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Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes Dave King and Glasgow Rangers supporters group Club 1872 must be careful not to let things fall apart.

The Lowdown: Criticism after deal agreement

Earlier this year, Dave King agreed to sell his 20% stake in the Ibrox outfit to Club 1872 in a deal that would overall cost £13.3m (BBC).

However, more recently, criticism has been directed at the supporters group, with King even needing to defend the organisation (The Scottish Sun) as more and more fan condemnation has come their way.

The Latest: Maguire worried

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire has shared his worries and believes King must be careful that the agreement does not fall apart. He said:

“I think Dave King will be monitoring this.

“He wants as swift a resolution of his shareholding position as can be. He also wants to have confidence in the people to whom he does transfer the shares.

“There does appear to be different viewpoints at Club 1872. There have been communications issues, and good communication and transparency is essential in all organisations.

“We saw something similiar happen a few years ago at FC United of Manchester.

“What started out as a body that was incredibly united started to fall apart because people wanted to take the club in a different direction. This might be an issue there at Rangers.”

The Verdict: Big few months

Club 1872 and Rangers supporters have been presented with a fantastic opportunity by King – the chance to become their own club’s major shareholders, giving them a bigger voice in regards to how the club is run. The last thing they need is infighting. They must not take their eye off the ball.

As such, the next few months are likely to be vital. If Club 1872 can sort out their issues and get back on track, there is no reason why the deal can’t go ahead as planned. Should they fail to do so, however, King may need to look at other alternatives.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this pre-season news.

A major update has emerged regarding Rangers dud George Edmundson, it could lead to Ross Wilson needing to make a strong decision. 

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Rangers have received and rejected several offers for centre-back Edmundson following the end of the defender’s loan spell with English Championship side Derby County. The report claims that a number of English clubs are keen on signing Edmundson and have tested Rangers’ resolve with opening salvos.

Edmundson spent the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan to Derby after being slapped with a seven-game ban by the Scottish FA for breaking Covid-19 regulations. The 23-year-old attended a party alongside teammate Jordan Jones during lockdown and was punished for his actions with the ban, leading to his exit from Rangers on loan during the January window.

After Edmundson was found guilty of breaking the protocols, former Scotland international Gary Caldwell suggested that Steven Gerrard “can’t trust” the defender on or off the pitch. He told BBC Sportsound, as transcribed by the Daily Record:

“If you can’t trust the players to adhere to Covid regulations, how can he trust them on the football park? To mark a man from a set piece?

“It’s disappointing for Rangers but also disappointing for Scottish football.

“The situation clubs find themselves in financially, they’re going to need help at some point so we need to be showing Scottish football in the best light and unfortunately, we didn’t do that.”

Wilson must axe him

The time is up for Edmundson at Ibrox and director of football Ross Wilson must now ruthlessly axe him from the club this summer. He has shown, as Caldwell explained, that he cannot be trusted off the pitch and the trust between himself and Gerrard may have been affected in terms of his on the pitch responsibilities as well. The fact Gerrard wanted to send him out on loan to Derby suggests that Edmundson is not part of his immediate plans and Rangers could benefit from moving him on as swiftly as possible.

Wilson needs to take advantage of the interest in Edmundson to bring in a respectable transfer fee for the defender, which could then bolster his own transfer plans. If Rangers can get a six or seven-figure offer for Edmundson then they could use that to bring in Gerrard’s targets to bolster the squad ahead of next season.

The £3.7k-per-week dud also failed to catch the eye on loan at Derby. In 10 Championship appearances for Wayne Rooney’s side, Edmundson averaged an unimpressive WhoScored rating of 6.62 at centre-back. Meanwhile, Connor Goldson, Filip Helander and Leon Balogun all averaged WhoScored ratings of 7.06 or higher in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers at centre-back. This suggests that Edmundson is not even close to Gerrard’s other centre-back options in terms of quality before you even take his off-field issues into considerations. So, Wilson now needs to facilitate an exit for Edmundson and send him back to England this summer.

AND in other news, Wilson must seal deal for £720k-rated ace likened to Pogba, Rangers fans would love it…

VfL Bochum, who are said to be interested in signing Ianis Hagi from Glasgow Rangers this summer, secured promotion to the Bundesliga on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Bochum want Hagi

The Romania international has been heavily linked with a move away from the Gers over the past few weeks, with Sevilla and Lazio in particular mentioned as potential suitors (via The Glasgow Times).

Sport recently reported that German outfit Bochum were also eager to sign the £5.4m-valued 22-year-old.

The Latest: Bochum secure promotion

Bochum have long since been on the verge of a return to the German top flight and they secured a spot in next season’s Bundesliga thanks to a 3-1 win over Sandhausen on Sunday.

As such, they may have become a more attractive destination for Hagi this summer.

The Verdict: Better chance of playing

Since making the move to Ibrox in January 2020, initially on loan before joining permanently just under a year ago, Hagi has done relatively well under Steven Gerrard. In 58 matches in all competitions, he has 11 goals and 17 assists despite not always being a guaranteed starter (Transfermarkt).

However, there have been rumours with regards to his potential departure, and there could well be more transfer interest in him over the next few months.

While Sevilla and Lazio are both attractive propositions and will be playing European football next term, Hagi will have to complete with plenty of top players at those clubs to feature on a regular basis. At Bochum, however, he could have the chance to become a star player and be the man to whom his teammates look for inspiration. It is certainly not a move to be ruled out.

In other news, some Rangers fans demand this politician’s resignation.

Sheffield United centre-forward Oli McBurnie could be looking for a new challenge away from Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s been said?

That’s according to Kevin Campbell, who claimed in an interview with Football Insider that the 24-year-old Scotland international may well be looking for a move away from the club in the upcoming transfer window, following the Blades’ relegation to the Championship.

Indeed, the Daily Mail recently reported that Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side are considering a £15m move for the £24k-per-week man this summer, and Campbell appears to believe the forward would thrive in the Scottish Premiership.

He said: “I think he would be a great signing for Rangers, I really do. He is something different to what they have already got. I’d expect him to score a bucketload of goals up there if he went.

“Rangers dominate the ball and get plenty of crosses into the box which suits his game. He is very good at that so I think he would cause a lot of problems in Scotland.

“I think McBurnie might be looking for a new challenge as well given that Sheffield United got relegated.”

Fans will be fuming

While McBurnie has not exactly set the world alight since joining Sheffield United back in the summer of 2019, the prospect of losing the £10.8m-rated striker ahead of the club’s Championship campaign is likely to leave fans of the Blades fuming.

Indeed, in stark comparison to the 24-year-old’s form in the Premier League, a competition in which he has scored just seven goals and provided two assists over 75 appearances, McBurnie has proven that he very much knows how to find the back of the net at Championship level, scoring 31 goals and registering four assists over his 59 appearances in the second tier.

As such, if Slavisa Jokanovic’s side were to lose the forward – whom Chris Iwelumo once dubbed as “unplayable” – ahead of next season, it would appear to seriously dent the Blades’ hopes of going on to secure an immediate return to the Premier League come next summer.

Furthermore, considering the fact that United signed McBurnie for £20m just two years ago, if the club were to sanction his sale for the £15m fee that is reported, it would also represent a rather significant financial loss on a player who, at just 24 years old, still has a great deal of developing to do as a footballer.

So, while Campbell may well believe that the Scot would be a good fit for Steven Gerrard’s side this summer, Sheffield United fans will undoubtedly be hoping to keep a hold of the striker, as McBurnie would appear to be a key part of Jokanovic’s side heading into next season.

In other news: Jokanovic must sanction £10m Sheffield United swoop for “outstanding” £27k-p/w dynamo

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Josh Windass could exit the club and join Millwall this summer, according to a fresh report which emerged on Friday.

The Lowdown: Windass shines for Owls

Though unable to keep the Owls in the Championship last season, the 27 year-old proved to be an impressive figure for Darren Moore’s side and was hailed as a ‘constant threat’ by pundit Sue Smith.

Windass chipped in with nine goals and five assists in 41 league games in 2020/21, outscoring the rest of his Wednesday teammates.

With Moore’s team now in League One, however, he could look for a way out this summer, eyeing up a return to the second tier of English football.

The Latest: Midfielder could join Millwall

According to Sky Sports [10:02am, Friday 18th June], Millwall are keen on signing Windass this summer and are ‘preparing to make a bid’ for him.

Preston North End and Birmingham City are both believed to be interested, too, as the battle to acquire his signature hots up.

The Verdict: Blow for Wednesday

In an ideal world, Windass would stay put with the Owls, helping them push for promotion back into the Championship under Moore.

Given his production last term, one would have to assume he would be a constant threat for defences in the third tier.

The harsh reality is that he will believe he belongs in the Championship, though, making it likely that he will return there in the near future.

Windass’ contract expires next summer, so Wednesday are in a tricky spot if they try keep hold of him, risking losing the former Rangers youngster on a free transfer next year.

In other news, Sheff Wed have suffered a blow in their quest to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Some Wolves fans have been left to slam the display of Fabio Silva in their 1-0 away loss to Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

In a game that was played in front of several thousand Toffees supporters at Goodison Park, Richarlison grabbed the only goal as Carlo Ancelotti’s team took all three points.

On the opposite side of the pitch, Silva struggled to make an impact, as he lost out on 67% of his duels, and also failed to record a single shot on target or key pass, losing possession of the ball on no fewer than on 13 separate occasions in the match (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, the former FC Porto man will be hoping for a better performance in their final fixture against Manchester United at Molineux.

Wolves fans on Silva display

These WWFC supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one even going as far as to call the 18-year-old ‘petulant’:

“Silva needs to stop diving. #wwfc”

Credit: @kevins1966

“Where was Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ronaldo, etc, etc!! These were class youngsters who always showed they had something about them!! Silva is a petulant kid nowhere good enough & in my opinion never will be. Biggest waste of multi millions in Wolves history.”

Credit: @SteveWiles20

“I really hope we buy an experienced striker over the summer. Fabio Silva is just a kid and out of his depth at the moment.”

Credit: @BalSinghBad

“Stop sending crosses to Fabio. Completely uncapable to connect. It´s like playing with 10 men”

Credit: @RodrigoBecarius

“What the hell is Nuno playing at taking MGW off when you’ve got Silva doing nothing and Moutinho misplacing passes and taking rubbish corners left right and centre. The mind boggles #wolves”

Credit: @mikeaitch20

“Will those fans who still rate Fabio Silva please make an appointment at the nearest psychiatric unit. Thank you. #wwfc”

Credit: @dougan_the

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Wanderers buzzing here!

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee has revealed that he believes his former club West Ham will come up just short in their pursuit to finish in the top four.

After last season’s relegation battle, nobody had the Hammers down to make a serious push to qualify for the Champions League, but after some smart signings and consistency in team selection, David Moyes has put them in a great position.

The arrival of Jesse Lingard from Manchester United in January has further boosted the Hammers’ efforts, especially during Michail Antonio’s latest injury setback, with the England international netting nine goals and notching four assists in the 11 Premier League games he’s played so far.

Speaking on why he thinks West Ham won’t finish in the top four but how it could change the club if they qualify for the Champions League, Lee said exclusively to FFC:

“Yeah, for West Ham to finish there would be an unbelievable achievement but I think they’ll fall short. I hope I’m wrong because it would be great for them.

“It will give them great pulling power if they finish there to bring in some really talented players, because for the top players that’s the pinnacle of their playing career if they make the Champions League.”

Moyes was brought in last season to keep the Hammers in the Premier League, much like in 2018 when he was not offered an extension despite guiding them to safety.

The Hammers are currently in a battle with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur for fourth place and the last Champions League spot, and trail the 4th-placed Blues by three points with five games remaining.

Celtic have been handed a big boost in their bid to keep in-demand striker Odsonne Edouard this summer.

The Hoops forward has been linked with the Parkhead exit door for a considerable period of time and his future remains particularly unclear.

What’s the word?

Edouard has been catching the eye of the English Premier League for over a year now.

Interest mounted last summer but his time in Glasgow has been severely under threat in the last few months.

West Ham wanted him in January while Leicester and Arsenal are now among the frontrunners at this moment in time.

That said, they have now received a boost in their bid to keep him at Lennoxtown. That’s because according to Anfield Central, he’s actually rejected a contract from Liverpool.

They reportedly threw a weekly salary of £60,000 his way but he turned them down because he wasn’t keen on playing second fiddle to their current options.

This is the issue that a number of teams could have this summer which now elevates the hope of him remaining in Scotland.

A key figure

Edouard has been a fantastic servant for Celtic down the years but it’s hard to deny that he hasn’t downed tools in the last few months.

Heading into the Old Firm derby on Sunday, the Frenchman had only scored once in his last five league outings with his overall contribution failing to set the world alight.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

He wasn’t running hard for the team and then when he got in goal scoring positions, he spurned opportunities that you’d back him to finish with his eyes closed.

The Scottish Cup fourth round defeat to Rangers was a particularly bad one. Edouard missed a simple chance from a matter of yards out and then saw a penalty saved by Allan McGregor in the Gers goal.

That said, he is still a devastating player, an individual capable of carrying the Bhoys to glory. He has scored 82 in 166 for Celtic and has 21 goals this term, by far the most of anyone in the current squad.

Edouard looked back to his best last weekend too. Although the Hoops were thrashed 4-1 by their biggest rivals, the striker still put in a shift.

He scored a well-timed header at the back post to equalise and was then described as “magical” by Ally McCoist during Sky Sports’ coverage of the game for plucking a long ball forward out of the sky with a mesmerising touch.

On his day, Edouard can look sluggish and disinterested. However, if he’s in form, he’s undoubtedly the best player in the whole division.

In the last two seasons, the attacker has scored 38 goals in the Premiership, 14 more than Alfredo Morelos for instance.

The fact that he’s rejected a contract from one of the biggest teams in Europe should leave Dermot Desmond and Dominic McKay delighted; they simply have to keep a hold of him.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Bain: Celtic dud who lost 71% duels was “absolutely skinned” today…

Leicester have suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Atalanta full-back Robin Gosens after reports revealed La Liga giants Barcelona have entered the race for his signature.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, Barca are looking at the Germany international as they step up their search for a new left-back.

The report claims that the transfer of Gosens to Leicester was taken for granted but that the 26-year-old has not signed anything with the Foxes, leaving the door open for Ronald Koeman’s charges to pounce.

Fans will be gutted

It was previously reported by Calciomercato that contracts had been drawn up between the Midlands outfit and the defenders’ representatives, implying a move to the King Power Stadium had all but been secured.

With James Justin expected to remain on the treatment table for several months following a serious knee injury, and the experienced Christian Fuchs departing over the summer, Brendan Rodgers is targeting a new left-sided defender to bolster his ranks.

After scoring an outstanding 22 goals and providing a further 16 assists in all competitions over the previous two campaigns, Gosen has attracted the attention of some of the continent’s top clubs, and it seemed as though Leicester had won the race for his signature.

However, the circumstances appear to be rather different in the present day. With Jordi Alba entering the twilight years of his illustrious career and Junior Firpo linked with a move away from the Camp Nou, the Catalan club are also on the search for a solution to their left-back conundrum.

Gosens has played a pivotal part in Atalanta’s incredible success in recent seasons, helping Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to three consecutive third-place finishes in Serie A, as well as a run to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2019/20.

The £31.5m-rated (as per Transfermarkt) beast has just 12 months left to run on his current contract and would, therefore, be available at a reduced price over the coming months, making him the ideal target for Leicester.

But Barca’s ambitions to take the powerful German to Spanish football may ruin those plans and leave Leicester’s supporters gutted.

And, in other news…Leicester City eye move for “magnificent” 22-goal gem, fans will surely be buzzing 

Writing for The Telegraph in his transfer notebook, journalist Mike McGrath has touted Tottenham Hotspur as a possible destination for Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero – saying the Argentine ‘would consider’ a move to north London.

Aguero, who is arguably one of the best Premier League strikers in history, is set to leave City this summer in an emotional farewell after enjoying a phenomenal 10-year stay at Eastlands.

Tottenham touted as possible move

The club are set to commission a statue in his honour, coming after the Argentine cemented his place as City’s all time top goal scorer whilst playing a key role in their hunt for silverware over this last decade.

He also scored the legendary ’93:20′ last minute goal against Queen’s Park Rangers to clinch a first ever Premier League title for the Blues in 2012.

Now, providing an update on his future, McGrath has touted Spurs as a possible move for the 32-year-old star and explained that the Lilywhites are destination he would consider.

This is despite the fact Jose Mourinho’s men are far from guaranteed a place in Europe next season, and it’s the same with Chelsea, who Aguero would also ponder moving to.

The striker, with his deal set to expire, can talk to other clubs freely and arrange a pre-contract – with his representatives still ‘gauging’ the summer market.

Transfer Tavern take

Despite not featuring much this season due to injuries and the competitiveness of Pep Guardiola’s squad, the City boss recently lauded him as an ‘extraordinary’ person given all of his exploits in England (ESPN Brazil via Sports Illustrated).

The fourth highest Premier League goal scorer in history, he has marked himself out as a world class striker time and time again, but it is debatable whether Daniel Levy and co will want to sign him on a free.

On a reported £230,000-per-week amid the coronavirus pandemic, Levy and Spurs may not want that drain on their wage bill when they already have Harry Kane – regardless of Aguero’s pedigree.

In other news: Tottenham and Levy join the race to sign this 6 ft 2 ‘phenomenon’, find out more here.