Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Celtic’s highly rated 15-year-old defender Dara Jikiemi, positioning themselves ahead of Nottingham Forest and other Premier League rivals in the race for the Scottish prospect. The move is described as progressing positively, with the teenager expected to follow the pathway previously taken by Ben Gannon-Doak.
Liverpool set to sign 15-year-old Celtic star Jikemi
Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of Celtic wonderkid Jikiemi, with reports from The Daily Mail indicating that discussions are advancing well and the Reds are in a strong position to finalise the move. The 15-year-old defender has caught the club’s eye with his maturity, leadership and strong performances at youth level, prompting Liverpool to act quickly as Premier League competition emerges. Nottingham Forest remain interested, but Liverpool are widely viewed as frontrunners, with the transfer expected to move forward shortly after the player turns 16.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLiverpool planning for the future under Slot
Liverpool’s efforts to sign Jikiemi come during a season in which the club’s defensive structure has been under scrutiny, making long-term planning at centre-back even more essential. With Ibrahima Konate struggling for consistency and the wider backline facing constant evaluation, the club is determined to secure young defenders who can be developed inside the Kirkby system. The recent loss of academy midfielder Kaylum Moss to Manchester City further underlined the importance of replenishing talent pathways. Securing Jikiemi would reinforce a recruitment strategy built on early identification, patient development and sustainable squad building.
AFPJikemi will follow a similar path as Gannon-Doak
Jikiemi is regarded as one of the brightest young defenders in Scotland, having already captained the nation’s Under-15s and impressed with his performances for Celtic’s Under-18 side. His combination of leadership, composure and strong defensive instincts has made him an attractive target for Premier League clubs looking to invest in long-term potential. Jikiemi would follow the well-established pathway taken by Gannon-Doak, who also swapped Celtic Park for Liverpool’s academy at a similar age before developing into a Premier League-level footballer, generating a £25 million transfer fee following his move to Bournemouth.
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Liverpool remain frontruners to sign Jikemi
Liverpool are expected to formalise the deal early in 2026 once Jikiemi turns 16 and becomes eligible to complete the move, with Celtic due training compensation rather than a transfer fee. The teenager would then join the Reds' academy setup, where his development program would begin immediately under the guidance of Liverpool’s youth coaches. Nottingham Forest remain interested, but Liverpool currently hold a clear advantage and are not expected to lose their position unless there is a sudden change in negotiations.
Half-centuries for Lachlan Shaw and Josh Philippe helped NSW to a strong total
AAP23-Nov-2025Tasmania opener Caleb Jewell stepped up with a century in the absence of Test debutant Jake Weatherald to put his side in a strong position in their Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales.Jewell’s 102, his ninth first-class century, lifted the visitors to 196 for 2 at Cricket Central at stumps on day two in reply to NSW’s 391 for 9 declared.Related
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Tasmania’s plans were disrupted by a concussion to allrounder Aidan O’Connor and a leg injury to fellow allrounder Mitch Owen on day one. They were replaced by pace bowler Jackson Bird and batter Charlie Wakim.The competition has this year introduced injury substitutes who can play in a game under set conditions, so Wakim will be able to bat.Tasmania opened their batting with left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and he performed a sterling job in his knock of 21 supporting Jewell in a 56-run opening stand.Jewell, who pulled the ball with venom in an innings that included 11 boundaries, found another ally in Tim Ward, who finished the day unbeaten on 53.It was Jewell’s first Shield century of the summer and came at just the right time with regular opening partner Weatherald on Test duty.NSW had earlier resumed on 214 for 2 after a rain-interrupted opening day. Left-hander Kurtis Patterson added just one to his overnight tally before being run out for 80.From there the visitors were able to keep chipping away to take wickets at regular intervals but Lachlan Shaw and Josh Philippe ensured NSW reached a solid total before their declaration.Tasmania quick Riley Meredith finished with 3 for 77 to take his season tally to 15 wickets in just five innings. The consistency of the 29-year-old paceman has been a highlight this season where he has captured three wickets in an innings on five occasions.Meredith, who took a career-high 23 wickets in just six matches in the Shield last season, is returning to the form that led to him representing Australia in both ODI and T20Is.
Chelsea dropped points for the second game in a row, suffering a disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Leeds United at Elland Road. The Blues put in a lacklustre performance in a tough environment, and never really managed to get into the game.
It was a poor start for Enzo Maresca’s side, who went 1-0 down inside the first six minutes after a fast start from the Whites. It was slack defending from a corner, with Jaka Bijol making a darting run from the edge of the penalty box and heading home at the near post.
The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. It was yet more questionable defending from the West Londoners, who let Ao Tanaka have acres of space just outside the area. The Japanese international unleashed a vicious shot which nestled into the back of the net.
Chelsea did pull a goal back, with just 50 minutes on the clock. Pedro Neto managed to shake off his marker and pull to the back post, firing home Jamie Gittens’ cross.
It was all in vain, though, after a defensive error with 18 minutes to go meant Leeds scored a third and sealed the win.
It was a disappointing night for Chelsea, with some particularly worrying performances across the board.
Chelsea’s worst performers vs. Leeds
There were some notable bad showings from a few of Maresca’s men against Leeds. One of those came from Tosin Adarabioyo. It was his error which led to Leeds’ third goal and all but secured the three points for the West Yorkshire side.
The former Fulham man received the ball inside the penalty area and took a heavy touch before playing a five-yard pass back to Robert Sanchez.
It was a frustrating lack of awareness from the Chelsea number four, who put his goalkeeper under pressure from the Leeds press.
Another member of the Chelsea side who struggled was centre-forward Liam Delap. It was a night where the Blues’ number nine seemed isolated. Aside from a snapshot in the second half, which he fired over the crossbar, he did little to trouble the Leeds defence.
One person who was critical of Delap’s performance at Elland Road was Goal journalist Tom Ritchie. He gave the English striker a 4/10 for his efforts, and described him as a ‘bystander’ during the first half.
Those two Chelsea stars were not the only players to struggle on Wednesday night, though.
Maresca could boldly bench £180k-per-week Chelsea star
It was a night to forget for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine, who captained the Blues at Elland Road, struggled to get any sort of control in midfield.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Perhaps that coincided with the fact that his usual partner in the centre of the park, Moises Caicedo, was suspended.
Chelsea’s number eight was arguably at fault for Tanaka’s goal. He was dispossessed in midfield, facing his own goal, with the ball breaking loose, a situation Leeds capitalised on.
This weighed into the 3/10 rating he got from Ritchie, who said he ‘looked rattled at times’. Indeed, Fernandez’s stats from the game show how much of a tough night it was.
Normally, so good on the ball, the £180k-per-week asset only had a pass accuracy of 77% in the Whites’ half, losing the ball 21 times. He also failed to complete a dribble or a tackle.
Touches
106
Opposition half pass accuracy
77%
Number of times ball lost
21
Unsuccessful touches
5
Ground duels won
1/4
Tackles
0
Dribbles
0
After a showing like that, it will be interesting to see if Maresca keeps Fernandez in the starting lineup for their next game against Bournemouth this Saturday. He certainly struggled without Caicedo next to him, and Reece James inverting from right-back.
There are options at his disposal, too. Cole Palmer is now back from injury and played 30 minutes at Elland Road on Wednesday. Whether or not he can play from the start remains to be seen, but he could slot into the side.
Alternatively, James could be brought back into the starting XI and operate in midfield, as he has done this season to a good degree of success.
Fernandez’s performance at Elland Road was disappointing, and it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the side, especially with options at Maresca’s disposal.
As bad as Tosin: Maresca's 4/10 flop must never start for Chelsea again
Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.
Mexico now know their path for the 2026 World Cup. El Tri will open the tournament at the Estadio Azteca against South Africa (61), marking the first time an opening match from a previous edition has been repeated. South Korea (22) and the winner of a European playoff round out a Group A that also spares Javier Aguirre’s squad from several higher-profile opponents.
Getty Images SportGroup stage opponents: South Korea, South Africa and TBD
Aguirre and the Mexican delegation that traveled to Washington, D.C., can feel relieved with the Group A draw they received for the long-awaited home World Cup. The Pot 2 pairing worked in their favor: Mexico avoided heavyweights such as Colombia and Uruguay. Instead, El Tri will face South Korea – still a difficult opponent, but far more manageable than those top contenders.
Mexico will open the tournament against South Africa, No. 61 in the FIFA rankings – a significantly easier matchup than Norway, who were also in Pot 3. Their final group-stage game at Estadio Azteca will be against the winner of a playoff between Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland and the Czech Republic, a spot that will be decided in March.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport Must-watch TV: South Africa
The opening match between Mexico and South Africa will undoubtedly draw global attention, even if it’s arguably the most manageable opponent will face in the group stage. Despite the pressure that comes with playing in a World Cup opener, Mexico should be expected to start the tournament with a victory.
Getty Images SportDangerous matchup: South Korea
Against South Korea, Mexico will face their toughest match of the group stage. It’s the second game on the schedule and will be played in Guadalajara. If fail to pick up a victory in the tournament opener, the clash with the Asian side will largely shape the trajectory of their World Cup campaign.
The two teams already met during the September FIFA window, a match that ended in a 2–2 draw after Mexico salvaged a point in the final minutes thanks to a late goal from Santiago Giménez.
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(C)Getty ImagesKey opposition player: Son Heung-min
The biggest threat on the Group A will be South Korean and LAFC star Son Heung-min, which says plenty about how fortunate Mexico were in the draw. Despite leaving European football for MLS this year, Son remains a world-class force. Should Denmark emerge from the playoff bracket, Mexico could also meet Christian Eriksen — but even then, they would have avoided several far more dangerous stars from other national teams.
Russell has been a constant for the franchise since IPL 2014, and was among five players retained by the franchise ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 12 crore
Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025In one of the most high-profile releases in IPL history, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have decided to let go of their star allrounder Andre Russell ahead of the auction for IPL 2026.Russell has been a constant for the franchise since IPL 2014 and was among five players retained by the franchise ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Though Russell had cost KKR INR 12 crore, releasing him has given the franchise an additional INR 18 crore for the auction, since he was Player 1 in KKR’s list of retainees last year, worth INR 18 crore, and that amount gets credited to the team’s purse now.A bona fide T20 great, Russell is also an IPL GOAT. Only two players in IPL history have scored over 2000 runs and picked 100 wickets. One of them – Russell – has been released, and the other – Ravindra Jadeja – has been traded, making the 2026 retention window among the most headline-making ones.Related
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While the development will surprise many, including KKR fans, the franchise had deliberated releasing Russell ahead of the 2025 mega auction before deciding to stall that call. Russell, who is 37, had retired from international cricket in July, having only played the T20 format after the 2019 World Cup.Russell, who was the Player of the Tournament in IPL 2019, was part of the KKR’s title-winning teams in 2014 and 2024. Russell also won 16 Player-of-the-Match awards at KKR and is only behind the other KKR great Sunil Narine. A powerful batter who is known to take bowlers apart, especially in death overs, Russell has hit the joint-seventh most sixes (223) in the IPL.It is understood that more than one franchise sought out Russell in trade. KKR, though, will have the biggest purse, INR 64.30 crore, at the auction and could look to even buy him back. The teams will also pay attention to Russell’s form in the 2025 season. With the bat in ten innings, Russell hit 167 runs at a strike rate of 163.72, including a 50. His bowling numbers, though, were under par: eight wickets in nine innings at an average of 27.12 and an economy of 11.94.
Leeds United are on a roll at the moment. Daniel Farke’s side have gone unbeaten in their last two games, beating Chelsea and drawing against Liverpool, with both games coming at Elland Road.
The game prior to playing the Blues, Manchester City only beat them due to a stoppage-time winner.
At the start of the gameweek, the Whites were out of the relegation zone. Now, a clash away to Brentford in the prime time slot on Sunday afternoon represents a chance for the West Yorkshire side to put even more distance between themselves and the drop zone.
Leeds will not have a full squad for their trip to West London to face the Bees, however.
Leeds’ team news vs. Brentford
Unfortunately for Farke, he has a few players missing for the game against Keith Andrews’ side. Someone who remains sidelined after picking up an injury in November is midfielder Sean Longstaff.
He is yet to recover from the calf injury he suffered against Aston Villa.
The Whites will also be without winger Daniel James. He suffered a long-term injury against Man City, with the hamstring tendon issue keeping him out for at least two months.
Leeds will be hoping to have him back sooner rather than later, but that layoff could be longer depending on whether he needs surgery.
The player who might have made it back for this game was Lukas Nmecha. However, Farke confirmed that the striker’s injury has “still not completely healed,” before going on to confirm that the German is “definitely out” against Brentford.
That is a huge blow for Leeds. Although he missed the game against Liverpool, Nmecha has been one of their most in-form players.
He’s bagged four goals in 14 Premier League games this season, a tally surpassed by no other Leeds player.
Despite these injuries in attack, there is a Leeds forward who Farke might well need to drop after a poor performance against Liverpool.
The Leeds star who Farke must axe
Despite managing such a brilliant result against Arne Slot’s side last weekend, there was one Leeds player in particular who struggled to make an impact.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
That was a rarity across the board, with Farke’s side generally impressing.
It was a really poor performance from Noah Okafor. The Swiss star was one of Leeds’ summer additions from AC Milan, but he has struggled to hit the ground running since moving to West Yorkshire.
25-year-old Okafor, who earns £72.5k per week at Elland Road and is one of the top earners, has only managed two goals for the club so far.
Those have come in 12 Premier League appearances, including the club’s 800th in the competition against Tottenham Hotspur.
Against Liverpool, Okafor put in a 5/10 performance and ‘didn’t add a huge amount’, according to Graham Smyth of The Yorkshire Evening Post.
He did struggle to get into the game, having just 14 touches, completing five out of six passes and losing the ball five times.
Touches
14
Passes completed
5/6
Number of times ball lost
5
Duels won
2/6
Shots
2
Expected goals
0.13xG
It was certainly a disappointing performance from the Swiss attacker, who showed great promise in the first few days of his Leeds career, with content creator Alex Moneypenny even suggesting that he is “so close to exploding”.
Perhaps playing as a number nine alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin is not how to get the best out of him.
If Farke is to drop Okafor this weekend against Brentford, there are options to replace him despite the injury issues.
Wilfried Gnonto is the most likely one, with the Italian getting back to full fitness after a fitness issue himself. Jack Harrison could also slot into the team, although he might not thrive as a number nine, or Farke could even bring teenager Harry Gray into the fold.
Regardless, Leeds will want to keep this impressive, and crucial, run of form going.
Thus, Okafor may be rotated out of the side after a poor showing last weekend, with Farke choosing someone who can have more of an overall impact.
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It was like déjà vu all over again at American Family Field on Wednesday afternoon, as for a second consecutive game, the Boston Red Sox lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on a walk-off in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Even after losing on a grand slam by Christian Yelich on Tuesday, Wednesday's defeat may have been even worse. Tied 4-4 heading into extra innings, Boston scored on a David Hamilton fielder's choice to take a one-run lead in the 10th. The bottom of the frame, however, turned into a horrid one for the Sox.
To kick things off, they gifted Milwaukee the tying run before an out was even recorded thanks to a brutal throw home by second baseman Kristian Campbell. Then, with runners on second and third, third baseman Caleb Durbin hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Sam Frelick and sealing the deal on a very quick come-from-behind victory.
The win for Milwaukee brings them to 29-28 while the Red Sox—after finally climbing out to an above .500 record this week—have now lost five straight games, sit at 27-31, and have fallen to fourth place in the AL East.
Dealing with a slew of injuries and in turn calling up top prospect Marcelo Mayer this weekend, Boston's road ahead doesn't get much easier. They're off to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves before returning home to take on the Los Angeles Angels.
Liverpool are champions of the Premier League once again, and you can tell that a weight has been lifted from the shoulders of all involved.
The celebrations raged on for days, Anfield having played host to the title-clinching occasion last weekend as Tottenham Hotspur were put to the sword.
It’s been a long and gruelling season, but the squad have worked tooth and nail toward getting back on their perch, with Arne Slot the mastermind. Curiously, the Dutch coach has allowed a fuzz of facial hair to carpet his face, emphasising the loosening of the focus now that gold medals have been secured.
While Slot is finally prepared to enforce some rotation in the top flight, having been stringent in his team selection across the campaign, there’s no question that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are very much headset on preparing for the summer ahead.
Arne Slot celebrates Liverpool's Premier League triumph
That, for sure, is one area of attention that will have only intensified since the jubilation of last weekend, and while a wave of signings are anticipated, Liverpool are also gearing up to present Luis Diaz with a new contract.
Liverpool looking to extend Luis Diaz's contract
Diaz’s future has been a topic of debate throughout the 2024/25 campaign, and while he lulled for a sizeable patch through the middle of the year, the Colombian has been one of Liverpool’s most influential players.
Having plundered 16 goals and eight assists across 47 matches in all competitions, Diaz is behind only Mohamed Salah in Anfield’s goal contribution charts.
However, the 28-year-old is approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week deal and has been consistently linked with a move away in recent months. Barcelona are among the recognised admirers.
Unless a mammoth bid comes FSG’s way, they’d be shrewd to march ahead with plans to tie the left-sided forward down. He’s been brilliant this year, and he perhaps doesn’t get the respect he deserves for his numbers, which are not all that shoddy.
Raphinha
31
15
11
Bradley Barcola
31
13
11
Luis Diaz
33
12
7
Vinicius Junior
27
11
7
Vincenzo Grifo
31
8
10
Is he perfect? No, but Diaz is criminally underrated within certain pockets of Liverpool support, having performed dutifully and dynamically under Slot’s wing.
The fact that Raphinha and Bradley Barcola are the only recognised left wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season to have outperformed him from a prolific standpoint says it all.
Luis Diaz in action for Liverpool vs Wolves
However, this argument carries substance on both sides, and if Liverpool were to receive an irresistible offer this summer, there’s one man above all others who has been identified as the perfect replacement.
Liverpool target is open to leaving
According to GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are ready to sign Real Madrid’s Rodrygo this summer, should Diaz end up leaving, with the wing wizard having ‘doubts’ over his future at the Bernabeu.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Brazil international, 24, has become disillusioned with his role at Los Blancos, often shunted onto the right flank to accommodate Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.
The report suggests that he is, for the first time, ‘questioning’ his future at the club, while remaining ‘open-minded’ over which club he could potentially join next.
Real Madrid'sRodrygolooks on
Spanish sources suggest it could take a bid worth €120m (£102m) to convince Florentino Perez to part with his club’s forward, but if Rodrygo truly wishes to leave for a new chapter, this towering figure could be reduced.
Why Rodrygo would be perfect for Liverpool
Hailed as a “world-class” part of Real Madrid by Jurgen Klopp, Rodrygo has lived in the Spanish capital since leaving Santos in his Brazilian homeland back in June 2018. He was only 17, with the figure totalling €45m (£38m).
Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates scoring their third goal with Kylian Mbappe andArdaGuler
The problem, of course, is that Madrid have packed their squad full of attacking superstars over the past few years, with the likes of Endrick, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz also assuming space in the first-team squad.
Rodrygo, though, no doubt feels he is on par with Mbappe and the like, surely doubling his frustrations over being routinely played as a right wing.
The right-footed forward has demonstrated a raised level of prolificness when rarely handed the chance to feature on his preferred flank. This season, he’s only posted 13 goals and ten assists across 50 matches in all competitions, but 12 of those involvements have come from just 12 fixtures as a left winger.
Right winger
145
34
30
0.44
Centre-forward
82
22
8
0.37
Left winger
78
23
16
0.50
Attacking midfield
4
0
1
0.25
It wouldn’t make much sense to sign Rodrygo if Diaz was kept on Liverpool’s books, for then he would be jockeying with the Colombia international and Cody Gakpo for a starting berth, or indeed placed out on the opposite flank, though Salah’s contractual renewal makes it rather hard to imagine this would convince him to make the move.
Even though Rodrygo hasn’t enjoyed the finest of seasons, his underlying qualities have still shone through. As per FBref, ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.
This is interesting, with Diaz also renowned for his technical ability and crispness when on the ball. He’s also an electric player, with fast pace and a skilful kind of flair in possession.
Rodrygo has reached an important juncture in his career: turn one way, and he may continue to sit in the shadow of some of his Los Blancos peers; dart down the other lane, and the Brazilian could finally forge the career that his ‘world-class’ quality demands.
He’s already done it all for Real Madrid, and if he were to make the move to Merseyside, Rodrygo could not only prove to be an upgrade on Diaz but also become Liverpool’s undisputed talisman once Salah bows out too.
Liverpool could sign their best forward since Salah in £87m "superstar"
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It is fair to say that Manchester City are making a concerted effort to bring down the average age of their squad.
In January, they signed Juma Bah (18), Nico González (23), Vitor Reis (19), and Abdukodir Khusanov (21), while Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, aged 34 and 33 respectively, could both be on their way out of The Etihad.
Manchester City's Abdukodir Khusanov in action with Chelsea'sNicolasJackso
While hundreds of millions will be spent on new signings, Man City may have unearthed a top-quality youngster from within their own youth system, one that is now being compared to one of the breakout stars of this Premier League season.
Myles Lewis-Skelly's impact at Arsenal
Few had heard of Myles Lewis-Skelly just six months ago, considering the teenager only made his full Premier League debut against Everton as recently as 14 December.
Now, though, despite still having made fewer than 30 senior appearances for the Gunners, he is their undisputed first-choice left-back.
Adam Bate of Sky Sports outlines how the 18-year-old has enjoyed an astronomical rise, boasting the ‘swagger’ of someone well beyond his years, while Simon Collings of the Evening Standard believes he ‘announced himself on the big stage’ against Real Madrid this week.
Last month, Lewis-Skelly became the youngest debutant to score for England, coolly slotting through Thomas Strakosha’s legs after just 20 minutes against Albania at Wembley.
So, while the Hale End home-grown hero continues to impress at Arsenal, have Manchester City found their answer to him?
Man City's own Myles Lewis-Skelly
A goal down against Bournemouth, Manchester City’s FA Cup hopes appeared to be slipping away by the South Coast.
In response, Pep Guardiola made a half-time alteration in Dorset, introducing Nico O’Reilly at left-back, pushing Joško Gvardiol into the heart of the Man City defence.
Well, even Guardiola could not have envisaged how well this switch would go because, within seconds, O’Reilly had put the ball on a plate for Erling Braut Håland to equalise, before also setting up Omar Marmoush’s winner.
Afterwards, Guardiola hailed O’Reilly’s impact as “unbelievable”, adding “he’s going to play in semi-final for sure”, while Ben Fisher of the Guardian labeled this tactical tweak as a ‘masterstroke’, with O’Reilly’s ‘seemingly bottomless energy’ changing the game in Man City’s favour.
Similar to Lewis-Skelly, O’Reilly is a midfielder by trade, with Emlyn Begley of BBC Sport documenting that he’s really ‘an attacking midfielder’ but a ‘flexible’ one at that.
Nevertheless, the 20-year-old has found a home at left-back, starting against both Leicester and Manchester United since his second-half cameo at Dean Court.
So, let’s see how he and Arsenal’s teenage star compare.
Appearances
12
29
Minutes
717
1,621
Goals
3
1
Assists
2
2
Chances created
10
9
Attempted passes
426
783
Passing accuracy
90.86%
92.89%
Through-balls
2
10
Ball recoveries
37
59
Touches per 90
94
62
As the table above outlines, O’Reilly and Lewis-Skelly are very similar stylistically, which isn’t too surprising, even if the Arsenal man having played almost twice the number of minutes across all competitions to date.
Interestingly, O’Reilly registers significantly more touches per 90, while he’s also more of a goal-threat, emphasising the point that, if given the choice, he’d play as an attacking midfielder.
Thus, likely to be deployed at left-back against Crystal Palace on Saturday, O’Reilly is certainly going to be put to the test, considering how dangerous Daniel Muñoz and Ismaïla Sarr are as a duo down the Eagles’ right-hand-side.
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In partnership with TalkSPORTBET, Football FanCast had a quick chat with former Rangers star and manager Ally McCoist to catch up on everything Rangers, from his favourite teammates to new manager candidates. Catch the full interview and transcript below.
"Ferguson and McCall were my two most underrated teammates"
Asked if any of his former Ibrox teammates went under the radar surrounded by stars like Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, McCoist heaped praise on two former Scotland midfielders: “Probably two underrated ones would be Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson. Stuart was a brilliant midfielder, as was Ian.
“The first thing that struck you about Stuart was his energy and his willingness to run about and work hard, and I think in many ways that masked his ability in some people’s opinions, because he was a far better football player perhaps than the way he played.
“What caught your eye when he played was his work rate and his closing down, getting the ball back, but far cleverer with the ball and a better player than a lot of people imagined.
“And Ian Ferguson was the exact same. Those two guys could’ve played in any team at any level. Fergie came from St. Mirren as a younger man and Graeme (Souness) and Walter (Smith) turned him into a very mature, level-headed midfield player who was aggressive and he had one of the hardest shots out of any player I played with.
“The one thing about Fergie that helped was that he was a Rangers boy growing up so he absolutely loved every minute of putting on that blue jersey.”
"I'd have loved to have played with and managed Nicolas Raskin"
Looking at today’s Rangers squad, the legendary striker had no hesitation when asked which current Gers stars he’d have liked to have lined up alongside: “(Nicolas) Raskin, I’ve gotta say his attitude to play and his desire and the way he works. Obviously, he just got into his international side and came off the bench and played for Belgium. I just think he’s one of those boys that has a steady improvement in him.
“I think he’s actually a player I would have liked to have played and managed at the same time. (Vaclav) Cerny’s another one. I enjoy watching Cerny, that left foot of his. He can come inside, go outside. Cerny’s one I wouldn’t mind playing with as well.”
"I was the only person the new owners could talk to"
With 49ers Enterprises now closing in on a deal to take over at Ibrox, McCoist recalled his experience with a changing of the guard, as the Gers entered administration during his time in the dugout: “It’s a funny one, because you’re not really involved in it as such. The position I was in I was sitting down and getting interviewed by one or two potential buyers but that’s all you can do. You don’t have an influence on it at all. All you’re trying to do is effectively sell the football club to people.
“Nowadays it’s completely different because there’s other people to do that. The guys coming in from San Francisco will be doing their due diligence and their background work and they won’t really be asking anybody in the football management side of things.
“It was different when I was there because there was nobody. There was no board of directors, there was no chairman, no chief executive. I was effectively the only person at the club that you could talk to, so thankfully that’s not the case now and the potential buyers will be going through their due diligence and with a bit of luck it can get done and dusted in the foreseeable future.”
"Big changes are needed at Rangers"
It goes without saying that the big task on the new owners’ hands now will be to bridge the gap to Celtic, which McCoist believes starts with hiring a sporting director: “They’re going to have to do it prudently. The first thing they have to do is clearly appoint somebody that they’re going to trust with potential finances. I would rather see them take their time if I’m to be brutally honest. I’d rather see hopefully new owners come in with a business plan, because it’s not gonna be an overnight fix. There’s no chance.
“The disappointing thing for me has been the dramatic decline since they were a penalty kick away from winning the Europa League. It’s just went south very very quickly for whatever reasons. But I don’t think it’s gonna be an overnight fix.
McCoist: One change new Rangers owners must make amid £25m war-chest claim
The Rangers legend has delivered his verdict.
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“A little bit like they’ve done at Leeds. They’ve not come in and went crazy at Leeds – it looks as though hopefully they will get promotion back to the top flight. But they’ve (49ers) not come in and made sweeping changes.
“Although changes are needed at Rangers, and some big ones, I don’t see them making them all at once. I see them coming in, taking their time, having a business plan, appointing someone and moving the club forward gradually.
“I think that’s a far better idea than just going out and spending money willy-nilly on four or five players. I think there has to be a business plan, you’ve gotta build and take it from there – a steady improvement all of the time.”
"Sean Dyche would be an interesting one"
If a new sporting director is objective number one, then finding a new permanent manager isn’t far behind, and the former Gers boss named some eye-catching options: “Kevin Muscat, who played at Rangers, and won the league in Australia and Japan, was spoken about before Philippe Clement. I would imagine he will come back into the craze as well and get spoken about.
“I mentioned Russell Martin at Southampton, he will be desperate to get back into football and management. Also, there’s other guys. Sean Dyche would be an interesting one for me. His teams have always been very very competitive but particularly his Everton side, it’s always a struggle and a fight. I’d like to see him in a team that are expected to win every week. I think he would enjoy that as much as anything, I really do.
Everton (2023-2025)
83
1.23
Burnley (2012-2022)
425
1.34
Watford (2011-2012)
49
1.37
“So, it’s a well-sought after job and there will be no shortage of people going for it. Mourinho was obviously there recently and he is somebody who certainly a lot of Rangers fans would take to and appreciate but I just think the most important thing is they’ve gotta get it right.”