Youngster Frankie Swift has joined the Everton Academy from a local U8s Sunday league team and fans are buzzing over his career step.
As reported by the MHS Milan Twitter account, eight-year-old Frankie Swift has graduated from the casual youth league and has joined the ranks of Everton’s Academy system.
Plenty of players have come through Everton’s youth ranks and made their way into the reserve team and even the senior squad. Tom Davies is a grand and current example of a player who has worked his way up to play on the big stage. Not to mention Wayne Rooney who of course also rose through the Everton Academy to become one of the best English footballers and biggest household names.
Blues fans have flocked to the announcement to wish young Swift good luck and congratulate him on the opportunity. One supporter has labelled him a ‘superb player’ whilst another has summed up the news as ‘amazing’.
Blues fans, if you could give the youngster one bit of advice, what would it be? Let us know in the comments!
West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has indicated that he will not recall Grady Diangana from his loan spell with West Bromwich Albion, as reported by the Hammers’ official channels.
Speaking during his press conference before the Burnley game, Pellegrini said: “I think that Grady Diangana is doing what we wanted for him, the same as Josh Cullen, players that without any doubt will be a big part of West Ham in the future.
“I trust a lot in Grady, and I thought that it was better for him to go and play 40 games this year, and be absolutely ready for next season, than play here just some of the games.
“I think that we must continue supporting him, we must continue being happy with his performances, and he must finish his season where he is.”
Whether or not Diangana will be recalled has been a big talking point at West Ham and one that has stimulated debate among FFC writers.
Here’s what we had to say about Pellegrini’s stance:
Danny Lewis
“Pellegrini has made the wrong decision here, as Diangana has highlighted that he can already be an asset for West Ham if given the chance.
Felipe Anderson hasn’t produced as many would have hoped this season, as he has failed to get a single goal, but there is little competition for him.
Any potential replacement would be playing out of position, with Pablo Fornals springing to mind.
“Even if it wouldn’t match what he’s getting under Slaven Bilic, Diangana would definitely get game time, giving him the chance to make an impact for the Hammers.
“That Pellegrini has decided to leave him at the Hawthorns doesn’t feel like he is doing everything to get the most out of this campaign.”
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Matt Dawson
“Pellegrini has got this spot on. Diangana simply has to stay at West Brom for the remainder of the season, even if the Hammers have been struggling – winning none of their last six.
“The 21-year-old has been a breath of fresh air so far this term and has taken the Championship by storm, netting four times and assisting the same number of strikes. He’s been absolutely crucial to the way the Baggies have gone about their business and he should be allowed to develop away from London Stadium for another half a season.
“West Ham are struggling in the goals department, specifically from a wide area. No one other than Andriy Yarmolenko has hit the back of the net from that role so it’s hard to deny Diangana wouldn’t be a useful option.
“But for the time being, that’s all he’d be if he went back. At the end of the day, if the likes of Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini get up and running and show the quality they’re capable of, Diangana would have to sit on the bench. He’s much better off staying where he is.”
Kealan Hughes
“This could be another mistake by Manuel Pellegrini. Over the summer he failed to improve the midfield area, as his only midfield addition, Pablo Fornals, has struggled so far with zero goals and zero assists in the Premier League.
“Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini have experienced a drop in form, too, with fans critical of their recent performances, and therefore recalling Grady Diangana could be a big lift to the team.
“He has proved at West Brom that he can be productive in the final third, something the Hammers are in desperate need of with only Sebastien Haller and Andriy Yarmolenko scoring more than two this term.
“Diangana would also provide an injection of pace which could be of benefit to Pellegrini’s side, meaning he would also be a useful impact sub, as well as a starter.”
Billy Meyers
“I think this is the most sensible move by Pellegrini. It would be somewhat selfish of the Chilean to disrupt the 21-year-old’s scintillating form at West Brom in order to see if Diangana can help overturn the Hammers’ fortunes back at London Stadium, something that might not be entirely feasible – Pellegrini is still yet to get the best out of big-money summer signing Pablo Fornals.
“The experience that Diangana is getting at the Hawthorns right now will be invaluable to him later down the line. In Pellegrini’s case, instead of getting hastily excited about the attacker’s form and pressing the recall button straight away, the former Manchester City boss should instead use the time that Diangana is out on loan to evaluate how he can fit the academy graduate into his first-team plans in east London.”
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Clearly, the tensions are running high between Liverpool and Manchester City players following the Reds’ 3-1 victory over the Citizens.
In the England camp, there was an incident involving Joe Gomez and Raheem Sterling. The latter had a bee in his bonnet with the Anfield outfit’s defender following their clash on Sunday, and asked him if he thought he was “the big man”.
He is also said to have attempted to get him in a headlock. As such, he will play no part for the Three Lions against Montenegro on Thursday.
A lot of the discourse since has been aimed at Sterling’s side of the situation. It seems, though, that few have questioned why Gomez is even in the squad from a footballing point of view.
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The 22-year-old may be a popular player for Southgate – he has seven caps under the current boss – but it is hard to justify his inclusion. So far this campaign, he has made just seven starts in all competitions. In those matches, Jurgen Klopp’s side have conceded 13.
England may not be blessed with centre-backs, but there are surely some who are more worthy at this current time.
The one that stands out the most is Chris Smalling, who is excelling at AS Roma on loan from Manchester United. He has an average WhoScored rating of 7.26 in Serie A, having played ten matches in all competitions already. James Tarkowski, who has helped Burnley keep four clean sheets in the first 12 matches of the campaign, is another name to consider.
Southgate has previously mentioned he is unhappy with the number of English players starting regularly, yet he has ignored those who are in favour of one who has spent most of the campaign on the bench.
He has the potential to become a star player, but right now, £31.5m-valued Gomez does not deserve a place in the squad.
Birmingham City kept their early unbeaten streak in League One going with a confident 2-0 away win at Rotherham United, with zero losses coming their way now from their opening six games in the division.
Jay Stansfield has been an obvious standout performer early on, and the ex-Fulham man picked up his third League One goal from just two starts so far versus the Millers, to help the Blues return back to St. Andrew’s victorious.
He will want to keep up this rich vein of goalscoring form as the games come thick and fast in the third tier, with Alfie May even finding he had been demoted to the bench for the trip to the New York Stadium, over Stansfield being left out.
Stansfield's performance vs Rotherham
Lyndon Dykes was given the nod to start over the former Charlton Athletic sharp shooter for the away game in South Yorkshire, as Stansfield excelled in a different position in an attacking midfield role, over operating as the lone centre-forward.
Despite the fact he wasn’t the leading man up top, the on-fire Blues number 28 would still show off his prowess in-front of goal, with this beautifully taken first-time finish by the 21-year-old looping over the Rotherham goalkeeper for 2-0 on the day.
Away from that stylish finish, Stansfield was also attempting to play his teammates into space all match long to make the victory more emphatic, with two key passes tallied up from his 42 touches of the ball.
Winning five duels in the contest for Chris Davies’ men too to show some grit in his game, the 21-year-old is fully justifying his extortionate £20m price-tag so far, and will be seen as an even more invaluable purchase if his strikes help Birmingham make an instant return to the Championship happen.
Away from the much-talked-about forward, however, and new midfield face Tomoki Iwata is already becoming a firm fan’s favourite at St. Andrew’s during the infancy of this campaign too, having swapped Celtic for the Blues this summer.
Iwata's performance vs Rotherham
The Japanese midfield gem has two goals this season playing for Davies’ men, but is a far unlikelier source of goals from the holding positions in the side.
Originally unleashed into Scottish football by Ange Postecoglou at Celtic, Iwata has taken to the English game swimmingly, with his performance against Rotherham sticking out as a positive from the 2-0 win.
Stat
Iwata
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
1
Assists
0
Touches
65
Accurate passes
51/57 (89%)
Key passes
3
Accurate long balls
4/5
Tackles
2
Total duels won
5/10
Looking at the table above, Iwata offered much more to his team’s cause away from just opening the scoring, with three key passes notched up in the contest as a presence allowing his promotion-chasing team to tick centrally.
But, away from tallying up 51 accurate passes from his 65 touches of the ball, the ex-Celtic man also displayed some bite in his performance, with five total duels won and two tackles also registered to stop the hosts from gaining any sort of foothold in the clash.
Birmingham Live journalist Alex Dicken would wax lyrical about the 27-year-old’s performance post-match subsequently, gifting the new Blues signing a stellar 9/10 rating and stating that he ‘makes so few mistakes’ under pressure.
Both Iwata and Stansfield will be very important moving forward for Davies in his side’s quest to win an instant promotion back up to the Championship, with the early signs suggesting that Birmingham have the ability to remain perched near the top of the division all campaign long.
Birmingham must rue selling £3m ace who's now worth as much as Stansfield
Birmingham City must regret selling on this gem now.
Nottingham Forest have got off to a fairly strong start, winning two and drawing two of their opening four Premier League fixtures. Their two victories came versus newly promoted Southampton and Liverpool, with draws against Bournemouth and Wolves.
All three of their fixtures have been tight, scoring three goals and conceding two. The defensive unit has looked fairly tight, with real quality in attack, especially on the counter, with Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
One of their key defenders is Ola Aina, who made 22 appearances for Forest last season, scoring one goal, providing one assist, and contributing to two clean sheets in his 1,701 minutes played.
That said, he’s not quite as good as one player who departed Trentside a number of years ago…
Matty Cash at Forest
Matty Cash joined Forest in 2014, making his jump to senior football in 2016, spending a few months on loan at Dagenham & Redbridge, making 12 appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists.
He then went on to make 141 appearances for Forest in four years at senior level, scoring 13 goals, and providing 14 assists in 9,900 minutes played for the club. It’s safe to say he was a pretty fine addition to the squad.
However, the impressive form of Cash attracted an offer of around £16m in 2020 for the Poland international, giving him the chance to play in the Premier League, an offer both Forest and Cash couldn’t refuse.
Cash vs Aina comparison
Cash and Aina are both 27-years-old, both play right-back, and are both a similar height. However, Cash is worth more than double Aina, according to Transfermarkt’s market value.
The current Villa star is currently valued at £24m, whilst the Nigeria international is only valued at £10m. So, how do they compare from a statistical point of view as well?
Stats (per 90 mins)
Cash
Aina
Goals
0.11
0.05
Assists
0.08
0.05
Progressive Carries
2.69
2.82
Progressive Passes
4.19
3.62
Total Shots
1.38
0.59
Key Passes
0.66
0.59
Crosses into Penalty Area
0.28
0.32
Shot-Creating Actions
1.84
2.02
Tackles
2.06
2.50
Interceptions
0.75
0.96
When comparing the two player’s metrics from the 2023/24 season, it is important to note Cash played double the number of games of Aina (44 to Aina’s 22) and, in turn, double the minutes, 3,257 minutes to 1,692.
So, where does he come out on top? Well, Cash excels in his attacking metrics, providing more goals and assists per 90, playing more key passes, and making more progressive passes per 90. He also takes more shots which shows that the former Forest defender finds himself in attacking areas more often, and isn’t afraid to release the trigger.
Aina, however, does excel in defensive metrics, averaging more tackles and interceptions than Cash per 90, perhaps indicative of the amount of defending each team does. That said, he is a threat going forward too, averaging more progressive carries compared to Cash, and more crosses into the penalty area per 90.
Matty Cash
Whilst both players have their strengths, and Aina is doing a fantastic job for Forest at right-back, Cash being valued at more than double is telling of their quality, and could perhaps have offered even more going forward for this already dynamic Forest attack.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
Daniel Farke is plotting to win promotion from the Championship at the second time of asking after his Leeds United side fell short at the final hurdle last season.
The Whites were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley and have started the current campaign with two wins and two draws from their first four matches.
Farke has never gone more than two seasons without winning promotion from the Championship, after winning the division two times in three campaigns during his time with Norwich City.
The German head coach will be hoping to maintain that impressive record by helping his team to fire their way back to the Premier League this term, with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Mateo Joseph spearheading the attack.
Ethan Ampadu is captaining the side at the base of the midfield and has started all 50 of Farke’s regular Championship matches since the start of last season.
The manager clearly trusts the defensive midfielder and the player in his position was also crucial the last time that Leeds won promotion to the Premier League, as Kalvin Phillips was developed into a fantastic asset for the Whites under Marcelo Bielsa.
Kalvin Phillips' value when Marcelo Bielsa arrived
The Argentine head coach was appointed in the summer of 2018 and the academy graduate had already played two full seasons of Championship football.
Phillips had racked up 33 appearances during the 2016/17 campaign and 41 in the 2017/18 season before Bielsa was brought to Elland Road.
After those two campaigns, Transfermarkt placed his market value at €5m (£4.2m) from February 2018 to September 2018, which covers the time of the manager’s arrival.
Kalvin Phillips
The central midfielder had already established himself as a regular in the middle of the park for Leeds after coming up through the academy set-up at Thorp Arch, as shown by his 74 Championship games in the previous two seasons.
Bielsa, though, was able to take Phillips to the next level. The English ace later admitted that he “wasn’t the best” when the Argentine coach came through the door and that his and his staff’s coaching “helped a lot”.
It was revealed that the players were made to train at 100% every day and that they were also made to watch videos of their performances to see where they went wrong and how to improve.
Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa.
He became a staple of the manager’s team over the subsequent two Championship seasons and his soaring market value in that time reflects his improvement during that period.
Kalvin Phillips' soaring market value in the Championship
The English whiz played a crucial role in Leeds’ run to the play-off semi-finals in the 2018/19 campaign after they finished third in the division in Bielsa’s first season, finishing just shy of Sheffield United and Norwich City in the automatic promotion places.
Phillips started 42 of the club’s 46 regular season matches in the second tier and showcased his quality in and out of possession for the Whites, with 4.0 tackles and interceptions combined per game.
Kalvin Phillips for Leeds United
He ranked within the top 30% of midfielders in the division for progressive passes per 90 (4.99) and the top 8% for passes attempted per 90 (65.22), which shows that the young gem was constantly looking to get on the ball to dictate the play, whilst also being progressive with his passes.
The right-footed battler was then instrumental in helping the team to finally get over the line by winning the Championship title in the 2019/20 campaign under Bielsa, with his fantastic performances in the middle of the park.
Appearances
37
Key passes per game
1.8
Tackles per game
2.6
Interceptions per game
1.4
Duel success rate
54%
As you can see in the table above, Phillips – once again – provided a steely presence in midfield for Leeds with 4.0 tackles and interceptions per game.
He also ranked within the top 21% for progressive passes per 90 (5.48) and this shows that Bielsa helped him to increase his output when it came to progressing the ball forward.
By April of the 2019/20 campaign, Transfermarkt placed his market value at €12m (£10m) thanks to his superb displays in the second tier to help his team win promotion to the top-flight.
How Kalvin Phillips earned his big-money move
Following the title win in the 2019/20 season, it was up to Phillips – and his teammates – to show that he was up to the task of playing in the Premier League.
That is exactly what he did as the talented maestro made his England debut in September 2020 and caught the eye with his performances in the top-flight.
Appearances
29
Key passes per game
1.2
Pass accuracy
85%
Tackles + interceptions per game
4.2
Duel success rate
52%
As you can see in the table above, Phillips maintained his strong defensive form from the Championship with 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game to consistently cut out opposition attacks and win the ball back for his side.
The central midfielder’s displays were good enough to convince Gareth Southgate to make him a regular in the England side that reached the European Championship final in the summer of 2021, as he started seven matches – including the defeat to Italy in the final at Wembley.
Phillips, who was called a “monster” by Yannick Bolasie at the Euros, then endured an injury-hit campaign for Leeds as he missed 16 matches with a hamstring injury and only made 20 appearances in the Premier League that term.
That did not stop Manchester City from swooping in to sign him for a reported fee of £45m, with £42m guaranteed, in the summer of 2022, though, and that gigantic figure illustrated his incredible rise under Bielsa, who left the club in February of that year.
The England international’s value soared by a staggering 971% from the £4m he was worth in 2018 upon Bielsa’s arrival to the £45m that Pep Guardiola’s side offered to sign him four years later, which speaks to the amazing work the Argentine coach did with him.
As you can see in the chart above, his valuation went as high as £42m on Transfermarkt, £3m shy of the fee City agreed, and it currently sits at £21m, with the midfielder on loan at Ipswich Town this season, which suggests that the Whites struck gold with the deal they agreed in 2022.
More assists than Rutter in 23/24: Leeds must regret selling £1m "animal"
The Whites had a shocker when they allowed the full-back to move on from Elland Road.
Talks between Arsenal and Ajax over the transfer of Jurrien Timber are at an "advanced stage" as the player himself "wants the move", claims Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam.
Arsenal transfer news – What's the latest on Jurrien Timber
The Gunners were agonisingly close to ending their almost two-decade title drought last season, but a lack of squad depth, especially in defensive areas, cost them in the end.
It looks like Mikel Arteta and the board don't want that happening again, so they have greenlit a summer of massive spending for the Premier League runners-up.
So far, the north London club have spent £65m to secure the signature of Kai Havertz from cross-city rivals Chelsea and look to be very close to finalising a £105m deal for West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
The next player on Edu's list looks to be Ajax defender Timber, with the club edging closer to an agreement with the Dutch giants over an estimated fee of £40m.
The player is also said to be extremely keen on the move, and that desire to be a part of the project is an important factor for Arteta, per Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam.
He explained the situation on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), saying:
"Talks are continuing between Arsenal and Ajax with regards to the defender Jurrien Timber. They're described as being at an advanced stage at the moment as well, the final valuation and structure still being discussed between the player and, of course, Arsenal.
"He wants the move which is key for Mikel Arteta, and once again Mikel Arteta getting his three key transfer targets very early in the window, so some significant business in that respect."
How Good is Jurrien Timber?
The 22-year-old has excelled for the Dutch giants since he debuted for the senior side in 2020, making 121 appearances, 15 of which were in the UEFA Champions League.
During his three full seasons for the Amsterdam club, he has never achieved a lower average rating for a season than 6.89 and even managed to hit a genuinely impressive rating of 7.40 in the 2021/22 season, per WhoScored.
Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber.
One of the 5 foot 10 dynamo's best traits is his ability to play multiple roles across the backline. During his time with Ajax, he has been utilised as both a right-back and a centre-back, which could make him the dream player for a team like Arsenal.
Over the last year, Arteta has implemented a style that sees Ben White play as a right-back but then come back into the middle of the pitch when the team is in possession, playing as a de facto third centre-back.
Adding Timber would provide some much-needed competition in that role and allow either himself or White to fill in at centre-back if needed, potentially avoiding another William Saliba situation next year.
Soccer Football – Euro 2020 – Netherlands Training – KNVB Campus, Zeist, Netherlands – June 20, 2021 Netherlands’ Jurrien Timber during training REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
If people needed any more convincing of the Utrecht-born gem's quality, just listen to Virgil Van Dijk, who said:
"I wasn't nearly as far along as he is now [at the same age], I have nothing but praise for him. He is a great player and a true professional. He has so much potential."
Should Edu and Co get this deal over the line, Arsenal could well be in for another year of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title.
Leeds United remain on the search for a new manager after the club decided to part ways with Sam Allardyce following their relegation from the Premier League.
The Telegraph recently reported that former Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke is on their shortlist to replace the former England boss. The German chief left Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
He is a proven Championship winner who could come in and provide the Whites with the lift they need to secure an automatic promotion straight back to the top-flight.
Farke won the second tier in both 2018/19 and 2020/21 and amassed a staggering 57 wins and 191 points combined to help the Canaries back to the big time, with the second one coming off the back of a relegation from the Premier League in 2019/20.
Would Daniel Farke be a success at Leeds?
The 46-year-old head coach could be a success at Elland Road as the club currently have a player who could be his next version of Norwich legend Teemu Pukki in Georginio Rutter.
During Farke's two title-winning campaigns with the Yellows, the Finland international plundered an eye-catching 55 goals and 14 assists in 84 appearances.
The experienced centre-forward led the promotion charge for the German chief with his astonishing ability in front of goal, which was aided by the 33-year-old's intelligent movement to run off the shoulder of defenders and race onto through balls.
Leeds forward Georginio Rutter.
Rutter, who failed to score in 11 Premier League matches for Leeds, has not showcased the same prolific form in England as of yet but the 21-year-old has the potential to be Farke's next Pukki.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously hailed the "powerful" French striker's "great" movement of the ball and his "blistering pace", whilst he described the former Rennes starlet as "clinical" in front of goal.
The £36m club-record signing has previously displayed his quality at the top end of the pitch. During the 2021/22 campaign, Rutter scored eight goals from seven expected goals (xG) for Hoffenheim, which shows that the exciting youngster outperformed the level of chances that were being sent his way.
Therefore, Farke could unearth the £70k-per-week dynamo's full potential at Leeds as the promising centre-forward has a similar style of play to Pukki – as they both use their excellent movement and speed to generate openings in front of goal – and the head coach has proven himself capable of designing a system to get the best out of that type of striker.
This means that Leeds could end up with their own version of the prolific Championship marksman by appointing the former Norwich boss to help Rutter find his feet on the pitch.
Sunderland enjoyed an impressive return to life in the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign as they battled early disruption to reach the play-offs.
Alex Neil quit the Stadium of Light to join Stoke City in the first month of the season and Tony Mowbray came in to lead the Black Cats to sixth before losing to Luton Town, who went on earn promotion to the Premier League.
The head coach and Kristjaan Speakman now have the summer transfer window to bolster the squad again with the aim of going all the way and moving up to the top-flight at the end of 2023/24.
One player the club have been linked with a swoop for ahead of next term is Universidad Católica prospect Alexander Aravena, who could be the dream heir to a current Sunderland ace.
How would Alexander Aravena fit in at Sunderland?
The 20-year-old right winger could come in and eventually replace Patrick Roberts on that side of Mowbray's attacking line-up next season or in the years to come.
Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts.
In the Primera Division in 2023, the exciting youngster has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 and chipped in with seven goals and two assists from out wide in 13 outings. The number 18 has created one chance per game for his teammates and showcased his ability to open up the opposition for his fellow attackers.
His form this year comes after an impressive 2022 in the top-flight of football in Chile.
Aravena averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 in the league last term and contributed at the top end of the pitch with 11 goals and three assists in 30 matches as a winger.
These statistics show that the young ace, whose intelligence was once praised as "magnificent" by press officer and scout Salvatore Gandhi, has the quality to be a big goal threat, whilst also being able to provide creativity, as a right winger.
Roberts, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.83 and racked up five goals and seven assists in 42 appearances in the Championship in the season just gone.
This suggests that the Chile international could provide more than him in front of goal if the 20-year-old is able to adjust to English football, based on his return of 18 goals and five assists in his last 43 league games is more impressive than the Englishman's statistics in the second tier.
Aravena's age, however, means that Mowbray would not have to rush him into the starting XI or expect him to hit the ground running on Wearside. Sunderland could take their time with the prolific magician and bed him in slowly as the long-term heir to Roberts' position on the right flank.
Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has made a head start to his transfer business at Ibrox, signing Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling and Kieran Dowell on free transfers, and they have all been tied down before the transfer window even opens.
Unfortunately, the Light Blues don’t have a mass fortune to spend in the transfer market, meaning free transfers will potentially make up the bulk of the incomings and any other business will largely be assisted by the 42-year-old moving on some deadwood in the squad that is surplus to requirements.
The likes of Scott Wright and Jon McLaughlin are likely to be sold, while Antonio Colak, who only joined last summer, could also depart. Another name who should be let go is Kemar Roofe, as the striker could still bring in a decent transfer fee.
He only played six times last season, struggling with a variety of injury issues which kept him out for 35 matches in total, hardly justifying his £26k-per-week wage.
There is no doubting his quality, with the 30-year-old netting 36 times in just 78 appearances, yet, having another season where he barely features will be a waste of precious funds which could be spent elsewhere, especially with the Ibrox side looking for new strikers following the departure of Alfredo Morelos.
Could Rangers sign Nikola Krstovic this summer?
The Gers were linked with Krstovic as far back as February according to Football Insider, with the same outlet claiming the club had scouted the 23-year-old on ‘several occasions’ with a view to signing him this summer, although a reported fee of between £4m-£5m was being demanded by his club, Dunajska Streda.
Beale looks like he is about to agree a deal to sign Sam Lammers from Sampdoria, however, his goal record isn’t nearly as good as the Streda hitman, netting only twice all season compared to the 26 goals the Montenegro international has scored.
He obviously knows how to find the back of the net on a regular basis, having scored a total of 81 club career goals and with five caps for his country too, he has emerged on the international scene, further underlining his capabilities.
A goal every 117 minutes in the Slovakian top flight last term was better than all but one player in the Gers side who played over five Premiership matches, suggesting that he could be a regular scorer under Beale if he maintained his current form.
Rangers centre-forward Kemar Roofe.
Journalist Josh Bunting had plenty of praise for the 23-year-old last year, saying: “Nikola Krstović scoring again for DAC 1904, I honestly can see a big enough side take a punt on him sooner rather than later, only 22 but what a talent he is and he’s showing it in Europe this season. He’s aggressive and he’s clinical. Has all the attributes you want in a striker.”
Roofe underwent surgery back in March to sort out his hip injury, however, there is no set timeline on his return to the first team picture and perhaps Beale may be best moving him on in order to launch a move for a player such as Krstovic this summer.