It is hard not to feel a little bit sorry for Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl after he watched his team ship three goals for the second time in four matches, albeit after extra time.

The Ibrox giants were beaten 3-1 at Hampden Park by their Glasgow rivals in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Sunday, but it was fairly impressive that they even took the game to extra time after going 1-0 down and down to ten men.

Rohl, who arrived to replace Russell Martin in the dugout, will have learned a lot about his group of players after his first four games in charge, with two wins and two defeats.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss should be pleased with the fight this team showed on Sunday, although his side seemed to lose their legs in extra time, as shown by how slow the defenders were to react to Callum Osmand’s goal in the clip below.

Celtic’s young striker scored his first goal for the club in his second senior appearance, both of which have come under interim manager Martin O’Neill.

That shows that a fresh pair of eyes in the dugout can unearth a talent that was overlooked by the previous management team, which should be a lesson to Rohl, with the players in the Rangers youth ranks.

The academy problem Rangers have at Ibrox

The Light Blues have a problem with their academy at Ibrox because there has not been enough of a reward for the work being done with their youth teams.

Billy Gilmour

£18m

0

Nathan Patterson

£11m

27

Greg Taylor

£5m

0

Ross McCrorie

£2m

55

Lewis Morgan

£2m

0

As you can see in the table above, the five most valuable former Rangers academy players all play for other clubs, and none of them made more than 55 appearances for the first-team before they left.

Only two of them, Nathan Patterson and Billy Gilmour, being worth more than £5m suggests that the club are not doing enough to bring in or develop high-value players in their academy.

On top of potentially not bringing the right players through their academy system, an issue could also be the lack of a pathway to first-team football at Ibrox.

Osmand for Celtic is the perfect example. He did not play a single minute under Brendan Rodgers for the Hoops, after signing in the summer window, and he made an instant impact in a huge match when brought in by O’Neill.

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If Rodgers had stayed in post and continued to ignore the striker, Osmand’s development may have stalled, and he could have gone on to leave Glasgow and thrive or fail elsewhere.

Instead, O’Neill provided him with a chance to shine and, after his goal against Rangers, he may kick on to become a star for the Hoops in the coming months because of the opportunity that he has been given.

Now, on the other side of Glasgow, Rohl could unearth his own version of Osmand by finally unleashing Findlay Curtis as a starter for the Ibrox giants.

Why Danny Rohl should unleash Findlay Curtis for Rangers

The Gers academy graduate was given a chance by Martin at the start of this season, with starts against Panathinaikos, and he showed real promise, with an excellent first goal for the club.

It was a terrific run and finish from the “Boy Wonder”, as shown in the clip above, but he has not started a game in any competition since those two games against the Greek side.

Curtis added to his goal tally for the club with goals against both St Mirren and Alloa Athletic, in the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup. Both of those strikes, though, came as a substitute.

Panathinaikos (H)

75

1

Panathinaikos (A)

59

0

Viktoria Plzen (H)

5

0

Dundee (H)

13

0

Alloa Athletic (H)

6

1

St Mirren (A)

14

1

Club Brugge (A)

45

0

Celtic (H)

8

0

Hibernian (H)

13

0

Dundee United (H)

14

0

As you can see in the table above, the 19-year-old attacker has only made ten appearances in all competitions this season, starting two games, and has scored three goals in that time.

Per Sofascore, Curtis has been an unused substitute in seven of his last eight appearances in the matchday squad, with his only outing in that time coming off the bench against Dundee United in Stevie Smith’s game as interim head coach.

Despite his frustrating lack of game time on the pitch, only Djeidi Gassama (five) and James Tavernier (six) have scored more goals for Rangers in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, than the teenage winger.

Curtis has scored one goal in 49 minutes of action in the Premiership, across four appearances as a substitute, so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been effective with the minutes that he has had.

The Scottish forward, who produced four goals and three assists in eight matches for the B team, has delivered quality in the Premiership, in Europe, and in a domestic cup. He has shown that he can make an impact with the first-team.

Yet, as has seemingly been the case for academy players for far too long at Ibrox, Curtis has not been rewarded with regular game time to develop and improve in the senior team.

Rohl must change that by providing the 19-year-old attacker, who can play on the left or the right flank, with more chances to show what he can do on the pitch as a starter for the Light Blues.

Rangers saw firsthand what can happen when a young player is finally given a chance when Osmand found the back of the net against them, and they should learn from that lesson by finally unleashing Curtis.

Martin claimed Rangers star was a "huge asset", now he looks "rotten"

This Rangers signing was heavily praised by Russell Martin, now it looks like he needs to be sold.

ByDan Emery Nov 3, 2025

Antonio Rudiger and Real Madrid have mutually agreed to pause contract extension talks until 2026 as the defender recovers from a significant muscle injury, according to reports in Spain. The 32-year-old’s priority is to stay, but he is not short of options, with a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia on the table and his former club Chelsea monitoring the situation.

• Rudiger's recovery stalls contract dialogue

  Rudiger and Madrid had opened preliminary discussions regarding a contract renewal, but talks are now on pause, according to a report from Spanish outlet .

  The 32-year-old's current deal at the Santiago Bernabeu expires at the end of the season and initial conversations between the club and the player's representatives reportedly began several months ago, with financial figures already on the table and a mutual desire to reach an agreement. However, these negotiations have been mutually postponed following the muscle injury the German international sustained in late September.

  The decision to halt negotiations was made by common accord, with both the player and the club feeling it was not the appropriate time to finalise figures while Rudiger focuses on his recovery.

  The 81-cap Germany international has been sidelined for months with a hamstring injury that required surgery, and his expected return date is not until mid-December 2025.

  The established roadmap, according to , is to resume the dialogue in the early part of 2026. This restart is contingent on Rudiger returning to first-team action and demonstrating that his physical level remains that of an "indisputable pillar" for Carlo Ancelotti's defence.

  The club initiated the talks months ago, signalling their intent to keep the former Chelsea man as an important part of their sporting project.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  Defender's stance clear amid external interest

  The report adds that Rudiger's desire is unequivocally to continue at Real Madrid. He is said to be happy with the project, his role in the team and his life in the Spanish capital.

  This firm stance comes despite the defender not being short of suitors. Significant interest has reportedly emerged from Saudi Arabia, with clubs prepared to present an "economically potent" offer that would surpass the financial terms Madrid can table.

  Furthermore, his former club, Chelsea, has reportedly not closed the door on a potential return. The Premier League side, which Rudiger left on a free transfer in 2022, are said to maintain a cordial relationship with his entourage.

  Despite these lucrative and familiar options, Rudiger's priority remains clear: to continue wearing the white of Real Madrid.

• 'I would do it again': Rudiger on playing through pain

  Rudiger's current hamstring injury follows a gruelling two-year period where he played almost constantly for club and country. The report notes that the defender previously played through "a lot of pain" with a meniscus issue, highlighting his commitment.

  In a recent statement addressing his recovery, Rudiger was clear about his frustration and his focus.

  "There’s nothing I hate more than being injured. I’ll be back soon," he said. "I needed this time because the preseason after the Club World Cup was very short. I need a little more time. I’m really looking forward to returning soon. I needed this time to disconnect, both mentally and physically. I’m happy to be back."

  Reflecting on his decision to play through previous discomfort, Rudiger was defiant about his mentality.

  "What happened was crazy. But I would do it again if necessary," he stated. "I was in pain, but that's just me. I always want to help, and I could still sprint. That's why I said, 'Why not?' I would do it again."

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• Bernabeu hierarchy value leadership and mentorship

  Madrid's interest in retaining the 32-year-old extends beyond his on-pitch aggression and defensive attributes. The club's technical staff reportedly value him as a "current leader and a reference" for the squad's younger players.

  His impact is measured not only in successful tackles but also in his leadership and character. highlights that Rudiger is considered a natural mentor within the dressing room. He has forged a "big brother" relationship with emerging centre-back Dean Huijsen, actively helping the youngster integrate and understand the high demands of playing for Real Madrid.

  This off-pitch influence is complemented by his personal stability. Rudiger is described as being in a moment of "personal plenitude." He is reportedly happy in Madrid, residing in La Finca with his family, who are fully adapted to life in the city. He is a popular and respected figure in the dressing room, and the club views this contentment as a significant factor in their desire to secure his continuity.

The commentator’s iconic five-word summation of the Brisbane Test captured the essence of India’s victory against all odds

Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Dec-2024What’s your favourite commentary moment? Is it a moment of great commentary, or is it simply a great moment commentated upon? Sometimes the moment is big enough that the words don’t need to say all that much. Ravi Shastri and Ian Smith weren’t telling you anything you didn’t know when they told you that Dhoni had finished it off in style, and that England had won by the barest of margins, but the weight of the moments they described transfigured their words, turning them iconic. You probably didn’t just read them now; you heard them, in those voices.You could argue that the voices count for more than the words themselves, and that, in a job where you’re merely the garnish to what viewers can see for themselves, there’s nothing quite as valuable as the ability to convey emotion. It’s why the stints of Shastri and Smith always seem to coincide with the big finishes.Sometimes, though, a commentator goes above and beyond, and unearths a line that plays with the possibilities of language while capturing a moment’s zeitgeist. Vivek Razdan did this on January 19, 2021, when Rishabh Pant drove Josh Hazlewood down the ground at the Gabba and completed one of Test cricket’s greatest turnarounds.Related

• 'When you leave cricket, you will realise what you have done': Inside India's 2021 Gabba miracle

• Rishabh Pant: 'One of the biggest things in my life right now'

• Stats – India breach the Gabba fortress

• India have created the greatest moment in their Test history

• The Gabba result has done justice to the game we love

If you were watching the Hindi feed, this is what you heard when the ball rolled into the boundary cushion at long-off: Gabba Seldom have five words said so much.No one had beaten Australia at the Gabba in 31 Tests over 32 years. In the closing stages of the previous Test match, in Sydney, Australia captain Tim Paine had shown his frustration at his team’s inability to turn 1-1 into 2-1 by reminding India’s match-saving sixth-wicket pair that they had to come to this fortress next. “See you at the Gabba, mate.”Poetry in emotion: Razdan’s years of study paid off with the perfect denouement is a weighty, richly textured Urdu-Hindi word whose meaning lies somewhere between – and somewhere outside, too – arrogance, conceit, condescension, disdain, pride and vanity. With that one bit of alliteration, Razdan took in both the gravitas of Australia’s Gabba record and the hubris of Paine’s taunt: the Gabba’s now lay shattered.Razdan says the words came to him spontaneously, in the release of all the emotion built up over the preceding weeks: 36 all out in Adelaide followed by the departure of India’s captain; the comeback in Melbourne; the draw in Sydney sealed by a pair battling a torn hamstring and a bad back; the decimation of India’s bowling attack by injury, and the improbable competitiveness of the ragtag unit that took the field in Brisbane.”Each and every day, each and every game, there were so many different people who were coming up and raising their hand and showing that sort of character, and what they were made of,” Razdan says. “So these emotions were building over time, over all those days and Test matches. By the time we got to the fifth day of that final Test match, needing more than 300 runs, with so many things said against that team, the emotions were so high.”The way everything transpired, it was as if we were living on a different planet. And this was a time when the entire world was going through the Covid pandemic, so those emotions were also somewhere inside that. People are suffering, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. In that sort of environment, when somebody comes up like this and does what they did, it was unbelievable.”I am a big believer in destiny and I’m so grateful that I was doing that stint and I was there on the mic on that day, and luckily, with the blessing of the almighty, those particular words came to me. They weren’t words, they were a feeling and an emotion.”An unheralded Pant became the hero of India’s unlikely win•Patrick Hamilton/AFP/Getty ImagesMoments later, Razdan let himself go once more as the producers cut to shots of India’s players embracing the hero of their run chase. It’s hard to imagine, now, that Pant started the series out of India’s XI, with Wriddhiman Saha preferred in Adelaide. It’s even more unimaginable that it was a reasonable choice then, given the challenge of the pink ball under lights and how far ahead Saha was of Pant as a pure keeper. Pant faced severe scrutiny over his keeping once he came into the side, and for all the runs he scored, his methods came in for widespread criticism whenever he was dismissed, even when he made 97 in Sydney.As Pant soaked in the winning feeling, Razdan ventriloquised: “There are virtues within me, shortcomings too. Ask yourself, seeker, what is it you want from me?”Lines like this speak of the decades of work Razdan put in to carve a niche for himself in a career he fell into, in some ways. He speaks English with an easy fluency that betrays his education at Delhi’s St Columba’s School, which includes Rahul Gandhi and Shahrukh Khan among its alumni. Hindi commentary wasn’t necessarily the obvious career path after Razdan’s fast-bowling days were done.”I’m a Kashmiri Pandit, and Hindi is my mother tongue,” Razdan says. “And my mom comes from UP, she comes from Lucknow. As a child, there were certain lines she always used to throw at me, you know? ” – you are telling someone to do certain things in a certain way, and you yourself are not able to do it. So my mom used to throw these lines at me, and I was always fascinated.”When I grew up, I never knew I’ll get into this line [of work], so once I started commentary, and then Hindi commentary came in in a big way, I started trying to speak to my mom – ‘Tell me all these lines that you heard as a child growing up in Lucknow.’ And it got me more interested in it.Into the breach: after India’s 2021 triumph, West Indies tore down Fortress Gabba earlier this year•Chris Hyde/Cricket Australia/Getty Images”Then I started reading, reading a lot. The poets of repute during that time, Mirza Ghalib, [Allama] Iqbal, all of them. The other thing that excited me was, these are certain lines or certain phrases being used over the years for portraying different emotions. How can I relate it to my sport? That is where the challenge came. So then I had to really go deep, study it, make my own adjustments, make my own lines, make my own rhymes. And over a period of time I kept writing them, kept writing them.”And that day, you know, the situation was such that it just brought out the best, because once you start studying it, you start saying these lines, you keep remembering them. Then you know when is the apt moment to use which line.”Razdan’s most famous line has gone on to transcend its moment in unimaginable ways. It has even been voiced by Shamar Joseph, that other recent stormer of Australia’s citadel. The line also portended a downgrade in the status of Brisbane, which was for so long the intimidating first port of call for visiting teams; it is now no longer Australia’s preferred venue for the start of their home season.As another Gabba Test begins, then, one thing is certain. Whether Australia win or lose, the is gone.

Alex Crook, chief football correspondent at talkSPORT, has provided an update on rumours linking Bruno Lage with a return to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Last December, Wolves hired Vitor Pereira to replace Gary O’Neil, who had nearly steered the club into a relegation battle. Through a strong run of form and sense of unity in the second half of the season, Pereira guided Wolves away from the bottom three, ultimately finishing comfortably within the confines of mid-table.

Across the summer, Wolves lost important players, including Rayan Ait-Nouri, Nelson Semedo and Matheus Cunha. As has often been the case in recent years, the Midlands side replaced them with players who were not of the same calibre, which has hampered their 2025/26 campaign.

After 10 games in the Premier League, Wolves remain without a win and have just two points. Pereira, despite signing a new contract just weeks ago, was sacked at the start of November, sparking a hunt for Wolves to find their new manager.

O’Neil had been linked with what would’ve been a sensational return, only to pull himself out of contention. Other names include Erik ten Hag, no stranger to the Premier League following his tenure as Man United manager. In his latest job, however, the Dutchman was sacked by Bayer Leverkusen after just three matches.

Elsewhere, a boss that Wolves are particularly acquainted with has been linked with a return to the Premier League.

Lage reportedly on Wolves' radar

In recent days, Wolves have been linked with a move for former manager Bruno Lage. The Portuguese first joined Wolves in 2021, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm. Despite a promising start, form ultimately faltered under Lage, who was dismissed in late 2022.

Since then, Lage has worked in both Brazil and his native Portugal, having last been in charge of Benfica, who sacked him in September. Given his status as a free agent, Lage’s links to a Wolves reunion are understandable, though it appears that there is little truth to the rumours.

It remains unclear who will be the next manager of Wolves, though a reunion with either O’Neil or Lage now appears impossible. Given how their respective tenures ended, it may suit the club to pursue a manager that has no prior links at Molineux.

"World-class" manager wants talks with Wolves

Mic'd Up: The former UNC stalwart knows college soccer is as crazy as ever, and figuring out who might win the NCAA Tournament is a frightening prospect.

College soccer is increasingly hard to predict. At least, that's what Kacey White thinks. This is a changing sport, full of competition, with more jeopardy than ever. Conference realignment has packed some of the biggest divisions in the U.S. The constant churn of players, movement into the pros, and alternative pathways have made the thing that was once the crux of American women's soccer just a little more chaotic.

White covers it for ESPN+. She also loves it. Players get better, she argues.

"Everything about this part of the game and development is about understanding competition and knowing that you have to bring your best every day. A lot of times, you'll see where, whether it's in youth soccer, college soccer, or professional soccer, if you don't have those moments to show resilience, or have those moments where there's adversity that sets in, you don't know how to deal with that," she tells GOAL. 

Never is that clearer than in the ACC. White's beloved UNC won the national championship last year. This season, a repeat would be a major upset. 

"There's always been a lot of parity, but it seems to get tighter and tighter every year. A team like North Carolina doesn't have a lot of numbers that they use in their substitutions, and they have a very young roster, so they finished just outside the top six [in the ACC]," she adds. 

The next steps are trickier to figure out, too. The abolishment of the NWSL draft means players have a bit more freedom to move. Change is afoot at all levels. White thinks players just have more options.

"I just see it as different. I think there's not necessarily a waiting game now to go through the draft for players that may have accelerated growth and they would like to go to the professional game for whatever reason is personal to them. You just don't have to wait till that moment," she says. 

As for NCAA tournament predictions? Who knows. White is just here for the ride. She knows, after playing for UNC, representing the USWNT, and spending six years as a professional, that making any sort of projection is a fool's errand. Still, she's backing Stanford to win it all.

White talks the ACC, college drafts, conference realignment, and who might just win it all in the latest edition of Mic'd Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL taps into the perspective of analysts, announcers, and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad. 

Getty ImagesON UNC

GOAL: First of all, what has happened to UNC? They were convincing winners last year and are struggling this season…

WHITE: Well, I think it speaks to just the parity that's in the ACC. We've seen that for years, even 10-20 years ago, there's always been a lot of parity, but it seems to get tighter and tighter every year. A team like North Carolina doesn't have a lot of numbers that they use in their substitutions, and they have a very young roster, so they finished just outside the top six. But I think we have other teams like that, too. Wake Forest was in the finals last year with North Carolina, and they're in ninth place in the ACC. And for me, it's not so much a drop off of those schools. It just speaks to the incredibly competitive environment that the ACC has year in and year out, and there are such fine margins that separate teams.

AdvertisementGettyON THE COMPETITION IN THE ACC

GOAL: Has conference realignment shifted things? Is it more competitive now?

WHITE: I think it has, and especially when you look at the ACC, when you add Stanford and Cal into it, to programs that have always been at the top of the college game, and are very well thought of. Especially Stanford, having won titles, and you add that into the mix that already existed in the ACC, it becomes incredibly competitive. And we are seeing that in other conferences as well. But with a conference like this that tends to get many teams, sometimes double digit teams, into the NCAA tournament, you've now added two more to the mix, and it just really muddies the water, but in a great way.

GOAL: So you vouch for chaos? The more hectic, the better?

WHITE: I do. I believe everything about this part of the game and development is about understanding competition and knowing that you have to bring your best every day. A lot of times, you'll see where, whether it's in youth soccer, college soccer, or professional soccer, if you don't have those moments to show resilience, or have those moments where there's adversity that sets in, you don't know how to deal with that. And so I think, for these conferences getting stronger, that they're able to face each other earlier, and it prepares them for down the road, not only from a program perspective, but individual players, too. 

Imagn/GOALON THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF COLLEGE SOCCER

GOAL: We've seen a lot of change in women's college soccer over the last few years. Would you say that the pipeline to pro is easier? Is it more difficult? Because obviously, you don't have a draft anymore, how do you see that as a changing landscape?

WHITE: I just see it as different. I think there's not necessarily a waiting game now to go through the draft for players that may have accelerated growth and they would like to go to the professional game for whatever reason is personal to them. You just don't have to wait till that moment. But I just think it's different. I don't think it's necessarily a better or worse thing, just a different landscape that players are now navigating.

GOAL: So was the draft maybe holding players back a little, by extension?

WHITE: I don't know if I can necessarily put a direct answer to that, because it's such an individual decision. You can't necessarily make a universal statement that affects all players on whether the draft is better or not, or whether it not being there has done that. I think it's just very personal.

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NCAA SoccerON WHO WINS THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

GOAL: To round it off, give me your college cup picks. And then, if you had to tentatively say, "I don't know, but I'd vouch for *insert team", who are you going with? 

WHITE: Okay, so let's go with this. I do believe that the ACC will have a minimum of two teams in the College Cup. We saw four teams last year. I do think the ACC will get two in. And I will say this, not because it's at the forefront of my mind, but the way that Stanford played in the first half of the ACC semifinal, I didn't think any team could stop them. But if I had to say right now, I would say, of all the games that I've seen and what I've watched this season, I would go with Stanford.

GOAL: So, at least two ACC teams and Stanford to win it?

WHITE: That gives you a little bit of wiggle room!

Liverpool splashed the big bucks and then some over the summer, hopeful of retaining their Premier League title in style.

However, the majority of the whopping £415m spent now looks as if it has gone down the drain, with both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak remaining goalless, despite costing a combined £225m to bring to Anfield.

Arne Slot thankfully has the January transfer window coming into view now to try and turn around his side’s lacklustre campaign, with Liverpool all the way down in eighth position at the moment, as Manchester United are even ahead of the Reds on goal difference.

Liverpool planning to spend big again

You would think that the Merseyside giants might be more cautious in the transfer department after such a wild summer spending spree.

However, reports suggest that the underwhelming reigning champions could go all out to try and win Michael Olise from Bayern Munich for an astronomical £177m fee.

Moreover, one of the best players in the top-flight this term in the shape of Antoine Semenyo is reportedly also on their radar as they try to upgrade on an attack that looks short on confidence, even with Mohamed Salah starting week in, week out.

On top of flashy recruits being rumoured to join the Anfield ranks in attack, an update from Liverpool-based writer DaveOCKOP has also revealed that the Reds are holding initial talks with Crystal Palace over midfield star Adam Wharton.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It is stated that the move is more likely for the summer of 2026 than the upcoming January window, but never say never when it comes to Liverpool’s ambition in this department, with it also being revealed back in September that the English international’s preference – if he were to leave the Eagles behind – was a switch to Slot and Co.

Having just made his first start for the Three Lions during this international break, the sky really does appear to be the limit for Wharton currently, with a mammoth £100m price tag also above his head.

How Wharton can become Slot's own Gerrard

As Slot looks to reshape his midfield in 2026, he could find a new beating heart at the centre of his team in the form of Wharton, much like a certain Steven Gerrard was back in the day.

By the close of his distinguished career at the very top, Gerrard was showered with some immense praise, with Gabriel Agbonlahor notably once describing him as the best midfielder in Premier League history, even ahead of Kevin De Bruyne.

Indeed, away from bagging a stunning 186 goals and picking up 155 assists for his boyhood club, the well-rounded servant also closed out his long-standing career on Merseyside with a Champions League title.

As Liverpool’s website affectionately put it when Gerrard hung up his boots, the Englishman was a revered “gladiator” for his boyhood side.

Of course, it would be crazy to expect Wharton to be as impactful from minute one of his own Anfield journey, but in time, he could be Gerrard 2.0, displaying a similar level of composure and ball manipulation from midfield.

Games played

16

20

9

Goals scored

0

0

0

Assists

3

2

0

Touches*

49.6

45.7

43.9

Accurate passes*

28.5 (81%)

26.7 (79%)

25.2 (78%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.3

1.6

Big chances created

5

5

5

Tackles*

3.0

1.7

1.3

Ball recoveries*

4.8

5.1

4.0

Total duels won*

4.9

3.2

3.2

The data above displays Wharton’s similar well-roundedness from the middle of the park, which is very much like the Liverpool great, with the 21-year-old only getting better with time, as he becomes more and more used to the demands of the Premier League.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite uncovered a goalscoring mojo in the top-flight yet, like Gerrard, but with the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai next to him if he takes on this huge Anfield opportunity, there is a possibility that he enhances his varied game to that next level.

Hailed as a “genius” at a very early age at Blackburn Rovers by ex-boss Tony Mowbray, and now an “incredible” star by former Selhurst Park teammate Eberechi Eze, it does feel as if a big move soon awaits Wharton.

If all clicks into place for the 21-year-old at Liverpool, he might well be the second coming of Gerrard; a powerful English midfield technician who has all of the tools to be a Three Lions mainstay for years to come.

It will take some big bucks to land his services, but if Slot can win a new legend in the process, it’s a bold investment that’s definitely worth making.

New Trent: Liverpool star is "one of the most underrated players in England"

Slot could find a shrewd solution to Liverpool’s problems in this talent.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

Danny Rohl’s start to life in charge of Glasgow Rangers on the European stage has not gone to plan so far, as he has lost both of his Europa League games without his side scoring a goal.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, though, has inherited a team that struggled badly under Russell Martin, and will not have any of his own signings until the January transfer window.

Rohl took over from Martin after the Scottish manager only won five of his 17 games and one of his Scottish Premiership outings in the dugout for the Ibrox giants.

The German tactician has had an instant impact on the side in the Premiership. Rangers have won all three of their league games since his arrival at the club, and kept back-to-back clean sheets away from home.

A 3-0 win at Dens Park on Sunday means that the Light Blues can head into the final international break on a high, after goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mikey Moore, and Djeidi Gassama.

However, there are still some individuals within the squad who have been unable to step up. Bojan Miovski, for example, was hooked off at half-time against Dundee.

Why Rangers should be worried about Bojan Miovski

The Light Blus should be concerned by the Macedonia international’s dismal start to life at Ibrox, because he has yet to show any signs of replicating his form with Aberdeen.

Miovski was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window to bolster Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch, possibly because of his proven track record in Scottish football.

The left-footed forward’s return of 32 goals in 78 games in the Premiership for the Dons suggested that he was a safe and sensible signing to add goals to the Gers attack, but it has not played out that way.

Miovski has scored one goal in eight appearances in the top-flight for Rangers, against Falkirk, from an xG of 1.84, per FotMob, which suggests that he has underperformed as a finisher.

The Rangers centre-forward was given the nod to lead the line against Dundee at Dens Park, after coming off the bench against Roma last week, but he was unable to prove to Rohl that he deserves more starts on the other side of the international break.

Vs Dundee

Bojan Miovski

Minutes

45

Touches

14

Dribbles completed

0/0

Shots

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Duels won

2/8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Miovski failed to register a single shot on goal in 45 minutes of action before being taken off at half-time. Whilst you could point to a lack of creativity behind him, his struggles in duels meant that he was unable to fashion chances for himself.

The Scottish giants, therefore, should be worried about the former Aberdeen marksman, because he has been at the club for several months now and is no closer to showing the kind of quality that earned him a good reputation in the Premiership in the past.

Miovski, though, was not the only Rangers player who failed to deliver an impressive performance in spite of the 3-0 victory against Dundee last time out.

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Rohl must ruthlessly drop central midfielder Mohamed Diomande from the starting line-up when the Gers return to action on the other side of the international break, as he was just as bad as Miovski at Dens Park.

Why Rangers should drop Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian midfielder was taken off by the German head coach at half-time, just as Miovski was, and was replaced by Scotland international Connor Barron.

Per Sofascore, Diomande lost 75% (3/4) of his duels in the opening 45 minutes of the game at Dens Park, which shows that he was too much of a lightweight in the middle of the park. That may have been why Rohl decided to take him off for Barron, who won 100% (2/2) of his duels in the second half.

The Rangers midfielder also failed to take any shots on goal, did not create any chances for his teammates, and did not attempt a single dribble, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered very little in midfield and was just as bad as Miovski, who was as ineffective in and out of possession.

Diomande, who was sent off against Genk in the Europa League in September, has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign after catching the eye with his impressive performances last term.

The left-footed star scored four goals and provided seven assists in 36 outings in the Premiership last season, but his form in and out of possession has dropped off a cliff this year.

Mohamed Diomande (Premiership)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

36

8

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.45

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Assists

7

0

Duels won per game

4.4

2.9

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

25%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, his defensive and offensive numbers are down across the board in the Premiership for the Gers, which shows that he has been unable to carry last season’s success over to the current one.

His underwhelming performance against Dundee on Sunday was simply the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the central midfielder for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign, as he has struggled in and out of possession throughout the season.

Given that Barron came on and showed great energy and desire to win 100% of his duels off the bench in the second half, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Diomande from the starting XI for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox on the other side of the international break.

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The Gers desperately need reinforcements.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 7, 2025

Miovski and Diomande both failed to offer enough quality on the pitch in the first half against Dundee, hence why they were hauled off at the break, and they should both lose their place in the starting line-up as a result of that.

USMNT star Gio Reyna is setting himself an "eight good months" target as he bids to form part of Mauricio Pochettino's plans at a home World Cup in 2026. Having endured his fair share of injury issues down the years, the talented playmaker now finds himself on the books of Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach – with the plan being to catch the eye there.

• Reyna puts club struggles aside to score for USMNT

  Game time has been in relatively short supply again for the 23-year-old this season, with Reyna failing to start a game at club level since suffering a 4-0 defeat to Werder Bremen on his Gladbach debut on September 14. He has taken in five substitute appearances since then.

  He was, however, drafted into the latest United States squad and opened the scoring early on in a 2-1 friendly victory over Paraguay. Reyna is reminding those in the international arena what he is capable of, with there only 26 World Cup spots up for grabs heading towards next summer.

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  Target set to make final squad

  Reyna is desperate to fill one of those, but accepts that he needs to deliver on a consistent basis in Germany in order to earn the right to grace a major tournament on American soil. He is determined to do just that, having endured a testing time at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

  Reyna told reporters after registering his first international goal since March 2024: "I knew it was an opportunity for me to show that I belong here. He [Pochettino] has been great with me all week, working with him, and yeah, just trying to give me the freedom and the confidence to sort of be myself. So I can't thank him enough, obviously, for the start and just for the relationship that we've really built this camp.

  "In the end, it’s performances like this that can help everybody here. I want to have, more importantly, seven or eight good months in the rest of the season with Gladbach, and then I believe if I keep performing like I did tonight, then I'll have a good chance to make the team and have an impact there too."

• Pochettino impressed by 'nightmare' Reyna

  Pochettino was pleased with what he saw from Reyna at Subaru Park against Paraguay, with the Argentine tactician saying: "So happy with him. He showed why he started. And he has confirmed that he's a player that needs to improve, because he needs to play more in his club, but we can see today that he was great. The capacity to read the game and find the free space in between the lines, I think that was a nightmare for Paraguay."

  Leeds playmaker Brenden Aaronson was another to be given an opportunity to impress in Pennsylvania, having endured selection issues of his own, and he was delighted to see Reyna take his chance.

  He said of Reyna remaining an important part of the USMNT as a so-called ‘Golden Generation’ looks to deliver on expectations: "He always shows up for the national team. Gio’s one of my best friends in football. We grew up playing against each other for a long time. I know the kind of player he is, and I'm just really happy for him. He deserves it. He’s been through a lot with injuries, with all this stuff, but whenever he plays for the national team, he's always there, and it's awesome to see."

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  What comes next for Reyna?

  Reyna made his senior international in 2020, the day before his 18th birthday, and has reached 33 senior caps. He would have expected to pass a half-century in that department by now, with frustrating fitness issues holding him back on a regular basis.

  There is no doubting his ability, with the USMNT requiring somebody to provide a creative spark in the final third, and patience has been shown with him by a number of coaches. A change of scenery at club level, having severed ties with Borussia Dortmund, could serve him well – with Reyna under contract at Gladbach through to the summer of 2028.

He’s doing a Master’s in English while also making headlines for Mumbai Indians

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Mar-20251:26

‘A breath of fresh air’ – Varun Aaron on Vignesh Puthur

Sunil Puthur did not go to work between Monday and Wednesday this week. His wife, Bindu, and he had to stay at home in Perinthalmanna, a town in Malappuram district in north-central Kerala – state and local media had been parked outside their house ever since their only son, Vignesh Puthur, made an impactful IPL 2025 debut, picking up three wickets in his first match for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last Sunday.”The local media in Kerala swamped the house from as early as 7am until evening,” Sunil tells ESPNcricinfo over the phone on Wednesday. While it’s common for families of cricketers to turn the watching experience into an event for the community, especially when the player is little-known, Sunil and Bindu opted to watch Vignesh’s debut at home by themselves. But the next morning, they were happy to share their feelings about it in interviews to the media, their eyes welling up on more than one occasion.Part of that emotion has to do with the sacrifices the family has made to ensure Vignesh got all the support he needed to grow in cricket.Related

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No T20 experience no problem for MI's Vignesh Puthur

About a decade ago, Sunil gave up running an agency for a popular biscuit brand in order to drive an auto-rickshaw, largely to ferry Vignesh to his cricket training.”He is my only son, and I wanted to support him to the best of my ability,” Sunil says. “The only thing I wanted to do was to ensure I supported his decision to pursue cricket.”

****

When Vignesh was ten, one of his friends took him to the Perinthalmanna Cricket Academy, run by CG Vijayakumar, who took up coaching at the behest of his mentor, Vasoo Paranjape, the famed Mumbai-based coach. Vijayakumar saw that Vignesh was a fast learner.”His movements were just natural in everything he did,” says Vijayakumar, who continues to stay in touch with Vignesh. “In the first few months, I could see his rubbery wrists. In six months, his loading, follow-through, and the way he imparted spin [on the ball] already made him a good unit. In a year, he had started to bowl a googly, too, slowly.”By the time he was 14, Vignesh joined the Kerala Cricket Association academy, where he went up the ranks before playing for the state in the Under-14 and U-19 categories, and later for the Kerala U-23 team in invitational tournaments. While he is yet to play for Kerala in domestic cricket, a pathway opened up for Vignesh when MI called him for IPL trials last year after he was spotted by former India fast bowler TA Sekar, who was scouting for the franchise in Thiruvananthapuram.

“He had a very good action. He was flighting the ball well, and spinning both ways. I always go for a good technique and [see] if a bowler has variations. I observed both of those before recommending him for trials”TA Sekar on his first impression of Vignesh Puthur

Vignesh had not been on Sekar’s list of players to watch out for, but his trained eye, from his years working as a bowling coach, national selector, and team director, picked up the quality of Puthur’s action.At the trials, held before the mega IPL auction in November, Vignesh impressed the MI leadership group, and when the franchise bought him uncontested for INR 30 lakh, there was understandable joy in the Puthur household.Left-arm wristspin is a rare art and remains a bit of a mystery to batters. Kuldeep Yadav’s success in the IPL and for India is evidence that such a skillset can win you matches. In 2023, MI had picked another left-arm wristspinner, Raghav Goyal from Haryana, but he only played one match.”He had a very good action,” Sekar says about Vignesh. “He was flighting the ball well, and spinning both ways. I always go for a good technique and [see] if a bowler has variations. I observed both of those factors during the two matches I saw Vignesh in before recommending him for trials.”At the trials, Vignesh bowled with a bit more zip, was accurate, and showed he had a good googly, too.MI sent Vignesh, who turned 24 earlier this month, to South Africa earlier this year to hone his skills by bowling in the nets to the MI Cape Town batters in the SA20 league. Before IPL 2025, Vignesh also played in the DY Patil T20 Invitations Trophy in Navi Mumbai, where the domestic Indian players in the MI ranks usually feature. That experience might have come in handy on his IPL debut.Vignesh Puthur is mobbed by his Mumbai Indians team-mates after taking a wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesMI lost the match, but Vignesh’s three-wicket haul, with the scalps of CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda – all of them internationals – impressed everyone and earned him a pat on the shoulder from MS Dhoni after the game.The big positive for Vignesh, who is simultaneously pursuing his MA in English, was that he did not seem overwhelmed by the occasion at any stage, and was confident about what he was doing in front a packed Chepauk.Sekar saw that as well. “In his first big match, in front a really big crowd, he held his own and was deceiving batters in the air.”Dube’s wicket was a classic example. CSK retained the left-hand batter specifically for his ability to demolish spin, but Vignesh lured Dube out with his flight and then the dip did not allow the batter the space to create power and he was caught on the straight boundary.

****

Vignesh’s parents as well as Vijayakumar say that he is a quiet person who likes his own company more than anyone else’s. Bindu, in a chat with PTI this week, said that her son was emotional in the hours leading up to his debut. “He called us around midnight after the match and then again he called after an hour. He was so happy. I have never seen him so happy. We also could not sleep because of our happiness.”Sunil hopes that Vignesh can continue his schooling in cricket at MI. “MI are a good team. We want Vignesh to keep moving forward at the franchise.”

They were locked 8-8 in T20Is in the decade leading up to this match, and all signs pointed to the first close contest of this Asia Cup after it kicked off with four mismatches. It was a bit of an anticlimax in the end, however, with Sri Lanka brushing Bangladesh aside by six wickets, with 32 balls remaining.Given the high stakes of this group-of-death contest, Sri Lanka got everything they wanted from it: two points and a massive net-run-rate boost. Bangladesh, who had already copped criticism for taking 17.4 overs to chase down 144 against Hong Kong, now face an uphill task to qualify for the Super Four.Sri Lanka dominated the match from its extraordinary start – Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera bowled back-to-back wicket maidens with the new ball – to its breezy finish, with Bangladesh only really competing during an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 86 between Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali.That partnership, which began at 53 for 5, gave Bangladesh some sort of total to bowl at. Very quickly, though, Pathum Nissanka’s fluency and Kamil Mishara’s power made it look like no sort of total. Nissanka scored 50 off 34 balls and became the quickest Sri Lankan batter to 2000 T20I runs, while Mishara finished unbeaten on 46 off 32.

0 for 2 in two overs

Sri Lanka found new-ball swing after they chose to bowl, but that couldn’t have been the only reason why Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon struggled to the extent they did. There were signs that this was a slightly two-paced pitch when Tanzid kept failing to find the middle of the bat – or the gaps – in the first over (though two of the mishits were off full-tosses), before Thushara swung his sixth ball through his gate as he attempted a get-out-of-jail drive on the up.1:14

Maharoof: Bangladesh have been lacking in major tournaments

The second-over contest between Chameera and Emon was similar, though it only lasted four balls. This time, the on-the-up drive ended up as an outside edge to the keeper, with the ball swinging less than the batter expected. With Chameera rounding off the over with a pair of dots to No. 4 Towhid Hridoy, the scoreboard was an extraordinary sight: 0 for 2 in two overs.

Hasaranga returns with a bang

Bangladesh sank deeper into misery in the fifth over when Hridoy was run out going for a sharp and needless third run, but Litton Das made sure they didn’t let Sri Lanka have it all their own way. When they tried to slip in a quiet over from their fifth bowler Dasun Shanaka, Litton went after him – after edging his first ball just short of a diving fly slip – and hit him for three fours in the sixth over.That did not signal a shift of momentum, though, as Wanindu Hasaranga, who had missed Sri Lanka’s recent tour of Zimbabwe with a hamstring injury, came on in the eighth over and made an almost instant impact, trapping Mahedi Hasan lbw with his second ball, a trademark wrong’un.Wanindu Hasaranga delivered a deadly opening spell•Asian Cricket Council

He came close twice more with the wrong’un. Litton, given out on-field, successfully reviewed an lbw decision against him, with the inside edge coming to his rescue. Then Jaker, beaten comprehensively while defending off the front foot, was saved by the bails staying put after the ball brushed the off stump.Hasaranga did get a second wicket, two balls later, with Litton gloving an attempted reverse-sweep to the keeper.

Shamim and Jaker lead rescue act

Bangladesh’s sixth-wicket pair came together at 53 for 5 in the tenth over, and walked off together at the end of the innings with unbeaten 40s to their name. That both went at strike rates in the 120s, and both struggled to find the boundary for long stretches – including a barren spell of 21 balls – indicated both the excellence of Sri Lanka’s defensive bowling, particularly that of Chameera whose yorkers achieved a rare level of precision in overs 18 and 20, and the two-paced nature of this Abu Dhabi surface.Shamim hit the only six of Bangladesh’s innings, a pick-up shot over midwicket off Matheesha Pathirana in the 19th over, and that shot and Pathirana’s figures – 0 for 42 in four overs – indicated that batters could feed off pace on the ball in these conditions.

Nissanka and Mishara show off extra gear

Both these teams have had well-documented issues with their T20I scoring rates in recent years, but Sri Lanka have been trendsetters in this format in previous eras. And Nissanka and Mishara showed that that spark might still endure.Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara gave Sri Lanka a big win•Associated Press

Off just the fourth ball of his innings, Nissanka played what was unarguably the shot of the match up to that point, a resounding pulled six, well in front of square, off Mustafizur Rahman. And after Mustafizur hit back by nicking off Kusal Mendis, Nissanka and Mishara continued to pepper the boundary in a way Bangladesh had struggled to do throughout their innings.This was partly down to Bangladesh bowling short balls far more frequently than Sri Lanka had, but Mishara also dispatched them with an easy, stand-and-deliver power that Bangladesh cricket has traditionally struggled to produce. None of this may have come to pass, however, had Mahedi held on to a chance at mid-on when Shoriful Islam got a short ball to get big on Mishara; he was batting on 1 off 7 at that point, and the pitch was still looking two-paced.That spilled chance seemingly transformed the conditions too, with Mishara spanking the luckless Shoriful for 6, 4, 4 off the last three balls of the over. Nissanka, at the other end, sashayed this way and that to manipulate length and line, and timed the ball with a fluency that no one else from either side matched.These two put on 95 in just 52 balls, and Sri Lanka could have finished things off even quicker, but they lost 3 for 18 in a 17-ball spell late in the game when they had the result all but sewn up.