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An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to offload players from the squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Rabbi Matondo's future at Rangers?

Sunday Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop has revealed that former Schalke forward Rabbi Matondo will be allowed to move on from the Light Blues in the coming weeks.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson snapped him up from the German side on a four-year contract last year, with Michael Beale now deciding to part ways with the attacker.

The reporter Tweeted: "Wales international Rabbi Matondo is free to leave Glasgow Rangers this summer. Matondo spent a loan spell with Stoke in 2021 and could return to English football after being made available by the Scottish club."

Who could replace Rabbi Matondo at Rangers?

Beale could ruthlessly ditch the £28k-per-week flop by signing his replacement in the form of LAFC winger Kwadwo Opokou, who is a reported €4.8m (£4.1m) transfer target for the Gers.

Matondo, who is capable of being deployed on the right or the left wing, endured a difficult debut campaign in Scotland as he failed to nail down a regular place in the side.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 across 19 league appearances, which placed him 26th in the squad, and contributed with four assists without scoring a single goal.

The 22-year-old created four 'big chances' for his teammates in total, showing that the ex-Manchester City prodigy rarely made an impact in the final third.

Opoku averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.87 across 20 league starts last year. He scored eight goals and provided three assists to go alongside his impressive 11 'big chances' created. Opoku's form for LAFC in 2022 suggests that Beale would be landing an upgrade on Matondo by signing the MLS ace, which would open the door for the current Gers man to move on.

Only Malik Tillman (10) scored more than six league goals for Rangers outside of penalty taker James Tavernier and strikers Fashion Sakala, Antonio Colak, and Alfredo Morelos.

This suggests that the LAFC magician, whose performances in 2022 were described as "magnificent" by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, has the potential to be Beale's outstanding scoring option from out wide after Tillman's return to Bayern Munich,

The 21-year-old wizard could come in as an immediate upgrade on Matondo, therefore, which would allow the manager to ditch his underperforming Welshman instantly.

Arsenal are poised to once again return to a Premier League rival for reinforcements, if reports are to be believed…

Is Joao Cancelo going to Arsenal?

The latest comes from German outlet Kicker, who detail the Gunners' pursuit of Manchester City star Joao Cancelo.

With the Portugal international having been banished to Bayern Munich for the latter half of last season, the Bavarian giants opted against activating their buy-out clause to keep him at the Allianz permanently.

This has opened up an opportunity for others to try and swoop for the out-of-favour full-back, who would add to most teams he joined.

The report states that the 29-year-old is top of Mikel Arteta's wish list, however, he has drawn up a number of alternatives for that role should they fail in securing his top target.

His expected transfer value of €55.6m (£48m) could prove troublesome given the money they are already set to expend this summer on players such as Kai Havertz and Declan Rice.

Should Arsenal sign Joao Cancelo?

Despite being snubbed by Bayern, that is not to suggest that the Portugal international did not impress during his short stint in Munich.

Maintaining a 6.96 average rating, he would record five goal contributions alongside an 85% pass accuracy, 0.9 key passes and 1.5 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He was his usual creative self from defence, but to return within a system akin to Arteta's, he could truly thrive.

Having been one of the first to popularise the inverted full-back role under Pep Guardiola, this defender defined a position that is becoming more and more commonplace in the modern game.

During the season in which it arguably reached its peak, Cancelo would boast a 7.33 average rating in the league, buoyed by his offensive figures rather than his work as part of the back line. One goal and seven assists gave way to 1.1 key passes per game, yet he would marry this with 2.3 tackles per game too, via Sofascore.

He was their fourth-highest-rated player within a term where they won the Premier League once again.

This form even led journalist Zach Lowy to laud him, comparing his talents to his exceptional Liverpool counterpart. He wrote: "This season, it seems like the biggest individual rivalry is between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joao Cancelo. Two world-class footballers."

To now place this kind of quality into Arteta's side, allowing him to recapture that form as he is in the midst of his prime years, he could prove to be the catalyst that topples Guardiola's reign over English football.

After all, his presence inverting beside Rice, who is closing in on a move to north London, could prove remarkable.

The creativity of Cancelo would allow the West Ham United captain to thrive as a defensive asset, yet his own beginnings as a defender give him that well-rounded skillset to also allow the 24-year-old to showcase his offensive talents too.

Last term for the Irons, their midfield general would uphold a 7.19 average rating alongside one key pass, 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.

These figures could be set to only increase further if placed alongside the Citizens' former favourite, who would join with a serious point to prove.

With a pairing that could defend, create and score all from the engine room, these two could spur each other on to true greatness.

Marlon Samuels has been cleared to resume bowling in international cricket by the ICC

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-20171:29

Ambrose: Samuels is a very clever bowler

West Indies allrounder Marlon Samuels has been cleared to resume bowling in international cricket by the ICC. Samuels was banned from bowling at the international level for 12 months in December 2015, after his action was found to be illegal for a second time in 24 months.The offspinner’s action could be reassessed by the ICC only after the 12-month period ended, and Samuels underwent tests on January 29 at the ICC-accredited testing centre in Loughborough. According to an ICC release, the tests revealed the elbow flex for his offspin deliveries was within the permitted 15-degree limit.If the umpires find issues with his action going forward, they can report him again, and then he will require further analysis of his action by the ICC. Umpires will be provided with images and video footage of his reworked bowling action, the ICC said, to help them judge his action in games.Samuels was reported during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in October 2015, and subsequent tests revealed he was breaching the 15-degree limit. That was the third time Samuels’ action had been reported; the first instance was in 2008, when he was called for a suspect faster ball after the third Test against South Africa in Durban. He was later suspended from bowling in international cricket but after remedial work on his action, was permitted to bowl in September 2011. Then, once again, he was reported during the Mumbai Test against India in November 2013. Following tests, he was allowed to bowl the offbreak delivery but not his quicker ball.Samuels last played for West Indies against Pakistan on the tour of the UAE in September-November 2016. He was left out of the squad for the tri-series in Zimbabwe that followed. West Indies’ next assignment is the home ODI series against England, starting from March 3.

Liverpool could yet swoop in and try to sign Edmond Tapsoba from under Tottenham's noses, with 90min reporting that the Reds are monitoring the situation and have been "informed" of what is going on with the player.

How has Edmond Tapsoba played this season?

With 33 games and 32 starts in the league for Bayer Leverkusen over the 2022/23 season, the defender has now become a key player for the German side. He is a regular feature in their defensive line and is a reliable face at the back for them. In fact, since joining from Vitoria, the player has already racked up a total of 100 top flight games for the Bundesliga outfit. That's despite the fact he is still only 24-years-old – showing just how important he has become to the club.

In addition, he also averages 5.76 progressive passes per 90 and 1.46 progressive carries per 90. They rank him within the top eight percent for both categories amongst other centre-backs across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe – and it shows how crucial to a team's build-up he can be from his deep position.

Now, these showings have caught the eye of Premier League teams. Tottenham have seemingly been leading the race to bring him in, but it might not be so straightforward according to a fresh report from 90min. It states that there are several other English sides, including Liverpool, who have now been "informed" about the ongoing situation.

With the Reds looking for another centre-back option, they are now keeping tabs on the Spurs target.

What could Edmond Tapsoba cost?

There is no mention of what a potential fee could be for the player, but CIES Football Observatory suggest that he could cost around 30 million Euros (or £26m). If that is the case, then Tapsoba would earn current club Bayer Leverkusen a profit on what they signed him for, whilst also not costing whichever club does snap him up a fortune in transfer fees.

He could be worth that amount too if that does turn out to be his value. Football journalist Josh Bunting has stated that the defender's stock "keeps rising" because of how good he has been in Germany and also added that he is very "attack-minded" for a player who predominantly plays in a backline, while journalist Jack Collins has called him "sensational".

It means that, if Liverpool did decide to act on this interest and try and bring him in, they could land a player that could fit straight into their defence and contribute at both ends of the field.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is set to enter his first summer transfer window in charge of the club and it provides him with a chance to make big changes to his squad.

The Spaniard helped the club to secure European football for next season by earning qualification for the Europa Conference League and the roster may need upgrading in order to deal with playing in multiple competitions.

Portuguese outlet A Bola recently reported that the Villans are interested in a deal to sign Sporting attacking midfielder Pedro Goncalves ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and he could improve Emery's team significantly.

The report claimed that the club have been tracking the ace since 2020 and have contacted the Liga Portugal side to enquire about his price, with his side demanding that potential suitors pay up his release clause of €80m (£69m).

How did Pedro Goncalves perform this season?

Emery could land a big upgrade on current Villa playmaker Emiliano Buendia by signing Goncalves as the 24-year-old star enjoyed an exceptional campaign with Sporting in his home country.

In the Portuguese top flight, the magician averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.51 across 33 matches and contributed with 15 goals and 11 assists.

The dynamo proved himself to be a reliable goalscorer from an attacking midfield or wide position, after scoring eight goals in 27 league outings last term, and could provide a greater goal threat than Buendia, who managed just five strikes in 38 matches in the Premier League in 22/23 and four in 35 games in 21/22 for the Villans.

Goncalves, whose form was once hailed as "incredible" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also created 16 'big chances' and provided 2.6 key passes per match for Sporting in the league. This shows that the former Wolves maestro is consistently opening up the opposition's defence to create quality opportunities for his teammates, to go along with his own goalscoring ability.

Buendia, meanwhile, created eight 'big chances' and made 1.4 key passes per game for Villa in the league and these statistics indicate that the Argentine does not offer as much as the Portuguese talent when it comes to creating for others.

Therefore, Emery could improve his squad heading into the 2023/24 campaign by swooping for Goncalves in the coming months as the playmaker has the potential to provide far more quality in the final third than the ex-Norwich man.

There is no guarantee that he will be able to translate his form from Portugal over to England but his eye-catching form in front of goal suggests that it is a gamble worth taking this summer.

Virat Kohli has said he was involved in a discussion with Cheteshwar Pujara over his strike rate in Test cricket during India’s recent tour of the West Indies

Sidharth Monga in Kanpur26-Sep-20162:59

‘He absorbs pressure well, but the time comes when the team needs a few runs’

Virat Kohli, India’s captain, has said he was involved in a discussion with Cheteshwar Pujara over his strike rate in Test cricket during the recent tour of the West Indies. Sandeep Patil, who recently ended his term as the chairman of selectors, told on Sunday that Kohli and coach Anil Kumble had spoken to Pujara expressing concern over his scoring rate, when he was dropped in the West Indies. Pujara, who scored 16 off 67 balls and 46 off 159 in the first two Tests, was left out for Rohit Sharma in St Lucia. This resulted in Kohli’s promotion to No. 3, from where he scored 3 and 4. Both Pujara and Rohit have featured in the two Tests that India have played since.After the West Indies tour, Pujara played in the Duleep Trophy, scoring 166 off 280 balls, 31 off 35, and 256 off 363. Back in the Test side, Pujara scored at a strike rate of more than 50 in both innings of the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, scoring 62 and 78. His career strike rate before the Test began was 48.2.”Pujara is someone who absorbs the pressure really well but after a certain stage in the innings there comes a time when the team needs runs,” Kohli said at the end of the Kanpur Test. “That’s where we felt that he has the ability to capitalise. It was just about conveying that to him. He has worked hard on his game. He scored at a good strike rate in the Duleep Trophy. Even on this wicket he was scoring at 65, almost 70 strike rate.”Which for me was a revelation, to see Pujara bat that way. Because he used to bat that way initially. Especially at home. If you see his double-hundreds against England and Australia, he will dominate spinners. That’s exactly what we wanted him to do. We didn’t want him to go into a shell. We want Pujara to bat to his potential. Once he starts scoring runs to go with the composure he already has, it becomes very difficult for the opposition to have control of the game. That’s all we wanted to convey to him.”He’s someone who understands what the team wants. He has worked hard on his game. He has come back, and he is playing more positively. Which we appreciate as a team and me personally as a captain. That he has actually gone and worked hard on his game. He has not told us this is my comfort zone and I am not going to get out of it. That is the kind of characters we need to win games and series.”In another context, speaking about handling different characters, Kohli spoke of cricket that didn’t care too much about individual records. “If you have honesty in the change room, if you have an environment that is relaxed, they will be able to express themselves better on the field,” Kohli said. “They will understand, they will listen to you. They will have the trust. They trust you are not saying anything that will harm them. It’s only for the benefit of the whole team. Once you have that environment in the change room, it becomes very easy as a captain to ask anything of any player. And everyone is ready all the time.”One thing we have spoken about is we want to play a certain brand of cricket. Along those lines, personal performances will happen or won’t happen. If they happen, yes you feel good about them, but the eventual target is to win games and win series. We want to be a high-quality team for a long time. It’s just to get them rid of those pressures of individual performances. Once you take pressures of your own performance things can flip very quickly. You will not be able to play the way the team wants you to play. And you will not be able to perform on a personal level as well.”

What may be the best-prepared team in Pakistan’s history starts their tour in earnest in Taunton on Sunday.Even before arriving in the UK three weeks ago, the squad had three weeks of training in Pakistan and are now, in the words of their team manager, Intikhab Alam, “definitely the fittest Pakistan team ever”.But their preparations extend far beyond boot camps with the army in Abbottabad and sessions with the Dukes ball in Hampshire. Pakistan have also spent time reflecting on their team dynamic and the off-field challenges that could confront them in England. The result is a side perhaps no more talented than the one that was beaten here in 2010, but one looking more disciplined, more focused and more united.

Comeback “a miracle” – Amir

Mohammad Amir has admitted there were times during his ban from the game when he thought he may never play again.
But now, with his Test comeback looming at Lord’s in a fortnight’s time, he is determined to take his chance and develop into “the world’s best bowler.”
“I am really thankful to the Almighty,” Amir told Mike Atherton for The Times. “Now I am starting again where it ended six years ago, same crowd, same team, same place. For me it is a miracle, like seeing dreams come true. If I perform well, I can feel proud again because Lord’s is a very special place. I have good memories and bad memories there and I want to make good memories again for the future.
“To be honest life was very tough for a while and there was a time when I thought I might not be able to play again. But my family was always very supportive and they gave me positive energy.
“My aim [now] is to bowl well and behave well. I was 18 years old, now I am 24. My life has totally changed. I want to do the best for my country and my team.”

It is almost unheard of for teams to enjoy such preparation in this day and age. The nature of schedules is such that, very often, players fly from country to country without time to reflect, recover or plan.But Pakistan have made a virtue of their misfortune. Considered surplus to requirement at the IPL, they instead gathered for training camps in Abbottabad and then Lahore. Unable to host lucrative home tours, they have instead spent several weeks training in low-key situations in England; they arrived on June 18 and first went to Hampshire, before moving on to Taunton. As Intikhab puts it: “they mean business.”Anticipating the sort of green, seaming surfaces that derailed Sri Lanka earlier this year and Australia last year, much of Pakistan’s preparation has focused on playing – and exploiting – the moving ball. But Pakistan may well encounter a more benign environment. The wickets at Lord’s, Old Trafford and The Oval have often, in recent years, provided helpful conditions for batsmen, which may not only negate England’s seamers but bring Pakistan’s spinners into play.The Pakistan team will, almost certainly, contain six batsmen, the keeper Sarfraz Ahmed at No. 7, three seamers and Yasir Shah as spinner. Azhar Ali will complement Yasir’s spin with legspin of his own. “He can be quite a handful,” Intikhab says. “He will bowl some long spells.”Knowing that the burden on a four-man attack – with Azhar to top up – will be onerous, the focus on fitness has been greater than ever. Army officers, who once might have deferred to super-star players, pushed them hard in Abbottabad and they have undergone further strenuous tests since arriving in England.”The bowlers have to be equally good in their third spell as their first,” Intikhab said. “They are fit. They are definitely fitter than any Pakistan team ever. We had a boot camp in Abbottabad and then 10 days in Lahore. Then three weeks here.”People were expecting a great deal from Mohammad Amir when he came back into the side. They were expecting miracles. But now, he has worked exceptional hard and got himself fit. He is ready.””He is back to his full pace,” Grant Flower, the team’s batting coach, said. “And he is swinging it a lot. It’s exciting to see.”Fitness has been a huge factor. The guys had a hard training camp at an army camp in Pakistan and we’ve had a couple of fitness tests here. The guys are definitely fitter and you will see the results in the field. We have a new fielding coach – Steve Rixon – and the guys have had a real wake-up call regarding the fielding standards that are wanted.”The process of reconciliation between Amir and his team-mates has been equally planned and deliberate. It is no secret that Azhar and Mohammad Hafeez both protested his return but, through prolonged discussion, they now buy into his comeback. The division that marked the 2010 tour is, Intikhab believes, a thing of the past.”Things have changed and this is a good thing,” Intikhab said. “There is respect for each other and they want to play as a team and bring glory on their country.”This message has been put across to all the players. They have to totally focus and be determined and believe in their abilities. This is working; the atmosphere in the dressing room is very good.”Both Flower and Intikhab believe the series may be decided by how Pakistan’s batsmen adapt to English conditions. They are confident their attack has the potency to damage England; what is less proven is the ability to take advantage of that and record match-shaping total.”I have always said we have the bowling resources to take 20 wickets,” Intikhab said. “We can bowl England out twice.”But if our batting clicks, we will have a very good chance of beating England. We have three experienced players in Misbah [ul-Haq], Younis [Khan] and Hafeez and Sarfraz at No. 7. If they play to their full potential and the wickets are as we expect, we have a very good chance. But we have to score 350-plus if we bat first.””Adapting to the conditions is going to be a huge factor,” Flower agreed. “We’re working hard on it at the moment, both technically and mentally.”Can Pakistan win? With two of England’s key men unlikely to be available for the first Test at least – James Anderson, who exploits English conditions better than anyone and Ben Stokes who lends balance to the side – and surfaces potentially negating England’s home advantage, there is genuine confidence within the squad.”If Yasir bowls to his full potential and we get decent weather, I think we’ll see some very good Test matches,” Intikhab said. “There is a lot of skill in the Pakistan team. We are confident.”

Liverpool are still on the “track” of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice ahead of the summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Who is signing Declan Rice this summer?

The Premier League veteran will be out of contract at the London Stadium at the end of next season, meaning that the upcoming window will be David Moyes’ final opportunity to cash in, and he won’t come cheap after the boss admitted that his captain is set to bring in a “British transfer record” should he be sold.

The Irons’ academy graduate has been his boyhood club’s overall best-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 7.02, and his impressive level of performances haven’t gone unnoticed by Jurgen Klopp so he won’t be short of potential suitors if he was to depart.

According to Sky Sports, the Reds, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all expressed an interest in signing the 24-year-old, whose price tag has been set at £120m, though the Hammers are reportedly open to £100m in cash plus a player going the opposite way as part of a swap deal.

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Rice has entered negotiations regarding a move to the Emirates Stadium, but didn’t rule out a surprise switch to Anfield, with FSG eyeing a move to swoop in and hijack the Gunners' deal. He wrote:

“After preliminary contacts in Jan with Rice – with Arteta also involved – now Arsenal started talks with West Ham. AFC still remain in pole position for the MF, but let's pay attention to Liverpool, on his track as well.”

Galetti has previously claimed that the Reds have also initiated tentative contacts with the Irons.

Would Rice be a good signing for Liverpool?

Rice is West Ham’s skipper and has been dubbed a real “leader” on the pitch by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so with these qualities alongside how strong he is in all aspects of his game, Liverpool would be recruiting a fantastic defensive midfielder in the form of the talisman.

The World Cup participant, who’s sponsored by Adidas, has made 79 tackles this season which is more than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, as well as averaging 1.8 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per top-flight 90 minutes, via WhoScored.

The Kingston Upon Thames-born talent, who earns £60k-per-week, is also a threat at the opposite end of the pitch having scored four goals and provided the same number of assists across all competitions this season, not to mention that he’s recorded a total of 96 shot-creating actions which is the second-highest in E20, so this really would be a no-brainer of a deal to complete should the opportunity arise for FSG.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has been left shocked after Mikel Arteta admitted his Arsenal team were "too comfortable" in their recent draw.

What did Arteta say after the Arsenal match?

It was a hugely disappointing afternoon for the Gunners on Sunday as their hopes of winning the Premier League took a big blow.

Things started to so well for the north London side as they raced to a two-goal lead against West Ham United after just ten minutes.

Indeed, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard fired Arsenal ahead but Arteta's men seemed to lose focus and Said Benrahma netted a penalty to get his side back into the game.

In the second half, Bukayo Saka then missed a penalty only minutes before Jarrod Bowen scored to level the game at 2-2.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the game, Arteta seemed to admit his team were complacent, saying: "I think so. Too comfortable just playing around them. And when a team is there [for the taking], you have to take that opportunity. We gave them hope.

When talking on BBC Radio Show 606, Sutton seemed surprised that the 41-year-old manager would accept that.

Indeed, the pundit explained (1:00): "Last couple of games they've let two-goal leads slip, haven't they? And oh look, It's so disappointing.

"What I thought was interesting. Did you hear the Arteta interview, he said they were too comfortable.

"I cannot believe he said that.”

Have Arsenal bottled the league?

Seeing as the Gunners also were 2-0 up at Anfield last week but were pegged back by Liverpool and saw that game end 2-2 as well, it's been a frustrating period for the club.

Indeed, as per the official Premier League website, it's the first time Arsenal have given up a two-goal lead in consecutive Premier League matches, making them only the fifth side to do so in the competition's history.

As a result, Arteta and co are now only four points ahead of Manchester City, despite having played one game more than their title rivals.

Even so, most fans would have bitten your hand off at the start of the season if they'd been offered the chance to be top of the league with just seven games left to play.

What's more, they've now gone nine league games without losing, winning seven and drawing two – so it's hardly been a collapse.

With that in mind, however, things finish, the season should be considered as a campaign where Arsenal have greatly surpassed expectations.

But if they don't win the title, these last two games may well be viewed as turning points.

A number of England fans have been enjoying a video of Declan Rice and Luke Shaw joking with Bukayo Saka after the Arsenal star’s rather surprising recent interaction with Kim Kardashian.

Why did Saka FaceTime with Kim Kardashian?

With the Premier League now set to take a break for the next few weeks, a collection of top players will be heading off to link up with their national teams.

For instance, the Arsenal star as well as Rice and Shaw will be playing for England soon when the Three Lions take on Italy and Ukraine in qualifiers for Euro 2024.

Saka recently arrived at the Three Lions training camp and was met by the Manchester United and West Ham men who took little time in winding their international teammate up.

Kardashian and her family were recently spotted at The Emirates as the Gunners took on and lost to Sporting CP in the Europa League and then took the time to call Saka for a personal message later on.

And so – as seen in footage shared on the official England Twitter page – when the 21-year-old arrived for England duty, he quickly had to deal with a few mocking words from his teammates.

Indeed, Rice joked: “He’s been on FaceTime with Kim Kardashian bruv, he doesn’t want us anymore.”

While Shaw also got in on the act, saying: “He’s with the A-listers.”

Saka took in all in good spirits as he soon went over to greet the pair and some fans might be particularly happy to see him joking around with Rice. After all, the England midfielder has been widely tipped to join Arsenal in the summer and is understood to be a main target for Mikel Arteta.

Regardless of all that, though, Three Lions supporters on Twitter were quick to add their input on the funny interaction. Here are some of the best reactions…