To say that Rangers are flying under Philippe Clement would be an understatement. The Gers have turned the tide in the Scottish Premiership title race and now look primed to overtake Brendan Rodgers' Celtic side, sitting five points adrift of their Old Firm rivals with two games in hand. The former AS Monaco boss could yet improve things even further in the January transfer window too in his first transfer window at Ibrox, which could all but seal the title.

With that said, reports suggest that the Scottish giants have already made their first move to sign one particular new striker for Clement in the January transfer window.

Rangers transfer news

Clement deserves even more credit for the job he's done when considering that he is yet to make his own mark on the current Rangers squad – the Belgian took over from Michael Beale with the Gers struggling to keep up with Celtic.

The thought of even competing for the Scottish Premiership seemed more of a fantasy, rather than something capable of becoming a reality. Yet, just months into Clement's tenure the Gers are now in with a serious chance to put an end to Celtic's dominance in Scotland, with one potential arrival helping that.

Clement must finally unleash Rangers "Rolls Royce" over Sterling vs Ross County

The versatile academy graduate could be deployed in the middle of the park.

ByDan Emery Dec 27, 2023

According to reports in the Netherlands, via Football Scotland, Rangers have made contact with Groningen to sign Kevin van Veen in the January transfer window. The forward previously spent time in Scotland with Motherwell, and Groningen sporting director Wouter Gudde made it clear the club would be willing to sell Van Veen, saying: "I talk to Kevin on the phone almost every day and if there is interest because he is not playing, we will listen. If another club makes a concrete offer and the solution is good, we will cooperate with his departure. In principle, of course, he is welcome to return to the club when we return to training on January 3 too."

"Terrific" Van Veen was impressive in Scotland

After six months to forget at Groningen, Van Veen could get a much-needed return to Scottish football with the side vying to win the title in the form of Rangers. Van Veen's stats at Aberdeen prove that he's capable of matching the level needed at Rangers, with 40 goals and nine assists in 80 games for Motherwell.

It's no surprise given the numbers that the forward was at the centre of praise whilst at the club, with Chris Lucketti saying, via the Scotsman: "Kevin was terrific. It was a real centre-forward's display and his two goals were different class.

"He's a real matchwinner and the free-kick he put in the top corner was special, but he's capable of that. He was probably unlucky not to get another one from a similar position in the second half. Kevin also scored with a great header from Connor Shields' superb cross, so you can see why the fans love him. He can go from strength to strength because he's getting the rewards for his exceptionally hard work on the training pitch and we're also reaping the benefits of that."

The loss for Lahore Qalandars dented their net run-rate, and now leaves them on the brink of not making the playoffs for the fourth season in a row

The Report by Peter Della Penna09-Mar-2019How the game played outA day in which batting records tumbled one after another was won by one of the finest bowling spells in T20 cricket by Faheem Ashraf as Islamabad United clinched a playoff berth with a 49-run win over Lahore Qalandars on the opening night of matches at Karachi in PSL 2019.List of records broken

1) Highest PSL score of all time (238)
2) Most PSL sixes (16) in an innings
3) Joint-fastest PSL half-century (Asif Ali, 17 balls)
4) Highest ever T20 total in Karachi
5) Most expensive spell in PSL (Shaheen Afridi, 62 runs)
6) Least number of twos in a completed PSL innings (one, Islamabad)
7) Fastest PSL hundred (Cameron Delport, 49 balls)

Cameron Delport produced the fifth century in the history of the PSL – the fastest of the lot too in just 49 balls – as he propelled United to the largest total in PSL history, eclipsing the previous best – 204 for 4 by Lahore Qalandars earlier this year – by 34 runs. Delport added 118 for the third wicket with Chadwick Walton, then another unbroken stand of 88 with Asif Ali to take United through to the end of the innings.Delport struck the first five balls he faced to or over the boundary in a fiery knock, but appeared out of gas after slog sweeping Sandeep Lamichhane for six on back-to-back balls to bring up his century in the 16th. He only scored 13 runs off the last four overs, opening the door for Asif to take control on the way to bashing the joint-fastest PSL fifty off just 17 balls.Delport’s century was worth its weight in gold, though it was achieved on a flat pitch with incredibly short boundaries. By comparison, Ashraf’s 6 for 19 was platinum-encrusted. He took three wickets in his first two overs to slow down a rampaging start to the Qalandars chase, then followed it with three more in a later spell to see off the last remaining threat.Cameron Delport drives through the off side•Pakistan Super LeagueTurning points In the fourth over of the match, Delport was on 27 when he miscued a flick in the air over midwicket off Shaheen Afridi but was spilled badly by Sohail Akhtar running back from inside the ring. He added another 90 runs after the second life. Qalandars were 51 for 0 in four overs, but Ashraf got momentum to shift back towards United in the field for the first time with a five-run fifth over that included the wicket of Anton Devcich driving to Walton at extra cover. Sohail Akhtar was the last recognized bat for Qalandars and primed for a big finishing kick on 75 with his side needed 64 off the last three overs, tough yet doable under the conditions on the day, before Ashraf induced a mistimed pull to Shadab Khan at long-on for his fifth wicket.Star of the dayFaheem Ashraf was bowling with a different magic ball compared to every other bowler on either side. After dismissing Anton Devcich, he nabbed Fakhar Zaman for 38 thanks to a sharp sliding catch by Phil Salt at long-on in the seventh before ending the same over getting Haris Sohail driving to backward point. He began his second spell claiming Agha Salman with a miscued slog to deep midwicket for a sharp catch by Shadab Khan, and teamed up with Shadab later to get Sohail Akhtar for the five-for. Faheem rounded off his day yorking Afridi for the second-best figures in PSL history.The big missPoor Luke Ronchi. On a pitch that served up an all-you-can eat buffet for most batsmen, he was out on the first ball of the match to Shaheen, edging a drive that was well taken by a diving Haris Sohail at slip.Where the teams standIslamabad United end the regular season on 10 points and will play either Karachi Kings or Qalandars in the first eliminator. In order for Qalandars to claim the fourth playoff spot, they need to beat last-place Multan Sultans in their final match with a fairly large margin, and hope Kings lose both of their remaining matches to Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi.

Western Province Cricket Association chief executive was confident the problem had been resolved and would not affect the T20I

Liam Brickhill19-Mar-2019

Getty Images

The floodlight failure that brought a premature end to the fifth and final one-day international between South Africa and Sri Lanka at Newlands on Saturday “could not have been detected early in any pre-match testing which takes place before any domestic or international match,” according to a statement from the Western Province Cricket Association.One of the floodlight pylons failed during the match, and the lighting problem became an issue as the sun set just after 7pm and artificial lighting took over, with the umpires leading the players from the field at the end of the 28th over of the innings. Technicians worked on the problem for a full two hours, but the umpires took the decision to end the game after making an inspection at 9.10pm and deciding that no play would be possible in the prevailing conditions, with South Africa winning by 41 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.WPCA chief executive Nabeal Dien expressed regret at the lighting failure, and explained the cause of the problem. Many South African fans who took to social media to voice their disappointment suggested that load-shedding might have been the cause – South Africa is currently experiencing an energy supply crisis and Cape Town has been hit with multiple daily power cuts – but Dien explained that a short circuit was to blame.”According to our electrical engineers, there was an underground cable that short-circuited due to rodents or age,” he said. “This also caused the switches and circuit breaker to trip continuously in the pylon.”Dien was confident that the problem had subsequently been resolved, and that the Twenty20 international on Tuesday evening would be unaffected. “We apologise to both the Proteas and Sri Lankan teams as well as to the general public who attended the match and who were viewing on television,” he concluded.

As West Ham United look to upset the odds in the Premier League by finishing inside the top six and maybe even the top four, the January transfer window could prove to be crucial this month. David Moyes' side will be forced to balance both domestic and European action once again in the second half of the season, having progressed out of the Europa League group stage, and will be well aware of the importance of squad depth.

Already, West Ham's deal to sign Steven Bergwijn has reportedly progressed, with the Hammers opening talks over a potential deal. Now, those at the London Stadium are reportedly interested in handing a Championship star a Premier League move this month.

West Ham transfer news

West Ham deserve great credit for how they dealt with Declan Rice's exit in favour of a move to Arsenal in the summer. The Hammers used the money gained from the deal to turn Moyes' squad from relegation contenders into a side on course to qualify for a second consecutive season in the Europa League. They could yet prove their transfer genius yet again too, as Mohammed Kudus sets off for an international break with Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations. Seeking a replacement, West Ham are reportedly interested in a Sunderland star.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

According to The Mirror, West Ham are also interested in signing Jack Clarke from Sunderland, with the former Tottenham Hotspur man impressing in England's second tier. The winger was reportedly the subject of interest from Burnley last summer before a move failed to take place. As he continues to impress, however, Clarke is attracting even greater reported interest from the top flight and may well be granted a Premier League return by West Ham. As the London club seek attacking reinforcements, the Sunderland man is certainly one to keep an eye on.

"Great" Clarke is ready for Premier League move

After failing to make his mark at Spurs, Clarke could come back to haunt the Lilywhites by going on to star for West Ham. Having found his feet and more at Sunderland, the move would certainly be coming at the right time, which Clarke's stats back up. The winger has scored 12 goals and turned creator for a further two for 14 goal involvements in 28 games in all competitions this season.

It's no surprise, given how well the 23-year-old has done at Sunderland, that former boss Tony Mowbray was often full of praise for him, saying last April:

"I had a big shout at him at half-time, to be honest, I thought he was really poor for 20 minutes but his reaction was amazing. We can't sit here and question Jack Clarke's talent, he has double-figure goals now from the left wing and I think probably double-figure assists as well. He's a great player and yet he has to understand – and in my mind he is still a young boy – that we need 90 minutes, not a brilliant 60 minutes."

Tottenham are "ready to invest" an "important" sum to sign one ex-Juventus defender for manager Ange Postecoglou after Cristian Romero's injury.

Postecoglou wants new centre-back at Spurs

As admitted by Postecoglou himself, signing a new defender is a "priority" for Spurs in the looming January transfer window.

The north Londoners have suffered from a serious lack of depth at centre-half for the last two months, with Micky van de Ven out injured since early November with a hamstring problem.

Journalist says "rapid" 25-year-old is now "keen" to join Ange at Spurs

He’s a target for the Lilywhites ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 29, 2023

Romero was suspended for a period, forcing Postecoglou to deploy a makeshift central defensive pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies at that time, with the Argentine now out again through injury.

Tottenham reintroduced the Royal and Davies partnership against Brighton on Thursday, subsequently losing 4-2 in one of their worst performances of the Premier League campaign.

Trevoh Chalobah

20th December

Jean-Clair Todibo

20th December

Morato

19th December

Radu Dragusin

16th December

Sebastian Caceres

14th December

Jarrad Branthwaite

13th December

The need for more centre-back options is pretty prevalent, as Spurs become heavily linked with the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice and Genoa's Radu Dragusin.

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Lilywhites want to seal a centre-back signing by next week, with both Dragusin and Todibo contending to join Postecoglou's side.

Spurs readying "important" Dragusin bid

Now, some news has come to light on their pursuit of the former.

Indeed, according to Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Tottenham are "ready to invest" an "important" sum to sign Dragusin.

The former Juventus defender, who is now starring for Genoa under Alberto Gilardino, is also attracting real interest from Jose Mourinho's Roma, Atalanta, AC Milan and Napoli but Spurs threaten to thwart both of the Serie A sides.

Genoa are asking for no less than £26 million for Dragusin, with Postecoglou's side preparing to make a significant offer even if it's "not so high" as the request.

According to the report, this comes after Romero's injury, which is set to keep him out for around five weeks, according to Tottenham's manager.

Dragusin has started 18 Serie A matches this season, with the Romania international standing out as one of Genoa's best-performing players by average match rating, according to WhoScored.

Journalist Paul Brown, speaking to GiveMeSport, also hailed the 21-year-old's "amazing" season and suggested Dragusin is the "most likely" signing Spurs make next month.

"Of all the names that Spurs are looking at, I think he might be the easiest to get. He is the most likely one they bring in," said Brown.

"They are looking for a centre-back under the age of 26 who is going to grow and has potential. Dragusin is young and has had an amazing season in Italy. He plays for a club in a bit of a financial mess as well. I think there are links there behind the scenes that Spurs could probably exploit."

The New Zealand fast bowler is believed to be nursing a heel injury

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2019New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne is understood to have pulled out of the IPL. ESPNcricinfo understands Milne, who was signed by Mumbai Indians at the IPL auction for INR 75 lakhs (USD 104,000 approx on the day of auction), has a swollen heel.Milne’s pullout means Mumbai have lost a second overseas fast bowler in quick succession. Lasith Malinga has opted to skip the first six matches of the IPL to fulfill the condition set by Sri Lanka Cricket to play in the domestic 50-overs competition in order to qualify for World Cup selection.Although there has been no statement from the franchise on Milne’s injury, Mumbai are believed to be keen on roping in the young West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph as a replacement. Also, as per IPL rules, the amount a franchise can pay the replacement player cannot exceed that paid to the original player. So any player that replaces Milne cannot be paid over INR 75 lakhs.Mumbai, who play their opening match at home on Sunday, against Delhi Capitals, currently have two overseas fast bowlers: New Zealand T20 freelancer Mitchell McClenaghan and Ben Cutting from Australia.

Already relegated Sheffield United have set the record for the most goals conceded by a team in a single Premier League season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Blades break Swindon's inglorious record
• Have not kept a clean sheet away from home
• Preparing for life in the Championship

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chris Wilder's side travelled to Everton for their penultimate fixture of the campaign and were beaten 1-0 at Goodison Park. Abdoulaye Doucoure's first-half strike past a despairing Wes Foderingham was the 101st goal conceded by the Blades this term, breaking the previous record set by Swindon in 1993-94 – which was also in a 42-game season. Amazingly, the Blades have conceded an average of 2.7 goals per game in 2023-24.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This season really has been one to forget for Sheffield United. The Blades sit on just 16 points – at least more than Derby's record low of 11 – ahead of their assignment against Tottenham on the final day and have won just three of 37 matches, drawing seven and suffering 27 defeats. Their heaviest loss of the campaign came in September when Newcastle triumphed 8-0 at Bramall Lane.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United have failed to keep a clean sheet in all 19 of their Premier League away matches this season, the fourth time that has happened in their league history.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SHEFFIELD UNITED?

  The Blades will already be in the preparatory stage for life back in the Championship next season, although they will look to depart the Premier League with a bang when they host Champions League-chasing Spurs next weekend.

Mason Greenwood has been linked with Barcelona, Juventus and teams in Saudi, but Atletico Madrid are reportedly leading the race for his signature.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Winger catching the eye during Getafe loanLinked with clubs across EuropePermanent move expected this summerWHAT HAPPENED?

The Manchester United-owned winger has enjoyed a productive loan spell in Spain at Getafe in 2023-24. His exploits in La Liga have attracted interest from other leading sides in the division, with his creative talents delivering 10 goals and six assists this season.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With there seemingly no way back for the 22-year-old at Old Trafford, a permanent transfer is expected to be sanctioned this summer. There has been confusion as to how much it will take to prise the one-cap England international away from the Red Devils – with reports in Spain claiming that his price tag could be as high as £52 million ($65m).

DID YOU KNOW?

According to , United are only asking for around £40m ($50m). That is said to have alerted Atletico to Greenwood’s availability, as they look to move to the front of a congested recruitment queue. The Rojiblancos are considered to be favourites to pull off a big-money deal at this stage.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

They will, however, face fierce competition for the talented forward as Serie A giants Juve remain in the hunt for attacking reinforcements, while the riches on offer in the Middle East mean that Greenwood could be reunited with ex-United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League.

MatériaMais Notícias

Pelo segundo ano consecutivo, a festa no “Prêmio Brasileirão” foi rubro-negra. Bicampeão, o elenco, a comissão técnica e a diretoria do Flamengo voltaram a levantar o troféu do Brasileiro na sede da CBF, em cerimônia realizada nesta sexta-feira. O clube da Gávea emplacou dois jogadores na Seleção do Campeonato: Gerson e Gabriel Barbosa, ambos também premiados em 2019.

Weverton (Palmeiras); Fagner (Corinthians), Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras), Victor Cuesta (Internacional) e Guilherme Arana (Atlético-MG); Gerson (Flamengo), Edenílson (Internacional), Vina (Ceará) e Claudinho (Red Bull Bragantno); Marinho (Santos) e Gabriel Barbosa (Flamengo) foram os eleitos para a Seleção.

Confira todos os demais premiados da Série A do Brasileirão e do Brasileirão Feminino A-1, pela CBF nesta sexta-feira, no Rio de Janeiro, mais abaixo.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalPresidente da CBF sai em defesa da arbitragem: ‘Campeão do Brasil se consagrou dentro das quatro linhas’Futebol Nacional26/02/2021Futebol NacionalClaudinho, do Red Bull Bragantino, domina festa do Prêmio Brasileirão: artilheiro, craque e revelaçãoFutebol Nacional26/02/2021FlamengoDiego ressalta força do time sem a Nação: ‘Ninguém foi mais prejudicado que o Flamengo’Flamengo26/02/2021

O Flamengo conquistou o título – o oitavo em sua história – após uma Série A marcada pela pandemia do coronavírus e a oscilação de todos candidatos à conquista. O Rubro-Negro, sob o comando de Rogério Ceni, alcançou o primeiro lugar da tabela apenas na 37ª rodada, ao vencer o Internacional, no Maracanã, por 2 a 1. Na rodada final, o time perdeu para o São Paulo, mas o Colorado só empatou com o Corinthians e o título ficou com o clube da Gávea.

O “Prêmio Brasileirão” é uma cerimônia anual organizada pela CBF que elege os principais destaques do Campeonato Brasileiro. Nele, são escaladas seleções com os melhores jogadores e jogadoras do Brasileirão Assaí e do Brasileiro Feminino A-1, além de premiar destaques como artilheiros, revelações, árbitros e outros campeões brasileiros na mesma temporada, com a participação de jornalistas, capitães e treinadores dos 20 clubes da Série A.

Os premiados pela CBF da Série A do Brasileirão e do Brasileirão Feminino A-1:

Melhor Goleiro (a): Weverton, do Palmeiras, eLetícia Izidoro, do Corinthians
Melhores Laterais: Fagner, do Corinthians, e Arana, do Atlético-MG, e Tamires, do Corinthians, e Bruna Calderan, do Avaí/Kindermann
Melhores Zagueiros (as): Gustavo Gómez, do Palmeiras, e Victor Cuesta, do Internacional, e Érika, do Corinthians, e Agustina, do Palmeiras.
Melhores Volantes: Gerson, do Flamengo, e Edenílson, do Internacional, e Andressinha, do Corinthians, e Júlia Bianchi, do Avaí/Kindermann
Melhores Meias: Vina, do Ceará, e Claudinho, do Red Bull Bragantino, e Duda, do Avaí/Kindermann e Gabi Zanotti, do Corinthians
Melhores Atacantes: Marinho, do Santos, e Gabriel Barbosa, do Flamengo, e Carla Nunes, do Palmeiras, e Lelê, do Avaí/Kindermann
Melhores Técnicos: Abel Braga, do Internacional, e Arthur Elias, do Corinthians
Artilheiro (a):Claudinho, do Red Bull Bragantino, e Luciano, do São Paulo, e Carla Nunes, do Palmeiras
Craque: Claudinho, do Red Bull Bragantino, eGabi Zanotti, do Corinthians
Revelação: Claudinho, do Red Bull Bragantino, e Jaqueline, do São Paulo
Craque da Galera: Gabriel Barbosa, do Flamengo, e Kaká, do Flamengo
Gol Mais Bonito:Everton Ribeiro, do Flamengo, e Ingryd, do Corinthians
Fair Play: Atlético-MG
Melhor Árbitro: Leandro Vuaden
Melhores Auxiliares: Neuza Back e Rodrigo Correa
Melhor Árbitro de Vídeo:Wagner Reway

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a mixed first season under Ange Postecoglou so far. They initially got off to the perfect start to spark talks of a potential title race, before injuries to Micky van de Ven and James Maddison combined with Cristian Romero's suspension to result in a complete capitulation in a 4-1 defeat against Chelsea. Since then, those in North London have shown signs of their best form, albeit also suffering the consequences of lacking adequate squad depth.

Defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out summed things up, with news emerging of Romero's long-term injury coming prior to an evening to forget in the Premier League. That said, with reinforcements needed, reports suggest that Spurs could land a Premier League star alongside centre-back Radu Dragusin, who the club are in talks to sign.

Tottenham transfer news

Currently sat adrift of the Premier League's top four, Spurs have it all to do in the second half of the season if they are to secure a return to the Champions League in the next campaign. To their credit, the Lilywhites have stayed within touching distance of Arsenal, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool even after losing record goalscorer Harry Kane in the summer transfer window. And as January arrives, they could sign further improvements.

According to reliable reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Spurs have opened talks with Chelsea to sign Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window. The Lilywhites could land a vital reinforcement and weaken their London rivals in what would be seen as a successful winter move.

Other reports have claimed Spurs are very close to reaching an agreement over a deal for Gallagher for around €40m (£35m) next month. The England international has played an important role under Mauricio Pochettino in the current campaign, but as the Blues look to stay within Financial Fair Play rules, Spurs could swoop in.

"Special" Gallagher could be an ideal fit for Postecoglou

As Gallagher's stats show, he could be an ideal fit for Postecoglou's system at Spurs, especially when Maddison returns. With plenty of Premier League experience these days too, the midfielder may quickly become a departure that Chelsea regret if a move takes place next month. Compared to both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, it is the England midfielder who stands out statistically in the current campaign, even amid the Blues' struggles.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Blocks

Interceptions

Conor Gallagher

34

101

28

26

Yves Bissouma

31

88

17

20

Pape Matar Sarr

24

90

12

10

It's no surprise that Gallagher, on £50,000-a-week, has been at the centre of praise throughout his Premier League career, including during his loan spell at Crystal Palace, when former boss Patrick Vieira said:

“It is difficult to find in the squad a player with Conor’s type of energy. We have different profiles and players who can score goals and create chances maybe more than Conor can do. Of course his profile is different, but we have players who are capable of bringing something different to the team. Conor has been like he is starting the game. He has been working well, working hard. We gave him a couple of days (off) in the week, but he is preparing himself like he is going to play and that is what makes him really special."