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Preview: Leeds vs Chelsea

With three games left of the Premier League campaign, Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United host Chelsea on Wednesday evening with the 48-year-old coach knowing that the Whites simply must better Everton’s result at Watford if they are to give themselves the best possible chance of avoiding relegation to the Championship come the end of the season.

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However, although Chelsea’s form has somewhat tailed off in recent weeks – with the Blues having won just one of their last five Premier League outings – Thomas Tuchel’s third-placed outfit will nevertheless present Leeds with an extremely stern test at Elland Road, meaning that the American manager must ensure his team selection is absolutely spot on this evening.

So, will Marsch make any changes to his starting XI from the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal last time out? Here’s how we at Football FanCast think Leeds could line up against Chelsea, as well as the latest team and injury news…

With Marsch confirming in his pre-match press conference that Liam Cooper looks set to return to action this evening, while also revealing that Patrick Bamford will once again be unavailable for selection, in addition to the fact that Luke Ayling will be missing due to suspension, we predict the 48-year-old will make two changes to his starting XI at The Emirates.

First of all, we predict Ayling’s unavailability, coupled with Stuart Dallas being ruled out for the season as a result of injury and both Cody Drameh and Leif Davis being unavailable due to their loan spells away from Elland Road, will see Leeds set up in a 3-4-3 formation against Chelsea.

This means that, alongside Diego Llorente and Robin Koch, club captain Cooper will return to take up a place in a three-man backline, while Junior Firpo and Daniel James take up the left and right-wing back roles respectively.

In the middle of the park, after an extremely encouraging cameo against Arsenal, 19-year-old Lewis Bate – who Chris Spearing claimed is “like a whippet” – comes into the XI alongside Kalvin Phillips, with the “shocking” – in the words of Noel Whelan – Mateusz Klich dropping to the bench.

In attack, Jack Harrison and Raphinha start on the left and right flank respectively, while Joe Gelhardt – despite being sacrificed at Arsenal after Ayling’s sending off – retains his spot leading the Whites line.

AND in other news: Phil Hay drops exciting 5-word Leeds United transfer update, he’d be a huge upgrade

Sunderland boss Alex Neil praises Sheffield Wednesday fans

Sunderland manager Alex Neil has dropped a bold claim on the Sheffield Wednesday supporters ahead of their upcoming League One play-off match against the Owls on Friday night.

The Lowdown: The ultimate face-off

The Black Cats cemented a place in the top six of the second-tier at the end of the season alongside the Yorkshire outfit, and they are now set to face each other in the first leg of the play-off semi-final at the Stadium of Light.

The two sides both won their respective home games against each other earlier in the campaign, so the support from those in the stands could hold massive weight on the result, and whilst the 40-year-old boss previewed the crunch clash, he was full of praise for both sets of fans.

The Latest: Neil’s admiration

During his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Neil said: “I’m probably gonna offend a few teams here, but it’s probably the two most well supported teams in the league.”

The Verdict: Electric atmosphere

There’s no doubt that the atmosphere inside the ground will be absolutely buzzing, with both teams looking to make the jump up to the Championship next season.

Sunderland are reported to have sold a staggering 35,000 tickets for the game and are aiming to have a total of more than 45,000 in attendance. If the club were to achieve this, it would beat the 38,000 that were at the Doncaster fixture back in February, which was officially recorded as the largest crowd outside of the Premier League this campaign.

Whoever manages to seal the victory in this tie will have one foot in the play-off final, which is set to take place at Wembley Stadium on May 21st, and could be joining Wigan Athletic and Rotherham in their promotion parties.

In other news: Journalist stunned by ‘remarkable’ update from the Stadium of Light…

Maresca must bench 3/10 Chelsea star who lost the ball 21x vs Leeds

Chelsea dropped points for the second game in a row, suffering a disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Leeds United at Elland Road. The Blues put in a lacklustre performance in a tough environment, and never really managed to get into the game.

It was a poor start for Enzo Maresca’s side, who went 1-0 down inside the first six minutes after a fast start from the Whites. It was slack defending from a corner, with Jaka Bijol making a darting run from the edge of the penalty box and heading home at the near post.

The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. It was yet more questionable defending from the West Londoners, who let Ao Tanaka have acres of space just outside the area. The Japanese international unleashed a vicious shot which nestled into the back of the net.

Chelsea did pull a goal back, with just 50 minutes on the clock. Pedro Neto managed to shake off his marker and pull to the back post, firing home Jamie Gittens’ cross.

It was all in vain, though, after a defensive error with 18 minutes to go meant Leeds scored a third and sealed the win.

It was a disappointing night for Chelsea, with some particularly worrying performances across the board.

Chelsea’s worst performers vs. Leeds

There were some notable bad showings from a few of Maresca’s men against Leeds. One of those came from Tosin Adarabioyo. It was his error which led to Leeds’ third goal and all but secured the three points for the West Yorkshire side.

The former Fulham man received the ball inside the penalty area and took a heavy touch before playing a five-yard pass back to Robert Sanchez.

It was a frustrating lack of awareness from the Chelsea number four, who put his goalkeeper under pressure from the Leeds press.

Another member of the Chelsea side who struggled was centre-forward Liam Delap. It was a night where the Blues’ number nine seemed isolated. Aside from a snapshot in the second half, which he fired over the crossbar, he did little to trouble the Leeds defence.

One person who was critical of Delap’s performance at Elland Road was Goal journalist Tom Ritchie. He gave the English striker a 4/10 for his efforts, and described him as a ‘bystander’ during the first half.

Those two Chelsea stars were not the only players to struggle on Wednesday night, though.

Maresca could boldly bench £180k-per-week Chelsea star

It was a night to forget for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine, who captained the Blues at Elland Road, struggled to get any sort of control in midfield.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Perhaps that coincided with the fact that his usual partner in the centre of the park, Moises Caicedo, was suspended.

Chelsea’s number eight was arguably at fault for Tanaka’s goal. He was dispossessed in midfield, facing his own goal, with the ball breaking loose, a situation Leeds capitalised on.

This weighed into the 3/10 rating he got from Ritchie, who said he ‘looked rattled at times’. Indeed, Fernandez’s stats from the game show how much of a tough night it was.

Normally, so good on the ball, the £180k-per-week asset only had a pass accuracy of 77% in the Whites’ half, losing the ball 21 times. He also failed to complete a dribble or a tackle.

Touches

106

Opposition half pass accuracy

77%

Number of times ball lost

21

Unsuccessful touches

5

Ground duels won

1/4

Tackles

0

Dribbles

0

After a showing like that, it will be interesting to see if Maresca keeps Fernandez in the starting lineup for their next game against Bournemouth this Saturday. He certainly struggled without Caicedo next to him, and Reece James inverting from right-back.

There are options at his disposal, too. Cole Palmer is now back from injury and played 30 minutes at Elland Road on Wednesday. Whether or not he can play from the start remains to be seen, but he could slot into the side.

Alternatively, James could be brought back into the starting XI and operate in midfield, as he has done this season to a good degree of success.

Fernandez’s performance at Elland Road was disappointing, and it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the side, especially with options at Maresca’s disposal.

As bad as Tosin: Maresca's 4/10 flop must never start for Chelsea again

Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.

ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

Worse than Kerkez: Slot must drop 5/10 Liverpool man who lost the ball 9x

Arne Slot gambled on Wednesday when he decided to exclude from his matchday squad the majority of his first-team Liverpool stars.

But the Dutch tactician didn’t gamble with his side’s chances of advancing against Crystal Palace to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. The result, plainly, always felt the probable outcome from the build-up, and Liverpool are now condemned to six losses from seven games.

Liverpool did not have the firepower to overwhelm Oliver Glasner’s side, and so he has rested his heavyweights in the hope that the Reds will see an upswing in form across the crucial coming period of football. Up next: Aston Villa and Manchester City in the Premier League, with the visit of Real Madrid in the Champions League in between.

With that in mind, the decision to field a second-string team was understandable, but there was a dearth of experience, and with the outcome almost pre-determined, unleashing the already under-fire Milos Kerkez has backfired.

Milos Kerkez struggles again

Since September 27th, Liverpool have lost more games than any other side across Europe’s top five leagues. Defensively, it’s been a bit lackadaisical and erratic.

In this regard, summer recruit Kerkez has really struggled. The Hungarian arrived from Bournemouth for £45m in July but is unrecognisable to the Premier League Team of the Year inclusion who inspired such awe on the south coast last year.

Slot and Kerkez will take solace in the 21-year-old having created two chances, finding his man with both attempted crosses and connecting well with the lively Rio Ngumoha. However, he also lost the ball 19 times and won only three of his nine contested duels (data via Sofascore).

It was a display that, once again, left plenty to be desired, and Liverpool still wait to see the left-back form into a worthy part of Slot’s project.

There is, however, time on his side. But the same cannot be said for another part of the Liverpool backline, a player who has been at the heart of a series of transfer sagas in recent years and may now be heading for the axe.

Slot must ditch Liverpool stalwart

Liverpool have undergone plenty of change this year, and there’s a sense that some of the veterans need to stick around. This isn’t true in every case, though.

For so long, Joe Gomez has been a part of the club, instrumental in the rise of Jurgen Klopp and the longest-serving active first-team player – and that even before Trent Alexander-Arnold packed and left.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip

The 28-year-old was part of a three-man backline in the cup, but Slot’s attempts to negate the Palace threat came undone when Gomez found himself at the epicentre of the deadlock-breaker. It was his loose touch that gifted Ismaila Sarr the first goal of his brace, ever the bane in Liverpool’s side.

Perhaps Gomez’s miscontrol was more unfortunate than clumsy, but there was still a flash of a chance to clear the danger and keep that elusive clean sheet.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Errors made

1

Touches

92

Accurate passes

69/76 (91%)

Possession lost

9x

Recoveries

5

Tackles

1/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

8

Ground duels

1/3

Aerial duels

3/4

Moreover, Gomez’s errant pass led to the Eagles’ conclusive third strike, and Liverpool World saw it fit thereafter to hand the England international a 5/10 match rating.

After attracting interest from Newcastle United and, curiously, Palace over the past two summer transfer windows, Liverpool may come to regret not cashing in, especially if that had led to the likes of Marc Guehi, who remains under Glasner’s wing but could have been fielded for the hosts on Wednesday.

After such sweeping changes this summer, Liverpool were always going to need time to develop and reshape as a unit. But this feels messy.

We are not seeing a coherent squad ratcheting up the pace, but instead a sour situation that now threatens to spill over if form is not found before Aston Villa’s trip to Anfield on Saturday evening.

If Slot has learned anything new, it’s that Gomez cannot be placed into the starting line-up against Unai Emery’s well-oiled team.

Van Dijk's new Matip: Liverpool now chasing "sensational" Guehi alternative

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

Celtic warned Gerrard has immediate Ibrox plan that Rangers fans will love

Ahead of a new era, one former Ibrox star has fired a direct warning to Celtic as Rangers set their sights on climbing the Scottish Premiership table.

Rangers set to appoint Gerrard

It’s de ja vu for Rangers, who are reportedly on the brink of reaching a full agreement with Steven Gerrard to return to the club. The last manager to win the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox, the 45-year-old is set to step foot in the dugout in Scotland for the first time since leaving for Aston Villa. He has a lot of making up to do, but arrives with it all to do after Russell Martin’s disastrous tenure.

Games

192

Wins

124

Draws

41

Defeats

27

If the former manager can pick up where he left off, then Rangers should begin to bridge the gap on Celtic and Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership. As things stand, his first game back in charge of the club is likely to be Dundee United at Ibrox, before travelling to face Brann in the Europa League after the international break.

It will be a hectic start for Gerrard and the Rangers squad, but the manager will be hoping to have learned from recent lessons in the technical area to enjoy a quick start.

He recently told Rio Ferdinand when asked about returning to management: “I’d love another go at some point. I want to change a few things and improve a few things and come back fresh, with a few different people around myself.

“I’d love another couple of challenges doing this and that’s what I’m working on in the background at the moment. A few different ideas, a few different people around me.”

Rangers on verge of hiring new manager who shares agent with £100m+ Real Madrid superstar

The Gers are closing in on the appointment.

ByBen Goodwin Oct 10, 2025

It will certainly be interesting to see the current version of Gerrard compared to 2021 and one former Ibrox star has already issued a warning to Celtic with that in mind.

Kyle Laferty fires fresh warning to Celtic

Speaking about Gerrard’s return to the club, former Ibrox ace Kyle Laferty warned Celtic about the immediate plan that the Liverpool legend has, claiming that’s what Rangers fans will “want”.

Currently nine points away from Celtic and 11 away from leaders Hearts, it would take a monumental effort for Gerrard to win the league from here, but he’ll be looking to draw on his previous experience as a champion to do exactly that.

Liverpool star slammed after fewest touches and "dire" display vs Chelsea

Many Liverpool players came in for criticism after the 2-1 defeat away to Chelsea, with one individual producing “another dire performance” for the Reds.

Neville slams "absolutely useless" Liverpool attack

The Premier League champions have been brought crashing back down to reality, losing three times in a week and being defeated in stoppage time away to both Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

Reflecting on Liverpool’s performance after Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville didn’t hold back in his criticism of the attack, with various individuals misfiring.

“I thought after they scored, I was really disappointed in their level of performance. A lot has been made of Liverpool’s defensive work and rightly so, but that’s not why they’ve lost this game. They’ve lost this game because in the last 15-20 minutes, their creative players, their players in the final half of the pitch, the midfield players and the forwards were absolutely useless.

“They were giving the ball away like you wouldn’t believe. Gakpo, Salah, the wastage. Wirtz, not knowing how to get into a game in the last 15 minutes when it was there for the taking and just sort of ended up almost marking Caicedo. I thought their front players were terrible. Salah is sublime.

“How can you criticise the consistency and reliability and brilliance of him, but some of the decisions of him today, when he comes inside and you think he should pass it or you think he should do something better with it, and his finishing was poor.”

It has been a concerning week for Liverpool, with too many players well below their best, and one Reds hero has been lambasted after his showing against the Blues.

Liverpool star slammed for "another dire performance"

Writing on X, Statman Dave slammed Mohamed Salah’s “dire” display for Liverpool against Chelsea, with the Reds legend having the fewest touches of any outfield player to feature for the whole game.

Salah’s form is a definite cause for concern, with the 33-year-old seemingly no longer possessing the blistering pace that he did, making it easier for full-backs in one-on-one situations.

That said, the more troubling aspect of his game is his general use of the ball, with too many passes going astray and his finishing away to Chelsea horribly erratic.

Salah has overcome slumps before, but the fact that he is now well into his 30s means that the voices are only going to be louder when it comes to writing him off.

Worse than Salah: Slot must drop 4/10 Liverpool ace who lost 50% duels

Liverpool lost 2-1 away to Chelsea on Saturday evening

1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 5, 2025

He still has a huge amount to offer Liverpool, but if his performances don’t improve immeasurably after the international break, there may have to be genuine talk about him potentially being past his prime.

Amorim think's he's ideal: Man Utd in talks for £60m Gyokeres alternative

Manchester United are now in talks to sign an “incredible” striker who Ruben Amorim thinks is a perfect fit, according to a report.

Man Utd's striker pursuit takes new twist

Man United have set out to sign a new striker this summer, with Viktor Gyokeres being identified as a potential target, having recently made calls in an attempt to lure the Sweden international to Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old is determined to leave Sporting this summer, even threatening to speak to the media himself if the Portuguese club continue to stand in his way.

The Sporting star is worried that the £68m asking price could deter potential suitors from making a move, with the forward dreaming of making a move to Arsenal, and there has now been a new update on his future.

Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres.

According to a report from The Mirror, United have now accepted defeat in the race for Gyokeres, as they are convinced he would rather sign for Mikel Arteta’s side, meaning they have now moved on to alternative targets.

The Red Devils are now stepping up their interest in Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, having held tentative talks over a deal for the England international, with Amorim of the belief he would be the ideal player to lead the line.

A deal will not be cheap, however, with Villa set to hold out for a fee of £60m, which Man United are unwilling to pay, considering he is now 29-years-old, which means there is a lack of re-sale value.

Man Utd in contact for £34m star who's "the best in his role in the world"

The Red Devils have now approached the agents of a player who featured in the 2025 Champions League final.

ByDominic Lund Jul 3, 2025

There had been a willingness to use Marcus Rashford in a swap deal, but Unai Emery’s side are no longer interested in signing their former loanee.

Watkins could be "incredible" Gyokeres alternative

Of course, Amorim knows all about Gyokeres from their time working together at Sporting, and his goal record last season speaks for itself, but there are plenty of signs that Watkins could be a solid alternative.

Unlike Gyokeres, the Torquay-born forward has already proven himself over a number of years in the Premier League, picking up 75 goals and 36 assists in 184 appearances in the competition.

The Englishman also has experience at the highest level, most notably scoring a dramatic late winner to send the Three Lions to the Euro 2024 final.

Man United have made the mistake of signing players without Premier League experience in the past, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to adapt to life in England, while Watkins has already proven himself to be a reliable source of goals.

Wolves join huge race to sign "excellent" defender as £24m deadline looms

Having already signed Fer Lopez, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on welcoming a defensive reinforcement who current star Yerson Mosquera knows well.

Fer Lopez: Premier League is an "amazing opportunity"

After losing both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri in the early days of the window, Wolves were always likely to spend in the weeks that followed, and they did just that. Signing the young winger from Celta Vigo for around £19m, Lopez will arrive hoping to make an instant impact in the Midlands.

The 21-year-old is well aware of the opportunity that lies ahead too, telling Wolves’ official website after putting pen to paper: “It’s an amazing opportunity for my career to play in the Premier League, and I’m very happy.

“Vitor told me he thought I was a good fit in the squad and when it’s a club like this, you have little to think about. The team did very good when Vitor came and I think he is top, so I’m very excited to be with him.

Wolves set to join Aston Villa and Leeds in race to sign £25m international midfielder

The midfield star is ready to leave his current club.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 23, 2025

“Jorgen told me that to play in the Premier League and with a team like Wolves, it’s amazing, and that the fans were incredible. He told me that I should come, and that with the gaffer and all the teammates, the style of play was going to be very good. We’re going to play good football, attractive football, and I think I can fit in there.”

After Lopez, however, Wolves still have money to spend and it seems as though their focus has turned towards strengthening their backline with the addition of an in-demand defender who Mosquera knows well.

Wolves join Lucumi race

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Wolves have now joined the race to sign Jhon Lucumi from Bologna this summer as the defender’s £24m release clause approaches its July 10 expiry date.

Jhon Lucumi tackles Lionel Messi.

Joined by Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford, Wolves will have quite the battle on their hands if they decide to turn their interest into a formal offer for Vitor Pereira. Lucumi is a player who’d be worth the chaos, though. Mosquera’s Colombian teammate has enjoyed an impressive couple of years in Italy and has earned plenty of praise along the way.

Praised for his “excellent ball-security” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Wolves should do everything to land what would be a bargain deal for Lucumi this summer. The Midlands club have just over two weeks to sign the Bologna defender before his £24m release clause expires and the Italian club likely increase their asking price.

Dream Semenyo alternative: Spurs plot bid to sign "terrifying" £21m star

It feels like it’s going to be a hectic summer for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

The Europa League champions sacked Ange Postecoglou on Friday afternoon due to his horrific Premier League record, and while it’s not been confirmed by the club, Thomas Frank looks set to replace him.

Despite the talent in the squad, the Danish manager will have a lot to do to ensure their domestic campaign is more of a success next season, and the best way for Daniel Levy and Co to help him with that is by bringing in the right players in the coming weeks and months.

One of those players linked with a move to the club has been Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, but recent reports have now touted another wide talent for a move to Spurs, someone who could be the perfect alternative.

Tottenham's interest in Semenyo

Spurs have been linked with a host of talented players in recent weeks, from Crystal Palace’s Eberchi Eze to Brentford’s in-demand Bryan Mbeumo, but earlier this week, Semenyo became one of the latest Premier League stars to be touted for a move to N17.

It’s not hard to see why the Lilywhites might be interested in the Cherries star, as even though he’s playing for a mid-table side, the Ghana international was able to rack up an impressive tally of 13 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances.

However, with his price tag potentially being as high as £70m and interest from other Premier League sides like Arsenal and Liverpool, this might be a transfer both too expensive and too challenging to get over the line, in which case, Levy and Co might be after an alternative, like Dorgeles Nene.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Spurs are now one of several top-flight teams now ‘considering a move’ for the RB Salzburg gem this summer.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has revealed that Lazio, Fiorentina, Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen are all interested in the 22-year-old dynamo who has been seriously impressive in Austria this season.

Moreover, while the competition might be a problem, the fee shouldn’t be, as the report claims that an offer of up to £21m should be enough to tempt Salzburg to sell.

Nene might not be a well-known name or sound like a particularly inspiring signing, but should Semenyo be out of reach, the youngster would certainly be worth bringing in for Spurs.

Why Nene would be a good signing for Spurs

So then, in a market where there are countless wide talents available, why would Nene be a good signing for Spurs?

Well, first and arguably most importantly, his output this season was seriously impressive and made more so by the fact he was primarily playing off the wings.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling 3043 minutes, the “terrifying” threat, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was able to score 15 goals and provide nine assists for the Austrian outfit.

Appearances

46

42

Minutes

3043′

3562′

Goals

15

13

Assists

9

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvements

126.79′

178.10′

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.91 games, or every 126.79 minutes, which is better than Semenyo’s average of one every 2.1 games or every 178.1 minutes.

Secondly, with him still being just 22 and not turning 23 until December, there is so much room for growth and development, as according to research carried out by The Athletic, wide players do not hit their peak until 26.

Finally, even though the Kayes-born dynamo is primarily a left-winger, he’s just as capable of playing down the middle or off the right, which would give Frank so much more tactical flexibility next season.

Ultimately, Semenyo will understandably be many Spurs fan’s first choice here, but if he’s unattainable, then Nene would be an excellent alternative, although with a price tag of £21m, why not try to sign both?

Kulusevski upgrade: Spurs "definitely" want to sign £68m star for Frank

The dynamic talent would help make Spurs tick next season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 10, 2025

Rangers eye manager who Arne Slot said creates top build-up and pressure

A “very good” attacking manager remains in the mix to be named the next boss of Rangers this summer, according to a new update.

Rangers continue search for next manager

While new signings are clearly vital for the Scottish Premiership giants before next season gets underway, making sure they bring in the perfect next manager is even more important.

A recent claim has suggested that talks have been held with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli, with the 36-year-old leaving the Dutch side after throwing away the Eredivisie title to PSV Eindhoven in the latter weeks of the campaign.

Steven Gerrard at Ettifaq.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard is still very much in the mix to take charge of Rangers for a second time, having famously won the title with them back in 2020/21. For that reason, a chunk of the fanbase may be happy to see the Liverpool legend return, and contact is said to have been made.

As things stand, though, Davide Ancelotti is arguably the front-runner to come in at Ibrox this summer, having left Real Madrid at the end of the season, and now possibly wanting to be a manager rather than an assistant.

"Very good" manager an option for Rangers

According to a new report from The Daily Mail, Farioli is definitely “in the running” to be Rangers’ next manager, following his departure from Ajax. Both he and Brian Priske are described as “outsiders” in the report, but it is clear the Gers have left him on their list after the reports of talks last week.

While Farioli isn’t among the favourites to take charge of Rangers, he should still be considered an interesting option for the club given his exciting resume.

Known for adopting an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation, the 36-year-old Italian has been lauded by Liverpool’s Premier League-winning manager Arne Slot.

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ByRoss Kilvington May 31, 2025

That is high praise from a prominent figure in the game currently, but in truth, Rangers may be wise to bring in a more experienced option, rather than taking a gamble on Farioli. Ancelotti would also be a risk for that reason, so one has to wonder if all roads lead back to Gerrard.

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