BBL over the past two tournaments, winning back-to-back tournament MVP awards.Short was unsure if he would get the chance to open after missing the Scotland series due to the birth of his first child. But he is intent on taking his chance at the top of the order after being shuffled around in his previous eight T20I innings.”I only found out last night,” Short said following Australia’s 28-run win. “Obviously, with Davey Warner out, you sort of know that the spot’s opened up. But then Jake Fraser-McGurk has been playing the last few games in Scotland, so you never know where you sit. But I’m glad I sort of took that opportunity tonight and played my role to help the team with a win tonight.”It’s a personal sort of goal of mine. I’ve been in and out of the side recently over the last 12-18 months. Now Dave is out, I’m really trying to take this opportunity and cement my spot in this side.”Matthew Short sweeps hard behind square•AFPThe opening spots in Australia’s T20I are the most coveted and the most competitive. Australia have a multitude of players who can do it well. Where the selectors would like to build depth is in the middle order and the death overs. It was an area that won them the 2021 T20 World Cup through Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade, who had been moulded into death batters despite being domestic openers. They have found a world class specialist in Tim David but he has come off the boil slightly since a sizzling start to his career, albeit he is still contributing in the most difficult of batting roles.It was an area Australia fell short in during the recent T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in the losses to Afghanistan and India having been in positions to achieve both chases. They also fell away badly against England in Southampton although it did not cost them the game, turning a powerplay of 86 for 1 into a total of 179, having been bowled out without using all 20 overs.Australia’s selectors want to build flexibility with all their T20I batters, and had tried to give Short some opportunities in the middle order on last year’s five-match T20I tour of India, this year’s tour of New Zealand and also in three of his four ODI appearances. But it has become abundantly clear that Short is most comfortable at the top of the order. In T20s, he averages 29.96 and strikes at 150.09 batting in the top three compared to 14.09 at a strike rate of 113.97 batting at No.4 or lower.The strike rate divergence is even higher in his limited T20I appearances. He strikes at 186 in his seven innings in the top three and just 126.66 in his two innings at No.6.It is clear he has his method worked out at the top of the order, and he fits in seamlessly alongside Head in Australia’s game plan to go as hard as they can in the powerplay.”It’s a pretty clear game plan from the coaching staff,” Short said. “Just go out there with freedom and take the positive options. Trav and I sort of go into the games with that mindset.”Short being preferred to Fraser-McGurk for the opening game of this series is not a guarantor of the selectors’ future thinking as they plan for the 2026 World Cup. Fraser-McGurk’s talent remains a tantalising prospect. But even his IPL coach Ricky Ponting admitted this week on the that his game still needs refining. Fraser-McGurk’s all or nothing showing in Scotland was evidence of that where he faced 17 dot balls in 23 deliveries across three innings.Short, by contrast, scored off the first seven balls he faced in Southampton but did not strike a boundary until his sixth delivery when he launched back-to-back sixes off Reece Topley.Captain Mitchell Marsh said earlier this week there was “no pressure” on Fraser-McGurk to succeed immediately at international level. But Short is applying some pressure of his own to give Australia a wealth of opening options.

Lewis Goldsworthy led the way with 95 as Somerset boosted their chances of reaching the knock-out stage of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a convincing five-wicket win over Worcestershire at Taunton.The Rapids were bowled out for 263 in 47.3 overs after losing the toss, Tom Taylor lifting a limp batting display with 73, off 65 balls, including seven fours and three sixes. Ben Green claimed 3 for 58In reply, Somerset reached 267 for 5 with 5.3 overs to spare, Goldsworthy hitting his runs off 108 deliveries, with nine fours and a six, while James Rew contributed 70 and Andy Umeed 44. Left-arm spinner Fateh Singh returned career-best List A figures of 4 for 52.Worcestershire openers Ed Pollock and Gareth Roderick set about Somerset’s opening attack with gusto, taking the score to 55 in the eighth over before Pollock lofted a catch to deep square off Ned Leonard and departed for 30.Roderick looked in good touch, moving to 35 off 41 balls but then carelessly helped a ball from Ogborne around the corner to be caught at fine leg. At 68 for 2 in the 13th over, Worcestershire needed to rebuild.Hopes that Jake Libby and Rob Jones could do the job ended with poor shots by both off Green, Jones, on 14, mistiming a catch to mid-wicket and Libby, having progressed comfortably to 24, guiding a short ball straight to Goldsworthy at point.Another soft dismissal saw Rehaan Edavalath offer a simple return catch to Jack Leach and at 117 for 5 the Rapids were in a hole. Ethan Brookes followed the pattern, having struck four fours, when he advanced down the pitch to Goldsworthy and lofted to Leach at mid-off.The same over saw Singh, on four, dropped by Umeed at short extra cover. Singh profited to hit a six off Goldsworthy before being bowled for 14 making room to cut off-spinner Archie Vaughan’s third ball of the game.Taylor cleared the ropes off Kasey Aldridge and Goldsworthy and Tom Hinley followed suit off successive short balls from Aldridge as the pair launched a spirited counter attack. Hinley’s 32 came off just 18 balls before he skyed Green to Ogborne a long-on.Tommy Sturgess was run out in a mix-up over a second run with Taylor, who went to an impressive half-century off 53 balls before being last man out.Somerset’s reply got off to the worst possible start when George Thomas shouldered arms to the first delivery from Taylor, an inswinger that clipped the stumps. But Goldsworthy and Umeed soon settled in to put the outcome beyond much doubt.They had added 96 for the second wicket in 18.4 overs when Umeed was caught at deep square for 44 attempting to slog-sweep Singh in his first over. Goldsworthy went to a 63-ball fifty soon afterwards, having struck six fours.Rew hit two glorious drives through extra cover and then straight and Goldsworthy cleared the ropes at mid-wicket off Hinley to bring up a half-century partnership in ten overs.Rew then smacked fours of three successive Hinley deliveries in the 31st over in reaching fifty off 43 balls. It was young wicketkeeper’s fourth half-century in seven Group A matches and contributed to the stand with Goldsworthy that reached three figures off 88 balls.Rew fell to a catch at cover off Singh trying a reverse sweep and the bowler followed up by dismissing Goldsworthy, bowled by a full ball, and Sean Dickson, caught at slip, with successive deliveries in the 39th over.But by then Somerset only needed 45 and 18-year-old Vaughan’s rapid unbeaten 31 off 24 balls sealed a comfortable success.

Leeds United are already making significant moves in the transfer market as the brand-new Premier League season kicking off in August edges ever closer.

It’s less than two months now until the Whites get their daunting top-flight season underway with a Monday night affair against David Moyes’ Everton, with both Lukas Nmecha and Jaka Bijol – who have joined from Wolfsburg and Udinese respectively – desperate to be in Daniel Farke’s starting lineup when the Toffees come to Elland Road.

They’re unlikely to be the only fresh signings competing for a starting spot, however, with a new central midfielder clearly a priority based on the latest rumours filtering out of West Yorkshire.

Leeds make approach for £13m star

As per a report from Foot en France, Leeds have now made an approach to land Stade Brestois star Madhi Camara this summer, as their ongoing pursuit of a central midfielder drags on.

Indeed, it had previously been reported that the Whites were also chasing after another midfield ace from Ligue 1 in the form of Habib Diarra, with an alleged £24m bid even being made.

Now, however, their attention could shift towards attempting to land Camara instead, with fellow promoted outfit Sunderland also keen on snapping up the 26-year-old at Farke and Co.’s expense.

With the report ending on the fact that Leeds might be able to win the Brest number 45 for around the £13m mark, securing Camara’s signature might well be deemed as an even better purchase to make than solely going after the more expensive Senegal international, before you consider delving deeper into their comparative statistics.

Why Camara would be a better signing than Diarra

With Joe Rothwell heading back to AFC Bournemouth this summer, Leeds do look slightly depleted in the middle of the park, which is where Camara might come to the rescue.

After all, the 26-year-old will feel he’s earned his stripes enough in the top French division now to be a success story in the Premier League, with 182 appearances under his belt in Ligue 1 for both Brest and Saint-Etienne. On the contrary, Diarra has just 94 clashes next to his name.

In addition to his wealth of top-flight experience in France, Camara also has the boost of amassing ten Champions League clashes on the books of Éric Roy’s men, with a goal even coming the 5-foot-10 ace’s way in the illustrious competition this season when facing off against RB Salzburg.

Farke would surely love the “all-action” nature of Camara – as he was once labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – if he were to arrive on English shores shortly, with his ability to pick up 26 goal contributions in total for Brest, which beats out Diarra’s own Strasbourg total by five, backed up by a second side to his wide-ranging game that can also offer up plenty of grit and determination when needed.

Total shots

1.58

0.96

Shot-creating actions

2.33

2.18

Attempted passes

38.23

37.42

Pass completion %

84.9%

83.0%

Successful take-ons

1.02

0.50

Tackles

2.46

0.84

Interceptions

1.12

0.50

Blocks

1.50

0.84

Away from trumping his 21-year-old counterpart in terms of shots averaged and shot-creating actions managed over the last year, the table above also shows off that attritional side to Camara’s game that might well have caught Farke’s eye, with more tackles, interceptions, and blocks also won in favour of the £13m midfielder.

Hailed further by Mattinson as possessing a “nice all-round midfielder profile”, this might well be a smart signing for Leeds to make if a battle against the drop is on the menu, away from gambling on Diarra to come good at a far steeper price tag.

The Whites have shown they’re ready to splash the cash, having forked out £15m on Bijol’s services, with Camara perhaps the next notable pick-up from Europe that can help Leeds stave off relegation.

After Bijol: Leeds join race to sign £17m star who's the new Hernandez

Leeds may finally have their new version of club legend Hernandez

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 25, 2025

Bournemouth have announced Dean Huijsen will join Real Madrid at the end of the season after the Spanish giants activated the sought-after centre-back’s £50m release clause. Liverpool, as well as other Premier League behemoths, have been beaten.

That’s the end of that one, then. Los Blancos really are the scourge of Liverpool’s side. At another point of the backline, Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed that he will leave his boyhood club at the end of the season, with the Santiago Bernabeu the all-but-confirmed destination for the ball-playing superstar.

Arne Slot has done an incredible thing this year, dominantly winning the league title after Jurgen Klopp stepped down last summer, especially since Federico Chiesa has been the only first-team addition, and he hasn’t even started in the top flight.

Liverpool may face more bother from Madrid in several other transfer sagas, but more on that later. For now, let’s familiarise ourselves with the vice-captain’s slated replacement, Jeremie Frimpong.

The latest on Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool

Just as Alexander-Arnold will join Xabi Alonso and Huijsen in a new Real Madrid project, so too will Bayer Leverkusen’s Frimpong make the move to Merseyside this summer.

As per Fabrizio Romano, sporting director Richard Hughes is simply putting the finishing touches on the transfer before an official announcement is made. Such issues pertain to the pay structure of the €35m (£30m) release clause.

For it to collapse now would be a shock. Some fans might reserve judgement on the fleet-footed right-sider, whose speed and attacking quality cannot be questioned but whose defensive security is more contested, but Frimpong, 24, is a shrewd and exciting signing for the club.

Under Alonso’s wing at Leverkusen, the Netherlands international has hit 59 direct contributions from 131 appearances, so it’s no surprise the wing-back has been called a “monster in the final third” by United Stand presenter Beth Tucker.

He’s exactly what Slot needs at right-back, a contrasting profile to Conor Bradley, who will add depth and dynamism to Liverpool’s ranks. Now, FSG are ready to turn to their next top target.

Liverpool turn to new top target

Liverpool want a striker and have also registered their interest in playmaker Florian Wirtz, but according to Caught Offside, FSG have made Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez their top target now that Frimpong is on the cusp of signing.

It adds that the Reds have already held talks with the Cherries over a possible move for the Hungary international, who has been transfer-listed for a price of £45m, with the south coast side making it clear he can leave.

Arsenal, Chelsea and, of course, Real Madrid, have all been named as suitors, but Liverpool have put in the groundwork and made it clear that the 21-year-old is their first-choice pick to strengthen the left flank of Slot’s backline.

What Milos Kerkez would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool might not be signing Huijsen, but they will hope that their persistent efforts over the past several months will hold sway in closing a deal for Kerkez.

Signing the powerful and mobile defender would mean that one of Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas would need to leave, more likely the latter, but maybe it’s the right time for change.

After all, Kerkez has been described as a “machine” of a player by Sky Sports’ Izzy Christensen, who continued to say the “frightening thing is he’s not even reached his peak yet.”

As per Sofascore, Kerkez has scored two goals and laid on five assists for his teammates in the Premier League this season, starting all 36 of the Cherries’ fixtures.

Moreover, he’s kept it crisp with an 80% pass success rate, winning 60% of his ground duels and averaging 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game.

With such an athletic and energetic style, willing to drive forward into dangerous positions and provide creative support to the forwards, Kerkez could be the perfect upgrade on the 31-year-old Robertson, joining Frimpong in an elite new wide duo that could prove the perfect way to continue the Scotland captain and Trent’s legacy.

In 2022, former West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic described the pair as “the best full-backs in modern football,” with their overlapping quality, their playmaking and completeness, supercharging Klopp’s high-octane system.

Transfer Focus

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

It’s hard to imagine there will ever be another pair of full-backs quite like them, with Liverpool’s midfield long characterised by a selfless industriousness that promotes creative success from out wide.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

60

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

With Frimpong’s pace and potency combining with the tireless work rate of Kerkez, there’s no telling how fluid and interchangeable Liverpool’s approach could become next year as they look to defend their Premier League title.

While it would be foolish to expect them to reach the same extraordinary creative heights as their predecessors, the rising stars are talented attacking talents unto themselves, and like Robertson and Alexander-Arnold, they bring different tactical takes to the table.

Kerkez, for example, could channel the spirit of Alexander-Arnold through his distribution, ranking among the top 12% of Premier League full-backs for successful crosses into the penalty area per 90 this term, as per FBref, whereas Frimpong’s desire to burst into the final third himself can be observed through

With Mohamed Salah holding off and playing him through a chink in an opponent’s armour, this could be a masterful combination for Slot to work on this summer.

Liverpool aren’t resting on their laurels this summer. Slot is determined to make sufficient reinforcements after clinching the Premier League title in his first season in charge.

And rightly so. Arsenal, Manchester City and the rest are all going to be desperate to recolour the ribbons next term, but with signings like Frimpong and Kerkez and forward-focused additions still yet to come, there’s plenty to be excited about for those of an Anfield persuasion.

He plays a lot like Wirtz: Liverpool plot huge move to sign £85m "magician"

Liverpool are ready to throw the kitchen sink at a marquee attacking signing this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 17, 2025

Glasgow Rangers had little to play for but pride and bragging rights when they faced Celtic in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Their city rivals had already wrapped up the league title last weekend, resigning the Gers to another second-placed finish, but Barry Ferguson’s men restored some pride with a 1-1 draw in front of their home fans.

Cyriel Dessers scored the only goal of the opening 45 with a tidy finish just before the half-time break, slotting into the bottom corner with his left foot after Liam Scales failed to complete a tackle on him, before Adam Idah’s second-half equaliser.

The Nigerian forward held the corner flag aloft and basked in the joy of the home support, able to celebrate in view of away supporters, finally, in an Old Firm clash.

It was his 17th goal of the season in the Premiership and the Europa League combined, which is a respectable return but does not tell the full story of his campaign.

Why Rangers could sell Cyriel Dessers

With the summer transfer window on the horizon, Rangers will have some big decisions to make on the players currently in the squad, as they have now failed to win the title in each of the last four seasons.

The Light Blues have to find a way to improve and close the gap to Celtic in the league in order to compete for the title in the 2025/26 campaign, and Dessers is one star who could be a candidate to move on from Ibrox.

During the Sky Sports commentary of the 1-1 draw with Celtic, former Gers midfielder Scott Arfield noted that Dessers is “on his heels” too often when the ball comes forward, which limits how effective the team can be in transition when passes are played down the sides of the defenders.

Cyriel Dessers (Premiereship)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

35

32

Goals

16

14

Assists

4

2

Pass accuracy

70%

73%

Duels won per game

2.3

1.9

Ground duel success rate

29%

33%

Aerial duel success rate

40%

32%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Rangers striker struggles with the physical side of the game, losing the majority of his duels without winning many per game, and is not particularly reliable as a passer.

Dessers has also missed a whopping 59 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership and European competitions combined since the start of last season, which shows that the striker is very wasteful in front of goal to go along with his struggles out of possession.

The 30-year-old forward could, therefore, be sold if the new Rangers manager does not want him to be his first-choice striker, and that could be the case if the latest report is to be believed.

The latest on the Rangers manager search

According to Football Insider, Steven Gerrard has emerged as the leading candidate to take the permanent Rangers job as manager this summer.

The report claims that the English head coach is now the ‘favourite’ to land the role for the second time in his career, having left the club back in 2021.

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It states that the former Aston Villa boss, who is currently out of work, is the favourite to be appointed as the next Rangers manager ahead of Marco Rose, the former RB Leipzig tactician.

Football Insider reveals that the 49ers are expected to play a key role in the appointment and that the 4-3-3 favoured boss is currently at the top of their list of targets for the job.

If the iconic Liverpool midfielder does become the Gers manager for the second time, this could be bad news for Dessers and his future at Ibrox beyond this season.

Why Gerrard's appointment would be bad news for Dessers

The English boss returning for a second go at Ibrox would be bad news for the Nigeria international because of the kind of striker he liked in his first spell at the club.

Only Connor Goldson (182) and James Tavernier (178) made more appearances for Rangers as outfield players under his management than Alfredo Morelos (158), which illustrates how important the Colombian star was for him in Glasgow.

Gerrard, whose reputation was described as “amazing” by former England defender Glen Johnson, won the league title for the Gers in the 2020/21 campaign with the Colombia international as his main man up front.

Morelos, once described as a “real battering-ram” by ex-coach Scot Page, scored 12 goals and provided four assists in his 29 Premiership outings, but it was also the physicality in his performances that made him so influential for the Scottish giants.

Alfredo Morelos (Premiership)

20/21

21/22

Appearances

29

26

Goals

12

11

Assists

4

7

Pass accuracy

80%

80%

Duels won per game

3.7

4.1

Ground duel success rate

42%

41%

Aerial duel success rate

36%

48%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the powerful forward provided a physical presence in the number nine role for Gerrard, winning more duels and winning a higher percentage of his duels than Dessers has in his two seasons at Ibrox.

The current Rangers striker does not have the pace, the raw strength, or the mobility that Morelos consistently displayed under the English boss during that successful period in the club’s history, as evidenced by his struggles in the Premiership this season.

Dessers’ wasteful finishing in all competitions is another reason why Gerrard may not want the Nigerian number nine to lead the line for his team next season, should he be appointed as Ferguson’s successor this summer.

Therefore, the ex-Serie A marksman may not want the legendary former midfielder to get the job because it could spell the end of his career at Ibrox if he wants a forward who is similar to Morelos at Ibrox.

Related Kris Boyd 2.0: Rangers lining up move for "pretty special" SPFL talent

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Posts ByDan Emery Apr 30, 2025

It is now down to the 49ers and Kevin Thelwell to convince Gerrard to take the job, if he is their favoured candidate, to bring glory back to the club next season and beyond.

Ruben Amorim may have had one transfer window to get his feet under the window but despite the arrival of Patrick Dorgu, Manchester United have not made much headway.

Amorim has failed to win 20 of his 33 matches in the Old Trafford hotseat and the constant chopping and changing was there for all to see when Dorgu didn’t even start on Sunday.

Instead, young Harry Amass made his Premier League bow and in the words of Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst, he ‘did not look remotely out of his depth.’

So, there is a bright future at United if those players can be nurtured well. Amorim has some cracking young players at his disposal, notably Chido Obi and Ayden Heaven. Frenchman Leny Yoro forms part of that too.

Who will join in the summer? United fans will hope this Premier League star does.

Man United's hunt for new attackers

When Joshua Zirkzee went off injured on Sunday in the 4-1 defeat to Newcastle, you could see the pain not just in his eye but his manager’s eyes too. This was not what they needed.

Zirkzee, although not a rampant scorer, has begun to find his feet in Manchester but Rasmus Hojlund’s struggles continue. He has scored just once at club level since December.

That explains links to Wolves star Matheus Cunha with reports in recent weeks suggesting that United would like to bring the forward in over the summer.

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However, according to reports in Spain, he’s not the only Premier League star on the club’s radar ahead of the next transfer window.

This report notes that United have gone as far as to submit a huge bid to sign Aston Villa’s talisman, Morgan Rogers.

Now capped by England, the attacker is the subject of a £70m offer from INEOS, but sadly for those of a Red Devils persuasion, Villa boss Unai Emery deems him to be ‘untouchable’ this summer.

Their interest in the player is deemed ‘serious’ but it’s unclear whether Emery and Co will be willing to negotiate.

How Morgan Rogers could be the new Wayne Rooney

Once of Manchester City’s youth academy, Rogers has been around the houses in his bid to become a top-flight star.

The 22-year-old was at West Brom before City picked him and then he found a home at Middlesbrough, scoring seven goals and supplying nine assists in 33 outings.

Villa saw enough in that brief stint on Teeside to bring him to the Midlands in a deal worth just an initial £8m. That’s proven to be a bargain.

Morgan Rogers progression @ senior level

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2020/21

28

6

2

2021/22

17

1

0

2022/23

22

1

1

2023/24

49

10

10

2024/25

46

14

12

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Rogers is now an England international and deservedly so after a smashing campaign, not just domestically but in Europe too.

He has scored a Champions League hat-trick and bagged against PSG, taking his tally of goals for the season to 14 in 46 games. The forward has also posted 12 assists.

Capable of playing off the flanks, as a central striker and most notably in the no.10 role, his form has drawn comparisons to Wayne Rooney.

Wazza had a different footballing education. Thrown into Premier League life as a teenager, it was at United where he became a global phenomenon. A centre-forward by trade, Rooney ended up playing behind the striker, as Rogers is doing now.

After catching the eye against Latvia in the last international break, it was Glenn Hoddle who made the comparison.

Boasting similar builds at a young age – a stockier frame – it helps to propel defenders away. That said, it’s not just their upper body strength that is comparable.

Rogers possesses that low centre of gravity and ability to brush off his opponents with pace and close-knit control, just as a young Rooney was so famously doing for England and United all those years ago.

With that quality in mind, it’s arguably not much of a surprise to see him rank among the division’s finest when it comes to dribbling and successfully taking on a player.

While the Villa star is yet to find the same level of ability in front of goal as Rooney had at the same age, still just 22, there is plenty of room for him to become a more lethal attacking player.

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Manchester United were battered by Newcastle United on Sunday evening.

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Reactions from social media after Punjab Kings chased down 262 against KKR with eight balls to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2024.

It’s run a ball for the last 2 overs of a T 20 game in a chase of 260 +.

Let that sink in. #IPL2024 #KKRvsPBKS

— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) April 26, 2024