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There was confusion and hysteria late on in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ MLS play-offs clash with LAFC, with the match referee knocking a player over.

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Action-packed encounter in CanadaLate goal ruled out for offsideOfficials off the hook after bizarre incidentWHAT HAPPENED?

The incident in question occurred in stoppage-time towards the end of a lively contest in Canada. The hosts found themselves trailing with a matter of seconds left on the clock, resulting in them sending everybody forward for a corner.

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As the ball was partially cleared to the edge of the box, Alessandro Schopf attempted to make his way towards it and keep the attack alive. He clattered into the referee, leaving him on the deck, and LAFC raced up the other end of the field as Denis Bouanga tapped into an unguarded net.

DID YOU KNOW?

The officials were unable to do anything about their involvement in a bizarre passage of play that swept from one end of the pitch to the other, but the effort was eventually ruled out for offside following a VAR review – much to the relief of those charged with keeping a lid on proceedings.

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Tim Ford – the referee at the centre of the drama – had already incurred the wrath of Vancouver boss Vanni Sartini when awarding a first-half penalty that Bouanga successfully converted, with the Caps losing their head coach to a red card in a game that eventually finished 1-0.

The Paris Saint-Germain talisman scored a brilliant goal as Luis Enrique’s side kicked off 2024 by lifting the Trophee des Champions

Kylian Mbappe future may still be in doubt, but he offered another reminder of his value to Paris Saint-Germain with a superb goal as the French giants cruised to a 2-0 win over Toulouse.

The hosts had got off to the best possible start when they scored with less than three minutes on the clock. Vitinha and Ousmane Dembele combined brilliantly to tee up Kang-in Lee to side-foot home the opener.

PSG then seemed to switch off before bursting into life again before the break. This time it was Mbappe's turn to thrill the Parc des Princes. The striker drove past three Toulouse defenders before smashing home a powerful shot that effectively ended the game as a contest.

Toulouse did have chances to get back in the game after the break but lacked the effectiveness in front of goal to make PSG pay. The hosts went on to lift their first trophy of the campaign but will certainly be hoping it's not the only silverware they secure this season.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10)

Made a good save in the first half at his near post and another great one-handed effort in stoppage time from a corner to preserve his clean sheet.

Achraf Hakimi (7/10):

Thought he'd doubled PSG's lead but saw his effort blocked with the goal gaping. Almost scored in the second half as well but his free-kick from outside the area hit the woodwork.

Marquinhos (6/10):

Made an important block to deny Toulouse and could have had a goal himself. Put a poor header wide when well placed and was furious with himself.

Milan Skriniar (5/10):

Caught out by Gabriel Suazo in the first half and will have been relieved to see the ball end up in the side netting. Forced off injured midway through the second half in a far-from-impressive showing.

Lucas Hernandez (5/10):

Almost caught out late on and ended up having to take a booking for diving to grab the ball to prevent an attack.

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Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

Neat and tidy with some nice one-touch play for PSG.

Vitinha (7/10):

A gorgeous cross-field pass picked out Dembele to tee up the opening goal. Instrumental in midfield for PSG.

Lee Kang-in (7/10):

Put PSG ahead with a composed finish from Dembele's cross with less than three minutes on the clock. Had other chances, too, including a spectacular overhead kick that just lacked the power to beat the goalkeeper.

GettyAttack

Ousmane Dembele (7/10):

Teed up the opening goal and was a threat all night down the right. Might have scored but his shooting was wayward once again.

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Seemed to be toying with Toulouse until he doubled PSG's lead with a brilliant goal just before the break. Took on three players before unleashing a powerful shot that flew past the goalkeeper.

Bradley Barcola (5/10):

Had some nice moments but wasn't clinical enough. Laid the ball off to Mbappe for the second goal but didn't offer the same threat as Dembele on the opposite flank.

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Subs & manager

Marco Asensio (6/10):

Replaced Dembele on the right and had one chance but couldn't add to PSG's lead.

Randal Kolo Muani (5/10):

Came on for Barcola late in the second half but didn't make much of an impact.

Lucas Beraldo (5/10):

Made his debut after coming on for the injured Skriniar and saw his every touch cheered by the PSG fans.

Luis Enrique (6/10):

Claimed his first trophy as PSG boss and will hope there's more to come. However, he won't be impressed by the chances his team gave up against Toulouse, or their continued lapses in concentration.

Endrick is gearing up to join Real Madrid from Palmeiras in 2024, but his father has revealed just how close he came to signing for Chelsea instead.

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Endrick to join Real after 18th birthdayWas at centre of tug-of-war in 2022Came mightily close to joining ChelseaWHAT HAPPENED?

The prodigious striker will officially sign with Los Blancos in the summer once he turns 18, per FIFA regulations, but he could easily have been on his way to west London. Endrick and his family even visited the Blues' Cobham training ground in 2022 and had begun to envision their lives in England, even down to their church, but a deal was scuppered by Palmeiras' lofty £51 million ($64m) valuation of the then-16-year-old. Real Madrid then pounced, agreeing to sign him for that fee in December 2022 to see off competition from Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

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Speaking to , Endrick's father, Douglas, revealed his son could so easily have been destined for Stamford Bridge instead.

"I have to admit I do not like the cold but my wife and Endrick do," he said. "Endrick really likes playing in the rain. So we received an invitation from Chelsea, from the owner, and we went there to see the club and the country. We watched Chelsea play Arsenal and we got to see the coach, the facilities, Jorginho, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva.

"They explained everything to us. They introduced us to the person who would help us settle in. She showed us the house we would live in, the school Endrick would go to, the church we would attend. Everything was right with us and Chelsea.

"I can’t say 100% because I hadn’t signed, but the deal was agreed. I had already got it into my head that I would live in London with all that cold weather. But then at night, my son’s manager phoned and said that the Chelsea owner had backed out of the deal because the price they would have to pay for Endrick would inflate the market. It was €60m (£51m/$64m) for a 16-year-old boy who would only arrive in the country almost two years later."

Endrick himself, added: "I was very close. My parents really liked London and everyone speaks very highly of it."

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Chelsea may now be ruing their decision, with Endrick going on to fire his side to the Brasilerao title earlier this month as he hit double figures in Serie A, and earning a senior Brazil call-up despite his tender years – beginning to demonstrate his full potential as he prepares to move to Madrid in the summer.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ENDRICK?

Endrick will be enjoying some well-earned rest having played a key role in Palmeiras' title win. However, with domestic football resuming in April in Brazil, the teenager faces the strange scenario of starting a new season with Palmeiras before leaving for Madrid – and another pre-season there – once his contract begins.

Predicting the future of football is never easy, especially when looking at players who could really have legacy-defining eras. With the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, it seemed pretty guaranteed where football's crown was heading for as long as they were playing at the top of European football.

Back in 2019, however, French outlet L'Equipe attempted to predict the stars that would come next, tipping six young players to dominate European football.

Since the prediction four years ago, those players have had incredibly mixed spells, though, and it's fair to say that some have simply failed to live up to their potential.

With that said, we've taken a look at just how their respective careers have gone so far.

6 Karamoko Dembele

Tipped to become the next best thing, Karamoko Dembele was 16 at the time of his inclusion on L'Equipe's 2019 list. Now only 20, it's far too early to completely write off the former Celtic winger.

The pressure at 16 would have been incredibly difficult, and since leaving Scotland, Dembele has struggled to ever kickstart what is still an early career. At Brest last season, though, summing up recent years, the 20-year-old failed to score a single goal.

5 Ansu Fati

Also included on the list was Barcelona's Ansu Fati. And this came as no surprise, considering the winger's emergence as one of the most exciting players at the Nou Camp. Injury issues have halted his rise to the top since, however, with the Spaniard missing 35 games since the 21/22 season.

In the last campaign, he at least started getting things back on track as Barcelona won their first La Liga title under Xavi, and Fati scored seven goals.

4 Sebastiano Esposito

You'd be forgiven for not exactly knowing the name Sebastiano Esposito. Once tipped for great things at Inter Milan, the forward has so far failed to reach his potential.

Still only 21, he has plenty of time to become the player that L'Equipe once tipped him to become back in 2019, but after a failed loan spell at Anderlecht, it's far from looking promising for Esposito.

3 Joelson Fernandes

Once again a name that may not be too familiar with a number of fans, Joelson Fernandes has never really got going at Sporting, despite initially being tipped to become the next best thing.

Making just four appearances for the first team, the winger never looked like reaching his potential in Portugal, and has since spent a season on loan at FC Basel, where he scored four goals, before ending up at Turkish side Hatayspor.

2 Mohamed Amine Ihattaren

Mohamed Amine Ihattaren has had the most difficult journey of these players since being included in L'Equipe's list of young players. There was even a point that the midfielder was reportedly considering retirement due to mental health issues.

The Juventus midfielder didn't feature last season, and it remains to be seen where his future lies in football.

1 Karim Adeyemi

Onto a player that everyone should be familiar with, Karim Adeyemi is well on his way to reaching his potential at Borussia Dortmund. After making the move to the Bundesliga giants back in the summer of last year, and has since enjoyed a promising debut campaign.

Ending the season with nine goals, and six assists, the only way is up for the 21-year-old.

Manchester City wonderkid Claudio Echeverri will be checked by doctors after complaining of strong chest pains on international duty with Argentina.

Echeverri suffered chest pains against ChileWill now undergo medical checksDue to join Man City in January 2025WHAT HAPPENED?

Echeverri is currently with the Argentina squad and played in a 5-0 win over Chile for the Under-23 side in an Olympic Games qualifier. After the victory, the 18-year-old, who has agreed to join Manchester City from River Plate, revealed he suffered chest pains during the match and confirmed he will speak to the medical team and have the issue checked.

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He told : “I had a very strong pain in my chest, I couldn't breathe well and I was very scared. Just in case, I'm going to talk to the doctors to see what it is because something like this had never happened to me and I felt very scared."

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Echeverri received treatment on the pitch for several minutes in the first half of the match and was taken off on a stretcher. However, he did subsequently continue before being replaced in the 64th minute. Argentina's win means the team qualify for the second round with a match to spare as they bid to secure a place at the 2024 Paris Games.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ECHEVERRI?

The issue is clearly a cause for real concern for Echeverri and Argentina, with the youngster set to be checked out before being cleared to return to action. Echeverri is set to spend the rest of the year with River Plate and will then head to Premier League champions City in January 2025.

Spanning ten rounds, the Regional Four-Day Championship will have six regional franchises playing each other home and away, and West Indies’ selectors are on the look out for talent

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2017Consistent batsmen and fast bowlers clocking more than 80mph are on the West Indies selectors’ wish list when the Regional Four-Day Championship begins on October 26.”Finding a few consistent batsmen is important, but what is also key for us is to unearth some young fast bowlers, so that we can add to the pool that we currently have, especially players that can clock in the high 80 to 90 mph range,” Courtney Browne, chairman of the Cricket West Indies selection panel, said. “So this upcoming regional season is key for players. There is an upcoming tour to the Caribbean by the England Lions early next year and such a high-profile ‘A’ Team tour has not happened in a number of years. It is where our players can showcase their talent and we can identify players for selection to our ‘A’ Team.”Spanning ten rounds, the Regional Four-Day Championship will have six regional franchises playing each other home and away. The teams are: Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes.Browne urged the players to focus on fitness and consistency in performance, should they harbour hopes of retaining their place, or breaking into, the West Indies side.”We would also like to urge players to work on their fitness and aim at achieving the fitness levels expected as our international teams have ramped up their fitness and conditioning work,” Browne said. “There are cases where players do perform and may not make it into the senior team as quickly as persons expect.”If there are players in the senior team that are already there, they have to be given a full opportunity and the emerging player will have to wait a bit longer than usual, rather than the chopping and changing approach. But we would urge them to continue to strive for consistency and show it over a longer period and not a one-off performance.”The tournament will be played in three phases – from October 26 to January 21 – with all matches starting on a Thursday. Six matches will be played with a pink ball under lights.”As selectors, we are happy with the length of the season,” Browne said. “We believe 10 matches in the #D4Day [the four-day championship] is a good yardstick for the players and for us.”

Mark Stoneman and James Vince added a century stand for the second wicket as England doused some of Australia’s fire in the opening Ashes exchanges

The Report by Andrew Miller22-Nov-2017England 196 for 4 (Vince 83, Stoneman 53) v Australia
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWhen England’s Ashes tourists were dubbed the “Un-name-ables”, it was the likes of James Vince and Mark Stoneman whom the detractors would have had in mind – if only they could have picked them out of the crowd. Two first-time visitors to Australia, with a solitary half-century from ten previous Tests between them, their reputations were so lowly that they could only get better, or so the selectors’ logic would have you believe.But lo and behold, by the close of another frenetic, absorbing first day at the Gabba, Vince had replaced that blanked-out question mark on his profile page with a perfect array of no-filter cover-drives, while Stoneman – in reaching his fifth consecutive half-century of the tour – had announced himself as the sort of imperturbable left-handed nugget upon whom English Ashes victories Down Under have recently been founded.But before anyone starts to equate Vince’s elegance with Michael Vaughan’s tour de force in 2002-03, or Stoneman’s insouciance with Chris Broad’s and Alastair Cook’s efforts in 1986-87 and 2010-11 respectively, it’s worth taking a second look at a scorecard that confirms how hard England were forced to battle for even a share of the spoils.Despite enjoying periods of rare dominance in the midst of a second-wicket stand of 125 that, remarkably, outshone any England partnership at any stage of their dismal last visit in 2013-14, England started and finished the day in a rare old scrap – first with Mitchell Starc exploiting once again Cook’s weakness against quality left-arm seam to bag him for 2 in the third over, and then in the twilight, as Nathan Lyon in particular backed up his extreme pre-match lippiness with one of the finest wicketless spells of first-day offspin ever witnessed in an Ashes contest.Lyon did, however, produce the single most significant moment of Australia’s day – a pinpoint pick-up-and-shy from the covers to run out Vince for a career-best 83. It was the opening that his side desperately needed, and while it may not have been fully exploited before the close, the loss of Joe Root, lbw to the persevering Pat Cummins for 15, did leave Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan clinging on to the close. They did so in a gutsy 33-run stand, but when play was controversially suspended moments after a tight lbw appeal from Starc against Malan, the day’s honours had been left more or less even at 196 for 4, even if Australia’s second new ball was a mere three deliveries old.How much of a difference would it have made to the balance of power had Vince made it through to the close? It’s not the sort of rhetorical question that had been predicted when he was recalled – amid scenes of barely surpressed mockery – to be England’s nailed-on Ashes No. 3. After all, his Test career had appeared dead in the water when he was dropped after the 2016 home summer, with 212 runs at 19.27 to his name.But the selectors evidently saw something in the quality of his shot-making that deserved a second chance, and in powering past his previous Test best of 42, he returned that faith in spades.Under overcast skies and with palpable humidity in the air, there must have been a temptation for England’s captain, Root, to bowl first after winning the toss – not that such a course of action is remotely acceptable in Ashes contests these days, given what happened when Nasser Hussain went down that route in 2002-03.Mark Stoneman and James Vince take a run•Getty ImagesInstead, Root trusted in his untested top order to deliver the goods, and from the moment the shine went off the new ball and the sluggish nature of Kevin Mitchell Jnr’s final Test wicket was fully revealed, any lingering doubts about his wisdom had been vanquished. Not that he really wanted Vince to be involved in the action as early as the third over – but, having avoided temptation in Mitchell Starc’s first over, Cook had no riposte to a perfect off-stump outswinger that kissed the edge through to Peter Handscomb at first slip.But right from the outset, Vince had his game brain in full working order. With Australia’s three seamers favouring a full-length approach, there was ample opportunity for Vince to unfurl his favourite cover drive, and one stroke in particular – off Josh Hazlewood in the 11th over – was pure Vaughan in poise and execution. He had one significant let-off on 68, when Tim Paine, of all people, shelled a snick behind the stumps off Lyon to leave the wicketkeeper’s card marked seven years after his last Test. Fortunately, Lyon himself made sure that the damage wasn’t irreparable.At the other end, Stoneman showed that Cook’s influence persists even when his form isn’t quite as it might be. His judgement outside off was impeccable, particularly against the probing Starc, as the pair’s partnership was stretched across 52 overs plus a lengthy rain delay that pushed the tea interval back by an hour and 20 minutes, and effectively forced them to make two separate starts to their innings.At the culmination of a month of ceaseless Ashes hype, crowned with a week of the purest trash-talk in Brisbane, the manner in which they drew the sting of the most feared Australian venue of them all was inspiring, and at times distantly reminiscent of England’s famous second innings on this ground in 2010-11.But, having nudged coolly along to a Test-best second half-century, it took the ball of the day from the energetic Cummins, a reverse-swinging howitzer that trimmed the top of his bails, to send Stoneman on his way in the closing moments of the afternoon session.It was a telling breakthrough, with Australia just beginning to make the old ball talk, and though that ball did have to be changed after landing in a puddle by the boundary’s edge, Cummins soon found the length and the skill with the replacement to thud a big inswinger into Root’s pad to pin him lbw for 15.At 163 for 4, England were a couple of quick blows from squandering their hard-fought position, and with Lyon settling into a edge-threatening rhythm against the left-handed pairing of Moeen and Malan, the prospect of the Gabba making a Kraken-like awakening could not be remotely ruled out.Both men lived dangerously, beaten time and again outside off, as the floodlights blinked into action to add a further layer of threat to England’s position. But it was Starc’s trio of deliveries with the second new ball that offered the starkest reminder of the threat that persists in Australia’s ranks. Despite being made to toil, they stayed very emphatically in the hunt.

England and New Zealand played out an entertaining series, although the decider was one-sided. What stood out over the five matches?

Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton11-Mar-2018England’s batting can adaptThere was little doubt about England’s prowess on true batting pitches, but questions remained how willing they were to curb their natural instincts with the Champions Trophy semi-final against Pakistan and two startling collapses against the swinging ball, at Lord’s and in Adelaide, as examples. The victory in Wellington on a grubby, uneven drop-in pitch was, therefore, significant with them having to assess that it wasn’t even a 270 wicket and dig their way to a defendable score. In fact, the major collapse which came in this series was a new variety: losing 8 for 46 in Dunedin having been 267 for 1. But to knock off the runs in Christchurch in such domineering fashion meant that the batting bandwagon continued to role.Liam Plunkett plays a vital roleLed by Man of the Series Chris Woakes, England were outstanding with the new ball – never letting New Zealand get off to a flyer and twice keeping them to under three-an-over in the first 10. In three of the matches that was backed up very effectively by the spin pair of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali. However, the contrast between spin and pace in the middle overs was stark: between overs 11 and 40, the spinners took 11 wickets and conceded 4.50 per over, the quicks took three wickets and conceded 5.96. Partly, that can be attributed to the spinners bowling extensively in that period, but it also highlighted the crucial role that Liam Plunkett has played in extracting life when the two new balls have become a little softer and before ‘death’ skills take over. In 2017, Plunkett was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in ODIs. He is in that World Cup starting XI, fitness permitting.New Zealand have a problem at the topNew Zealand’s opening partnership had a shocker. The highest stand between Martin Guptill and Colin Munro in five matches was 12. It meant, in the four matches he played, Kane Williamson was exposed early. He is good enough to overcome that, but it’s an added pressure on the captain. Barring his 49 in Wellington – a worthy if lucky innings – Munro was batting in single digits. It appeared to have a knock-on effect on Guptill who, even in his two more substantial innings, could not break the shackles. Munro had showed some promise when pushed up to the opening role but against high-quality seam and swing he is vulnerable. With the 2019 World Cup in the first part of the English season, that could be a problem.Ross Taylor brings out the trademark hundred celebration•Getty ImagesBen Stokes can keep his focusThe start of the series marked the big comeback. Five months after the incident in Bristol that led to a not-guilty plea to a charge of affray, Ben Stokes returned to international cricket. In truth it was a soft landing, a world away from the reception and scrutiny he would have received in Australia. Still, Stokes has had a lot on his plate so it wasn’t a given how seamlessly he would slot back in. Parking the debate about whether he should have been on the tour, it was a successful series for him. He almost turned the opening match with two wickets and was Man of the Match in Mount Maunganui. He was never used for his full 10 overs – and his Test workload will be interesting to watch – but he hit good pace, looked in decent nick with the bat (his determination in Wellington was impressive) and was a livewire in the field.Ish Sodhi makes his caseAt the beginning of the series, Ish Sodhi was effectively included in the squad as cover for fellow legspinner Todd Astle who was carrying a niggle. He quickly became the first-choice. Hamilton was Sodhi’s first ODI since last May, when New Zealand took a second-string side to Ireland, but was preferred throughout when the XI wanted two spinners and his career-best 4 for 58 helped turn the match in Dunedin. There was some severe tap for him in Christchurch courtesy of Jonny Bairstow and there remained plenty of loose stuff thrown in, but he is a wicket-taker. Continuing to work on his batting and fielding could be key to whether he makes the 2019 World Cup squad.Ross Taylor on one leg is better than some on twoIt’s a decent pub debate: was New Zealand’s greatest ODI innings played by Ross Taylor in Dunedin? He is batting on another level at the moment, the unbeaten 181 followed another matchwinning hundred in Hamilton, and New Zealand will be desperate that his body stands up for at least another 18 months. Alongside Williamson he is irreplaceable in this current New Zealand era. The match he was run out in and the two he missed, New Zealand lost. Though Tom Latham showed development in the middle-order role – combining with Taylor for stands of 178 and 187 – the loss of either Taylor or Williamson is too great a burden for the team to cover.

Tottenham Hotspur have now held talks with Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki's representatives over a potential summer move to the Premier League, but they may face competition for his signature from Chelsea, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham have already made a number of attacking signings this summer, bringing in the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Manor Solomon. However, manager Ange Postecoglou is still keen to bolster his squad even further, recently saying:

“We’re working with the players we’ve got at the moment and I’m really happy with the way they are all working hard.

“But we’ve obviously still got time in the transfer window and we’re still looking to do some business.”

On Saturday night, Spurs were linked with a shock move for Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, as the French club are now considering a sale, however, that move does not seem very likely, given that he will surely be keen to play Champions League football.

Postecoglou is tasked with finding a potential replacement for Harry Kane, amid the uncertainty over the striker's future, with reports from Germany recently detailing his wife and family have been spotted in Germany inquiring about houses and schools.

The Lilywhites have therefore made an approach for Fiorentina striker Arthur Cabral, although the report also claims they have several other names on the list of potential replacements for their talisman.

Tottenham are also seemingly still keen on another attacking midfielder, with Football Transfers recently reporting they have held talks with the representatives of Cherki in London.

The 19-year-old is said to be regarded as one of French football's hottest prospects, and he has been attracting the attention of some top Premier League clubs, with Chelsea also holding talks over a summer move.

As a result of their financial problems, Lyon would be open to selling the youngster, but only for the right price, having already knocked back an offer from Chelsea. The Blues are ready to make an offer of €40m (£35m) for the Lyon star, so Tottenham may have to move swiftly if they are to win the race for his signature.

What position does Rayan Cherki play?

The Frenchman is capable of playing in several attacking positions, including on both wings, and he has occasionally played as a striker, however, he has predominantly featured in an advanced midfield role throughout his career so far.

Lauded as a "difference-maker" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the starlet ranks in the 84th percentile for assists per 90 in the past year, showcasing his creative flair, while he also places in the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions.

The Lyon-born attacker is still very young, but he has already established himself as a key first-team player with his current club, having made 34 Ligue 1 appearances last season, following up the 2021-22 campaign in which he made 27 outings.

As such, the indication is that Cherki would be able to push the likes of Maddison, Kulusevski and Heung-min Son for a starting spot from the get-go, and he could be a very good acquisition for Tottenham.

Glasgow Rangers will certainly miss Alfredo Morelos, despite his sharp drop-off in the previous few seasons. The Colombian striker scored 124 goals across just 269 games for the Ibrox side, yet his final two campaigns saw him net only 30 times, looking like a shadow of his former self at times.

Michael Beale decided not to offer him an extended contract, along with Ryan Kent and three others, and in time, it could perhaps be looked upon as the best choice for both parties.

With his departure, the Light Blues will require some attacking reinforcements ahead of next term, especially with Celtic racing away with the Premiership title last season, scoring 21 more goals than the Gers, an area which needs vast improvement.

The club have been linked with a move for West Bromwich Albion striker Karlan Grant according to Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop, who tweeted: “West Brom will listen to offers for striker Karlan Grant this summer. Grant has Championship admirers while Scottish side Rangers have registered an interest. Grant signed a six-year deal when he joined the Baggies for £15m in 2020 but he can now leave Albion.”

The forward is now valued at €4.5m (£4m) by Football Transfers and with three years left on his current deal, Beale may have to pay this sort of fee to secure his signature.

Could Karlan Grant replace Alfredo Morelos at Rangers?

Like Morelos, Grant had a fairly underwhelming 2022/2023 season, scoring just five times for the Baggies across all competitions, however, this shouldn’t put Beale off a potential move.

During 2021/2022, Grant netted 18 goals and grabbed six assists across 44 Championship matches, demonstrating how effective he can be in front of goal, while ranking first in the West Brom squad for goals, scoring frequency and big chances created as well as ranking second for shots per game, clearly suggesting his attacking talents were the best in the squad and if he could replicate this sort of form in Scotland, Grant could cause havoc for opposition defenders.

Presenter Colin Murray lauded the striker for being “clutch”, such is his talent for scoring vital goals and Beale would love a forward who could arrive at Ibrox and hit the ground running straight away.

77 goals and 22 assists in 274 matches isn’t the most prolific strike rate in the world, however his ability to float between a centre-forward role and coming just off the left wing means he can offer more than just goals for this Rangers side next season, with one of his key strengths being his ability to cut inside effectively as per WhoScored.

There will likely be more than one attacking option joining the club this summer, however, signing Grant, should remain top of the priority list, especially considering Beale lured Todd Cantwell to Ibrox following a disappointing six-month spell for Norwich in the Championship and he has already shone – bagging six goals and four assists in just 16 Premiership appearances.