Latest news with #ex-Arsenal
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Rangers in-line for major Hamza Igamane transfer windfall as second club join chase for in demand hitman
Rangers could receive a record breaking transfer fee for one of their key players this summer Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rangers could be on the verge of a major transfer windfall this summer after another club joined the chase for £20million-rated striker Hamza Igamane. Earlier this morning, a shock report from respected Belgian transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri revealed that Igamane had held a 'decisive' meeting with Ligue 1 giants Lille on Wednesday. He claimed that the 22-year-old had agreed to personal terms ahead of a summer transfer to the Stade Pierre Mauroy, and that the two clubs were now locked in negotiations over the young forward. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Igamane, who joined Rangers from AS Far Rabat for a fee of around £2million last summer, enjoyed a fine debut campaign in the Scottish Premiership last year, scoring 16 league goals, including a memorable late winner in a 3-2 win over Old Firm rivals Celtic in March. Capable of playing through the middle, or on the left-hand side of a front three, Igamane also shone during Rangers Europa League campaign, scoring four times. His impressive form led to English Premier League duo West Ham United and Everton being credited with an interest just last week, with a report from Footmercado claiming the Hammers were 'readying' a bid for the player as Graham Potter attempted to strengthen his attacking options at the London Stadium. Meanwhile, Lille are said to view him as a direct replacement for outgoing striker Jonathan David and want to offer him a a three-year contract. According to journalist Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport, Lille 'will submit an initial offer' for Igamane, with the Ligue 1 giants hoping to pair him with veteran ex-Arsenal and France striker Olivier Giroud this summer, who they are trying to recruit from Los Angeles FC. However, Lille are not the only French side to have a move for Igamane lined-up, with Marseille also credited with an interest in the Moroccan. Igamane was brought to the club by ex-Rangers head coach Philippe Clement last summer. | SNS Group The growing interest in the Gers ace could now lead to a bidding war, with Ibrox bosses already said to have set Igamane's asking price at £20million, which would represent a staggering profit of £18million in just 12 months. He has four years left to run on his current deal in Govan, having agreed a long-term contract upon his arrival last summer, which means Rangers are under no pressure to sell and hold all the cards. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Should a deal materialise, it would also expected to break the Rangers transfer record for an outgoing sale, which was previously set by Calvin Bassey's move to Ajax. Bassey, who now plays in the English Premier League with Fulham, was sold to the Dutch giants in the summer of 2022, after wowing the Amsterdam-based club with his impressive performances in Rangers run to the Europa League final that year.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Erik ten Hag has already 'annoyed and upset' ex-Arsenal star Granit Xhaka
Erik ten Hag has upset Granit Xhaka with his period of silence after being named the new Bayer Leverkusen boss which has caused the Arsenal star to question his future Erik ten Hag has already managed to annoy Granit Xhaka since being appointed as Bayer Leverkusen boss, according to reports in Germany. The Dutch coach returned to the dugout after several months out of the game following his Manchester United sacking. He's inherited a squad from Xabi Alonso that won the Bundesliga title this time last year with Xhaka a crucial cog in their midfield. The ex-Arsenal man has proved a huge hit in Germany but he and the new manager have not struck it off on the right note. Bild claim that Ten Hag made a deliberate effort to give his new Leverkusen players time and space before touching base for the first time. However this approach has not been universally well received with Xhaka among those to take issue with the new manager's idea. Ten Hag only made contact with the former Arsenal midfielder three weeks after his appointment. That lack of communication has seen the Swiss star question his future. Ten Hag has been keen to underlined how important he felt the 32-year-old would be to his plans moving forward, but the period of silence looks to have backfire on the new manager. Xhaka was an integral part of Alonso's remarkable Bundesliga-winning side that went unbeaten all year and claimed the German Cup. He has a contract at the BayArena until 2028 but AC Milan are circling. It's claimed a deal could be sealed if Milan make an offer in the region of £12.8million, despite Leverkusen initially holding out for a fee of £34m. The German side have already seen a host of their leading lights leave, putting Ten Hag on the back foot as he begins his tenure. Florian Wirtz has left for Liverpool in a British-record deal that has banked the club more than £100m. Jeremie Frimpong has also joined him in moving to Anfield whilst defensive star Jonathan Tah has moved to arch rivals Bayern Munich on a free when his contract expired. It does leave Leverkusen with money to spend however after finishing second in the Bundesliga. Ten Hag had been tipped to return to Ajax, only for him to reject the Eredivisie outfit in favour of a move to Leverkusen when they came calling. He signed a two-year contract and will look to prove himself once again after a poor end to his spell in charge in Manchester.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘He's just dumbbells with legs' – Alex Iwobi doesn't hesitate when naming who would win a Premier League Royal Rumble
ALEX IWOBI had no doubts over who would win a Premier League Royal Rumble. The Fulham winger, 29, acted as referee when team-mates 6 Alex Iwobi reckons he knows would win a Premier League Royal Rumble Credit: Reuters 6 Pals Calvin Bassey and Adama Traore wrestled at the training ground Credit: X And Iwobi reckons any challenger from across England's top flight would suffer the same fate against the Spanish speed machine. A laughing Iwobi told SunSport: 'I don't see anyone defeating Adama Traore. 'That guy is brick. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL 'He's just dumbbells with legs. 'He's too strong. He's too, too strong.' The wrestling clips received a mixed reaction from While Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The ex-Arsenal man in particular - And he reckons there is a direct correlation between his mood away from the pitch and his performances on it. Watch Adama Traore race kids in car park as Wolves star takes time out to make their day Inbox Iwobi - whose 'When I'm given that freedom to express myself and be myself, then that's when they're going to get the best version out of me on the pitch. 'You'd be surprised, a lot of footballers are fun. It's just that they don't want to show that side to them. But with me, I'm not afraid to show that side. 'With Calvin and Adama having a bit of a wrestling match, maybe I shouldn't have showcased that because they might have got hurt and it's like, 'Well, you shouldn't have been doing that in the first place.' 'But it just shows we are big kids. We like to enjoy it. 'I just want people to understand that we're not just robots, we're not just footballers, we're actually brothers as well, everyone is really close with each other. 'In our team, there's no egos. Everyone's willing to work for each other. I think that's a big part of why we play so well, especially as we do activities outside the training ground, like when Marco had a family barbecue. 'And the Brazilians like Rodrigo Muniz and Andreas Pereira put on Brazilian music, then you see Antonee Robinson and Calvin doing little dances and all the English boys would be singing along to the Brazilian music. 'We are one big family. All cultures come into one and we appreciate each culture. It's literally so nice to see.' 6 Traore came out on top against the defender Credit: X 6 Muscle-machine Traore gets Iwobi's backing Credit: Rex 6 Iwobi described Fulham as a 'brotherhood' Credit: Getty 6 His Project 17 charity hosted the P17 Cup on Sunday Credit: Max Cheshire / Project 17
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Pogba to join ex-Arsenal star praised by Henry and who hit out at England snub
Paul Pogba has reportedly agreed a two-year deal with Monaco and that would see the ex-Manchester United midfielder link up with former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun Paul Pogba is reportedly about to join Monaco after spending nearly two years away from football due to a doping ban, with the former Manchester United and Juventus star set to link up with ex-Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun. Pogba was initially given a four-year ban after testing positive for the banned substance DHEA, but that was reduced to 18 months after he won an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He was free to play again in March, but has yet to join a new club after his contract with Juventus was terminated in November. French outlet Le Parisien have reported that Pogba is close to signing a two-year contract with Monaco, having made 'significant financial sacrifices' in order to agree a deal. However, when asked about his future on Sergio Aguero's podcast La Casa del Kun, Pogba said: "I haven't signed anything, but there's interest. We'll see." If Pogba does end up joining Monaco, he will count a number of fellow former Premier League players as team-mates. This includes Balogun, who joined Monaco from Arsenal back in 2023. The 23-year-old enjoyed a decent debut campaign, netting eight goals in 32 games across all competitions, but struggled with injury problems last season that limited him to just seven starts. However, Balogun is a proven goalscorer in Ligue 1 after netting 21 goals in 37 games during a loan spell at Reims. Balogun later stated that he decided to go to France because he wanted to step out of his comfort zone and challenge himself, with the decision earning him praise from former Arsenal and Monaco star Thierry Henry. "I'm really happy for him because in general English players don't go abroad – normally players are loaned either to another Premier League side or in the Championship," Henry said on Prime Video in 2022. "He's a very English-style player who likes to run down the channels but he was missing something, which was his finishing. He's now starting to score goals regularly and I'm happy for that, happy he has gone abroad. "It's especially so considering he is a Londoner – in general Londoners struggle to leave London. When I heard he was coming to France, it made me think he has a refreshing mindset." Balogun was born in America, but grew up in London after emigrating to England when he was just two-years-old. He joined Arsenal's academy at the age of 10 and represented both England and the US at age group level before ultimately deciding to play for America at senior level. And his decision to declare for America came after he was left out of Gareth Southgate's first England squad for 2023, despite his impressive form for Reims. After the squad was announced, Balogun appeared to take aim at England as he posted on Instagram: "In life, go where you're appreciated. Be easy." Just a few months later, it was announced that he had committed to the US and he has been ever-present for them since, although he is yet to make an appearance under Mauricio Pochettino due to his recent injury struggles.
Metro
3 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
Ray Parlour says Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko has big weakness he must improve
Ray Parlour has been impressed by Arsenal transfer target Benjamin Sesko, but believes the youngster must improve in the air if he is to become the complete centre-forward. Arsenal are on the hunt for an out-and-out No.9 this summer after going a fifth successive season without winning a major trophy under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners' inactivity in January drew widespread criticism from supporters and pundits alike and injuries to both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz only intensified calls for the club to find a solution in the transfer market. It's understood RB Leipzig's Sesko, 22, has long been on Arsenal's radar, though the Slovenian's wage demands are said to have left the north Londoners' increasingly 'frustrated' in recent days. Arsenal have also encountered difficulties in pursuit of their other top target, Viktor Gyokeres, with the 27-year-old Sporting attacker threatening to go on strike to force through a switch to the Emirates. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. 'It's not rocket science is it? It's glaring at you,' ex-Arsenal midfielder Parlour told talkSPORT of the club's need for a top striker this summer. 'Sesko has got everything going for him. He's a young lad, he can improve, he's strong, he's quick. 'He's not great in the air, he can do better in the air probably, if I'm being honest. But he's on their radar.' Parlour is confident one of Sesko or Gyokeres will be starting up front for Arsenal at the start of next season. 'Gyokeres has obviously been linked to Manchester United, but it sounds like he wants to go to Arsenal,' the three-time Premier League winner added. 'I think it is going to be out of one of those strikers I should imagine.' Parlour is positive about Martin Zubimendi's impending arrival from Real Sociedad and expects Arsenal to explore the market for a winger to strengthen their options out wide. 'Zubimendi looks like he's going to be signed as well which gives Declan Rice a little bit more license to get forward,' he continued. '[Thomas] Partey is staying so he's another member in that squad who can play central midfield. 'But striker-wise, it's got to be one of those two and then hopefully they settle in straight away and they learn to play around the likes of [Bukayo] Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli on the left, whoever it's going to be. 'I think they will go for another winger as well. 'I think that's quite important because when Saka was out last season, they did struggle a little bit and [Martin] Odegaard's game went a little bit.' According to Parlour, the Gunners have a 'great chance' of ending their long wait for a Premier League title next season – as long as they are 'a little luckier' with keeping key players fit. More Trending 'Liverpool deserved to win the league, there's no doubt about that, but they didn't get have a lot of injuries to key players,' he went on. 'I'm talking about Van Dijk, he's massive for Liverpool. Salah is massive for Liverpool and he didn't get injured too often, he played every week. 'So other teams got more injuries than Liverpool, but that's nothing against Liverpool because they deserved to win it. They were the best team in the league and the most consistent. 'But I think Arsenal have got to learn from last season and if they can get a little luckier with injuries, they've got a great chance again.' Who should Arsenal prioritise? For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Liverpool make approach to sign Viktor Gyokeres ahead of Arsenal MORE: Frank Leboeuf compares £51m transfer target to four Chelsea flops MORE: Chelsea sent final transfer message by AC Milan over Mike Maignan transfer
