Cal Raleigh Advanced Past Brent Rooker in Home Run Derby in Questionable Fashion

Cal Raleigh is the current home run king of Major League Baseball. He hit 38 home runs before the All-Star break which is more than anyone else in baseball, including Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and everyone else.

Raleigh then went out and hit 17 home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby, which was good enough to tie for fourth place with Brent Rooker of the Athletics. Rather than go to a swing-off to determine who would move on, MLB advanced the player with the longer home run.

The only problem is that both guys hit their longest home runs 470 feet.

And the only solution was MLB claiming they knew how far all these home runs traveled down to an insanely precise decimal point.

The official determination was that Raleigh's longest home run traveled .08 feet—or 61/64ths of an inch—further than Rooker's longest dinger.

If that doesn't seem made up enough for you, check out this tweet from MLB where they claim to know the distance of the home runs down to the 10-billionth(?) place(!?). That's how exact we're supposed to believe MLB is measuring these home runs that leave the stadium or land in a mass of fans.

If you have some questions about this, well, you're not alone.

Or, to paraphrase another prodigious power hitter, do you want to know the terrifying truth, or do you want to see Cal Raleigh sock a few dingers?

WPL teams allowed five player retentions ahead of November mega auction

Franchises can retain a maximum of five players ahead of the mega auction for the 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). ESPNcricinfo has learned that the deadline for announcing retentions is November 5, which has been communicated to the teams, and the auction window will be between November 25 and 29.In an email to franchises on Thursday, the WPL said a maximum of three capped Indian players, a maximum of two overseas players, and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players can be retained by each team. And if a franchise opts to retain five players, then at least one should be an uncapped Indian player. The WPL has also for the first time decided to allow franchises to activate the right-to-match (RTM) option at the auction to buy back a player that was part of their squad in 2025.The WPL has decided to have an auction purse of INR 15 crore for the auction and has listed the guideline prices for the retention slabs (check graphic below). The slabs listed are: INR 3.5 crore (Player 1), INR 2.5 crore (Player 2), INR 1.75 crore (Player 3), INR 1 crore (Player 4) and INR 50 lakh (Player 5).If a franchise opts to retain five players, INR 9.25 crore would be deducted from its purse, while for four, the deduction would be INR 8.75 crore; for three it would be INR 7.75 crore; four two INR 6 crore; and for one INR 3.5 crore. A franchise can use a maximum of five RTMs, but in case it retains five players, then the RTM option would be lost. In case a franchise retains four players, it will be left with one RTM; for three, there will be two RTMs; for two, three RTMs; and for one, four RTMs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The WPL has said franchises can negotiate a different amount to the guideline price listed in the retention slabs, but if the actual amount paid is higher than the slab, then that amount would be deducted from the auction purse. A minimum of INR 50 lakh has been set for an uncapped India player, but that could be higher based on the agreed amount between the franchise and player.The WPL has also announced the timelines for various steps in the lead-up to the auction. The player retention list must be submitted by November 5. The franchises must then share their lists for the players at the auction by November 7. The last date for player registration is November 18. And November 20 is when the BCCI will share the list of players at the mega auction.

Liverpool join January transfer race to sign the Bundesliga's next Gvardiol

Liverpool have now joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement alongside interest from rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Slot shaping Liverpool future without Salah?

Arne Slot simply had to make a big call last weekend. PSV Eindhoven’s 4-1 thrashing took Liverpool’s form from a blip into a full-blown crisis and something had to give. Unfortunately, that something against West Ham United was Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool’s Egyptian King was forced to watch on from the bench as the Reds finally put in a more controlled performance and Alexander Isak netted his first Premier League goal for the club. But as much as that victory came as a relief, it also raised a serious question about Salah’s place in Slot’s best side.

Ahead of Liverpool’s crucial clash against Sunderland on Wednesday evening, Slot revealed Salah’s reaction to being dropped – telling reporters: “It’s a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us.

“He wasn’t the only who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting. The way he behaved is the way you would expect of a professional. He handled himself really well. A top professional.”

Whether we’ll see Liverpool’s star make a return to action in midweek remains to be seen. After returning to winning ways, Slot may be asking himself whether he can afford to change things up.

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Of course, it’s worth noting that a large part of the Dutchman’s backline simply can’t be changed. Whilst Conor Bradley is back in training, he won’t be ready to face Sunderland, which leaves Joe Gomez as the only other more recognisable right-back unless Dominik Szoboszlai drops in again.

Meanwhile, Slot still has just two centre-backs available in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, which is a problem that the Reds could solve by signing Castello Lukeba in January.

Liverpool join January race to sign Lukeba

As reported by Caught Offside, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Lukaba alongside Man United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The RB Leipzig defender no longer has a release clause worth €90m (£79m) and will be available for just €60m (£52m) in the winter window. As concerns continue to grow that Liverpool could still miss out on Marc Guehi, Lukeba has suddenly emerged as an ideal option.

Compared to Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol by the Bundesliga’s official website, the Frenchman could yet make a similar impact on England’s top flight next year, ranking in the 99th percentile against other centre-backs in the top five leagues for successful take-ons.

Minutes

990

789

Progressive Passes

46

55

Tackles Won

6

8

Ball Recoveries

63

28

It’s easy to see where the comparisons with Gvardiol have come from. Lukeba is an excellent central defender who’s great on the ball, capable of carrying or passing it forward and destined for a big move.

Dubbed “unique” by Como scout Ben Mattinson last year, the Leipzig star is also still just 22 years old and yet to reach the peak of his powers. Even if Konate does sign a new contract at Anfield, Lukeba could arrive and take his place in Liverpool’s strongest side in 2026.

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West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

West Ham have now reached out to a striker ahead of the January window with injury-prone flop Niclas Füllkrug vying for the London Stadium exit door, according to a new report.

Fullkrug’s time at West Ham has been marked more by injury woes than by impact on the pitch, as persistent fitness problems have severely limited his ability to deliver the goals West Ham hoped for when they signed him.

Arriving with high expectations as a striker capable of adding much-needed firepower, especially after 16 goals in all competitions during his last season at Borussia Dortmund, Fullkrug’s tenure has been marred by repeated setbacks.

The 32-year-old, who cost West Ham chair David Sullivan and co around £27 million to sign in the summer of 2024, missed a combined 28 games for club and country last term through injury.

Achilles tendon

08/09/2024

02/12/2024

16

Hamstring injury

11/01/2025

01/04/2025

12

It’s led to critics like Gabriel Agbonlahor and many others questioning West Ham’s strange decision to invest that much money in a 30-plus-year-old forward with a history of physical problems.

Luckily for Nuno Espírito Santo, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that Fullkrug is due to return after the next international break and is actually ahead of schedule in his recovery.

However, the injuries have come far too frequently for West Ham’s liking, with Nuno left to pick up the pieces recently.

The Portuguese went with Lucas Paqueta as a false nine to cover Fullkrug in West Ham’s Premier League defeats against Brentford and Leeds, but Callum Wilson was given the starting spot for their 3-1 win against Newcastle last weekend.

Insiders suggest that Nuno actually doesn’t fancy Wilson at West Ham, but he’s left with little choice to select him as their only natural striker bar inexperienced youngster Callum Marshall.

West Ham’s shortage of striker options has led to credible reports that they’re in the market for another centre-forward in January, as well as a defender and midfielder (Sky Sports).

West Ham sound out Ivan Toney with Niclas Füllkrug 'determined' to leave

Now, according to TEAMtalk, there’s been an update on their pursuit of Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney.

Journalist Alan Nixon has previously reported that West Ham have done some work on a deal for Toney ahead of January, with the Hammers still apparently in contention.

The 29-year-old, who’s poised for a tough battle to get into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup, has been largely excluded from the Three Lions set up since his move to Saudi Arabia.

Toney’s only been called up just once in that time, and with USA 2026 looming, he could well be tempted by the prospect of a return to Britain.

Al-Ahli want around £30 million to part ways permanently in the winter, but it is an asking price nobody is willing to pay right now, so the most likely solution is a loan to buy.

Ivan Toney for England

Even then, the Irons would have to find a way around his sky-high wages, with Toney earning north of £400,000-per-week in the Gulf.

Nevertheless, TEAMtalk state that West Ham have sounded out Toney about a potential January move, but they’re not alone, with Tottenham and Everton also circling.

All of this comes with Fullkrug described as ‘determined’ to leave the club mid-season, following what’s been a nightmare one-and-a-half year stay thus far. It is added that Nuno personally sees Toney as a “proven goal threat to ignite their season”.

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Fullkrug has already informed West Ham of his decision to leave, so the signing of a striker is definitely one to watch in January.

Richardson 'not counting out the Ashes' but faces race to be fit for summer

Western Australia quick only bowled for the first time on Tuesday since his shoulder surgery in January

Alex Malcolm14-Aug-2025Jhye Richardson’s hopes of playing any part in the Ashes appear slim after he only bowled for the first time since his most recent shoulder surgery on Tuesday, but he remains optimistic with the start of the Sheffield Shield season just seven weeks away.Richardson, 28, underwent a third surgery on his right bowling shoulder in January in a bid to end the repeated dislocations he was suffering and also put himself in the frame to be fully fit for the Ashes series which starts on November 21.He has not played Test cricket since the last Ashes series in Australia when he took his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests to seal victory in Adelaide. He has had a torrid run with injury since then, including having hamstring surgery in 2024, and has also dealt with mental health issues. He has played just four first-class matches since his last Test, with his his most recent coming in November last year when he dislocated his shoulder while high-fiving a team-mate.Related

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Speaking in Perth on Wednesday at an event to mark 100 days to go before the Perth Ashes Test, Richardson revealed he bowled for the first time the day before but conceded the Ashes were a long way off.”Some were good, some were bad and some hit the side net and things like that. I was a little bit rusty but it’s good signs,” Richardson said. “We’re hitting the milestones that we planned out at the start and while it has been really slow, things are looking good.”As nice as it would be [to play in the Ashes], there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before then. We’re not counting out Ashes cricket, but there’s a long process that has started and has been ongoing and there is a lot to go through before then. Things are looking good for the summer and I should be up and ready to go.”However, Richardson could not definitely say when he would be able to return to play for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield but he hoped he could feature in some domestic cricket before the start of the Ashes. WA’s first One-Day Cup match is on September 21 before a tantalising opening Shield match against New South Wales at the WACA ground that will feature Sam Konstas and possibly Cameron Green if he is rested from Australia’s T20I series in New Zealand in order to bowl for the first-time in red-ball cricket after a long layoff following his back injury.Jhye Richardson speaks to the media in Perth to mark 100 days until the Ashes•Getty Images”These are still ongoing conversations,” Richardson said. “Things that you don’t necessarily plan for can pop up, you can plateau a little bit in terms of progress.”Shield cricket is definitely on the radar, whether it’s game one, two, three, four, five, six, whichever it is, I’m hoping there will be some Shield cricket at some stage and hopefully some cricket for Fremantle and some second XI cricket amongst that as well.””I think white-ball cricket is always good to build the loads for red-ball cricket. We know that bowling 10 overs at high intensity really helps. And match time is something that you can’t necessarily get in the nets. We know that that intensity is going to be important, so I’d say there’d be some white-ball cricket.”Even if Richardson were fit, he would remain behind Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland in the pecking order. But the lure of his red-ball skills are so strong that Australia’s selectors added him to the squad for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests against India last summer when Hazlewood was injured, despite clear issues with his shoulder following his only first-class game that summer.Jhye Richardson dislocated his shoulder in his last first-class game last November•Getty ImagesThe age profile of Australia’s current quartet and the next best red-ball options beyond them is partly why Richardson is so alluring. Recent Test squad members Sean Abbott, 33, and Brendan Doggett, 31, would be seen as more short-term prospects for Australia’s Test side if and when any of the incumbent quartet finish up. Michael Neser remains a ready-made replacement for the upcoming summer but is 35 and injured his hamstring badly last summer.Lance Morris, 27, has long been earmarked as a possible long-term replacement for Starc as a Test strike weapon but he has just been ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa with back soreness which will also put his Australia A tour of India in jeopardy. Xavier Bartlett (26) and Fergus O’Neill (24) will tour India with Australia A but neither have the speed and x-factor that Richardson offers in full flight.The other major issue for Richardson is that he has been unable to fully contribute in the field for six years since his initial shoulder dislocation in the UAE in 2019. He was once a speedy live-wire in the outfield with a very strong arm but he has barely been able to throw since the injury and has often had to hide in the field because of his inability to dive with freedom and the fact that he mainly underarms or bowls the ball in. The latest surgery was in part a last ditch effort to get his shoulder back to a place where could throw normally again but he said that process would take much longer to come to fruition than his bowling.”The way that it’s presenting at the moment is that it is presenting stable, which is obviously a nice feeling after all the issues that I’ve dealt with over the last few years,” Richardson said. “Throwing is going to be unknown. We know that. It’s obviously a long process to get back, sort of 12-18 months plus to know where it’s really going to be at. But at this stage seven months post surgery, things are looking good.”

Man City starlet Reigan Heskey gives England lift-off at U17 World Cup as son of ex-Liverpool star Emile helps Young Lions to hit eight against hapless Haiti

Manchester City starlet Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool striker Emile, helped to give England lift-off in their U17 World Cup campaign as he inspired an 8-1 victory over Haiti. Having lost their opening game of the tournament in Qatar, the Young Lions knew that three points were imperative in their second Group E fixture. Neil Ryan's side ultimately eased over that line.

  • Young Lions plunder eight goals in huge win

    Having fluffed their lines in surprising fashion against Venezuela, slipping to a humbling 3-0 defeat, it took less than 60 seconds for England to open the scoring against Haiti. Heskey was involved from the off, with his low cross being turned home by Tottenham No.10 Luca Williams-Barnett.

    The tricky Spurs playmaker looked lively throughout the opening exchanges, with some neat footwork – which saw him skip and spin away from a couple of challenges – coming close to providing another sight of goal. At the opposite end of the field, Haiti posed a threat with pacey counter attacks.

    England were, however, to see collective nerves settled further inside quarter of an hour. The match officials initially waved away Heskey’s claims for a penalty after he was sent tumbling inside the box by Emerson Alexis, but a VS review saw a spot-kick awarded – with coaches able to lodge two requests during any given contest.

    Having earned the opportunity from 12 yards, Heskey stepped up himself and calmly sent Haiti’s goalkeeper the wrong way as he found the bottom corner. Ryan’s side were given a wake-up call in the 17th minute when their offside trap was beaten and Franco Celestin headed in off the underside of the crossbar from a matter of inches.

    England’s two-goal lead was restored inside four minutes, with Heskey involved prominently once again as he teed up Chelsea’s Reggie Walsh for a composed finish. The heat and humidity was clearly becoming too much for Haiti, as they were left chasing shadows, with the Young Lions pulling away early in the second half.

    Venezuelan-born Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez of Lyon opened his account for the tournament in the 55th minute, showing good strength to hold off his marker and drill low across goal and into the net. England’s fifth arrived three minutes later as Heskey set up substitute Chizaram Ezenwata of Chelsea for a shot that was fired through defenders on the line.

    Haiti were then hit for six in the 64th minute when the impressive Williams-Barnet grabbed his second of the game. The 17-year-old once again showcased dancing feet as he found space where there was very little and completed a mazy dribble with a cheeky nutmeg.

    Despite only being introduced in place of Rodriguez, exciting Stamford Bridge prospect Ezenwata helped himself to the match ball when completing his hat-trick with there still 10 minutes left on the clock. Two smart finishes, one in off the post and another across the goalkeeper, saw him to a memorable hat-trick at a prominent international tournament.

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    The MVP

    Williams-Barnett looked very impressive – with Tottenham seemingly having a huge talent on their hands there – while Ezenwata claimed the match ball, but Heskey made the difference when England were looking to take control of proceedings.

    He is not the same kind of player as his father – who was a powerful striker – with the talented teenager more at home on the flanks. He does, however, still boast an eye for goal – be that hitting the net himself or providing for others.

    Haiti never got close to containing the threat that he posed before being replaced 11 minutes from time. Heskey helped to get the ball rolling inside the opening minutes, before firing home from the penalty spot himself.

    He showcased his unselfish side when putting chances on a plate for Walsh and Ezenwata. He will be brimming with confidence ahead of England’s final group stage fixture against Egypt on November 10.

  • Getty

    The big loser

    It feels harsh to brand any of the Young Lions as a "loser" given how commanding they were across 90 impressive minutes. The only blot on an otherwise impressive copybook came in the form of Celestin’s first-half goal. Arsenal keeper Jack Porter – who was the Gunners’ youngest debutant before seeing Max Dowman break that record – will be disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet. He was worried at times during the opening 45 minutes, but was left with little to do as England put their foot on the gas and pulled away from Haiti in style.

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    Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chelsea join race to sign £17m German forward who Bayern Munich also want

Chelsea have now joined the race for a “flamboyant” forward, who is also being targeted by Bayern Munich, it has been revealed.

Blues set sights on another young forward

Jamie Carragher has repeatedly made it clear he isn’t a fan of the Blues’ recruitment policy, suggesting the ownership are now focusing too much on signing young players, rather than trying to compete for major trophies.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “Chelsea are not being judged to the same standard they were under Abramovich because they are hiding behind a prolonged transitional phase, which keeps extending by targeting a similar profile of young players in each transfer window.”

In truth, it is difficult to disagree with the former Liverpool man, given that a number of the Blues’ summer additions haven’t exactly hit the ground running, with young wingers Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho failing to register a Premier League goal or assist between them.

It was arguably a questionable decision to focus so heavily on bringing in new forwards in the summer, given that it may have made more sense to sign a new centre-back following the ACL injury suffered by Levi Colwill.

However, it appears as though Chelsea are set to continue their current approach in the transfer market, with a report from Absolut Fussball revealing they have recently joined the race for FC Koln forward Said El Mala, who is attracting widespread interest.

Indeed, El Mala is also being targeted by Bayern Munich, and a number of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Brighton & Hove Albion making an approach in the summer, at which point a deal may have amounted to €20m (£17m).

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However, the German side may soon be able to fetch a higher transfer fee, given that a number of big clubs are keen, following an impressive start to the campaign…

"Flamboyant" El Mala off to solid start in the Bundesliga

Despite being just 19-years-old, the starlet has already established himself as an important player for FC Koln, having made six Bundesliga appearances this season, during which time he has amassed two goals and one assist.

Most recently, the Germany U21 winger scored the only goal of the game as his side triumphed 1-0 away at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, which led to his side moving up to sixth place.

The FC Koln star has also been praised by Jacek Kulig in the past, with the scout describing him as a “flamboyant” winger, who is skilled at creating chances and dribbling, while also possessing an impressive work-rate.

El Mala clearly has the talent to be a success at Stamford Bridge, but it would make little sense to bring in yet another young winger, having signed Gittens and Garnacho during the summer.

Instead, it would be a better idea to bring in a new centre-back in January, given the scale of the injury crisis Enzo Maresca faces, with Colwill expected to miss the majority of the season.

Man Utd leading race for "outstanding" English prospect who's impressed Spurs scouts

Manchester United are keen to strengthen at every given opportunity and may now find themselves ahead in the race to sign one of England’s rising stars.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim keen to steady ship

Ruben Amorim is under pressure at Old Trafford and needs to strike together a run of results in order to avoid further scrutiny from external sources, albeit speculation is continuing to mount over his future.

Despite claims that the Portuguese boss could change his formation for coming fixtures, Dean Jones has claimed Amorim may instead look to alter personnel in an attempt to improve performances at Old Trafford.

He said: “I have spoken to connections close to the club, and there seems to be an expectation that this time, something does change. Realistically, it probably will not be the system.

“Because they have worked so tirelessly on his formation, he will probably roll it out again – but one thing he can do this time is change the personnel. This is the area that people seem to feel is most likely to change.”

Steve Parish is working tirelessly to stop Oliver Glasner making a future move to Old Trafford. The Crystal Palace boss would likely be a key contender if the role became vacant, but Amorim is still the man charged with turning around their Premier League fortunes.

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Ultimately, the problems Manchester United have faced in recent years are far deeper than who is in the dugout, though the expectation on the manager is always a major talking point.

Either way, player recruitment is always on the agenda at the global giants and the Red Devils could have the advantage in the race for a player who could ignite their season.

Manchester United looking to win Hayden Hackney race

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are ahead of Fulham in the race to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, and they may look to formalise their interest in the England Under-21 international come 2026.

Tottenham Hotspur are also watching with intent and will have been impressed with what they’ve witnessed, given his return off a goal and two assists in nine appearances across all competitions.

Hayden Hackney in 2025/26 – Sky Bet Championship

Chances created

15

Successful passes

388

Successful crosses

4

Completed dribbles

9

Duels won

36

All statistics courtesy of Fotmob*

Labelled “outstanding” by pundit Neil Maddison, the Three Lions youth international is out of contract in the summer of 2027, and it remains to be seen if Boro are tempted to cash in come January or whether he will stay for their promotion push under Rob Edwards.

Manchester United made an approach for Carlos Baleba during the summer, illustrating their appetite to strengthen the engine room, and it appears that INEOS have their eyes fixed on some form of midfield reinforcement come the January window.

Rangers could seal bigger coup than Miovski with late move for £10m star

Glasgow Rangers have officially confirmed that centre-forward Hamza Igamane has moved on from Ibrox to complete a permanent transfer to Ligue 1 side Lille.

The Morocco international has left the club after 12 months in Scotland and put pen to paper on a long-term deal in France, days after Russell Martin revealed that the attacker claimed he was too injured to come off the bench against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

Igamane produced some brilliant moments on the pitch in his first, and what turned out to be only, season at Ibrox, as he showcased his ability to be a real difference-maker for the side.

The 22-year-old star ended the season with 12 goals in the Premiership and four goals in the Europa League for the Light Blues, per Sofascore, including a stunning winner against Celtic.

This means that the Gers are going to need to find other sources of goals to replace what he provided at the top end of the pitch, and they appear to have made great progress with that.

Bojan Miovski has officially signed for the Scottish giants on a permanent deal from Girona, and will be hoping to replicate the performances he produced with Aberdeen.

What Bojan Miovski can offer to Rangers

The Macedonia international is a pure goalscorer. Supporters should not expect him to be incredibly physical with defenders or creative for his teammates, although there may be elements of both of those things.

What Rangers fans can expect from Miovski, though, is goals. His record speaks for itself: 32 goals in two seasons in the Premiership with the Dons in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns.

xG

15.60

17.08

xG on target

18.36

17.60

Goals

16

16

Shots on target

36

44

Chances created

27

23

Assists

2

2

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed marksman is an efficient finisher who wants to take shots and hit the target with plenty of efforts on goal.

However, you can also see that Miovski is not particularly creative, with just two assists in each season, which places an emphasis on the creativity mainly coming from the midfield and wide positions.

Therefore, overall, Rangers fans should expect plenty of shots and plenty of goals from the former Aberdeen and Girona man, but they should not expect him to be a complete centre-forward who will provide quality in all phases of play.

That does not mean that he will not be a terrific signing for Martin’s side, though, because goals win games at the end of the day, and Miovski is a player who has the quality to score buckets full of goals.

Whilst the 26-year-old star, who is in the prime of years of his career, appears to be a big coup for the Gers, the club could land an even bigger coup by signing one of their targets from earlier in the window.

Rangers were reportedly in talks with Crystal Palace to sign Jesurun-Rak-Sakyi earlier this summer, but they have not since signed another winger with a similar profile to his.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast

Oliver Antman, a right-footed right-sided playmaker, came through the door, but Rak-Sakyi is a left-footed right-sided goalscoring threat, which means that there is still space for that kind of player to join the squad.

Now, with a few days left before the end of the summer transfer window, the Scottish giants should push to sign the English star, who was valued at £10m by the Eagles.

Why Rangers should sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

The Gers must swoop to sign the Palace youngster before the end of the summer transfer window on Monday because he would be a much-needed alternative to Antman on the right.

The Finland international, who signed from Go Ahead Eagles, has looked a little bit too one-dimensional as a right-footed player on the right wing against low blocks, with zero goals, one completed dribble, and zero ‘big chances’ created in two league games, per Sofascore.

Rak-Sakyi, as a left-footed player, could provide more incision for Rangers in league games when they are tasked with breaking down a low block, which is the majority of them, because he can comfortably drift infield to make things happen centrally or go down the line and test his full-back that way.

That is why a lot of managers tend to lean towards ‘inverted’ wingers, who cut inside onto their favoured foot, because it adds more dynamism and versatility to the way that you can attack.

The left-footed star could be a bigger coup for Rangers than Miovski because of his ability to impact games as both a scorer and a creator of goals, rather than just as a scorer.

Appearances

43

34

Starts

40

22

Goals

15

7

Minutes per goal

233

248

Big chances created

5

3

Key passes per game

1.3

0.9

Assists

8

2

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi has provided ten assists to go along with 22 goals in his two full senior seasons, starting 62 matches in that time.

These statistics show that he is a young talent who has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a fairly regular basis if given the opportunity to start week-in-week-out in a dominant Rangers team that is looking to win consistently.

This means that the Eagles winger, who was described as “devastating” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could provide a more varied threat in front of goal than Miovski, scoring when he is not at his best creatively, or creating when he is not at his best as a scorer.

Whereas, if the opposition find a way to prevent Miovski from getting shots away, there is not much else that he offers to the team, unlike Rak-Sakyi.

Sima repeat at Ibrox: Rangers are in talks to sign "outstanding" £15m star

Rangers are reportedly pursuing a deal to sign a star who could be Abdallah Sima 2.0.

ByDan Emery Aug 29, 2025

At the age of 22, Rak-Sakyi is also four years younger than Miovski and, therefore, has more potential to grow and develop with more experience under his belt, which is yet another reason why he would be a bigger coup than the Macedonia international.

Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal only lost Ballon d'Or to Ousmane Dembele because of his age, claims La Liga president

La Liga president Javier Tebas believes that Lamine Yamal only missed out on the 2025 Ballon d'Or because of his age. The Barcelona superstar was pipped to the post by Paris Saint-Germain ace Ousmane Dembele, but Tebas believes it is only a matter of time before the teenager picks up the prize as the world's best footballer.

  • Yamal beaten by Dembele

    Dembele was crowned the Ballon d'Or winner on Monday evening as a reward for leading Paris Saint-Germain to treble glory in the 2024-25 campaign. Yamal finished second in the voting, at the age of just 18, and Tebas believes that the Barcelona superstar was only overlooked because of his youth.

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    Yamal's superb season

    The teenager scored 18 goals and registered 25 assists in 55 games in all competitions last season, as Barca won La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and he was crowned the winner of the Kopa Trophy; the prize given to the best player under the age of 21. Yamal is the first player ever to win the award twice. 

  • Tebas predicts the future

    Tebas told reporters: "If he had been older than 23, he would have won it, too, I'm sure, but since he was younger, they gave him the other one [Kopa trophy]."

    He added: "If he continues at the level he's at, which seems likely, I think there's no doubt he'll win the Ballon d'Or."

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    Yamal nearing return from injury

    Yamal has been battling back from a groin injury, and could be given some minutes when Barcelona play Real Oviedo on Thursday. Hansi Flick's side are currently five points behind leaders Real Madrid in the La Liga table, but do have a game in hand on their arch-rivals.

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