Glasgow Rangers have so far made seven summer signings in order to significantly bolster their squad ahead of the rigours of the 2023/24 campaign, which will once again feature Champions League football.

Michael Beale has so far done well to offset the departures of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos – both leaving following the end of their contracts – by luring forwards Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, and Abdallah Sima to Ibrox, alongside attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell. If these four make an immediate impact at the Ibrox side, then the achievements of Kent and Morelos may soon be forgotten by the supporters, especially if the club win silverware next season.

Beale doesn’t appear to be stopping there either, with Brazilian forward Danilo being eyed as his next arrival in Glasgow. An initial offer of £4.5m was rejected by Feyenoord for the striker, however, the Gers could be set to test their resolve with another bid.

The Eredivisie side value him at around £6.5m and with plenty of players departing club this summer in order to raise funds, the fee shouldn’t prove to be a problem. If Beale can't get a deal over the line for the 24-year-old, he could target an ideal alternative – Anastasios Douvikas.

Will Rangers sign another striker this summer?

There is no doubt that at least one more forward will arrive through the door at Ibrox during the window, especially if Antonio Colak does leave the club amid recent interest from the Bundesliga and MLS clubs.

Last month it was claimed that Rangers were set to make a bid of £7m according to Greek outlet Nova Sports (via The Daily Record), while Celtic were also seemingly keen on the player and if a move for Danilo falls through, Beale should divert all his attention to luring the Greek international to Scotland.

Last season, the “sharp” frontman – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – netted an impressive 19 goals in just 24 starts for FC Utrecht last season, and this total would have seen him rank as the highest scorer in the Rangers side during 2022/23, with James Tavernier and Colak finishing on 18 goals apiece.

Indeed, his overall tally of 22 goals in 36 matches across all competitions was better than Danilo’s total, as the Brazilian scored 14 goals from 48 games, indicating that the Utrecht hitman has a much better strike rate.

Douvikas doesn’t just score more goals, he also has a higher percentage of shots on target (46.1% to 39.7%), registers more shot-creating actions (49 to 44) and takes more touches in the attacking penalty area (142 to 106) than Danilo, and he appears to be a more rounded forward than Danilo, giving Beale some interesting options on where to play him.

The Feyenoord striker does appear to be the main target given that the Gers are looking to make a second bid for him, yet Douvikas could be an excellent alternative, not only by having a better scoring rate but also by getting into the box more often while generating more shot-creating actions.

كشف لوكسولو سبتمبر مدير المنظومة الإعلامية لـ الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، حقيقة ما يتردد عن إلغاء مسابقة بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية في الموسم الجديد.

وكان ترددت أنباء حول خروج قرار من الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، بإلغاء مسابقة بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية في الموسم المقبل وتقديم الدعم الكامل لمسابقتي دوري أبطال إفريقيا ودوري السوبر الإفريقي.

طالع | حصل عليها الأهلي والزمالك.. كاف يدرس إلغاء إحدى بطولات الأندية

وقال سبتمبر خلال حسابه عبر موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “إكس”: “رداً على تلك الأنباء، الحقيقة هي أن مستقبل كأس الكونفدرالية لم تتم مناقشته من قبل أي هيئة صنع قرار في كاف، فكيف يمكن أن يكون هناك قرار عندما لم يتم مناقشة شيء ما؟، لكن الحقائق مملة”.

وأضاف: “لكن لماذا ننشر الأكاذيب؟، لم يكن هناك أي نقاش حول مستقبل كأس الاتحاد الإفريقي، لذلك لا يوجد قرار بشأن كأس الكونفدرالية”.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية حصل عليها من قبل، قطبي الكرة المصرية الأهلي عام 2014 والزمالك 2019.

ويتواجد من مصر، فريق الزمالك في البطولة هذا الموسم 2024 حيث وصل إلى دور نصف النهائي من كأس الكونفدرالية ويلتقي مع دريمز الغاني يوم الأحد المقبل 21 أبريل ذهابًا في القاهرة، على أن تكون العودة يوم 28 من الشهر ذاته.

FACT is: The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup future has not been discussed by any decision-making body at CAF.
So how can there be a decision when something has not been discussed 🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️

But Facts are boring! pic.twitter.com/KSftW3yz1W

— Lux September (@Lux_September) April 19, 2024

But why do we spread lies?

There has been NO discussion on the future of the #TotalEnergiesCAFCC Confederation Cup.
Therefore there is NO decision on the Confederation Cup. https://t.co/qW2nGecdDJ

— Lux September (@Lux_September) April 19, 2024

Kylian Mbappe most likely will not be joining the Premier League and Arsenal this summer according to Paul Brown.

The Frenchman has told Paris Saint Germain that he intends to leave following the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2024.

What is the situation with Kylian Mbappe and PSG?

It is just another year of the Mbappe circus at PSG.

Last summer the Frenchman signed a new deal with the Parisians that was suggested to be a three-year deal, with the player holding up a shirt reading 2025. However, in reality, the deal wasn't a full three-year contract, but rather two guaranteed years with the option of a third that could only be activated by Mbappe himself by July 31st 2023.

Recently, the French international released a letter, detailing that he would not be taking up the option to extend his contract, with many believing that the forward had already set plans in motion for a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was reportedly furious with the decision and sent a letter back to Mbappe, informing him that should he decide to not take up the option to extend his deal until 2025, he will be sold to the highest bidder in August as the French club do not want to lose their star man for free.

The most recent development has been the news that both Mbappe and Al-Khelaifi are set for a meeting this week, with the hope being that more clarity is shed on the situation and an agreement can be reached between all parties.

Reports have stated recently that Arsenal may be interested in bringing the 24-year-old to the Premier League, with the Independent stating that Mikel Arteta's side would be the strikers preference for an English club should he make the move.

However, speaking exclusively to FootballFanCast, journalist Brown revealed that he doesn't believe Mbappe will make the move to North London, with his heart set on Los Blancos.

What did Paul Brown say on the matter?

When asked about the rumours, Brown stated: "Whether Arsenal would be Mbappe's first choice port of call in the Premier League, I really couldn't say. What I do know is that ever since he was a boy, he's grown up wanting to play for Real Madrid. And as far as I'm aware, everyone in France thinks that he will end up at Real Madrid at some point.

It looks unlikely that he's going to leave PSG this summer. I think a lot of people suspect that he may already be, you know, in the process of agreeing to sign for Real Madrid next summer, so we'll have to see but I genuinely can't see Mbappe ending up in the Premier League either this summer or next to be quite honest. I think he's his heart and his mind are probably elsewhere."

Will Mbappe leave join Arsenal this summer?

Like Brown said, it is hard to see a world where Mbappe leaves PSG this summer.

Even if the Frenchman decides to not take up his option to extend his contract and PSG try to sell him, the club reportedly value the striker at £150m, which might price the Gunners out of a move for the striker.

Should the club find a potential suitor however, the forward may well just turn down any contract offers that aren't from Real Madrid if the idea that he already has his heart set on a move to Madrid are true, and should Arsenal manage to convince Mbappe to swap Paris for London, it's hard to see the 24-year-old wanting to take a pay cut from his €1m per week (£857k per week) salary, which Arsenal definitely won't be able to match after their business this summer.

It is a messy situation, like it has been the past couple of summers now, and this one may not get the clean conclusion the other sagas have had.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in the quest to replenish their side after making almost £80m worth of sales so far this transfer window.

Julen Lopetegui will be eager to put his spin on the squad he inherited last term from Bruno Lage, however the Spaniard could face his first howler with links to a Premier League underperformer arising.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been linked with a move to Molineux, however the Midlands club should avoid taking the risk on a potentially expensive move.

How much is Harry Maguire worth?

Valued at €23.5m (£20m) by FootballTransfers, the Englishman’s value has crashed following a sequence of underwhelming individual campaigns.

A report this week from GIVEMESPORT claimed that United hope to sell the defender for a speculated fee of £35m this summer.

Transfer insider Dean Jones raised Wolves as a potential suitor for Maguire in his GIVEMESPORT column saying:

'… The only other Premier League clubs on the lookout for a new centre back – that could seem viable in any shape or form – this summer include Wolves, Fulham and, at a stretch, his old club Sheffield United.'

Should Wolves sign Harry Maguire?

After a trialling 2022/23 season, the Old Gold relied on Lopetegui to turn fortunes around to keep the club in the Premier League, after sitting bottom of the table on Christmas Day.

In his first full term in the Midlands, the Spaniard will aim to get the side back among the top ten, with a raise in defensive and offensive structure required over the break in play.

With the objectives clear, it would be a questionable move for Wolves to go for Maguire, who at the age of 30, has seen a disappointing decline in form attributable to a knock in confidence.

The once famed Leicester City ace – and the world's most expensive defender – started just eight Premier League games last term for United, being identified as a weak spot in the club’s back line.

Slammed by Red Devils legend Roy Keane earlier this season for having “not been good enough”, the Englishman faces an almost impossible battle in reclaiming his spot as the club’s favoured central defender, leaving him facing a potential exile.

United’s trash should not be regarded as a project for Wolves to polish and use in the bid to improve, with other central defensive options available, Lopetegui could show the club’s ambition by avoiding a move for the £190k-per-week dud.

A report from Planet Football highlighted just how detrimental the 30-year-old has been to the Manchester giants’ form, with their record both with and without him being captured between the 2021/22 campaign to January 2023.

In that time frame, the Red Devils played 42 games with Maguire, losing 14 and conceding 62 goals with a loss rate of 33.3%, however without the Englishman in the side, the loss rate decreased to 18.2%, conceding 33 goals and losing just six in 33 games.

In a season that must show progression, adding a defender famed for his frailties should not be for consideration, with the room for defensive error being considerably low in the top tier.

Arsenal are not currently interested in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, but they could look at signing him later in the transfer window, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Arsenal have been very busy in the summer transfer window, having already completed moves for Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, with the latter recently putting pen to paper on a five-year contract after completing a £105m move from West Ham United.

Mikel Arteta has already strengthened his midfield considerably, but the Gunners are still running the rule over a number of other options, including Fluminense's Andre Trindade, having already made contact with the Brazil international's representatives.

Given that Thomas Partey has reportedly agreed a move to the Saudi Pro League, Arteta may be tasked with bringing in a replacement for the Ghanaian, and there has now been an update on the pursuit of Lavia.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Sheth has claimed the Southampton midfielder is not a current transfer target, but he hints that he could become an option later in the window.

The Sky Sports reporter said: "There's lots of talk about Arsenal. Now, I'm told that, as it stands, that interest is not there. Maybe they've looked at him but, as it stands, the interest is not there.

"Like I've said before, I just wonder if and when they can release some of these players that they don't want in the squad anymore and see how much money they can generate for those players and see how much wages they can get knocked off the bill, then aside of a right-sided player, is Lavia maybe somebody that they look at, particularly if the Thomas Partey situation continues?"

Is Romeo Lavia a CDM?

The 19-year-old is most commonly utilised as a defensive midfielder, as a result of his impressive defensive qualities, making the highest number of tackles, interceptions and blocked shots of any U21 player in the Premier League last season.

Not only that, the Belgian maestro is also a very assured passer of the ball, with 78.2% of the long passes he attempted up until March 22nd last season proving to be accurate, ranking him 15th in the top flight among players to attempt over 50 balls from their own half.

That passing accuracy indicates the starlet could be a fantastic replacement for Partey, should the 30-year-old move on this summer, given that the Arsenal midfielder ranks in the 85th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 in the past year.

Considering Rice's recent arrival, the Gunners have no pressing need to bring in another central midfielder, but the Southampton ace could be a very good signing later in the window, despite his reported price tag of £50m.

Lauded as a "monster" by members of the media, Lavia had an excellent season in the Premier League last term, managing to shine in a very poor Southampton side, and he has proven that he is ready to make the step-up to a club like Arsenal.

While the result of a Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe match would be predictable in normal circumstances, the first ODI may give Zimbabwe a chance to break their drought in Sri Lanka

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Jun-2017Match FactsJune 30, 2017
Start time: 1000 local (0430GMT)Big PictureNormally the outcome of a Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe match is among the more straightforward to predict. Sri Lanka may not always be among the best one-day nations, but they have in the past been adept at putting away the weaker sides – star players rarely passing up the chance to buff their stats a little.This time, however, Zimbabwe may have an opportunity. Not only has the opposition ventured a green squad, Sri Lanka are also in some turmoil – the head coach having been pushed out by SLC, and their spearhead having been effectively placed on probation. On top of all this, the side was also subjected to uncommonly caustic criticism after their Champions Trophy exit, which was seen to be the result of poor fielding.Zimbabwe, meanwhile, come into the series with the unusual record of having won almost as many matches as they have lost this year – though both of their series so far had been against Associates. They narrowly lost the five-match series against Afghanistan, going into the decider tied 2-all before Afghanistan’s spinners made short work of them in Harare. And though Zimbabwe lost the first match to Scotland in Edinburgh two weeks ago, they romped to a six-wicket victory in the second game, and followed that up with a 2-1 win in a List A series against the Netherlands.Still, despite their depleted state, Sri Lanka will be the more confident side in the approach to the game. Even if things go badly for the junior players, in Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews and Upul Tharanga, they will feel they have enough experience to prevail.Form guideSri Lanka LWLWL (completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe WLLWWIn the spotlightLasith Malinga has been at the centre of the fallout from Sri Lanka’s Champions Trophy exit, and will be especially keen to underscore his value to the Sri Lankan team, following a frustrating campaign in England. Zimbabwe are just the kind of opponents he could bounce back against. Though many in Zimbabwe’s XI have played against him before, they will not have faced him at length. And while he’s not as quick as he once was, the yorkers remain accurate, and the slower ball is still difficult to parse.Though he didn’t play in that five-match series against Afghanistan, captain and legspinner Graeme Cremer has recently put together an impressive run of form – taking a five-for in that ODI victory against Scotland, having also claimed 14 wickets in six List A games for the Mid West Rhinos in Zimbabwe’s Pro50 competition. He has not taken a wicket in two previous matches in Sri Lanka, but may perhaps break that duck on a Galle pitch that has traditionally been known to take turn.Kusal Mendis is 28 runs away from becoming the joint second-fastest Sri Lanka batsman to score 1000 ODI runs•Getty ImagesTeam newsAmila Aponso, the left-arm spinner who impressed against Australia last year, was a late addition to Sri Lanka’s squad. With so many young players in the mix, the XI is difficult to predict, but is likely to feature a healthy phalanx of spinners. Danushka Gunathilaka will likely open alongside Niroshan Dickwella, displacing Upul Tharanga to the middle order.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Upul Tharanga, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Lahiru Madushanka, 8 Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Lakshan Sandakan,10 Akila Dananjaya/Amila Aponso, 11 Lasith MalingaZimabwe have played with an unchanged XI in three consecutive wins against Scotland and the Netherlands. They may opt for that combination again.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Solomon Mire, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikander Raza, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Peter Moor (wk), 8 Malcolm Waller, 9 Graeme Cremer (capt.), 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Chris MpofuPitch and conditionsThe Galle pitch is unlikely to be the snake pit it is in the back end of Test matches, but is likely to take some slow spin. As ever during this time of year, there is a chance of showers in Galle.Stats and trivia Zimbabwe have won two and lost 26 matches against Sri Lanka since 2000. They have never beaten Sri Lanka on the island, in eight attempts.Kusal Mendis needs 28 more runs to complete 1000 in ODI cricket. If he does it in the next innings – his 28th – he will become the joint second-fastest Sri Lankan to the milestone, behind Roy Dias (27).This will be Galle’s first ODI since July 2000.Quotes”We rely heavily on our spinners. If there’s a bit of spin we can exploit that. After the Holland and Scotland tours we found that we have lot of batting depth. We bat all the way up to number ten.”
” Consistency is something we are looking for, and we saw it in the Champions Trophy where we didn’t meddle with the batting order too much. It’s one aspect we are not trying to experiment too much with. We will try and go with the same six to eight batters in the next few months.”

Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, has backed Joe Root to bring the same positive intent to his captaincy that he has always brought to his batting

Andrew Miller29-Jun-20172:05

Bayliss tips Root and Cook to flourish in new roles

Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, has backed Joe Root to bring the same positive intent to his captaincy that he has always brought to his batting, as he prepares to take charge of the Test team for the first time against South Africa at Lord’s next week.Root inherited the Test role from Alastair Cook, who stepped down after last year’s tour of India, but has been waiting in the wings for the past seven months during a prolonged period of white-ball cricket under the leadership of Eoin Morgan.However, he has been a pivotal figure throughout England’s rise up the one-day rankings, and speaking at the Investec Test series launch in London, Bayliss said that he would provide Root with whatever backing he needs to shape the team however he sees fit in the coming weeks.Possible England squad

Joe Root (capt), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Mark Wood, Toby Roland-Jones

“Certainly the way Rooty goes about his cricket, he’s nice and positive the way he bats, I suspect the way he will captain the team will be similar,” Bayliss said. “We’ve had a few short chats over the last month or so, about the way Rooty wants to attack the game. I suspect we will go a bit deeper into the South African side over the next couple of days.”My way of operating is the captain’s the one in charge. It’s a bit old-school, but that’s what I believe,” Bayliss added. “They are the ones playing the game. They are the ones who’ve got to have a say in how the game moves forward.”To all the captains who’ve captained England since I’ve been here, I’ll give them 100 percent backing, if they have got a good argument for what they want do, whether it’s selection, field placement, bowling changes. If they haven’t got a good argument for something, that’s where I might come up with a few ideas myself.”While England’s one-day performances have caught the eye since Bayliss and his assistant Paul Farbrace took the helm in 2015, the Test team has fallen short of its usual standards. They lost a record eight fixtures in 2016, including two at home to Pakistan in a drawn series last summer, as well five out of seven on their most recent assignments against Bangladesh and India in the subcontinent. The first Test squad of the summer is due to be announced on Saturday morning, and the selectors know that there are plenty of places up for grabs.”We are perhaps not as settled as we could be,” Farbrace said. “Obviously the selectors this week are going to have a tough decision in terms of looking at the balance and make-up of the side. I think we’ve still got some way to go in terms of being balanced, being organised as a team and probably knowing what our best team is. In one-day cricket, we’re a bit more settled. In Test cricket, we’ve still got a way to go.”One player who could scarcely seem more settled, however, is Root’s predecessor. Cook had looked careworn at the end of the India tour, after five years and a record 59 Tests in charge, but he has returned to his Essex roots with alacrity this summer, racking up six hundreds in all formats, including 193 in the ongoing contest against the champions, Middlesex, to cement his side’s place at the top of the County Championship standings. It appears that he is in the ideal form and frame of mind to provide Root with a valuable source of wisdom from the corner of the dressing-room.Trevor Bayliss will take a back seat to allow Joe Root to mould his team as he sees fit•Getty Images

“It’s great that, after giving away the captaincy, he’s still got that hunger to score runs,” Bayliss said. “As an ex-England captain, it will be a bit of a juggling act, but he and Rooty get on very well. Cooky is very well respected in the team and if he thinks something needs to be said, I’m sure he will say it.”The identity of Cook’s opening partner is less assured, however. Prior to suffering a hand injury in India last year, Haseeb Hameed looked to have made the role his own following an eye-catching debut, but he has struggled for runs for Lancashire this season, and is likely to have to wait his turn for a recall. Keaton Jennings, captaining the Lions against South Africa in Worcester, is a ready-made stand-in, although the claims of Surrey’s Mark Stoneman, thriving at The Oval since his move from Durham last year, cannot be ignored either.”It’s a surprise to all of us that he’s had the tough time he’s had,” Farbrace said of Hameed’s struggles this season. “The thing that stood out in India was not only the way he practised and played the game, but the nous, the confidence, without being cocky or arrogant, to look completely at home. That was the thing that excited all of us.”He’s probably trying to work his game out, but he’s definitely got an unbelievable future ahead of him in international cricket,” Farbrace added. “Everything about him suggests he will be a major success, it reminds me of Root, he will go through [bad] periods, and he will be a better player for it.”Gary Ballance, another player in stellar form this season, is proof of that point. He was cast aside last winter, after mustering 24 runs in four innings against Bangladesh’s spinners, but has been in irresistible form in his maiden season as Yorkshire captain. Against Hampshire in April he scored 108 and 203 not out to lay out his stall for the campaign, and Bayliss expects him to feature heavily in the selectors’ thinking.”It’s great to see him scoring runs,” he said. “I’m sure he’ll be spoken about in tomorrow’s selection meeting, quite heavily. One thing Gary’s always had in his favour is he’s mentally tough, which is why he’s been able to come back after being dropped a couple of times and score a lot of runs for Yorkshire. There’s no reason why someone like that can’t come back and make a success of international cricket. But somewhere along the line, the selection panel will have to make a decision on whether it’s time to look at someone new.”In the two years I’ve been here it will be the toughest selection meeting that I’ve had,” Bayliss added. “It’s a good problem to have when you’re struggling to know which guys to put in. I liked the look of [Dawid] Malan in the one-day series. Stoneman scored a lot of runs with Surrey this season and a lot of tough runs the last couple of seasons at Durham. [Sam] Robson has been scoring some runs. They’re up for discussion and we’ll come up with an answer tomorrow. We’ll work our way down the order.”Ballance’s Yorkshire team-mate, Jonny Bairstow, will be among the first names on the team-sheet for Lord’s – in stark contrast to his frustrating time as a fringe member of the white-ball set-up – following a record-breaking run of form in Test cricket in 2016, in which he set new records for runs and catches by a wicketkeeper in a calendar year.”His batting has been unbelievable,” Bayliss said. “To score the runs that he did, most of the season batting at seven, was outstanding, and he’s certainly becoming one of the better players in the team.”He has that confidence now that he’s in the team and feels a part of it, because one of the jumps when you go up a level [in professional cricket] is feeling comfortable and feeling a part of that new environment,” Bayliss added. “He’s gone from being a Yorkshire player who occasionally plays for England to becoming an England player who occasionally plays for Yorkshire.”Bayliss indicated that Bairstow was likely to retain the gloves for the first Test, despite being worthy of selection for his batting alone. With Jos Buttler and Sam Billings already in the England set-up, and Surrey’s Ben Foakes making a very strong case for recognition, alternatives are not thin on the ground, especially if his standards dip at any stage behind the stumps.”Not just at the moment,” Bayliss said. “I think Jonny deserves the chance to start this year as the keeper.”On the bowling front, England will face a few anxious moments over the weekend, seeing how Stuart Broad’s heel holds up if, as expected, he is passed fit to play in the Royal London Cup final against Surrey on Saturday. With Chris Woakes (side) and Jake Ball (knee) both ruled out, and James Anderson on the mend after a groin problem earlier in the season, there is a definite fragility to England’s fast-bowling stocks.”We’ll know tonight before our selection meeting in the morning,” Bayliss said of Broad’s fitness. “He’s been training the last couple of days when we’ve been putting him through more of a test and, if he comes through that, he’ll play in the one-day final as a test for the Test match.”You have to accept seam bowlers are going to get injured, but I think the good thing is there are enough quality bowlers in the England set-up,” he added. “You always want to have more than you need, you always want to have quality, but I think the last time that Anderson, Broad, Wood and Stokes were together was the Dubai Test against Pakistan [in 2015].”Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace were speaking at the launch of the Investec Test summer

Glasgow Rangers have been active throughout the summer transfer window so far as Michael Beale has made seven additions to his playing squad.

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

The Light Blues head coach has been able to sign Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers, Leon Balogun, Dujon Sterling, Cyriel Dessers, and Jack Butland on permanent deals, whilst Abdallah Sima has joined on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

There is still more than a month to run before the deadline passes, though, and the Scottish giants are still in the market to land another number nine, as they are reportedly pursuing a deal for Feyenoord ace Danilo.

The Daily Record recently reported that the Gers have had an offer of around £5.2m rejected by the Dutch club, who are holding out for a fee of more than £6m for their second-choice striker.

Jordan Campbell, of The Athletic, has claimed that the 24-year-old marksman is being eyed as a 'hybrid' forward to start alongside Dessers in the attack.

Beale could, however, find a dream alternative for that role by swooping for Montenegro international Nikola Krstovic, who was reportedly priced out of a move to Ibrox earlier this year.

How much would Nikola Krstovic cost Rangers?

Football Insider claimed that Dunajska Streda valued that prolific machine at up to £5m in order to ward off interest from the Light Blues.

Yet, the club's £5.2m offer for Danilo suggests that they are now willing to shell out that kind of fee for a striker, which could open the door for them to go back in for the 23-year-old dynamo.

Krstovic could be perfectly suited to a hybrid role alongside another attacker as the Streda hotshot has played out wide earlier in his career and has showcased his ability to score goals as well as create them.

He produced an outstanding 26 goals and four assists across 35 appearances in all competitions for his current club last season, which included 18 goals in 27 league matches – two more strikes than any Rangers player managed in the Scottish Premiership in that time.

His 1.3 key passes per game across three European Championship qualifiers for Montenegro earlier this year is also more than any Gers striker produced in the league last term, which shows that the talented youngster could suit playing alongside another striker due to his potential creative spark.

Danilo, on the other hand, scored 14 goals and provided four assists in 48 games for Feyenoord throughout the 2022/23 campaign and only created 0.6 Eredivisie chances per clash.

This came after he managed 15 goals and five assists across 26 matches for Ajax's first-team and U21 side combined the previous year.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Krstovic, who was once described as a "clinical" forward by journalist Josh Bunting, to be a dream alternative to the Brazilian target due to his superior return in front of goal.

Whilst there is no guarantee that the Montenegro international will be able to translate his form over to Scottish football, Feyenoord's stubborn approach to negotiations for Danilo could force the Light Blues to look elsewhere and the £5m fee for the Streda marksman could represent a worthwhile gamble based on his impressive form last term.

ScorecardBenny Howell pulled off a wicket with the final ball•Getty Images

Benny Howell took a wicket off the final ball to earn Gloucestershire a tie against Middlesex in a thrilling T20 Blast game at Cheltenham College.Defending 182 for 5 and with Middlesex needing 59 off the last four overs, with only two wickets in hand, the points appeared to be heading the way of Gloucestershire.However, Ryan Higgins (68 not out off 28 balls) had different ideas and with Nathan Sowter providing able support, the pair took the visitors to within a single run of what would have been an unlikely victory.Unfortunately, for Middlesex, Sowter struck Howell’s final ball to Tom Smith at short cover and the Gloucestershire left-armer held on to earn his side a share of the spoils.Batting first in front of a full house at the picturesque Cheltenham College ground, Gloucestershire made a rapid start to their innings, courtesy of experienced openers Michael Klinger and Phil Mustard.The pair took 31 from the first three overs and looked well set when Klinger edged Tim Southee (20) behind at 31 for 1.Although Gloucestershire were severe on anything short and wide or too full, they struggled to cut free at any real pace. They passed 50 off 31 balls but when Mustard departed in the 7th over, for 26, and Iain Cockbain followed, for 20, in the eighth, Middlesex found themselves in the box seat.Sowter bowled particularly well from the Chapel End, with Tom Helm, Southee and Toby Roland-Jones providing healthy support.Cameron Bancroft was always likely to be the weapon to which Gloucestershire would turn and he didn’t disappoint. He struck the ball to all four corners of the College ground, reaching 50 off 30 balls, with four fours and two sixes.Unfortunately, for Gloucestershire, the Australian drove the very next ball, a full toss from Southee, straight down the throat of Brendon McCullum at extra cover.Howell weighed in with a useful 33 from 25 balls as Gloucestershire edged towards a competitive total and Kieran Noema-Barnett and Jack Taylor added some useful runs at the death.The target should have been well within the reach of a Middlesex side that was piled high with top class batting. Unfortunately, for the visitors, they lacked early application and soon found themselves in a spot of bother.Opener Paul Stirling, who struck his second ball back over Matt Taylor’s head for six was first to perish – bowled, playing a dreadful shot, off the final ball of Taylor’s opening over.Dawid Malan, who hit David Payne for three boundaries in the left-armers first over, looked in decent touch as Middlesex progressed at a rate of 10 an over. However, Gloucestershire kept themselves in the hunt with the key wickets of McCullum and Morgan in successive overs from the College Lawn End.First, McCullum (7) departed at 43 for 2, bowled by a slower delivery from Payne. Then, Morgan, who failed to score, sliced a Smith delivery to a grateful Payne on the extra cover boundary in the seventh over.The big wicket came in Benny Howell’s first over. Malan, who had struggled for the strike, top edged a length delivery to sub fielder George Hankins on the mid-wicket boundary.Having rebuilt, courtesy of George Scott and John Simpson, Middlesex shot themselves in the foot when Simpson, having dispatched the third delivery of Howell’s third over for six, ran himself out off the very next ball, for 15.Scott departed in the same manner, for 24, in the 14th over, following a mix up with Higgins, before Roland-Jones offered a caught and bowled opportunity that was well taken by Jack Taylor. Bancroft then took the most remarkable of catches to send back Southee at 119 for 8.Against the odds, Higgins quickly turned the tide and helped Middlesex to within touching distance of victory with 11, 19 and 18 off the 17th, 18th and 19th overs.It meant the visitors required 11 off the final over, from Howell. A six from Higgins put them in the box seat, but it was not to be as Howell and Smith came up trumps.

Liverpool are moving quickly to secure the signing of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia according to Fabrizio Romano.

The 19-year-old midfielder has been targeted by a number of top Premier League sides this summer.

What is the latest news regarding Romeo Lavia?

The Belgian looks set to make his move away from St Mary's soon

That's according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who took to Twitter to reveal that Liverpool's second bid for the midfielder had been submitted this morning, with the focus on sorting out the payment structure and ensuring the bonuses are achievable. The player is prepared to leave and undergo his medical ahead of his move, with the Reds ideally wanting the midfielder to join up with them in Singapore. Tavolieri stated that it is simply a "matter of time" before the deal is completed.

The Merseyside outfit submitted an opening offer for the Belgian on Tuesday according to David Ornstein, with the offer reportedly worth £37m, which the Saints rejected, however, the club have come back in with a second improved offer to try and complete a deal.

The Reds are the first team to submit an official bid for the Belgian, despite the youngster attracting interest from Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City following a bright first season in the Premier League, where the youngster made 29 appearances for Southampton last season, scoring one goal vs Chelsea in August and earning plenty of praise, with The Athletic journalist Jacob Tanswell naming the midfielder as his Southampton Player of the Year.

Premier League Hall of Fame member Rio Ferdinand was also full of praise for the midfielder, stating after the Saints defeat to Manchester United:

"The way he has started and immediately performed here kind of justifies the conviction that Southampton have had in going and getting him. He is a young player who can do both sides of the game, equally good defensively but also once he is on the ball he has tremendous feet and can pass it."

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Liverpool are trying to complete the deal quickly due to the fact that Chelsea are also interested in the midfielder:

"It will be a £45m package; £42.5m guaranteed and £2.5m in add-ons so £45m total package with add-ons included. Southampton always wanted £50m so let’s see how this bid will go but Liverpool are strongly working on the Romeo Lavia deal because they know Chelsea have always been keeping an eye on Lavia, Chelsea have always been interested but no bid at this moment, so Liverpool are favourites to make the deal, but they are moving fast because they know Chelsea are keeping an eye on the situation."

Who will Lavia line up with?

Lavia is set to be the third addition to Liverpool's midfield this summer as they rebuild following a disappointing season last year.

The Reds have brought in two midfielders already, with Alexis Mac Allister arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee in the region of £35m and Dominik Szoboszlai from German outfit RB Leipzig for a fee in the region of £60m, with the pair impressing in the club's pre-season so far.

Manager Jurgen Klopp seems to be employing the same system that was used in the final games of last season, suggesting that should Lavia arrive, he would play as the left-sided defensive midfielder, partnering Trent Alexander-Arnold at the base of the midfield.

Lavia will not be playing with Jordan Henderson, who announced that he is leaving Liverpool, with his switch to Saudi Arabian side Al Ettifaq set to be announced soon. Fabinho is another player who could be departing Anfield, with his proposed switch to Al Ittihad back on after the deal had stalled and was under threat of collapsing. The Brazilian is reportedly not going to travel with the squad to Singapore with all parties committed to completing the deal.

Lavia could also be joined by another addition, with The Athletic's James Pearce reporting that the club are still interested in a number of midfielders, including Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure, Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch and Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, with the club potentially bringing in another to replace the outgoing pair of Henderson and Fabinho.