Glasgow Rangers were no strangers to signing players from Barcelona in the early 2000s, paying big money for Mikel Arteta and Ronald de Boer.

However, those at Ibrox nearly brought in Lionel Messi from the Catalan giants before he broke into the first-team picture at the Nou Camp.

The Argentina icon is rightly recognised as one of the best footballers to ever play the game and hasn’t looked back since making his senior Barcelona debut at the age of 17 in 2004. He spent 17 years with Barcelona before signing for Paris Saint-Germain and then Inter Miami.

Lionel Messi’s major honours

Year won

Ballon d’Or

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023

World Cup

2022

Copa America

2021, 2024

Champions League

2006, 2009, 2011, 2015

La Liga

2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019

Ligue 1

2022, 2023

Uefa Super Cup

2009, 2011, 2015

Club World Cup

2010, 2012, 2016

Copa del Rey

2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021

Spanish Super Cup

2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018

Supporters’ Shield

2024

MLS League Cup

2023

Olympic Gold Medal

2008

French Super Cup

2022

Messi has won everything there is to win in the game, including eight Ballon d’Or awards, and he finally claimed World Cup glory with his country in 2022.

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However, things could have been so different for the magician, if those in Glasgow got their way.

How Rangers nearly signed Messi from Barcelona

As per a report from Goal, Rangers actually made enquiries to sign Messi on loan from Barcelona prior to his senior debut. Unfortunately, those efforts were turned down by those at the Nou Camp, but it was Alex McLeish’s son, Jon, who found Messi.

Talking on Graham Hunter’s The Big Interview podcast in 2017, McLeish went into detail on how his son’s love of Football Manager alerted him to Messi in 2003, with Rangers on the search for a replacement for Barry Ferguson.

Jon’s prediction of Messi becoming the greatest in the world was accurate, showing the powers Football Manager can have in real life.

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that his dismissal by Bayern Munich was "worse" than the sackings he faced at Chelsea and Real Madrid. The Italian coach says it was a mistake against Paris Saint-Germain that saw him given his walking papers just a month into the 2017-18 season. The legendary manager reflected on the disappointing period in an upcoming autobiography.

Not Madrid or Chelsea: Bayern sacking the most ruthless for Ancelotti

Ancelotti is one of the most celebrated and decorated coaches in football history, with a CV that speaks for itself. He achieved success at almost every club he managed, but that was not enough to prevent him from facing the sack. He was dismissed by Chelsea in 2011, just a year after he helped the Blues win the league and cup double. In 2015, Real Madrid let go of him after he guided them to their 10th Champions League title. However, it was his sacking by Bayern in 2017 which Ancelotti has described as the most "ruthless." It was the first time he was sacked mid-season in a career which had completed 22 years at the time.

AdvertisementAFPAncelotti explains why Bayern sacked him

published excerpts from Ancelotti's upcoming book, in which the legendary head coach was critical of Bayern while revealing the reasons that led to his dismissal.

"Once, the bosses asked me to instill more discipline among the players and gave me a list of five points to read out to them," he said. "However, I felt that we were dealing with a top-class professional team, not a youth team, so the players should be treated accordingly. So I stood in front of the team in the locker room, pulled the piece of paper out of my pocket, and said, 'I have orders from the board to read this list to you.' That was my way of distancing myself from this task.

"Then, at the end of September, we went to another of my former clubs. Against Paris Saint-Germain, I decided to forgo our aging wingers and let our defenders push further forward, while we focused primarily on attacks through the middle. It was a mistake. The balance was off, and they were able to disrupt us with their counterattacks. They scored their first goal in the second minute. The final score of 3-0 was Bayern's heaviest defeat in the competition in 21 years.

"The day after the game, the club's board met and concluded that I was the problem. 'Our team's performance since the start of the season hasn't lived up to the expectations we had of them,' [Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge said. The game in Paris clearly showed that we had to take action.

"I've been fired four times by major clubs: Juventus, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. This goes to show that it doesn't take an erratic president or unpredictable owner to get you fired. Shareholders of a company can do that, too.

"It was the most ruthless dismissal of my entire career. After my departure, they reached the Champions League semifinals and were eliminated by — guess what! — Real Madrid."

A look at Ancelotti's coaching career

After an illustrious career as a midfielder, Ancelotti took his first steps in football management at Reggiana in 1995, before coaching Parma and Juventus. Since leaving Juve, he has coached AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton, before returning to Madrid for a second spell in 2021. In all, Ancelotti has won 31 titles at club level. He holds the record of winning five Champions League as a manager, doing so twice with Milan and thrice with Madrid. At the end of last season, he left Madrid after being in-charge for four seasons and joined the Brazil national team.

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Getty Images SportWhat's in store for Ancelotti beyond 2026 World Cup?

The 66-year-old was appointed as Brazil head coach on a deal that will expire after the 2026 World Cup. The ex-Milan, Chelsea and Madrid boss recently hinted that he wouldn't mind extending his stay as the Selecao's manager. However, he left the doors open to a Real Madrid return, stating that they are the only club he would consider managing after his time as Brazil boss comes to an end.

“If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practise in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage”

Firdose Moonda27-Feb-20252:32

Do India have an unfair advantage at the Champions Trophy?

South Africa are not in a position to think about this yet, but should they need to travel to Dubai for a Champions Trophy semi-final or final, they will be at a disadvantage compared to their opposition, India, who have been based in the UAE. That’s according to Rassie van der Dussen, who said you “don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know” that the ability to train and play in one place coupled with the absence of any inter-city or inter-country travel gives India an edge that they will be under pressure to fully exploit.”It’s definitely an advantage. I saw that Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage. If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage,” van der Dussen said in Karachi, where South Africa will play their last group game against England. “I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage. In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign, but they [India] are going to be used to it. The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge.”The Champions Trophy is being played with a hybrid model after India were refused permission by their government to travel to Pakistan, the official hosts, and the ICC board voted in favour of their matches, including any against Pakistan, to be held at a neutral venue. Pakistan will be given the same treatment for events held in India for the duration of the current event cycle, which lasts until 2027. Last week, Pakistan travelled to Dubai to play their marquee clash against India and lost, which ultimately saw them exit the tournament at the group stage. Van der Dussen referred to comments Pakistan’s head coach Aaqib Javed made in the aftermath where he played down suggestions that India had the upper hand from the outset.Related

SA and Australia to travel to Dubai due to tangled Champions Trophy scheduling

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“See, they are in Dubai for a reason,” Aaqib said. “If they are playing in Dubai for a reason, definitely if you play on the same pitch or ground, you will have an advantage. But we are not losing because they had the advantage of the same hotel and pitch . It’s not just because of the pitch, and neither did they play some ten matches there.”But absent Australia captain Pat Cummins also saw things from van der Dussen’s perspective, when he told Yahoo Sports Australia that India would hold a “huge advantage” from playing all their matches in Dubai. “I think it’s good that the tournament can go on, but obviously it does give them [India] a huge advantage playing on the same ground.” He said. “They already look very strong and they’ve got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there.””As a team, team-wise, conditions-wise, we’ve got everything in the locker to adapt to what’s going to be in front of us”•Getty Images

One of the gains India have is the certainty that comes with knowing the venue of all their games, including the knockouts, while other teams will have to wait to confirm their arrangements. In this case, while the outcome of the Afghanistan vs Australia game on Friday could confirm Group B’s semi-finalists, the positions in the group will only be known after South Africa’s match against England on Saturday. Should South Africa qualify for the semi-finals, they will either play India in Dubai on Tuesday or New Zealand in Lahore on Wednesday.Asked which he would prefer, van der Dussen indicated the latter but said the team would be up for either task. “If it’s a personal thing, I would say playing in Lahore because it’s just good to bat there. The Dubai pitch is not as high-scoring as the Lahore [pitch], but no, I don’t think it really matters,” he said. “Probably logistically it will be easier to play in Lahore. You don’t have to go through an international flight and go to Dubai and literally go to another country to play. Lahore is not too far from where we are at the moment [Karachi], so conditions are fairly similar. It’s literally one of those things, we don’t know what’s going to happen until Saturday evening.”Though South Africa have been in Pakistan for almost three weeks, playing in a mini tri-series before the Champions Trophy, and have selected their squad accordingly, van der Dussen said they had the resources for any venue. “As a team, team-wise, conditions-wise, we’ve got everything in the locker to adapt to what’s going to be in front of us. I’m not too worried as a team. There’s no location that will suit us better or worse.”

Prime Bank became the first team in Bangladesh to score 400 in the List A format

Mohammad Isam10-Mar-2025Key takeawaysThere is already evidence that the 46th edition of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League will be the most open competition of the last 15 years. The top seven teams – all on four points each – have already dropped points in the first round that began on March 3. Defending champions Abahani Limited are among the top six teams, although many felt that they would have financial constraints in the 2024-25 season, given their political links with the Awami League.Prime Bank Cricket Club have begun the league spectacularly, becoming the first side to reach a 400-plus total in a List A game in Bangladesh. There have been two other 300-plus totals in the first three rounds, but there have been also been two sides getting bowled out for under 100 runs.Coming hot on the heels of Bangladesh’s disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, the spotlight will be on if the Dhaka Premier League, known as the country’s most important domestic competition, can provide some new performers.Best battersMohammad Naim continues to be the standout batter of the season in domestic cricket. He struck a career-best 176 against Brothers Union in the game in which Prime Bank racked up 422 for 8 in 50 overs. Naim has limited his strokeplay, concentrating mainly on three or four shots to get him the runs. The most impressive factor is his growth as an accumulator, picking ones and twos regularly.Best bowlersLeft-arm spinner Tanvir Islam has taken three wickets in each of the first three matches for Legends of Rupganj. His 3 for 15 (against Shinepukur Cricket Club) and 3 for 23 (against Gazi Group Cricketers) were impressive spells. Tanvir couldn’t quite do well in the BPL, so he must be eager to bounce back in the Dhaka Premier League. Tanvir reached 150 List A wickets, and completed 100 matches in the format on March 10.Best matchPrime Bank started the season with a tight contest, beating Rupganj Tigers by three wickets. Batting first, Rupganj were bowled out for 216 in 48.4 overs. Prime Bank, however, slipped to 23 for 4 in the third over. Openers Naim and Sabbir Hossain were dismissed for ducks, before Zakir Hasan fell in the second over. When captain Irfan Sukkur was run-out, Prime Bank were in big trouble.But Shamim Hossain held things together with an unbeaten 98 off 83 balls that included ten fours and four sixes. He added 110 runs for the unbroken eighth-wicket stand with Khaled Ahmed, who contributed with 28 from 37 deliveries. Shahadat Hossain also struck a quick fifty from No. 4.Points to ponderApart from the top seven teams all reaching four points each, Gulshan Cricket Club, Partex Sporting Club, Shinepukur and Brothers Union have two points each. Rupganj Tigers remain the only team yet to open their account after three losses.Players to watchBrothers’ 21-year-old batter Mahfijul Islam struck a century and a half-century in the first three games to be the top-scorer at this stage of the competition. Parvez Hossain Emon, having returned from the Champions Trophy, also struck a century and a fifty.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers stated on August 1st that his squad needed attacking signings to replace the quality that has been lost this year, through Nicolas Kuhn, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Jota.

The Northern Irish boss said: “I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”

19 days later and the Hoops started their Champions League play-off tie against Kairat at Parkhead with James Forrest, Adam Idah, and Daizen Maeda as their front three, with Hyun-jun Yang as the only natural winger in reserve.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, despite the level of opposition, the match ended in a 0-0 draw with few chances for either side, and some home supporters decided to voice their concerns with boos.

Adam Idah's toothless performance for Celtic

The Ireland international failed to score in the opening two games in the Scottish Premiership, missing three ‘big chances’, but was rewarded with another opportunity to impress on Wednesday night.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Unfortunately, Idah did not impress at Parkhead in the first leg clash and was substituted at half-time in favour of Yang, which allowed Maeda to play through the middle.

In his 45 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, the former Norwich marksman registered zero shots, created zero chances, and only completed five passes. Toothless.

However, Idah was far from the only Celtic attacker who failed to perform. Rodgers should also ruthlessly ditch James Forrest from the starting XI for the second leg.

Why James Forrest should be dropped

As aforementioned, Rodgers wants more attacking players in the building and that is why it feels harsh to criticise the veteran Scottish winger too badly, as he may not have been playing if the manager had his way with transfers already.

However, you have to deal with the situation at hand and that is why the manager should drop Forest, who was given a 5/10 player rating by the Scotsman, for the second leg, as he was just as ineffective as Idah at the top end of the pitch.

Whilst the Irish striker did not do himself any favours with some of his touches, the lack of quality in the wide positions also meant that the forward was starved of service most of the time.

As you can see in the table above, Forrest had 36 more touches than Idah yet did not attempt a single cross into the box in an attempt to create a chance for his teammates.

His lack of quality in his attempted dribbles played a part in that because his failure in three of his four attempts limited the space he had to put crosses into the box, as he was unable to beat his opposing full-back to create the space that was needed.

Ultimately, Celtic should not want to be relying on the 34-year-old, who scored one goal in all competitions last season, to win them matches in the Champions League, but that is the situation they have found themselves in.

It did not work on Wednesday night and that is why Rodgers should roll the dice with Yang out wide on the right for the second leg, unless the club are able to wrap up a move for a new winger in the days leading up to the trip to Kazakhstan.

Yang upgrade: Celtic have serious interest in deal for "flamboyant" winger

Celtic reportedly have a serious interest in a star who would be a big upgrade on Hyun-jun Yang.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 20, 2025

Celtic were on the hunt for a striker to bolster their forward line on deadline day but were rejected in their efforts to sign a former wonderkid.

Celtic sell Adam Idah to Swansea City

Adam Idah was called back to Glasgow despite agreeing a deal to join Swansea City initially, but he wasn’t involved in the 0-0 draw with Rangers at Ibrox and has now completed his move to the Championship.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph confirmed he was set to leave the club on X, highlighting that he underwent the second part of his medical and headed to Wales for a fee of £6 million plus £1 million in add-ons.

He stated on deadline day: “Celtic striker Adam Idah has completed the second part of his medical ahead of a £7m move to Swansea City. Idah has also finalised the paperwork on a long-term contract. It’s understood Celtic & Swansea have agreed an initial fee of £6m, plus more than £1m in add-ons.”

Leaving with 29 goals in 76 appearances, Idah will be remembered as someone who produced big moments on occasion, though he never looked convincing enough to claim the Bhoys’ number one striking jersey.

Responding with plans to improve their attack, Celtic made a late loan move for Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who was also wanted by Rangers, Leicester City and Lyon before the deadline.

If it didn’t need upgrading already, the Hoops’ blunt attack in a 0-0 draw with their rivals at Ibrox on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership failed to fire, leaving Brendan Rodgers desperate to secure reinforcements at the top area of the field.

Celtic made £10 million bid for Kasper Dolberg

According to Sportsboom, Celtic made a £10 million bid for Denmark international Kasper Dolberg, who emerged as their leading target before the deadline.

Rodgers was deemed to be a big fan of the player, but Ajax swooped in at the last minute to agree a deal, leaving the Scottish champions scrambling during the final hours of the window before landing Sebastian Tounekti, who is not an out and out forward.

Better signing than Balikwisha: £5m star is late leading target for Celtic

Celtic are eyeing up a move for a star who could be an even better addition than Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

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Dolberg scored 24 times in 45 appearances for Anderlecht last term and has started 2025/26 with five strikes in his first nine outings, which made him a leading target to lead the Bhoys’ line.

While at Ajax the first time, the Dutch champions rejected a bid worth over £43 million from AS Monaco for the forward, who burst onto the scene at the Johan Cruyff Arena and has previously been likened to Marco van Basten by Flemming Rasmussen.

Nevertheless, he has opted for a new challenge elsewhere, in a scenario that left Celtic picking up the pieces in the final hours of the window.

Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard passed the Topps FC quickfire quiz with flying colours, showing off his knowledge of modern football history when answering questions under pressure. The ex-Rangers and Aston Villa boss was put on the spot in a test of his wits, but showed why he was once considered one of the game’s greatest minds on the pitch by remaining cool when in an intense spotlight.

• Gerrard put under pressure in quiz

  Gerrard, a player who loved a sliding challenge in his heyday, had to tackle the Topps FC quickfire quiz. He proved that despite retiring from playing football almost a decade ago, he still has as sharp a mind as ever, coming back with rapid responses to all the questions laid before him.

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• Watch the clip

• Legendary midfielder shows off his extensive knowledge

  In an interview with GOAL, Gerrard had to answer questions about current players at pace, and the link between them was that their names spelled out his own last name.

  Question: G – Nottingham Forest midfielder who didn’t sign for Spurs?

  Gerrard: [Morgan] Gibbs-White.

  Q: E – Brazil wonderkid who joined Chelsea from Palmeiras?

  Gerrard: Estevao.

  Q: R – 16-year-old winger making headlines at Liverpool?

  Gerrard: Rio [Ngumoha]!

  Q: R – goalkeeper who shared last season’s Golden Glove?

  Gerrard: [David] Raya.

  Q: A – Fulham winger who played for Barcelona and Middlesbrough?

  Gerrard: [Adama] Traore.

  Q: R – Man Utd legend who Martin Keown shouted at?

  Gerrard: [Ruud] van Nistelrooy.

  Q: D – Brighton captain who led them from League One to the Premier League?

  Gerrard: Lewis Dunk.

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• Gerrard shows love for Ngumoha

  Gerrard, who is considered to be one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players and served as captain at Anfield for over 10 years, was noticeably enthusiastic about the chance to namedrop Reds wonderkid Ngumoha, who has since turned 17 and signed his first professional contract with the club. Ngumoha became the youngest scorer in the history of the men’s first team when he popped up with a 100th-minute winner in their 3-2 victory away at Newcastle United in August. This was also the latest winning goal Liverpool had ever scored in the Premier League.

  Already a vital part of Arne Slot’s first-team squad, Ngumoha has helped Liverpool maintain a perfect start to the 2025-26 campaign, winning seven games across all competitions thus far, including five in the Premier League and one apiece in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.

Rangers have had a torrid start to life under Russell Martin as they are winless in the Scottish Premiership, and their dreams of Champions League qualification were ruthlessly put to the sword by Club Brugge in a 9-1 defeat on aggregate.

Rangers have only recorded wins in the League Cup and in their failed Champions League qualification campaign during Martin’s tenure, ramping up the pressure on a managerial selection many fans disdained from day one.

It’s not just early days for Martin, it’s also early days for Rangers’ new owners, Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises. And with the frustration mounting around Ibrox, The I Paper’s chief football correspondent, Daniel Storey, has highlighted how the new men in charge face something of a time bomb as tensions continue to bubble:

Three out of work managers Rangers could sign

There are options available should Rangers decide to make a change after witnessing the fan sentiment first hand on Sunday. They wouldn’t be the first club to take drastic measures, as the likes of José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and Erik ten Hag have all been sacked in the opening month of the season

Mourinho could actually be a contender to replace Martin if the owners did decide to act. He has previously expressed that he doesn’t want his next club to be in the Champions League, which Martin has seen too, and has also spoken positively about the Gers in the past: “Why not in the future? People can say the Scottish league is a league of two teams, but it is a league of passion. Passion in football is everything.”

Another candidate is the former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzić. The German manager had previously been linked with the club when they sacked Philippe Clement, and is still available as a free agent.

Possibly the most exciting manager available however is legendary Spanish World Cup winning midfielder Xavi, who has been out of work since leaving Barcelona last year.

Back in 2022, when he was still in charge in Catalonia, he saw Rangers as one of their biggest threats in the Europa League, heaping praise on the atmosphere at Ibrox: “People will say Barcelona are favourites because of history, and they are used to seeing us play in the Champions League – but this is not the Champions League… As somebody who has played in Glasgow, nobody is going to get an easy time against Rangers.”

Rangers face stick or twist decision

While there’s currently no shortage of available managers and talented tacticians like Xavi and Mourinho are tempting, it would be an awfully big gamble to get rid of Martin at such an early stage.

Martin’s tenure at Southampton was often criticised because his playing style didn’t suit the Premier League. He favoured high possession football, which worked well in the Championship, but not so much when the Saints were promoted and his squad struggled against the tougher opposition.

Given the gap in quality between the squads of the big two and the rest in Scotland, the 39 year-old should be able instil that Championship dominance once again, but the difficulty for Rangers’ new owners will be balancing their patience with the fans’ justified desire for change.

قيم فيرجيل فان دايك قائد ليفربول سوق انتقالات فريقه خلال الصيف الماضي، حيث قام الريدز بتغييرات جذرية في قائمته بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتعاقد ليفربول مع تسعة لاعبين أساسيين وقاموا ببيع عشرة لاعبين من الفريق الأول، في سوق انتقالات قياسية في ملعب أنفيلد.

وأنفق ليفربول 415 مليون جنيه إسترليني على صفقات جديدة، بينما حصل على 187 مليون جنيه إسترليني من مبيعات اللاعبين ليصل إنفاقه إلى 228 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

وتعاقد ليفربول مع لاعبين مثل ألكسندر إيزاك وفلوريان فيرتز وهوجو إيكتيكي، وقد أدت هذه الصفقات لرفع التوقعات بأن فريق آرني سلوت سيكون أقوى هذا الموسم.

أقرأ أيضاً.. لاعب ليفربول: محمد صلاح أفضل من كريستيانو رونالدو

وقال فان دايك في تصريحات لصحيفة “ليفربول إيكو” :”أعتقد أن النادي قام بعمل رائع فيما يتعلق بالصفقات التي قمنا بها، لكنها ليست صفقات حقيقية”.

وأضاف: “من الواضح أننا خسرنا الكثير من اللاعبين والذين يمتلكون جودة عالية كانت بالغة الأهمية خلال السنوات القليلة الماضية”.

وواصل المدافع الهولندي الدولي: “لويس دياز وداروين نونيز وجاريل كوانساه وهارفي إليوت، هؤلاء لاعبين يمتلكون جودة كبيرة قمنا ببيعهم”.

وأكد حول صفقات ليفربول: “كان علينا استهداف هؤلاء اللاعبين بلاعبين يمتلكون جودة عالية ونعلم أن سوق الانتقالات صعبة هذه الأيام لكن النادي نجح في التعاقد مع هؤلاء اللاعبين ببراعة”.

وأكمل فان دايك :”حان وقت العمل وبناء فريق قوي جداً على أرض الملعب للمنافسة في جميع البطولات التي نشارك فيها، هذا هو هدفنا”.

وأتم عن تحقيق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي مرة أخرى: “الاحتفاظ باللقب بعد الفوز به أمر صعب للغاية، لم نتمكن من تحقيقه بعد فوزنا به في المرة الأخيرة عام 2020، مانشستر سيتي نجح لكن الأمر صعب للغاية”.

وحدد فان دايك أهم شيء في ليفربول: “ثقافة النادي، هناك قيم في النادي يجب على الجميع الالتزام بها، العمل الجاد وتقديم ذلك للجماهير حول العالم ونأمل أن نحقق النجاح، الجودة موجودة لكن الضمانات ليست كذلك، لذا علينا العمل من أجلها كل يوم، وقبل كل شيء لتحقيقها في المباريات”.

وقال فان دايك أيضاً: “منذ انضمامي للنادي منذ اليوم الأول الذي توليت فيه المسؤولية مع كلوب وهندرسون، أردت الاستمرار في نشر هذه القيم، هكذا يجب أن نواصل حتى بعد رحيلي، هذه القيم هي مفتاح وبداية نجاحنا”.

واختتم المدافع الهولندي تصريحاته: “أن نكون أكبر نادي في إنجلترا هذا هو هدفنا بالتأكيد، نحن كلاعبين أيضاً، نحب أن نكون أبطالاً ونبقى في الصدارة”.

Tottenham Hotspur are widely reported to be in talks over a deal for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, but he isn’t their only playmaking target, as chairman Daniel Levy assesses alternative options too.

A dramatic late move for Eze would seriously help to put a pretty miserable recent few weeks behind Spurs.

In the space of a few days in early August, Thomas Frank was forced to both wave an emotional goodbye to club legend Son Heung-min and find a way to cope without the creative influence of James Maddison.

Since Son’s departure, Cristian Romero has replaced the South Korean as captain of the Lilywhites, but Frank is still attempting to fill the gaping void left by Maddison’s serious injury.

Hearts were in mouths when the 28-year-old collapsed to the turf and was stretched off against Newcastle in Seoul, and it has since been confirmed that Maddison will miss most of the 2025/2026 season after suffering an ACL rupture.

Before losing Son and Maddison in different respects, Tottenham missed out on a £60m deal for Morgan Gibbs-White in the most bizarre fashion imaginable.

The original plan was to complement Maddison with Gibbs-White’s arrival, but in a sorry state of affairs, Frank heads into the new season with neither – despite going as far as to book a medical for the latter last month.

Dejan Kulusevski’s lengthy lay-off with an injury compounds Tottenham’s troubles, but their newly-opened talks for Eze have sparked some hope that the north Londoners can back Frank with a much-needed new creator before the summer deadline.

Spurs are in negotiations to sign both Eze and Man City winger Savinho in separate deals right now, but as we’ve seen from their transfer window so far, Tottenham’s business is rarely so straightforward.

If a deal cannot be done for Eze, the club do have fallback targets, and one of them is Como sensation Nico Paz.

Tottenham weighing up Como starlet Nico Paz after alleged rejected bid

Last week, Sky Italia reporter Gianluca Di Marzio reported that Tottenham had a £35 million offer rejected for Paz, but his colleague Michael Bridge now states that Frank’s side are still there for the Argentine.

According to Bridge, in a fresh Sky Sports update, it is believed that Tottenham are still weighing up Paz as an option in their search for a number 10, but it could be a very difficult deal to do.

“The main players Spurs want are a No 10, a defender and a winger,” reported Bridge in a Q&A.

“Eberechi Eze is a player who’s been on their radar for some time. But before now, it’s never gone beyond someone they’ve got an interest in.

“Now the Crystal Palace midfielder can be considered among their top targets. They are also assessing other targets, including Como’s Nico Paz – but that is looking like a difficult deal to do.”

Cesc Fabregas’ Como have set a valuation of around £60 million for the 20-year-old, which is a similar price to Eze, and could arguably be viewed as much more of a gamble.

Paz has just one full season of regular football under his belt, with Spurs in need of a more proven playmaker right now, despite some praise from footballing icon Lionel Messi.

“Nico has many qualities and understands the game perfectly,” said Messi.

“He has an impressive mind and is working with a coach who is my friend (Cesc Fabregas) who will help him grow even more.”