Rio Ferdinand says getting rid of Andre Onana will stop "bad smells" hanging around Manchester United as he nears a Trabzonspor loan move.
Onana set to leave Man Utd on loanFerdinand pleased at transfer updateRed Devils will be getting rid of "bad smell"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Following news that United keeper Onana is set for a loan exit, United legend Ferdinand says he is "pleased" the 29-year-old is heading out the Old Trafford exit door. He stressed that the Red Devils have kept underperforming players for far too long and Onana falls into that category.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT FERDINAND SAID
He said on Rio Ferdinand Presents: "I think Omar [Berrada], who is running the football operations at the club, I think he’s made the point that they’re not going to have players sitting around that are not worthy of being at the football club anymore. They’re not going to have players that either aren’t good enough, haven’t performed well enough or are not the right people to be at the football club. He’s not going to have them around like bad smells. I think, for far too long, we’ve had at that at the football club. We’ve been forced to keep players because of bad financial situations that the club have put us in with players and we’ve had to keep them here, sit with them and had to suffer some of these players."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Onana's impending loan exit, plus the transfer deadline day arrival of Senne Lammens from Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp, may signal the end of his time at United. A series of mistakes last season has led to him being second choice behind Altay Bayindir this term and with Lammens' signature, he could be third in the pecking order. This move gives the Cameroon international a chance for regular game time and perhaps a chance to reignite his faltering career.
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
Although the English transfer window has shut, Onana still has time to secure a United exit as the Turkish window stays open until September 12. The former Inter Milan ace could make his debut for Trabzonspor later this month.
Celtic still have plenty of time left to dip into the market to improve their squad for the 2024/26 campaign before the summer transfer window closes at the start of next month.
Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to add more quality to his options across the park in the coming weeks, particularly in the attacking areas of the pitch.
Speaking earlier this month, the Northern Irish head coach said: “The squad will hopefully look again different come the end of the window.
“I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”
As you can see in the post above, Rodgers confirmed back in May that Portuguese winger Jota is set to be out of action for up to nine months with a knee injury.
This means that Celtic supporters may not see the former Benfica starlet out on the pitch in green and white again until January or February of next year.
Why Celtic need to replace Jota
The Scottish Premiership champions need to sign another left-sided attacker before the window slams shut to ‘replace’ Jota, because he could be out for more than half of the season.
Celtic’s rather drab 1-0 win over St Mirren, decided by a deflected strike from Luke McCowan, highlighted the need for attacking reinforcements to come through the door in the weeks to come.
Rodgers would surely have loved to have had Jota available to bring off the bench, or start, to add some attacking quality in the final third, after the winger delivered four goals and two assists in seven league starts in the second half of last season.
Goals
0.63
Top 6%
xG
0.48
Top 8%
Assists
0.32
Top 17%
xA
0.37
Top 8%
Chances created
1.89
Top 25%
As you can see in the table above, Jota hit the ground running in the Premiership after his return to Glasgow from Rennes in January, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the left flank.
The Portuguese star is a winger who has the ability to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis, which is why his injury came as such a big blow for the Hoops and Rodgers, and why he has to be replaced.
Daizen Maeda is currently the only fit and available senior left winger in the first-team squad, and James Forrest, 34, was the only winger of any description on the bench at all against St Mirren.
This is why the Hoops must dip into the market to sign a player who can fill the gap left by Jota’s injury, to ensure that Rodgers is not left without adequate resources out wide until next year.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
TEAMtalk recently reported that Brondby winger Clement Bischoff has emerged as a key target for Celtic, as they plan to bring in two more wingers before the end of the window.
The outlet claimed that the Danish youngster is available for a fee of around £6.3m, but that they could also face competition from Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Why Celtic should sign Clement Bischoff
Celtic should push to win the race for the 19-year-old talent’s signature this summer because they could finally replace the injured Jota by bringing him to Parkhead.
Bischoff could be the perfect signing to fill the specific need of this signing. He is a young player who may not expect to start every single game straight away, at the age of 19, which means that Jota’s return from injury may not cause problems in the squad.
Whereas, having Jota, Maeda, and another senior left-sided attacker who wants to start every week could cause problems and leave Rodgers in a difficult situation.
This means that Bischoff could fit the bill perfectly by coming in to play important minutes in the first half of the season, before moving to more of a back-up role when the Portuguese forward is back, learning from him to aid his own development.
The teenage whiz, who was described as a “flamboyant” and “technical dribbler” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has also shown enough quality in his time with Brondby to suggest that he can provide quality to Celtic straight away.
Extraordinarily, Bischoff has already created 24 chances and five ‘big chances’ in six games in all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign for the Danish side, playing on the left of a front three.
Appearances
29
Goals
2
Big chances created
9
Key passes per game
1.5
Assists
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.6
Dribble success rate
52%
As you can see in the table above, the teenager only managed two goals and three assists at league level for Brondby last season, but all of his starts came as a left wing-back.
The Danish side have utilised him as a winger, instead of as a wing-back, at the start of this season and he has already produced one goal and one assist in three Superliga games.
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
This shows that he can provide more quality offensively when used on the wing, but it also shows that he is a versatile player who could be used in other positions down the left by Rodgers when needed.
Therefore, Bischoff could be a brilliant addition to the Celtic squad as a quality and versatile young player who could make an instant impact, whilst also having the potential to complement Jota when he is back fit and available.
Celtic could unlock Idah's full potential with swoop for "exciting" £5m gem
Celtic could help to unlock Adam Idah’s full potential by signing this reported transfer target.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was forced off the pitch against Nottingham Forest on Saturday after aggravating his shoulder problem. Odegaard's injury comes as a huge blow for the Gunners ahead of their Champions League opener against Athletic Club and their trip to Etihad Stadium for the Premier League fixture against Manchester City next week.
Odegaard forced off with injury against Forest
Odegaard was visibly disappointed after being forced to leave the pitch in the 17th minute of their Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest. The Gunners captain was replaced by 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
AdvertisementAFPWhen did Odegaard pick up the shoulder injury?
Odegaard was named on the Arsenal bench against Liverpool before the international break as he was nursing a shoulder injury that he picked up after falling awkwardly on his shoulder against Leeds United. The midfielder, however, featured for Norway in both of their games during the international and even scored a goal in their 11-1 thumping of Moldova. Unfortunately, the Gunners skipper suffered yet another blow on his shoulder, following a challenge from Morgan Gibbs-White, which forced the midfielder to leave the pitch.
Arsenal's injury crisis continues
Mikel Arteta is already missing the services of key first-team players like Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, who are all out injured. Like Odegaard, Saliba picked up an injury early in the game against the Reds last month and was forced off the pitch within the first 10 minutes of the game.
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Getty Images SportWhen is Arsenal playing next?
Odegaard's injury comes as a huge blow for the Premier League giants, who next face Athletic Club in their Champions League opener on Tuesday, before travelling to Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City on September 21.
Takes on role with immediate effect after success with Sunrisers and London Spirit
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2024Marc Broom has been appointed as Middlesex’s first full-time Women’s Head Coach.Broom takes on the role having most recently worked as Assistant Head Coach for Sunrisers from 2022 to 2024, which ended with Sunrisers lifting the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in the final year of the Elite Women’s regionalised structure.Having represented Middlesex age-groups from Under-11 to Under-19, and as a second XI player for two seasons, Broom began his coaching career at Eastcote Cricket Club over two decades ago, where he remained actively involved over many years, in numerous coaching roles and as Director of Cricket between 2018 and 2022.He has previously coached the Hillingdon borough squad, was Lead Coach of Middlesex’s U12s County Age Group, was Middlesex’s South regional pathway lead, and was the fielding and wicket-keeping lead for the Middlesex Academy – working with the Club’s Elite Player Group.He began working with the Men’s professional squad in 2020 alongside Nic Pothas and then under Richard Johnson and Rory Coutts as the Club’s fielding and wicket-keeping Coach, before joining Sunrisers in 2022 as Assistant Head Coach.He has also worked with London Spirit Women as Assistant Coach and Fielding/Wicket-keeping lead, including during their successful Women’s Hundred campaign in 2024.”I am genuinely honoured, privileged and excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the new phase of Middlesex Women’s cricket as Head Coach,” Broom said.”It’s a fantastic time to be involved in Women’s cricket and the game is developing so quickly in all areas, and to have the responsibility of supporting the talented group of players through what is going to be a challenging but ultimately rewarding journey is one I’m going to relish!”The last three years with the Sunrisers have been unbelievable, and I’ve learned so much from both the coaching staff and players, especially Andy Tennant whose knowledge and experience as Head Coach have highlighted the processes needed to achieve the success possible.”I can’t wait to get going and seeing where this team can go and what they can achieve”.Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s Director of Cricket, added: “We are absolutely delighted that Mark has accepted our offer to become our new Women’s Head Coach. He stood out from an extremely high-quality list of candidates who applied for the role, and we are delighted to be working with him moving forwards.”This is an incredibly exciting time for the Women’s game, and whilst Middlesex begin the journey as a Tier Two side, we are already taking the first steps to securing Tier One status at the earliest opportunity, and Marc’s appointment is a significant step towards us getting there.”The experience Marc gained with Sunrisers, with whom he has been on the same journey that Middlesex Women are now embarking on, will prove invaluable to us, as we look to professionalise the Women’s set-up here at Middlesex.”He has a proven track record as a Coach at all levels and joins us fresh from having lifted two major trophies in the Women’s game in 2024. We are excited about what Marc will bring to the role and wish him every success with the Women’s playing group.”
AC Milan secured their second win of the Serie A season after a narrow 1-0 victory over Bologna. Mexican striker Santiago Giménez has yet to find the net for the Rossoneri, but head coach Massimiliano Allegri highlighted the forward’s contribution beyond goals. Milan now sit fifth on the Serie A table with six points.
Getty Images SportStill goalless, but contributing in other ways
Mexico international Santiago Giménez remains without a goal in the 2025-26 Serie A season, extending his drought to five matches after hitting the post on a one-on-one chance against Bologna.
Despite the dry spell, Massimiliano Allegri highlighted the 23-year-old’s overall impact, calling it his strongest outing since joining Milan.
“Santiago ran tirelessly, pressed high, and worked very hard. He missed two good chances, but he reached them because of his effort. I’m very pleased – it was his best game since I’ve been in charge,” Allegri told DAZN.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportAllegri shows faith in Santi
Cameras caught the coach embracing Giménez after substituting him. Since Allegri's arrival, the striker has started all three games for the Rossoneri.
Getty Images SportChasing European qualification
The victory keeps Milan in the race for qualifying for European competition next season. Allegri admitted the objective remains a return to the Champions League, though he urged caution.
“Our goal is to get back into the Champions League. It’s not easy, and we can’t get carried away, but I think we’re doing very well. Winning while keeping a clean sheet for the second match in a row was important. The team stayed compact in difficult moments, and that’s when we cannot fall apart,” Allegri said.
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN?
AC Milan will visit Udinese next Saturday in Serie A action.
Looking to get one over on their Premier League rivals, Manchester United have now reportedly jumped ahead of Cheslea in the race to sign a young defender this month.
Man Utd still targeting reinforcements
For a team coming off the back of their worst-ever finish in the Premier League, Manchester United have enjoyed an excellent summer transfer window. The addition of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha should transform Ruben Amorim’s attack from entriely blunt into one of the sharpest in the so-called top six.
There were plenty of promising signs from Cunha and Mbeumo last weekend, in particular. Even as Arsenal stole a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, it was clear that the Red Devils were the better side on the day and deserved at least a point, if not all three.
Amorim reacted to the opening day defeat with plenty of pride, praising his players for their bravery and aggression in a marked improvement from last season.
There is still plenty of work to be done and improvements to be made, however, which could come courtesy of the transfer window. The Red Devils are still reportedly targeting deals to sign Senne Lammens and a Lucien Agoume as they aim to address two problem areas, whilst also setting their sights on a future star.
Man Utd jump ahead of Chelsea in Bright Ede race
As reported by Polish journalist Sebastian Staszewski, Manchester United are now ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign Bright Ede from Motor Lublin this month. The 18-year-old defender has impressed in his home country and is reportedly valued at around €8.5m (£7m) as Lublin potentially cash-in ahead of the deadline.
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Those at Old Trafford aren’t alone in pursuit of Ede’s signature, though. Whilst Chelsea and Benfica have paused talks, an unnamed Italian club are also reportedly interested in signing the young defender to hand United some frustrating competition.
United’s interest in Ede should come as little surprise. INEOS have focused on welcoming young players and partiucularly young defenders since arriving, having already signed Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven. Now, they could add a third young prospect to their backline in the form of the Polish defender.
Compared to Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes by scout Jacek Kulig, Manchester United would be landing an undeniable hidden gem if Ede went on and reached the same level as the dominant Brazilian in the Premier League.
Without Bumrah, India’s hopes faded away as Australia wrapped up the win within three days
Deivarayan Muthu05-Jan-20253:19
Cummins on making WTC final: ‘It’s huge, we talk about it a lot’
Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the silverware that had eluded them for a decade, and confirmed their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final alongside South Africa, after finishing off India inside three days at the SCG.India’s hopes of staying in contention for the WTC final rested on Jasprit Bumrah, but without him those faded away. For someone who had a massive influence on this series, with the most wickets by an India bowler on a tour of Australia, it was a shame he couldn’t play a part in the final act, though he had still done enough to be the Player of the Series.Related
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India find other heroes with Bumrah forced to the back seat
After having left the SCG on the second day for scans on his back, Bumrah returned to bat at No. 11 on the third day but wasn’t fit to bowl. All the early visuals had portended Bumrah’s absence. He didn’t warm up with the other bowlers and only did a bit of shadow-bowling. Then, after becoming the last India batter to be dismissed, for a duck, he didn’t take the field at all for India’s defence of 161. Given his history of back issues, India had to wrap him in cotton wool.The target was a substantial one for Australia, especially on this spicy SCG surface, but it did appear a whole lot smaller when Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna sprayed the new ball around. The pair conceded 12 runs via wides and byes down the leg side in the first two overs. Though Prasidh tightened up and took three wickets, including that of Steven Smith, Bumrah’s absence hung like Coleridge’s albatross around India’s neck.The batters didn’t make it any easier for India’s depleted attack. They lost 4 for 16 in 7.5 overs on the third morning to fold for 157. Scott Boland, who might not have played this series had Josh Hazlewood been fit and might not be a certainty for Australia’s next Test assignment in Sri Lanka, bagged his first ten-wicket haul in professional cricket to hasten India’s collapse. Having taken four wickets on the opening day at the SCG, Boland added six to his tally – his second five-for in Test cricket since his 6 for 7 on debut, which was just as glorious.The Australians got their hands on the trophy after a long gap•Getty ImagesBoland had started the day with a maiden and continued to stalk both the edges by hitting a perfect length. He had Siraj caught at first slip and castled Bumrah in the 40th over to wrap up India’s innings. Boland then, fittingly, held the ball aloft and led Australia off the field, with the SCG crowd giving him a rousing reception.His captain Cummins had earlier accounted for Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Jadeja had been dropped by Smith in the slips on 6 on day two, but it cost Australia just seven runs, with Cummins going much fuller to kiss Jadeja’s outside edge. He then nipped one through Washington’s gate to expose India’s tail to Boland.Australia capitalised on the wayward new-ball bowling from Siraj and Krishna, running away to 39 for no loss in the fourth over. Prasidh provided India with the breakthrough when he had Sam Konstas miscuing a slog to mid-off for 22 off 17 balls.After the second day’s play, Prasidh spoke of how he shifted from his stock back of a length plan to a much fuller one after a chat with the analyst. However, on Sunday, with the harder, newer ball, he gleaned more bounce and seam movement with his natural length. After smacking Marnus Labuschagne on his elbow, Prasidh had him steering a catch to gully.For the second time in two days, more than 40,000 fans at the SCG were poised to celebrate Smith scaling 10,000 Test runs, but Prasidh had other ideas and snared him one shy of the landmark with a prancing delivery. Smith will now have to wait until the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle later this month for his next opportunity to become the 15th Test batter in the 10,000 club.India had to wait until after lunch to get rid of Usman Khawaja. The opener misjudged Siraj’s length, bottom-edging a pull to Pant for 41 off 45 balls. India felt that they were on to something after that. Siraj roared while Virat Kohli, who stood in as captain, charged towards his bowler from the slips and animatedly pumped his fist.Beau Webster, the debutant, roars after hitting the winning runs•Getty ImagesTravis Head and debutant Beau Webster, however, changed the mood and the game quickly. When Nitish Kumar Reddy offered up a wide half-volley in his first over, Head stayed leg side of the ball and unleashed a rasping blow through the covers. At the other end, Webster was less adventurous, but still scored at a fast clip, thanks to his long reach, which messed with the lengths of the bowlers.Webster, who had made his first-class debut back in 2014, might have wondered if his time at the top level would ever come. When it finally did, the 31-year-old made it a memorable one. He top-scored for Australia with 57 in their first innings – only Pant scored more runs than him – and dismissed Shubman Gill to go with some excellent catching in the slips.On Sunday, Webster struck an unbeaten 39 off 34 balls and provided the when he stepped out to Washington and pumped him straight of mid-off for four. Australia chased down 162 in 27 overs.Prasidh and Siraj bowled 24 of the first 25 overs in the chase. Their only respite – besides a lunch break – came when Australia were three hits away from victory. Jadeja didn’t bowl at all in the final innings and Washington bowled just one over, bringing India’s selection into sharp focus once again. While Australia had immense depth in their attack, India lacked it and Bumrah’s injury only compounded their troubled tour of Australia.
Karim Benzema and coach Laurent Blanc admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr were just too "strong" for Al-Ittihad. Saudi football’s early-season blockbuster lived up to the hype, but it ended in utter domination from the Riyadh giants as Ronaldo and Sadio Mane got on the scoresheet to beat the reigning champions in their own backyard.
Al-Nassr consolidate at the top
Ronaldo reached his fourth league goal of the season, while Mane opened the scoring and provided the assist for the Portuguese legend. With this victory, Al-Nassr remain unbeaten and sit top of the table with a perfect 12 points from four matches. After the final whistle, the message was clear: at the moment, no one in Saudi Arabia can match their firepower.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportBlanc & Benzema admit Al-Nassr were better
Al-Ittihad’s camp was blunt in their post-match analysis as Blanc and Benzema conceded that Al-Nassr were simply on another level.
Blanc didn’t sugarcoat it: “Al-Nassr is much stronger than Al-Ittihad. This is the truth you don’t want to hear.”
Benzema echoed his manager’s sentiment, adding, “We faced a stronger team than Al-Ittihad. That’s the truth.”
Al-Ittihad look to regroup after Saudi Pro League loss
With Ronaldo in top form and Mane driving the attack, the Riyadh outfit look unstoppable. Blanc and Benzema will hope to regroup quickly to prevent the early-season momentum of their rivals from spiralling out of control. However, they have a tough task ahead. The loss exposed weaknesses that will need addressing before their upcoming AFC Champions League Elite clash against UAE side Shabab Al Ahli Dubai.
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Getty Images SportAFC Champions League up next for Ronaldo & Co
For Al-Nassr, the victory isn’t just about domestic dominance; it’s also a springboard for their continental ambitions. The squad now turns their focus to the AFC Champions League Two, where they will face Iraqi giants Al Zawraa in a key early test of their continental credentials.
Will West Ham United’s midfield rebuild right at the end of this transfer window continue?
So far in the Premier League, the Hammers have been smashed 3-0 by Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and then 5-1 when Chelsea visited the London Stadium.
WestHamUnited manager GrahamPotter and assistant manager Bruno Saltor
In the latter, the Irons midfield pairing of Tomáš Souček and James Ward-Prowse was completely overrun by Chelsea’s duo of Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, both of whom scored, barely getting near them all night.
Thus, it is no surprise that Graham Potter has prioritised midfield reinforcements since that ill-fated defeat, so could another be on his way to East London?
West Ham's midfield rebuild
On Friday, West Ham signed not one but two new midfielders.
First, Mateus Fernandes arrived from Southampton for £38m before, a mere few hours later, Soungoutou Magassa joined from Monaco for a reported fee of £17m.
The latter, who won Olympic silver with France in the summer of 2024, is very highly rated, so West Ham fans should be excited about his arrival, but could his dream midfield partner soon be on his way to Stratford?
Well, according to a report by TEAMTalk, West Ham are ready to raid Rangers for Nicolas Raskin, adding that the Glasgow-based giants value their Belgian international at around £15m.
This transfer speculation has been fuelled by the news that Raskin will not be involved in Sunday’s Glasgow derby, training away from the rest of the first team, following an alleged falling out with manager Russell Martin.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Wolves, Burnley, Aston Villa, Brighton, Fiorentina and others are also purportedly interested in signing the Belgian, but could he soon swap Glasgow’s south side for East London?
What Nicolas Raskin would bring to West Ham
Raskin was Rangers’ Players’ Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year last season, very much their standout player during an otherwise underwhelming campaign.
In total, the 24-year-old has made 104 appearances for the Glasgow giants, scoring six goals and registering 16 assists.
Thus, before a ball was kicked this season, it would’ve been unthinkable for Rangers supporters that he would not be in their lineup for key fixtures.
Well, that has been the case under Martin, with Raskin left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, introduced at half time at Jan Breydelstadion on Wednesday with the team 5-0 down.
The table below documents Raskin’s importance to Rangers last season.
Minutes
3,591
3rd
Goals
5
5th
Assists
11
1st
Shots
53
7th
Shots on target
23
5th
Passes completed
392
1st
Passes into final 3rd
41
1st
Shot-creating actions
20
4th
Tackles
44
1st
Interceptions
40
3rd
Ball recoveries
89
1st
Touches
639
1st
As the table outlines, Raskin was a key contributor for Rangers last season in every aspect, ranked first for assists, passes, tackles, ball recoveries and touches, emphasising his importance both in and out of possession.
He was even labelled a “pitbull” by journalist Bob Faesan – who noted that he is a “a box-to-box midfielder” – while John Walker has also described his performances as “utterly sensational”.
Nico Raskin
Thus, alongside Magassa, who likes to sit in front of a defence, they could form an excellent partnership. Indeed, the Frenchman is a real monster out of possession in his own right, having ranked in the 3% of European midfielders for interceptions per 90, as well as in the top 4% for tackles made, as per FBref.
Statistically similar to the aforementioned Caicedo, among his European peers, Magassa also has the benefit of being able to drag his side up the pitch, having also ranked in the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
Raskin has been at his best in a Rangers jersey when given the freedom to get forward and contribute in attacking areas, while also getting back and offering defensive solidity, ensuring both he and Magassa could strike a perfect balance in the centre of the park.
So, if the Belgian is on the way out at Rangers, West Ham could snap him up for a bargain fee and potentially form an exciting, new-look midfield duo.
West Ham readying bid to sign "crazy" ace who dreams of Premier League move
Tristan Stubbs was also not included in the playing XI in South Africa’s tournament opener
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2025There was no Heinrich Klaasen or Tristan Stubbs in South Africa’s team sheet for the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday afternoon, and CSA confirmed that Klaasen had been ruled out “as a precautionary measure due to a left elbow soft tissue injury”. Stubbs might not have been a contender for the first-choice XI anyway.South Africa, who won the toss and asked Afghanistan to field first, still had a formidable-looking batting line-up, with Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi up top, and Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram and David Miller in the middle, and the allrounders Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen at seven and eight.But Klaasen is one of their big players, and the form player in ODIs. In the four ODIs he had played in the past few months, all against Pakistan – at home late last year and then the one in the tri-series preceding the Champions Trophy – his scores were 86 in 97 balls, 97 in 74 balls, 81 in 43 balls and, in the latest game, 87 in 56 balls.Overall, he averages 44.12 from 54 ODI innings – in which he has scored 2074 runs – and strikes at 117.44. Crucially, keeping the venues of the Champions Trophy in mind, Klaasen has a strike rate of 125.31 against spinners in ODIs since the start of 2020, all while averaging 57 runs-per-dismissal against that kind of bowling.Among 97 batters to have faced 500-plus balls of spin in this period, Klaasen’s strike rate is the highest and comfortably better than the next best – Rohit Sharma’s 111.59. In this game, against Afghanistan, South Africa will likely face at least 20 overs of spin, with Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad among the frontline bowlers, and Mohammad Nabi in the mix too.South Africa’s next Champions Trophy game is against Australia on February 25 in Rawalpindi.