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Opener Israrullah’s unbeaten 153 off 148 balls overpowered Karachi Blues and led Peshwar to the final of the Regional One-day Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Israrullah hit his third List A hundred•PCBOpener Israrullah’s unbeaten 153 off 148 balls helped Peshawar to a narrow win over Karachi Blues and put his team in the final of the Regional One-day Cup against Karachi Whites.Israrullah struck 12 fours and five sixes and contributed just over half of Peshawar’s runs. The next best score from was wicketkeeper-batsman Gauhar Ali’s 45 off 51 balls, but a series of cameos from the middle order pushed the total to 303 for 5.Karachi Blues made a steady start to the chase with Khurram Manzoor, who last played for Pakistan in the Asia Cup T20 in March 2016, and captain Khalid Latif adding 59 for the first wicket. The stand ended in the 17th over when Latif was lbw to left-arm spinner Khalid Usman. Manzoor, though, went on to bring up his 28th List A fifty off 73 balls.He then became part of a middle-order slump as the chase spiraled out of control. From 155 for 2, Karachi Blues were reduced to 211 for 7. Jaahid Ali, coming in at No.7, counterattacked his way to 53 off 44 balls, but ran out of partners in the end. Karachi Blues were dismissed for 280 in 47.4 overs, left-arm seamer Taj Wali taking care of the tail and finishing with 3 for 32.
Ansu Fati has until the end of the summer transfer window to prove that he can be a long-term option for his boyhood club
Last March, Ansu Fati's dad, Bori, got on the phone with Spanish radio show to complain about his son's relationship with the club. His grievances were all centred around one singular issue: in his opinion, his son wasn't playing enough. Consequently, Bori had advised his son to leave the club – and speculated that even Real Madrid could be a possible destination.
His outburst dragged Barcelona into yet another public relations saga about their oft-injured forward. Ansu Fati was once the next 'New Messi', a presumptive fixture in the Barca lineup for years to come. He scored more goals in his breakout season than Messi managed in first full campaign in Catalunya. He broke a handful of records set by the Argentine. Throw in the fact that Fati was another La Masia graduate, right when Messi seemed to be on the decline, and the excitement was palpable.
However, a series of injuries, and ensuing inconsistency on the pitch, have seen Fati fail to live up to the promise of his youth. And now, he finds himself at a critical juncture. Fati has recaptured some of his best form since his father's outbursts, and a solid pre-season suggests that he still has a lot to give.
But he might not get the chance. Another, arguably better, teenager has emerged and with the Blaugrana needing to raise money to fund more summer transfer activity, Xavi himself admitted that Fati could be on his way out.
So, Fati effectively has two weeks to save his Barcelona career, and prove that there's still a player in there, one that was once hailed as having the potential to be the best in the world.
GettyA glowing start to his career
Fati set expectations from his first goal alone. It was a pretty thing, the then-16-year-old ghosting across the box, and rising above an Osasuna player to flick an angled cross into the far corner. More moments followed over the course of that forgettable 2019-20 season for Barca. Fati scored seven and assisted one, averaging 0.6 goals per 90 minutes in 24 appearances. His game time was carefully managed by then-coach Ronald Koeman, but he played enough to show what he could do.
Even more exciting was his emerging relationship with Messi. The two appeared to have a crucial understanding on the pitch, the Argentine setting up arguably Fati's most impressive goal of the year with a dink over two defenders.
There was perhaps an element of overexcitement here. Fati, after all, was a teenager playing for Barcelona. He was their youngest goalscorer ever, a La Masia graduate, and the shining light in an otherwise miserable campaign. It is often the case that youngsters draw the spotlight when big teams go through lulls. Messi, at the time, was struggling (he scored 25 league goals that year.) Barcelona needed something to cling on to, and in Fati, they had found Messi's heir.
Of course, things have never really panned out that way. Fati tore his meniscus midway through his second season in Catalunya, and endured three surgeries by the age of 19. When he was finally fully fit, in August 2022, Barcelona had effectively replaced him. Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, Memphis Depay and Ferran Torres all appeared to be above him in Xavi's pecking order. Ansu's Barca career was over, it seemed.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLast year's Fati revival
Then, last season, Fati did something interesting: he started to score goals again. Xavi gently increased his minutes, tasking the 20-year-old with a larger role off the bench, and handing him the occasional start. Fati, in return, found something resembling form. He got into the right areas more often, and was more clinical in front of goal than in his sparing spells of fitness in the years since his breakout.
The result was seven goals in La Liga – his best return in four years. He added a further three assists, all while playing the most minutes of his career. And, perhaps most importantly, Fati avoided a major injury. Xavi, in turn, was full of praise for Fati.
He expressed his "confidence and total faith" in the player, and rewarded his improved showings with a start in a crucial Liga clash with Atletico Madrid in early January. These are perhaps standard things, a manager rewarding his striker for scoring goals. But for a player whose career seemed to be fading away, they were significant.
It was, in fact, strange that his father would criticise Xavi when he did. His tirade came in the middle of an extended spell of playing time for Fati, a period where the Spaniard was just recapturing his form. By the end of the season, Fati appeared to have done enough to salvage his career. A Spain call-up followed, and although his name cropped up in the back page transfer rumours every now and then, Raphinha seemed the more likely of Barca's wingers to be sold.
GettyA valuable asset for a broke club
Things have changed since then. There was an assumption around Barcelona that they would be able to make some financial moves this summer without needing a major clearout. La Liga had already accepted their 'financial viability plan' to bring Lionel Messi back to the club, while president Joan Laporta had assured fans that new signings were on the way. Throw in the activation of one more 'lever' – a sale of a large chunk of digital content provider Barca Vision to bring in €120 million (£104m/$131m) – and everything seemed set up nicely.
Barca, of course, didn't sign Messi. Meanwhile, they have operated on the cheap, bringing in free agents and spending minimally on Oriol Romeu. So, with two weeks remaining in the transfer window, no further levers available, and ambitions to further strengthen the squad, outgoings seem likely. And Fati is reportedly top of the list.
Xavi has conceded that the forward may leave. Interest from the Premier League has only fueled that speculation. has reported that Arsenal are in for Fati, with Mikel Arteta hoping to add more firepower to his front line – and offer valuable cover for Bukayo Saka. It is unclear how much Fati will fetch Xavi's side.
However, at just 20, with four years still left on his contract, Fati could command a handsome fee. And for a club needing an injection of cash to pursue further signings – namely Man City's Joao Cancelo – moving him on might be the correct, if rather ruthless, decision.
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Barcelona TwitterWhy Lamine Yamal is such a threat
The situation is perhaps made easier by the cover available to Barca in the forward line. While Ferran Torres appears to be much improved, and Ez Abde has shown flashes, another La Masia product seems ready to come into the fold. There has been hype around Lamine Yamal for some time now. The winger was called up to first team training in September 2022, shortly after his 15th birthday.
But, according to, the plan was to shield him from the spotlight, and allow Yamal to play with Barcelona Atletic, the club's second team, for much of the season. There was always the chance of the occasional appearance in the Copa del Rey, but the reserve side seemed a perfect option for at least a few months.
However, when Dembele left, Yamal was forced into action. And his performance in the Joan Gamper trophy – a 10-minute cameo that proved influential in Barcelona turning a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 win – made him impossible to ignore.
He, accordingly, appeared in Barca's La Liga opener, and created arguably their best chance of the game- one that, in a cruel twist of fate, Fati failed to convert. Ironically, though, it has created something of a problem for Xavi.
Yamal is not, and can never be, the new Messi. Fati, of all people, knows that it's improbable. But he is, at this point, too good to ignore – and being blocked by another youngster who drew the same praise at a similar age.
Ireland’s woes in the T20 format continued as they were no match for the top-ranked Associate side, meandering to a total of 125 for 6 before Afghanistan coasted to victory
The Report by Peter Della Penna in Abu Dhabi14-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:38
‘We didn’t feel like we were under pressure at any point’ – Rajput
Ireland’s woes in the T20 format continued as they were no match for the top-ranked Associate side, meandering to a total of 125 for 6 before Afghanistan coasted to victory with eight balls to spare.After electing to bat, Ireland got off to a promising start thanks to a typically belligerent Paul Stirling and a travel-weary Stuart Poynter, who arrived at 2am as an injury replacement after Stuart Thompson had a mishap at training on Friday afternoon. As was the case in the early match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, the wind blowing southeast acted as a temptress which sucked Stirling into giving away his wicket, failing to get enough lift into a heave towards the midwicket rope.Once Stirling fell, Ireland’s middle-order struggled against the three-headed spin attack. The most potent threat among them was legspinner Rashid Khan, who had Kevin O’Brien playing down the wrong line before beating Gary Wilson’s attempted sweep for a pair of lbws. It left a long Ireland tail exposed with more than three overs to bat out and they barely managed to finish with a target of more than a run a ball.Afghanistan cruised through their Powerplay behind Mohammad Shahzad and Najeeb Tarakai but Ireland’s own new legspinning hope Jacob Mulder caused some problems by beating Shahzad in flight after a charge down the pitch before claiming Asghar Stanikzai with a slider two overs later. Tarakai was run out off Mulder’s bowling as pressure built slightly. But Mohammad Nabi ensured the match was never in doubt.Nemesis Nabi
The star allrounder made his impact felt with bat and ball in this contest to give Afghanistan a winning start to the tournament with a man-of-the-match display. With Ireland desperate to build confidence after entering this game, having lost 8 of their last 11 completed T20Is, Nabi broke the ominous opening stand with his second ball, teasing Poynter into playing across the line to a straight ball in the sixth over. He ended the 16th over by ending Greg Thompson’s laborious stay for 3 off 9 balls.With the bat, Nabi entered after Mulder had spooked the top order back into the pavilion at 81 for 3 in the 12th. Afghanistan remained ahead of the run-rate for most of his innings but, just when the slightest bit of pressure built with the rate climbing back over a run a ball in the 17th during Mulder’s last over, Nabi provided a release with a deflating heave over midwicket into the southeast stand for six. He clobbered Boyd Rankin for good measure in the following over for another six over midwicket, before tapping the winning single in the 19th over.Home away from home Afghanistan supporters began filing into the stadium during the second innings of Scotland’s victory over Hong Kong, more than two and a half hours before the first ball had been bowled by Fareed Ahmad to Stirling. By that stage, there were about 1500 inside the ground and, when the first wicket fell, that number had swelled to 4000. By the end of the first innings, almost the entire pavilion stand on the south side was filled.Though the atmosphere wasn’t quite as intense as the three finals played between these two sides at the World T20 Qualifiers in 2010, 2012 or 2013, it was still lively nonetheless. In the field, Rashid showed himself to be a fast-rising crowd favorite, getting arguably the loudest reaction when he first came on to bowl. But Nabi is especially beloved among the Afghan faithful and when he cranked sixes in back-to-back overs off Mulder and Rankin late in the chase, the south stand turned delirious.After the teams exchanged handshakes, the Afghanistan players walked from the east to the west, waving back to the crowd to show their appreciation, setting off a volley of mobile-phone camera flashes. UAE may be the official host side, but there is no disputing who has the true home advantage in this event.
Six months ago, Sam Heazlett was yet to make his one-day debut. Indeed, he is still yet to make his one-day debut for Queensland, having missed this summer’s Matador Cup due to injury. But in Auckland on Monday, Heazlett leap-frogged state cricket to become the 220th ODI cricketer to represent Australia, a late addition to the XI after stand-in captain Matthew Wade was ruled out due to a back injury.Heazlett struggled to have any impact against New Zealand, scoring 4 before he was caught behind off the bowling of Lockie Ferguson. His chances of playing again in the second ODI on Thursday will likely depend on whether Wade is passed fit. But for the time being, he finds himself in the unusual situation of having playing List A cricket only for Australia and for the National Performance Squad in a winter A series last year.It was that series that won Heazlett his surprise national call-up. On his List A debut in Townsville in August, he struck 101 off 87 balls against South Africa A, and he followed up later in the series with 60 against India A and 73 against South Africa A. Since then, Heazlett’s only innings of note were a couple of brisk BBL contributions for the Brisbane Heat, and two Sheffield Shield fifties.Heazlett’s ODI call-up was thus one of the most glaring examples of Australian fast-tracking in recent times, although other inclusions this summer – fast bowler Billy Stanlake was also rushed into the ODI team with only four List A games to his name, and none this summer – have also raised eyebrows. Heazlett is studying to be a physiotherapist, but his selection has rubbed a few people the wrong way.”When his name got read out, it was a bit like, you need to go to the Cricinfo site and have a quick look around to work out who he was,” former Australia fast bowler Stuart Clark said on the radio show on Tuesday. “I don’t know, they’ve obviously seen some potential in this guy … the next thing you know he’s in the one-day international team.”I don’t know how you come up with that selection. Personally I don’t like that sort of selection. You’ve got a lot of guys running around playing first-class cricket and you go, ‘Hang on, why are they not getting an opportunity?’ But the selectors have obviously seen someone and thought, ‘Well this guy’s a player of the future, let’s get him into the series’. But I’m a bit uncomfortable with that.”Heazlett, 21, was a late inclusion in Australia’s Chappell-Hadlee squad after Steven Smith was ruled out due to injury. He was picked ahead of prolific Matador Cup run-scorers from this summer, including Cameron White (457 runs at 76.16), Moises Henriques (414 at 69.00), Daniel Hughes (386 at 64.33) and Player of the Tournament Marnus Labuschagne (271 at 45.16).Although Heazlett was told on the day before the Auckland ODI that he would not be in the side, things changed when Wade was ruled out on the morning of the match. Heazlett said coach Darren Lehmann had told him to play his natural game.”I was a little bit nervous but no more than any other cricket game. I’m usually pretty nervous before any cricket game,” Heazlett said. “Darren had a chat and just said bat the way you have been, back yourself. It’s good to have that backing from the captain and the coach.”It was a bit annoying not to score a few more with the bat, but that’s the way it goes in cricket. Hopefully next time I can take the opportunity and contribute to a win for the team. We’ll see what happens for the rest of the series. If I get another go, then great. But we’ll see if Wadey comes back, what happens, and take it from there.”
Ben Foster has attempted to recruit former Manchester United star Nani for Wrexham with the winger potentially open to a move.
What happened between Ben Foster and Nani?
The club goalkeeper emerged as a key figure for the Red Dragons over the course of their promotion-winning season, after joining the club midway through the campaign.
Indeed, Foster saved a late penalty against Notts County to help seal a win in what turned out to be one of the club's most important matches under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Unsurprisingly, the 40-year-old has since been rewarded with a new one-year contract and it looks as though he's already working hard to improve the team for the following campaign.
Indeed, over the past weekend he was playing for England in the charity football match Soccer Aid. Also taking part at Old Trafford, was former Red Devil Nani.
The Portuguese winger is currently without a club after leaving A-League side Melbourne Victory at the end of the season, and Foster was happy to take advantage of that.
Indeed, while talking on his YouTube channel – Ben Foster – The Cycling GK – the shot-stopper could be heard saying: “Nani hasn’t got a club everybody, I think he should come to Wrexham…
"Do you want to come to Wrexham?"
To which, Nani then replied: “You never know…"
Foster then laughed and said: "Liar!"
How many times did Nani play for Man United?
Of course, it was only a joke and not an official proposition but seeing as Nani is potentially looking for a team and Wrexham have the sort of reputation to bring in some big names of the past, perhaps this could be something to keep an eye out for – after all, it's not as if the 36-year-old dismissed the idea out of hand.
The former Man United star netted 41 goals and provided 71 assists in a 230-game spell at Old Trafford between 2007 to 2015. This means his path would have crossed with Foster – who was at the club from 2005-2010 – but played just 23 times.
Foster has shown a great attitude to playing for the club, admitting that he asked for "peanuts" in his new deal just to remain part of the story.
Indeed, he said: “To be honest, I don’t really need much anyway so the negotiations honestly took about five minutes. It was the easiest conversation in the world.
“With regards to wages and kind of stuff. It’s a short-term deal, a six-week deal. Wages wise it’s literally peanuts. I said I don’t want much.
And if Nani is just keen to find a club where he'll get plenty of media attention at this late stage in his career, perhaps he'll be the next big name to arrive at Wrexham.
Manchester United have reportedly identified a potential replacement for long-serving goalkeeper, David De Gea, following an update regarding the club's apparent interest in Yann Sommer.
What's the latest on Sommer to Man United?
According to journalist Alex Crook – in his transfer notebook for talkSPORT – the Red Devils are said to have revived their interest in the Bayern Munich man, with the 34-year-old having reportedly been on Erik ten Hag's 'radar' last summer.
The report suggests that the former Borussia Monchengladbach ace – who only made the move to the Allianz Arena in January – would represent a cheaper alternative to the likes of Andre Onana and Jordan Pickford in the search for a new number one.
As the piece also notes, the aforementioned De Gea has verbally agreed a new contract extension with the Old Trafford outfit, although a formal deal has yet to materialise, amid claims that the Spaniard won't be the first-choice option next season even if he does stay in Manchester.
Would Sommer be a better signing than Pickford?
There has been much talk of late that Pickford could be on his way to the Theatre of Dreams, with the 29-year-old – who only recently signed a new deal at Everton – set to be available for a fee of around £30m this summer.
While the former Sunderland ace remains the undisputed regular for his country having now made 52 appearances for the Three Lions, there are lingering concerns over his consistency at club level, with pundit Chris Sutton stating that the Englishman simply "makes too many errors".
Ten Hag may then be wise to consider a figure such as Sommer to provide at least a strong, short-term solution in the sticks, with the £83k-per-week colossus having been hailed as the "best in the world" by former Gladbach teammate, Joe Scally.
That hefty praise had come following the 82-cap gem's astounding display against his current employers earlier in the campaign, as the 6 foot ace made 19 saves in the 1-1 draw between the two sides back in August – breaking a Bundesliga record in the process.
Having since gone on to replace the stricken Manuel Neuer at Bayern, the experienced ace has particularly impressed due to his ability to play out from the back, as he ranks in the top 4% for touches made among those in his position across Europe's top five leagues – with Pickford ranking in just the top 44% in that regard.
Sommer's innate composure on the ball is also showcased by the fact that he achieved a standout pass accuracy rate of 83% across his 29 Bundesliga appearances in 2022/23, with far better than the at times erratic Toffees asset, who averaged just 52% for that same metrics.
That superior record would suggest that the one-time Basel man – who was also described as "one of the best goalkeepers in Europe" by former boss Marco Rose in the past – could be a perfect alternative to Pickford in Ten Hag's quest to find a reliable number one this summer.
Jason Roy is set to play only white-ball cricket until the end of the ICC Champions Trophy
George Dobell in St Kitts26-Feb-2017
Jason Roy made 79 off 43 balls with 66 of his runs in boundaries in England’s first warm-up match•Getty Images
Jason Roy is set to play only white-ball cricket until the end of the ICC Champions Trophy.Roy, England’s limited-overs opener, retains ambitions to play Test cricket. But, with the Champions Trophy identified as one of England’s prime goals for the summer, he is likely to be encouraged to concentrate on his white-ball skills until the end of the tournament in June. That means his next first-class match could come in the round of pink-ball games scheduled to be played under lights at the end of June.While Roy will be required to return from the IPL to play in the two ODIs against Ireland at the start of May, he is expected to be allowed to return to India for another couple of matches as soon as his England duty is over. He will then join the rest of the ODI squad in a training camp in Spain.He looked in fine form during the opening match of England’s Caribbean tour. Murderous against the short ball, he also drove well and improvised effectively against the spinners on his way to 79 from 43 deliveries. And while he did not field due to a bruised hand caused by a succession of tough fielding sessions, he is confident of being fit for Monday’s final warm-up match ahead of the ODI series.”It’s definitely difficult getting into different mind-sets,” Roy said. “It’s not really a technical thing; it’s more a mind-set thing. Especially going from red ball to white ball. T20 and 50-over cricket can be quite similar. So just playing white-ball cricket would be beneficial coming into the Champions Trophy.”Playing Test cricket is in my head. I want to play. I’ve told the coaches that it’s at the forefront of my mind that I want to be playing Test cricket. It’s on my radar. I just need to score some runs. Hopefully, I’ll get a good volume of white-ball runs and maybe that can push my case later in the year.”Roy hopes to resume his opening partnership with Alex Hales in the coming days. Hales is likely to join the tour party in Antigua after recovering from a hand injury and, while there is still some doubt as to whether he will be fit to play in the ODIs, Roy feels his partner’s record warrants a speedy return.”Hales will probably come straight back in, I would have thought,” Roy said. “He deserves that spot. So yes, I’d expect to open with him.”But competition for places is high. There is a big opportunity for Sam Billings. He is the real deal as well.”Life is pretty good for Roy at present. Enjoying every moment of his first visit to the Caribbean – “I wake up with a smile on my face every morning here,” he says – he is also looking forward to his first experience of the IPL and his first global ODI tournament.”I can’t wait for the Champions Trophy,” he said. “It’s a first Champions Trophy and first major 50-over competition for me so I’m hugely excited. We’ve such a good team spirit going, so it’s really exciting. To win the Champions Trophy would be a hell of an achievement for our group considering where we were a couple of years ago with the World Cup.”It’ll be my first time going to the IPL, as well. It’s a huge competition.”I woke myself up at 4am on the day of the auction and had at look at my phone. It said ‘Jason Roy: unsold’. I threw my phone on to the floor and was like, ‘I’m just useless’. Anyway, I was lucky enough to get picked up in the second round.”It’s not just about the money. Obviously that’s nice, but it’s about getting used to playing in front of massive crowds and, being an overseas player, the pressure is on to do well. I’ll get to play with and learn from different players. Being in the PSL with Brendon McCullum for a couple of weeks taught me a lot about cricket. These things all provide the foundation blocks for a big tournament.”Billings is also expected to return to the IPL after the Ireland games, but faces a fight to force his way into the Champions Trophy squad. He knows, though, that he can’t think about trying to retain his place if he is to bat with the freedom required in modern limited-overs cricket.”You can’t afford to think about repercussions,” Billings said. “If you’re thinking about keeping your place, you’re not concentrating on the ball coming down at you.”When I play at my best, I’m just expressing myself and taking the attack to the bowlers. I just try to keep as clear mind as possible and just go out and whack it, really.”George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo. He will be covering England’s tour of the Caribbean in association with Smile Group Travel, specialists in hosted supporters’ packages.
Manchester United remain interested in signing AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
What’s the latest Man United transfer news?
The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag appear to be after a new defender this summer, with Harry Maguire’s future up in the air. The England international is attracting interest from Aston Villa, Newcastle and Tottenham, and should he depart, United would be left with just three senior centre-back options.
Napoli’s Kim min-jae appeared to be the top target at Old Trafford, and a deal looked like it was gathering real pace, however, it now seems as if the South Korea will make the move to Bayern Munich.
Should that be the case, a swoop for Disasi could be on the cards, according to Romano. The transfer expert took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share a Red Devils transfer update. He stated that Man United remain interested in the Monaco defender, while Nice’s Jean Clair Todibo is another option.
“Axel Disasi remains concrete name in the list at Manchester United in case Kim Min-jae will end up joining Bayern as expected [next week will be crucial for Kim deal].
“Man Utd also sent their scouts to follow Jean Clair Todibo multiple times — no decision made yet.”
Who is Axel Disasi?
Disasi is primarily a centre-back but can also turn out as a right-back so would bring plenty of versatility to Ten Hag’s side, should a transfer materialise.
The 25-year-old appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €25m Transfermarkt valuation and has been on the books with Monaco since 2020.
During that time, the 6ft 2 France international has made 129 appearances for the Ligue 1 side – 49 of which came during the 2022/23 campaign.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described Disasi back in 2020 as a “complete” and “dominant” centre-back, comparing him to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk. Kulig labelled his pace, tackling, heading, athleticism, tenacity, timing as his main strengths, saying he “would be an amazing signing for any top Premier League club”.
As per WhoScored, Disasi averaged a match rating of 6.83/10 last season, a better score than Man United’s Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Maguire, and on the ball, he looks comfortable, ranking in the 96th percentile for progressive carries and passes into the final third, as per FBref.
Therefore, he could be a shrewd alternative target to someone like Kim, and by the looks of it, an Old Trafford transfer could be one to watch over the coming months.
Glasgow Rangers supporters of a certain vintage will remember the marauding Croatian striker Dado Prso as he bulldozed his way through opposition defences with ease, while also showcasing a clinical nature in front of goal.
Indeed, across his three seasons with the Ibrox side, Prso managed to score 36 goals in 124 matches, which on the surface, doesn’t sound like the best of ratios, however, it was more the manner which he scored them, with vital strikes coming against Celtic and in the Champions League during his spell in Glasgow.
With the Gers on the lookout for a new striker ahead of next season due to Alfredo Morelos’ departure after six years with the Glasgow giants, they have been linked with a move for young forward Matija Frigan according to Football Insider and he could cost the club £5.2m.
Could the 20-year-old perhaps be the next Prso to grace the club and follow in the footsteps of fellow Croatian strikers such as Nikica Jelavic and Antonio Colak.
Could Matija Frigan join Rangers?
There is no doubt that Michael Beale wants to add another one or two strikers to his first-team squad following the capture of Sam Lammers recently, and Frigan would be a wise investment.
The youngster managed to score 15 goals across just 31 games last season for Croatian outfit HNK Rijeka, showing his ruthlessness in front of goal, while he was praised by Jacek Kulig as “another extremely interesting youngster from Croatia” and Beale could certainly do with a player of his talent chipping in with goals.
Like Prso, Frigan doesn’t just rely on goals to get by as a centre-forward, having created three big chances and averaging 0.6 key passes per game while also making 0.5 successful dribbles per game last term and it proves that his skills could be utilised as either an out and out number nine or a deep-lying forward, looking like he could adapt to both extremely well.
Frigan also has gained three caps for the Croatian U21 side as he is clearly impressing enough to be achieving international recognition and if he continues his current scoring rate, it might not be long until a bow for the senior side is made.
Prso – who was hailed as "awesome" and "like a beacon" by former boss Alex McLeish – was a cult figure at Ibrox due to his unorthodox nature and knack for scoring vital goals. Frigan might be a slightly more clinical player, however, Kulig also described him as a “complete forward” and this could suggest the starlet could be very much like Prso should he join the Gers.