Michael Beale is looking to insert a “spine” of longevity into his Rangers squad which can help wrest the cinch Premiership title back from Celtic.
The Ibrox club ended the season trophy-less with their Old Firm rivals clinching the domestic treble to make it five trophies out of six in the last two campaigns.
Beale, who took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst last November, brought in Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin during the January transfer window and so far this summer he has added 25-year-old midfielder Kieran Dowell from Norwich and 23-year-old right-back Dujon Sterling from Chelsea, with goalkeeper Jack Butland due to join from Crystal Palace in July.
Asked how Rangers bridge the gap to Celtic next season, the former QPR boss told Sky Sports Scotland: “We start how we’re ending with our style being very clear, our energy being very strong on the pitch in terms of our pressing and the bits out of possession.
“Make sure that we’re really hard to beat then allow our quality to come through.
“We’ll look to recruit a spine that’s enabled to stay at Rangers for the next three to five years to build on.
“You’ve seen the start of that with Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell coming in and Kieran Dowell. We’ll look to add to that with a little bit of experience but certainly in terms of quality in the final third.
“You’ll be able to tell by my face at the start of pre-season whether I’ve been successful in getting everyone that I want but either way we’ll come back into pre-season next year with a few new ideas that I’ve wanted to implement.
“We need to go and recruit a certain type of player for that. We’ll come back stronger.
“Our league form in the last 24 games would say if we can get to that stage where we are now, we’ll be in the mix.
“It’ll be about getting to the March international break where we need to be and then going for it.”
Beale, former assistant coach to Steven Gerrard at Rangers, started last season as boss of QPR before returning to Ibrox to take over the hot seat.
Assessing a first year in management, he said: “It’s probably everything I wished it to be in terms of being a natural transition from being an assistant for many years.
“My desire was to become a manager. Two different leagues in one season, a lot of drama in between but I’ve had a lot of experience in that.
“The size of the clubs are different. I loved my time at Queens Park Rangers with Les Ferdinand and the staff there. It was really important to me before coming back to Rangers.
“The opportunity to come here, I didn’t think would come anywhere as near as quickly as it did. This is a juggernaut of a club and everything that comes with it but I’ve been pleased with my staff and how they’ve handled it.
“I’ve been pleased with the support I’ve had from the club and everybody around the backroom team.
“There’s a tinge of disappointment because I felt we could have done better. We’ve won a lot of games but in the real key moments we’ve tended to shoot ourselves in the foot.
“That will be in the forefront of my mind going for the recruitment this summer.
“It’s a really important summer for me, the football club, the fans and ultimately for the players in the squad as well.”
Portugal 5-1 Poland: Ronaldo overhead kick caps five-star Selecao display
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals – including a stunning overhead kick – as Portugal crushed Poland 5-1 to clinch top spot in Nations League Group A1, with all six goals coming in the second half.
Ronaldo was joined on the scoresheet by Rafael Leao, Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto as Portugal improved massively following a first half in which they did not manage a single shot on target.
Having just shaded a quiet opening period, Poland found themselves behind when Leao stooped to nod Portugal ahead just before the hour mark, mere moments after Diogo Costa had denied Jakub Kaminski at the other end.
A Jakub Kiwior handball enabled Ronaldo to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot after 72 minutes, then Fernandes smashed a shot off the crossbar and in for 3-0 eight minutes later.
Chelsea winger Neto swiftly added a fourth by powering home on his weaker right foot, but the pick of Portugal's goals came via Ronaldo with three minutes of the 90 remaining.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner watched a dinked cross from the impressive Vitinha all the way before beating Marcin Bulka with an acrobatic overhead kick from close range.
Substitute Dominik Marczuk pulled one back for Poland at the death, but the heavy defeat – coupled with Scotland's 1-0 win over Croatia – puts them in severe danger of relegation.
Should Michal Probierz's team lose to the Tartan Army in Warsaw on Monday, they will drop to the second tier for the next edition of the Nations League in 2026-27. Portugal, meanwhile, are assured of a place in March's quarter-finals.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo remains the main man
After seeing Ronaldo go airborne to convert Vitinha's cross and put the icing on the Portugal cake, it was easy to forget that the legendary forward will enter his forties in just over two months.
He was well-marshalled by Poland in the first half, when Portugal only recorded nine touches in the visitors' area.
However, he ended the encounter with two goals from a game-high 2.06 xG, generated from five shots, also the most of any player on the pitch. He now has 135 senior international goals, 23 more than his great rival Lionel Messi.
Boyz coach McClaren, defender Lowe take heart from 0-1 first leg Nations League quarterfinal loss to United States; eye comeback in second leg
While the 0-1 loss to the United States in their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal opener has left his Reggae Boyz with work to do in the second leg, Jamaica’s Head coach Steve McClaren remains optimistic about their chances to turn the tie around when they travel to St. Louis, Missouri, for the crucial clash on Monday.
McClaren’s wave of optimism that his team can secure a spot in the Nations League semifinals and, by extension, next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, came as he expressed a mix of pride and frustration about Thursday’s outcome at the National Stadium.
A fifth minute by Ricardo Pepi gave reigning champions United States an early advantage, and despite Jamaica's strong press and numerous attacking opportunities, they were unable to find the elusive equaliser.
McClaren, however, was quick to praise the spirit and work ethic of his players throughout the match.
“What I really liked about the performance was the fight and the spirit. It was a great effort from the team in terms of pressing, but we were too open,” McClaren said in his post-match comments.
“In terms of creating chances, we had opportunities, we had the penalty, and we had moments when we won the ball back and could transition. But overall, the game felt too open. Credit to the team though; I’m proud of them. We were 1-0 down after just five minutes, and with the game being as open as it was, I thought the players showed real character to fight back. 12 shots at goal, and we felt aggrieved,” he added.
Jamaica’s attacking play was energetic, particularly in the second half of the encounter, where they enjoyed a decent passage of play and created a few key moments that could have leveled the score, including a penalty shout and a shot cleared off the line.
"I’m proud of the players for their performance. The way they worked, the way they defended, the way they pressed, and the way they created chances—I was very proud of all of them. Yes, we lost 1-0, but we showed that we can compete, and I know the USA will not take the game on Monday lightly," McClaren said.
“We know that we can give them a game. We know the first goal will be important. If we score the first goal, then the tie is on. So, as I said, proud. I'm really looking forward to Monday now to play them again,” he shared.
The over 20,000-strong Jamaican fans, who were vocal throughout the match, gave the players their support despite the early setback, and though there was a short burst of boos, McClaren believes the crowd's energy helped lift the Boyz for the most part.
"I was pleased with the crowd; they were great. I thought the fans were behind us all the way, and they got off their seats when we created those opportunities. I think you could see the attacking football and good performances, so we have to repeat that in the second leg.
“We just need to recover, get ourselves together, keep the spirit, keep the fight, and keep the belief that we can go there and score first and make a game,” the Englishman stated.
Meanwhile, defender Damion Lowe shared McClaren’s sentiments, acknowledging that the team gave their all despite the early setback.
“The guys really put it to the test. Conceding an early is never good, but we showed resilience. The Jamaican in us really fought, and we dug deep. We got the opportunity to win the game...we had two great chances, but that’s football—it’s cruel sometimes,” Lowe noted.
“But, it’s a two-legged tie, and we can’t beat ourselves up. It’s a quick turnaround, and we’ve been in this situation before. A year ago, we were in the same position (and turned it around against Canada), so we just have to do it again,” he ended.
Juventus and Pogba agree to terminate contract
Juventus and Paul Pogba have agreed to the mutual termination of the midfielder's contract after he was banned over a failed drugs test.
The 31-year-old will complete his suspension in March after testing positive for DHEA in September 2023, a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels.
He was initially banned for four years, only for his punishment to be reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in October.
Despite that reduction, Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli recently cast doubt on Pogba's chances of representing the Bianconeri again, and he has now been released by the club.
Pogba had a contract with Juventus to run until June 2026, but he will now train in Miami in the hope of finding a new club before his suspension ends.
"The club wishes Paul all the best for his professional future," Juventus said in a statement.
Pogba added in a statement of his own: "It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special moments together.
"I cherish the memories we made. They live on.
"Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.
"I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club."
Injuries limited Pogba to just 162 minutes in five appearances across the 2022-23 season, his first campaign back in Turin after leaving Manchester United.
He then played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute before being suspended last season, reportedly agreeing to take a substantial pay cut while ineligible to represent the club.
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