All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their first signing of the summer…

What’s the word?

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Ivan Perisic is set to join Spurs on a two-year deal following the expiry of his contract at Serie A giants Inter Milan.

It’s thought that a medical is set to take place in north London next week, once everything has been signed. It’s also said that manager Antonio Conte wanted the 33-year-old as a priority signing for the Premier League outfit.

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“Ivan Perisić’s set to join Tottenham, here we go! Full agreement set to be signed on a two-year deal. Inter have received final communication,” he tweeted.

“Medical could take place next week in London, once everything will be signed. Antonio Conte wanted Ivan as [a] priority.”

Big signing

On the face of it, signing a 33-year-old veteran is hardly an inspiring move. However, Perisic will add an abundance to the Lilywhites, who will be competing in next season’s Champions League after their top-four finish.

As football.london reporter Alasdair Gold put it perfectly, the Croatian star “would be a big signing” for Spurs. He’s won multiple titles – including the UCL – has bundles of experience and the exact mentality that the Italian head coach desires.

Despite his advancing years, Perisic contributed ten goals and nine assists across 49 appearances in all competitions, largely playing a left wing-back role, and that adds to his ten goal contributions on Inter’s way to the title in 2020/21, too.

Across the last three seasons alone, he’s picked up five trophies. Something that few, if any, in the current Spurs squad can match.

The 6 foot 1 dynamo, whose “physique is that of a horse” according to former manager Luciano Spalletti, is a very shrewd addition for Spurs and Conte indeed.

He’s certainly still got it, having also averaged the second-highest WhoScored rating in the Inter squad in the Serie A this campaign. He led the team for interceptions (1.3 per game) and was third for key passes per game (1.6), proving to be solid defensively and very much a creator in the final third.

Also lauded as a “physical monster” by Eurosport journalist Siavoush Fallahi, it’s evident that age is merely a number when it comes to the £125k-per-week brute.

As such, Perisic could indeed be a big signing for Tottenham heading into next season. He and Heung-min Son down the left flank is certainly an intriguing prospect indeed.

The Lilywhites faithful, and the manager, must be absolutely buzzing by Romano’s latest update.

AND in other news, Spurs will “try and sign” £18m-rated “monster” after scouting mission, he’s Bale 2.0…

Chelsea correspondent and reliable reporter Nizaar Kinsella of Goal has now shared a West Ham United transfer update involving striker Armando Broja.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye new striker…

Following the 2021/2022 Premier League season’s conclusion, all eyes now turn to the summer transfer window and how the Hammers will prepare for another season with over-achieving manager David Moyes.

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Since West Ham were threatened with relegation to the Championship two years ago, the east Londoners have come on leaps and bounds – qualifying for Europe over two consecutive seasons.

This is despite only having Michail Antonio as a natural senior striking option, but according to recent reports, Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman are determined to finally sign a centre-forward.

The Latest: Kinsella makes Broja claim…

According to Kinsella, sharing the latest news out of Chelsea regarding Broja, West Ham are eyeing a move and will ‘battle’ for the Albania international alongside many interested sides in AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli and Newcastle.

This comes after his impressive spell on loan at Southampton with the 20-year-old now attracting plenty of admirers – including the Irons and Moyes.

It’s added that the two-time Champions League winners have a decision to make regarding Broja and Thomas Tuchel wants to have a look at him in pre-season before deciding whether to stick or twist.

The Verdict: Get it done?

According to reliable in-the-know West Ham insider ExWHUemployee (Patreon via West Ham Zone), the towering 6 foot 3 forward is ‘possibly the number one target’ and someone Moyes personally ‘rates’ having spoken to scouts and people at the club.

Ex claims the Hammers boss sees Broja as an ‘all-round forward’ with great physical traits including strength and speed – not to mention also being a ‘good finisher’ (Patreon via West Ham Zone).

Moyes isn’t his only fan, either, with ex-defender Anton Ferdinand having urged the Irons to make a move for the top flight attacker recently.

Speaking to The Sun, he lauded Broja as an ‘exciting’ player and ‘similar to Antonio’ in terms of physicality – telling GSB to go and get a deal done.

Given how highly-rated he is by some close to the club, Broja’s possible summer signing may well be the way forward.

In other news: Offer ready: Newman preparing bid for ‘standout’ as West Ham eye ‘no-brainer’ signing! Find out more here.

A worrying Newcastle United injury setback has emerged regarding centre-back Fabian Schar…

What’s the latest?

The Magpies defender was forced off during the 2-0 win over Arsenal on Monday night after clashing heads with Eddie Nketiah, with the club able to use a fourth (concussion) substitute to replace him.

An own goal from Ben White and a calm finish from Bruno Guimaraes sealed all three points for the Toon, but the victory was marred by the collision which left Schar in need of treatment.

After the game, Eddie Howe confirmed that the Switzerland international’s knock is not a serious one and that they were forced to take him off the pitch. The Shields Gazette quote the 44-year-old as saying: “Fabian, I think, is OK. I think he was taken off due to protocols. He wanted to stay on. I think it was the right decision.”

Any player diagnosed with a concussion will not be able to train for a minimum of six days to ensure that a full recovery has taken place, and this means that the 30-year-old may now miss the season finale against Burnley on Sunday.

Supporters will be gutted

First and foremost, everyone will be thankful that Schar is not in a bad way and that he is ‘OK’ at the moment, given what happened on the pitch. However, Newcastle supporters will now be gutted that he may not be available this weekend.

His absence will be a big blow for Howe, as the Swiss ace has been in fantastic form in the second half of the campaign for the Magpies. Since the turn of the year, Schar has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.9 or higher in the Premier League in every month, which shows that he has been consistently superb at the back.

He has proven that he can put in quality performances on a regular basis and has formed a strong partnership with Dan Burn at the heart of defence. The pair have played their part in lifting the team up the table, with Howe’s team currently sat in 12th place, a far cry from when he took over six months ago with the Magpies 19th in the league.

 

Schar has played 25 matches in the top flight this term, making 1.9 tackles and interceptions and 3.8 clearances per game. He has also chipped in with two goals and two assists as he has showcased his attacking quality from centre-back, adding another weapon to Newcastle’s threat in the final third.

These statistics illustrate how important he has been to the club, and that is why supporters will be gutted by the prospect of him missing out against Burnley, a game which could see the Magpies finish the season in the top half with a win.

AND in other news, Forget Guimaraes: £59k-p/w NUFC dynamo who won of his 100% duels was a monster on Monday… 

Rangers manager Gio van Bronckhorst offered Ibrox fans a glimpse into the future at Glasgow as he offered minutes to a host of young players at the weekend.

The Gers ran out 2-0 winners in their Premiership clash as Leon King, Alex Lowry, Charlie McCann and Adam Devine were all given an opportunity to feature.

They have all sufficiently impressed the Dutch head coach to be rewarded with a first-team call-up, and the next step will be to integrate them into the side on a regular basis, whether that comes next year or in the longer-term.

One of those players can end up following in the footsteps of Rangers’ most expensive ever departure. Nathan Patterson was sold to Everton for a club-record fee in January, and Van Bronckhorst can unearth the new Patterson in 19-year-old Devine.

Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall described the right-back as “highly rated”, and the youngster has also caught the eye of his managers in other loan spells.

Brechin boss Michael Paton praised the gem upon signing him on a temporary basis last year, saying: “Adam will be another great addition to the squad and he’s exactly what we’re looking for. He is athletic and can get up and down the park – I feel he can provide what we’re missing in that final third. He has great awareness and quality of crossing.

“Rangers feel he is on the same path as Nathan Paterson and have high hopes for him. Hopefully he can come here and hit the ground running and help us push towards where we want to go.”

This shows that the Light Blues already view Devine as a player with the potential to match what the Scotland international achieved at Ibrox and now Everton.

The teenager has showcased his potential for the Gers’ youth team throughout the campaign. He has registered an impressive five assists in nine Challenge Cup and UEFA Youth League outings for the B team, which shows off his attacking quality from right-back.

Devine also managed two assists in 11 games on loan at Brechin last term as he enjoyed a taste of regular first-team football in the second half of the season.

Along with the praise from his former managers and his involvement against Dundee United, these statistics suggest that the 19-year-old dynamo has a bright future ahead of him.

It is now up to Van Bronckhorst to provide the youngster with ample opportunities to prove that he can make the step up to playing regularly for Rangers so that he can develop into the next Patterson at Ibrox…

AND in other news, Ibrox sources: Van Bronckhorst set for imminent Rangers deal that’ll leave supporters delighted…

The Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has been left wowed by some news that he has now heard coming out of Sunderland before their Friday game against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Lowdown: Big ticket sales

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist Michael Walker has revealed that the Wearside club have already sold 35,000 tickets for their first leg of their play-off tie at home to the Owls on Friday night, and are aiming to sell more than 45,000 in total.

That would be the biggest crowd outside of the Premier League so far this season, beating the 38,000 who showed up to watch the Black Cats take on Doncaster earlier this year.

The Latest: Edwards reacts

Edwards gave his instant reaction to the news on the tickets, calling it ‘remarkable’.

Considering that the Stadium of Light faithful are in the third tier of English football, and it would be the biggest crowd outside of the top flight, it would really be a monumental achievement to get that many supporters into the stadium.

The Verdict: Support needed

In truth, the Black Cats need all of the support that they can get as they look to get past a Wednesday team that finished above them in the League One table.

They both beat each other at their own homes in the league campaign, and so Alex Neil will be hoping that his side can repeat the trick on Friday, banking a healthy lead to take to Sheffield next week.

Nonetheless, these are two massive clubs in the English football pyramid, and so there should be a feisty atmosphere for a game that really doesn’t belong in League One.

In other news, find out who SAFC’s three worst players were against Morecambe here!

West Ham United cruised to a 4-0 victory against already relegated Norwich City to provide a huge boost to their hopes of finishing the Premier League season in a European spot.

They remain seventh but increase the gap to Wolverhampton Wanderers in eighth who have a game in hand to play on Wednesday. The win also means they can put the Europa League woes behind them after they crashed out of the competition at the semi-final stage on Thursday.

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The Hammers dominated the game with Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen grabbing the headlines with their two goals and two assists respectively. However, it was defender Craig Dawson who we think stole the show against the Canaries.

The veteran defender has been a key part to West Ham’s successes, and whilst he might get the appreciation from the supporters, he is often overlooked by those outside of the club.

He impressed greatly against Norwich winning 100% of his duels which was vital in ensuring that West Ham kept a clean sheet. He also received a SofaScore rating of 7.5 which was only beaten by his teammates mentioned above and Declan Rice.

The 32-year old made the move across London permanent at the start of the campaign joining from Watford after impressing on loan last season.

It’s been an unexpected rise for a player who has spent the majority of his career playing for a club either in a Premier League relegation battle or in the Championship.

Now he’s at the heart of the West Ham defence fighting for a European finish. He’s been described as “outstanding” by journalist Matt Law with manager Moyes praising his performances in Europe this season.

He also didn’t put a foot wrong when it came to his passing against Norwich. Dawson recorded a pass accuracy percentage of 95% during the game, proving that he is just as good in possession as he is battling one on one with an opponent.

For a player who rarely gets talked about, he produces performances that without, West Ham would find themselves struggling at the back. Luckily he has hardly missed a game for them this season with 48 appearances in all competitions.

IN other news: Imagine him & Said: West Ham set to move for 22 y/o “hurricane”, he won’t cost a penny…

Celtic are interested in signing Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, according to a report from Football Insider. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Previously, the 26-year-old stopper was heavily linked with English Premier League clubs, including Watford and Norwich City.

Neither move ultimately materialised and the Russia youth international continues to ply his trade in Sweden following an arrival as a free agent in 2019.

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Now, having impressed in the Europa Conference League, including against the Hoops at Parkhead, making five saves, one punch and one high claim back in February (Sofascore), Haikin could once again be on the agenda on these shores…

The latest: FI makes claim

As per an FI recruitment source, Celtic and Wolves are both keen on signing the twice-capped Under-21 ace this summer.

The report claims that the Bhoys are ‘in the market for a new goalkeeper’ at the end of the season and have placed Haikin ‘on the radar’ at Parkhead.

It’s also claimed that the Allsvenskan club could cash in on the former Chelsea, Portsmouth and Reading youth prospect, who has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by journalist Sander Pipita, should a £500,000 valuation be met.

The verdict: A possible successor?

Ange Postecoglou pulled off a masterstroke with the signing of Joe Hart and the vastly experienced man has enjoyed a stellar campaign for the Hoops, keeping 25 clean sheets in 50 appearances across all competitions.

So far this season, Haikin has made on average 2.8 saves per game with a save percentage of 65% , compared to 1.4 at 73% from the Englishman.

However, with Hart now 35 it’s no surprise to see that Postecoglou would already be turning his attention toward a successor and Haikin, with his European exploits and bargain fee, could be the ideal candidate.

In other news, pundit believes Celtic are working on a secret transfer deal. Find out who it is here.

Could we be looking at the shortest permanent managerial tenure at Ibrox in Glasgow Rangers’ 153-year history?

Not including caretakers, Pedro Caixinha is the shortest-serving Rangers manager of all-time, for now, overseeing 26 matches in 2017, but could Russell Martin smash that record?

Well, things have not gone very well for Martin in his 11 matches in charge of the Gers, ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying by Club Brugge, demolished 9-1 on aggregate, while he is yet to win a Premiership fixture, drawing all four so far.

Martin’s 26th match would be a Europa League home game against Braga on 27 November, but many are forecasting he’ll be long gone by then, so could 49ers Enterprises turn to an experienced Premier League manager instead?

What is going wrong for Martin at Rangers?

Back on 23 February, Philippe Clement was sacked, following a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of St Mirren.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Barry Ferguson took caretaker charge for the remainder of last season, actually producing some exceptional results, during which time 49ers Enterprises completed their takeover of the club.

Thus, after a thorough recruitment process, Martin was appointed 102 days on from Clement’s dismissal and, well, supporters were pretty underwhelmed.

Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Ewan Murray asserted that never before has a managerial appointment been so instantaneously “doomed” from day one as this, noting that Rangers fans never wanted Martin in the first place, and he has certainly not won them over.

The Gers have failed to win any of their first four league outings for the first time since 1983, going on to finish fourth back then, lucky to salvage draws at St Mirren and Motherwell, outplayed by both for long periods.

Also, the aforementioned 9-1 annihilation at the hands of Club Brugge is the Light Blues’ heaviest aggregate European defeat since a 12-4 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the European Cup semi-finals 65 years ago.

After the international break, Rangers welcome both Hearts and then Hibs to Ibrox, the latter a League Cup quarter-final, before commencing their Europa League campaign against Genk in Govan, but, should results continue to deteriorate and Martin’s position become untenable, who should the 49ers turn to?

Rangers' ideal Russell Martin replacement

When looking at the current out-of-work managers, some names immediately leap off the page.

José Mourinho, Erik ten Hag, Marco Rose, Sérgio Conceição, Steven Gerrard, even Ange Postecoglou (could you imagine?), but surely the most sensible appointment for Rangers, given their current predicament, would be Sean Dyche.

The 54-year-old was sacked by Everton in January, but undeniably did a good job on Merseyside, keeping the Toffees in the Premier League during a period of austerity at Goodison, with the Blues finishing 17th and then 15th with a very poor squad.

Dyche is most well known for his decade as Burnley boss before that, taking charge of 425 games, the third most of any manager in Clarets’ history, behind only Harry Potts (1958-70) and John Haworth (1910-24).

Under Dyche, Burnley twice won promotion from the EFL Championship, enjoying six successive seasons in the Premier League, their longest continuous period in the top division since the early-70s, most notably finishing seventh in 2018, thereby qualifying for Europe for the first time since 1966.

The Clarets were known for being defensively organised and tough to beat, with Dyche getting the best out of his players, elevating them to become better than they ever believed possible. He did so on a shoestring budget too, much like current Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers did with Swansea City.

Well, these are all qualities one cannot say about the current Rangers team, who are all over the place at the back, with Max Aarons and Nasser Djiga’s red cards against Brugge and Dundee respectively epitomising this chaotic approach.

Dyche’s Premier League record, when compared to Martin’s, tells the story.

Matches

332

16

Wins

93

1

Win %

28%

6.25%

Goals scored

323

11

Goals per game

0.97

0.69

Goals conceded

467

36

Conceded per game

1.41

2.25

Points

370

5

Points-per-game

1.11

0.31

As the table documents, Dyche is exponentially more experienced than Martin at Premier League level so, while the latter does only offer a small sample size, the way his Southampton team were going, they would’ve conceded 747 goals had he reached 332 matches; that’s 280 more than Dyche.

The main issue for Rangers right now is that, frankly, they have a poor squad, but even their competent players like John Souttar, who was excellent for Scotland in Denmark on Friday night, are not suited to Martin’s style of play.

Thus, what the Gers need right now is a pragmatist, not a dogmatic idealist who sticks to their principles at all costs.

So, if the Light Blues are going to fight for silverware domestically and make a deep run in the Europa League, they need a manager who can get the best out of players, and Dyche appears perfectly suited to that role.

Rangers must rue losing star who's worth millions more than Chermiti

Rangers must rue losing this “incredible” star who would now be their most valuable player.

ByDan Emery Sep 6, 2025

Leeds United desperately needed additions during the summer transfer window if they were to have any chance of securing survival in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.

The hierarchy have already backed manager Daniel Farke during the off-season, making nine additions to the first-team squad, spending nearly £100m in the process.

Noah Okafor is the latest player to make the move to Elland Road this summer, arriving in Yorkshire from Italian giants AC Milan, costing a fee in the region of £18m.

Despite the big money being splashed already this window, further additions are also being lined up ahead of the September 1st deadline to further bolster the chances of top-flight survival.

Experience in such a division will be vital to avoiding an immediate return to the second-tier, leading to multiple players currently plying trade in the Premier League being touted with moves.

Leeds targeting numerous Premier League talents this summer

Former loanee Manor Solomon has been on Leeds’ radar constantly this summer, understandably so given his record of 23 goal contributions for the Whites in the promotion-winning campaign.

He could be allowed to depart Tottenham Hotspur this window, opening the door for the 26-year-old to return to Elland Road on a permanent basis before the September 1st deadline.

However, he’s not the only player in England’s top-flight to appear in their sights, with Farke’s men considering a move for Bournemouth star James Hill, according to Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam.

He claimed that the Whites have been tracking a deal for the 23-year-old in recent weeks, potentially making a move for his signature in the coming days.

It’s also been confirmed that the defender only has one year left on his deal at the Vitality, which could see the Cherries cash in on him to avoid losing him for nothing in 12 months time.

Why Leeds’ latest target would be a repeat of Longstaff

During the current window, Leeds completed a deal to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, handing needed Premier League experience to the middle of the park.

The Englishman joined the Whites on a four-year deal from the Magpies, costing a fee in the region of £15m – after making 214 appearances for Eddie Howe’s men.

He was utilised off the bench during the opening day win over Everton on Monday night, with his arrival undoubtedly bolstering the squad at Farke’s disposal.

Whilst he didn’t start the win, the 27-year-old will have a huge role to play throughout 2025/26, potentially seeing the hierarchy land a bargain deal if he can replicate his form from 2023/24, which saw him score eight times.

However, the Whites could be about to replicate a move for Longstaff should they pursue a move for Hill, with the Bournemouth ace also able to offer an excellent squad option to the current first-team squad.

The Englishman made 14 appearances for the Cherries in all competitions last season – mainly being the backup for Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi – who both left for a combined £107m this summer.

Despite his lack of minutes in the Premier League, he managed to produce some impressive numbers, many of which would make him a superb addition to Farke’s outfit.

Games played

10

Minutes played

448

Pass accuracy

72%

Chances created

0.6

Dribbles completed

50%

Tackles won

1.6

Duels won

7.1

Aerials won

3.1

Interceptions made

1.8

Hill, who’s been dubbed “outstanding” by one podcast host, achieved a 50% dribble success rate and completed 72% of the passes he attempted – handing the side another option should they want to play out from the back.

The youngster also ranked in the 97th percentile for aerial duels won (3.1) and the 95th percentile for ground duels won (7.1) – offering a dominant presence at the heart of the backline.

His impressive numbers didn’t end there, making 1.8 interceptions per 90 and 1.6 tackles per 90, highlighting his talented ability to regain possession for his side.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the Englishman would cost the Whites this summer, but it’s clear from the stats produced that he would improve the options at Farke’s disposal.

Such a move would replicate a move for Longstaff, potentially being another shrewd addition in the club’s hunt to maintain their Premier League status beyond the 2025/26 campaign.

Their new Raphinha: Leeds could hijack late move to sign £32m "magician"

Leeds could pull off a last-minute hijack

1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 22, 2025

Barry Ferguson has three more matches left to manage as the interim head coach of Glasgow Rangers before he moves on from Ibrox this summer.

The former Scotland international came in to replace Philippe Clement earlier this year and has only won four of his 12 games in charge of Rangers to date, drawing his most recent clash in the Old Firm derby.

Ferguson, therefore, has not done much to suggest that the new owners, when they complete their takeover, should be looking to hand him the role on a full-time basis moving forward.

In fact, TEAMtalk recently reported that the 49ers want to appoint a fresh face with no prior connection to Rangers, which immediately rules out Ferguson, who has now played for and managed the Light Blues.

The outlet added that Steven Gerrard is also out of the running, because of that stance, and will not be returning to Ibrox for a second stint in the dugout.

Whilst the 49ers will not be pursuing a move for the out-of-contract English tactician, they should be looking for a manager who can be their own version of the Liverpool legend.

Why the 49ers should want their own Steven Gerrard

Back in the summer of 2018, Rangers, who were aiming to put Celtic’s dominant run of league titles to a stop, confirmed the appointment of Gerrard on a four-year contract.

Prior to that summer, the Hoops had won seven Scottish Premiership titles in as many seasons and the Gers needed a manager who could wrestle back control of the league.

Gerrard was a risky appointment, as he had not managed a first-team game by that point, and it was not a move that instantly worked out for the Light Blues, because the English boss needed time to develop a style and to build a squad that was ready to win the title.

Rangers finished in second place, behind Celtic, in the manager’s first two seasons at Ibrox, before they went on to win the division in the 2020/21 campaign, going unbeaten in the process.

Matches

38

12

Wins

32

8

Draws

6

3

Defeats

0

1

Points

102

27

Points per game

2.68

2.25

League position

1st (Champions)

1st

As you can see in the table above, Gerrard’s side won 32 of their 38 matches that season to clinch the Premiership crown and to stop Celtic from winning ten in a row.

The Light Blues then won eight of their first 12 matches in the following season, taking them to the top of the table, before the manager decided to pursue an opportunity with Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, Rangers have finished second in all four of their seasons without Gerrard at the helm, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, Philippe Clement, and Barry Ferguson have all failed to deliver a title to the Ibrox faithful.

The 49ers should, therefore, want to find their own version of the English boss because they now face the same task that the club faced in 2018: stopping Celtic’s title dominance.

Why Rangers should target Frank Lampard

Back in October 2023, when Beale was relieved of his duties, Sky Sports reported that Frank Lampard had shown an interest in the available post at Ibrox.

Almost two years later, the 49ers must target the English manager to see if he would be interested in the job this time around, should Coventry fail to earn promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

It seems unlikely that he would want to ditch the Sky Blues if they make their way to the top-flight in England, but Rangers must attempt to convince Lampard to make the move to Scotland if Coventry do not join Leeds United and Burnley in the top division.

The 46-year-old tactician, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, joined the Sky Blues when they were 17th in the Championship and level on points with the bottom three and led them to a fifth-placed finish, to secure a place in the play-offs.

Speaking on talkSPORT recently, pundit Jermaine Jenas hailed Lampard’s ability to work through criticism and claimed that he has done a “pretty special” job at Coventry, which is hard to argue against when you look at the images above.

The former Chelsea midfielder, who played alongside Gerrard at international level for England in their playing days, has had mixed success throughout his managerial career, but is currently thriving at the CBS Arena.

24/25

Championship (Coventry)

29

1.79

5th

22/23

Premier League (Chelsea)

9

0.56

12th

22/23

Premier League (Everton)

20

0.75

19th

21/22

Premier League (Everton)

18

1.11

16th

20/21

Premier League (Chelsea)

19

1.53

9th

19/20

Premier League (Chelsea)

38

1.74

4th

18/19

Championship (Derby County)

46

1.61

6th

As you can see in the table above, Lampard enjoyed early success with sixth and fourth place finishes with Derby County and Chelsea, before being sacked by the Premier League giants and by Everton.

He then endured a dismal interim spell at Chelsea after Graham Potter’s dismissal at Stamford Bridge, earning just 0.56 points per game across nine matches, before taking the Coventry job earlier this season.

Whilst managing at the top of the Premier League may be a step too far for him at this moment in time, Lampard has finished in the play-off positions in both of his seasons in the Championship with Derby and Coventry, which shows that he can motivate and set up a team to win consistently.

Couple that with the respect that his playing career earns him, and there is a compelling argument to suggest that he could be the 49ers’ own version of Gerrard in the new era at Ibrox, as another manager on the up who has something to prove rather than someone who has been there and done it and may not have the same motivation.

Not just Gerrard: "Error prone" Rangers star must not be part of 49ers era

Steven Gerrard is not the only big name who should not be part of the 49ers era at Rangers.

ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

Like Gerrard, Lampard is yet to win a league title and the prospect of doing that at Ibrox could be an attractive and highly-motivating factor for him, which is why the 49ers could tempt him to leave Coventry if his side fails to win the play-offs.

The English tactician has shown promise at Championship level and has proven that he can galvanise a losing team and turn it into a winning one, which is, in essence, what Rangers are in need of.