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Gary Neville says he "got it wrong" by criticising Marcus Rashford and Casemiro for travelling to the United States during the international break.

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• Rashford & Casemiro not called up for international duty
• Man Utd duo flew to the USA during the break
• Neville withdrew criticism during chat with Amorim

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Both players, who were not called up by their respective national teams, took the opportunity for a getaway and flew across the Atlantic, which sparked backlash, including sharp remarks from Neville. While Rashford spent his break in New York City, where he was spotted at Madison Square Garden watching an NBA showdown between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, Casemiro opted for a family vacation in Orlando, Florida enjoying Disney World and catching a basketball game at the Kia Center.

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  Despite their downtime being personal decisions, the players faced criticism for their choices, especially from Neville, who questioned their professionalism and commitment to their recovery, especially as the Red Devils find themselves languishing at the 13th spot in the Premier League standings.

  Speaking on the podcast, Neville said: "He has got a mental break, he’s got to get away and has got to rest with friends – then you talk about the choice of venue, how far do you fly, what’s the time difference, is that going to give a jet lag issue, is that going to give a stiffness issue from being on a flight for 12 hours?"

  He added: "They have chosen that international break. If you are talking about the minor details in being as professional as you can be and as prepared you can be for a training session on a Monday night, that isn’t the best choice of venue."

• WHAT NEVILLE SAID

  However, in a recent interview with Manchester United’s new manager, Ruben Amorim, for , Neville softened his stance and acknowledged some inaccuracies in his earlier comments.

  Neville said: "I made a comment this week about Casemiro and Marcus Rashford travelling to America in their few days off. It was just me thinking as a Manchester United player when I played here. You've got a few days off, the club are 13th in the league, the manager has just been sacked, it's a challenging part of the season and the new manager is about to come in.

  "And that focus and preparation and every single little detail is really important, and I said I don't think I'd have chosen that trip to go to America with the time difference. I did get it wrong – they went to New York rather than Portland so I apologise for that. But there's still a 5-6 hour time difference, they're on planes, Casemiro's 30 years of age."

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• HOW DID AMORIM RESPOND?

  Amorim made it clear that he would not have sanctioned them to fly under his watch. However, he emphasized that the club, not the players, should set the standards and manage such decisions.

  "I think the main question here is that us, as a club, have to set the standards and have to manage that," he said.

  "It is my decision if they can have five days [off], three days or three days to rest, you cannot fly. This is something that us, as a club, have to decide. For me? Yes for sure [he would have banned them]. We cannot put this on the players. They [United] told them they can have five days off so they can fly anywhere because nobody at the club says you cannot fly."

Despite a quiet transfer window so far, Liverpool are reportedly "well informed" about a potential deal to sign an in-demand midfielder ahead of the likes of Leicester City this summer.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are yet to welcome a single incoming to truly get the Arne Slot era off to a flying start, with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes perhaps waiting for the Dutchman to assess his squad in pre-season. Liverpool, of course, remain without the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk following their Euro 2024 exploits, further delaying Slot's chance to plan his best side.

Liverpool hit the jackpot with Klopp signing who's worth more than Yoro

He could reach a new level under Arne Slot’s leadership this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 19, 2024

That said, Alexander-Arnold's absence has not stopped the rumours from flowing. Reports in Spain have recently gone as far to say that the right-back has already agreed a deal to sign for Real Madrid upon the expiry of his current Liverpool contract next summer. Losing Alexander-Arnold would undoubtedly be a major blow and the Reds risk the saga dominating the headlines unless they welcome some incomings.

On that front, and with the transfer window slamming shut in just over a month, things could yet pick up at Anfield. According to Rudy Galetti, Liverpool are "well informed" about a potential deal to sign Matt O'Riley from Celtic this summer in a move worth over £25m.

It's quite the race for the Dane's signature, given Leicester City's alleged interest on top of those around Europe, and it now seems as though Liverpool could surprisingly emerge as a suitor for O'Riley's signature.

"Phenomenal" O'Riley would star next to Mac Allister

The sheer thought of O'Riley combining with Mac Allister at the heart of Liverpool's midfielder is a mouth-watering enough prospect to get behind. The Dane dominated in Scotland last season to earn such interest and looks increasingly likely to seal a move away from Celtic, despite their efforts to keep hold of their star man.

Celtic boss and former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers certainly won't be keen on the idea of losing O'Riley, having said via Stv News last season: “He has been absolutely phenomenal really in his consistency. I think if we lacked anything as a team, it was probably that.

“But from an individual perspective his goal return…I think someone said he had scored his first goal (of last season) in January of last year. So to look at his numbers now, it’s huge testament to himself because the work he puts in, the focus he puts in every single day at training to improve and be better, that’s clearly been rewarded by his team-mates and everyone else. It’s very well deserved.”

After falling short in the Championship playoff semi-finals last season, West Bromwich Albion are looking to bolster Carlos Corberan's squad as they aim to go one better in the upcoming campaign.

Baggies braced for big summer rebuild

After last summer saw their transfer activity limited by financial sanctions, West Brom can finally put their ownership struggles behind them and splash the cash this summer.

West Brom could sign their next Cedric Kipre for absolutely nothing

West Bromwich Albion could be set to sign a fantastic new partner for Kyle Bartley this transfer window.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 15, 2024

The Baggies have already managed to get a couple of deals over the line with their first signing of the summer coming in the form of midfielder Ousmane Diakite. The 23-year-old was most recently at Austrian Bundesliga side TSV Hartberg and joins the club on a two-year deal with an option for a further twelve months.

West Brom's second arrival of the summer was Norwegian defender Torbjorn Heggem who joins the West Midlands outfit in a move from Swedish topflight side Brommapojkarna. The Baggies have also been reportedly linked with a move for Huddersfield Town star Sorba Thomas who played under Coberan during the Spaniard's tenure with the Terriers.

With the Baggies lining up a number of new arrivals, it appears that players could also depart the club this summer. Two candidates who have been linked with an exit from The Hawthorns are midfielders John Swift and Okay Yokuslu. The former has been linked with a move to Middlesbrough whilst the latter has attracted interest from both Hull City and clubs in his native Turkey.

As Corberan's current midfield stars attract interest from other clubs, West Brom are already looking towards who they can bring in to replace them.

West Brom plotting Cameron Brannagan move

If Yokuslu and Swift are to depart this summer, it appears that Oxford United's Cameron Brannagan is a likely candidate to fill the void in the middle of the park. That's according to the X account of Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke who claims that West Brom and Blackburn are both plotting moves for the midfielder, who is in the final year of his contract at the Kassam Stadium.

A product of Liverpool's youth academy, Brannagan, 28, was once thought to be the next big thing out of Anfield after excelling in the Reds' youth sides. The midfielder was even previously linked with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona back in the summer of 2016, although neither of these rumours ever materialised.

Despite never reaching the heights of European superstardom, Brannagan has carved out a decent career for himself at Oxford, playing a key part in his side's promotion to the Championship last season. The midfielder joined Oxford in January 2018 with then manager Pep Clotet saying of the player:

"Cameron is a player with huge potential and someone that a lot of clubs have been monitoring for a long time. He has excellent technique, a good understanding of game and a real hunger to do well".

With the future of some of the Baggies' top stars looking uncertain, the club could do a lot worse than bringing in an established EFL talent like Brannagan.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been left 'devastated' by his Manchester United exit, according to a close friend, after he was axed by Ruben Amorim.

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• Amorim removed Van Nistelrooy from staff
• Dutchman managed United for four games
• Ex-striker has commented publicly

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per the Mirror, Van Nistelrooy has been left devastated by his exit from United after Ruben Amorim opted against retaining his services. The Portuguese has joined the club from Sporting CP but has chosen to recruit his own staff instead of keeping the legendary striker around.

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  Now, former Netherlands defender Andre Ooijer, who worked with Van Nistelrooy at PSV Eindhoven, has revealed his close friend's sadness, having snubbed multiple offers to manage other clubs in order to work at the "club he loves most". During his time as manager, United went unbeaten in four games.

• WHAT ANDRE OOIJER SAID

  Ooijer said: “Ruud wanted to stay as assistant. He would have said something if he wasn’t interested in working with Amorim. Ruud has had the chance to be manager or head coach at other clubs, but he deliberately did not take those jobs because he wanted to work at the club he loves most.

  “Don’t forget Ruud did really well at United, a draw against Chelsea and victories in the other three matches. You could tell the fans liked him so much. You only had to watch how they reacted to him after his last match. He did so well under difficult circumstances. He has stayed unbeaten as a manager. If Amorim does not get the right results in the first few games, the crowd could start calling again for Ruud.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Van Nistelrooy has been linked with a potential move to the Championship with Burnley. In the meantime, Amorim's United play Ipswich Town after the international break.

Compared to this time last year, Glasgow Rangers transfer activity is looking fairly exciting. Philippe Clement has overhauled the club’s transfer strategy that had been used by his predecessors, preferring to sign young talent as opposed to ageing players eyeing one final payday.

So far, Jefte, Oscar Cortes, Connor Barron and Mohammed Diomande have all joined the Ibrox side. Every one of them is aged 22 or under. Liam Kelly also joined, but the goalkeeper will act as a backup to Jack Butland for the season ahead.

This clearly shows how much faith Clement is placing in young talent ahead of the new season. Is it a gamble? Of course, but something has to give, especially if the Light Blues want to win their first Premiership title since 2021.

One problem the club has had in the past is failing to target players already plying their trade in Scotland. Not only do they know the league, but they can sometimes be much cheaper than someone from outside Scotland.

The Gers have enjoyed plenty of success like this previously, with a notable example being Kris Boyd, who spent five years at Rangers over two spells.

Kris Boyd’s Rangers statistics

Sometimes, the answer to a problem lies closer than first imagined. During the 2005/06 season, Rangers were struggling in the league, trailing Celtic in the chase for the title as Alex McLeish failed to get his team firing.

He needed goals. Kris Boyd had been on fire for Kilmarnock during the first half of the campaign, scoring 15 goals in just 19 league appearances for the Ayrshire side, emerging as one of the best strikers in the top flight.

A bid of around £400k was accepted by Killie in December 2005 and Boyd was on the move to Glasgow. It certainly proved to be an inspiring signing, adding a much-needed clinical threat in front of goal while adding a homegrown player to the squad.

Boyd went on to feature 190 times for the Light Blues during his first spell at the club, scoring a remarkable tally of 127 goals in the process.

It's safe to say he repaid the £400k back and then some, helping the Gers to win two league titles, two League Cups and two Scottish Cups between 2006 and 2010.

Clement must be keen on taking a deeper look into the talent on offer in the Premiership, hoping that he can repeat the Boyd masterclass from 18 years ago.

Might this come sooner rather than later? As the Belgian is reportedly showing an interest in a striker who terrorised Rangers last season…

Rangers eyeing up move for Canadian centre-forward

According to a report from the Athletic last week, the Ibrox side are showing plenty of interest in signing Motherwell striker Theo Bair this summer, although there are teams in Germany who are also keen on making a move for the player.

Signing players from the same league used to be commonplace when Walter Smith and McLeish were in charge, yet the previous few years have seen this trend buckled.

Clement recently added Connor Barron to his squad after his contract expired at Aberdeen. Could he now make an approach for Bair?

While he isn’t Scottish like Boyd, the youngster does know where the back of the net and enjoyed a wonderful campaign for the Steelmen last season, which could see him settle in at Ibrox fairly easily.

Theo Bair’s season in numbers

The 6 foot 3 Canadian first moved to Scotland in 2022, joining St Johnstone. He only managed to score once in 38 games for the club, however, and it looked like Motherwell were taking a risk signing him last summer.

They shouldn’t have worried. Fast-forward 12 months and Bair ended the 2023/24 season with 15 goals and six assists across 41 matches for the club, a wonderful return.

Bair ranked first among his teammates for goals and assists (21) in the top flight last season, while also ranking first for shots on target per game (0.8), fourth for key passes per game (0.9), fourth for big chances created (six) and sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.6).

These statistics clearly prove he offers much more than just a clinical threat in the opposition penalty area, which he proved against Rangers at Ibrox in March.

Theo Bair’s performance against Rangers in numbers

Rangers hadn’t lost domestically in 2024 coming into the game against Well at the start of March, closing down Celtic in the hunt for the title.

Bair thrived during the match, causing havoc against the likes of Connor Goldson and John Souttar at the heart of the Ibrox defence, pulling them all over the shop in a bid to give his team a chance of all three points.

Not only did the Canadian score the opening goal during the tie, but he also made one key pass, took three total shots and succeeded with 50% of his attempted dribbles.

No wonder he was hailed as a “handful” by coach Stuart Kettlewell back in February following his wonderful displays in the top flight, while the manager even claimed that Bair is “unplayable at times” and he certainly demonstrated that against Clement’s men a few months ago.

The move could hinge on how much Motherwell will demand for one of their prized assets, but if it is a reasonable fee, then the move is surely a no-brainer for the Belgian coach.

Bair has shown that he can shine in Scotland, and a move for the striker will add some much-needed depth to the attacking options available to the 50-year-old.

With six signings already this summer, it is clear that an overhaul is happening in Glasgow right now. It should have really happened a few summers ago, but hopefully, this is the moment when Rangers emerge from the shadows to finally take their place as the top dog in Scotland next season.

Clement can finally replace Davis in Rangers move for £25k-p/w star

Philippe Clement is eyeing a move for a Championship maestro this summer

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 29, 2024

Wrexham have been trolled on the back of their shock FA Cup first-round exit, with Harrogate revelling in their role as slayers of the Red Dragons.

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• Hollywood co-owners have had plenty to celebrate
• Another cup run brought to an end in 2024-25
• Parkinson's side still in the hunt for third promotion

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have had plenty to celebrate during their time in North Wales – including back-to-back runs to the fourth round of the FA Cup alongside successive promotions.

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  Phil Parkinson’s side have gone one and out in that competition this season, with a disappointing 1-0 defeat suffered at the hands of League Two opposition. Despite fielding a strong side in West Yorkshire, while firing 21 shots on goals, Wrexham were undone by a solitary strike from Jack Muldoon.

• WHAT HARROGATE POSTED

  An inevitable "Welcome to Harrogate" celebration post on social media followed the final whistle, in a nod to Wrexham’s award-winning documentary, while the Sulphurites have also mocked a pre-match message that claimed “The Dragon is coming”, with light work made of said fabled beast.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Wrexham have secured safe passage into the last-32 of the EFL Trophy, offering them a shot at silverware there, but are now out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup as collective focus at SToK Racecourse begins to narrow on a push for promotion out of League One.

Deals may not have been finalised yet but Aston Villa will sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus, collecting cash, midfielder Enzo Barrenechea and talented winger Samuel Iling-Junior in return.

The Premier League's profit and sustainability (PSR) rules have dictated the summer but the June 30 deadline looms large. Luckily, Villa's prudency has seen them successfully circumvent the possibility of breaching such rules. Now, with Champions League football lying ahead, Unai Emery's outfit can make real headway.

Aforementioned signings are augmented by the nearly-completed move for Ross Barkley, but Luiz's sale marks the loss of a true linchpin, and Emery looks eager to push ahead and sign another replacement.

Villa eyeing Douglas Luiz replacement

According to Spanish outlet AS earlier this week, Aston Villa are tussling with a number of top European clubs for Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez, who has a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract.

The Spaniard is considered a fundamental, near irreplaceable member of Imanol Alguacil's team, but if Villa endeavour to meet his buyout price, he may well find himself pulled toward the English Midlands.

Why Villa are interested in Brais Mendez

Last season, Sociedad finished sixth in La Liga and Mendez proved his level as one of the standout performers, making good on past praise from journalist Zach Lowy that he is a player of "sensational" quality.

Across 44 appearances in all competitions, he scored eight goals and added nine assists, also winning 1.3 tackles and 4.6 duels per match average in the Spanish top flight, as per Sofascore, to underscore his multi-strength skill set.

A dynamic midfielder, Mendez would emulate Luiz's impressive attacking instinct, with his goal and assist tally from last season ranking him among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 10% for assists and the top 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

This could compensate for the departure of Luiz and then some, who ranks among the top 16% of midfielders for goals, the top 22% for assists and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90 himself.

As you can see, he's not shackled to one position, instead enjoying sweeping success across a range of roles – even competent on the right flank when called upon.

But he'd principally be utilised in the centre of the park, pulled into a more industrious, but still forward-moving, role to tailor toward Emery's system.

In this sense, he truly would be a fantastic replacement for Luiz. Barkley too offers a range of versatile tools to ensure success at Villa Park but Mendez has proven himself to be a player of flair and unique ability from the middle.

A "smooth operator" – as noted by an effusive Lowy – the £36k-per-week ace is daring and deadly from behind the frontline, something that Luiz has also demonstrably succeeded in being at Aston Villa.

Moreover, given the nature of the Brazilian's (soon former) modus operandi under Emery, he averaged 1.7 tackles and 4.2 successful duels per Premier League match in 2023/24, Mendez would be a terrific heir.

Further players Mendez could replace

With Barkley joining a talented group of forward-thinking midfielders consisting of John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and, sometimes, Morgan Rogers, it might feel a tad congested, with Luiz never really deployed further up the field, instead moving forward at an apt opportunity to wreak chaos.

Might another sale be necessary? According to The Times, Aston Villa have recently rejected a £20m offer from Tottenham Hotspur for Ramsey, with the player-plus-cash trend this summer at the centre once again, with Giovani Lo Celso offered.

Lo Celso has never nailed down a starting spot at Spurs since signing for an eventual total of £42m in 2018, despite his patent passing pedigree. He might prove to be a square peg in a round hole under Emery, simply a number and unable to perform the many-faceted jobs to the desired standard.

Ramsey, however, is not unexpendable despite Emery's desire to retain his services, with the Lions making it known that the homegrown attacking midfielder would require a fee of £40-50m to prise from Villa Park.

Mendez could prove to be an upgrade on the 23-year-old, who is talented but inconsistent and marred by setbacks, starting only eight Premier League matches last season and last completing a competitive appearance in early March due to a toe injury.

Still, Ramsey is a good player and excels when unshackled and pointed toward the opposing penalty area, using his wheels to drive forward and strike on goal or thread balls into the path of striking teammates.

Furthermore, he carries a robust and defensively aware style of play that mirrors that of Mendez, with the boyhood Villan averaging 2.0 tackles and 4.6 successful duels per game during the 2022/23 season, when he enjoyed far brighter fortunes on the injury front and posted six goals and seven assists from 31 starting appearances in the English top flight.

There's no question that Villa wish to keep Ramsey at the club but given the need to continue to appease PSR rules and the fact that Mendez could be brought in as a more complete and clinical replacement, it might be worth allowing him to leave, should the lofty price tag be met by a team like Tottenham.

Clearly, Mendez might just be the full package to fire Aston Villa toward new levels of success. With Champions League football beckoning, the Spain star would be a fitting replacement for an outgoing stalwart in Luiz, and potentially even Ramsey too.

New bid incoming: Aston Villa lining up "monster" Cash upgrade

Unai Emery is aiming to sign a talented Italian defender this summer…

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 26, 2024

Mohamed Salah is into the final year of his contract at Anfield and Liverpool have identified two potential targets in case the Egyptian leaves.

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• Salah future at Liverpool uncertain
• Reds scouting potential targets
• Have two Premier League forwards in mind

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool have been scouting potential replacements for Salah and have earmarked Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo as possible targets, according to . Mbeumo has impressed this season with eight goals in nine Premier League appearances and has "been monitored by Liverpool for some time". Semenyo has also emerged as an option and is well known to Liverpool's new sporting director Richard Hughes as he brought him to former club Bournemouth from Bristol City back in January 2023.

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  Replacing Salah will be an extraordinarily difficult task for Liverpool as the 32-year-old has been vital to the club's successes since joining from Roma in 2017. Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush has also been linked with a possible move to Liverpool, along with Dortmund star Karim Adeyemi. Salah is one of three key players into the last year of his contract at Anfield alongside Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold and manager Arne Slot has admitted the trio "could become a problem" for the Reds.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mbeumo has netted eight Premier League goals this season from an xG of just 3.79, the biggest xG overperformance in the competition (+4.21).

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL

  Salah has continued to shine for Liverpool this season despite the uncertainty over his feature. The forward has six goals and five assists in nine Premier League outings and will hope to add to his tally next time out against Brighton.

Pep Guardiola has revealed Kevin De Bruyne's thigh injury is still causing him pain as Manchester City await the playmaker's return.

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• De Bruyne absent since September 18
• Nursing a problematic thigh injury
• Guardiola keen for injured stars to return

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City have been without De Bruyne since he suffered a thigh injury in the 0-0 draw against Inter Milan on September 18. Guardiola expected to have the Belgian back by now but, although he has returned to training, the 33-year-old isn't yet ready to play a competitive game and will miss Wednesday's League Cup tie at Tottenham.

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  Perhaps nobody is feeling De Bruyne's absence more than Erling Haaland, who has netted just once in his past four league games. The Belgium international makes City tick and, while they've been able to move to the top of the table without him, Guardiola admitted his side will "struggle" if his injured players do not return quickly, with Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish and Oscar Bobb also sidelined.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  “I would like to tell you, especially I would like to know it, but I don’t know right now," Guardiola said when asked when De Bruyne will be back. "He feels that he can train, but not to go to that level that we need in competition. When you kick the ball or something, he still has pain and he doesn’t feel [right]. Kevin has to feel good to express his huge talent that he has. He’s feeling better, but not the best.”

  On City's injury list, Guardiola added: "For sure, if these guys don’t come back as quick as possible, we’ll struggle, because we cannot sustain with just 14, 15 players for the season. We need the players to come back.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CITY?

  City have the chance to heap more pressure on Ange Postecoglou when they take on Tottenham in the League Cup on Wednesday evening. It's the first of four successive away games for Guardiola and his players, with a trip to Bournemouth to come on Saturday.

After an exceptional Championship campaign saw them clinch promotion to the Premier League, Ipswich Town look set to bring in a host of quality players to bolster Kieran McKenna's side.

Tractor Boys target top flight talent

The latest rumours out of Portman Road have linked Ipswich with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. The England youth keeper spent last season on loan with Swansea City, and now looks set to become McKenna's number one in the Premier League.

Ipswich could smash transfer record to sign star who's perfect for McKenna

Ipswich Town could show they mean business moving up to the Premier League with this record purchase.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 25, 2024

Joining Rushworth on McKenna's shopping list is free agent Ben Johnson. Ipswich have reportedly entered advanced talks with the representatives of the 24-year-old, who was most recently on the books at West Ham. The full back brings with him bags of top flight experience from his time with the Hammers.

A central defender is aslo high on the Tractor Boys' list of priorities with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jacob Greaves the two names most commonly assocaited with a move to Portman Road. The latter has long been regarded as Ipswich's top target, however Fabrizio Romano has now dropped some new information on the club's quest to sign one of his Hull City teammates.

Romano drops update on Philogene transfer

As reported by The East Anglian Daily Times, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has dropped some new information in Ipswich's pursuit of Hull City's Jaden Philogene. Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano provided an update on the transfer, telling listeners: "There is interest from several Premier League clubs – let me mention especially West Ham and Ipswich Town.

"These two clubs have already reached out to the player's side to understand the conditions of the deal. Let's see what's going to happen in terms of negotiations, but for sure, he's going to be one to watch in the next weeks."

Philogene joined the Tigers in a £5 million move from Aston Villa last summer. Since touching down in East Yorkshire the winger has been electric, contributing 12 goals and 6 assists as Hull finished seventh in Championship last season.

Whilst the 22-year-old had been setting the MKM Stadium alight for much of the season, Philogene caught the attention of the wider footballing world with a fantastic rabona goal during Hull's 2-1 victory over Rotherham back in February. Speaking on the effort, former boss Liam Rosenior waxed lyrical about the goal.

"Ridiculous. His ability is something we missed for a long time. He’s only going to get better with the more games he plays. It’s not just his goal or his showreel moments, it’s his energy levels he gives the team – he works so hard.

“He’s got real belief he can be a top player but the reason he can be a top player is because he works so hard on his game. Jaden’s was one of many really good performances.”

Whilst the Tractor Boys are taking steps towards making Philogene an Ipswich player there may be a couple of hurdles in their pursuit. Firstly is the £25 million fee that Hull owner Acun Ilicali wants for the player and the second is the reported interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.