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An interesting development has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their chances of landing a deal to bring Malik Tillman back to Ibrox for the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on Malik Tillman's future at Rangers?

According to Sport1, via Sport Witness, the Light Blues are still in with a chance of securing a swoop for the USA international on another loan next term.

The report claims that Bayern Munich are willing to sanction another temporary deal for the young attacking midfielder after they decided to activate a clause that stripped the Scottish giants of their €6m (£5m) option to sign him permanently.

However, there is said to be interest from Premier League teams and that could make it difficult for Michael Beale to convince the 21-year-old magician to come back in the summer transfer window.

How did Malik Tillman perform last season?

Tillman enjoyed an incredible campaign with the Gers and his impressive performances for the club mean that the manager could get Ibrox rocking by snapping up the exciting talent again.

Rangers supporters would surely love to see him back in a blue shirt in 23/24 as the Bayern prodigy has already proven himself to be an exceptional option at Scottish Premiership level.

The right-footed whiz averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 28 league appearances and made a huge impact in the final third, whilst playing out wide and as a number ten.

He scored ten goals and created 12 'big chances' for his teammates throughout the Premiership campaign. Meanwhile, Ryan Kent – on the other flank – scored three goals and provided his fellow attackers with nine 'big chances' in 29 outings for the Light Blues prior to his move to Fenerbahce this summer.

The USMNT starlet also endeared himself to the supporters with his work rate out of possession and willingness to get stuck in for the team. No Rangers player averaged more tackles per game (two) in the top flight than Tillman and this shows that the hard-working wizard is able to provide usefulness on and off the ball.

These statistics, of his ability at both sides of the game, indicate that the 21-year-old prospect would be able to hit the ground running next season as he already knows what it takes to be a consistent performer for the club.

Therefore, Beale could delight the Ibrox faithful by signing the £13k-per-week ace, who was hailed as "phenomenal" by teammate John Lundstram, for a second loan spell this summer due to his pre-existing relationship with the supporters and his proven quality on the pitch.

Reece Topley, the England left-arm seamer, has suffered another injury setback after picking up a shoulder problem which will require surgery

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jan-2017

Reece Topley, the England left-arm seamer, has suffered another injury setback after picking up a shoulder problem which will require surgery.Topley, 22, experienced discomfort while throwing during a recent training session ahead of joining the England Pace Programme in South Africa. A Hampshire statement said they are hopeful of him being fit for the start of the domestic season in April.”Reece is a determined character and although it is disappointing news for him, we’re very hopeful that he’ll be fit and raring to go in time for the new season,” Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, said.He had been returning from a stress fracture of the back which meant he only played one game for Hampshire in the 2016 season following his move from Essex. In his one outing last summer he broke his hand while batting and it was during training following that injury when the back problem was diagnosed.Topley has played 10 ODIs and six T20s for England, including being part of the World T20 campaign in India last year.

Chelsea are keen on signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the summer transfer window, with the Argentine on Mauricio Pochettino's "radar".

Is Martinez leaving Villa this summer?

The 30-year-old's reputation has skyrocketed over the past 12 months or so, having always been considered a good 'keeper, but now arguably being seen as an elite one. That's mainly due to Martinez's incredible performances for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, with his influence perhaps second to only Lionel Messi for his country, as various penalty heroics helped them lift the trophy back in December.

While the £120,000-a-week Villa hero's current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2027, there is the possibility that he seals an exit from the club before the start of next season. He has been linked with a move away, with a switch to a Champions League club possibly on the cards, and it remains to be seen what will happen in the coming weeks.

With Chelsea looking to sign a new first-choice man between the sticks, following unconvincing displays from Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy, it looks as though Martinez could be an option for them.

Are Chelsea signing Martinez?

According to talkSPORT on Twitter, both Martinez and Inter Milan 'keeper Andre Onana are summer targets for Pochettino personally, with Kepa and Mendy possibly heading out of the club:

"BREAKING: #CFC are open to offers for both Kepa Arrizabalaga & Edouard Mendy. Mauricio Pochettino wants to bring in a new number one with Inter Milan's Andre Onana and #AVFC’s Emi Martinez on his radar. – talkSPORT sources understand."

Martinez could be a magnificent signing by Chelsea this summer, considering he is one of the Premier League's best stoppers and has been described as "world-class" by Gary Neville.

At 30, he is right in his prime as a goalkeeper, with many years still ahead of him at his best, and he could immediately make the Blues a greater defensive force, having won three Man of the Match awards from WhoScored in the league last season.

Martinez is a great combination of being both good with the ball at his feet and an expert shot-stopper (FBRef), while his larger-than-life personality could also make such a positive influence in the dressing room at Stamford Bridge, at a time when spirits are a little low and more leaders are needed within the squad. It is a move that only really has positives to it.

After a crushing 111-run loss in the opening match of the ODI series, Jason Holder has reiterated that West Indies take all three formats equally seriously, even if their results in Tests and ODIs have been far worse than those in T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2016

After a crushing 111-run loss in the opening match of the ODI series against Pakistan, Jason Holder has reiterated that West Indies take all three formats equally seriously, even if their results in Tests and ODIs have been well below the standard they have achieved in the shortest format. While West Indies place fourth in the T20I rankings and are the reigning World Champions in the format, they languish in eighth place in the Test and ODI rankings.”I think we focus equally on Test match cricket, T20 cricket and one-day cricket,” the West Indies Test and ODI captain said. “Results have shown that we have done better at T20 cricket over the recent past, but we don’t disregard any of the other two formats.”On this tour of the UAE, though, West Indies have failed to click in the T20s too, losing them 0-3 before Friday’s ODI mauling. Holder identified the batting as the main area in need of improvement. West Indies’ top order crumbled in all three T20s, and the batting failed once again in the first ODI with the side sliding to 175 all out in pursuit of 287.”In this situation, we need to turn things around and we really need to look at ways we can improve,” he said. “Obviously one big area is the batting. We did see off the new ball [in the ODI]. It’s just a matter of rotating the strike a bit better than we did today. I think once we do that we should go into the next match in better stead.”The next ODI in the three-match series will be played on Sunday in Sharjah.

Manchester United have reportedly made an enquiry to sign RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news involving Simakan?

The Red Devils appear to be on the hunt for defensive reinforcements this summer, with Napoli’s Kim Min-jae a target. Reports in recent days have claimed that United have now tabled a contract offer to the South Korea international following talks with his representatives.

However, with Erik ten Hag approving exits for Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly also set to be sold, another centre-back could be required at Old Trafford, with Simakan seemingly another target.

Journalist Santi Aouna took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to provide an update he’s heard on Simakan. He said that the Red Devils have made contact for the Frenchman alongside Arsenal, while also name-checking the move for Kim.

“Understand Arsenal and Manchester Utd have enquired for Mohamed Simakan. Many English clubs are interested. Talks still ongoing between MU and Kim Min-Jae. The Red Devils have presented their project and also financial proposal.”

Who is Simakan?

Simakan is primarily a centre-back but can also play as a right-back or as a holding midfielder and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €28m Transfermarkt valuation.

The 23-year-old has been with Leipzig since 2021 after leaving Strasbourg and was hailed as a "complete centre-back" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

"One of the most underrated young defenders in Europe. Strong, fast, versatile, and very good on the ball. Complete centre-back who can also play as a right-back. Reminds me of young Lilian Thuram."

Simakan has played as a right-back and centre-back this season, contributing to an impressive 11 goals in all competitions. His versatility could therefore make him a shrewd signing at Old Trafford, possibly rivalling Kim, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez at centre-back, while also providing cover at right-back and in midfield. It looks as if this could be a deal to keep an eye on, although the Red Devils may need to pip Arsenal to Simakan’s signature.

Ange Postecoglou's Celtic side host St Mirren at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they attempt to bounce back from a defeat in the Old Firm last weekend.

The Hoops were beaten 3-0 last time out and will be hoping for a strong reaction on their own turf today to put that loss behind them as quickly as possible.

They come up against a side that has gone four games without a win, losing three of those, and this is an excellent opportunity for Celtic to return to winning ways.

To do that, the head coach could make some changes to his starting XI after a number of players failed to perform in the defeat at Ibrox.

Will David Turnbull start against St Mirren?

Postecoglou should finally unleash attacking midfielder David Turnbull from the start in the middle of the park as his creativity could help to unlock the opposition's defence.

Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, and Matt O'Riley produced one key pass between them last weekend and the ex-Motherwell man – who has created 34 chances in six starts (24 appearances) in the Premiership – could provide more invention in his passing.

His last start for the club came on the 18th of March against Hibernian and the former Motherwell sensation registered two assists in that match, which highlights the level of quality he can provide when given an opportunity to play meaningful minutes.

The 23-year-old, who Postecoglou once hailed as "outstanding", has also terrorised St Mirren in the past. He has scored seven career goals – three more than against any other team – in 11 matches and has some great memories of facing them in the past.

At the start of the 2021/22 campaign, Turnbull recorded a perfect WhoScored rating of 10 as he scored a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over the Saints.

This shows that the Scotland international has the quality to provide a huge goal threat to go along with his creativity, whilst also having a history of being able to step up in games against today's opposition.

The £16k-per-week maestro has assisted six goals and created four 'big chances' in six Premiership starts this term. This comes after he racked up 3.2 key passes per game and eight 'big chances' created in total in 20 starts in the division in 2021/22.

Turnbull has proven himself to be an excellent performer at Premiership level in terms of what he offers in the final third, both with his goalscoring contributions and his creativity, and that is why the ace should be unleashed from the start today after the Old Firm midfield offered very little.

Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier has lost his form at an awkward time for the Whites due to their relegation worries, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Illan Meslier?

Meslier and Leeds United have been on the receiving end of some heavy scorelines recently, as the Frenchman has picked the ball out of the net 18 times in his last five Premier League matches, as per Transfermarkt.

The Whites have recently made the decision to sack manager Javi Gracia following this poor run in form and have replaced him with relegation firefighter Sam Allardyce, who will take charge of their last four games of the season, as per Sky News.

In Leeds United's 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth last weekend, Meslier was criticised by pundit Jon Newsome for his error leading up to Jefferson Lerma's goal at the Vitality Stadium, as per BBC Radio Leeds transcribed by Leeds Live, as he stated: “That’s awful, dare I say, from the keeper, Meslier, that’s really, really poor.”

Capology understand Meslier earns around £30,000 per week at Elland Road on a contract that runs until the summer of 2026.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Meslier has hit a rough patch at the wrong time between the sticks for Leeds United.

Jones told FFC: "It's a really tough one because Meslier is one of the best young goalkeepers in the world. If you were to look at players aged 23 and under, he is about as good as you could hope to find, but having your goalkeeper out of form when you're being dragged into a relegation battle is far from ideal."

Will Illan Meslier rediscover his best form under Sam Allardyce?

Allardyce and the Leeds United support will hope so; however, the Whites face a tough run-in over the next four matches, with Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur still to come.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, FBRef indicate that Meslier has had a tough time in goal this term, conceding an average of 1.97 per match in the Premier League.

Some of this is merely a byproduct of the fact that the 23-year-old plies his trade for a relegation-threatened side; however, Meslier himself will probably feel that he could've done better between the sticks in recent weeks following a spate of errors.

Suppose he were to be replaced between the sticks for their next fixtures. In that case, one of Joel Robles or Kristoffer Klaesson may be afforded an unexpected opportunity to become a hero at Elland Road if they can aid Leeds United's survival push.

Leeds United boss Allardyce already has some big decisions to make as he tries to guide the Whites to safety between now and the end of 2022/23.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could be set to receive a timely injury boost on striker Eddie Nketiah ahead of a crucial few weeks in the Premier League title race.

What’s the latest injury news regarding Eddie Nketiah?

The striker has been absent since suffering an ankle injury at the start of March, missing the last seven matches, leaving Arteta short of options to lead the line.

Thankfully, Gabriel Jesus has made a comeback from his own injury woes to alleviate this blow during the last couple of weeks, but having two strikers to choose from ahead of a vital final few weeks of the campaign would be a big boost.

Sky Sports presenter James Green tweeted yesterday regarding the Englishman: “William Saliba NOT in Arsenal open training this morning, but Eddie Nketiah is back.”

This will be a huge source of relief for Arteta, and he could play some part against West Ham United tomorrow.

How important is Eddie Nketiah for Arsenal?

The 23-year-old only played a bit-part role during the early stages of the campaign, not starting a Premier League match until Boxing Day. He did score twice in the Europa League group stage, but that was as profitable as it got until the turn of the year.

The injury to Jesus at the 2022 World changed things for Nketiah as he was then looked upon as Arsenal’s main striker in the Brazilian's absence – and he certainly impressed.

Across 13 matches deputising for Jesus, the striker netted six goals and grabbed an assist as he looked to spearhead the Gunners title challenge and his ankle injury came as a big blow to the club.

The £100k-per-week gem was described as “extraordinary” by his manager back in 2020 and his improvements since then have given the North Londoners a major boost in their pursuit of glory.

Indeed, among his positional peers, Nketiah ranks in the top 10% across Europe’s big five leagues over the past year for total shots per game (3.56), progressive carries (2.77) and touches in the attacking penalty box (6.74), suggesting that he more than makes up for his lack of goals by thriving in other areas.

Leandro Trossard has been a more than able deputy for both Nketiah and Jesus when called upon, registering a goal and seven assists since joining in January.

Having Nketiah back as an attacking option will give Arteta renewed confidence that they can resume their title charge following their agonising draw against Liverpool last weekend.

Arsenal have made few blunders under Mikel Arteta, who has endured plenty of trials during his short spell as a head coach. Dealing with various issues born of previous regimes, the Spaniard was calm and calculated in his decision-making, which culminated in the success they hope to achieve.

However, no manager can get every decision right.

Whether it be a tactical blunder to lose a game, or the wrong substitution to surrender control, arguably few mistakes are as frustrating and long-lasting as selling a player and watching them go on to thrive.

That has certainly been the case with Matteo Guendouzi, who admittedly struggled to outline himself as a star central midfielder for the new boss. It seemed like the 24-year-old remained rash and often thoughtless in his displays, which led to his eventual exclusion from the team.

Former Gunners player Jeremie Aliadiere had suggested that his compatriot hadn't "grown and matured" enough to stake his claim. As was the case with Mesut Ozil and Piere-Emerick Aubameyang, if they did not fit the system, Arteta would let them go.

So, for a fee of just £9m, the Frenchman departed – after being banished from the squad by Arteta.

How much is Matteo Guendouzi worth now?

Having featured 82 times for the North London outfit, his 21 yellow cards during that period certainly support the earlier suggestion of a rash play style.

However, as a youngster joining, Guendouzi came with a big reputation and was expected to be the future of the club's midfield. When he made the final shortlist for the Golden Boy award, this was only further cemented.

Featuring heavily in his first full season, the £41k-per-week stopper acted as a steady presence at the base of midfield. This culminated in an unspectacular 6.79 rating, which would improve just slightly the year following to 6.84. Either way, it marked progression.

However, the eventual sale of such a promising talent was deemed a must to continue progressing as a club, even if journalist Aaron West had suggested there was "something special" about the young destroyer.

Since moving to Marseille, as performances have improved, so too has the valuation of the 6 foot 1 star. Boasting a 7.00 rating last campaign, in which the French international seemed to finally be growing into his potential, CIES Football Observatory clearly took note.

They suggested that Guendouzi's value had rocketed, and from that £9m initial sale the midfielder was now worth €35m (£31m).

At the tender age of just 24 too, this is a figure set to only increase with each passing year of improvement.

As aforementioned, Arteta has not made many errors during his reign. But this decision to offload their former star youngster might well be turning into a mistake.

Aston Villa have been longing for an offensive catalyst since the £100m departure of beloved homegrown talent Jack Grealish to Manchester City in 2021, the fleet-footed demon's feats for the Lions undoubtedly going down in the club's folklore.

Sure, Ollie Watkins has been prolific in the Premier League of late; Emi Buendia is easy on the eye with his gliding gait, but no one has captured the panache and efficiency of the former gem.

A wholly contrasting skill set, but Villa's Finn Azaz could be the optimum name to send Villa Park into rapture once again, with the midfield maestro out on loan at League One high-fliers Plymouth Argyle this season and forging a season of emphatic success; a centrepiece to the club's promotion-pushing efforts.

Argyle are table-toppers after 38 matches, five points clear in the automatic playoffs with just eight matches to play.

The Republic of Ireland international Azaz has indeed been fantastic for The Pilgrims and will certainly be in contention for a spot in manager Unai Emery's system next year, so arresting has he been in his trade.

Who is Finn Azaz?

Azaz has been on the Claret & Blue's books since the summer of 2021, when he was signed from Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion and immediately loaned out to Newport County, praised as "exciting" by the club's official website.

WhoScored highlights Azaz's most arresting traits as his 'key passes', 'dribbling' and 'finishing', and his offensive midfield deployment could indeed provide the Villans with the offensive spark to complement the front-line next season.

Emery sold Danny Ings to West Ham United for £15m in January and only signed 19-year-old prospect Jhon Duran for £18m to bolster the offence, the dynamic Colombian precocious but perhaps not quite ready for the talismanic role.

The activity hints at a marquee addition in the summer, with the likes of £44m Lille sharpshooter Jonathan David touted, and as such, a creative and enterprising force situated behind would indeed go down a treat.

The 22-year-old Azaz has recorded an average Sofascore rating of 7.14 this term, scoring seven goals and supplying eight assists and complementing his direct return with 1.7 shots and 1.9 key passes per match, hailed as a "baller" for his exploits by journalist Alex Dunne.

If Emery does decide to offer the one-cap U21 international a platform, he could stake a claim for Philippe Coutinho's place in the team, with the distinguished Brazilian branded “disappointing” by former Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor.

The £125k-per-week man has scored just one goal and provided no assists from 22 outings across all competitions this season, recording a mediocre Sofascore rating of 6.66 and offering just 1.1 shots and 0.4 key passes per outing, inferior to Azaz's output, granted, playing two divisions below but exhibiting all the prowess requisite for success in the English top-flight.

How the "imposing" Azaz – as dubbed by Ashley Preece – has carried himself in the third tier this term has been extremely impressive, and if he can continue to nurture his abilities at Premier League level with Villa, he could become a shrewd, homegrown sensation in the midlands.

He might not quite have the flair or elegance of the likes of Grealish and Coutinho, but the mechanical, industrious way he exerts his authority and dynamism cannot be understated.