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Aston Villa are eyeing a move for a former player, as reports link Adama Traore with a potential return to Villa Park.

Unai Emery and Monchi have teamed up in the Midlands to orchestrate a stellar transfer window so far, however, the duo could face their first summer disaster by opting to secure the services of the Spaniard well known in the area.

Is Adama Traore a free agent?

Following the expiration of his contract with Wolves, the winger is officially a free agent this summer.

As reported by Football Insider, the 27-year-old could be part of a ‘surprise move’ for the Villans, who look to obtain another attacking talent following the addition of Moussa Diaby.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Valued at €9.6m (£8.2m) by FootballTransfers, the Spaniard’s value has decreased significantly since his £18m move to Molineux in 2018, which should be a red flag for Villa’s pursuit.

How good is Adama Traore?

Described as a “beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the winger is one of the most challenging figures for defenders to come up against in one-versus-one situations on the flanks, however, his threat tends to end prematurely.

In 157 appearances for Wolves, the 5 foot 11 graduate from the infamous La Masia set-up netted just ten goals in the Premier League, highlighting his inefficiency in producing from his take-on efforts.

The Spaniard made just ten Premier League appearances for Villa during his time at Villa Park, ending a lacklustre stay with a move to Middlesbrough after just a year.

A return for the winger could be detrimental to the project that Emery is building with the club, with the player providing very little in his end product throughout the years in the top tier.

Earlier this year, pundit Jason Cundy posed the question on talkSPORT whether Traore was the “most frustrating player a manager could have”, with his poor form in registering goals and assists being a recurring theme for the explosive winger.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the Villans have obtained the services of a lacklustre player with sufficient talent, with Philippe Coutinho’s future in doubt after failing to live up to expectations at Villa Park.

The Brazilian has netted six times in the Premier League in 39 appearances for Villa, making for frustrating viewing for the side who expected to capture the once magical aura of the winger.

Emery could avoid a repeat of the disaster of the Coutinho transfer by swerving a move for Traore, who, unlike the former Liverpool ace, doesn’t have past accolades to fall back on to support his claim to form.

Throughout his career, the Spaniard’s highest-scoring season in England came in the 2017/18 campaign, in which he netted five times for Middlesbrough in the Championship.

For Villa, the ambition showed already in the window and on the field last term should be continued throughout the entirety of the summer, making a move for the dud could halt the tempo.

The club are reported to have the finances to bring in a further winger of moderate value, giving Emery and Monchi further options beyond exploring a deal to restore Traore’s stay in the Midlands.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules are often controversial in football, given the amount of money involved in the sport these days. Clubs must ensure that they run a tight ship to avoid any potential breaches.

Of course, the biggest case we've seen regarding FFP is with Manchester City. The treble winners charged back in February, with the case currently ongoing.

Meanwhile, their neighbours, Manchester United, have had similar luck after being hit with a fine for a small breach of FFP rules in a disappointing moment for the Red Devils.

They'll certainly want to avoid any more breaches of the rule.

Why were Man United fined by FFP?

As per Simon Stone of BBC Sport, the Red Devils have been fined €300k (£257.02k) for a minor breach of FFP rules. The club is said to be disappointed, with the fine a result of changes in the way that UEFA treated losses suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In full, he explained: "Man Utd fined €300,000 by UEFA for 'minor' FFP breach. Club disappointed re this. Say fine due to change in way UEFA treated COVID-19 related losses. Utd 'continue to support enforcement of rules to promote FFP + sustainability across domestic + Euro football'."

United reportedly reiterated their desire to support the enforcement of the rules to promote FFP, and sustainability across European and domestic football.

With that said, it seems as though United are keen to avoid any further breaches, given their disappointment over receiving the fine.

United's statement in full, via The Athletic, said: “While disappointed by the outcome, Manchester United accepts this fine for what UEFA acknowledges to be a minor technical breach of its previous Financial Fair Play rules.

“This reflected a change in the way that UEFA adjusted for COVID-19 losses during the 2022 reporting period, which allowed us to recognise only €15m of the €281m of revenues lost due to the pandemic within the FFP calculation.

“Post-pandemic, the clubs’ revenues have recovered strongly and are forecast to reach a record level in the current financial year. The club continues to support the enforcement of rules to promote financial fair play and sustainability across domestic and European football.”

Manchester United's losses

During the pandemic, the Manchester club suffered a net loss of £92.2m in 2021, according to the Financial Times, with revenues falling by 3% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, failing to bounce back in the 21/22 season, the club announced a net loss of £115.5m, but with a revenue increase of 18%.

United aren't the only club to be hit with a fine, either, with Barcelona also receiving a €500k (£428.36k) fine for wrongly reporting profits on non-player sales.

Fortunately for the Red Devils, as explained in The Athletic, the fine is related to past issues, so it will not damage their transfer budget this summer, as Erik ten Hag looks to build from the foundation set in his debut campaign last season.

Regaining a Champions League spot, United's revenue should receive a boost from featuring among Europe's elite once more, perhaps leading to far better numbers come the end of next season.

So far this summer, they've signed just one player, with that being Mason Mount. The England international arrived from Chelsea for a reported £55m.

It remains to be seen who else Ten Hag welcomes through the Old Trafford doors this summer, however.

Southampton could be set to lose one of their loanees for good, with a fresh report revealing that they have received an enquiry regarding his services.

Southampton's strikers options

The Championship side had Che Adams, Adam Armstrong and Sekou Mara as their natural options at centre-forward before the summer transfer window opened, but that didn’t stop the hierarchy from wanting to bolster their ranks even further.

Following a lengthy battle, Russell Martin’s side secured the services of Sunderland’s former striker Ross Stewart before the deadline, meaning that the boss could get rid of any existing squad members that he knew he wasn’t going to use over his new signing.

One of those was Paul Onuachu, who put pen to paper on a season-long loan with Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor, and it’s fair to say that the 29-year-old has made an exceptional start to his temporary spell on the road at the Papara Park.

The Nigeria international has firmly established himself as Abdullah Avci’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.28 (WhoScored – Trabzonspor statistics), and this impressive form has caught the eye of another mystery club overseas.

Paul Onuachu attracting interest overseas

According to Turkish outlet Fotospor (via The Real EFL), Paul Onuachu is gaining attention from Turkey. Trabzonspor are "not currently exploring a permanent deal" for the attacker despite his positive start, but his displays have been taken note of by one other unnamed club in the same league.

The Southampton star's loan club had made contact to discover the price of a move but were made aware that another secret admirer had also made an enquiry, so it's likely that chiefs will want to sanction his sale next summer.

Whilst Onuachu has failed to get off the mark at Southampton, he’s got straight up and running for Trabzonspor with five contributions, four goals and one assist, to his name in seven appearances (Transfermarkt -Onuachu statistics), form which has seen him hailed a “top finisher” by journalistJosh Bunting.

The Owerri native, who pockets £34k-per-week (Trabzonspor salaries), is also currently averaging 2.3 shots per league game (WhoScored – Onuachu statistics), highlighting his constant desire to hit the back of the net even if the end product isn’t always there.

Headed attempts

Holding onto the ball

Finishing

Defensive contribution

Aerial duels

(Data via WhoScored)

Standing at 6 foot 7, the colossus is the ideal target man, recording 4.4 aerial wins per match in the Super Lig with his physical presence posing a real threat to the opposition’s defence, making him a handful to deal with.

Therefore, Southampton permanently selling him next summer could be somewhat of a mistake because he's proven what he's capable of achieving if given a consistent run of games, so he deserves to be handed the opportunity to showcase his talents upon his return.

Mark Goldbridge has been reacting to news that Dean Henderson could be set to stay at Manchester United to provide support for Andre Onana, despite previous rumours suggesting he could be set to leave Old Trafford.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United?

According to The Manchester Evening News, Henderson could now be set to stay at Manchester United following an injury to Tom Heaton that is expected to keep the veteran stopper out for a few weeks.

Henderson had been expected to join Nottingham Forest on a loan deal with an option-to-buy amid discussions between the Tricky Trees and Manchester United, yet his future plans could now be taken out of his hands due to a lack of available options between the sticks.

Kicker via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Matej Kovar, who is another one of Erik Ten Hag's understudies at Old Trafford is expected to join Bayer Leverkusen, as he stated on Twitter X: "Bayer Leverkusen sign Matěj Kovář from Man United on permanent deal. Fee will be €9m, as per Kicker. First part of medical tests will take place today."

Last term, £100k-a-week earner Henderson made 20 appearances on loan at Nottingham Forest and managed to keep six clean sheets in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Last year, Manchester United goalkeeper Henderson famously blasted the Premier League giants after they were believed to have failed to follow through on their promise of allowing him to replace David De Gea as number one stopper at the club after the EURO 2020 Championships.

Cited via talkSPORT, the England international said some time after joining Nottingham Forest on loan: "The conversation I had coming out of the Euros squad was 'you're coming back here to be the No.1. I got COVID, came back, so I should have still been the No.1, but then unfortunately nobody followed through with what they had told me. It was frustrating because I turned down so many good loans last summer for that reason, and they would not let me go. To sit there and waste 12 months, it is criminal really, at my age, I was fuming."

Nottingham Forest have also moved to bring in USA international goalkeeper Matt Turner this window on a four-year contract and it remains to be seen if any knock-on effect will be had with regard to Henderson's potential return to the City Ground as the window drags on, as per BBC Sport.

United in Focus cite that Red Devils boss Ten Hag has signalled that Henderson will not be available to take part in Manchester United's Premier League opener with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, with the Dutchman stating the following: “All the others (players struggling with injuries), like Henderson and Hojlund, are quite short but it will take a few weeks."

What has Mark Goldbridge said about Dean Henderson?

Speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge thinks that there is 'no chance' Henderson would be able to upstage first-choice goalkeeper Onana if he is to be kept on at the club.

Goldbridge said: "There's a very big chance that Dean Henderson will have to stay and be the understudy and he has got no chance of being the goalkeeper ahead of Onana unless Onana gets injured and then if Onana comes back, he'll be out anyway. I don't really care if Dean Henderson stays as a backup goalkeeper, because he's a good goalkeeper and as a backup, that'd be absolutely fine, but it's 100% not what he wants to happen and also, it's another player really we needed to sell to bring some money in.

"It's bad news in that sense, it's horrific news for the player, but apparently Tom Heaton's got a bit of an injury so Dean Henderson may well end up staying now."

Henderson may well have to stay put for now and undoubtedly is a more than able deputy for Onana when necessary; however, you can't help but feel that his own career trajectory may suffer if he isn't gaining regular first-team involvement at Manchester United.

The task of replacing Declan Rice was always going to be difficult, but now in August and West Ham are no closer to finding his replacement.

James Ward-Prowse seemed to be the leading contender, however, the Irons are set to walk away from the deal after having a second bid rejected for the Southampton captain.

David Moyes wants to recruit two midfielders after the £105m sale of Rice to Arsenal, ideally with Premier League experience.

Denis Zakaria is reportedly on the shortlist, but it is hard to suggest that his seven English top-flight appearances constitute Moyes’ key condition.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Whilst the Scotsman and new technical director Tim Steidten come to understand each other’s philosophies, the search must continue, with Tyler Adams another possible option.

Is Tyler Adams leaving Leeds?

According to GIVEMESPORT, Leeds United are looking to offload Adams this summer and the Hammers are interested.

Reputable journalist Ben Jacobs spoke to the outlet, saying: “I would keep one eye on West Ham United, who are obviously in the market for that kind of player."

As part of his contract, the American had a relegation release clause, ramping upon speculation that he’s set to leave Elland Road.

Although Adams only has 24 Premier League outings to his name, he’d be a far more logical choice than Zakaria.

How good is Tyler Adams?

The 36-cap international only joined Leeds last summer and was viewed as a direct replacement for Kalvin Phillips, who joined Manchester City in the same window.

Then-manager Jesse Marsch, who previously worked with Adams at RB Salzburg, predicted him to have a glittering future, saying: "I have worked with a tonne of talented players. But the ones that right away you can see they have something. It is the work they do on a daily basis, their love of improvement, their love of competitiveness, their fearlessness.

"Honestly, the first player that I ever coached who I saw that in was Tyler Adams. At 15, it was so easy to see that he had the tools, mostly from a mental and intelligence perspective, to do whatever it takes.”

The 5 foot 9 protector possesses a defensive solidarity that emphatically trumps West Ham's other main target in Zakaria. Adams outperforms the Swiss for tackles per 90 (3.72 vs 2.37), interceptions per 90 (1.46 vs 1.04), blocks per 90 (2.00 vs 0.89), and aerials won per 90 (1.04 vs 0.00).

Moreover, the former RB Leipzig sensation ranks within the top 3% in Europe’s top five Leagues among his positional peers for tackles and blocks per 90, as well as the highest 18% for interceptions per 90.

Adams has also displayed that he is more astute and forward-thinking on the ball, outranking Zakaria for progressive passes per 90 (5.68 vs 1.78), and progressive carries per 90 (0.79 vs 2.22).

Therefore, the £55k-per-week titan has still emerged from the rubble of Leeds’ disappointing relegation with a commendable degree of respect and a more reliable asset than Zakaria.

Once hailed as a “machine” by journalist Wes Rucker, Adams looks destined to continue playing Premier League football, and he could go some of the way to easing the departure of Rice.

Aston Villa have bolstered their playing squad with three new signings during the summer transfer window but one of their players is now being touted with an exit…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to the Daily Mail, Burnley have submitted an offer of £12m to sign Villans attacking midfielder Aaron Ramsey ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

The report claims that the Clarets are in talks with the club over a deal to snap up the England youth international after they won promotion from the Championship last term.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Unai Emery has brought in Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, and Pau Torres to strengthen his team and it remains to be seen whether or not he is willing to sanction an exit for Jacob Ramsey's brother.

How good is Aaron Ramsey?

The Villa head coach must avoid the first big transfer blunder of his time at the club by keeping hold of the English dynamo instead of selling him to Burnley this summer.

Ramsey is an exciting young talent who is coming off the back of an impressive second-tier campaign with Norwich and Middlesbrough on loan.

The Villans should not be quick to move on such a promising prospect as the potential is there for him to be a big player for the club in the future if he is able to develop and translate his Championship and academy form over to the Premier League.

Last season, Ramsey averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 29 league matches for Boro and the Canaries combined, which is a score that only three Villa players – John McGinn, Emi Martinez, and Douglas Luiz – bettered in the Premier League.

The magical technician produced an impressive eight goals and four assists from an attacking midfield position, which shows that the young gem is capable of making things happen at the top end of the pitch with regularity despite his age and inexperience.

Meanwhile, no Villa midfielder managed more than six top-flight goals during the 2022/23 campaign and only two players in that position provided more than four assists.

Ramsey, who was dubbed "selfless" by ex-boss Michael Carrick, caught the eye in the Championship after enjoying a terrific time at U21 level for the Villans. He racked up 15 goals and eight assists in 30 U21 matches for the club prior to his first-team breakthrough.

This shows that the 20-year-old magician has been able to make a big impact for Villa's youth team and at two different second-division clubs, which means that he has been able to adapt and remain consistent despite having to play in varying leagues and with various managers and teammates.

Therefore, Ramsey could be able to handle the step up to the Premier League with Villa and could be a player with the potential to burst onto the scene this season as a goal scoring and creating midfielder.

This is why Emery must not sanction a move toTurf Moor for the academy graduate as he could be a terrific option for the Spanish head coach and improve his midfield's goal output if given an opportunity over the months to come.

Tottenham Hotspur are now leading the race for Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, as his current club may be forced to cash-in on him this summer, a report has revealed.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has recently suggested that Tottenham may "feel they're a little bit thin" at centre-back, but they are actively working on signing one before the deadline, having opened talks with Fulham over a move for Tosin Adarabioyo.

A new central midfielder is being targeted by Ange Postecoglou, with Chelsea's Conor Gallagher believed to be of interest, while the manager is also keen on a replacement for Harry Kane, with talks set to go ahead over Lille's Jonathan David and Gent's Gift Orban.

As such, it is clear Spurs are eager to strengthen the spine of their team, but they are also running the rule over new wide options, and Johnson has emerged as a key target, with Fabrizio Romano recently providing an update on their pursuit of the Forest man.

Speaking on X, the transfer expert said: "Tottenham, prepared to approach Nottingham Forest for Brennan Johnson this week. Ange Postecoglou has already approved this potential move,"

"Not easy deal as Forest already rejected big proposals but interest in Brennan is growing now."

Romano's update follows on from a report from Football Insider, which states Tottenham are now in pole position to sign the winger, who is also being targeted by Chelsea, and the deal could be done in the next week.

In the final days of the transfer window, Forest may be forced to cash-in on the Welshman, as they are struggling to comply with Financial Fair Play, after shelling out a considerable amount of money on signings last season.

The Tricky Trees will be hoping to receive a fee of at least £40m for their academy graduate, and the Lilywhites have been keeping tabs on him for some time, having left scouts wowed with some of his performances.

Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE

How many goals has Brennan Johnson scored?

Since breaking into the first team with his boyhood club, the 22-year-old has gone on to score 29 goals in 108 games, during which time he has amassed 12 assists, while he also picked up 13 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances for Lincoln City.

The Wales international has impressed the manager of his national side, Robert Page, who said in 2022: “He’s almost the finished article now and Forest have got a wonderful player on their hands.

“I’ve been to watch him a few times and he’s playing with freedom. He’s really enjoying his football.”

The versatile attacker, who is capable of playing in three positions, has scored two goals in 19 appearances for his national side, and he was impressive in front of goal in his debut Premier League season last term, scoring eight times in 38 matches.

Johnson's versatility could make him a great option for Postecoglou, and Tottenham will be hoping to get a deal over the line before the September 1st deadline, having put themselves in a strong position to win the race for his signature.

Leeds United have a huge summer ahead of them in the coming months, needing to build a side capable of surviving the drop in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.

The Whites will be attempting to do something which no side has managed in the last two seasons, in maintaining their top-flight status after securing promotion from the Championship.

Southampton, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Luton Town, Burnley, and Sheffield United have all tried and failed, handing Daniel Farke a huge task to prevent the club from being added to such a list.

The German has already had questions asked about his future at Elland Road, with the Whites manager potentially being replaced before the start of the next campaign.

Regardless of the situation, the foundations have already been laid for the summer window, with numerous players already linked with a summer switch to Yorkshire.

An update on Leeds’ hunt for new signings this summer

Over the last few weeks, rumours have emerged over Leeds making a potential move for Newcastle United’s midfielder Sean Longstaff, but could face huge competition from other top-flight sides for his signature.

Everton have been named as the latest side to enter the race for his services, with the Magpies only demanding a £10m fee to part ways with the 27-year-old.

His experience in the division could be vital for the Whites’ chances of securing survival next season, potentially being joined by Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, if recent reports are to be believed.

It was reported by BILD via Sport Witness that the Whites are keen on a move for the 27-year-old this summer, looking to cement his place as number one under Farke.

It also states that no asking price has yet been set for his services, but that he could be open to a move to the Premier League to further his career at the top level.

Why Leeds’ target could be Farke’s next Tanaka

The 2024/25 season has been a hugely successful one for Leeds, ending their stay in the Championship, but also landing key talents such as Ao Tanaka in the process.

The Japanese international joined from Fortuna Düsseldorf last summer for a reported £3.5m fee, cementing himself as a key player in Farke’s starting eleven throughout the last few months.

He’s managed to rack up 44 appearances across all competitions, notching six combined goals and assists – even being named in the Championship Team of the Season.

Such a deal has been one of the club’s best in recent years, playing a pivotal role in their success and hopefully taking the Premier League by storm after his debut year in Yorkshire.

However, the manager could be about to land his next version of the star this summer in the form of Dahmen, who could follow in Tanaka’s footsteps by joining the Whites from a German side.

If he manages to get anywhere near the level of the Japanese star, he will be a fan favourite in no time, potentially playing a vital role in their chances of staying up.

The German has excelled in recent months, making 16 appearances, keeping nine clean sheets and conceding just ten goals during such a period – leading to journalist Christian Pohlmann labelling him as “extraordinary”.

Games played

16

Clean sheets

9

Goals conceded

10

Save percentage

85%

Saves made

3.5

Errors leading to goals

0

Pass accuracy

68%

His staggering numbers don’t stop there, saving 85% of the efforts that he’s faced this campaign, averaging 3.5 saves per 90 – handing Farke that added solidity he needs at the back.

Dahmen has also not made a single error leading to a goal, and is more than capable of playing out from the back, 68% of the passes he’s attempted throughout 2024/25.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the shot-stopper would set the club back this summer, the stats he’s produced are incredible, certainly bolstering the ranks at Elland Road.

Their dealings with landing players from Germany in recent months have been successful, as seen with Tanaka, which could lead to Dahmen being the next star to make the switch to England.

Bad news for Byram: Leeds want to sign "outstanding" £34k-per-week star

Leeds are reportedly interested in signing a Premier League defender, and it is bad news for Sam Byram.

ByDan Emery May 1, 2025

Bayern Munich are hoping to steal away Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane after being given encouragement in talks with his family, according to Bild journalist Christian Falk.

This how now lead to an official bid of €70m (£60m)plus add-ons, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

Another summer, another saga surrounding the future of Kane, coming two years after he was very heavily linked with an exit to treble-winning Premier League champions Man City.

The 29-year-old, who is out of contract in just over a year, is entering the final 12 months of his Spurs deal. While talks have been ongoing over an extension, according to reports, there is still no sign of an official announcement confirming fresh terms.

Kane, as a result, could leave the north London club for free in 2024 – a situation which has alerted many top clubs both domestically and abroad.

Manchester United, in their hunt to sign a star striker and guaranteed goal-getter for manager Erik ten Hag, have been credited with a serious interest in the forward.

Chelsea are also linked, but perhaps the real danger comes from Europe, with continental heavyweights Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris-Saint Germain targeting Kane.

The aforementioned sides are after classic number nines to provide an injection of quality in the attacking areas, and Kane more-than fits the bill for them.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, though, appears determined to keep his prized asset and could demand as much as £100 million in one up front payment for the Lilywhites superstar.

Writing in a column for CaughtOffside, German transfer journalist Falk has shared an update on Kane's future, as Bayern are still hopeful they can somehow pull off a move.

This comes after talks with the player's family, who have given encouragement to Bayern that Kane could be open to joining them.

“Bayern are hoping to still sign Harry Kane this summer," wrote Falk.

"Thomas Tuchel is not just dreaming of one striker – he would love to have two new strikers, which is a big challenge for the bosses.

“Kane would be his No.1 target again. Perhaps the idea is playing with Kane on the 9 and Randal Kolo Muani.

“There are talks with Harry Kane’s family and I think they get the idea that he’s thinking about moving. The message from the Kane family is that he’s still thinking about going to the Bundesliga.”

Following this, Ornstein wrote in The Athletic: "Bayern Munich have submitted a formal offer for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

The Bundesliga champions’ bid for the England captain is €70m (£60m) plus add-ons.

The 29-year-old has a year remaining on his current contract with the Premier League club."

How many goals has Harry Kane scored?

Kane, over a truly phenomenal career, has managed to become both Tottenham and England's all-time top goalscorers – racking up 280 for Spurs at club level and 58 for his country

The Three Lions star surpassed the legendary Jimmy Greaves to that landmark at Spurs, while Kane also usurped Wayne Rooney at the top of England's scoring charts.

If Bayern were to somehow steal the "world class" attacker away from Tottenham, it could be billed as the signing of this summer window.

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed some moderate success in the transfer market over the previous couple of years, particularly in terms of moving players on for vast profits.

Since January 2022, the Gers have managed to sell Nathan Patterson (£16m), Joe Aribo (£10m) and Calvin Bassey (£23m) for fees much higher than what they signed for. Such events have allowed the club to establish a solid player trading model which enables them to reinvest transfer fees earned back into recruitment.

These sorts of deals won’t occur every window, but Michael Beale will know that the vast majority of players who join the club see Rangers as a stepping stone to either the Premier League or to a team performing consistently in the Champions League.

The key is to sign prospective talent at a low price and develop them, before moving the player on for a vast profit. Although this method looks like it is coming back to the fore at the Ibrox side in recent seasons, it hasn’t always been like this.

Following promotion to the Premiership in 2016, the Light Blues endured some woeful decisions in the transfer market, with managers such as Mark Warburton and Pedro Caixinha wasting money on a collection of expensive flops who rather rinsed the club dry.

One such example is Carlos Pena and his 18-month stint as a Rangers' player will surely go down as one of the worst deals in their recent history.

How much did Carlos Pena cost Rangers?

Caixinha went into his first transfer window as manager of the Gers with an ambition to build a side which could finally end Celtic’s hegemony of Scottish football. While he could be praised for his adventurous proposal, it ultimately failed.

He signed players such as Fabio Cardoso, Dalcio and Eduardo Herrera in a bid to topple Celtic, yet they all failed to settle in Scottish football, departing within two years of arriving in Glasgow.

Pena was the most expensive signing that summer however, costing the club a fee in the region of £2.2m from Guadalajara and even after just a few matches, it was clear that the Mexican was miles off the pace. He struggled to adapt to the physicality of Scottish football as Caixinha’s reign turned into a nightmare of epic proportions.

How much did Carlos Pena earn at Rangers?

It was reported that Pena was earning around £26k-per-week upon signing for the Light Blues and this was a staggering amount considering they had spent just one season back in the top flight, finishing third behind Celtic and Aberdeen.

This money would have been better off going towards a player who was slightly younger and may have had a brighter future ahead of them, or indeed, someone with plenty of experience in European football who could have adapted much faster than Pena.

191

52

43

8

22

1

21

4

16

4

14

5

10

0

9

0

Not only did it turn out to be Caixinha's worst-ever signing, but it is arguably the biggest waste of money since Rangers returned to the Premiership seven years ago, and his performances on the field didn’t exactly warrant the massive weekly outgoing either.

How did Carlos Pena perform at Rangers?

The short answer is indeed a hard no, yet it is perhaps more beneficial to take a deeper look into just how poor he really was at the club.

Having won 19 caps for Mexico, which included appearances at the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Copa America, first impressions of the attacking midfielder seemed promising, yet that swiftly changed when he took to the field wearing a Rangers shirt.

Across his first nine matches for the Gers, he did manage to score five goals, including a double against St Johnstone, yet his overall performances were disappointing, with the player really struggling to adjust to the game in Scotland, and he looked a shadow of the player that had registered 62 goal contributions – 50 goals and 12 assists – over 192 matches for Club Leon in the years prior to him arriving in the Premiership.

Having cost £2.2m in June 2017, Pena ended up costing Rangers a staggering £440k per goal, having made only 14 appearances in total before moving on from the Glasgow side at the beginning of 2018.

What happened to Carlos Pena next?

He agreed to join Mexican side Cruz Azul on loan in January 2018 as his Gers nightmare was coming to an end, and it was Caixinha who signed him, having been sacked from the Ibrox side in October the previous year after just six months in charge.

Their sporting director Eduardo de la Torre praised Pena, saying: “We have been in talks with Carlos and Rangers for ten days.

“He is a player our coach knows very well and he told us to get him. Pedro knows what Carlos can give the team.”

He obviously didn’t watch him in a Rangers jersey. Another loan spell at Necaxa for the 2018/19 season was agreed, yet this was cut short and Steven Gerrard finally terminated his contract in February 2019, a full 85 weeks after he joined the Gers.

Rangers Review journalist Derek Clark didn’t hold back when criticising the player, saying: “Disastrous transfer in what was an equally disastrous spell for the club.”

This was said last year after the Court of Arbitration of Sport justified the reasons behind the Light Blues cutting Pena’s stay in Glasgow short, and it ended a near three-year look into the matter.

Rangers are in a far better place now than they were back in the summer of 2017, and while there will be the odd transfer blunder here and there, it doesn’t happen nearly as frequently as it did in the first few years following promotion.

Pena was an abysmal signing during an abysmal period for the club and it's one which arguably set the Gers back further when they really needed to settle down and build a proper side capable of challenging for honours.

£2.2m was an awful lot of money in 2017, especially with the club not in European competition and following the recent success stories of Aribo, Bassey and Patterson, Beale could look forward to developing his players well with a view to securing lavish transfer fees once some of them are ready to report the club.