Mohamed Diomande spoke of his excitement at signing for Rangers from FC Nordsjaelland on a loan deal until the end of the season, with an obligation for the Ibrox club to buy in the summer for an undisclosed fee.
The 22-year-old Ivorian midfielder will arrive in Glasgow once his work permit application has been confirmed and the deal, which runs to 2028, is subject to international clearance.
Diomande becomes the second signing of the January transfer window for Philippe Clement’s side following the arrival of Fabio Silva on loan from Wolves earlier this month.
Diomande told the club’s official website: “I am very excited to join such a historic club and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the team.
“I had a lot of great conversations with the manager who told me about his plans for the team and where I would fit in, which helped convince me that Rangers was right for me.
“I really can’t wait to get started, join up with my teammates, and run out at Ibrox for the very first time in front of the Rangers supporters.”
Diomande joined FC Nordsjaelland from the Right to Dream football academy in Ghana, which has helped produce players such as Mohammed Kudus, Simon Adingra and Kamaldeen Sulemana in recent years.
The midfielder made his debut for the Danish Superliga side in February 2020, establishing himself as a permanent fixture in the Nordsjaelland team over the coming years.
Clement said: “I am really pleased to have been able to add Mohamed to our squad, and I am excited to see what he can bring to our team.
“In our conversations and what I have seen of him as a player, I believe he will be a real asset to us, not only in what remains of this season, but in the seasons to come also.
“I look forward to welcoming him to Glasgow, and to working with him on the training pitch soon.”
Colorado Rapids v Vancouver Whitecaps: Armas demands response for home fans
Chris Armas called on his Colorado Rapids side to pay back the support of their fans when Vancouver Whitecaps visit Dick's Sporting Goods Park in MLS.
The Rapids fell to a 3-2 reverse at home to San Jose Earthquakes in their last outing, missing the chance to make it four wins in five league games.
Sixth-placed Colorado are one of three teams on 18 points, behind Los Angeles FC and also the Caps in the Western Conference standings, and head coach Armas wants to make home advantage count for this one.
"I'd like to acknowledge our fans once again, they came out in good numbers to support the team, gave us good energy on a rainy night [against San Jose]," Armas said.
"They still came out and supported us. We don't take that lightly.
"We have to do better and we will get back, dust ourselves off. Wednesday becomes really important again, so we'll ramp it up."
The Caps return to action after a 3-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC last time out, leaving them level on points with Colorado.
Vancouver head coach Vanni Sartini will be desperate for a response from his side after slamming their performance against the Rapids.
"I don't want to be misunderstood, it's not out of this world that we lost here," Sartini said of the LAFC defeat.
"You can sometimes lose away. It was the performance in the first half which was actually bad, so that's the thing that makes me a little p***ed off…
"We were losing every battle. We killed ourselves doing things that we never do."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro
Rafael Navarro has scored in consecutive games for the Rapids for the second time this year (also in April).
The only Rapids player to score in three straight games since the beginning of the 2020 season was Diego Rubio, who did so in August 2022.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
Brian White became the Caps' top scorer in history last month and leads the club charts for goals once more this season.
The Vancouver forward has five goals in just 10 games this term and will be hoping to continue that run against the Rapids.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
The Whitecaps have lost only one of their last seven visits to Colorado (W3 D3), dating back to 2017. That suggests Sartini will hope to leave Colorado with at least a point.
Vancouver also hold a record of W10 D3 L5 in Wednesday regular-season matches since the beginning of the 2021 season, with the 10 wins in that time more than any other MLS team.
Yet Colorado's loss to San Jose was just the fourth defeat in the last 15 regular-season home games (W5 D6), after losing three home league games in a row last May.
That three-match losing run is the last time Colorado lost consecutive home matches, which Armas will hope to avoid here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids win – 44.3%
Vancouver Whitecaps win – 27.5%
Draw – 28.2%
Girona 0-1 Villarreal: Traore strike lifts Yellow Submarine
Bertrand Traore's goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday that prevented the hosts from reclaiming second spot in LaLiga.
Girona, who have enjoyed a superb campaign, are third with 75 points, trailing Barcelona, who moved a point clear with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Alexander Sorloth and Goncalo Guedes went close for Villarreal in the first half, but Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in fine form.
Traore broke the deadlock in the 59th minute after latching on to a superb pass from Guedes, however.
Viktor Tsyhankov, Savio and Artem Dovbyk all went close for Girona, but could not find the back of Filip Jorgensen's net.
Villarreal were reduced to 10 men in the 95th minute after Kiko Femenia was sent off for a second yellow card after a push on Aleix Garcia.
Data Debrief: Rare home loss for Girona
Girona have suffered only their second defeat at Montilivi in LaLiga this season, following a 0-3 loss to Real Madrid in September.
The home side attempted 749 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in LaLiga this season.
Minnesota United v LA Galaxy: Berry hails veteran Caceres
Miguel Berry was the hero last time out for the LA Galaxy, but he hailed veteran defender Martin Caceres.
Berry scored in the dying seconds as the Galaxy salvaged a 2-2 draw with Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake at the weekend.
It was a point that saw Galaxy maintain the two-point gap between themselves and RSL, with Minnesota United – who sit second in the West – next up for Greg Vanney’s team.
Berry’s last-gasp equaliser sparked wild celebrations, and Caceres – the former Juventus defender – was heavily involved, despite being a substitute.
And Berry was quick to point out the 37-year-old’s importance to the Galaxy’s squad.
“[Caceres] is one of those people who makes your day better every single day. He's incredibly funny and unique and he's had a great career, and he's such a big part of the group,” said Berry, in quotes reported by The Galactic Tribune.
“For him to celebrate like that with us shows how much it means. He's played Champions League finals, won Champions League finals and played four World Cups. It's incredible, guys like that, celebrate with the team, means a lot.
“It's obviously a great feeling as a team to have those moments and when you look back on your career and your life, those are the moments that stick with you.”
The Galaxy have drawn their last two games, while Minnesota head into Wednesday’s meeting on the back of three straight wins.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Teemu Pukki
Pukki has scored five goals in his first two matches against LA Galaxy, the sixth player in league history to score five or more times in his first two matches against a single opponent and the first to do so against the Galaxy.
LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig
Puig recorded the primary assist on both of the Galaxy’s goals on Saturday, setting up strikes for Gabriel Pec and Miguel Berry. Puig’s 10 primary assists for the Galaxy have set up goals for nine different players with Gaston Brugman the only teammate he’s set up more than once.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA WIN
Minnesota have won three consecutive matches for the first time since August 2022. The Loons’ only winning streak of longer than three games in all competitions was a seven-match run in June-July 2019.
Dating back to last September, the Galaxy have lost only four of the last 10 matches in which they trailed by multiple goals (W2 D4), including losing only one of four this year (W1 D2).
Galaxy have won six of their first eight meetings with Minnesota United (D2, including playoffs), but have won just one of the six meetings (D2 L3) since.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 53%
LA Galaxy – 21.7%
Draw – 25.3%
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