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Everton are now reportedly willing to trigger the £26m release clause in an “incredibly solid” player’s contract when the January transfer window opens.

Everton look to build on impressive start

The Blues are back in Premier League action this weekend after the September international break, with Aston Villa making the trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After the disappointment of losing at Leeds United in the opening game of the season, Everton have responded impressively with two wins in the league, with new signing Jack Grealish catching the eye with his performances, and David Moyes continuing to thrive in his second stint as manager.

Villa will pose a greater threat to the Blues than Brighton and Wolves did, however, with Unai Emery’s side among the teams with genuine European aspirations, despite not yet impressing in 2025/26, failing to win any of their opening three matches.

Another win for Everton on Saturday, against strong opposition, would further suggest that an exciting campaign is on the cards for them, and now a player has been linked with a move to the club in January.

Everton willing to trigger £26m release clause for full-back

According to a report from Spain, Everton have decided to trigger Espanyol right-back Omar El Hilali’s £26m release clause in the next transfer window. The clause has now increased to £26m after El Hilali made his debut for Morocco during the international break.

The Blues tried to sign the 22-year-old in the summer window, but failed to get a deal over the line, however, it looks as though he is still a priority target, with The Friedkin Group not messing around when it comes to transfers of late.

El Hilali is a young player with a huge amount of promise, but also someone who could come straight in as a starter for Everton, providing great competition for Jake O’Brien at right-back from the off.

The Morocco international has racked up a total of 90 appearances for Espanyol, and 44 in La Liga, also registering seven assists in that time and showing that he can shine in one of Europe’s toughest leagues.

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El Hilali has also been lauded by scout Jacek Kulig, who described him as “incredibly solid” during last season, helping his side finish 14th in La Liga.

Still only 22, Everton would be bringing in a long-term acquisition in El Hilali – one who should only improve as a player as the years pass, and he would be a different option to O’Brien, arguably adding more natural attacking quality than the Irishman, who is still a centre-back by trade.

Manchester United’s struggles over the last couple of years have been evident for all to see, with pressure subsequently mounting onto the shoulders of manager Ruben Amorim.

He was brought into the club back in November 2024 to try and overturn the dismal slump under Erik ten Hag, but it’s safe to say his spell at Old Trafford has been disappointing to date.

The 40-year-old has only achieved a win percentage of 39%, subsequently losing 19 of the 46 games he’s taken charge of – with one of the most recent being simply unforgivable.

His Red Devils side lost on penalties to League Two side Grimsby Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup, a result which has undoubtedly fuelled speculation around his future in the role.

However, his decision-making in key moments could prove to be his demise in the Premier League, often calling upon players who have constantly fallen way below the levels the fanbase expects from a United player.

Andre Onana’s decline at Manchester United

When David de Gea was released in the summer of 2023, United decided to fork out a fee in the region of £47m for the signature of goalkeeper Andre Onana – with many supporters hoping he would be able to be the club’s number one for many years.

However, two years on, his move to Old Trafford has been nothing short of a disaster, registering nine errors leading to goals, with many more questionable moments unfolding on the pitch.

Despite his lack of form in 2024/25, Amorim decided to start the Cameroonian against Grimsby – a decision that massively backfired, as he contributed to the host’s two goals at Blundell Park.

The penalty shootout gave the 29-year-old an opportunity at redemption, but he only managed one save from 13 penalties, often parrying the ball into the back of the net.

Such a performance has led to calls from the fanbase for the player to be sold – with a change between the sticks needed if the club are to progress in the near future.

The deadline day arrival of Senne Lammens will only push Onana closer to the exit door, with another first-team member needing to join him in leaving the club in the near future.

Not just Onana: Man Utd big earner needs to go

Spending big in the transfer market doesn’t equal success, as seen by United over the last couple of years, with the hierarchy spending around £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022.

Onana was just one of those additions, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo the last duo to try and transform the club’s fortunes at Old Trafford.

The pair arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford respectively, with their transfers setting the club back around £133.5m, including potential add-ons.

Their combined tally of 35 league goals in 2024/25 has given the fanbase a reason to be positive, but other cutbacks need to be made in other areas of the club are to take the next step in their quest to return to their former glory.

Harry Maguire is another player who cost big money, joining in a £80m deal from Leicester City back in the summer of 2019 – a fee that remains the most expensive ever paid for a defender.

While the England international has racked up over 250 appearances for the Red Devils, he’s not had the impact many fans would’ve anticipated upon his move from the Foxes.

He’s come into question of the fanbase in recent times, just like Onana, with the 32-year-old falling down Amorim’s pecking order over the last few weeks.

Maguire hasn’t started a single league game so far this campaign, featuring for a total of just 13 minutes off the substitutes bench – with his extortionate wage no longer reflecting his importance to the side.

Highest-paid Man Utd players (2025/26)
Rank	Player	Gross pay per week
1	Casemiro	£350,000
2	Bruno Fernandes	£300,000
3	Matthijs de Ligt	£195,000
4	Harry Maguire	£190,000
5	Matheus Cunha	£180,000
6	Benjamin Sesko	£160,000
=7	Luke Shaw	£150,000
=7	Mason Mount	£150,000
=7	Bryan Mbeumo	£150,000
Stats via Capology

The centre-back is still being paid a staggering £190k-per-week, according to Capology, a figure that is higher than new additions Cunha and Mbeumo, who earn £180k and £150k-per-week respectively.

At 32, he’s undoubtedly coming to the back end of his professional career, with the hierarchy needing to clear the Englishman off the wage bill to fund moves for fresh blood at Old Trafford.

It’s clear he and Onana aren’t at the level required for Premier League success, which could see another clear-out of the squad take place in the next couple of transfer windows.

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Hall-of-fame allrounder signs for six Vitality Blast and two One-Day Cup matches

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2025Australia’s legendary allrounder Ellyse Perry has signed for Hampshire, a statement overseas signing for the women’s side’s ahead of the inaugural Tier One county competition.Perry will be available for six Vitality Blast fixtures in July, as well as two Metro Bank One Day Cup matches. She will also be available should the club reach Vitality Blast Finals Day. She is set to make her debut at Chesterfield on July 4 against The Blaze, before a first appearance at the Utilita Bowl against Somerset on July 6.A modern great, the acquisition of Perry is a big statement of intent from Hampshire. Her CV boasts six T20 World Cups, two ODI World Cups, Commonwealth Games gold and five Ashes wins. She was ever-present through the recent 16-0 demolition of England, and is the leading run scorer and wicket-taker in Women’s Ashes.Related

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The 34-year old is highly sought after on the women’s T20 circuit, turning out most recently for 2024 WPL champions Royal Challengers Bangalore, finishing second on the 2025 edition’s run charts with 372 runs at an average of 93. Following her stint with Hampshire, she will turn out for Birmingham Phoenix in the women’s Hundred, who she captained last season.”I’m really looking forward to joining the Hampshire team this summer,” Perry told the club’s website. “The club has been a leader within the women’s game for the last ten years and I’m excited to have the opportunity join the team at such an exciting time for domestic cricket in England.”Paul Prichard, Hampshire Women’s interim head coach added: “Ellyse is one of the world’s best cricketers and we are looking forward to welcoming her to the team this summer. Her record across all formats speaks for itself and she will add a tremendous amount of value on and off the pitch.”Our group of young players will learn so much from Ellyse and I know our fans will be incredibly excited to see her in a Hawks shirt.”Perry’s acquisition follows on from Prichard’s appointment yesterday as interim head coach after Charlotte Edwards departed the role last week to replace Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach.

Barcelona and Spain have been warned over the handling of Lamine Yamal following the forward’s return from a groin injury. The 18-year-old came off the bench to help Hansi Flick's side defeat Real Sociedad 2-1 in La Liga on Sunday evening, having missed their previous four games with a groin problem which was aggravated while on international duty.

Yamal's excessive workload laid bare in new study from FIFPRO

Footballers’ union FIFPRO published a new study on Monday which has laid bare the staggering amount of football played by Yamal following his breakthrough as a 15-year-old in Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Real Betis in 2023. According to FIFPRO’s report, Yamal has made 130 appearances by the age of 18, with Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta – a man who eventually made 674 appearances for the club – having only made 40 by that age.

AdvertisementConcerns have now been raised about Yamal's welfare

And concerns have now been raised about the welfare of Yamal by Darren Burgess, chair of FIFPRO's high-performance advisory network, who believes the Spain international’s excessive workload could have severe ramifications for his long-term health.

In quotes carried by the , Burgess said of FIFPRO’s study: “It's certainly alarming. To expose them [players up to the age of 24 and 25] to excessive load at that time is almost certainly to expose them to greater injury risk.”

And via FIFPRO’s published report, Burgess added: "Growth plates, tendons, and ligaments remain vulnerable during these years, and excessive high-speed running or short recovery windows can lead to long-term structural damage. The psychological toll should also not be underestimated.”

Getty Images SportBarcelona boss Flick revealed Yamal took painkillers to play for Spain

FIFPRO’s report follows on from Barcelona manager Flick revealing that Yamal took painkillers in order to play in Spain’s World Cup-qualifying double header against Bulgaria and Turkey earlier this month. The German was left seething after confirming the teenage sensation was subsequently unavailable for his side’s league clash against Valencia on September 14.

Confirming Yamal’s absence from the game, Flick was heavily critical of Spain, saying: "Lamine Yamal will not be available. He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play. They had at least a three-goal lead in every match, and he played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this."

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Yamal made long-awaited return against Sociedad on Sunday

Yamal made his long-awaited return from injury as a second-half substitute in Barcelona’s victory over Sociedad at the weekend. Having missed the Blaugrana’s league games against Valencia, Getafe and Real Oviedo – as well as their Champions League opener against Newcastle – he emerged from the bench to set up Robert Lewandowski for what proved to be the decisive winner.

Milne replaces Usama Mir for the first three games, while Renegades have signed USA allrounder Hassan Khan and Hurricanes have signed Afghan spinner Waqar Salamkheil

Alex Malcolm08-Dec-2024

Adam Milne signs with Melbourne Stars•AFP/Getty Images

Melbourne Stars have signed New Zealand quick Adam Milne for a pre-Christmas stint in the BBL as a replacement for Pakistan legspinner Usama Mir who will miss the first three matches of the season.Stars are also set to unveil a new captain this week after Glenn Maxwell stood down at the end of last season. Maxwell is unlikely to be fit for the first match against Perth Scorchers on December 15 as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury and it remains to be seen whether he will appear in any of the first three games before Christmas.Mir is also unavailable for the first three games against Scorchers, Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers which will be played in three cities in the space of five days. Stars have swooped on Milne to fill in for those three games. He has previously played in the BBL for Sydney Thunder in 2020-21, taking just five wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate of 7.56.Related

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“To be able to secure someone of Adam’s talent and experience is a huge boost for the squad for the first three games,” Melbourne Stars General Manager Blair Crouch said. “Adam knows Australian conditions well, we value what he will add to the squad and we look forward to seeing what he can produce.”Milne also covers for the absence of Scott Boland who is on Test duty. Stars could also be missing allrounder Beau Webster for at least the opening game in Perth as he looks set to remain with the Test squad for the third match against India in Brisbane which starts on December 14. Stars’ second BBL match against Heat falls on day five of the third Test, meaning Webster could potentially be available if he is released from the Test squad pending Mitchell Marsh’s fitness.Stars are also missing England Test opener Ben Duckett for the opening three games of the BBL season, as he completes his Test duties in New Zealand, with Joe Clarke set for his second stint at Stars as a replacement after playing two seasons from 2021-23. Clarke also played six games for Melbourne Renegades last season and three games for Scorchers in 2020. He recently played for Victoria in the Global Super League in Guyana.Hassan Khan will play for Renegades in the BBL•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Renegades have signed USA spin-bowling allrounder Hassan Khan as a replacement player. The former Pakistan Under-19 representative has yet to play international cricket but starred for San Francisco Unicorns, a franchise run by Cricket Victoria, in Major League Cricket taking 10 wickets and scoring 204 runs at a strike rate of 143.70 across his nine games. He was named domestic player of the tournament. He also performed well for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the GSL.”Hassan is an exciting young talent who gives us options in both departments,” Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten said. “His ability to contribute in those important middle overs with the ball and add valuable runs down the order will be crucial as we push for success this season.”Hobart Hurricanes have signed Afghanistan left-arm wrist-spinner Waqar Salamkheil as an overseas replacement for Rishad Hossain who has been ruled out of the entire BBL due to international commitments and the Bangladesh Premier League, despite being Hurricanes’ third pick in the overseas draft.Salamkheil will be available for the first six games of the BBL season before departing for the ILT20 in January. He was Trinbago Knight Riders’ leading wicket-taker in the recent Caribbean Premier League bagging 15 scalps in 11 matches, playing alongside two other Hurricanes players in Tim David and Chris Jordan.”Waqar is a tremendous young talent, he adds a different element to our bowling line-up and is a wrist-spinner with a well-disguised wrong-un, similar to Rishad,” Hurricanes High Performance Manager Salliann Beams said.”While we are disappointed that Rishad can’t join us because of the BPL, we know that we have someone who will help us win matches in the first half of the tournament in Waqar.”He was on our radar during the draft, with Ricky [Ponting] and Hopsey [James Hopes] familiar with his talent after seeing him play in franchise cricket, he will complement what we have in our squad already.”

MatériaMais Notícias

No último treino do São Paulo antes de viajar para o Ceará, palco da partida desta quinta-feira (11) contra o Fortaleza, Jandrei já havia tido um trauma na mão constatado. Assim, não viajou com a equipe. Agora, foi informado que, após exames, uma fratura foi constatada.

No caso, no quinto dedo da mão esquerda. Desta forma, o defensor segue com a região imobilizada e será avaliado periodicamente. Como Felipe Alves também não pode ser relacionado para o confronto, por questões contratuais, a Cria de Cotia Leandro viajou com o elenco e será a opção para o gol no banco de reservas.

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Com Rafael assumindo a titularidade no gol, Jandrei não jogou nenhuma partida neste ano. Inclusive, seu último jogo aconteceu em setembro, contra o Flamengo, pelo jogo de volta da Copa do Brasil que eliminou a equipe da competição.

Desde a lesão sofrida em julho do último ano, na coluna, perdeu bastante espaço com a chegada de Felipe Alves. Nesta temporada, Rafael foi titular em todos os jogos disputados pelo Tricolor no ano.

South Africa completed their first series sweep in Asia since 2008

Firdose Moonda31-Oct-2024

Keshav Maharaj bagged a five-for in the second innings•AFP/Getty Images

South Africa completed their first series win in the subcontinent in a decade, their first series sweep in Asia since 2008 and are up to fourth place on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. An innings-and-273-run victory, their largest of all time, over Bangladesh in Chattogram means South Africa need to win at least three of their four home Tests this summer to maintain a chance to qualify for the WTC final.It was as complete a performance as South Africa could have hoped for with three centuries in the batting line-up and wickets for both seamers and spinners. They claimed 16 on the third day, with five-fors for both their champion seamer Kagiso Rabada and first-choice left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. Spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy also earned a career-best with a second-innings 4 for 45.For Bangladesh, batting remains a major concern. On a fairly placid pitch, they were on the brink at 48 for 8 in their first innings before Mominul Haque and Taijul Islam combined for a 103-run stand for the ninth-wicket. That was Bangladesh’s third-highest partnership against South Africa for any wicket. Mominul was dismissed 18 short of a 14th Test century. There were no other scores above 30 in the first innings and none higher than Hasan Mahmud’s 38 in the second innings, where they also had no partnerships higher than 37. Shot selection was a particular concern, especially in picking up the right lengths to drive and knowing when to attack the spinners.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bangladesh’s captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is a case in point. In the first innings, he was in two minds against a Rabada delivery that spat up off the surface. Shanto was unsure whether to drive or block and got an edge through to Kyle Verreynne. Four balls later, Mushfiqur Rahim handed the easiest of catches to Tony de Zorzi at square leg off Dane Paterson and was dismissed for a duck.In the over after that, Rabada took two wickets in three balls: first Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who followed a ball that moved away and was caught behind, and then the debutant Mahidul Islam, who shouldered arms to a delivery that struck him on the knee roll. That gave Rabada his second five-for in as many Tests, and second in the subcontinent.Mominul took the fight to South Africa and scored ten runs off two deliveries from Maharaj to take Bangladesh over 50 and avoid being dismissed for one of their three lowest totals in Test cricket. But South Africa sensed an opportunity to run through them and appealed for almost anything. Maharaj reviewed two lbw shouts against Taijul.The first was clipping leg but upheld on umpire’s call and, on the second the impact was outside off. He finally had a decision go his way when Langton Rusere gave Mominul out when he missed a sweep but Mominul reviewed immediately and UltraEdge showed an under-edge. Mominul was on 37 at the time. He brought up fifty of the 76th ball he faced off Maharaj and South Africa thought they had him later in the over when he seemed to be caught at leg slip. Replays showed the ball came off the flap of his front pad.Rabada was brought back for a burst before lunch and immediately thought he had Mominul snaffled down the leg side but had overstepped. If South Africa have a concern after this match, it’s the number of no-balls they bowled. Rabada sent down nine and Paterson, four.Senuran Muthusamy took career-best figures of 4 for 45 in the second innings•AFP/Getty Images

Muthusamy was given the ball for the first time five minutes before lunch and resumed after the break. He broke Mominul’s resistance with a ball that turned back into him and struck him on the front pad. Mominul was given out lbw and reviewed but the ball appeared to rush past the outside edge without making contact and the on-field decision was upheld. Maharaj ended the innings when Nahid Rana handed a catch back to him to give him a return of 2 for 57. At that point, South Africa opted not to bat again and enforced the follow-on with a view to wrapping things up quickly.Bangladesh’s second dig did not go that much better. Shadman Islam was dropped off Wiaan Mulder in the second over but four overs later, he nicked Paterson from a delivery that angled in. Rabada could have had Zakir Hasan in the next over but Aiden Markram, at second slip, dived across first slip and neither could complete the catch. Instead, it was Muthusamy who had his moment to shine.His fifth ball turned away from Mahmudul Hasan Joy and took the edge, where Markram completed a good low catch at slip. Three balls later, Mominul picked out Muthusamy on the leg-side boundary and Maharaj could not believe his luck. And then, Muthusamy also struck gold with the last ball before tea when Zakir advanced on him, missed and was stumped. Bangladesh went to tea at 43 for 4.Mushfiqur’s miserable match ended when he was out lbw off Muthusamy, confirmed on South Africa’s review, and Maharaj removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul as they both tried to manufacture run-scoring opportunities with big shots. As the light faded and the stand between Mahmud and Mahidul grew, South Africa may have thought they’d have to return to finish the job on the fourth morning.But Mahidul, on debut, eventually gave it away. He was tempted by one of Maharaj’s tossed-up balls and hit it to Rabada at long-off. Maharaj and Muthusamy were in a race to see who would get five and it was Maharaj who won as Nahid popped a catch to David Bedingham at silly mid-off to end the match inside three days.

حقق الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي زد، الفوز على منافسه الإسماعيلي، بهدف نظيف، في لقاء جمع بينهما اليوم الجمعة في الدوري المصري.

واستقبل فريق زد نظيره الإسماعيلي، اليوم الجمعة، على ملعب استاد القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الأسبوع السادس من بطولة الدوري المصري.

طالع| أفشة: ما فعله الونش أهم من هدفي.. والإسماعيلي “برازيل العرب”

وجاء هدف فريق زد عن طريق اللاعب محمود صابر في الدقيقة 52 من عمر الشوط الثاني، من عرضية قابلها اللاعب بقدمه في الشباك.

وبهذه النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد زد إلى النقطة التاسعة في المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، توقف رصيد الإسماعيلي عند النقطة الرابعة في المركز الثامن عشر بجدول ترتيب الدوري. أهداف مباراة زد والاسماعيلي اليوم في الدوري المصري

Rivals thought Liverpool would fall off a cliff when Jurgen Klopp packed up and left, but Arne Slot came and chased their wistful dreams right back from where they came.

Only 11 months after Klopp sang Slot’s name, Carabao Cup trophy in the bag but not much else (aside from qualification back into the Champions League after the misery of 2022/23), Anfield’s new Dutch boss returned the song, having won the Premier League and defied all expectations.

Slot’s proven himself, joining an exclusive club of managers who won the English top flight in their first year, and now he’s been entrusted to work with sporting director Richard Hughes and make sweeping changes in the transfer market.

Slot chased the doubters away, and with Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz joining from Bayer Leverkusen, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez arriving soon and a new centre-forward soon to be targeted, there’s so much to be excited about if you’re of a Liverpool persuasion.

Of course, some outgoings are happening too, with the legend that is Andy Robertson mooted for a departure in the coming months.

Liverpool's left-back situation

Robertson, 31, is entering the final year of his £160k-per-week contract and sadly looked a weak link under Slot’s wing. It’s understandable: he’s been run into the ground across so many years of tireless service.

With a deal agreed to sign Kerkez, Robertson is going to be relegated to the backbench, and so with Atletico Madrid circling, it might be that FSG reluctantly let their stalwart go.

Kerkez might be young, but there’s no question that he’s already reached a degree of superiority over Liverpool’s veteran, whose athleticism and once unending batteries have ebbed back over the past year.

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

33 (29)

Goals

2

0

Assists

5

1

Touches*

59.6

64.5

Pass completion

80%

88%

Big chances created

8

7

Key passes*

1.0

1.2

Dribbles*

0.6

0.2

Ball recoveries*

4.4

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.8

Clearances*

2.6

1.3

Duels (won)*

4.0 (54%)

1.8 (48%)

If Robertson does leave, though, could Liverpool be selling themselves short? His back-up, Kostas Tsimikas, is on Leeds United’s radar, after all. Liverpool might need one more star on the left side of the backline, and the chosen target may just be the most exciting of the lot.

Liverpool consider another left-back

According to TEAMtalk, Ajax defender Jorrel Hato is interested in moving to Liverpool despite the efforts of Arsenal, who effectively have the lead in the race right now.

Hato, 19, has been a revelation in his homeland and has been priced at €50m (£43m), a valuation which Ajax are not willing to reduce this summer.

Further reports claim that Chelsea are also in the frame, and that Liverpool and the Blues have been informed by the player’s camp that the race is very much open at this stage.

What Jorrel Hato would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool are stocking up nicely with the 21-year-old Kerkez, aren’t they? So why does Slot want another left-sided defender in Hato? Well, the young Dutchman would provide that extra bit of depth on the flank, all the while fostering qualities as a central defender too.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig actually hailed Hato as “one of the most talented centre-backs in Europe in his generation” just a few years ago, during his formative phase. But despite this, the Netherlands star has played the past year of his professional career as principally a left-back, owing to his gas tank, tenacious attitude and dynamism, driving up and down the wing.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe last season for pass completion, the top 14% for tackles and interceptions combined and the top 15% for ball recoveries per 90.

Impressive stats, and useful to shine a light on the skill set that has seen a natural centre-half perform with such aplomb in a wide berth.

Left-back

89

4

8

Centre-back

70

3

3

Centre-midfield

1

0

0

Hato and Kerkez are both rising defensive stars of immense potential, and choosing which one would be ‘better’ under Slot’s wing is effectively splitting hairs, but we’re hair splitters over here, and Ajax’s age-belying prospect is an absolute marvel.

Hailed for his “special” talents by scout Phil Costa, so skilled, so versatile, Hato could become one of the best in the world across multiple positions, and if that isn’t enough to send frissons of excitement through the Liverpool fanbase, what is?

It’s for this reason that he has been described as an “exceptional athlete” by analyst Ben Mattinson. When considering Hato’s quality across not one but two positions that Liverpool need to strengthen, you could argue he’s the more exciting man than Kerkez.

Certainly, there’s more thrill involved with the teenager than Robertson, who Jamie Carragher called “an absolute legend” in January, but a defender who has been “hanging on in every game.”

If, at the eleventh hour, Liverpool’s bid to sign Kerkez falls through, Hato would prove an excellent alternative; but, if all goes to plan and Hughes secures another excellent signing for the title-winning Reds, adding Hato to the mix would surely complete the set.

Slot's own Mane: Liverpool enter race to sign "unbelievable" £51m star

Liverpool are presented with a unique market opportunity to sign a talented youngster.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 16, 2025

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin knows that he has an incredibly difficult job ahead of him, as the club have failed to win the Scottish Premiership title in each of the last four seasons.

The Light Blues also failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson, which means that the former Scotland international is tasked with bringing glory back to Ibrox.

Martin may have to do that whilst dealing with some of his key players moving on from the club, though, as multiple stars have been linked with exits from Glasgow.

Both Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande are reportedly being eyed up by teams in England this summer, which puts them at risk of being sold in the coming months.

This means that Martin could need to bring in new midfielders to lead the team forward, if Raskin and Diomande move on this summer, and the domestic market could be the way to go, as it has produced some terrific signings, such as Glen Kamara.

Rangers hit the jackpot with Glen Kamara

The Light Blues swooped to sign the central midfielder for £50k at the start of 2019, before his contract at Dundee expired that summer, in what turned out to be a bargain move by the club.

In fact, the £50k that the Scottish giants paid for the Finland international was later described as the “steal of the century” by former Rangers midfielder and Kamara’s teammate Scott Arfield.

The Gers hit the jackpot with the midfield maestro because they snapped him up from a Premiership team and he hit the ground running as a player who did not need time to adapt to the league.

Kamara went on to play 193 times in all competitions for the Scottish giants, winning the Premiership in the 2020/21 campaign, and his value soared during his time at Ibrox.

January 2019

Reported £50k move to Rangers

August 2019

£720k

February 2020

£1.3m

January 2021

£3.8m

May 2021

£5m

June 2022

£6.3m

March 2023

£5m

August 2023

Reported £5m move to Leeds

As you can see in the table above, his value had risen from £50k to £5m by the time he left to join Leeds in the summer of 2023, which shows that the Gers hit the jackpot with the Finnish star.

New Rangers boss Russell Martin could, now, land his own version of Kamara amid reported interest in a midfielder from another Premiership side.

Rangers eyeing deal for Premiership midfielder

According to SportsBoom, Rangers have ‘quietly explored’ what it would take to secure a deal to sign Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Celtic and the Gers are both keen on snapping up the Scotland international to bolster their options in the middleof the park ahead of next season.

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It adds, however, that Premier League side Sunderland are preparing an offer of £10m to sign the 18-year-old talent, after they sold Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund this week.

The outlet claims that Celtic and Rangers have both been watching the teenage Premiership starlet, but the Black Cats are quietly confident that they can get a deal done for the Motherwell talent.

Martin and Kevin Thelwell must work hard to convince Miller to remain in Scotland and make the move to Ibrox, over joining Sunderland, as he could be the new manager’s own Kamara signing.

Why Lennon Miller could be Russell Martin's own Glen Kamara

The teenage talent would come in as a similar signing to Kamara as a player who has already proven himself as a central midfielder in the Premiership.

He has already racked up 76 first-team appearances for Motherwell by the age of 18 and showcased his quality on a regular basis in the top-flight, even producing an exceptional assist against Celtic in the clip below.

This means that the 18-year-old star could come in to hit the ground running at Ibrox, given his knowledge of the league, which was also the case for Kamara after he joined from Dundee.

Miller, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by James McFadden, is also similar to the Finland international when it comes to the strength and athleticism that he provides out of possession.

Kamara won 59% of his duels and made 6.09 ball recoveries per 90 in the 2020/21 title-winning season, which shows that he was strong off the ball, and Miller displayed similar qualities in the 2024/25 campaign for his current club.

Tackle success rate

68%

Top 28%

Duels won

5.84

Top 36%

Duel success rate

53%

Top 31%

Interceptions

1.38

Top 14%

Ball recoveries

6.52

Top 10%

Blocks

0.48

Top 28%

As you can see in the table above, the Scotland international ranked incredibly highly among midfielders in the division in a host of key defensive metrics, including his duel success rate and ball recoveries per 90.

Like Kamara, Miller is a central midfielder who puts him about the park to win possession back for his side on a regular basis, but the Scottish ace also has the quality to provide goals and assists.

The £10m-rated dynamo ended the season with two goals, 12 ‘big chances’ created, and eight assists in the Premiership, whilst Kamara never managed more than four assists in a single league season.

This suggests that Miller could bring the physicality that the Finnish ace brought to Ibrox, but with more quality in possession in the final third to make an impact in front of goal.

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Therefore, Martin could land his own version of Kamara, but with the potential to be even better due to his ability on the ball, by winning the race to land the Premiership starlet this summer.