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Ruben Amorim put his weight behind Luke Shaw after the Manchester United defender got sidelined yet again with another injury setback.

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• Shaw has picked up a hamstring injury
• Will remain out of action for an indefinite time
• Amorim lent his support to the injured left-back

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Shaw had recently made promising strides in his recovery, coming off the bench in three consecutive matches following a prolonged absence since February. Unfortunately, just as he appeared to be on the path to regular action, a hamstring injury struck on the eve of United’s crucial clash against Arsenal. This latest setback means Shaw is now facing another extended period on the sidelines with no definite timeline for his return.

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  The England international’s injury history has been a troubling one. Over the past nine months, Shaw has managed to start just a single match – the Euro 2024 final. In that time, three separate muscle injuries have curtailed his progress, with the most recent blow leaving both the player and his team frustrated.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Amorim addressed the situation with empathy and optimism, commending Shaw for his dedication to recovery.

  "What I can say since I arrived, I see him in the medical department working a lot in the gym, working a lot on the pitch, we control the load during the games, during the trainings, he was losing weight, so he was doing everything," he said when speaking on Amazon Prime.

  "If he continues to do that behaviour, he’s a top, top player and we need him. No matter how long he will need, I will be with him, we will help him to return, not just Manchester United but your national team needs a guy like Luke Shaw, so we are here to help him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  A disappointing 2-0 defeat to Arsenal has left the Red Devils languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table in the 11th spot. The upcoming clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday will be pivotal as United seek to rebuild momentum.

Chelsea have informed another midfielder that he is free to leave with Trevoh Chalobah, as new head coach Enzo Maresca continues his summer clearout.

Trevoh Chalobah left out of Chelsea pre-season with exit possible

The versatile defensive ace has been regularly tipped for the Stamford Bridge exit door, despite his resurgence under Mauricio Pochettino at the back end of last season.

Talks ongoing with £50m Chelsea star tempted to join elite European club

He’s attracted to this possible move.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 25, 2024

Chalobah started seven of their final 10 Premier League matches last season as Chelsea managed to seal qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League thanks to a late run of great form, amending their torrid start to the 2023/2024 campaign.

The 24-year-old was praised by some Chelsea supporters as a crucial component in that last-gasp surge to the European places, with life-long season ticket holder Bart Barrett telling GOAL that Chalobah was their best defender during the club's last 15 matches.

However, this wasn't enough to convince Todd Boehly, or his co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who have put Chalobah up for sale before summer deadline day on August 30.

Chalobah fears he's being forced out of Chelsea after being left out of their pre-season tour, according to The Guardian. It is also believed that Chalobah is now prepared to leave Chelsea after this development, amid interest from London rivals Crystal Palace, West Ham and Fulham.

A graduate of the Cobham academy, the Englishman is also a boyhood Chelsea fan, so some supporters are understandably frustrated with his treatment by the club recently.

Chelsea have told Chalobah that is free to leave this summer, and are prepared to do a deal for around £25-30 million. This could be deemed a bargain for interested sides, considering his Premier League experience, age and the fact he still has four years remaining on his contract.

Cesare Casadei told to find new club alongside Chalobah

Chalobah could well join the likes of Malang Sarr, Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Ian Maatsen, Michael Golding, Omari Hutchinson and Lewis Hall in leaving the club, with fellow midfielder Cesare Casadei now in a similar situation.

The Italian, who spent last season on loan at Leicester City and worked under Maresca, signed from Inter Milan for around £12.6 million plus £4.2 million in potential add-ons (Sky Sports).

Casadei has made 11 appearances in total for the senior team since joining in 2022, but it now appears he doesn't have a future in west London either. According to HITC, Chelsea have told Casadei that he is free to find a new permanent club this summer, and he's thought to be attracting interest from Serie A.

Fabrizio Romano shared news on Thursday that Fiorentina have contacted Chelsea over Casadei's availability, and are set to decide whether to press ahead with formal transfer talks this week.

FIFA have announed the shortlist for the shortlist of nominees for The Best Men's Player award with Vinicius Junor and Rodri set to go head-on again.

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• The Best FIFA Men's Player award nominees revealed
• Vinicius and Rodri headline as Ballon d'Or rivalry renewed
• Messi, Mbappe, Bellingham and Haaland also nominated

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid star Vinicius lost out on the Ballon d'Or last month to Manchester City's Rodri in controversial circumstances, which led to the European champions pulling out of attendance for the prestigious award ceremony in Paris at the last minute altogether and hitting out at those who didn't vote for him. The Brazilian will now get his shot at revenge against the Spanish midfielder as the two headline the nominees list for The Best FIFA Men's Player award for 2024.

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  FIFA released the list of nominees just before midnight on Thursday with Vinicius joined by Real Madrid colleagues Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Federico Valverde and Dani Carvajal, as well as the retired Toni Kroos. Also on the list is Rodri's Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland and Spanish compatriot Lamine Yamal. The other nominees are three-time The Best award winner and defending champion Messi, and Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Ballon d'Or voting system came under a lot of scrutiny with journalists playing the key role in determining the winner as Rodri won the prestigious award over Vinicius. However, the voting system for The Best FIFA Men's Player award will be equally weighted between votes from the fans, the current captains and coaches of all women’s and men’s national teams, and select media representatives.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Best FIFA Awards ceremony is set to take place in January as the award takes into consideration the entire calendar year unlike the Ballon d'Or, which considers the season prior. A date has not been revealed for the ceremony, however, voting for fans will remain open on FIFA.com until 23:59 CET on December 10, 2024.

Oh to be Mason Mount.

Snapped up by Manchester United from rivals Chelsea last summer on a £55m deal and handed the club's famed number seven shirt, the Englishman went on to endure a miserable debut season at Old Trafford, featuring just 20 times in all competitions amid a string of injury woes.

Subsequently out of the international fold and with no clear role at United amid the emergence of compatriot Kobbie Mainoo, the 25-year-old will have a lot to do in 2024/25 to change the narrative regarding his 'disaster' purchase.

Things may not get any easier for the former Blues star, however, if Erik ten Hag moves to strengthen his midfield ranks even further this summer…

Latest on Man Utd's transfer search

With Joshua Zirkzee already in the door, United have continued their summer squad overhaul with the signing of Lille starlet, Leny Yoro, with it looking as if the Premier League outfit have fended off rival interest from European champions, Real Madrid, for the 18-year-old's signature.

Following that impending deal, Football Italia have reported that the club are set to turn their sights toward another Frenchman, amid claims that United – as well as Liverpool – are in line to hold talks over a deal for ex-Juventus playmaker, Adrien Rabiot.

The 29-year-old – who was part of France's Euro 2024 squad – has seen his departure from the Old Lady now officially confirmed following the expiry of his contract with the Serie A giants at the end of June.

How Rabiot compares to Mason Mount

There may be a collective sigh among United fans amid this latest link to Rabiot, with rumours having been rife over a possible move for the rangy left-footer back in 2022, only for the deal to collapse due to the player's reported wage demands.

Quite whether anything would be different this time around remains to be seen, although the prospect of snapping up such an experienced figure on a free may prove hard to turn down.

The "extraordinary" talent – as hailed by fellow Frenchman, David Trezeguet – could represent a real threat to any hopes Mount has of cementing a role for himself in the centre of the park, with Rabiot also able to operate in a left-eight role, or just in front of the back four.

The current United man has endured a woeful last two seasons for both the Red Devils and Chelsea after contributing just ten goals and assists in all competitions in that time, with the departing Juve star, meanwhile, racking up 25 goal involvements since the start of 2022/23.

Where Rabiot also excels is in his ability to surge forward from deep when in possession, notably ranking in the top 14% among his European peers for progressive carries per 90, while Mount ranks in just the top 31% in that regard – as per FBref.

The physical presence that the former Paris Saint-Germain man can offer would also prove incredibly valuable, showcased by the fact that the 6 foot 4 ace ranks in the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90, while the man he could replace ranks in just the top 45% for that same metric.

Equally, while Mount was forced to watch on from afar as the Three Lions reached the Euro 2024 showpiece, Rabiot was a central part of an albeit underwhelming Les Bleus squad that made it to yet another major tournament semi-final. The 48-cap international started five games in Germany, notably registering two tackles and interceptions per game, while averaging two key passes per game as an indication of his quality both in and out of possession.

A figure who has regularly performed at the elite level over the last decade or so, the free agent could then represent the final nail in the coffin for Mount's brief United career, with undoubted merit in following up the Yoro coup with this high-profile pursuit.

Man Utd want "outstanding" England ace who could be their own Rice

Manchester United are focusing on midfield recruits.

By
Matt Dawson

Jul 16, 2024

Barcelona are confident of finally nailing down the long-term future of Ronald Araujo as they expect the defender to sign a contract extension.

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• Araujo linked with Barcelona exit
• Expected to sign a contract extension
• Defender working on recovery from injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The centre-back's future at the Spanish side has been in doubt for some time, with Manchester United and Bayern Munich said to be monitoring his situation. However, Araujo now appears likely to sign a new deal with Barcelona, reports, with the club expecting him to put pen to paper before the end of the season.

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  Araujo's current deal with Barcelona expires in 2026 and the Catalan club are prepared to meet with his agent in the coming weeks to wrap up an extension. New coach Hansi Flick has praised the 25-year-old having seen him in training, saying earlier this month: "He’s fantastic. The passes he makes are incredible." Flick's trust is reported to have made the defender warm to the idea of signing an extension.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Araujo has been a key figure in the Barcelona backline, having made 150 appearances for the club. The defender suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Uruguay at the Copa America in July and had to have an operation on the issue, keeping him out of action so far this season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARAUJO?

  Before settling his future, Araujo will hope to be back in action before long as he continues his recovery.

  "We’re not putting pressure on him," Flick said. "He’s progressing well. He’s improving, he’s increasing the intensity in training, but we won’t put pressure on him because the injury is considerable. But the way I see it, he’s on the right track."

The legendary striker has followed in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's footsteps by quickly generating a wave of positivity at Old Trafford after a grim period

If nostalgia is a drug, then Manchester United are addicts. Every aspect of the club is consumed with the past. The Old Trafford faithful chant about Andy Cole and Eric Cantona each week, and it has been said that some players are upset that supporters only want to sing about the former greats rather than members of the current squad. Their merchandising department also know that United fans can't get enough of days gone by, recently launching a new range of adidas Originals celebrating George Best, after reissuing the 1991-92 home and away kits with great success.

The players who were a part of United's greatest eras are all too happy to oblige, and media companies roar them on. Amazon Prime made a three-part series about the 1999 treble win this year and Disney is in discussions with the club about making more documentaries about the good old days. Gary Neville and Roy Keane are on the Overlap every week telling well-worn tales from the dressing room and about Sir Alex Ferguson's fiery temper, and the shows are immensely popular (1.3 million views for a recent episode with Peter Schmeichel).

The recruitment department have also binged on nostalgia, getting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back as interim coach in 2018 and then handing him a long-term contract, before signing Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021. They indulged their love for the past again in 2023 by signing Jonny Evans. The arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS was expected to put a stop to this indulgence, but even the new co-owners could not resist and sanctioned Erik ten Hag's appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy as assistant coach.

And now Van Nistelrooy is the club's head coach, albeit only for a few weeks before Ruben Amorim takes charge. With chants of 'Ruud, Ruud, Ruud' echoing around, Old Trafford has been transported back to the mid-00s. And boy does it feel good.

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  Euphoric start

  Van Nistelrooy looked destined for the top job at Old Trafford as soon as he joined Ten Hag's staff in the summer and even though he is relatively inexperienced and left his last role with PSV Eindhoven after just one year, there was great enthusiasm from fans on social media when he was named interim coach. The enthusiasm turned into euphoria after the Red Devils crushed Leicester City 5-2.

  It was the archetypal performance from an out-of-form team who have just parted with their manager and it looked like a real burden had been lifted. Having missed a series of glaring chances in Ten Hag's last game against West Ham, everything United touched turned into goals. It brought back memories of United's 5-1 win at Cardiff City in Solskjaer's first game as interim boss following the sacking of Mourinho.

  Everyone at Old Trafford – save for the travelling Leicester fans – was grinning ear to ear, including Ferguson. Van Nistelrooy said "it's always great" to see his former manager, who had wished him luck before the game. He was conveniently glossing over his bitter fallout with the Scot 18 years previously after being left on the bench for the League Cup final, but this was not a night to bring up bad blood. It was a love-in, a celebration of United's rich past that was just the tonic after a grim last few months, if not years, under Ten Hag.

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  Beware the nostalgia trap

  The positive vibes felt a lot like the early days of Solskjaer's reign, when United won eight games in a row in all competitions and the Norwegian rode a wave of optimism, healing the wounds from Jose Mourinho's tense final weeks in charge. The mistake United made was to misinterpret that incredible run as a sign that Solskjaer was a genuinely gifted manager and not just the right man at the right time. Instead they fell right into the nostalgia trap by making Solskjaer Mourinho's permanent successor,

  The wheels were already starting to come off when Solskjaer signed his permanent contract on March 28, 2019, suffering a first Premier League in three months by losing at Arsenal and then getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolves. Having won 14 of their first 17 games under Solskjaer, they went on to win just two of their next 12, losing eight times.

  Solskjaer did go on to guide United to back-to-back top three finishes, something no other manager has done since Ferguson, but it was clear he was largely being kept on due to his ties to the club as a player and the fact he had won them the Champions League in 1999. The Norwegian talked a good game when it came to United's history and identity, but he was a poor in-game coach.

  Buying a 36-year-old Ronaldo, who Solskjaer had played with, was the ultimate nostalgia trip. "It felt so right but turned out wrong," was how Solskjaer put it. Within two months of Ronaldo's return, the Norwegian had been sacked. Little more than a year later, Ronaldo was gone too.

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  Free hit

  The good thing about United's arrangement with Van Nistelrooy is that it is certain to only be temporary. The Dutchman's presence restores a feel-good factor to the club but this time the club hierarchy cannot get carried away by good results. Amorim is on his way at the end of the month regardless of how the former striker fares and the next three games, all at Old Trafford, are a free hit.

  Win them all and Van Nistelrooy will boost his chances of joining Amorim's coaching staff or getting a permanent job elsewhere. Even if he loses the next three, it will not damage his status among fans and the onus will still be on Amorim to clean up the mess.

  Amorim was the only candidate United interviewed after deciding that they would sack Ten Hag and a club source emphasised that the 39-year-old represents "a notably different profile" to the other United managers that have sat in the Old Trafford dugout. That could be interpreted as a message that the Portuguese, who was also described as "a proven winner" and "the best young coach in Europe", is at the cutting edge of modern coaching and will be able to successfully diagnose United's problems while creating a winning formula.

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  'We'll be a team'

  Renowned for always playing a 3-4-3 formation and using wing-backs, Amorim will play a very different style of football to Ten Hag and to Solskjaer. His fresh eyes should serve the team well and Diogo Dalot believes he will be a great fit.

  "He's obviously a fantastic coach, young mentality but he knows what he wants," the full-back told . "Very demanding, that's what I can expect and I think that's a perfect match for a club like this. The standards are really high. I hope it can be a really good match and I wish for us to win together. We are going to be a team. We have to work with each other and we will help him in some ways and I am sure he will help us."

  Dalot's words could be interpreted as a dig at Ten Hag, whose authoritarian tendencies rubbed a few players up the wrong way. United did indeed look like much more a team in Van Nistelrooy's first game, even though the tactics and ideas were rather similar to what Ten Hag had offered. That is no criticism of Van Nistelrooy, who had just two days to prepare for the game and knows he will not be sticking around for very long.

Sunderland supporters will hope Regis Le Bris' appointment in the Black Cats hot-seat means attacking football could be on the menu next season, having been tortured by goal-shy displays for large portions of last campaign.

The Wearside outfit would only muster up 52 goals in total from 46 league clashes, with Sunderland's top scorer in the league playing in the striker positions in the form of Nazariy Rusyn only managing a meagre two goals all season long.

The brand-new Frenchman in the managerial dug-out could look towards bringing in a fresh centre-forward as a priority this summer, therefore, as a free agent continues to pique the Championship club's interest.

Sunderland must go back in for prolific free agent

Divin Mubama is now officially a free agent, walking out of his boyhood club West Ham United at the close of June, with a new adventure now on the horizon for the prolific attacker.

Sunderland could well be his next onward destination, therefore, with the second-tier side previously interested in the 19-year-old gem, but BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella is now speculating that a move to Europe could be on the cards for the former Hammers youngster instead.

Le Bris' men will want to advance to the front of the queue to sign Mubama regardless of this new development, however, knowing that they need more firepower up top next season, ahead of what they hope is a far brighter campaign on the whole at the Stadium of Light.

What Mubama could offer Sunderland

Mubama signing on the dotted line for the Black Cats could be reminiscent of Jermain Defoe's move to Wearside if everything clicks into place for the young star in his potential new surroundings, with Defoe also leaving West Ham behind early into his fledging career, before becoming an iconic figure to Sunderland fans.

If Le Bris and Co are successful in convincing Mubama to play in the Championship next season, the hope will be he can finally be the deadly striker Sunderland need up top – as Defoe was – with the 19-year-old a cool and composed finisher playing in the youth ranks for the Hammers.

From 109 games in total across his early career, which included 18 senior appearances in an attempt to cut his teeth in the first-team mix, Mubama has bagged a mightily impressive 57 strikes along the way, with the demands of the second-tier now potentially his first challenge away from the London Stadium.

Defoe also walked away from the luxuries of West Ham when still in the infancy of his playing days, despite also being known as an ice-cold finisher of chances with 40 goals from 104 games, to test himself and succeeded with flying colours wherever he ended up at.

The journeyman centre-forward would bag 37 goals on the books at Sunderland even when his career was beginning to fizzle out, notching up an incredible 162 top-flight strikes in total from 496 matches across an esteemed career, with his decision to walk away from the club he started out as a wide-eyed teenager paying off.

Mubama will hope he goes on to be remembered in a similar vein, with his exploits scoring strike after strike on youth pitches even seeing him be described as "incredible" by West Ham Academy manager Kenny Brown last year.

There will be some disappointment from the Premier League club's end that they couldn't tie down their homegrown product to a new extended deal, but Sunderland will hope they can swoop in and make Mubama a prolific striker in the senior game, ahead of a thrilling Championship season to come.

Le Bris could ditch Sunderland ace who earns more than Bellingham

Regis Le Bris will want to stamp his authority onto his new Sunderland side, with some major decisions needing to be made.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 29, 2024

Manchester City are reportedly trying to tie Rodri down to a new contract as part of an 'anti-Real Madrid plan'.

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• Rodri wins Ballon d'Or
• Wanted by Real Madrid
• Man City want to tie him to new deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Cadena SER and journalist Anton Meana, City want to extend the midfielder's contract before the end of the season and are optimistic they can achieve this goal. The report adds that after his Ballon d'Or win, the Citizens feel they are still growing and this individual triumph is part of that process. But the 'shadow' of Real Madrid's interest does worry the defending Premier League champions.

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  The Spain international has been earmarked as a top target for Madrid in 2025 but with his contract running until 2027, he will not be available on the cheap. The 28-year-old, who is currently out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, is a huge player for Pep Guardiola's men, he has helped them win a hatful of trophies, and even though he is currently sidelined – City want to extend his deal as soon as possible.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Since Rodri signed for City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, the Spain international has won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two Carabao Cups, one Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. He has also scored 26 goals and bagged 30 assists in 260 appearances.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While former Villarreal player Rodri continues his rehab, his City side travel to in-form Bournemouth on Saturday, looking to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.

Reliable journalist Lee Ryder of The Chronicle has now weighed in on Tottenham Hotspur and their ‘real’ interest in Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Lowdown: Spurs’ summer overhaul…

Spurs could yet be busy towards the end of the summer transfer window after completing six major signings already for Antonio Conte.

It is believed that sporting director Fabio Paratici remains in the market for a creative midfielder and could yet target another defender despite the arrival of Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet on loan.

Saint-Maximin has also been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer as Conte gears up for his first full Premier League season in charge of the Lilywhites.

The Latest: Ryder backs Saint-Maximin interest…

Tottenham’s interest in the exciting Frenchman has now been backed by a reliable source in Ryder of The Chronicle.

The Newcastle correspondent claims that Paratici’s interest in Saint-Maximin is ‘real’, with the north Londoners having sent senior talent spotters to keep watch on the 25-year-old over the last few months.

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The Verdict: Advance?

While Ryder states that it is solely interest from Spurs for now, we believe that it is a no-brainer for Paratici and co to at least consider opening talks.

Saint-Maximin can be truly devastating on his day, as backed by his numbers from 2021/22, with the winger completing more successful take-ons than any of his team-mates (WhoScored).

The 25-year-old has stood out as a ‘huge, huge player’ for Newcastle, as explained by their manager Eddie Howe, and reports suggest that he could cost a fairly reasonable £40m.

Glasgow Rangers have had a busy month throughout July as they bought and sold multiple players in the summer transfer window.

Gio van Bronckhorst lost two of his stars from the 2021/22 campaign as Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo both departed Ibrox, with the former leaving for a club-record fee.

The Dutch head coach has also gained a number of new recruits. Tom Lawrence, Rabbi Matondo, Antonio Colak, and Ben Davies have all come through the door to bolster the squad.

Another player who could be on his way out of Ibrox before the end of August is Jamaican forward Kemar Roofe. English League One outfit Derby County are reportedly keen on the attacker and are weighing up a potential loan swoop for his services.

This would leave Alfredo Morelos and Colak as van Bronckhorst’s only options up front, though, and this means that Ross Wilson would need to replace the ex-Leeds man before sanctioning an exit.

The Gers have been linked with a move for Sunderland attacker Ross Stewart this summer and signing him could allow the club to wave bye-bye to Roofe between now and the end of August.

It was reported last month that the Black Cats wanted to tie him down to an extended contract but they are yet to get a deal over the line, which means that he – as it stands – can leave for nothing next year.

Rangers could use this to their advantage as the window drags on and tempt the Championship team into cashing in on him, in order to avoid a Bosman transfer in 2023.

The Scotland international would be an excellent signing for van Bronckhorst’s side after he enjoyed a stellar campaign in League One.

Stewart, whose work rate was dubbed “exceptional” by James McFadden, scored 26 goals in 49 games as he showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

He also showed off the creative side of his game as he produced nine ‘big chances’ and made 1.3 key passes per game – ending the campaign with three assists to his name.

The 26-year-old, who is three years younger than Roofe, has the quality to be a consistent goalscorer and this means that he has the potential to be a big addition to the Gers squad, if he can make the step up to playing in the Premiership.

Therefore, signing him would allow Rangers to part ways with the attacker they signed from Anderlecht as they would then have three capable strikers to rely upon next season.

AND in other news, GvB can land huge Arfield upgrade as Rangers eye move for “interesting” £8.5m gem…