India making the final was not a surprise. Pakistan was. But here they are and if they play like they did against England, the contest could be one for the ages

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando 17-Jun-2017Match factsJune 18, 2017
Start time 1030 local (0930GMT)Big pictureHow is it that we have got here? It seems surreal. In the age of skirting around stereotypes and upending norms, here comes a contest almost as old as partition itself: Pakistani bowling v Indian batting, and still, though we have all tasted this and read some version of this script, it doesn’t feel even slightly hackneyed, not even a little stale.How could it be? Australia might be the winningest outfit in the game, but are there two prouder cricket nations than India and Pakistan? Close your eyes. Bring to mind the players of yore. Waqar Younis and his yorkers, with tails like comets, making matchsticks out of the stumps; Mohammad Azharuddin, his flicks like brushwork, the ball teleporting through the leg side, reappearing so far into the distance you only knew it had arrived when it thwacked the boundary board. Here is Sachin Tendulkar tapping his bat, so poised, so zen at the crease; there blows Shoaib Akhtar like a hot wind, limbs whipping through that elastic action. An India v Pakistan match is not so much a new chapter in a rivalry, as a clash of cricketing bloodlines.And an elemental force has each side been in this tournament. India, sleeker now than they have been in previous decades, have overpowered oppositions to get to this final. Not since Australia in the last decade, has an ODI team looked quite so clinical, quite so bristling with purpose. They have a formula about their game too: start steady with the bat, surge through the middle, and finish big. With the ball: strangle up front, make incisions through the middle, and let the opposition innings bleed out. They stand now, muscles rippling, only once – against Sri Lanka – having had to break a sweat.Pakistan, meanwhile, have been the same old manic vortex: awful sometimes, amazing at others, transitioning from one to the other between matches, or within the same over – who knows how the mood will strike? While India are a knowable, quantifiable outfit, Pakistan’s strength is their imperviousness to any kind of rational breaking down of their game. How can you plan against that?Still, it is Pakistan who will have to spring the surprise here. They are the team that has to make the charge on Minas Tirith. It is up to them to gird up their strike power for the raid on the Death Star.At these global events, they have long been the race-car that goes from zero to a hundred quicker than anyone else, it’s just that sometimes, that is while tumbling off a side of a cliff.Form guideIndia WWLWL (completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WWWLWIn the spotlightNo one has quite lived out India’s dominance in the Champions Trophy, nor their appetite for the big events, like Shikhar Dhawan, whose 317 runs at an average of 79.25 (and a strike rate of 102), places him at the top of the run scorers’ list. Much like with his team, there is a brooding confidence in Dhawan’s game at the moment. He is resplendently unflustered by slow starts, backing himself to score quickly later on. So well-placed is India when he typically departs, that it’s not just that he has laid the foundation, he has helped complete most of the building. All that remains for the likes of MS Dhoni to do is stick a spire on the top, and run the flag up the pole.And who better embodies the campaign of what was the eighth-ranked team in the tournament than the man who was thought to be only the fourth-best quick in the squad. Hasan Ali has a hint of the old Pakistan sorcery about his bowling: the in his approach, the theatrical celebration, the wisps of reverse swing. With ten victims at an average of 17.20, and a wonderful economy rate of 4.52, he has the potential to be the pebble that jams up India’s cogs, and brings the machinery tumbling down.Team newsR Ashwin was seen with a heavily-taped right knee on the eve of the match, and had appeared to pull a muscle. He required the physiotherapist’s attention and was then seen doing short run ups followed by stretches later. If he is ruled unfit, Umesh Yadav, who took 3 for 30 in the opening match against Pakistan, may slot back into the XI. Such is the quality in India’s squad, that they can lose a player of Ashwin’s stature and still not be too badly dented by it.India (possible) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin/Umesh Yadav,10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Jasprit BumrahMohammad Amir has been ruled fit after missing the semi-final with a back spasm, meaning Rumman Raees is likely to exit the XI, despite his excellent debut.Pakistan (possible) 1 Azhar Ali, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Mohammad Amir, 9 Shadab Khan, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Junaid KhanPitch and conditionsA fresh pitch is being used for the match and appears mostly dry, so perhaps the track will favour batsmen and scores in excess of 300 are likely. The forecast is for a slightly cloudy, but mostly dry day, with temperatures reaching the high twenties.Stats and trivia Although Pakistan have an overall lead in the head-to-head stakes, having won 72 matches to India’s 52, they have lost eight of the 10 matches the teams have played in global tournaments. India have scored 1098 runs at a per-batsman average of 91.50 in the tournament, which makes them by a distance the best batting side on show. The next-best average is England’s 41.11 Pakistan’s 31 wickets are the most taken by any team in the Champions Trophy. Since that opening loss to India, they have taken 28 wickets at 23.78 and maintained an economy rate of 4.46.Three of India’s top-five average higher than 43 against Pakistan – Rohit Sharma (37.90) is the lone exception.Junaid Khan has taken eight wickets at an average of 21.50 in five matches against India. He has dismissed Kohli three times, and conceded only two runs to him.Quotes”I don’t see any relevance of the first game here because you can never tell how a particular team starts a tournament. Some teams start very confidently and then they fade off. Some teams might not have the best starts, and they come back amazingly, which Pakistan have done. So everyone is aware of the kind of talent they have in their team, and on their day they can beat any side in the world.”
“I said before the Edgbaston game [against India], that I thought they were really, really calm. But they’re very, very excited now, and there’s a hell of a good vibe in that dressing room. Let’s hope we can pull out our ‘A’ game again tomorrow. If we play our ‘A’ game together and do the basics well, we can beat anybody.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has overhauled his squad throughout the summer transfer window after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

The Light Blues have reacted to their failure to lift a single trophy last season by snapping up seven new additions to date, in an attempt to bounce back next term.

Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers, and Leon Balogun have all come through the door on permanent deals, whilst Abdallah Sima has joined on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Two more arrivals are reportedly imminent as the club have agreed a £6m deal to sign Brazilian striker Danilo from Feyenoord and are set to land LAFC central midfielder Jose Cifuentes.

They could, however, extend their business into double figures beyond those two potential signings as they have recently been linked with an interest in Steve Biko central defender Dembo Saidykhan, who could be a long-term heir to Connor Goldson.

How good is Dembo Saidykhan?

The 19-year-old gem currently plays his football in The Gambia and is yet to test himself in a European league, which makes it difficult to gauge exactly how good he is.

However, the 6 foot 1 titan did showcase his talent at the U20 World Cup for his country earlier this year. His statistics throughout the competition suggest that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition to Beale's squad, albeit not one with a view to the talented teenager being able to make an immediate impact next season.

Saidykhan averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 across four outings at the tournament and made 2.5 tackles and interceptions combined per match.

Meanwhile, Goldson, who made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, was the only Rangers centre-back to average a score higher than 6.96 across the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership campaign (7.29).

Saidykhan was also reliable in possession for his country, who were knocked out by Uruguay, with a pass completion rate of 89%, which stacks up well alongside the English colossus' 89% success rate at league level last term.

This suggests that the Gambian ace could be an excellent option for the club if he is able to translate that form over to first-team football in the future.

It would be a big ask for a 19-year-old to come over to Europe, and Scotland, for the first time and produce consistently brilliant performances in line with his displays for his country's U20 team.

However, his outings at the World Cup for The Gambia show that the potential is there and that is why Beale could sign him as a long-term heir to Goldson's position on the right of a central defensive pairing.

The current Light Blues battler, who turns 31 in December, is 11 years older than the Steve Biko prodigy and could take the promising youngster under his wing for a couple of seasons to aid Saidykhan's development.

Therefore, the Gers target, who was described as "strong" and "agile" by journalist Hernan Pacheco, could be an intriguing signing for Beale to make with an eye on the future, rather than the here and now.

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.”

The focus of Liverpool's recruitment during the summer transfer window has been the midfield department so far as they have brought in two new recruits to bolster the squad.

Jurgen Klopp has swooped to sign Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton & Hove Albion and RB Leipzig respectively, following Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner's respective departures at the end of last season.

However, the Reds could yet look to strengthen their options in defence as they have been touted with a move for a new centre-back to compete with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip.

Liverpool were named as one of a number of teams interested in signing Bayern Munich central defender Benjamin Pavard last month, alongside top-flight rivals Manchester City and Chelsea.

How good is Benjamin Pavard?

The 27-year-old warrior, who can also be deployed as a right-back, has the quality to be a phenomenal player for Klopp if he is able to translate his form from the Bundesliga over to the Premier League.

Pavard could be the dream partner for Ibrahima Konate moving forward, given that he is five years younger than 32-year-old Virgil van Dijk, due to his ability, experience as a winner, and their pre-existing relationship.

They are both French internationals and started four matches alongside each other in defence for their country last season, which resulted in four wins and one draw – with only two goals conceded.

This suggests that Pavard, who would arrive as a proven winner with four Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, and a World Cup winner's medal, could hit the ground running next to Konate as they are already familiar with each other and there would not be a language barrier between them.

The Bayern star could also be an outstanding defensive performer for Liverpool due to his performances last term. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 across 30 league matches for the Bavarian side, which would have placed him top of the Reds' squad – above Trent Alexander-Arnold's club-leading score of 7.32 in the Premier League.

Pavard also made 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game for the German giants – more than any of Klopp's central defenders managed – as he showcased his ability to win possession back for his team on a regular basis to prevent his goalkeeper from being tested.

The French brute, who was once hailed as "underrated" by current boss Thomas Tuchel, is also an exceptional passer of the ball who could complement Konate's lack of progressive play.

Over the last 365 days, the Bayern titan ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs across the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90 – as per FBref.

This essentially means that the talented stopper is able to consistently find teammates in advanced positions whilst also being able to dribble further up the pitch to gain ground on the opposition.

On the other hand, the former RB Leipzig colossus places below the average in both statistics, which suggests that the 24-year-old ace does not excel on the ball.

This is another reason why the £83k-per-week Liverpool target could be the dream partner for Konate as his magnificent ability to progress his team up the pitch to start attacks could make up for his compatriot's lack of quality in that department.

Southampton are thought to be in pole position to sign Sunderland forward Ross Stewart this summer, according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon.

What’s the latest Southampton transfer news?

The Saints and new manager Russell Martin have made a start in the transfer market ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign, with two new faces already brought in.

Former Swansea left-back Ryan Manning has made the move to St Mary’s on a free transfer to reunite with Martin, whereas young midfielder Shea Charles has arrived from Manchester City. Further new arrivals look to be of interest to the Saints and Martin, though, and a new attacker is seemingly on the cards.

Martin currently has four centre-forward options on the books in Che Adams, Paul Onuachu, Adam Armstrong and Sekou Mara. However, Adams is into the final 12 months of his contract and is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, so the Scotland international could be on the way out before the September 1 deadline.

Should he depart, it appears as if another Scot in Stewart could come in and fill the void left by Adams, with rumours claiming the Sunderland man wants to join the Saints.

The 72 relayed a new update from Nixon’s Patreon page on Sunday regarding Southampton and a move for Stewart.

It is believed that the Saints are in pole position and therefore the front runners to secure the forward’s services this summer, despite his recent injury issues.

Who is Ross Stewart?

Stewart, hailed as "incredible" by Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, began his career in Scotland, representing the likes of St Mirren and Ross County.

He made the move to Sunderland in 2021, though, and has impressed when fit for the Black Cates, helping them win promotion to the Championship during the 2021/22 campaign.

Primarily a centre-forward, Stewart can also play on the wing if required and has scored 40 goals in 80 appearances for his current employers. However, as mentioned, the forward has struggled with injury recently, missing large parts of the previous season with an Achilles issue that required surgery.

Stewart is into the final 12 months of his deal, though, with Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray recently admitting he is unaware if the forward will sign a new deal.

“I don't sit across the table with Ross or his agent and discuss that sort of thing. All I know is we could do with him.

"In an ideal world Ross signs a new contract and the team looks so much stronger."

It looks as if the player is keen on swapping Sunderland for Southampton over the coming weeks, and following Nixon’s update, a move could well be one to keep an eye on heading into the new season.

Nottingham Forest have approached Manchester United over the possibility of taking goalkeeper Dean Henderson back on loan for a second season – an offer that has not gone down well with The United Stand's Beth Tucker.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United this summer?

It's been a brilliant start to the transfer window for the Red Devils so far this summer. After a quiet few weeks, the club have finally started to flex their financial muscles.

First through the door was Chelsea academy star and former fan favourite Mason Mount, who finally joined the club for a reasonable fee of around £55m after a protracted transfer saga.

The next big name to Old Trafford was Andre Onana, who the club signed from Italian giants Inter for £47m – a move made all the more necessary after long-term goalkeeper David de Gea left the club earlier this month after his contract expired.

The arrival of Onana has also all but guaranteed Englishman Dean Henderson no longer has a future at the club.

After spending a season on loan with Forest last year, the Garibaldi have reportedly come back in for the 26-year-old.

According to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Steve Cooper's side have submitted a "loan deal proposal" for the player, but the fact it is not a permanent offer means it has not gone down all that well with some Red Devils fans.

Indeed, The United Stand host Beth Tucker didn't hold back when giving her opinion on their YouTube channel, saying:

"A loan deal for Dean Henderson. Are you having a laugh, Nottingham Forest? Are you having a laugh?

"You had him on loan last year, he did very well for you until he got injured. You clearly want to get him again. Just pay the money to sign him.

"Pay the money to sign him, it's as simple as that."

How good is Dean Henderson?

As Tucker points out, prior to his injury, Henderson was performing really well for the Tricky Trees, and according to Sofascore, put up a respectable rating of 6.88 across his 18 Premier League games for the Midlands side.

It can be rather hard to judge the effectiveness of a 'keeper for the simple reason that a single mistake can completely ruin what could otherwise be a brilliant display, which is why looking at his underlying numbers can help to paint a clearer picture of his actual ability – and they look pretty good.

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 8% for penalty saves, the top 16% for defensive actions outside the penalty area, the top 28% for crosses stopped, and the top 29% for clean sheet percentages and touches per 90.

With Forest keen to bring the 6 foot 2 titan back to the City Ground, it shouldn't be surprising to hear Cooper heaped praise on the goalkeeper several times last season, saying: "He's a really good goalkeeper and we're so happy that he's with us."

He has even received praise from opposition managers, with Antonio Conte describing him as "incredible" after he saved a Harry Kane penalty last season.

It's evident that Henderson is, at the very least, a Premier League-quality goalkeeper and one that would do an excellent job for Forest. Hence, it's not too difficult to see where Tucker's frustration comes from, and it'll be interesting to see whether a fee is eventually exchanged for the United man.

The CoA has asked the Supreme Court to take note of the “disruptive and subversive conduct” of disqualified office bearers who were preventing the implementation the Lodha recommendations

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Jul-20175:55

Ugra: Old BCCI challenging Supreme Court

The Committee of Administrators has turned up the heat on the BCCI’s old guard, asking the Supreme Court to take note of the “disruptive and subversive conduct” of disqualified office bearers who were preventing the board from implementing the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.In its fourth status report which the court will consider on July 14, the COA, which was appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, named former BCCI office bearers N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah as being particularly problematic to the process.Srinivasan and Shah had become ineligible to continue in their roles as heads of the Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra Cricket Associations, and to attend BCCI meetings, after the court approved the Lodha report on July 18, 2016. They were disqualified because they were over the prescribed 70-year age cap and had exceeded the maximum tenure for office bearers.Yet both Srinivasan and Shah have found ways to stay involved in administration and attend important BCCI meetings, including the most recent special general meetings (SGM) of the board on May 7 and June 26. Those two SGMs had been convened for the BCCI’s members – the state associations – to approve the new constitution, as per the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.The CoA said the SGM on June 26 was “manifestly disruptive”. In its report, the CoA told the court that it had managed to convince the majority of the state associations to adopt the recommendations but the SGM was “hijacked” by the disqualified former office bearers.”From an audio recording of the SGM, it appears that such disqualified persons were able to effectively hijack proceedings at the SGM by prevailing upon other attendees (who may have been otherwise willing to facilitate the reform process) to either support the cause of such disqualified person or remain silent,” the COA said.Srinivasan and Shah, and other disqualified administrators, had attended the meetings as a representative or nominee of their state association. In their defence, the TNCA and SCA said the Lodha Committee’s eligibility norms were for office bearers and not representatives. The CoA countered in its report that the “true intention” of the court’s order had been violated on a technicality.”In this manner, such disqualified persons are effectively able to do indirectly what they have been prohibited by this Hon’ble Court from doing directly,” the CoA said. “Such disqualified persons have a vested interest in stalling implementation of the Judgement because, if the Judgment is implemented, such disqualified person will have to relinquish control over their respective State/Member Associations.”The COA also noted that though the three existing BCCI office bearers – CK Khanna (acting president), Amitabh Choudhary (secretary), and Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer) – had given written consent to the Supreme Court, only Choudhary urged the members to take “concrete steps” to implement the reforms at the SGM on June 26. Chaudhry, the COA said, was a “mute spectator, lacking the courage and conviction” to support the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.The BCCI’s recent decision to form a special committee to shortlist “critical points” from the Lodha recommendations that it wanted the Supreme Court to reconsider, was also criticised by the CoA. Such a committee, the COA said in its report, was formed almost a year after the order was delivered last year, clearly indicative of the resistance to the reforms. The COA requested the court to “remove the impediments to implementation” of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla will head the seven-member committee that will identify the “few critical points” in the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-20173:36

Ugra: BCCI seem to be in a time vacuum

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla will head a BCCI-appointed seven-member committee that will identify the “few critical points” in the implementation of the Supreme Court order.Sourav Ganguly, president of Cricket Association of Bengal, is the only cricketer in the panel. Amitabh Choudhary, the board’s acting secretary, will convene the committee that also has vice-president TC Mathew and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, Nabha Bhattacharjee, the secretary of the Meghalaya Cricket Association and co-convener of North East Cricket Development Committee and Jay Shah, the joint-secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association.With the Supreme Court hearing set for July 14, the committee has been asked to convene a meeting soon and submit a written report by July 10. The board’s general body will then convene a Special General Meeting to deliberate on the proposals and approve them.The major recommendations that the committee will be dealing with are ‘one-state, one-vote’, an age cap of 70-years for officials, a cooling-off period of three years after every three-year term, and identifying a fix on number of selectors for the senior national team.Choudhary said after the BCCI’s SGM on Monday that the committee “will go into each and every action point necessitated by the principal judgment.” The committee’s proposals will then be presented to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, tasked with running the board until fresh elections under the Lodha guidelines are held. The CoA will “thereafter decide the course of action.” No CoA representative, however, is part of this new BCCI committee.While the move to establish such a committee could delay the implementation of the Lodha recommendations, Choudhary said it was done with a view to “examine how best and quickly to implement” them. The committee is expected to commence work in two days.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has been a busy man throughout the summer transfer window as a raft of fresh additions have come through the door at Ibrox.

The Gers have snapped up seven new signings to bolster their playing squad after the club's failure to secure a single piece of silverware last season.

Sam Lammers, Leon Balogun, Cyriel Dessers, Kieran Dowell, Abdallah Sima, Jack Butland, and Dujon Sterling have all arrived either permanently or on loan since the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, the Scottish giants may not be done there as they still have well over a month to get their business done before September's deadline.

Last month, it was reported that the Light Blues are still in the race to land Malik Tillman on a second loan spell after his impressive performances for the club last term.

Bayern Munich, although they would be open to a sale, are prepared to sanction another temporary deal if the right opportunity comes about, whilst Premier League teams are also showing an interest in his services.

How many goals did Malik Tillman score last season?

The USA international plundered 12 goals across all competitions for Rangers and his return to Glasgow could allow Beale to brutally bin Ianis Hagi.

It was recently claimed that some unnamed teams in the Serie A are keeping tabs on the Romania international with a view to a potential swoop for his signature this summer, which could open up the door for the Gers to cash in on him.

The 24-year-old wizard missed 69 competitive games through a knee injury between January 2022 and 2023. He made his comeback under Beale last season and, understandably so, struggled to make a significant impact.

Hagi scored one goal and failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates across eight Scottish Premiership outings for the club, to go along with a Sofascore rating of 6.90 – the 15th-best score within the squad.

Tillman, on the other hand, ranked ninth on the team with an average Sofascore rating of 7.09. The £13k-per-week sensation, whose "infectious" attitude was hailed by ex-Gers boss Alex McLeish, racked up ten goals alongside 12 'big chances' created in 28 league matches for Rangers.

Fashion Sakala (12) was the only winger or midfielder with more Premiership goals than the German-born talent, which highlights how important the exceptional loanee was to the side with his ability at the top end of the pitch.

His form was also more impressive than Hagi's most successful campaign at Ibrox to date. The Romanian maestro averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 and contributed with seven goals to go along with six 'big chances' created in 33 matches during the 2020/21 title-winning season.

This suggests that Tillman has the ability to offer more, as a scorer and a creator, than Hagi in the final third as a midfielder or wide player.

Therefore, with the additions of Dowell and Sima to further bolster the club's options in those areas of the pitch, bringing the Bayern Munich dynamo back to Glasgow would allow Beale to cash in on Hagi amid interest from teams in Italy.

حقق فريق طرابزون سبور، فوزًا ضد خصمه قيصري سبور، مساء اليوم، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري التركي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين من الدوري التركي، موسم 2023/24، حيث فاز طرابزون سبور بهدفين مقابل هدف.

سجل أنيس ديستان الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 24 من عمر الشوط الأول، قبل أن يسجل زميله نيكولاس بيبي الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 58.

في حين جاء هدف قيصري سبور الوحيد عن طريق مهدي بوربيعة في الدقيقة 87 من عمر المباراة.

ويغيب المحترف المصري محمود حسن تريزيجيه عن الملاعب في الوقت الحالي، نتيجة الإصابة التي تعرض لها في الجولة الماضية ضد سيفاس سبور (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد طرابزون سبور إلى 55 نقطة في المركز الثالث، بينما تجمد رصيد قيصري سبور عند 37 نقطة في المركز الرابع عشر.