Manchester United are plotting a bid for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez as incoming manager Erik ten Hag aims to rebuild the squad.
What’s the word?
According to the Athletic’s David Ornstein, Man United have a serious interest in securing the services of Darwin Nunez in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal have also been linked with the 22-year-old previously and United could face a battle to sign one of the finest talents on the continent.
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A fee of €60m (£51m) has been reported and this could well represent a bargain considering how highly rated he is.
Ten Hag will adore Nunez
Realistically, ten Hag needs to improve the spine of his new side, from defence right through to a striker. Cristiano Ronaldo is the only forward at the club to score more than ten goals (24) this season and this is an area that needs urgent attention.
With that in mind, the Dutch coach will surely love the Benfica attacker.
Nunez has scored 34 goals in 41 appearances this season, a truly remarkable return, and it’s no wonder his stock is so high with many potential suitors.
The Uruguayan has also made eight appearances at international level and is tipped for an extremely bright future.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman said the striker was a “rough diamond” following his performances against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals. Whereas his club manager Jorge Jesus has stated that the striker will become a “world-class player” and with his stats and impressive rise so far, it’s hard to argue with the notion.
With Man United missing out on Champions League football for next season, this could be held as a major disadvantage in their pursuit of Nunez. The 22-year-old will understandably want to play at the highest level.
Only time will tell, but he would be a wise investment if brought to the club.
AND in other news, Pole position: MUFC in the lead to land £85m “thoroughbred bomber”, ten Hag will be buzzing
Former Celtic striker Charlie Nicholas has pleaded with the club to tie manager Ange Postecoglou down to a new deal, claiming the club must already be plotting or even in behind-scenes ‘negotiations’.
The Lowdown: Ange excels in first year
The Australian replaced Neil Lennon in the Parkhead hot seat last year, looking to improve fortunes on the pitch after a disappointing period.
Postecoglou has done just that, inspiring Celtic to within touching distance of regaining the Scottish Premiership title, needing just one more point to achieve that goal.
Not only that but the Hoops have already sealed Scottish League Cup glory, too, further outlining the job he is doing.
Postecoglou only signed a one-year deal at Parkhead, however, and speaking to The Scottish Daily Express, Nicholas, 60, claimed the club must surely already be engaged in or plotting behind-scenes talks:
“Forget about all the transfers because Celtic’s No. 1 priority in the coming weeks should be rewarding Ange Postecoglou with a new contract. I would be absolutely amazed if talks haven’t already started.
“Celtic would be absolutely crazy if they haven’t opened negotiations or even scheduled them for the coming weeks. Ange deserves to be rewarded for what he has done.
“Let’s get him tied up because he is at the heart of everything good that Celtic are doing and have done. They kept topping up Brendan Rodgers’ deal and look at the compensation they got for him when Leicester City came in.
“I don’t think Ange will be pushing for a new deal but it would be a reward for the remarkable job he has done at Celtic…so far. His reputation is growing and there is no doubt other big clubs will be looking at him.
“So Dermot (Desmond) show a bit of loyalty and reward Ange, please. He should be the top priority at the club.”
The Verdict: No-brainer for Celtic
It would be devastating to see Postecoglou suddenly leave at the end of the season, having not agreed terms on a contract and found a new club instead.
That seems unlikely, in truth, with the Celtic boss seemingly happy at the club, but supporters won’t rest easy until he has extended his stint with the Hoops.
Postecoglou has made an enormous difference since replacing Lennon, becoming an undoubted fan favourite already, and the club could enjoy a rich period of success under him.
In other news, an exciting Celtic financial update has emerged. Read more here.
Celtic are in action in front of their home fans again this afternoon as Ange Postecoglou’s side take on Hearts in their latest Premiership clash.
Having dropped two points against their Old Firm rivals last weekend after being a goal up at half-time, the Hoops will want to get back to winning ways this time out.
In terms of what the starting XI could look like for the home side on this occasion, here’s our prediction for what the 56-year-old may go with.
Celtic predicted XI – Hart; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor; Rogic, McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Giakoumakis, Jota
To kick things off, having played in the majority of Celtic’s league games throughout the campaign, it seems likely that Joe Hart will start in goal to try and add another clean sheet to his tally of 25.
At right-back, with Josip Juranovic still out injured, Anthony Ralston will most likely start once again.
For the two centre-back positions, with 61 combined league appearances between them, we feel that Cameron Carter-Vickers will partner Carl Starfelt once more. Finally, for the left-back role, we think Greg Taylor will also keep his place in the team.
Moving on to the midfield, we predict that Postecoglou will make one change to the trio which started against Rangers last weekend.
Instead of seeing Matt O’Riley start again, we envisage Tom Rogic coming back into the side to freshen up the midfield alongside club captain Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate.
With the composition of the attacking trio, we predict that Jota will keep his place in the XI on the left wing after scoring against the Gers last weekend, with Daizen Maeda on the right.
Finally, at centre-forward, we can see Postecoglou making another big decision by taking Kyogo Furuhashi out of the team and replacing him with Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Even though he has scored 17 goals in 30 appearances for the Bhoys since his £5m move from Vissel Kobe last summer, the Japanese attacker failed to have much of an impact against Rangers last time out. With that in mind, it could be an ideal time for Postecoglou to put Giakoumakis back in the team.
Labelled a “confident” player by Kris Commons, the Greece international could be the one to freshen up Celtic’s attack on this occasion rather than Furuhashi.
In other news: Enquiry made, then joined rivals: Celtic had the last laugh over “huge” 161 G/A dynamo
West Bromwich Albion returned to winning ways as the Baggies secured a 1-0 victory at Reading in the Championship this afternoon thanks to Karlan Grant’s 78th-minute strike.
The Englishman’s effort was his 16th goal of the season and he looks set to finish the campaign as Albion’s top scorer.
It was important to return to winning ways after a draw and a defeat in the Baggies’ last two outings, and the victory also saw Steve Bruce’s men climb up to 10th.
In a game which saw West Brom edge possession with 52% but dominate the shots tally with 14 compared to the Royals’ six, Grant will take the obvious plaudits for his goal. However, Jayson Molumby was excellent for the visitors at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Molumby stole the show for West Brom
The 22-year-old enjoyed a whopping 88 touches in Berkshire whilst also completing 61 passes at an astounding 90% accuracy. Moreover, the Irishman lost possession just nine times all afternoon.
The Brighton loanee also contributed two key passes and won 89% of his duels, in addition to making four tackles, three interceptions and one clearance in an impressively solid outing.
The 22-year-old’s performance was a stark contrast to that of his midfield partner Jake Livermore, who was rated 6.4/10 by SofaScore after having just 49 touches and losing 71% of his duels.
At West Brom, Molumby – who has previously been described as “energetic” by former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr – has seen opportunities come inconsistently, starting just 16 of Albion’s 45 Championship matches this term, with another 14 league appearances coming from the bench.
Molumby had featured twice for Brighton’s under-23s in August before his loan move to the West Midlands, which has seen the young midfielder gain invaluable experience of playing first-team football. However, it could be argued that both the Irishman and the Seagulls would’ve liked to have seen the Baggies offer him more game-time.
Nonetheless, in what has been a slightly chaotic campaign for West Brom with a managerial change and underachievement after targeting promotion back to the Premier League, Molumby should be delighted to get the experience that he has received over the past few months.
What lies ahead for the 22-year-old, who has just one match of his loan spell remaining, is as yet unknown, but the Irish dynamo stole the show against Reading today.
AND in other news: Huge West Brom transfer claim emerges, it’s not good news for the Baggies
Tottenham target Alessandro Bastoni may “emerge” as the priority for the club during the upcoming summer transfer window…
What’s the story?
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones claimed: “I think there’s a good chance that Bastoni will emerge as the guy. At this stage, I keep being told there is no order at the moment, that they’ll see at the end of the season where they’re at and they’ll go from there.
“They have a shortlist, but it’s not in any sort of ranking, as it stands.”
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Perfect for Conte
Having been together during their time at Inter, Bastoni would surely come into this Spurs side ready to meet Conte’s demands of playing as the left-sided centre-back in a back-three.
The Italian attempts 70.9 passes per game, which puts him in the top 5% of centre-backs in Serie A, while his score score of 94 out of 99 for defending intensity, i.e. how active he is in his defensive approach, is an impressive snapshot of how aggressive he likes to be.
A piece from The Athletic revealed: “When Conte arrived at Inter in 2019, Bastoni was a 20-year-old who had not yet played for the first team having spent the previous season out on loan at Parma. But Conte wanted to build with Bastoni, so he was in the Inter squad for the 2019-20 season, and Bastoni was thrilled. It did not take long for him to say that Conte was ‘the Messi of coaches’, praising his ‘exceptional football ideas’.”
Predominantly left-footed as well, the Italian is reminiscent of Spurs’ former ball-playing colossus Jan Vertonghen, with talent scout Jacek Kulig noting that the 23-year-old is a “complete, dominant and elegant” defender, while adding last year: “Fantastic young centre-back with some superb ball skills. Perfect to play in a three-man defence. Antonio Conte’s talisman.”
Valued at £60m by CIES, Bastoni and Conte could rekindle their partnership from Inter in north London, and enjoy the same kind of success they did there.
AND in other news – Spurs plot record-breaking swoop for £100m-rated “tank”, Conte will be buzzing
Leeds United have their eyes on a tricky January transfer to sign a new forward who has been compared to Crysencio Summerville.
Leeds’ lack of goals in Premier League as 49ers eye forward
The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far following their return to the Premier League, with centre-back Joe Rodon the club’s joint top scorer in the top flight.
Joe Rodon
2
Lukas Nmecha
2
Noah Okafor
2
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
1
Anton Stach
1
Brenden Aaronson
1
Sean Longstaff
1
Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).
Only three attacking additions were made over the summer, two of which were free transfers in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It is looking like a decision the 49ers Enterprises could live to regret, but they do have their eyes on attacking reinforcements in the New Year.
Brazilian forward Jhon Jhon is one name that has emerged in recent weeks, and he already has Red Bull links at RB Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A. Journalist Graeme Bailey said:
“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.
“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”
Leeds set to make imminent bid for Real Madrid ace after Farke convinces 49ers
The Whites are looking to bring in a new forward, having not scored enough goals so far this season.
ByDominic Lund Nov 21, 2025
Domestically, Coventry City’s Haji Wright is another attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent months, and there has been a fresh claim regaring the Whites taking the USA international in the New Year.
Update on Leeds’ move for Haji Wright
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds have four attacking targets who they could move for in January, one of which is Wright.
It is stated that the Whites ‘have a genuine interest in signing Wright’ and ‘the club are considering a concrete move for a player they have tracked since the summer’.
A deal is viewed as tricky with Coventry top of the Championship, however, Wright’s contract is set to expire in 2027.
Despite the difference in size, Wright has been compared to former Leeds attacker Summerville due to his ability to play off the left.
Roony Bardghji
Barcelona
Marcus Edwards
Burnley
Crysencio Summerville
West Ham
Sadio Mane
Al-Nassr
Borja Sainz
Porto
Primarily a centre-forward, though, the 27-year-old has scored eight Championship goals in 14 appearances so far this season.
Labelled as a “constant problem” for defenders to keep tabs on by his manager Frank Lampard, it has previously been suggested that an offer of £20m could be required to sign Wright.
How Leeds believe they'll convince Raheem Sterling to join with move in the works
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has months to prepare for the January transfer window after a very busy summer, and one of the key items on his agenda will be to raise money through player sales.
Arsenal under pressure to sell after busy summer
The Gunners, after completing eight key deals totalling over £250 million, only brought in around £9 million in return — thereby finishing the summer with a seismic net spend of around £246 million.
Liverpool
£415,000,000
£187,000,000
£228,000,000
Chelsea
£285,000,000
£288,000,000
-£3,000,000
Arsenal
£255,000,000
£9,000,000
£246,000,000
Newcastle
£250,000,000
£152,000,000
£98,000,000
Man Utd
£216,000,000
£68,000,000
£148,000,000
Nottm Forest
£205,000,000
£107,000,000
£98,000,000
Tottenham
£181,000,000
£36,000,000
£145,000,000
Sunderland
£162,000,000
£44,000,000
£118,000,000
Man City
£152,000,000
£53,000,000
£99,000,000
West Ham
£124,000,000
£55,000,000
£69,000,000
via BBC
It was a pivotal window for Berta which showcased the Italian’s natural flare as a proven deal-maker, with insiders behind-the-scenes nicknaming him a ‘club agent’—partly due to his expertise in facilitating transfers (The Athletic).
Mikel Arteta was backed with the signings of experienced back-up keeper Kepa, Piero Hincapie, Cristhian Mosquera, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and proven goalscorer Viktor Gyokeres, but most of the club’s outgoings brought in zero fees.
Big names like Kieran Tierney, Jorginho and Thomas Partey were allowed to leave as free agents, and that has perhaps pressured the club to balance their sheet with outgoing transfers next year.
Berta has some key decisions to make, as the exit-linked Gabriel Martinelli shined in Bilbao after coming off the bench to score and assist in a 2-0 Champions League win on Tuesday, showing Arteta that the Brazilian could still have a major role to play.
Leandro Trossard has also contributed when called upon with goals and assists from the bench in his last two games, right after the Belgian was awarded a new contract and pay rise with no extension.
Arsenal’s options to sell in lucrative deals are running thin, and Berta will bear in mind that the Premier League’s PSR rules only allow losses of £105 million over a rolling three-year period.
Arsenal "ready" to sell Gabriel Jesus with January exit possible
One of the senior stars who could raise some cash is £265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazil international is still working his way back from an ACL injury he suffered in an FA Cup defeat to Man United last season, with the presence of Gyokeres and Kai Havertz pushing him far down Arteta’s pecking order.
According to ex-Man United chief scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected in the game, Berta is ready to sell Jesus and an Arsenal exit could happen as early as January.
Since joining Arteta’s side from Man City in 2022, Jesus has bagged 26 goals and 20 assists in 96 appearances, and that kind of return wasn’t enough to spearhead Arsenal to a Premier League title after three consecutive second-placed league finishes.
Now, summer signing Gyokeres has hit the ground running with three goals in five appearances, and he’s showcasing the type of proficiency which Arsenal have seriously lacked up front for years — even if there are concerns that the Swede isn’t a big-game player (Gary Neville).
If we just ignore the minor injury crisis, this looks set to be an incredibly exciting campaign for Chelsea.
Granted, Enzo Maresca’s side did drop points in their Premier League season opener, but back-to-back wins against London competition have proven that they’re a better team than last year.
That shouldn’t be much of a surprise, though, as the Blues made a host of brilliant signings over the summer, including Joao Pedro, who already looks more than settled.
That said, Todd Boehly and Co will hope he keeps up the good form as they’ve already made a significant loss on someone who’s been compared to him.
Joao Pedro's start to life at Chelsea
Chelsea were quick to sign Pedro this summer, paying Brighton & Hove Albion around £60m and bringing him in before the end of the Club World Cup campaign.
It was a good thing they did, as the Brazilian made an instant impact, scoring three goals in three appearances in the competition, including one in the final against Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain.
His brilliant form continued into pre-season with a couple of goals against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan, before his first blank in the season opener against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro
However, you can’t keep such an incredible player down for too long, and away to West Ham United, the former Watford ace got back up and running with a headed goal, and then he grabbed another goal at home to Fulham on Saturday.
In all, it’s hard to think of another signing in the Premier League this season who has got off to as good a start as the prolific forward has.
It’s not just the goals either, as the 23-year-old dynamo has also provided two assists in the league so far, and his overall play makes him stand out wherever he is on the pitch.
Interestingly, Chelsea signed a player who has been compared to Pedro, but instead of him becoming a success in West London, he was just sold for a sizable loss.
Chelsea's former Pedro
Given the number of players Chelsea have signed over the years, it’s no surprise that they’ve had more than their fair share of duds.
Where Are They Now
Yet, unlike many teams, the Blues are remarkably good at either minimising their losses on these players or even making a small profit on them.
Unfortunately, that did not happen with Christopher Nkunku.
The French international joined the Blues under former boss Mauricio Pochettino in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around £52m, and after two disappointing years in West London, was sold for up to £36m to AC Milan this summer.
While that isn’t too bad a fee to get for the player, it does represent a £16m loss, which is quite sizable for a player who has been compared to Pedro.
Yes, the former RB Leipzig gem, who could only muster a tally of 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances for the Blues, has been likened to Maresca’s new star.
The comparison stems from FBref, which has concluded that the new Milan man was the sixth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the former Brighton ace in the Premier League last season.
We can see how such a conclusion was reached by delving into some of the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked so closely.
These include metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty G+As
0.51
0.49
Key Passes
1.39
1.37
Shot-Creating Actions
3.32
3.32
Goal-Creating Actions
0.42
0.39
Ball Recoveries
2.73
2.84
These numbers do suggest that the underwhelming Frenchman is still a talented attacker, but just someone who could not get to grips with life in the Premier League and turn good underlying numbers into concrete results.
Away from the stats, the other similarity between the two players is their ability to start in various positions, from up top to out wide and even in attacking midfield.
Esperance Sportive de Tunis' Onuche Ogbelu in action with Chelsea's ChristopherNkunku
Ultimately, Pedro looks like the real deal for Chelsea, and while there is always a chance things don’t work out, it feels like he’ll succeed where Nkunku failed.
Chelsea ended Guiu's loan for nothing; they've got a better teen to unleash
Maybe Chelsea didn’t need to end Marc Guiu’s loan at Sunderland?
After three years of finishing in second place in the Premier League, Arsenal need to make changes over the summer if they are to mount a charge for title glory.
Mikel Arteta has taken the side to the next level since his appointment back in 2020, but their progress has somewhat stagnated given their consistent league standing.
Next season will mark 22 seasons since the Gunners last finished top of England’s top-flight, a period that’s simply unacceptable for a club of their stature.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetalooks dejected after the match
The upcoming window presents an opportunity for the Spaniard to make any changes he needs to his current first-team squad, with investment desperately needed from the hierarchy this summer.
With the window now just around the corner, Arteta has already wasted no time in identifying reinforcements for his side – with one department in particular subject to the biggest interest.
The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for a new striker
Viktor Gyokeres has been a leading target for Arsenal over the last couple of weeks, as the club try to land the talisman they’ve desperately missed in recent years.
The Swede, who’s valued at around £60m, has a staggering record this season, scoring 54 times in his 52 outings, with Arteta’s side the ones showing the greatest desire to land the 26-year-old.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
However, another name has been thrown into the mix, with RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko touted with a move to the Emirates, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
He claims that the hierarchy have entered concrete talks with the Bundesliga side over a summer move for the 21-year-old, who’s registered 21 goals across all competitions.
Romano has also stated that Arteta is pushing for the move to sign the Slovenian, who currently has a €100m (£84m) release clause within his current contract.
Why Sesko would be more exciting than Zubimendi
Ahead of the opening of the summer window, Arsenal have made excellent progress on numerous deals, with Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi likely to be the first to walk through the door.
The Spanish international has already agreed a move to London, with journalist Romano also confirming that Arteta’s side have agreed a fee with the LaLiga outfit.
The 26-year-old currently has a €60m (£50m) release clause in his contract, potentially seen as a replacement for the outgoing Jorginho, who’s leaving the club on a free transfer next month.
Undoubtedly, given his tally of 68% dribbles completed and 58% duels won, he could prove to be the deep-lying option the midfield has needed over recent months.
Such a signing would undoubtedly be exciting, but a deal for Sesko would inject added excitement into the fanbase, with a striker needing to be the number one priority.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus missed large spells of 2024/25, leaving the Gunners without a recognised striker, with Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard often filling the void.
In the Bundesliga this campaign, the Slovenian has demonstrated his quality, scoring 13 goals in his 33 outings – including a goal of the season contender against Werder Bremen.
Games played
33
Goals scored
13
Shots on target per game
1.2
Goals scored per 90
0.5
Dribbles completed
55%
Aerials won
57%
Duels won
5.1
His underlying stats have been just as impressive, registering 1.2 shots on target per 90, along with 0.5 goals scored per game – highlighting the threat he carries in attacking areas.
Sesko, who’s been labelled a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has also completed 55% of the dribbles he’s attempted, along with 57% aerials won – handing Arteta the needed all-round option in North London.
Whilst he would cost the hierarchy a pretty penny this summer, he’s demonstrated that he’s capable of leading the line in the Premier League and potentially playing a key role in any future success.
The prospect of him linking up with Zubimendi at the Emirates is certainly an exciting one, with the striker hopefully able to provide the needed difference to catapult them to the top of the tree in 2025/26.
Better than Sesko & Gyokeres: Arteta wants Arsenal to sign £100m "bagsman"
The sensational striker would utterly transform Arsenal.
Glasgow Rangers have already confirmed that Barry Ferguson’s time as interim manager of the Ibrox club came to an end after the Scottish Premiership season concluded.
The Light Blues were held to a 2-2 draw at Easter Road on the final day of the league season, as Rangers cemented their second-placed finish behind their city rivals.
Ferguson’s interim spell ended with six wins, five draws, and four defeats in 15 matches in all competitions, which was far from impressive on paper for the inexperienced Scottish coach.
It has now been confirmed that he will not be in contention for the job on a full-time basis, as the Gers are now looking elsewhere for a permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was relieved of his duties in February.
There have already been plenty of interesting names linked with the vacant managerial position at Ibrox, ranging from British coaches, foreign coaches with British experience, and left-field coaches with no experience in British football.
One of the names who has been mentioned alongside the Rangers job in recent weeks is Real Madrid assistant first-team coach Davide Ancelotti, the son of Carlo Ancelotti.
Why Rangers should avoid Davide Ancelotti
There have been some contradicting reports on the club’s interest in the Italian tactician of late, with talk of an offer from the Gers and then a report saying that was false and that he wants to join his father with the Brazil national team for a year.
Whether he is a serious candidate for the job or not, the 49ers and Kevin Thelwell should look elsewhere in their search for a new head coach because of the job facing the next manager ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Rangers have finished second in the Premiership in each of the last four seasons, watching their city rivals lift the trophy each year, and need a head coach who can bring success back to Ibrox.
Whilst Ancelotti is an exciting prospect, because he has yet to manage at first-team level and is full of untapped potential, the fact that he is an unknown quantity as a manager also counts against him for this particular job.
Real Madrid (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
233
Everton (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
67
Napoli (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
73
Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
60
Real Madrid (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
119
PSG (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
77
The 35-year-old coach, as shown by his career path above, has not been a first-team manager to date, as he has only worked as part of his father’s coaching staff, as either a fitness coach or as an assistant manager.
Whilst there is a lot of brilliant experience in some of the best leagues in Europe at some of the biggest clubs in the world there, Ancelotti has not proven himself as the main man and that is why Rangers, in their current situation, should look elsewhere.
Rangers want to appoint new manager this week
As per a fresh report from the Daily Mail, Rangers are looking to appoint a more experienced manager as they are set to hold talks with English boss Steven Gerrard.
The report claims that the club are planning to hold talks with the Liverpool legend within the next 48 hours to discuss a potential return to Ibrox, having left the job to join Aston Villa back in 2021.
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It states that Gerrard, who is currently without a club, is currently the frontrunner to land the role, and that Rangers want to have a deal wrapped up by the end of this week if possible.
All going well, the English manager could be holding up a Gers scarf for the second time before next Monday, although there is no mention of how interested he is in making a return to Glasgow.
Steven Gerrard
With this news in mind, the club must convince Gerrard to return to Ibrox before the end of the week during these talks that are due to take place within the next 48 hours because he would make supporters forget about wanting Ancelotti.
Why Gerrard would make Rangers forget Ancelotti
As aforementioned, the Real Madrid assistant manager would arrive at Ibrox as a huge gamble by the club, given his lack of senior managerial experience, but that would not be the case with Gerrard.
In fact, the English head coach may be the safest possible appointment for Rangers to make, given that he is the only Gers manager who has won the Premiership in the last decade.
StevenGerrard
The former England international lost more games than he won at Aston Villa (19 vs 13) and Al Ettifaq (20 vs 19) after moving on from Ibrox in 2021, but there is no mocking his record during his time in Scottish football.
After being given time to build a squad in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns, Gerrard won the Premiership title in the 2020/21 season with 32 wins and zero losses in the top-flight, an achievement that was described as “unbelievable” by journalist Leanne Prescott.
Matches
38
12
Wins
32
8
Draws
6
3
Defeats
0
1
Points
102
27
Points per game
2.68
2.25
League position
1st (Champions)
1st
As you can see in the table above, the 4-3-3 manager only lost one of his last 50 matches in charge of the club, and left the team at the top of the table before Giovanni van Bronckhorst failed to follow up with another title success.
Gerrard, once dubbed “amazing” by Glen Johnson, has proven that he can deliver a successful style of football at Ibrox, given his incredible record across his last 50 games and the title that he won in the 2020/21 campaign.
Nathan Patterson, Steven Gerrard
Rangers have failed to win the Premiership in the last four seasons, and they need a head coach who can bring the title back to Ibrox next term. So, who better than the only man to have done it in the last decade? That is why appointing Gerrard could make fans forget about the exciting potential of bringing Ancelotti in for his first managerial job.
Not just Butland: Rangers flop may have played his last game at Ibrox
Several Rangers players wont be at the club next season after the 2-2 draw with Hibs.