Rangers podcast and Ibrox official media partners Heart & Hand have reacted to an Instagram post from striker Alfredo Morelos on Thursday.
The lowdown
Morelos has already been ruled out for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign through injury.
He damaged his thigh while on international duty with Colombia in March, and had to undergo season-ending surgery in early April (via The Athletic).
That of course means the Colombian, who’s scored 113 goals in 224 appearances for the club, will be a spectator for Wednesday’s Europa League final meeting with Eintracht Frankfurt.
And he’s also been reduced to a watching role domestically as Celtic have retaken the Scottish Premiership title with a game to spare.
Heart & Hand tweeted a screenshot from Morelos’ Instagram story showing him working in a gym in Rangers training gear with the caption ‘Vamos’.
“Don’t do this to us Alfie,” the club’s podcaster wrote.
The verdict
It really is a great shame that Morelos will be missing in Seville.
He’s Rangers’ all-time top European goalscorer, and it will hurt both the player and the supporters that he can’t participate in their first continental final since 2008.
And to make matters worse, Giovanni van Bronckhorst is also sweating on the fitness of another striker, Kemar Roofe, ahead of the clash with Frankfurt.
As of Thursday, he’d still not returned to training, and so he’s very much running out of time.
Morelos is Rangers’ joint-top scorer with 16 (tied with James Tavernier), while Roofe is only one behind. Could the loss of 31 goals worth’ of firepower prove a decisive factor in the final?
In other news, this Gers defender is now attracting Premier League interest.
Everton must seal a deal for FC Barcelona midfielder Gavi this summer as he could be the answer to their problems and he is better than their current option Allan.
It was recently reported by Spanish outlet AS that Everton are among several clubs interested in completing a move for the 17-year-old. Barcelona were considering offloading the player in order to help finance their re-build and set a price tag of €40m (£34.2m) for his services.
However, they have since been more reluctant to let him go and if Everton don’t move quickly then it could become too tough for them to persuade the club and player.
The teenage sensation is one of the latest products of their world-famous La Masia academy and has made 31 La Liga appearances this season, being directly involved in eight goals. To be having that much of an impact at a big club when he’s so young proves just how good he is. If Everton really wanted to make a statement this summer then signing him would do exactly that.
The Toffees are still battling to stay in the Premier League and transfers will probably take a back seat until their fate is sealed. If they do get relegated, then a move for Gavi will likely be off the table, but he could be a key part of a resurgence next season if they stay up.
Moving to Goodison Park would provide him will lots of game time and he would get the chance to showcase his skills in the Premier League. At Barcelona it’s often hard to stand out due to the level of talent and scrutiny, he wouldn’t have this problem at Everton.
One of the players he could replace in the long term at the club would be Allan. The Brazilian midfielder made the sensational switch from Naples to Merseyside in 2020 for £21.7m where he linked up with former manager Carlo Ancelotti.
He has played a key role since the move, averaging over 25 Premier league appearances in that time. But he is 31-years-old and Everton can’t rely on him forever.
Gavi would make the perfect successor and if you compare the two the numbers prove it. In possession of the ball, he excels over Allan with 168 progressive carriers this season compared to Allan’s 100.
He’s also better at passing the ball with a completion percentage of 89.3% compared to the Brazilian’s 79.9%. With those stats in mind, it’s not a surprise to see his teammate Pedri recently call him an “absolutely crazy” talent.
If they survive the drop then they should do everything they can to sign Gavi, even if it’s initially on loan, he can drastically improve their squad next season.
IN other news: Everton plotting move for £12.6m-rated “monster”, he’s a huge upgrade on Keane…
Manchester United are interested in a deal for Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez.
What’s the word?
That is according to a report from The Times (via The Express) who claim that Man United have now learnt the asking price for the rampant Argentine striker.
They claim that he could cost in the region of £60m to £70m this summer.
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Martial upgrade
With reports stating that Ten Hag wants Martinez to lead the line next season, it gives us a good indication of how he wants his forward to play in United’s attacking line.
The 52-year-old Dutchman clearly wants his striker to possess the necessary technical attributes and work rate to help create an offensive threat. In other words, he does not want a forward who relies solely on wingers to produce chances.
Martinez, who has been described as a “machine” by reporter Roberto Rojas, serves as a major upgrade on Anthony Martial and conforms to ten Hag’s creative requirements, with his match average 3.19 shot-creating actions ideal for the Dutch tactician, as per FBref.
For starters, Martinez has proven himself as a world-class centre forward over the last three seasons having scored 18 assists in 105 appearances for Inter in Serie A.
Meanwhile, Anthony Martial has netted once.
United are right to be targeting a deal for Martinez and ten Hag should instruct Rangnick to go in with an offer of around £70m in what would be an astute, future-proof move that allows the new manager to play exactly how he wants to.
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Everton boss Frank Lampard has issued a concerning update regarding the fitness of defender Ben Godfrey, ahead of Sunday’s clash with Chelsea…
What’s the word?
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of his former club, the 43-year-old revealed that the young centre-back will once again be absent at Goodison Park, with doubts raised as to whether the former Norwich City man will be able to return to action before the end of the season.
Asked about potential injury concerns for the clash with Thomas Tuchel’s side, Lampard confirmed the 24-year-old’s absence and insisted he faces a race against time to feature again this term: “Ben [Godfrey] is out and will be a few weeks out. We would love to get him back towards the end of the season but it will be a close call.”
The £19.8m-rated star missed the 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat at Anfield last weekend after picking up an injury in the warm-up, having only returned to the side in March after a month-long layoff.
Blow to survival hopes
Although the Toffees boss did also confirm that Yerry Mina is now fit again for selection, news that teammate Godfrey could well miss the remainder of the campaign is a bitter pill to swallow for the club’s supporters, particularly as they head into a decisive period in the run-in.
The Merseysiders are currently five points adrift of safety, albeit with two games in hand on fellow strugglers Leeds United and Burnley, with the Turf Moor outfit having enjoyed something of a bounce effect following the sacking of Sean Dyche a few weeks ago.
Three wins and a draw from their last four Premier League games has rejuvenated the Clarets under caretaker boss Mike Jackson, with Everton now facing a real fight to try and stay in contention with just six games left of the season to play.
Perennial yo-yo side Norwich City have, perhaps inevitably, already been confirmed as the season’s first casualty – ensuring a fourth successive relegation from the top-flight – while Roy Hodgson’s Watford side are teetering towards the brink, with a rapid return to the second tier on the horizon.
Lampard’s men could well join those two ill-fated clubs in the Championship next season, with a first relegation since 1951 a very distinct possibility.
The absence then of that man Godfrey – who joined the club on a £20m deal back in October 2020 – will only further harm their hopes of survival, with the 6-foot defender having proved a real asset in recent years, not least for his versatility.
Former boss Carlo Ancelotti was a notable keen admirer of the Englishman, previously insisting that: “He’s powerful, he has a lot of energy, tactically intelligent, really aggressive in the duels and so he can play in different positions and this is really important”.
In a miserable campaign for the club, the £68k-per-week colossus has performed well on a personal level, averaging two tackles and four clearances per game in his 23 league outings, while also winning a solid 64% of his ground duels.
As they approach what appears set to be a real scrap to ensure their top tier status in the coming weeks, not having the two-cap international in tow could prove costly.
In other news, 146 duels lost: Lampard must finally axe £16.2m-rated Everton disaster vs Chelsea…
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis could make a shock move for an “incredible” manager as a replacement for Sean Dyche.
Forest suffer first defeat under Dyche at AFC Bournemouth
Dyche made the perfect start to life as Forest manager, with his side emerging as 2-0 winners against FC Porto in the Europa League, but they were brought back down to earth against AFC Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
The Cherries emerged as 2-0 winners at the Vitality Stadium, courtesy of first-half goals from Marcus Tavernier and Eli Junior Kroupi, and the Tricky Trees boss admitted his side still need to make major improvements in his post-match interview.
The 54-year-old said: “There’s a lot of work to be done. I didn’t come into this job naively, the league table does tell a story so I’m never thinking there wasn’t work to be done but it showed particularly in the first half today.”
With Burnley securing a dramatic 3-2 victory against fellow relegation candidates Wolverhampton Wanderers, Dyche’s side are now three points from safety, having scored just five Premier League goals, the fewest of any side.
Given that the former Everton boss has a track record of guiding teams to safety, having preserved the Toffees’ Premier League status, there are arguably few managers better suited to keeping Nottingham Forest in the top flight.
However, according to a report from Football Insider, Marinakis could still make a shock move for Fulham manager Marco Silva as a replacement for Dyche, with the Forest owner previously making it clear he is willing to make big calls.
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Silva has been a long-term target for Marinakis, and it has previously been revealed the Fulham boss shares a good relationship with the Greek businessman, which means the appointment would make sense.
As such, the Tricky Trees could make a move for the 48-year-old if their new manager fails to turn things around, although the Cottagers are very keen to extend his contract.
Forest must stick with Dyche after turbulent start
The decision to replace Nuno with Ange Postecoglou was met with widespread scepticism, given that the change in play-styles was so dramatic, and the Australian lasted just 39 days in the job.
Considering it has been such a turbulent start, Forest need a period of stability, and Dyche has already shown that he may be up to the task of turning things around, having gotten off the mark with a victory over FC Porto.
Not only has the appointment had a positive effect on the fanbase, but Morgan Gibbs-White has also made it clear he is happy with Dyche’s arrival.
Silva has been lauded as an “incredible” manager by Stephen Warnock courtesy of the job he’s done at Fulham, having stabilised them as a Premier League club, but Forest must stick with their current manager for the foreseeable future.
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has described out-of-favour Joel Piroe as “the best finisher I’ve ever worked with” and says the striker has a crucial role to play this season.
Farke paid tribute to Piroe before Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off against Tottenham at Elland Road having left the Dutchman out of his side’s previous four starting line-ups.
Piroe’s 19 league goals helped fire Leeds to promotion last season, earning him the Sky Bet Championship’s Golden Boot, but he did not even make Farke’s squad for last month’s defeat at Fulham.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has emerged as Leeds’ first-choice striker, while Farke has given fellow summer signing Lukas Nmecha the nod off the bench ahead of Piroe in recent matches, with the Whites boss going into Piroe’s versatile ability.
Farke also described Piroe as a “top professional”, adding: “I’m pretty sure that we will see him on many occasions on the pitch and hopefully he can deliver.”
Leeds will bid to extend their unbeaten home league record to 24 matches on Saturday against Tottenham.
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Farke’s side last lost a league game at Elland Road in September last year – 1-0 against Burnley – while a third Premier League win of the season could lift them into the top half of the table.
Tottenham, who have won five of their last six encounters with Leeds, sit fourth after last week’s 1-1 home draw against Wolves and drew 2-2 in Norway against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday in the Champions League.
In need of an attacking boost, Aston Villa are now reportedly preparing a 2026 offer to sign a Champions League winner in a repeat of their previous deal to welcome Marco Asensio last January.
What Aston Villa need in January
The positive for Aston Villa in the summer was the fact they managed to keep hold of Emiliano Martinez amid interest from Manchester United and the goalkeeper’s own desire to depart. But that’s not enough to take away from what was otherwise another disappointing transfer window.
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Evann Guessand, Marco Bizot, Victor Lindelof, Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho all arrived in what felt more like a panicked late flurry rather than a well-executed plan. On paper, arrivals such as Elliott, Guessand and Sancho should stand out, but all three are yet to prove their worth to Unai Emery, who may have preferred returns for former loanees Marcus Rashford and Asensio.
As a result of a frustrating summer, those in the Midlands have endured a slow start to the season – especially in attack. So much so that it took Ollie Watkins eight appearances in all competitions to find his first goal of the season, which came against Fulham.
Whilst Emery’s side have shown signs of life in previous weeks, the January plan must still centre around attacking reinforcements. It was the plan last January when Villa welcomed both Rashford and Asensio, who helped them push Paris Saint-Germain all the way in the Champions League, and they must now look for a repeat in 2026.
Just who this season’s versions of Asensio and Rashford will be is the big question. The likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and one other impressive talent have already been linked with winter moves.
Aston Villa preparing Kang-in Lee offer
According to reports in Spain, Aston Villa are now preparing an offer to sign Kang-in Lee from PSG in what would be a repeat of their deal to sign Asensio from the French giants last season. The Villans are seemingly turning towards the European champions to pick up another out-of-favour star who could thrive in the Midlands.
Emery reportedly wants the South Korean and the player himself would be wise to look for a move elsewhere after starting just three of PSG’s last six Ligue 1 games and none of their first two Champions League outings.
Even though he sits outside of Luis Enrique’s starting side more often than not, Lee has still earned plenty of praise from the PSG boss, who previously told reporters:
“Kang-In Lee, he’s small but he can play up front, behind, go inside, on the side, defend, score. He’s a complete player. He’s a big signing for the club. When we signed him, we knew his potential. He still needs to improve but he’s working well.”
That versatility to play across the entire frontline would prove particularly key for Villa, who currently lack the squad depth they need to push for a European place once again.
One of Europe’s biggest clubs are reportedly open to the idea of selling a “world-class” player to Manchester United in the summer transfer window.
Amorim coy over Man Utd's summer business
The Red Devils endured a pitiful 2024/25 campaign by their standards, with the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham the last nail in the coffin.
Ruben Amorim will know the importance of nailing his first summer in charge of United, both in terms of signings and training ground work, but the Portuguese has spoken cautiously about the amount of transfer business that can be done.
“You know better than me that we have rules with FFP. We can’t change that in this year. We need to do something in the summer. We have a plan and we are doing that in a while. We also have a preseason to improve the players we have.”
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimtalks to the fans after the match
It looks as though United are trying to be bold in the market, with Matheus Cunha already arriving from Wolves, and the likes of Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike also among the leading targets ahead of next season. Now, another player with a big reputation has been mentioned as an option.
Man Utd boosted in efforts to sign "world-class" ace
According to Give Me Sport, Juventus are “open” to selling Douglas Luiz to Manchester United this summer, with a “cut-price” deal mooted. A loan move away from the Serie A giants is also mentioned in the report, with the Brazilian midfielder not believed to be part of their future plans, in a possible boost for Amorim.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
Added quality is needed in United’s midfield this summer, with Casemiro no longer the force of old and Christian Eriksen’s time at the club now officially over. Kobbie Mainoo is a great prospect, but he is still learning his trade, while the likes of Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount are good players, but haven’t wholly convinced at Old Trafford to date.
In Luiz, United could have a great choice to strengthen their options in the middle of the park, having been hailed as “world-class” by former Aston Villa teammate John McGinn in the past.
The Brazilian has proven that he can shine in the Premier League, making 175 appearances in the competition and chipping in with 38 goal contributions (20 goals and 18 assists).
Luiz possesses box-to-box quality, offering defensive quality but also class going forward, and at 27, he is at a good age to come in and hit the ground running from minute one.
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A permanent deal would be better than a loan move, although the benefit of the latter is that he could be moved on easily next summer if the move simply didn’t work out.
Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin has a massive task ahead of him, there is no doubt.
His first few interviews since being unveiled as the new Ibrox boss have been positive, and it is clear the former Southampton manager has a distinct style of play.
This is something that the club have lacked under previous managers, including Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Philippe Clement. Those two set up teams well in Europe, but domestically was a different story.
It may well be the opposite in Martin’s case. But given how poor the Gers have been in the Premiership since winning the title in 2021, this could well be a sacrifice many of the supporters are willing to make.
Martin will need every department to click at the start of next season, as a good start is imperative.
He needs his defence to be solid and reliable. A midfield full of players simultaneously able to win the ball back and move it forwards into the final third, and a front three able to get the better of a low block and take their chances.
In that regard, having someone of Alfredo Morelos’ ability would work wonders next season, especially as he would shine in Martin’s system.
Alfredo Morelos’ Rangers statistics
The Colombian talisman was a scourge for defenders, both domestically and in Europe, across his five years at Ibrox.
Between 2018 and 2023, he played 269 matches for the Light Blues, scoring an impressive tally of 124 goals for the club. Add in another 57 assists, and it is clear that Morelos was not only a clinical finisher, but he was also able to link play with those alongside and behind him.
Not since he departed have Rangers been able to call on a player with these abilities. Sure, Cyriel Dessers may have scored 51 times in just over 100 games, but the Nigerian striker often takes two or three chances to get on the scoresheet.
Morelos refined his game after a productive opening few seasons at Ibrox. Indeed, when the club won the domestic title during 2020/21, Morelos ‘only’ scored 11 league goals.
He played slightly deeper than in previous seasons, linking up with the likes of Ianis Hagi, Joe Aribo and Ryan Kent in order to create chances for them too.
Danilo has shown glimpses of his deep-lying abilities when given a chance, but the Brazilian hasn’t enjoyed a consistent run in the team to make a proper difference.
In Morelos, Rangers had a striker who established himself as a cult icon during his spell at Ibrox.
If Martin wishes to get the fans onside quickly, signing a player who is similar in style and stature to Morelos might be a good start.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2022/23
45
12
7
2021/22
42
18
8
2020/21
44
17
13
2019/20
47
29
9
2018/19
48
30
12
2017/18
43
18
8
He could well have some money to spend this summer thanks to the 49ers investment. This should allow the new manager to bring in several transfer targets, which will bolster the squad.
Could his first signing be a young striker who is ready to take the next step in his career?
Rangers search for a new striker
While Dessers, Danilo and Hamza Igamane are all options for Martin, it is likely one is sold this summer.
Now, according to the Daily Record, Rangers have made Maccabi Tel Aviv centre-forward Dor Turgeman their number one target this summer.
Transfer Focus
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The youngster could be available for a fee in the region of £4m, and reports from Israel claim that the Glasgow side have already opened talks with the player regarding a move to Scotland.
Getting deals done over the line quickly will be key for Martin, especially as the Gers face a Champions League qualifier in six weeks.
Could Turgeman be a dream first signing? He certainly has all the tools required to succeed in Europe.
Why Rangers must sign Dor Turgeman
Last season, the highest scorer for the club was Dessers with 29 goals across all competitions. The next best tally from a striker was 16 by Igamane. While Danilo could only muster six goals through another injury-ravaged campaign.
Danilo
Adding in another player who has the ability to score 20 or more goals next season is vital, especially if Martin wishes to challenge for the league title.
On that note, Turgeman would be an ideal signing this summer. The 2024/25 campaign was arguably his breakout for the Israeli side. Across 44 matches, the 21-year-old netted 20 goals and grabbed six assists for his club side.
He was praised by analyst Kai Watson as far back as February 2024, who said: “He’s played mostly as a striker but can definitely do a job on the wing. He’s quick, agile and has brilliant balance when driving with the ball.
“A very exciting player to watch and one that would have fans off of their seats.”
Last season certainly proved exactly what he can do and now is the chance for him to make a move and perform at a club like Rangers.
The club needs players who are willing to fight for every ball and win every duel. His manager, Zarko Lazetić, claimed that Turgeman was a “beast on the pitch”, and this sort of profile fits in with Martin’s style.
Like Morelos, the Israeli striker is capable of dropping deeper and generating chances for his team. Indeed, in the top flight last term, Turgeman created ten big chances for Maccabi, while he also recorded three assists and averaged 0.7 key passes per game.
For a fee of £4m, it is evident that Rangers would be getting a striker who closely resembles Morelos, perhaps without the disciplinary issues.
By selling Dessers in the coming weeks, Martin will be able to clear room for the youngster, who will be hoping to make his mark on Scottish football.
If the new owners and manager are serious about taking Rangers back to the summit of Scottish football, signing Turgeman should be a priority. That’s a certainty.
Rangers' top 15 goalscorers of all time
Rangers have had plenty of natural goalscorers at Ibrox over the last 150 years.
Aston Villa may have an element of uncertainty hanging over them this window, but that hasn’t stopped Unai Emery pushing hard to sign a talented midfielder from the continent.
Aston Villa could be forced to sell before they can buy
By now, most Premier League fans will be aware that Aston Villa run the risk of being penalised in line with Profit and Sustainability Rules if they don’t manage to sell some players before the June 30th deadline.
In turn, a host of stars have been linked with moves away from the club. Morgan Rogers is said to be a £100 million target for Arsenal and isn’t the only player being lined up by circling sides.
Nevertheless, Emiliano Martinez is one of the most likely candidates to be sacrificed and could ease pressure on offloading the likes of Rodgers this summer. The Argentina international is being courted by Manchester United and several Saudi Pro League teams.
Planning for the future without their long-serving number one, Aston Villa could look to sign LOSC Lille’s Lucas Chevalier, giving an indication of the one-in-one-out policy that could be adopted in the West Midlands to carefully navigate their delicate situation.
Losing out on a Champions League slot has created an unwanted PSR shortfall, but that isn’t something that can’t be fixed with savvy decision-making.
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Leon Bailey could net £25 million if he is sold to Neom SC and Jhon Duran’s big-money sale earlier this year could create some wiggle room later down the line, so who could Aston Villa buy in that case?
If recent developments are anything to go by, Emery is willing to take a major step towards improving his midfield, with the added caveat that his latest target can play in several different positions.
Aston Villa make first move to sign Fares Chaibi from Eintracht Frankfurt
According to reports in Italy via Frankfurter Rundschau, Aston Villa have taken concrete steps to sign Fares Chaibi from Eintracht Frankfurt and the Bundesliga outfit may consider a sale under the right circumstances.
The 20-year-old is predominantly an attacking midfielder, but he can also feature on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward when needed.
Fares Chaibi in 2024/25 for Eintracht Frankfurt per 90 mins (FBRef)
Shot-creating actions
4.03
Shots
2.05
Progressive passes
4.78
Progressive passes received
6.58
Touches in attacking penalty area
2.67
Earning a modest £12,968 per week in Germany, roughly speaking, Chaibi has registered two goals and three assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.
Making their first move, Aston Villa believe the Algeria international has the talent to become a special player at Villa Park, and they are now trying to push a deal over the line.
Moving back to matters previously mentioned, this swoop may be contingent on whether they can come out the other side of the PSR deadline unscathed, so it remains to be seen whether they can force this one through.