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Can Rangers start their Europa League campaign with a victory at Ibrox?

For those who don’t believe the Europa League to be the highest-quality competition around, well, on this occasion, they’d be right, given that Rangers sit second bottom of the Scottish Premiership, while visitors Genk are third bottom of the Jupiler Pro League.

Russell Martin is yet to oversee a league victory in five attempts, but did at least lead his side through to the League Cup semi-finals at the weekend, as the Gers defeated Hibernian 2-0 at home.

Key to that success was Nicolas Raskin, heading home the opening goal, back in the team following a two-match exile, which was both baffling and mystifying, considering he was, by some distance, the club’s best player last season.

If the Light Blues are going to make a winning start in the Europa League, Raskin will be a central figure once again, but Martin must also start his “creative” summer signing in attack.

Djeidi Gassama's start to life at Rangers

The unquestionable star of Rangers’ Champions League qualifying campaign during the summer was Djeidi Gassama.

After arriving from Sheffield Wednesday for £2.2m, the Frenchman announced himself by scoring home and away against Panathinaikos, doubling their advantage at Ibrox, before lashing home the clincher in Athens eight nights later.

In the following round, Gassama scored twice during a 3-0 demolition of Viktoria Plzeň in Glasgow which remains, by a landslide, the club’s best performance of the season.

Manager Martin said that the winger “really excites us”, labelling him a difference maker, while Nick McPheat of BBC Sport highlighted his excellent dribbling and goal-scoring statistics, concluding that he adds an extra dimension to Rangers’ attack.

So, while Gassama is yet to get off the mark in a domestic setting, a return to European competition could help to bring the best out of him, but who should start alongside him across the forward line against Genk?

Rangers' creative attacking star

Rangers signed a total of 13 new players during the summer, but the £3m paid to secure the signature of Oliver Antman could prove to be the best business of the lot.

The 25-year-old was outstanding at Go Ahead Eagles last season, scoring six goals and registering 16 assists across all competitions, helping them win the KNVB Beker, defeating AZ Alkmaar in the final on penalties at De Kuip, securing the club’s first major silverware since 1933.

The table below documents Antman’s impressive output in the Eredivisie.

Goals

6

38th

Assists

15

1st

Expected assists

9.1

1st

Big chances created

16

1st

Key passes

50

10th

Shot-creating actions

96

13th

Goal-creating actions

19

4th

Progressive carries

96

10th

Touches in the box

125

11th

As the table notes, Antman ranked first for assists, expected assists and big chances created in the Eredivisie last season, impressively doing so for the team that finished seventh in one of the most unbalanced leagues in Europe.

Well, just 24 hours after he arrived, Rangers supporters got a taste of what was to come, with Antman providing this assist, part of a free-flowing team goal, for Gassama during the aforementioned 3-0 annihilation of Viktoria Plzeň.

The Finnish international actually registered two assists on debut in that game, but is yet to notch either a goal nor an assist subsequently, left on the bench for all three matches in September so far, with Martin favouring Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore.

Nevertheless, his quality is unquestionable, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelling Antman a “creative winger”, while his numbers at Go Ahead Eagles, as well as at international level, scoring seven goals for Finland to date, speak for themselves.

Thus, we have already seen Gassama and Antman link up well on the European stage this season so, alongside new striker Bojan Miovski, that is surely Rangers’ best front three, one that is capable of defeating a struggling Genk on Thursday.

Rangers must rue losing their own homegrown Bukayo Saka for £0

Rangers lost a talented young player this summer and he is already being compared to Bukayo Saka.

ByDan Emery Sep 23, 2025

Leeds United made a late approach to sign an “unbelievable” midfielder who the 49ers Enterprises know well, but he turned down a move to Elland Road.

Evans defends Leeds' transfer window

Leeds’ managing director, Robbie Evans, has made it clear he was happy with the business that got done during the summer , despite admitting that deadline day was a “bad day at the end of a good window”.

Evans said: “When we set out back in May, we had certain targets as far as key positions, key profiles, you know, estimates of the maximum available spend to get towards. And we checked all those boxes. So we brought in all the key players. Got them done early, all the key additions for Daniel,”

However, it is difficult to ignore the fact that deadline day was a distinct failure, as the Whites failed to get a deal for Fulham’s Harry Wilson over the line, with it being widely reported the Cottagers pulled the plug on the move right at the end of the window.

Farke could make move for "relentless" £20m+ CF who's "perfect for Leeds"

The Whites launching a move for a striker is “one to keep an eye on”, with Daniel Farke personally keen.

ByDominic Lund Sep 10, 2025

Wilson was being targeted to bolster Daniel Farke’s wide options, but it has since emerged that bringing in another central midfielder was on the to-do list in the latter stages of the summer, despite already signing Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Leeds made a late approach to sign Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin, a club also owned by the 49ers Enterprises, but he turned down a move to Elland Road, with the 24-year-old keen to fight for his future at Ibrox.

The Whites made initial contact over a deal, but the move did not advance, and they ultimately didn’t manage to bring in another central midfielder, which could be an issue in the coming weeks, given the injury issues Farke is being forced to deal with.

Missing out on "unbelievable" Raskin could be blow for Leeds

The Belgian was left out of the Rangers squad for their recent 0-0 draw against Celtic, amid doubts over his future, which was a blow for Russell Martin, given that the maestro has previously caught the eye against the Gers’ bitter rivals.

Alex McLeish lauded the Rangers star for an “unbelievable” performance against the Hoops last season, and he has impressed considerably from a defensive point of view over the course of the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

4.11 (99th percentile)

Interceptions

1.50 (87th percentile)

Blocks

2.15 (99th percentile)

As such, the five-time Belgium international being uninterested in a move to Leeds is disappointing, especially given Farke’s ongoing injury problems.

It remains to be seen whether Leeds reignite their interest in Raskin, but it could be a relatively costly operation if they do, with the Scottish side thought to be demanding at least £25m.

Chelsea have missed out on a deal for long-time target Xavi Simons, with Tottenham hijacking their RB Leipzig deal in a blow for Enzo Maresca.

At one stage, it seemed like only a matter of time before BlueCo would put pen to paper on a deal for the Dutchman.

Some reports suggested that Chelsea had reached a full agreement for Simons, but that information turned out to be wide of the mark, with Simons forced to wait for weeks after agreeing personal terms with Maresca’s side.

Chelsea’s pursuit of the 22-year-old, who was a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before switching to PSG in his youth, was hampered by their need to sell players and make room in their squad.

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Money was no object, considering the Blues have done extremely well in terms of net spend – raising over £300 million in player sales to combat around £280 million spent on transfers.

However, their pact with UEFA after being fined for breaching FFP dictates that Chelsea must sell players from their Conference League squad last season to ensure they can register new signings for the Champions League this term.

Enzo Maresca calling £60m star with Chelsea ready to triple his salary

The Blues boss is personally contacting him.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 28, 2025

While Chelsea were attempting to agree exit deals for the likes of Christopher Nkunku (who’s now joined AC Milan) and Nicolas Jackson, Simons was left in limbo, and this gave Tottenham an opportunity to pounce.

Thomas Frank’s side were bereft of playmakers, following James Maddison’s ACL rupture and a knee injury to Dejan Kulusevski earlier this year, with Spurs also missing out on Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White this window in quite embarrassing fashion.

Chelsea’s London rivals needed to make a statement of intent, and have now done so by stealing Simons from under BlueCo’s nose.

Following overnight talks, Tottenham reached an agreement to sign the ex-PSG sensation for £52 million, with Simons completing his medical on Thursday and signing a potential seven-year contract.

How Chelsea feel as Tottenham hijack their deal for Xavi Simons

As per journalist Simon Phillips, backing up information from another source on his live blog [Thursday, 14:22pm), Chelsea have been left “unhappy” by these developments and thought they already had a verbal agreement with Leipzig.

Leipzig were said to have moved the goalposts, which allowed Spurs to swoop in and strike a deal for the Netherlands international despite lengthy negotiations with Chelsea.

Now, with just days until the deadline, Chelsea are forced to go back to square one in pursuit of a new playmaker, with Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez potentially set to take centre-stage.

Chelsea are prepared to bid around £50 million for Lopez, according to reports in Spain, and it is believed that the west Londoners are also ready to nearly triple the player’s salary by offering him a contract worth £250,000-per-week (Sport).

Maresca has personally phoned the 22-year-old as well (Sport), so this may definitely be one to keep an eye on.

Rangers legend Ally McCoist has let his feelings be known about his former club, following their 1-1 draw away to St Mirren over the weekend.

Frustration mounts after another Rangers draw

The Gers are still without a win in their first three Scottish Premiership matches this season, with Sunday’s draw making it three stalemates on the spin to begin their domestic campaign. Not only that, but last week’s 3-1 defeat at home to Club Brugge was a hugely disappointing result, with the pressure increasing on manager Russell Martin by the week.

While the Rangers boss claimed that Sunday’s result wasn’t the “end of the world”, former Gers striker Kris Boyd was extremely critical of what he saw.

McCoist fumes at "diabolical" Igamane news

Speaking live on talkSPORT on Monday morning, McCoist fumed at Rangers striker Hamza Igamane potentially faking an injury in the warm-up before the St Mirren game, amid doubts over his future.

“I think the lad wants away regardless of Russell Martin’s approach to his job, to be honest with you. It’s a tough one, because we’ve all got an opinion on it, but effectively we don’t know. If he says he’s injured himself in the warm-up, there’s not a lot you can do about it.

“I find it very, very strange at that particular time, but I’m talking to you as a man that has effectively injured himself in a warm-up of a cup final and had to pull out. So it can happen. It can happen.

“But there’s just something not right about it. See if he’s not injured, you fine him as much as you possibly can. They’re in a position now. It’s appalling. If he is fit to play and he said, no, I’m injured and I’m not going on, then that’s diabolical.”

In fairness to Igamane, there is no way of knowing if he was injured or not, but the timing of it does raise some suspicion, as he potentially looks to seal a move away from Rangers this week.

Frankly, it is another situation that the club could do without, following one of the most disappointing starts to a season in recent memory, with both performances and results simply not good enough.

Granted, Rangers did at least show some fight by coming from behind against St Mirren on Sunday, but they simply have to be winning matches of that ilk if they have any title ambitions this season.

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Those hopes already look more than bleak, however, and for Martin, he will know that one or two more bad results could spell the end, with his squad arguably not giving their all for him currently.

Since taking over footballing activities at Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have made efforts to bring in young players that they believe will be able to develop into world-class talents.

In previous years, United have spent big on proven players, which, while it has its benefits, has put them far behind many of their Premier League rivals in terms of profits from player sales, which in turn has put them in a precarious position PSR-wise.

After bringing in Christopher Vivell, among other notable backroom figures, United have started scouting and bringing in promising players who had previously been relatively unknown, such as Sekou Kone, Enzo Kana-Biyik and Diego Leon.

The club is now hoping to continue this as they have identified a promising up-and-coming striker in Brazil.

United scouting Brazilian talent Mathias

Reports from Brazil, via Sports Witness, have revealed that Manchester United scouts were at Wednesday’s 1-1 draw between Fluminense and Internacional. United scout Alexandre Torres, former Fluminense defender and son of Brazil legend Carlos Alberto Torres, was seen at the game scouting the young Brazilian striker Ricardo Mathias. Mathias came on in the 53rd minute for a subdued performance where he didn’t manage many actions.

Torres was likely not the only scout there, as Mathias has been garnering attention from a number of European clubs. Sports Witness also shared that an unknown Premier League club has gone as far as submitting a letter of intent to Internacional to register their interest, with United potentially hijacking a top flight rival.

Additionally, there had been past interest from PSV as well as “two foreign investment groups in Brazil” but none of these were as advanced as the letter from the unknown Premier League club.

Wednesday’s game would not have given Torres a true taste of Mathias’ capabilities. If he also watched Internacionale on Saturday, then he would undoubtedly have left impressed with Mathias’ promise, as his two goals were instrumental in his team’s 3-1 victory over Red Bull Bragantino.

Mathias' breakout season

Mathias’ performance against Bragantino may have fully solidified his place in his team’s starting 11. Internacional are midway through their season, as the Brazilian league runs from March to December, and at the start of the campaign, Mathias was a regular feature on the bench and only sporadically seen on the pitch.

As the season has progressed, so have Mathias’ minutes, and he has now received four starts, scoring four goals across those games. From 28 games in all competitions without a start to leading the line and bagging a brace, Mathias’ development this season has undoubtedly gained him further international attention.

With United having only this week agreed a deal of up to £73.7 million for striker Benjamin Sesko, it seems unlikely that they would be willing to pay the £56 million release clause in Mathias’ contract this summer. United are still hoping to buy a midfielder this summer and potentially another goalkeeper, which further throws doubt on this deal being completed this summer at the release clause value.

At only 19 years old, Mathias could become a long-term United target that the club could sign at a later date. Alternatively, United could attempt to negotiate Internacional down from their £56 million price tag. Both options come with risks, as paying now would likely decrease the funds available for other transfers this window, and waiting could allow for the unknown Premier League club to swoop in and sign him.

She welcomes stiff competition ahead of captaincy debut at a World Cup

Shashank Kishore02-Oct-2024Since losing the T20 World Cup crown to West Indies in India in 2016, Australia have gone on a bull run to win three titles back-to-back. As they return to Asia to try to hunt down a fourth straight title, questions have been raised about their invincibility.They whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 in the T20I series at home last month, razed down Bangladesh on some tough wickets in Mirpur in April and overturned a ten-wicket hammering to beat India 2-1 at the start of the year. Upon arrival in Dubai for the T20 World Cup, they beat West Indies and England in the warm-ups.But there have been occasional blips too, like the T20I series loss to England, a defeat each against South Africa and West Indies on away tours on either side of the women’s Ashes.Related

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Could this be the closest-ever Women's T20 World Cup?

On Wednesday, at the captains’ pre-tournament media session, Alyssa Healy, the Australia captain, wasn’t going to understate their achievements but also gave a peek into the way the players have trained themselves to think.”You don’t come here to defend the title, that’s not what the World Cup is about, you come here to win it,” she said. “So we are here with that approach. Our pool [Group A with India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka] is quite a tricky one. We’ve got to get past these teams to have a chance of lifting the trophy. So it’s a challenge I’m very excited for.”This will be Alyssa Healy’s first World Cup as a full-time captain•Getty Images

That no team has played a lot of cricket in the UAE – they will all be playing in Dubai for the first time – adds to the allure of what could be the closest-ever women’s T20 World Cup.Healy stressed adaptability, even though it has not all been about training and matches. While Healy had to accommodate media commitments, the rest of the Australian team spent a day at the water park to cool off in conditions that would test the players’ fitness.”The whole tournament, in general, is about adapting the quickest,” Healy said. “That seems to be the way. If you look at the warm-up games, [it showed] you’ve got to adapt pretty quickly to what you’re given. Probably the team that does the best throughout the tournament will get the job done. We feel like we’re well placed to do that and hopefully, we can do it.”This will be Healy’s first T20 World Cup as full-time captain; she was given the role last December after Meg Lanning announced her international retirement. This was preceded by a small period where Healy had filled in for Lanning, including at last year’s Ashes, without fully knowing if Lanning would return.Did that make her feel like she didn’t have full control as captain?”I wouldn’t say I still have full control,” she said, tongue-in-cheek. “I think I approached it like I do every day in life. You take each day as it comes. Obviously, when she [Lanning] decided to step away from the game officially, there was a process in place. I put up my hand for it and got the job, and it’s been really enjoyable so far.””I’m very grateful at this point in my career to have an opportunity to learn more about myself and probably more my team-mates, and as a squad on the whole as well, So it’s been good.”Healy also addressed quite candidly the challenges of matching Lanning’s legacy as a leader. She admitted it wouldn’t be easy to fill the “pretty big shoes” but it was also a matter of not overcomplicating it.”Everyone in this room knows the legacy of Meg Lanning, so there’s pretty big shoes to fill,” Healy said. “But I’m not Meg, I’m Alyssa Healy and I’ve brought that approach into this Australian team.”I’m going to do the job the way that I know how to do it and to the best of my ability and hopefully that does the job for Australia. At the moment, I’m just really enjoying the challenge of that.”In saying she has embraced the challenges of the job, Healy also welcomed stiff competition from the rest of the pack.”It feels like, without being disrespectful, we have been hunted for a long period of time,” she said. “We’re constantly being asked about that, and we’re used to it now. Teams are coming really hard at us to put us under the pump which we love.”This World Cup is going to be no different. We know what the other nine are going to throw at us given the opportunity. We see it as a challenge and an opportunity to showcase a brand of cricket we like playing.”Australia open their campaign on October 6 with an afternoon game against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. They next play New Zealand before meeting Pakistan in Dubai. They round off their league engagements with a high-voltage clash against India in Sharjah on October 13.

Tottenham are showing little sign of easing up after sealing their £55 million transfer of West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, who’s poised to end an unofficial transfer embargo between the two sides which has spanned 14 years.

Tottenham open talks with Premier League club to sign £30m star with Kudus

The Ghanaian isn’t Spurs’ only target.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 9, 2025

The African underwent his medical today, according to Fabrizio Romano, and it seems only a matter of time before Kudus is announced as Spurs’ first blockbuster signing of the summer, after they previously confirmed Mathys Tel’s permanent move from Bayern Munich and a £5 million deal for Kota Takai.

Kudus will put pen to paper on a six-year contract at Spurs, with the reliable David Ornstein first breaking this news on Wednesday afternoon in what is a major boost for Thomas Frank.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

The 24-year-old’s previous Champions League experience at Ajax, versatility and Premier League know-how will be extremely useful for Frank as he looks to navigate his first ever season in charge of an elite side like Tottenham.

Another big plus for Daniel Levy was managing to whittle down West Ham’s initial demands in negotiations, with journalist Ben Jacobs reporting that the Hammers were originally holding out for around £60 million.

Kudus, whilst enduring a lacklustre second season at West Ham overall, still managed to complete more successful take-ons per 90 than any other Premier League player bar Man City’s Jeremy Doku (WhoScored), which is an extremely positive sign.

Now, as per a wave of reliable media sources, Tottenham are also on the verge of completing a deal for Nottingham Forest forward Morgan Gibbs-White next

News emerged this afternoon of Spurs’ formal talks with Forest over Gibbs-White, and Mike McGrath of The Telegraph outlet shared soon afterward that the England international is already poised for a medical at N17.

This is backed up by Fabrizio Romano, who’s already given his ‘here we go’ to the transfer as Spurs seal another quick-fire signing right after Kudus.

Interestingly, Kudus and Gibbs-White are not the only players who’ve been at the centre of Spurs’ concrete interest this week.

Tottenham have also held talks with Brentford striker Yoane Wissa

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, they’ve also made contact with Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, but it is unclear how their move for Gibbs-White will impact this potential transfer right now.

The 28-year-old was one of Frank’s star men at the Gtech last season, bagging 20 goals in all competitions, and TBR report that Tottenham are real admirers – especially Frank.

They state that Tottenham have held talks with the representatives of Wissa, with Frank heavily influencing that move for the Congolese, who Brentford value at around £50 million.

Newcastle United are competing for the centre-forward too, though, as are Nottingham Forest, who’ve renewed their chase (David Ornstein).

This deal could also hinge on Man United’s talks for Bryan Mbeumo – as Keith Andrews’ side may be extremely unlikely to green-light exits for both of their most important players in the same window.

Signing both Wissa and Gibbs-White would be a real show of ambition from Levy, not to mention a serious statement of backing to Tottenham’s new manager, but time will tell whether Spurs can realistically pull that off.

Tottenham are believed to have made contact with the new representatives of West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, and many supporters will be asking if this spells the end of their interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

Tottenham leading race for near-£70m player, he'd "welcome" a move there

The Europa League champions are favourites for him.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 28, 2025

Thomas Frank has been scouring the market for a winger, following Timo Werner’s return to parent club RB Leipzig and amid the uncertainty surrounding club captain Son Heung-min.

This could well be Son’s final year at Spurs, as explained by The Telegraph, and there is every possibility that the 32-year-old may be their next high-profile departure after a very memorable 10 years in N17.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

The Saudi Pro League are expressing a genuine interest in Son, with chairman Daniel Levy braced for a tough decision over whether to part company, considering this summer represents a final chance to generate any serious cash off his sale.

There is also a case to be made that the £190,000-per-week forward is starting to decline after a mixed 2024/2025, but if the South Korean does bid an emotional goodbye, Frank will need a proven replacement.

Man City outcast Jack Grealish, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling, Lazio’s Gustav Isaken and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have been linked within the last fortnight, alongside the likes of Eze and Kudus.

In the last two days, information has emerged that Tottenham are a genuine potential landing spot for Kudus, and if the transfer comes to fruition, his move to north London would end a 14-year absence of transfer dealings between Spurs and West Ham.

Tottenham have also been repeatedly linked with a move for Eze too, who’s said to be keen on a move there. However, it is also believed that Arsenal are threatening to hijack Spurs’ pursuit of the £100,000-per-week England international, which could birth theories that Frank’s side are now moving on to Kudus as a result.

Alasdair Gold shares Eze to Tottenham update amid Kudus contact

Speaking via his YouTube channel, reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has shared an update on the club’s pursuit of Eze, amid credible noise surrounding their approach for West Ham’s star forward.

Gold reports that Tottenham do have an interest in Eze, but says it hasn’t stretched beyond that point, with the journalist also suggesting that this could underline their intent to explore other targets.

“From what I understand, there’s nothing more than interest at this stage from Tottenham,” said Gold.

“Sometimes when I get told that by various people, it’s because the club have got an inkling that they want to go elsewhere.

“It could just be the finances aren’t quite where they want them to be at this stage of the window, or it could be a variety of things – I’m not saying it’s one of those things.

“Presumably there will be more to it, and it will come out in the fullness of time, or maybe that’s just the case for now and they do kick into gear and make a move for him.”

The former QPR sensation’s contract contains a £67.5 million release clause (The Guardian), while Sky Sports claim Kudus could leave for around £70 million.

There isn’t a massive difference in price between the two men, but Eze enjoyed a far better 2024/2025 campaign, with 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions under Oliver Glasner, not to mention the FA Cup final-winning goal against Man City.

Taking this into account, unless Levy is convinced he could snap Kudus for much less, surely Eze should be considered the standout target?

Nevertheless, it appears a forgone conclusion that the Lilywhites will be snapping up a quality new attacker, with the only question being who.

He will also stand down as an assistant coach of UP Warriorz in the WPL

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2024

Ashley Noffke chats to Georgia Redmayne•Getty Images

Ashley Noffke will leave Queensland’s WNCL set-up and Brisbane Heat in the WBBL, while also stepping down as an assistant with UP Warriorz in the WPL, to take up a new coaching role with the Otago men’s team in New Zealand.It continues a winter of significant coaching changes within Queensland cricket after Wade Seccombe departed the men’s position with the state and Heat despite claiming the BBL title. Noffke was strongly linked with those roles before Johan Botha was handed the jobs.Mark Sorell, the former coach of the Australia women’s team from 2005-2007, has been named as Noffke’s replacement for both Queensland and Heat on a one-season contract.”This is a fantastic opportunity for me in my coaching journey,” Noffke said of his move. “The Volts and Otago Cricket are on the cusp of something special, and I’m keen to be part of that”.Noffke took on the Heat and Queensland coaching roles in 2019-20, winning a WBBL title in his first season and guiding Queensland to its inaugural WNCL title in 2020-21.”It’s bittersweet to be leaving the Fire and the Heat,” he added in a Queensland Cricket statement. “I’m excited about what lies ahead, especially working in a new program, but there are a lot of good memories from my time in Queensland.”I’m thankful for the guidance and support from the senior players, especially Jess Jonassen and Georgia Redmayne, and Mark as the assistant coach who is also a good mate. I wish the players, coaches and staff every success this year and look forward to watching the Heat and Fire teams flourish in the summers ahead.”Noffke, who starts with Otago later this month, will continue as coach of London Spirit in the Women’s Hundred this season before resuming the pre-season back in New Zealand.Queensland and Heat captain Jess Jonassen conceded there had been some upheaval during the off season but was confident the teams were well placed to handle it.”We’ve undergone some change throughout the off season and to have ‘Motsa’ [Sorrell] commit to the head coach position is a great way to provide our group with some stability moving forward,” she said. “He is extremely experienced and brings a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm to the role. I’m excited to see him dive in and continue to challenge the group.”

Chelsea are now stepping up their efforts to sign a “prolific” striker, who is also being targeted by Premier League rivals Arsenal, according to a report.

Blues still battling Arsenal for Sesko

Both Chelsea and Arsenal should be well-positioned to sign Benjamin Sesko this summer, given that the Slovenian has previously made it clear he would be keen on a move to London, and they continue to battle it out for his services.

Last week, it was revealed the Blues were leading the race for Sesko, despite Andrea Berta already holding direct talks over a deal for the RB Leipzig star, however, the Gunners still remain confident they will be able to get a deal over the line.

The race for the 22-year-old remains open, with the Gunners yet to make a formal bid, but he is not the only striker of interest to both Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca, with the London rivals also both vying to sign FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which has revealed that Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, are now stepping up their efforts to sign the Porto centre-forward, with the likes of Aston Villa and Arsenal also in the race.

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A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with the Portuguese club looking to receive around €70m – €75m (£59m – £63m), and they are by no means looking to force the Spaniard out the door this summer.

"Prolific" Aghehowa could be ideal Sesko alternative

With Arsenal now feeling positive about securing a deal for Sesko, the Blues may be forced to move on to alternative options, and the Porto star’s exploits in the Liga Portugal last season indicate he could be an exciting signing.

The Spain international reached the 25-goal mark in all competitions, with six of those coming in the Europa League, and at just 21-years-old, the forward is likely to have plenty of room for development.

In light of his stellar goal return last season, football talent scout Jacek Kulig also heaped praise upon the starlet, describing him as “one of Europe’s most prolific players” back in December.

That said, there may be concerns over the fact that Aghehowa is yet to prove himself in a major European league, and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, who netted a remarkable 39 goals in 33 Liga Portugal games last season, is available for a similar price.