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Glasgow Rangers have endured yet another slow start to a season and just like last year, the manager at fault has paid with his job before Christmas.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst failed to spark any meaningful Premiership title challenge during the 2022/23 campaign while losing all six of his Champions League matches in charge of the Gers and was eventually replaced by Michael Beale in November 2022.

Beale failed to win any silverware during the second half of last term, yet he was clearly back by the board and was given the summer to overhaul the playing squad while shipping out some deadwood in the process.

With nine new arrivals and 11 outgoings, he certainly revamped the senior squad, yet it hasn’t quite worked out thus far as the Light Blues have won only eight of their opening 14 matches and Beale has paid with his job before September was out.

The club is in turmoil, and it is up to James Bisgrove to make sure the next managerial appointment is the right one, as three managers since the start of the 2021/22 season isn’t a good look at all.

Who could be the next Rangers manager?

The rumour mill started shortly after Beale was relieved of his duties and names such as Frank Lampard, Steve Bruce and even Billy Davies – who hasn’t managed since 2014 – all threw their name into the ring.

The Ibrox board are clearly looking at someone who is more high profile than the names mentioned and having met with candidates in London since the start of the week, it appears there are a couple of front runners for the vacant role.

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Kevin Muscat and Philippe Clement are the two names that are most likely to be offered the job and considering their previous achievements during their careers, they look like the best options.

Clement has won three Belgian league titles at spells with KRC Genk and Club Brugge, while he last managed AS Monaco for 18 months before being sacked in the summer.

Muscat has also won league titles during his managerial career, leading Melbourne Victory to the A-League title in 2017/18 and securing the J League title with his current side, Yokohama F.Marinos during the 2021/22 campaign and the fact he used to play for the club during his playing career could perhaps give him the edge.

These are the two logical choices who could become the 19th permanent manager of the Light Blues yet their could be a twist in the tale.

Is John Eustace in the running for the Rangers job?

With Beale struggling to win over the supporters at the start of September due to his lack of playing style and tactical identity, along with some woeful results, it was looking like his job was in severe jeopardy.

Indeed, The Daily Mail even claimed that then Birmingham City manager John Eustace was an early front-runner with regard to potential taking over from the 43-year-old should the Gers pull the plug.

Since then, numerous other managers have come forward by either throwing their own name in the hat or being naturally linked with a move and Eustace’s name slipped to the bottom of the pile.

However, according to reporter Mark Critchley, who was speaking on the BBC Football Gossip Daily Podcast recently, Eustace could still be in the race.

He said: “I think given a bit of the noise that was around this morning he is perhaps in the running, but it all changes so quickly. His employment status has changed so quickly over the past three or four days.

“He could wait around and see who is next in the firing line and go in there. I wonder if Sheffield United might take him if there’s a change there, but for someone of his experience, I’m sure Rangers would be a very attractive prospect.”

Maybe Clement and Muscat have some other competition for the managerial role at Rangers, especially considering these comments and the fact he has recently been sacked by Birmingham.

Is John Eustace a good manager?

The 43-year-old had been in charge of Birmingham since the start of the 2022/23 season and had managed them for 63 matches before losing his job recently, with Wayne Rooney coming in to replace him.

On the surface, it looks like an extremely harsh decision. Eustace had led the club to sixth place in the Championship by the time he was relieved of his duties, winning five of their 11 league matches, and it looked as though they could potentially challenge for a playoff spot.

Obviously, the allure of appointing Rooney was too good to turn down, thus leaving the former player out of a job.

Across his 63 games in charge of Birmingham however, he only won 21 of these while his team scored 73 goals and conceded 82, hardly the best statistics. Eustace only averaged 1.24 points per game, indicating that while he may have done a solid job this term, overall, it hasn’t exactly been a productive spell.

Journalist Josh Bunting praised him back in 2022, claiming Eustace was “overachieving” during the early stages of his spell at Birmingham, yet his overall lack of experience is telling, and he would be a worse appointment than Beale.

At least Beale knew the club inside out having worked under former boss Steven Gerrard between 2018 and 2021 as the Gers first team assistant and his coaching clearly worked wonders during their title-winning 2020/21 campaign.

Of course, this doesn’t indicate he was going to be a success at the club, yet his prior knowledge of the players and facilities ensured he had an advantage over most of the names linked last year.

Eustace doesn’t have this and thus would end up being swallowed by the pressures of managing a team in the Old Firm divide, one in where every game is a must-win.

There is no doubting he is a decent coach, but the Rangers job is simply too big a task for Eustace to handle and a name such as Clement or Muscat would be the best person to take the club forward.

Bisgrove knows the next appointment could dictate the future of Rangers and the pressure is on to see whether he makes the right call.

During pre-season, if you asked Erik ten Hag what a nightmare start would look like for Manchester United in the Premier League this season, then he would have likely painted a similar picture to the one we're currently seeing at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have just not got going, resulting in defeats against both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as unconvincing victories over Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The excuse can't be spending, either. Throughout the summer, the Premier League giants welcomed a total of seven reinforcements, from Andre Onana and Mason Mount, to Rasmus Hojlund. Even after their arrivals, though, United somehow look a shadow of the side that finished third and won the Carabao Cup last season.

Their poor form has led to criticism, including from former defender Paul Parker, who took aim at one struggling player, in particular.

What has Paul Parker said?

One player who has failed to make an impact this season has been Anthony Martial. The Frenchman is yet to score or assist, having played three Premier League games as summer signing Rasmus Hojlund gets back to full fitness.

Recognising Martial's struggles, Parker didn't hold back, telling Spilxperten, via The Express: "If he (Hojlund) doesn’t start against Brighton, then all fans will want Erik ten Hag fired, and it would almost be justified. It wouldn’t make any sense if he started on the bench.

“Martial shouldn’t even be on the bench. There must be a youth player who is better who can sit on the bench, and Hojlund can be the first striker. All Manchester United fans are fed up with seeing a player with a lousy attitude, who always sulks and complains, and it’s a blessing that Man Utd finally has an attacker who plays with enthusiasm.

“I actually don’t agree that you can’t already judge Hojlund based on the minutes he had against Arsenal. You certainly can because he made a huge difference when he was substituted in.

“It was the best thing that could happen to him, that he had to replace Martial because he knew he couldn’t do worse than him. When he came on the pitch, he used his physique and pushed Gabriel, almost sending him flying out of Emirates. Martial has never done that. He just lies down on the ground and cries."

"He ran deep with his tremendous speed, something Martial has never done either. Martial is like a greyhound because a greyhound never runs past the hare, and that’s how Martial is.”

Should Ten Hag drop Anthony Martial?

With every year that goes by, the infamous Ballon d'Or clause in Martial's contract represents more and more just how badly things have gone for the forward at Old Trafford – that clause once made sense. Years later, and it has become nothing more than a stick to poke fun at the Red Devils.

Hojlund's arrival should see Martial's time in Ten Hag's starting line-up come to an end, however, given that United spent a reported £72m on the forward.

Up next, the Red Devils square off against a Brighton & Hove Albion side who have just comfortably dispatched of Newcastle United, making it imperative that Ten Hag gets his selection right.

Those around Old Trafford will certainly be hoping to see their new striker start his first game for the club.

MatériaMais Notícias

Bruno Lazaroni terá um reforço caseiro para a estreia como treinador do Botafogo, neste domingo, contra o Fluminense, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. O zagueiro Marcelo Benevenuto se recuperou da lesão na coxa direita, voltou a treinar sem limitações nesta sexta-feira e está liberado para o clássico.

O zagueiro, que ficou fora dos últimos jogos do Alvinegro, já deve retornar direto ao time titular. É possível que Bruno Lazaroni faça mudanças em relação ao time que vinha sendo escalado por Paulo Autuori.

Por outro lado, o treinador ainda não deve contar com as presenças de Guilherme Santos e Keisuke Honda. O Botafogo, por meio da assessoria de imprensa, atualizou o panorama dos três jogadores. Confira abaixo:

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Marcelo Benevenuto
“Recuperado de lesão no músculo posterior da coxa direita, o zagueiro Marcelo Benevenuto retornou nesta sexta-feira aos treinos com o grupo.

Marcelo Benevenuto teve plena recuperação após uma semana de tratamento.”

Guilherme Santos
“Segue em transição com evolução satisfatória. Retorno sem previsão.”

Keisuke Honda
“Segue em tratamento da torção no tornozelo com evolução. Está sendo avaliado no dia a dia.”

The opener became the first batsman to make three T20I hundreds and lifted New Zealand to their highest total as West Indies ended a horror tour with no wins

The Report by Varun Shetty03-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Colin Munro became the first batsman to make three centuries in T20 internationals as he laid the foundation for New Zealand’s battering of West Indies by 119 runs in their final match of the tour at Mount Maunganui. The left-handed opener followed up his two fifties from the previous games with a 53-ball 104 as the hosts swept the series 3-0. West Indies failed to register a single win on a New Zealand tour for the first time since 1999-00.West Indies began much like they have begun all series – by feeding New Zealand everything they wanted. This time, Martin Guptill – who had made two single-digit scores previously – made use of the offerings too. He provided a scintillating start to the match, getting forward to the first ball and caressing an outswinger from Jerome Taylor wide of mid-off. He finished that over with an expert dab to beat short fine leg, and from there the carnage began.Colin Munro soaks in his third T20I hundred•Getty ImagesCarlos Brathwaite entrusted his spinners with keeping New Zealand quiet in the Powerplay. Samuel Badree’s first ball was an early indicator of what was to come. The legspinner dropped one short and down the leg side, and Munro duly wafted it over the long leg boundary. He crunched Taylor over midwicket with a slog, and when Ashley Nurse replaced him from the other end, he welcomed him with boundaries on either side of extra-cover. By this point, he was set up to better his career boundary rate – he hit a four or six approximately once every five balls before this match – for the rest of his innings.Guptill wasn’t as destructive, but he kept up the pace that allowed the openers to put up a century stand and get to their respective fifties inside ten overs. With the pitch offering nothing, West Indies’ bowling was reduced to offerings of straight balls at different paces. The spinners didn’t attempt to slow their pace down, and on the rare occasions that they tried it, Guptill had no problems hitting them through the line. The pain of conceding 51 runs in five overs of spin was momentarily alleviated when Brathwaite’s first over – the eighth of the innings – went for only seven runs. A West Indies bowler had finally avoided being hit for a boundary first ball.But all of 36-year-old debutant Rayad Emrit’s experience couldn’t help him or West Indies keep that up. He started with two overpitched balls on the pads; Munro flicked the first one over square leg to bring up fifty, and carted the next over midwicket. It was more of the same for the rest of the innings. Brathwaite’ only conceded one boundary off the bat in his next over, but went for 22 anyway. Length balls kept coming into Munro and he kept putting them away, evidenced by a wagon wheel that showed 55 runs in the midwicket and long-on regions.Guptill survived a caught-behind appeal in the 11th over, first on-field, and then on the review despite a mysterious disturbance on the audio check for the edge. It was against one of the few yorkers West Indies bowled, and it came from Nurse. Guptill edged Emrit to the keeper in the next over.New Zealand managed a half-century stand for the second wicket, as a modified middle order added quick runs around Munro’s march towards a record hundred. Each of them managed to hit a six – Kane Williamson’s loft over long-on was the most handsome one of the innings – as New Zealand made 243, their highest score in T20Is.West Indies’ propensity for poor starts seeped into their batting as well. Chadwick Walton chased Tim Southee’s outswinger with hard hands and chipped one to cover first ball of the innings. Five balls later, Southee lifted a short ball up at Chris Gayle, trapping the batsman with his gloves covering his throat and his eyes looking at the floor; the ball lobbed up for wicketkeeper Tom Phillips and both openers were gone for ducks.Rovman Powell was promoted to No. 4 to cover for Shai Hope, who had damaged a ligament in his right shoulder while diving in the field. The immediate effect of that change was Trent Boult going for 17 in a disastrous first over, in which he bowled back-to-back no-balls, followed by Southee conceding 19 to Andre Fletcher and Powell in his second over.Williamson did what Brathwaite had done earlier, and brought Anaru Kitchen on to bowl his left-arm spin. He got one to straighten off the pitch and take the top-edge as Powell swiped across the line. Shimron Hetmyer began brightly, hitting Mitchell Santner for six next over, but was run out minutes later, Fletcher’s ball-watching causing just enough indecision to leave them both hopping aimlessly outside their creases.The visitors threw in one final effort to come close to the target, hitting through the line like Munro and Guptill had as they monopolised the cover boundary to make 24 off the seven balls following Hetmyer’s wicket. The introduction of Ish Sodhi’s legspin put the brakes on that streak. He went for just two off his first over, and bowled Fletcher with a googly when he heaved at him to relieve the pressure created by a tight over from Santner at the other end. The end was swift from there on, with West Indies folding in the 17th over. Boult and Southee dipped into the West Indies wicket pool for one last time as New Zealand completed their biggest T20 win.

Alastair Cook and Joe Root fell cheaply but there were half-centuries for four of the top six on England’s first day of tour action

George Dobell in Perth04-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt didn’t take long for any thought that England might ease their way into the Ashes tour to be dispelled. Just two balls into the first game, Alastair Cook had gone for a duck.It was Cook’s misfortune to receive the delivery of the day. Drawn into a tentative, indeterminate prod at a delivery angled across him from the impressive Nathan Coulter-Nile, Cook was undone by both the pace of the ball and that bounce for which Australian pitches – and Perth in particular – are known. It meant that Cook has been dismissed three times from his last four deliveries in games here following his first-ball second innings dismissal in the Ashes Test of 2013-14.”He just played at one he shouldn’t have,” Coulter-Nile said. “He usually smashes me so it was good to get him.”These things happen, of course. And while the average age of this Western Australian side is just 22, Coulter-Nile is a terrific bowler who, but for injuries, could well have played Test cricket. Aged 30, he may yet. He got through 16 overs, hardly bowled a poor delivery and, at times, generated sharp pace. “The body feels surprisingly good,” he said afterwards.But if England are to have any chance in this Ashes series, it is surely vital for the experienced pair of Cook and Joe Root to score heavily. So it would have been mildly disconcerting for England to lose both cheaply here.Root was probably unfortunate. Certainly he didn’t think he had edged the ball that dismissed him – replays suggested it hit his back thigh though it was unclear whether there may have been some inside edge on it first – and he has plenty of opportunities to find form before the first Test.Cook does, too. But he has an intriguing record in Ashes series. This will be his fourth in Australia and, while he averaged 127.66 in 2010-11, his numbers were 24.60 in 2013-14 and 27.60 in 2006-07. Only once in his three series in England has he averaged over 30, too.Any concerns that England could be embarrassed by this young Western Australia side were allayed by a second-wicket stand of 153 between Mark Stoneman and James Vince. Stoneman, in particular, was impressive. He looked unflustered by Coulter-Nile’s excellent opening spell and subsequently unveiled fluent strokes off front and back foot on the way to a 64-ball half-century.”Obviously it wasn’t Test-level bowling,” Stoneman said. “And there are far tougher tests ahead. But it was good to spend some time out there. It helps you settle in to a tour and make sure you can deal with any technical or mental things you may have going on.”We were clinical in the way we did things. You’d get a few down the leg-side and then one right on the money so you had to concentrate. We’re pretty happy with that as a first day.”Vince was less convincing. He was dropped three times – on 47 and 63 he edged attempted cuts only to see Coulter-Nile, at first slip, put down the chances, while on 67 he was dropped by Kyle Gardiner at midwicket off a full-bloodied pull – and eventually flicked one to midwicket. He puts away the bad ball with a style granted to few – some of his cuts and cover drives here were simply beautiful – but it is unthinkable he will be given so many chances in an Ashes Test.The England pair were treated to a fair few bad balls in that first session. Eight bowlers, three of them spinners, were called into the attack before lunch (by which time England had moved to 131 for 1) as a combination or nerves and inexperience produced a smorgasbord of long-hops and full tosses that raised questions as to the usefulness of this match as an exercise. It was like preparing for a fight with Wladimir Klitschko by playing Twister with Ronnie Corbett. As Coulter-Nile put it: “They faced a lot of bowling they won’t in Test cricket.”They tightened up markedly after lunch. Stoneman, who had survived a tough chance in the gully off Aaron Hardie on 54, pushed at a decent ball from Lance Morris and edged to slip, while Root was given few opportunities when he came to the wicket. “Hardie was probably the only one to hit a good line and length consistently,” Coulter-Nile said. “I guess they’ve found out what they need to do if they want to go to the next step in the game.”Perhaps the most impressive batting of the day came from Dawid Malan. Having drilled his first delivery – the first he had ever faced in Australia – through mid-off for four, he looked fluent on front and back foot and as tight outside off stump as anyone.With Gary Ballance, his rival for the No. 5 position, he added 104 for England’s fifth-wicket before both were retired to provide opportunities for other batsmen. But while Ballance was generally sound, withstanding something of a barrage from Coulter-Nile, he too gave a chance when edging to second slip on 36.That provided just enough time for Jonny Bairstow – who looks in fine form – to come in and make an increasingly dominant 36 not out.So, while England would have wanted Cook and Root to enjoy more time at the crease, they will have been encouraged by the fact that four less heralded members of the batting line-up made half-centuries.

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São Paulo e Grêmio acertaram a troca de Luciano por Everton. A negociação foi concluída na noite de segunda-feira.

Luciano, atacante de 27 anos, chega ao São Paulo com contrato válido até dezembro de 2022, mesmo período do vínculo que tinha com o Grêmio. Everton, 31 anos, tinha contrato com o clube do Morumbi até a metade de 2021 e agora assina com o Grêmio também até dezembro de 2022.

Os clubes acertaram a troca de 50% dos direitos econômicos de cada jogador. O São Paulo, que tinha 100% dos direitos de Everton, cedeu 50% ao Grêmio e ficou com os outros 50%. O Grêmio não possui mais direitos de Luciano, já que cedeu os seus 50% e a outra metade pertence ao Leganés (ESP).

O São Paulo ainda tem uma dívida com o empresário Carlos Leite referente à compra de Everton em 2018. O agente emprestou R$ 11 milhões ao clube, que pagou R$ 15 milhões aos cariocas para ter o jogador. Recentemente, Leite entrou na Justiça cobrando cerca de R$ 5,5 milhões que o Tricolor teria deixado pendentes. Esse débito não foi repassado ao Grêmio.

Everton fez 70 jogos e oito gols pelo São Paulo, sendo oito jogos e um gol em 2020. Ele teve ótimo início no clube sob o comando de Diego Aguirre, sendo fundamental para a conquista simbólica do primeiro turno do Brasileirão 2018, mas começou a sofrer com lesões a partir da segunda metade daquele ano e não retomou mais o status de antes.

Já Luciano fez 36 jogos e oito gols pelo Grêmio, clube que defendia há cerca de um ano. Em 2020, foram 16 jogos e três gols. O jogador, que tem passagem pelo Corinthians, trabalhou com Fernando Diniz no Fluminense e chega com aval do treinador.

Brendan Rodgers returned to Parkhead for a second spell last month to replace Ange Postecoglou as Celtic manager and has been backed by the board during the summer transfer window.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Hoops officially confirmed the signing of Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki on a five-year deal from Legia Warsaw on Wednesday, which has made him the fifth arrival so far.

Australia international Marco Tilio, Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, and South Korean duo Hyun-jun Yang and Kyeok-kyu Kwon have also joined the Scottish giants ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign.

However, that may not be the end of their business as Rodgers may look to strengthen his side further before the deadline passes, which is in over a month's time.

One ambitious target the Bhoys have been linked with a possible swoop for is Manchester United central midfielder Donny van de Beek, who is also being eyed up by the likes of Milan, Sevilla, and Crystal Palace, among others.

How good is Donny van de Beek?

The Netherlands international has struggled during his time in England with the Red Devils but his Ajax form indicates that the quality is there for him to be a terrific signing for the Hoops to partner Liel Abada in attack.

Van de Beek has only started 11 Premier League matches in three years since his move to Old Trafford in 2020, which included a loan spell with Everton at the start of 2022.

Prior to that, the 26-year-old whiz, who former Scotland defender Alan Hutton recently claimed would be an "outstanding" signing for Celtic, produced 41 goals and 34 assists in 175 first-team outings for Ajax from a central or attacking midfield position.

The Dutch gem could be a brilliant fit for the number ten role in Rodgers' 4-2-3-1 system, which would see Abada line up alongside him as part of the trident of midfielders behind Kyogo Furuhashi.

Celtic's Israel international was one of the team's top performers last season.

He plundered ten goals in 13 Premiership starts, alongside 21 appearances as a substitute, and ended the campaign as the club's third-top scorer – only behind Jota (11) and Kyogo (27).

Abada also created ten 'big chances' for his teammates and was only rewarded with five assists, which suggests that the other attackers within the squad failed to make the most of his creativity.

Van de Beek, however, could come in and provide the 21-year-old wizard with a reliable scorer alongside him in the attacking midfield positions to finish off the opportunities that he creates.

The former Ajax star scored 28 goals across his last three Eredivisie seasons, which works out at around nine goals per league term.

This could make him an upgrade on Celtic's current options in that position if he is able to translate that form over to Scotland as no central midfielder managed more than six Premiership strikes.

Van de Beek also created 1.8 chances per game during his final league term with Ajax in 2019/20, which only Matt O'Riley (2.1) and Jota (1.9) outperformed for the Hoops throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Therefore, Abada and the Manchester United man could form a lethal partnership as part of Rodgers' three attackers behind Kyogo due to their respective ability to score and assist goals on a regular basis.

Of course, there is a question mark over whether van de Beek can return to the form he showcased at Ajax but his impressive statistics in his home country suggest that is a gamble worth taking.

Manchester United are believed to be nearing the signing of Rasmus Hojlund, and now a fresh update has emerged on another potential target who could join the striker at Old Trafford.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in Mohammed Kudus?

According to Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan, Ajax star Mohammed Kudus is on Man United's list of targets this summer.

Speaking on Football Daily, van der Kraan revealed:

"He [Kudus] is very keen on a move to the Premier League whether that be a top club in London or Manchester."

"But I think as soon as Ten Hag would knock on his door, he will go."

"He is on their list, he might not be the number one yet but if the players mentioned fail to come or talks break down, Kudus could be an ideal option."

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

It is no secret that Erik ten Hag has continued to have a huge admiration for his former Ajax squad, with a number of the Eredivisie club's players being linked with a move to Old Trafford since the manager was appointed last summer.

Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana are all players that have followed their former Ajax coach to the north west of England, whilst the likes of Jurrien Timber and Frenkie de Jong have been previously linked too.

Now Kudus – who reportedly has a £40m price tag – could be the next Ajax ace to join Ten Hag's rebuild project at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, and would provide strong competition for the players deployed in the attacking threat, especially Antony who hasn't had the explosive impact desired so far.

Over 25 Premier League appearances last season, the Brazilian delivered just four goals and two assists, as well as missing four big chances in front of goal and failing to complete 54% of his dribble attempts, as per SofaScore.

When comparing Kudus' output to the Man United winger's last season, the Ghana international comfortably outperformed his positional competitor in a number of attributes including goal contributions (14 v 9), shots on target rate (39.1% v 32.1%), pass completion (85.5% v 79.1%), successful take-ons (62.3% v 42.7%) and shots on target per 90 (1.36 v 1.18), as per FBref.

Not only that, Dutch legend Marco van Basten spoke out on the former Ajax teammates upon Antony's big-money move to Man United, claiming that Kudus is a much better player:

"Kudus has much better technique, and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical.

"He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team.

"In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He's more fun to watch play."

Indeed, Kudus' great versatility in positioning means that the pair could play alongside each other for the Red Devils, with the 22-year-old experienced in playing central midfield, attacking midfield, in the centre-forward role, as well as on the right wing too.

However, providing competition for Antony on that right flank could ultimately unlock his true potential and push the winger to improve his performances, something that would put Ten Hag in a great position by having two young and hungry prospects vying to prove themselves next season, with Hojlund spearheading the attack through the middle.

With that being said, the signing of Kudus would be a great piece of business for Man United; adding depth to a number of key areas on the pitch and delivering Ten Hag another huge talent that can impact the attacking threat.

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed to sell defender Davinson Sanchez to Spartak Moscow after accepting their bid, but they're waiting on his green-light.

Who will leave Spurs this summer?

As new manager Ange Postecoglou slowly but surely reshapes the team in his own image, bringing in three major signings since his appointment, certain Spurs squad members could be shown the door.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon have all joined the club for a combined fee of over £60 million.

That's not even counting the fees to sign Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski on permanent deals after their loans, which would take Tottenham's total summer outlay to around £117 million.

The Lilywhites aren't done there, either, as reliable media sources claim they're chasing two senior centre-back signings this summer.

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus star Gleison Bremer have all been linked with moves to Spurs recently.

To fund these swoops, it's imperative Tottenham offload more fringe players after Harry Winks, who left to join Leicester City around the same time Spurs signed Maddison.

Of the players who could make way, Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Tanguy Ndombele have all been previously mentioned as candidates – depending on pre-season (The Telegraph).

Meanwhile, Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is reliably believed to be nearing the exit door after agreeing personal terms with La Liga giants Atletico Madrid (The Times).

There have been claims this week that Sanchez, who is attracting serious interest from Spartak Moscow in Russia, is also "very close" to departing.

This is echoed by The Athletic and journalist Charlie Eccleshare, who say that Tottenham have indeed accepted Spartak's £12.9 million bid for the Colombian.

As Postecoglou's side agree to sell Sanchez, the issue isn't club-to-club, but rather the player himself – who is still yet to agree personal terms and hasn't yet decided whether he will make the move.

The 27-year-old apparently holds reservations over a move to the Russian Premier League, so there is currently scepticism as to whether he will join Spartak.

If Sanchez does give the green-light, it is believed that two other defenders could follow him out the door – namely Japhet Tanganga and Wales international Joe Rodon.

The latter duo have been made available for either a loan or permanent sale as Postecoglou continues to orchestrate an overhaul.

How good is Davinson Sanchez?

The former Ajax star came under fierce criticism from sections of the fanbase last season and hasn't quite lived up to his £40 million price tag.

That being said, he's had his bright moments, with former Spurs manager Antonio Conte even praising his reliability and attitude at one point over 2022/2023.

Conte claimed he is a "reliable player" to have in the Tottenham squad, namely because of his attitude and application despite not being selected regularly.

“I want also to tell Sanchez. He played his last game in the starting 11 two months ago. He worked very hard and very well. To see him tonight to have this performance, makes me and my staff very happy,” Conte said.

“When we have players like Sanchez and Joe Rodon. A reliable player who doesn’t play but works very hard, the staff are very happy.”

Liverpool are waiting on discussions over the future of Levi Colwill, with The Evening Standard reporting that the defender won't let emotion get in the way of his decision over a new Chelsea deal in what is a boost for the Reds.

How many games did Levi Colwill play last season?

The 20-year-old has struggled to get regular minutes with his parent club so far over the course of his career, mainly having to make do with loan spells for frequent gametime. In fact, he's actually yet to make his debut for the Blues in the Premier League and instead made his top flight bow for Brighton in 2022/23 during his stint with the Seagulls.

He originally made his league debut with Huddersfield as an 18-year-old in the second tier, featuring 29 times as the Terriers broke into the play-off spots in that league. Yet again, it showcased his ability to compete at the highest level despite his age, playing for one of the better teams in the league despite his youth.

With the Amex Stadium outfit, he thrived and became a key part of their squad as they surged into the European places. He featured on 17 occasions in the league – with 13 starts – and managed two assists as they finished in 6th place. Prior to that campaign, Colwill had never stepped foot in the Premier League before – only the Championship. However, it took little to no time for the defender to adapt to the pace and rigors of the top division in English football.

Are Liverpool signing Levi Colwill?

His showings have now led to plenty of interest in his services this summer. Liverpool are one of the clubs linked with a swoop for the centre-back, with the Reds having already contacted representatives of the player to speak about a potential move.

Now, according to a report from The Evening Standard, the young talent is set to hold talks with his current manager Mauricio Pochettino over his future and whether to agree a new deal at Chelsea. If he opts not to do so, that could then lead to a move this summer.

It also states that the Englishman will not be swayed by his academy connections in west London and will not let an emotional involvement cloud whether he stays at Stamford Bridge or decides to move to a new club, which is obviously good news for suitors such as Liverpool.

Whoever does land Colwill – or if Chelsea keep him – they'll have themselves someone who is seen as a key part of the future of the English game. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that the defender is a "top talent" and highlighted how impressive he had been for Brighton despite his age.

It seems he is already performing to a high standard – thriving at the U21 European Championships as we speak – and yet there is plenty of potential still to come from the player – and that is why a Liverpool deal for the Englishman would be a real coup if they could pull it off this summer window.