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Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin gets to have a first look at his players in the flesh this week as some of his stars have returned for pre-season testing.

The new boss will also have the opportunity to speak with some members of the Ibrox squad in person, whilst the summer transfer window is in full swing.

In fact, journalist Scott Burns claims that the Rangers head coach is due to hold talks with central defender Robin Propper over his future at Ibrox beyond this summer.

FC Twente are eyeing up a move to bring him back to the Netherlands ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but he has returned to pre-season testing with the Gers for now.

Martin must, now, tell the Dutch defender that he is not a part of his plans for the upcoming season, because the Light Blues should be looking to part ways with him in the coming weeks.

Why Rangers must sell Robin Propper

The Gers manager should move on from the 31-year-old flop this summer after he endured a difficult first season in Scottish football after his move from FC Twente last year.

In December, the central defender was hauled off at half-time against St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership and was heavily criticised by pundit Derek Ferguson.

The former Gers man said: “Propper is struggling. He’s been pretty vocal over the last couple of weeks that he’s finding it tough in our league. He’s been asked the question early on. It’s quite worrying when you see him struggling as bad as that. Look at the body language – he’s looking for a way out already.”

Propper, who was dribbled past 11 times in 22 Premiership starts, failed to deal with the physicality of the league during his debut season, which led to him being a bit-part player by the end of the campaign.

As you can see in the table above, the experienced defender was far from a regular fixture in the starting XI for the Scottish giants, as he was an unused substitute in four of his last ten outings in the matchday squad.

Given that he is unlikely to have much room left for development at the age of 31, Rangers should move on from him this summer, amid interest from Twente, and their reported pursuit of an English star could send Propper packing.

Rangers in talks to sign English star

According to the Daily Record, Rangers are in ‘advanced talks’ with Leicester City to strike a deal for former England international Conor Coady this summer.

The report claims that the Light Blues have ‘ramped’ up their efforts to bring the central defender, who previously starred for Wolverhampton Wanderers, up to Scotland for the 2025/26 season.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that the Gers are ‘pushing’ to get a deal done quickly for the experienced defender, now that the club are starting to ramp up their pre-season preparations ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos next month.

The Daily Record adds that Coady, who has one year left on his contract at the King Power, is open to a move to Ibrox this summer to secure his long-term future.

However, the report does not reveal how much money it will take to agree a deal with Leicester, or if they would be willing to waive a fee for the 32-year-old in order to shave his wages off.

Why Rangers should sign Conor Coady

Rangers should sign Coady from the Championship side, who were relegated from the Premier League this season, because he could send Propper packing this summer.

A deal to sign the former England international in the coming days or weeks would provide Martin with a vastly-experienced right-sided centre-back, which would negate any need to keep hold of Propper, who currently fills that role in the squad.

Coady, who played 22 times in the Premier League this season for the Foxes, would arrive at Ibrox as a hugely experienced player at the very top level, with 198 Premier League appearances and ten caps for England under his belt.

He is, therefore, used to the physicality of British football and can deal with the brute strength and dynamism of attackers in Scotland next season, whereas, Propper had never played domestic football outside of the Netherlands and looked ill-prepared for the task at hand.

As you can see in the table above, Coady has largely been reliable as a physical presence in England in recent seasons, particularly when it came to stopping attackers from dribbling past him.

As aforementioned, one of Propper’s biggest problems in the Premiership was that strikers found it too easy to get the better of him, as he was dribbled past 11 times in 22 starts. That would not be a problem for the English titan, who has been dribbled past three times in his last 34 league outings.

The Leicester ace also showcased his quality in possession in the Championship in the 2023/24 season, ranking in the top 1% of his positional peers for progressive passes per 90 (7.20). This suggests that he would also add value in possession as part of a team that dominates the ball and looks to play forward.

Coady, who was described as an “infectious” character by Gareth Southgate, may be approaching the latter stages of his career, at the age of 32, but he appears to have the requisite qualities to take Propper’s place and send him packing back to FC Twente.

A Colak repeat: Club now pushing to sign Rangers star in the next 48 hours

Rangers could repeat their Antonio Colak masterstroke by selling this star this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 23, 2025

It is just 40 days since Glasgow Rangers were last in action, drawing 2-2 on the final day of the Premiership season, but they’ll be back very soon at Ibrox, now managed by a new gaffer in the form of Russell Martin.

Rangers’ pre-season schedule commences a week on Saturday, while it is now less than four weeks until competitive action returns to Govan as they enter the second qualifying round of Europe’s premier competition.

By late-July and into August, matches will come thick and fast, Martin’s Premiership debut as Rangers manager coming at Fir Park on Saturday 2 August, hence the need for new signings, and plenty of them, as soon as possible.

Rangers looking to bolster their back line

It is clear that defensive reinforcements at Ibrox are very near the top of Martin’s list of priorities.

Conor Coady is reportedly in talks to join Rangers, while Max Aarons has signed on loan. Rangers are also reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring Owen Beck from Liverpool.

Now, according to a report by Football Insider, Rangers have ‘opened talks’ with Peterborough United in an attempt to sign Emmanuel Fernandez, who is valued at around £300k, according to Transfermarkt’s estimations. It’s reported that Martin has already given the green light to complete a deal.

As documented by Samuel Seaman of Pink Un, Norwich City came close to signing Fernandez in January, having a bid accepted before the deal ‘collapsed’ on deadline day.

He references Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony, who forecasted that the Canaries “will try again in the summer”, adding that the defender “has all the attributes needed to have a great career, he wins everything in the air… and can play out with the ball”.

Now though, rather than moving to Norfolk, could the centre-back be on his way north of the border?

Why Emmanuel Fernandez would be an upgrade on Robin Pröpper

As noted by Mark Walker of the Herald, FC Twente manager Joseph Oosting has revealed that he has held talks with Robin Pröpper over a potential move back to Enschede, with Rangers having already agreed to sell him for £1.5m.

Few Rangers supporters are likely to be too devastated to see the Dutchman depart, given that he struggled during his first, and potentially only, season at the club, with Ewan Paton of the Rangers Review asserting that Scottish football is ‘too quick and physical for his capabilities’.

So, would Fernandez be an upgrade? Let’s find out.

First and foremost, worth noting that, even though Fernandez was plying his trade in EFL League One, according to Global Football Rankings, England’s third-tier is only ten spots below the Scottish Premiership, ranked 53rd and 43rd respectively.

In terms of the numbers, the Englishman comes out on top for the majority of defensive metrics included, most notably in terms of duels, winning a staggering 77% of his aerial duels across all competitions.

This is partially due to the fact he is 6 foot 4 in, or 194 cms if you prefer, very much an imposing central defender.

​​​​Thus, Peterborough chairman, Darragh MacAnthony labelled him a “colossus”, adding “he’s been our best defender this season… he’s a gentle giant off the pitch, but aggressive on it”.

Some extra height and presence is exactly what Rangers require, suggesting the 23-year-old would be an excellent addition.

He'd send Propper packing: Rangers are in talks to sign "infectious" star

Rangers are in talks to sign star who could send Robin Propper packing this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 24, 2025

Manchester City have reached an “agreement” over the signing of a talented former Paris Saint-Germain youngster, according to a new update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Man City set to miss out on key target to Spurs

It has already been a productive summer transfer window for Pep Guardiola, who will have known the importance of adding fresh blood to his squad, following a tired-looking 2024/25 season.

The likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki will add quality and youth to the team, but City have suffered a blow regarding Morgan Gibbs-White.

Despite agreeing personal terms with the Nottingham Forest star, it now looks as though the Englishman is off to Tottenham, with the North Londoners triggering the £60m release clause in his contract. A move is expected to be completed in no time at all, with a medical pencilled in for Friday.

Missing out on Gibbs-White would be a setback for City, considering what an excellent season he enjoyed last time round, and it is now a case of them looking at alternative attacking options instead. Now, a fresh claim suggests a different player is now on his way to the Etihad instead.

Man City reach "agreement" and sign ex-PSG youngster

According to Romano on X, Manchester City have signed of young Paris Saint-Germain forward Mahamadou Sangare, with an “agreement” reached over a move to the Etihad after winning the race to snap him up. He has also “signed his contract” with the Sky Blues.

Sangare isn’t necessarily a player who will arrive at City and be a huge player for Guardiola from the off, with his lack of experience making him more of a long-term acquisition.

That’s not to say that he couldn’t be a fantastic signing for the Premier League giants, though, with the France Under-18 international someone with so much potential.

Sangare has scored an incredible 33 goals in just 35 appearances for PSG’s Under-19s, highlighting what an impressive emerging striker he is.

Man City agree personal terms with £60m star but he may now join Tottenham

City are making progress in their pursuit of a midfielder…

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 10, 2025

Planning for the future is essential for City, ensuring they remain a dominant force in English football for generations to come, and the teenage attacking ace can be a big part of their future.

Sunderland fans will be hoping their team can be instantly successful moving up to the Premier League after an action-packed summer so far in the transfer window.

Of course, it will take time for the multitude of fresh signings on Wearside to gel and get up to speed with their daunting new environment, but Regis Le Bris will just pray it clicks relatively quickly as his team tries to stave off an immediate drop back down to the Championship.

Granit Xhaka could well be the next statement addition through that door that ruffles a few feathers, with the Black Cats reportedly striking an agreement on personal terms with the ex-Arsenal midfielder to return to the Premier League. Further reports have indicated that a bid has also been lodged for the Bayer Leverkusen man.

Then, with the attack already bolstered and the midfield department brimming with quality, the defence could be next on Le Bris’ agenda to strengthen.

Sunderland prepare bid for £22m titan

The star-studded buys look as if they will continue into the Black Cats’ back line, with Sunderland now being linked to former Europa League winner Loic Bade in the heart of defence.

Recent reports have suggested that the newly promoted side are in pole position to land the imposing Frenchman, even as fellow suitors from the Premier League in Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur circle for the £25m defender’s services, alongside Marseille and Villarreal.

It still could be a tall order for Sunderland to win this race outright, even if they are reported to be in the lead for his signature currently, with a dream alternative to the 25-year-old now up their sleeve as a fresh bid is potentially prepared.

Transfer Focus

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

As per reports from Italian outlet Il Resto del Carlino, as relayed by 1000CuoriRossoblu, Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi is now tempted by a move to Wearside after initially being hesitant.

With the newly-promoted side already lodging a bid of around €20m (£17m), a heftier offer is now being prepared by the Black Cats, with the Serie A side looking for closer to €25m (£22m) to cash in.

With Lucumi’s agents also pushing for the centre-back to relocate to England, this might well be a move that is finalised in a swifter manner than Bade’s, with the Bologna number 26 sticking out as a dream alternative to the one-time France international.

Why Lucumi would be a dream Bade alternative

This chaotic summer period so far has proven that the Black Cats are unafraid to splash the cash, with a club-record £30m forked out on Habib Diarra.

Yet, there won’t be a bottomless pit of money at the Stadium of Light forever, meaning £3m saved on a defender could be a worthwhile, savvy move in the long run, especially when you weigh up Lucumi’s strengths next to his £25m counterpart.

Despite once being heralded as an “elite” level defender by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Bade comes up short when assessed next to Lucumi in many different areas of their defensive games across last season.

The South American centre-back trumps the Sevilla number 22 when it comes to accurate passes per 90 minutes in league action, on top of Bade also falling flat in terms of ball recoveries and tackles won.

Lucumi’s well-known composure with the ball at his feet has even seen him labelled as “ice cold” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, with this assured demeanour standing him in good stead for the intense challenges the Premier League would throw his way.

Whilst Bade might be a more notable name to an outsider looking in, the evidence here proves that Lucumi would be a fantastic, cost-effective alternative to the Frenchman.

Adingra will love him: Sunderland in talks to sign "sensational" £22.5m ace

Sunderland is continuing to negotiate a deal to snap up a £22.5m star

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 22, 2025

Rio Ferdinand says getting rid of Andre Onana will stop "bad smells" hanging around Manchester United as he nears a Trabzonspor loan move.

• Onana set to leave Man Utd on loan
• Ferdinand pleased at transfer update
• Red Devils will be getting rid of "bad smell"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following news that United keeper Onana is set for a loan exit, United legend Ferdinand says he is "pleased" the 29-year-old is heading out the Old Trafford exit door. He stressed that the Red Devils have kept underperforming players for far too long and Onana falls into that category.

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  WHAT FERDINAND SAID

  He said on Rio Ferdinand Presents: "I think Omar [Berrada], who is running the football operations at the club, I think he’s made the point that they’re not going to have players sitting around that are not worthy of being at the football club anymore. They’re not going to have players that either aren’t good enough, haven’t performed well enough or are not the right people to be at the football club. He’s not going to have them around like bad smells. I think, for far too long, we’ve had at that at the football club. We’ve been forced to keep players because of bad financial situations that the club have put us in with players and we’ve had to keep them here, sit with them and had to suffer some of these players."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Onana's impending loan exit, plus the transfer deadline day arrival of Senne Lammens from Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp, may signal the end of his time at United. A series of mistakes last season has led to him being second choice behind Altay Bayindir this term and with Lammens' signature, he could be third in the pecking order. This move gives the Cameroon international a chance for regular game time and perhaps a chance to reignite his faltering career.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Although the English transfer window has shut, Onana still has time to secure a United exit as the Turkish window stays open until September 12. The former Inter Milan ace could make his debut for Trabzonspor later this month.

Tottenham Hotspur could hijack Newcastle United’s move for a “sensational” midfielder, as they are now keen on securing his signature, according to a report.

Spurs looking to bolster midfield options

One of the most talked-about summer transfer sagas up to this point has been Tottenham’s controversial pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White, with Nottingham Forest left unhappy by the approach, given that rival clubs shouldn’t have been aware of the £60m release clause.

However, Fabrizio Romano has revealed Spurs are hopeful of being able to get the deal over the line, with the transfer expert saying: “Now, Tottenham remain confident about their chances of signing the player. But, obviously, now this is a legal topic. They need to have discussions directly with Nottingham Forest to find the solution.

“Of course, it changes the timing of the deal. Tottenham’s perfect plan was probably to sign Kudus and Gibbs-White in 24 or 48 hours. It is now going to take a bit longer, but they remain intent on signing the player. That is still their plan.”

Tottenham "seriously" keen on signing "unstoppable" £50m Simons alternative

Spurs are looking to sign an attacking midfielder this summer.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 21, 2025

Gibbs-White has been earmarked as a major target in the attacking midfield area, but the Lilywhites are also keen to strengthen in a deeper midfield role, with Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha and Juventus’ Douglas Luiz among the potential targets.

In a recent report from The Boot Room, it has also been revealed that Tottenham are keen on signing Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, who could be set to leave the La Liga club this summer, given that regular game time may not be on offer next season.

Thomas Frank is said to be a fan of Gallagher, suggesting the manager could green-light a move, with Spurs looking to bring in a new number 6 this summer, but there could be competition for his signature.

Newcastle are currently leading the race for the midfielder, with Eddie Howe also believed to be a big fan, but the north Londoners’ interest suggests they may look to hijack their Premier League rivals.

"Sensational" Gallagher could be solid signing for Spurs

The former Chelsea man has already proven himself in the Premier League, being lauded for his “sensational” attitude by reporter John Cross during his time with the Blues, where his attacking talents were regularly on display.

The £50m-rated maestro amassed five goals and seven assists in the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign, and he has since gone on to impress Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone from a defensive point of view.

Simeone said: “It’s never easy for players coming from England to adapt to the Spanish championship, to the language … He has competed very well in different places and in positions where he doesn’t feel more comfortable.

“He will evolve, he has room for growth. He is very intense in offensive and defensive play, he brings a lot to us.”

As such, Gallagher could be a solid signing for Tottenham, but given that he is “very happy” at Atletico, it could be difficult to get a deal done.

It’s almost time for Chelsea to return to action.

While most Premier League clubs are spread all across the globe preparing for the new season, Chelsea players are currently on holiday, having a well-earned break, following their exploits at the Club World Cup, beating PSG 3-0 in the final in New Jersey.

Enzo Maresca will have just two pre-season friendlies before their league campaign commences against Crystal Palace, welcoming Bayer Leverkusen to Stamford Bridge on Friday 8 August, before also taking on Internazionale at home two days later.

Before then, how many more new signings will Chelsea supporters have to get excited about?

Chelsea's search for more attackers

As the table below documents, Chelsea have plenty of attacking options in their squad; we’ve attempted to categorize all the many, many players!

As the table outlines, Chelsea have a fair few attacking players in the squad, a contingent that’s seemingly only set to increase in size, with Xavi Simons on course to arrive from RB Leipzig for €50m (around £43m), according to James Olley of ESPN.

However, could an even more exciting attacker soon be on his way to Stamford Bridge too?

Well, as reported by journalist Ben Jacobs , Chelsea are plotting a bid to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.

Transfer Focus

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

The Argentine international finds himself in exile, told to find a new club by manager Rúben Amorim back in May, currently left behind at Carrington while the team are in the United States, part of the infamous ‘bomb squad’, alongside Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that Man United were demanding £70m for Garnacho but, given that it’s now public knowledge he is not in their plans, James Ducker of the Telegraph claims he is available for £40m, so could Chelsea secure a bargain?

How Alejandro Garnacho would improve Chelsea

As far back as early June, after they decided to pay a £5m penalty fee to not keep Sancho, Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian reported that Chelsea are ‘priori­tising the addition’ of a right-footed left-winger, with Garnacho on their shortlist.

Still only 21 years old, he has scored 26 goals and registered 22 assists in 144 appearances for a generally dysfunctional Man United side, with Statman Dave impressed by his “electric” impact.

Meantime, Andy Mitten of The Athletic notes that he has been one of the Red Devils’ ‘bright sparks’ in recent times, stating that his ‘work rate’ and finishing have both improved, while Kurosh Moghtader of Total Football Analysis labels him a ‘reliable attacking outlet’ who still has ‘room for improvement’.

So, let’s assess how he compares to Simons.

In a near-identical number of league minutes last season, it is true that Simons comes out on top when it comes to goals and assists as well as chances created and dribbling, but Garnacho is often more of a goal-threat, having more shots and taking an exponentially higher proportion of his touches in the opposition penalty area.

Across all competitions too, Garnacho finished with 21 goals and assists in all competitions, ahead of Simons’ return of 19 goal involvements back in Germany.

Two other factors work in Garnacho’s favour too.

First, he is Premier League proven; Chelsea have previous when it comes to signing highly-rated players from the Bundesliga that have not worked out, namely Christopher Nkunku and Timo Werner (both also from RB Leipzig), as well as Kai Havertz too.

Second, there is a clear position available for Garnacho, who favours playing on the left wing, so would be in direct competition with Pedro Neto and Jamie Gittens for starting minutes.

Simons, on the other hand, wants to be deployed as a number ten, a spot predominantly occupied by either an untouchable Cole Palmer or the improving Enzo Fernández, so who knows where he’ll fit in, hence why Garnacho could make the bigger impact, should he arrive for a knocked-down price.

Bigger talent than Simons: Chelsea submit bid to sign "special" £61m star

With Chelsea set to sign Xavi Simons, the Blues have also had a £61m big rejected for a “special” star who might actually be even more talented.

By
Ben Gray

Jul 27, 2025

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has issued an injury update on Bukayo Saka ahead of their Champions League opener against Athletic Club. The winger has been out with a hamstring injury for several weeks and it seems he won't be back for the time being.

• Saka ruled out of Arsenal's trip to Athletic Club

  The winger has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since hobbling off during Arsenal's 5-0 win over Leeds United last month. Now, ahead of Tuesday's clash with the Spanish outfit, manager Arteta has said the 23-year-old won't be fit for this encounter. Saka joins Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus in missing the game due to injury.

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  What Arteta said on Saka's injury

  He told reporters on Monday: "There's still quite a lot of things to go through. Very difficult to understand what week he is going to be available. He will most certainly be pushing to be available as soon as possible."

• Saka a big loss for Arsenal

  England international Saka has, arguably, proven to be Arsenal's most potent attacker in recent seasons, and he was sorely missed as the Gunners missed out on another Premier League title last season. If they want to win their first trophy since 2020, the north London team will likely need him back as soon as possible.

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  What next for Arsenal and Saka?

  Arsenal begin their Champions League campaign away at the Spanish team on Tuesday night, before taking on Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday. It remains to be seen when Saka will be back playing for the Gunners.

Newcastle United are said to be one of a host of Premier League clubs interested in completing the signing of a “world-beater” this summer.

Newcastle depleted in midfield

While much of the focus has been on the future of Alexander Isak and potential replacements for the Swede, the Magpies are badly in need of midfield reinforcements before the end of the transfer window.

Joe Willock is injured and Sean Longstaff has departed for Leeds United, while Lewis Miley is still young and learning on the job. That leaves Eddie Howe with only three genuine senior options in Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, with the addition of Champions League football to come this season.

Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor has been linked with a summer move to St James’ Park, potentially being seen as a younger alternative to Aston Villa’s John McGinn. The former scored five goals in 11 Europa League appearances last season, and at 23 years of age, he would be a long-term acquisition.

Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher has also been backed to join the Magpies ahead of the new season, although Tottenham could possibly hijack their move for him.

Newcastle in the mix to sign "world-beater"

Now, Caught Offside claim that Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba is being “closely monitored” by Newcastle, with the Magpies one of seven Premier League clubs eyeing up the £100m-rated star. The other teams in question are Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, with the Red Devils seemingly leading the race to sign him currently.

Signing Baleba would be fantastic for Howe, and a welcome boost after such a dispiriting summer, with the youngster a player with incredible potential.

The four-cap Cameroon international excelled for Brighton last season, averaging 2.3 tackles per game in the Premier League across 34 appearances, which is more than any Newcastle player managed in the competition in 2024/25.

Baleba has been compared to Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga by scout Jacek Kulig, highlighting his quality, and Danny Welbeck has lauded him as well.

While the striker situation still needs to be addressed at Newcastle, signing a player of Baleba’s quality and potential would be huge in the middle of the park, not least because it would mean beating many of their rivals to his signature.

Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas expressed optimism about Gio Reyna’s prospects with both Borussia Mönchengladbach and the U.S. men’s national team, suggesting the midfielder could still be in the World Cup conversation. Lalas highlighted Reyna’s strong debut despite Gladbach’s rough Bundesliga start.

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  Reyna back in USMNT contention

  Lalas highlighted the way Reyna has handled the move and his public comments as showing the right mentality. 

  "Thank you, Gio, for a couple of things. No. 1, having the right attitude and saying the right things publicly,” Lalas said on his State of Union podcast. “That's exactly what if I'm Pochettino or any American fan out there, you want to hear in that there is a recognition that he is on the outside looking in, and there's also a recognition that he needed to do what was necessary to put himself back in contention.

  “If he is playing and yes, if he is playing well, but I think because he's Gio Reyna, it's literally if he's playing. We know that he's playing for a team that is going to struggle this year, and they certainly struggled in the game [last weekend]. But that there was this American view of a positive of seeing Gio Reyna on the field, I think it shows how much faith people still have in Gio Reyna."

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  Reyna's intriguing skillset

  Lalas expressed that the widespread faith in Reyna's abilities remains justified based on these recent performances, even as Gladbach works through early-season challenges.

  “Like I said, how much leash we are willing to give him because of his talent. But that humility in those comments, I think, is going to serve him well going forward,” Reyna explained. “And again, if he is not just playing, but being recognized in general as having a good game, even in crap results for a team, that bodes well for the future because this is not a very, very good team.

  “I hesitate to use the word star, but at least make an impact. And I know we're kind of myopic and what we're looking at when it comes to Gladbach. This is again a wonderful thing. And I hope that he's, again, knock on wood, stays healthy and continues to start with the score.”

• Gladbach move pivotal

  The 22-year-old midfielder's summer transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Mönchengladbach for approximately $7 million was designed specifically to provide the regular playing time needed to fulfill his considerable potential ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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  Tough road ahead

  Reyna faces immediate challenges with Borussia Mönchengladbach's upcoming Bundesliga fixtures as they face Bayer Leverkusen on Sept. 20 followed by Eintracht Frankfurt on Sept. 26.