Gotham FC 'paying the consequences' of CONCACAF W Gold Cup with USWNT star Midge Purce latest victim to early-season injury

Gotham FC and USWNT star Midge Purce was substituted off with a left-knee injury in their narrow win over the Portland Thorns on Sunday.

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  • Gotham defeat Portland 1-0
  • Bats lose Purce to injury
  • Boss Juan Carlos sounds off on preseason
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    A trio of Gotham FC stars are now on the sidelines due to injury as they begin their 2024 NWSL campaign, with all three having played a role in the USWNT's CONCACAF W Gold Cup victory earlier this month.

    Purce joined Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams in the medical room on Sunday after leaving the match just before the halftime break with an apparent left-knee injury. After going down on the pitch due to some slight contact, she tried to catch herself falling, only for her leg to buckle on the turf at Providence Park.

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    WHAT JUAN CARLOS AMOROS SAID

    “We are paying the consequences of a tournament that shouldn’t have happened,” Amorós said in his post-match press conference. “Another player playing in the Gold Cup [right before the start of the season], and 10 days later, she’s injured. We’re talking about protecting the players. … But we’re seeing the consequences now.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    With six matches arriving during NWSL preseason, and just after a winter break for the players, the W Gold Cup brought issues for all parties. However, it was the inaugural edition of the tournament, so sweeping changes could still arrive next time around. Lavelle and Williams have yet to appear for Gotham this season, while Purce only managed one and a half games before moving to the injury bench.

    Providence is the only soccer-specific NWSL stadium to feature artificial grass, and one of two stadiums used across the entire league with the turf – the other being Lumen Field; a multi-use venue for Seattle Reign FC, the Seattle Sounders and the Seattle Seahawks.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR PURCE AND GOTHAM?

    Purce will be evaluated over the coming days to determine the extent of her injury. Meanwhile, Gotham will be preparing for a clash with the North Carolina Courage this weekend as they search for another three points.

Desfalcado, goleiro do sub-17 é chamado para compor banco do Athletico diante do Palmeiras

MatériaMais Notícias

O Athletico segue recorrendo a base para reforçar os relacionados para o duelo com o Palmeiras, neste sábado, às 17h, no Allianz Parque, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Em meio a casos de Covid-19, lesões, o clube solicitou a liberação do goleiro Mycael, de apenas 16 anos, junto à CBF. Com isso, ele deve figurar no banco no compromisso da equipe profissional em São Paulo.

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Figura presenta nas convocações da equipe nacional no sub-17 e sub-15, Mycael é uma cria observada com muito carinho no Furacão. Já, inclusive, firmou um contrato profissional com o Athletico. Diante de problemas de Covid, principalmente entre os goleiros (Santos e Jandrei), o clube paranaense precisou recorrer ao jovem.

Com 28 pontos conquistados em 22 partidas, o Athletico vive bom momento no Brasileiro. Venceu os últimos quatro compromissos e se distanciou da zona de rebaixamento, figurando na 11ª colocação.

Liverpool: Reds struck gold by selling "magician" for 1570% profit

Liverpool have seen some of the highest highs in domestic football during Jurgen Klopp’s nine-year season reign, with a magnitude of talent gracing the pitch at Anfield in that time.

At the point of the German’s arrival, the Reds had been on an adventure of similar highs and lows with Brendan Rodgers, who went from missing out agonisingly on the 2013/14 Premier League title, to finishing 6th in his final season the year after.

While Klopp wrote himself into the club’s folklore by winning their first Premier League title, as well as adding Liverpool’s sixth Champions League win, Rodgers was the catalyst in harvesting some of the Reds’ most exciting talents of the Premier League era to Anfield.

From unearthing the seed of Luis Suarez from Kenny Dalglish to welcoming the likes of Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Joe Gomez and James Milner, Rodgers was blessed with a highly talented squad during his tenure with the Reds.

It’s difficult to refer to the club’s success over the past 10 years, as well as the success of Rodgers on Merseyside without mentioning the former manager’s best signing for the Reds, with Philippe Coutinho being the club’s star man from his arrival to his exit.

How much was Philippe Coutinho worth when he signed for Liverpool?

In 2008, Inter Milan secured the signature of Coutinho as a youngster from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.

The reported fee is identified by Football Transfers to have been in the region of €3.8m (£3.2m), a fair price for a player making his first move to the European football scene after leaving his homeland.

After his arrival, Coutinho was loaned back to his boyhood club to continue his development, before rejoining the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2010.

The playmaker made a name for himself over the years at Inter, securing a total of 47 appearances as well as embarking on a half-season loan spell to Espanyol to gain further experience after struggling to adapt in Italy.

In his 47 appearances, the versatile midfielder scored five goals and registered four assists in all competitions, which was a statement big enough for Rodgers to strike a deal with the Italian giants for their 19-year-old starlet.

How much did Liverpool sign Philippe Coutinho for?

In January 2013, it was announced that Liverpool had signed Coutinho for a fee of £8.5m from Inter, with the deal a positive thing for both sides, considering the youngster hadn’t yet blown the minds of those at the San Siro with his talent.

There is always a subtle fear that players from abroad will fail to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League, however it was quickly evident that Rodgers had gifted Liverpool a bargain in signing the 19-year-old.

Liverpool players celebrate

In the 2012/13 campaign, the £8.5m starlet contributed to 10 Premier League goals in 13 appearances, scoring three and assisting seven to make his arrival in England known and heard loudly.

The year after his arrival, Rodgers was full of praise for his acquisition, dubbing him a “sensational footballer” and lauding him for his “phenomenal” displays in red so early into his career at Anfield.

How many goals did Philippe Coutinho score at Liverpool?

His form during his early days under Rodgers were just a snippet of what was to come, as in 2016, he took home four personal awards for his contributions to the club in the 2015/16 campaign.

In that Premier League season, Coutinho scored eight goals and recorded five assists, shining during Klopp’s first term on Merseyside despite the poor collective outcome of an 8th-place finish.

The Brazilian took home the club’s Players’ Player of the Season, Player of the Year, Goal of the Season and Best Performance of the Season for his efforts, making the £8.5m price tag seem even more minimal.

While the Brazil international’s performance level and importance at Liverpool rose year by year, so did his market value, as documented by Football Transfers in the table below.

Philippe Coutinho market value rise at Liverpool

Month/Year

Expected Transfer Value (xTV)

01/2016

€40m (£34.5m)

01/2017

€40.4m (£34.8m)

07/2017

€68.2m (£58.8m)

01/2018

€96m (£82.8m)

Via Football Transfers

Coutinho’s rise in expected transfer value (xTV) ran parallel to his form, as highlighted by his 54 goals and 45 assists in all competitions during his five-year stay at Liverpool.

It took the Brazilian a total of 201 appearances to secure the 99 goal contributions he recorded with the Reds, with his best tally noted in the 2016/17 season as he netted 13 goals and claimed seven assists in just 31 Premier League appearances.

His form continued in the 2017/18 term, however it marked the beginning of the end for the much loved “magician”, as once hailed by former teammate Lucas Leiva, as the start of the season began a countdown of his final six months on Merseyside.

How much did Liverpool sell Philippe Coutinho for?

After totalling 20 goal contributions in 20 appearances in the first half of the 2017/18 campaign, Liverpool could no longer contain their star, as Barcelona came knocking with an undeniable offer on the table.

Back in 2014, Rodgers told the media that it was “frightening” to think of just how much his £8.5m signing was worth at that point, however not even the Northern Irishman could have anticipated the actual sum of the imagined figure.

In January 2018, Barcelona secured the signing of Coutinho for a monstrous fee of £142m, a price that amounted to an increase of 1570% from the mere expense that Rodgers first grasped him for five years earlier.

The sale amounted to a profit of £133.5m to accompany five years of quality and decisive goals and moments from the prolific Brazilian, with his departure a tough pill for those at Anfield to swallow due to his impact and growth at the club.

Philippe Coutinho Liverpool

Not many could have predicted what happened next to the superstar, as he failed to make an impact in Spain, before being shipped on loan to Bayern Munich and eventually returned to England.

During his four-year association with Barcelona, the playmaker scored just 25 goals in all competitions, slipping further down the pecking order as time went on before he joined Aston Villa on loan in January 2022.

What is Philippe Coutinho’s market value now?

Coutinho went from an £8.5m to a £142m player in five years, and fell from a £142m to a £17m player in just four, as he signed permanently with the Midlands club in the summer of 2022.

The 68-capped Brazil international’s fall from grace extended beyond his return to England, as just a year after his permanent arrival, he was sent on loan to Qatari club Al-Duhail after failing to impress at Villa.

Philippe-Coutinho

In the 2022/23 campaign, the former Liverpool whiz scored just one goal in 20 Premier League appearances, highlighting that his stint at the top of his game was almost certainly up.

Today, the 31-year-old has a market value of just €5m (£4.3m) as per CIES Football Observatory, suggesting that despite the pain of his departure, Liverpool let go of their hero at the optimum time with reference to his value.

The Reds struck gold not only by capturing Coutinho for £8.5m, but selling him for £142m was a stellar piece of business, especially when it’s considered the highs that Klopp’s side managed to reach without him.

Farke could oust Gnonto by unleashing "exciting" academy teen to rival Rutter

Leeds United have found their groove since being relegated from the Premier League as Daniel Farke's tactical blueprint continues to propel them closer to the automatic promotion places.

With eight points currently separating them from their ultimate aim, the Whites have a lot of work to do in the second half of the season to achieve it and the January transfer window could play a pivotal role.

Although several names have been linked with a move to Elland Road, including Wimbledon striker Ali Al-Hamadi, speculation continues to surround Wilfried Gnonto's future in Yorkshire.

The latest on Wilfried Gnonto's future

Last month, TEAMtalk reported that Roma, Lazio, and Everton are all weighing up a possible swoop to sign the Italy international at the turn of the year, with a price tag of £25m placed on the Italian.

With only one goal and one assist to his name in ten Championship appearances this term, it remains to be seen whether his inconsistent returns in front of goal will put any potential buyers off in January.

Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto.

If he does depart the club, Leeds could save millions by looking to their academy for a replacement, with 16-year-old sharpshooter Lewis Pirie making a strong case for a future first-team berth.

Lewis Pirie's statistics in 23/24

Pirie was captured from Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen in the summer for a fee in the region of £200k.

The teenage sensation was highly thought of by the Dons and chief executive Alan Burrows revealed he did "everything we could" to keep hold of him.

He said: “We are obviously disappointed to be losing Lewis as he is one we had high hopes for, but at the same time we wish him all the best for the future.

“We did everything we possibly could to convince Lewis and his family to stay with Aberdeen, but he has decided to go to Leeds."

Since arriving at Thorp Arch, Pirie has shown why he was held in such high regard north of the border, beginning life at his new home in exceptional fashion.

Despite relocating miles away from home, he's took no time to settle in, scoring three goals and supplying one assist in five matches in the U18's Premier League.

Leeds forward Georgino Rutter.

Such form isn't out of the ordinary for a player who was labelled by his former manager Jim Goodwin as an "exciting prospect" and the early signs suggest he could reach the ceiling of his potential, although he has the unenviable task of dislodging the talismanic Georginio Rutter for a place in the senior team.

Georginio Rutter's season in numbers

The French forward has been in phenomenal form for the Whites this term but has lacked that clinical edge in the final third to reward his efforts.

In 15 Championship appearances, Rutter has only found the back of the net three times, making up for those measly goalscoring numbers by showcasing his creative prowess.

Statistic

Figure

Assists

5

Big chances created

15

Key passes per game

2.6

Touches per game

39.7

All stats via Sofascore

.

Having created 15 big chances and supplied five assists term, as highlighted by the table above, the Leeds star has shown he's able to consistently split open defences with his exceptional passing range, allowing the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Dan James to thrive on the wings.

Although it isn't a major concern given how well he's performing, if Rutter can find his goal-scoring touch to go alongside his invention, Farke will have an unstoppable force capable of firing the Whites to promotion in 2024.

In the long-term, however, the former Hoffenheim man could find his place in the side threatened by the emerging Pirie.

VIDEO: Christian Pulisic has the last laugh! Footage emerges of Mexico fan throwing BEER at USMNT & Milan superstar – kicked out of stadium '10 minutes' into CONCACAF Nations League final

A video has emerged of a Mexico fan being kicked out of the CONCACAF Nations League final for throwing a beer at USMNT star Christian Pulisic.

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United States claimed continental crownOvercame El Tri at AT&T StadiumPulisic lifted the trophy as captainWHAT HAPPENED?

There were just 10 minutes on the clock when the incident in question took place. The game was all square at that point, with the United States breaking the deadlock through a stunning strike from Tyler Adams just before half-time.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

They would go on to claim a 2-0 win and more continental glory, as Gio Reyna also found the target, meaning that Pulisic had the last laugh in another meeting with El Tri. It was the AC Milan star who got his hands on major silverware as captain of his country.

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USA Today Sports DID YOU KNOW?

Pulisic has grown accustomed to facing taunts from the stands, and did not react to seeing a drink thrown in his direction during the opening exchanges of the clash with the US' arch rivals. The Mexico fan did, however, pay the ultimate price for his actions, with stewards at AT&T Stadium in Texas escorting him off the premises.

White and Handscomb carry Victoria to JLT Cup title

A composed innings from Cameron White and a solid all-round performance from captain Peter Handscomb has helped Victoria claim the JLT Cup title after beating Tasmania by 110 runs at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.White made 88 from 96 balls at the top of the order and got good support from Handscomb, Marcus Harris and Travis Dean as the home side posted 274 after winning the toss and batting first.Victoria’s spinners did the early damage in the chase as Tasmania never got close.White and Harris put together a solid 88-run opening stand in the best of the batting conditions in the morning. White mixed power and stroke-play with his trademark control. He struck four fours and four sixes before falling Gurinder Sandhu.Handscomb took over and raced to 49 from 45 balls before falling in the 48th over. Matthew Short provided a great cameo with 37 from 34 balls.Sandhu bowled a superb last over to concede just one run. He already had three wickets and took four more in the over including a hat-trick off the last three balls of the innings to finish with 7 for 56 from his 10 overs.The wind really picked up in afternoon making power hitting more difficult for the Tasmania batsmen. Victoria was able to bowl its spinners down-wind to protect the boundaries. Matthew Wade fell to Glenn Maxwell in the Powerplay. Fawad Ahmed forced a mistake from Ben McDermott while Jordan Silk nicked the part-time left-arm spin of Nic Maddison to Handscomb to leave the Tigers 3 for 72 in the 18th over.When Andrew Fekete removed semi-final heroes George Bailey and Simon Milenko the game was all but over. Handscomb finished with four catches behind the stumps and was named Player of the Match.It was a remarkable tournament for Victoria, who finished fourth after the five round-robin games having won only two of them. Under the old Australian domestic one-day system, Victoria would have missed the finals all together.But with all six sides making the finals under the brand new system devised this year, Victoria progressed past New South Wales in the first qualifying final after a wash-out, due to a slightly superior net run rate.Victoria then hosted the top-ranked and undefeated Western Australia in the semi-final and beat them handsomely before hosting the final against Tasmania, who had finished second on the table behind WA.

Tight schedule could force Afghanistan, Bangladesh to rest players for dead-rubber clash

Bangladesh will have to travel to Dubai after the match to meet India in the Super Four on Friday, while Afghanistan will stay put in Abu Dhabi, where they will meet Pakistan

The Preview by Mohammad Isam19-Sep-20182:19

Should Afghanistan and Bangladesh rest key players?

Big PictureHaving already qualified for the Super Four stage after knocking out Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play the last league fixture in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The result of the match is truly inconsequential: no matter who finishes top of their respective groups, the tournament has been scheduled in such a manner that Bangladesh will face India in the first Super Four match on Friday, while Afghanistan will play Pakistan.This means Afghanistan can stay put in Abu Dhabi after the match, while Bangladesh will need to pack their bags after the match and head to Dubai to meet India the next day.Both teams could rest players, but the extra travel puts a greater strain on Bangladesh. They have some injury issues, so resting Shakib Al Hasan (finger) and Mushfiqur Rahim (rib) would make sense. It would also make sense for their captain Mashrafe Mortaza to rest on Thursday, instead of taking on the strain of back-to-back games for what is essentially a dead rubber. The likes of Abu Hider, Nazmul Islam and Ariful Haque will look to gain more exposure ahead of bigger challenges.Afghanistan will focus on a familiar template: bat steadily for much of their 50 overs and look up to their seamers to provide support to their in-form spinners.Rahmat Shah’s 72 off 90 balls against Sri Lanka in the previous match backed up a solid start from the openers and allowed the big-hitters to go after the bowlers in the end overs. Captain Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran, meanwhile, will look to make more substantial contributions with the bat, while Hashmatullah Shahidi, who made 37 against Sri Lanka, will hope to capitalise on such starts.But the key will be the three spinners – Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi. Bangladesh had a hard time against Rashid in the three T20Is in June this year. Can they find a way past him in the UAE?It might be a dead rubber, but both teams will be keen to build momentum and confidence going in to the business end of the tournament.Form guideAfghanistan: WWLWW (last five completed games, most recent first)
Bangladesh: WWLWLIn the spotlightMohammad Mithun made a confident 63 against Sri Lanka and helped Mushfiqur push the total beyond 250. Mithun has plenty of domestic and A team experience, but can he be consistent in international cricket and secure his middle-order position?Rahmat Shah, who top scored with 72 against Sri Lanka, has played the Dhaka Premier League, and will be a familiar opponent for most of the Bangladesh players.Team newsIf Afghanistan look to rotate their squad, wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad and seamers Aftab Alam and Guladin Naib might get a break. Munir Ahmed Kakar, Samiullah Shenwari, Sayed Shirzad and Wafadar are options to replace them.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Ihsanullah, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Asghar Afghan (capt), 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Aftab Alam, 11 Mujeeb Ur RahmanNazmul Hossain Shanto could open for Bangladesh in place of the injured Tamim Iqbal while Mominul Haque, Abu Hider, Nazmul Islam and Ariful Haque could get some game-time in place of the seniors.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das 2 Nazmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Mohammad Mithun, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsDew was either not present in Abu Dhabi, or had no effect judging from the evidence of Afghanistan spinners’ total dominance over Sri Lanka.Stats and TriviaMashrafe Mortaza is four wickets away from becoming the first Bangladeshi bowler to 250 ODI wickets. Overall, he will be the 17th fast bowler to the milestone.Bangladesh have won three out of the five ODIs against Afghanistan.Rahmat Shah is one match away from 50 ODIs. He will become the sixth Afghanistan player to the landmark after Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Samiullah Shenwari, Dawlat Zadran and Asghar Afghan.Quotes”It is great to get off to a good start but what’s more important is that middle period; if you lose wickets in that period, then it really does hurt.”

أولمبياد باريس | حصاد الذهب في اليوم الأول.. 13 ميدالية وتفوق أسترالي

تصدرت إستراليا جدول ميداليات الذهب في أولمبياد باريس 2024، بحصد ثلاث ميداليات حتى الآن، في منافسات اليوم الأول للبطولة التي تستضيفها فرنسا.

وبلغ إجمالي ميداليات الذهب في اليوم الأول لأولمبياد باريس 2024، 13 ميدالية ذهبية، بواقع ثلاث لأستراليا، وأتت الصين في المركز الثاني بذهبيتين.

واحتفظت السباحة الأسترالية أريارن تيتموس، بذهبية سباق 400 متر حرة.

كما توجت سيدات أستراليا بذهبية سباق التتابع أربع مرات 100 متر حرة، حيث قطعت مولي أوكالاجان وشاينا جاك وإيما ماكيون وميج هاريس مسافة السباق بزمن 3:28.92 دقائق.

وفازت جريس براون بذهبية ركوب الدراجات على الطريق.

وحققت الصين ميداليتين ذهبيتين في منافسات دورة الألعاب الأولمبية “باريس 2024″، الأولى في الرماية للفرق المختلطة بمنافسات البندقية الهوائية 10 أمتار.

وحصدت الصين الميدالية الذهبية وذلك عقب الفوز على كوريا الجنوبية في النهائي 16-12.

الميدالية الذهبية الثانية للصين، في السباحة بمنافسات 3 أمتار سلم متحرك سيدات، بالفوز على الولايات المتحدة .

وأحرز السباح الألماني لوكاس مارتنز ذهبية سباق سباحة 400 متر حرة، مسجلاً 3:41.78 دقيقة، وهي الميدالية الأولمبية الأولى للبالغ من العمر 22 عامًا.

وأحرزت الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية ذهبية سباق التتابع 4 مرات 100 م حرة للرجال عن طريق لاعبها كايليب دريسل.

كما حصلت فرنسا على ذهبية الرجبي السباعي، حيث فازت على فيجي 28-7 في مباراتهما يوم السبت.

وحصل الكوري الجنوبي أوه سانج أوك على ذهبية سلاح السابر على حساب التونسي فارس فرجاني.

ورمكو أفينول منح بلجيكا ذهبية ركوب الدراجات على الطريق ضد الساعة فردي.

ونجحت اليابان في حصد ذهبية الجودو للسيدات وزن 48 كجم، عن طريق لاعبتها ناتسومي تسونودا.

ويلدوس سميتوف منح كازاخستان ذهبية الجودو للرجال وزن 60 كجم.

وفازت مان واي فيفيان كونغ بالميدالية الذهبية بالضربة الأخيرة، ومنحت ذهيبة لهونج كونج في المبارزة.

فيما بلغ إجمالي الميداليات الفضية باليوم الأول للأولمبياد، 15 ميدالية، بينها واحدة عربية للتونسي فارس فرجاني في سلاح السابر، وإجمالي الميداليات البرونزية أيضًا بلغ 15 ميدالية كذلك.

Rangers could reignite move for 21 y/o "finisher" who’d be Kent 2.0

Glasgow Rangers have already shown major signs of improvement since Philippe Clement was appointed manager of the Ibrox side just a few weeks ago.

He led the team to a comfortable 4-0 win against Hibernian in the Premiership last week, while emerging from Prague with a well-deserved point in the Europa League group stages.

Sparta Prague were by far the better side during the midweek clash, yet the Light Blues prevented them from scoring and could even have scored the winner towards the end of the game, with Danilo smashing an effort off the crossbar.

Progress has been made and Clement faces another test against Hearts on Sunday afternoon, with another win building up momentum in the league.

AS Monaco's former managerPhilippe Clement.

The Belgian will need to work with the squad he inherited from Michael Beale and it's fair to say that some of the summer arrivals have not worked out as planned.

Sam Lammers has so far netted just once – against Livingston in August – and considering the Gers paid £3m to secure his services, it is a woeful return.

Cyriel Dessers is another attacking player who promised so much upon his arrival in Glasgow, yet has failed to live up to expectations. Across 17 matches, the Nigeria international has scored just four goals – far from what is required to be successful at Ibrox.

Could the former Club Brugge manager be tempted to delve into the January transfer window in order to sign another attacker or two? If Lammers and Dessers continue their poor form, he may need to.

Rangers' January transfer plans

The 49-year-old may have outlined that he could potentially make a signing or two in the coming months when talking with the media before the Hearts game, saying: "I am here to build the team and make them stronger – that is where my focus lies and not on any external noise. We need to work hard in the coming weeks and months to see what we need to do in January. With injuries, you need to find solutions but we had players who were able to step in and that is what I expect."

He will, of course, have his own transfer targets in mind and could spend the next few weeks exploring certain options, but Clement could potentially reignite a move for a previous summer target at Rangers, as Sam Bell was a player Beale was keen on signing.

Bristol City forward Sam Bell.

According to TEAMtalk, the Gers were keeping tabs on Bell, although they faced stiff competition from clubs such as Brighton & Hove Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford due to his performances for Bristol City.

The 21-year-old ended up remaining at the Robins despite the interest shown in him and started the season in excellent fashion, with four goals in the first nine league games – which could well spark the rumour mill into action over the next few weeks.

Rangers need another constant goal threat and Bell could be ideal, especially as he has shown traits similar to that of Ryan Kent.

Rangers miss Ryan Kent

Former Ibrox winger Ryan Kent departed after five seasons at the club due to his contract expiring, and while Abdallah Sima has performed well on the left wing, the Gers have missed the presence of Kent in their side.

The Englishman registered 89 goal contributions – 33 goals and 56 assists – across 218 matches for the Light Blues, and while he may have only scored three goals during his final campaign in Scotland, his ability to constantly cause havoc for the opposition defence is something Beale failed to replace during the summer.

While his goalscoring output was lower than expected, Kent did still rank fourth across the squad for big chances created (nine) in the Premiership, while ranking third for key passes (2.2) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.9), indicating that his creative juices were still flowing.

Sima has chipped in with nine goals in just 17 matches, yet he is only on a season-long loan from Brighton, and the Ibrox faithful mustn’t get too attached to him.

Bell is young, has experience in the English second tier and is a goalscoring winger who can also operate through the middle. Clement must surely take another look at the youngster.

Sam Bell has impressed for Bristol City this season

The Englishman made his debut for the club during the 2020/21 season, but it wasn’t until last term that he began to leave his mark on the side.

He scored six times while grabbing three assists in 29 matches, which set him up rather nicely for the current campaign, where he has already bettered his league goal tally from last term.

The youngster is even embodying similar traits to Kent by ranking second across the squad for big chances created in the Championship (three), while ranking fifth for key passes per game (0.8) and sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.6), showing that he is one of the better attacking options at the club.

3

4

1

0

0.3

0.8

0.3

0.6

2

3

Of course, he isn’t quite at Kent’s level yet, but Bell has plenty of time to develop, and Clement could be the ideal coach for him.

His manager at City, Nigel Pearson, has described Bell as a “naturally clean finisher” and this attribute has been on show during the opening few months of the season.

The player has only 18 months remaining on his current contract, which might be good news for the Light Blues, who could potentially secure him for a lower price than anticipated during their original interest in the summer.

Due to the form of Lammers and Dessers, Clement might not be able to wait until next summer to get a move sorted, with January being the perfect chance for Bell to arrive and continue his excellent form.

Whatever happens, the Belgian must make his own mind up regarding the young winger and make a decision swiftly, as there are plenty of other teams looking to snatch him away from City the moment the transfer window opens again.

CRB demite Ramon Menezes e confirma Roberto Fernandes

MatériaMais Notícias

Em crise e perto da zona de rebaixamento da Série B, a diretoria do CRB resolveu mandar embora o técnico Ramón Menezes. Por outro lado, já confirmou a contratação de Roberto Fernandes.

+ TABELA DE CLASSIFICAÇÃO SÉRIE B

Ramon Menezes

Após nove partidas no comando do Galo, o treinador não aguentou a primeira turbulência em seu trabalho e foi mandado embora na madrugada desta sexta-feira.

Durante a sua passagem pelo time alagoano, o comandante venceu apenas duas, empatou duas e perdeu cinco jogos.

+De manto novo! Veja as novas camisas dos clubes brasileiros pós-pandemia

Roberto Fernandes

O treinador é um velho conhecido da torcida. Entre 2018 e 2019, Roberto Fernandes dirigiu o CRB e agora é a principal aposta para o time sair o quanto antes da mira do Z4.

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