Throughout the process of rebuilding Manchester United, plenty of enormous decisions will be made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Unfortunately, he comes into the role of the back of one of the Red Devils worst campaigns in recent years, finishing eighth in the Premier League.
Erik ten Hag
Because of the underperformance of individuals, changes will be made in abundance, with incomings and outgoings guaranteed.
That said, there will be some individuals who keep their spot in the future of the club, with Erik ten Hag being one of them.
Erik ten Hag’s future at Man United
According to transfer expert David Ornstein of The Athletic, Ten Hag will remain as Man Utd manager.
The Dutchman experienced an incredible amount of criticism over the campaign for his team's poor results and performances, with his chances of staying as boss being 50/50.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag
However, after looking at replacements such as Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi, and Mauricio Pochettino, Ten Hag was preferred.
The former Ajax boss will now enter negotiations to extend his contract by a further year, as the new owners put their trust in him.
It’s said by journalist Rob Dawson that the FA Cup victory over Manchester City and the EFL Cup win against Newcastle United in his first season strengthened his case, as well as his trust in the youth and the injury crisis he had to deal with.
What this could mean for Jadon Sancho
Plenty of the United squad will be pleased to see Ten Hag stay as the boss, particularly the young duo of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, but one player that will be far from thrilled is Jadon Sancho.
At the beginning of last season, the former Borussia Dortmund ace got into an incident with the manager after he didn’t include him in the matchday squad against Arsenal.
Jadon Sancho in action for Man United in the Premier League.
The boss didn’t exactly hold back when asked why the £300k-per-week star wasn’t included, claiming that his absence was due to his poor attitude in training. Then, the attacker hit back at the boss via a social media post, which ultimately saw him banished from the first team and sent on loan to BVB.
Therefore, according to The Mirror, the English winger recently wanted to prove himself to the United faithful and have a future at Old Trafford, but only if Ten Hag wasn’t in charge.
23/24 (Man Utd/Dortmund)
24
3
3
22/23 (Man Utd)
41
7
3
21/22 (Man Utd)
38
5
3
20/21 (Dortmund)
38
16
20
19/20 (Dortmund)
44
20
20
But even when on the field, he hasn’t exactly impressed enough for United to indicate that he must return, with football creator Liam Canning saying that he plays with “no desire.”
Over his 82 appearances with the Red Devil on his chest, Sancho only netted 12 goals and provided six assists, which is hardly a great return for a £73m signing.
Therefore, it’s no surprise to see a recent report from the BBC stating that Sancho will be sold regardless this summer, with United looking for just £40m.
Overall, Ten Hag staying all but puts an end to Sancho’s Man Utd career, unless a miraculous change of events occurs. His signature will go down as a disappointing disaster.
What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree
Knight, Glenn and Beaumont will fly out to Australia while Ecclestone and Wyatt could be on India’s T20 Challenge selection radar
Matt Roller01-Oct-2020England captain Heather Knight and five other members of the national squad that beat West Indies 5-0 in September’s T20I series will fly to Australia for the Women’s Big Bash League on Saturday. Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt have already been announced as overseas signings by the Melbourne Stars, while Knight revealed in the presentation after Wednesday’s match that she has signed a deal to play in the competition, as have Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones and Sarah Glenn.Beaumont (Melbourne Renegades) and Knight (Hobart Hurricanes) all held contracts in last season’s WBBL, but the teams they will play for this season remain unconfirmed. Glenn, Player of the Series against West Indies, will be playing in the competition for the first time, and is set to join the Perth Scorchers while it was confirmed on Friday that Jones will return to the club.*Meanwhile, it is understood that the ECB is open to allowing players to appear in India’s Women’s T20 Challenge, and will sign No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) assuming it is satisfied with the Covid-19 protocols in place.ESPNcricinfo revealed on Wednesday that the BCCI is likely to stage the three-team tournament from November 4-9 – during the IPL playoffs week – with plans in place to involve overseas players despite the clash with the WBBL, which begins on October 25 in Sydney.Although the BCCI is yet to make any formal announcements on the tournament’s fixtures or quarantine requirements, it is understood that both the Indian and overseas players will arrive in the UAE by the third week of October. All the three squads would be put up at one hotel, which will be part of a biosecure bubble. Just like the eight IPL franchises, the women’s contingent will undergo a mandatory six-day quarantine at the team hotel during which tests would be carried out on days one, three and five.The selection process for squads the T20 Challenge has already begun, and English players are expected to be big draws. Sophie Ecclestone, the No. 1-ranked T20I bowler, and Danni Wyatt both appeared in the 2019 edition, and would be among the top overseas players involved if recruited, not least in the absence of Australian internationals due to the WBBL running parallel. Wyatt missed Wednesday’s fifth T20I for personal reasons.Danielle Wyatt goes aerial•BCCIIt is understood that at least one top-flight England player had been waiting for an official update on the T20 Challenge before committing to the WBBL, but with details on the Indian competition slow to come out and a mandatory two-week quarantine set upon arrival in Australia, time for stalling ran out. Other players who could find spots might include Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Sophia Dunkley, Anya Shrubsole and Kate Cross.England players not involved in either competition will have two weeks off at the start of October after leaving the biosecure bubble in Derby, before reporting to Loughborough for a training camp for seven weeks of training before Christmas with no international cricket scheduled for the rest of the year.”The girls will have a few weeks off, then go back to Loughborough,” Knight said. “It’s fair to acknowledge it’s been quite tough, living in a bubble the whole time. It’s been particularly hard for the girls not playing, so credit to them.”I think they need [the time off],” said Lisa Keightley, England’s head coach. “It’s been quite draining here – tougher than you might think – so it’s good to have a bit of a break, which they’re all looking forward to.”It’ll be awesome for those players that are going to get a bit more cricket. It’s been pretty lean so, I’m sure they’re really looking forward to going out there and playing.”We know [the WBBL] is a really good competition so the standard will be good. If you’re performing in that you know you’re travelling pretty well so it’s very exciting for those girls going out.”England’s next international series is likely to be in New Zealand in early 2021, with NZC describing the tour as “confirmed” in a press release this week after it had previously been mooted by ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.Cricket Australia are also in talks with NZC regarding a possible women’s tour, with some possibility that the sides could play a tri-series.October 2, 10.15am AEST: the story was updated to reflect confirmation of signings
They become the fourth South African, sixth Pakistani and fifth Australian woman respectively to join the elite list
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-2020
Zaheer Abbas drives•PA Photos
Jacques Kallis, Zaheer Abbas and Lisa Sthalekar have been inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame.Kallis, who retired from international cricket in 2014, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame almost as soon as he became eligible; the ICC rule mandates a five-year gap after a player’s last international match. He is widely regarded as one of cricket’s great allrounders. In addition to being the third-most-prolific Test batsman of all time, with 13,289 runs at an average of 55.37, he also took 292 wickets at 32.65 with his fast-medium swing bowling. He is the fourth South African inducted into Hall of Fame, after Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards and Allan Donald.Lisa Sthalekar with the World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty
Abbas is the sixth Pakistani in the Hall of Fame, after Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Abbas played Test cricket from 1969 to 1985, and was renowned worldwide for being an elegant strokeplayer with a massive appetite for runs. He scored 5062 Test-match runs at 44.79, and remains the only subcontinental batsman to have scored more than 100 first-class centuries, a feat that earned him the nickname ‘The Asian Bradman’.Sthalekar is the 27th Australian cricketer in the Hall of Fame, and the fifth Australian women’s player after Belinda Clark, Betty Wilson, Karen Rolton and Cathryn Fitzpatrick. Sthalekar, who batted in the middle order and bowled offspin, ended her career in 2013 as one of the premier allrounders in women’s cricket. With 2728 runs at 30.65 and 146 wickets at 24.97, she remains one of only five players to have completed the women’s ODI double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets, with Ellyse Perry the only other Australian in that group. Sthalekar has been part of four World-Cup-winning Australia teams, winning the ODI title in 2005 and 2013 and the T20 title in 2010 and 2012.”Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I would ever get to join such an illustrious group of players,” Sthalekar said after the announcement. “I was fortunate enough to learn from the best when I entered the Australia team – Belinda Clark, Karen Rolton and Cathryn Fitzpatrick, all of whom have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and rightly so. The guidance from them and other team-mates along the way kept me focused but also ensured that it was a fun environment.”Abbas joined Sthalekar in expressing his gratitude to those who helped shape his career, while Kallis said it felt good to be appreciated in this way.”I would like to say a special thanks to my family, my country Pakistan, my county Gloucestershire and many fans worldwide who helped me achieve and fulfil my dreams by playing this great game at the highest level,” Abbas said. “It is a final recognition for any cricketer. This great game has made me the person I am. Thank you cricket.””It is something that I never expected when I started playing,” Kallis said. “I certainly did not play the game for any accolades or anything like that, I only wanted to win the games for whoever I was playing for. But it is nice to be recognised when one has succeeded in the sport, it is nice to be recognised by people for something that you have achieved in the game.”Full list of ICC Hall of Fame members.
Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council chairman, has confirmed the development
Nagraj Gollapudi10-Aug-2020The BCCI has received the much-awaited permission from the Indian government to conduct the IPL in the UAE. Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council chairman, has confirmed the development.Although the BCCI had received an in-principle nod from the government, it was waiting for written permission to finalise the contract with the Emirates Cricket Board. Patel did not confirm the exact date, indicating the government permission came over the weekend.The tournament will be played between September 19 and November 10 with 60 matches at three venues: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Although the tournament schedule has not yet been finalised, the eight teams have already been busy planning their travel to the UAE.Last week the IPL sent the franchises a set of draft standing operating procedures [SOPs] for the tournament including a rigorous testing process which commences before the teams board the flight to the UAE. Team members would need to undergo multiple tests including three tests upon reaching the UAE which would also involve a week-long quarantine before they can start training.The IPL made it clear that both team members as well as owners would need to strictly adhere to the rules laid out to be part of the biosecure bubble. Any breach of the protocols, the IPL warned, would be “punishable” under the tournament’s code of conduct.According to the draft SOPs, if the owners and family members step outside the bubble, they will need to understood a week-long quarantine and undergo fresh testing before re-entering the biosecure environment.During a virtual meeting last week, officials from various franchises communicated a set of concerns they had with the draft SOPs. One key concern was whether the quarantine measures could be relaxed for English and Australian players arriving from the UK after their limited overs series.
Conor Gallagher has quickly become a fan-favourite at Atletico Madrid following his move from Chelsea.
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Midfielder moved to Spain from London
Gallagher a favourite at Atletico
Already a focal point of Simeone's team
WHAT HAPPENED?
Per AS, Gallagher has quickly become a fan-favourite at Atletico, as his pitbull-esque on-pitch tendencies have endeared him to a fanbase that holds Diego Simeone in the highest possible esteem. He also won plenty of brownie points by dressing his nephew in an Atletico kit, with the club posting the picture and labelling him "Uncle Conor".
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Gallagher was also required to wait for the deal to go through, and lived in a hotel for a period, before putting pen to paper. The report even claims that his respect for the club extends to his sock-cutting habit; he always cuts holes in his socks, but takes great care to ensure he does not mark anything with the words 'Atletico Madrid'.
DID YOU KNOW?
Gallagher has made two appearances for Atletico, making his debut in a 3-0 win over Girona. He was on the bench against Espanyol but made his first start against Athletic Bilbao last weekend as Atleti won 1-0.
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WHAT NEXT?
Atletico will next be in action against Valencia on September 15. They will then kick off their Champions League campaign against RB Leipzig.
Celtic's place at the top of the Scottish Premiership table is safe for now after their rivals were beaten on Sunday, leaving them four points clear.
The Hoops smashed St Mirren 3-0 on Saturday to move four points ahead of Rangers at the summit, and the Gers went on to lose 3-2 to Ross County on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers' side could see the gap reduced to one point if their rivals win their game in hand against Dundee on Wednesday night, but the title is still in their hands as it stands.
The Scottish giants are fighting to avoid a trophyless end to the 2023/24 campaign and they still have the Premiership title and the SFA Cup to compete for over the coming weeks.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers watches on.
Attention will then turn to the summer transfer window and how Celtic can improve their playing squad by dipping into the market to add to their options.
Celtic's interest in prolific forward
It was recently reported by Football Insider that the Hoops are one of a number of clubs interested in a possible summer swoop for Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics.
The initial report claimed that Celtic and Brentford are battling it out to land his signature ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, after his prolific season in the English Championship.
It also added that other unnamed teams in the bottom half of the Premier League could also provide competition to sign the Republic of Ireland international.
Sammie Szmodics
Football Insider followed up on that with an update shortly after and they claimed that the Bhoys could be blown out of the water if Premier League teams decide to act upon their interest with firm offers, due to the financial advantage they have over the Scottish side.
However, there was no mention of how much Blackburn would demand for the attacker and it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic can swoop in before others have the chance to make their move.
Rodgers could land a dream partner for current Hoops star Adam Idah, who is currently on loan from Norwich City, if he can get a deal for Szmodics over the line.
Football Scotland report that the Canaries are likely to demand a fee within the region of £6m for the Irish marksman, and claim that is within the club's transfer budget for the summer.
With this in mind, the board must push the boat out to land Szmodics and Idah to bolster Rodgers' attack for next season, as the prolific duo could form a terrific partnership at the top end of the pitch.
Adam Idah's form for Celtic
The Hoops snapped the 6 foot 3 striker up on loan from Norwich on deadline day at the start of February, and he has been a superb addition to the squad.
Idah had scored six goals in 28 Championship matches, including 12 starts, for the Yellows during the first half of the ssaon before his switch to Glasgow, and has already bettered that tally at Parkhead.
The 23-year-old dynamo has plundered an eye-catching seven goals and two assists in just ten appearances for Celtic in the Premiership since the start of February.
Appearances
33
10
Goals
11
7
Minutes per goal
200
65
Conversion rate
13%
30%
Big chances missed
21
6
As you can see in the table above, Idah has been far more effective in front of goal than Kyogo Furuhashi in the Premiership, with a goal every 65 minutes of action in comparison to the Japan international's one every 200.
No Celtic player has outperformed their xG by more than the Irish star, who has scored seven goals from 5.24 xG. Meanwhile, no Hoops man has underperformed their xG by more than Kyogo, who has scored 11 goals from 15.4 xG in the Premiership so far this season.
These impressive statistics suggest that Rodgers should be pushing for the club to sign Idah to lead the line as the starting number nine for the team next term, as he has been a prolific addition to the side.
Adam Idah
He would also be the perfect foil for a signing like Szmodics, who operates in an attacking midfield role and stands at 5 foot 6, as he has won 69% of his aerial duels in the Premiership and can provide a physical presence up front that allows the smaller whiz to focus on his work in possession.
Sammie Szmodics' goalscoring record this season
The Ireland international has plundered a fantastic 30 goals and four assists in 45 appearances in all competitions for Blackburn so far this season.
Former Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson hailed Szmodics as "incredible" at the start of the year, and his sensational statistics this term back that comment up.
Appearances
41
Sofascore rating
7.28
xG
19.21
Goals
24
Minutes per goal
152
As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old star has been a prolific presence in the number ten position for Blackburn in the Championship, with more than one goal every other game on average.
24 goals from an xG of 19.21 means that he has outperformed his expected tally by almost five goals, which speaks to how clinical the Irish whiz has been in front of goal.
Szmodics, who has played the bulk of his games as an attacking midfielder but can also play as a centre-forward, could thrive alongside Idah at the top end of the pitch for Celtic.
His compatriot could occupy opposition defenders with his physical presence, standing at 6 foot 3 with an impressive aerial duel success rate, and free up the current Blackburn star to make runs and pick up clever positions in the box to find the back of the net in an attacking midfield or second striker role.
Both players have been lethal scorers for their respective clubs this season, both outperforming their xG, and could combine to form a sensational pairing for Celtic next season to improve Rodgers' attack as they attempt to compete domestically and in Europe.
It is now down to the board to ensure that they can wrap up deals for both attackers during the upcoming summer transfer window to provide the manager with a clinical forward line for the 2024/25 campaign.
A potential £43 million Tottenham bid for two players in one swoop could well be accepted this summer, according to reports this week.
Spurs set sights on new forward and rising stars of the future
A reoccurring theme of Spurs' transfer policy over the past 12 months is buying young, quality players with high ceilings.
Tottenham ready to offer "important sum" for Serie A star as price tag set
The north Londoners are prepared to spend.
ByEmilio Galantini Mar 28, 2024
Micky van de Ven, Brennan Johnson, Alejo Veliz and Ashley Phillips arrived last summer, with all players coming under the age of 23 at the time. Meanwhile, Spurs also sealed a deal for promising young defender Radu Dragusin from Genoa in January this year.
The Lilywhites continued in their quest to bring in Europe's most exciting talents by hijacking Barcelona's move for Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall, who joined Ange Postecoglou's side on a buy-to-loan-back deal.
Currently back out on a temporary stint at Djurgardens IF before linking up with Spurs in the summer, things could've been very different if they won the race for Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa.
Club Brugge'sAntonioNusacelebrates scoring their fourth goal with Casper Nielsen
Tottenham were competing for Nusa's signature before ultimately losing out to Brentford, who then pulled out of signing the 18-year-old after he failed a medical.
Now, it is believed Postecoglou is still interested in signing Nusa, as per a few reports in the press. The teenage forward is seen as one of real promise, and it appears Tottenham rate him highly, as they haven't given up on a potential deal.
Brugge 7-1 RWD Molenbeek
9.86
Westerlo 0-1 Brugge
8.29
Brugge 4-2 Sporting Charleroi
8.17
Cercles Brugge 1-1 Club Brugge
7.79
Bruggd 1-1 Union St. Gillosie
7.58
Nusa is now back at Brugge after his failed move to Brentford, where he boasts three goals and three assists in 20 Jupiler Pro League appearances. In an interesting bit of further information, it is believed that Tottenham also want his teammate, Andreas Skov Olsen.
The Dane is into double digits for league goals, scoring 10 and assisting four others in 28 outings, with Voetbalkrant now stating that a double-swoop from Tottenham is possible.
Skov Olsen and Nusa double signing possible at Tottenham
The news outlet claims that a £43 million bid from Tottenham for both Nusa and Skov Olsen is seen as "very realistic", and it's a figure that Brugge would be inclined to accept.
Denmark international Skov Olsen.
Spurs are apparently considering a double swoop for the duo, with talks already opened over a move for Nusa in particular. Arsenal captain and Norway international teammate, Martin Odegaard, is a huge fan of the forward.
“Fantastic! He is an incredibly exciting player," Odegaard told TV2 (via Sport Witness).
"You see it, everything he gets the ball, it’s exciting. He is still young and will get even better. It was cool to see him. He deserved to get the chance that he takes it to such an extent. Incredibly cool!"
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has showered praise on a player who chairman Daniel Levy sold at Tottenham, calling him "one of the best" around.
Spurs race for top four as Ange plays down Champions League importance
Spurs are in the thick of a top four race as they go toe-to-toe with Aston Villa for the last Champions League qualification place.
Ange hands Tottenham employees transfer mission now star could leave
Postecoglou has gave clear instructions ahead of the summer window.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 11, 2024
The riches of European football, and pull that would have for star players in the transfer market, cannot be understated. Sealing a place in next season's Champions League group stage pot would be the cherry on top of a positive debut campaign for manager Ange Postecoglou, but that isn't the view of the man himself.
“I don’t think top four is the ambition," said Postecoglou on Spurs' European hopes.
I get that top four means Champions League football, so there is a reward there, and that’s a significant reward and something you should strive for. My position on it is not so much, particularly this year, where we finish, it’s what kind of team we are, because if we finish fourth and we’re 25 points off the top, I’m not sure that’s the kind of trajectory we want to be on.
Tottenham's next league fixtures in race for fourth
Date
Newcastle United (away)
April 13th
Arsenal (home)
April 28th
Chelsea (away)
May 2nd
Liverpool (home)
May 5th
Burnley (home)
May 11th
“It’s part of making sure that we’re all focussed on what the ultimate ambition is. If we finish fourth this year, what it does show is that we’re progressing and we’ve made improvements, but that’s not the end goal. That’s why, for me, it’s much more important how we play between now and the end of the year, and how we finish. Then, we assess things. If we finish fourth and I feel we’ve made some progress and we’re set up for next year, then I’ll be pleased with that.”
Nevertheless, the fact they're contending is very impressive when factoring in the loss of club-record goalscorer and all-round legend Harry Kane. Tottenham are planning to sign an A-list Kane replacement, but it's arguable nobody will ever truly replicate his influence.
Harry Kane celebrates for Bayern Munich
The England star made a multi-million pound move to Bayern Munich last summer after Levy opted to sell, with Kane entering the final stages of his contract at the time. The 30-year-old has gone on to bag 39 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, but is unfortunate to be missing out on a Bundesliga title as Bayer Leverkusen take pole position by miles.
Gabriel Jesus praises Kane after Tottenham sale
Speaking to the press (via BBC), Arsenal striker Jesus says Kane is "one of the best" around after Tottenham opted to part company.
"Everyone here knows the quality of Harry Kane – for me, personally, he is the best finisher in the world," said Jesus.
"He can finish with head, left foot, right foot – the guy, since I arrived in Europe, is one of the best. It's great to play against this kind of player. Obviously we want to keep him quiet and then we try to win the game.
"But it is not just Harry Kane – they have players like my old friend Sane, Musiala, Coman, Muller, Gnabry. They have quality players there."
Glasgow Rangers are now just eight wins away from securing their first Premiership title since the 2020/21 campaign.
Philippe Clement has overseen a remarkable turnaround from a club who were on the verge of a major crisis, to one that has a realistic chance at winning a domestic treble.
The Belgian has made the Light Blues a better team to watch, made them harder to beat and, more importantly, has inspired confidence among the players that they can overhaul Celtic in the title race.
Another positive aspect of his reign so far has been his impact in the transfer window. Previously, the Gers had struggled to obtain the correct sort of players in the January transfer window. Think back to the likes of Aaron Ramsey or Jack Simpson, players who struggled to make an impact during their spell at the club.
Three new arrivals joined the club, and the trio are all aged 22 or under, which suggests Clement could be going in a totally new direction with regard to future transfer business.
The Gers have trailed Celtic in this regard over the previous few years, as they tend to maximise their player trading model by buying low before selling high, giving them a greater financial reward.
Everton defender Nathan Patterson.
Rangers, on the other hand, have failed to really utilise this model since returning to the Premiership in 2016. Alongside Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey is perhaps the only player to have been sold for a fee which the club should be expecting from developing young talents.
How much Calvin Bassey cost Rangers
The summer of 2020 saw Steven Gerrard bolster his squad ahead of another tilt at winning the league title.
Ianis Hagi joined on a permanent deal, while Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten were signed in order to give the club something extra going forward.
Bassey, a talented left-back who was playing for Leicester City, was another new arrival, costing significantly less than the other three.
Rangers transfer business – summer 2020
Player
Club joined from
Ianis Hagi
Genk
Cedric Itten
FC St. Gallen
Kemar Roofe
Anderlecht
Jon McLaughlin
Sunderland
Calvin Bassey
Leicester City
Jermain Defoe
Bournemouth
Leon Balogun
Wigan Athletic
Bongani Zungu
Amiens SC
Via Transfermarkt
Indeed, the Gers only had to pay a compensation fee of around £230k due to cross-border rules, and it was a signing which Gerrard was hoping could play a big part at the club in the coming years.
It didn’t take him long to settle in at the Glasgow side.
Calvin Bassey’s statistics at Rangers
Borna Barisic was firmly established as the number-one choice at left-back when Bassey arrived, but the youngster was expected to provide support and cover whenever necessary.
The defender ended up featuring on 15 occasions throughout his debut season, contributing with one goal, and the future looked bright for Bassey.
The following season began with disappointment as the Gers failed to qualify for the Champions League, yet Bassey failed to see any action during the two matches.
Calvin Bassey at Rangers
It wasn’t until a defensive injury crisis, ruling out Leon Balogun and Filip Helander, that Bassey firmly established himself in the starting XI.
Over the course of the whole season, the Nigerian international ended up making 50 appearances in all competitions, grabbing six assists, while emerging as one of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s finest players.
He played in all but one of their Europa League clashes as the Ibrox side reached a historic final against Eintracht Frankfurt, suffering defeat on penalties.
Calvin Bassey
His stock had risen considerably throughout the season, showcasing his defensive abilities alongside Connor Goldson, and it was clear there would be potential suitors for his signature in the summer of 2022.
How much Rangers sold Calvin Bassey for
Despite coming so close to European success, Rangers only won the Scottish Cup during the 2021/22 campaign, meaning Van Bronckhorst had to recruit well in the transfer window.
He made several signings, yet the majority of these were funded by the sale of Bassey, who ended up moving to Ajax following his stunning season on a personal note.
The Dutch giants ended up splashing out a transfer fee just under £23m to bring the defender to Amsterdam, with the sale proving to be the club’s record departure.
It appears to have been a stroke of genius by the club, as Bassey’s market value has decreased significantly since moving abroad to join Ajax.
Calvin Bassey’s current market value
On the surface, it was clear that Ajax overpaid to sign the defender two years ago, as his value at the time was a paltry €1.1m (£1m), certainly proving the notion that the Gers struck gold on the player.
Calvin Bassey
According to Football Transfers, Bassey is valued at €14.4m (£12.3m) at the time of writing, which is £10.7m less than the £23m fee which took him to the Netherlands in 2022.
The “explosive” brute – as so dubbed by Steve Beaglehole, his U23 coach at Leicester – did not enjoy the greatest of spells abroad, it's fair to say.
He started just 20 league matches for the Eredivisie side before joining Fulham last summer in a deal worth £18.2m, meaning Ajax recouped nearly their original outlay.
So far this term, the left-back has played 21 Premier League matches, even scoring once, during a wonderful 2-1 win against Manchester United in February.
It looks as though the English top flight suits him more, and it proves his spell at Ajax was just a blip, as the 24-year-old is a wonderful defender, as demonstrated during his two seasons at Rangers.
Clement will be hoping that he can attract young talent similar in stature to Bassey with the intent of selling them on for a major profit further down the line.
Indeed, Mohamed Diomande, a £4.3m capture during the January transfer window, certainly fits the bill with regard to a player trading model.
The 22-year-old has already demonstrated his abilities in Scotland during his short spell so far, and if he continues to improve at a rapid rate, there will be plenty of suitors showing interest.
Rangers struck gold on £9.9m gem who'd be worth more than Silva in 2024
Rangers hit the jackpot on a player Alex McLeish sold in 2002…
ByRoss Kilvington Mar 31, 2024
While the club won't want to move on every player who shows promise, the key is to maximise potential profit, which, in turn, will allow the manager the chance to purchase more players.
Selling Bassey enabled Rangers to splurge on a few players, indicating that they hit the jackpot by moving him on for such a big fee.
Gareth Southgate has made some key calls for his England line-up ahead of the Euro 2024 final against Spain on Sunday.
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Southgate Euro 2024 final line-up leakedTrippier and Kane to retain placesFace Spain in Berlin on SundayWHAT HAPPENED?
As has been the case for much of the European Championships, Gareth Southgate's line-up for the final against Spain on Sunday has been leaked. According to The Sun, the Three Lions boss will refrain from starting both Luke Shaw and Ollie Watkins, despite their impact in the semi-final win against the Netherlands. It means England will field an unchanged starting XI in Berlin.
Frustration may have boiled over from fans at times for the same starting line-up being picked, but there is no denying England have been effective with their substitutes late on in games. Rather than kill the pace and fresh legs from the very start, players like Watkins can have another big impact if and when they are needed instead.
DID YOU KNOW?
England have not won a major international trophy since 1966, but are appearing in back-to-back Euro finals. As well as this, it is the first time they have made a major final on foreign soil. The one three years ago against Italy was at the familiar Wembley Stadium.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?
All that stands between England and glory is Spain, who have arguably been the best team at the tournament this summer. If the Three Lions can get the job done on Sunday, they will become national heroes and likely send the country into chaos heading into Monday morning.