The Gunners ace is being vilified by certain sections of the press, but playing for one's country has never been an obligation
Ben White isn't your average footballer. He loves playing the game, but doesn't particularly enjoy watching it. "It's weird," former Spain international Cesc Fabregas said on the podcast, "it is not something that happens very often. Maybe only five per cent of the players are like that. But it is what it is, and we have to respect it."
Of course, that's not the reality of the situation at all. Fabregas is right in the sense that we should respect White's "weird" relationship with football, but plenty of people don't. Several writers and readers have already got themselves all riled up by the Arsenal defender's refusal to make himself available for England selection – and that's fine. It's ridiculous, but that's their right.
But they must then understand that White is just as entitled to turn down the chance to represent his country.
Getty Images
The ultimate goal
Despite the predictable and depressing references to war we've seen in the UK press in recent days, this is not mandatory military service we're talking about here. An England call-up is an invitation, not an obligation.
Surprise and disappointment are perfectly legitimate responses to White's decision. It's hard for many of us to get our heads round the rejection. Most of us absolutely love football. We've played it since we were kids. We still play it today. And we watch it constantly, as much as we possibly can, every single day of the week.
And while we may differ in the sense that we would have preferred to play for AC Milan rather than Inter, or Liverpool instead of Manchester United, or Barcelona over Real Madrid, we all undoubtedly dreamt of lining out for our country. For many, that remains the ultimate goal, the absolute pinnacle of professional football – but not everyone.
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Club over country
White has been labelled a "disgrace" by former England Under-21 international Jamie O'Hara. "Do you know how many people will give their right arm to just sit on the bench for England and have the opportunity to represent their nation?" the ex-Spurs midfielder told . "Then you've got this guy who goes, 'Oh, I don’t really like football' and 'Gareth Southgate hasn't really given me a chance'… Do me a favour! It's your country for crying out loud!"
However, while most England supporters would jump at the chance to take White's place in Southgate's squad, it's worth remembering amid all of the bitter backlash that there are a huge amount of football fans that place club far above country.
One only has to listen to the constant whining about the length and regularity of international breaks to see where some supporters' loyalties really lie. Patriotism and passion are often forgotten during the apparently unbearable two-week wait for Premier League play to resume.
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What went wrong?
It's still undeniably strange that White appears to have lost all interest in playing for England. When he made his debut in 2021 at the age of 23, he said it was "something you dream of as a kid". He added that he "loved every minute of it".
What went wrong, then? Why did White feel compelled to walk out in the middle of his nation's 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar – and refuse to return? Southgate has vehemently denied that an alleged falling-out between White and assistant manager Steve Holland have anything to do with the right-back's self-imposed exile.
"That has sort of been mentioned in articles and I don’t like that," the Three Lions boss said. "People can talk about me, and I have to accept that things get said that are false about me. For whatever reason in this role, you have to almost stomach that. But I’m not prepared for that to happen for a key member of my coaching team, because that is not the reason Ben is unavailable for selection."
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Reason is irrelevant
As for White, he's remained silent, which is hardly helpful in terms of defusing the furore. The wild speculation is only going to continue, particularly with the 26-year-old playing an important role in Arsenal's Premier League title bid.
Many supporters understandably want to know why the wonderfully productive relationship that White enjoys with Bukayo Saka on the right flank of the Gunners attack won't be replicated at international level with England.
It's certainly a shame from a sporting perspective but, in truth, the reason is irrelevant. This is White's personal choice. He doesn't want to play for England – and that's the only thing that matters.
Rogério Ceni teve um início com o pé esquerdo no Flamengo. Já são duas eliminações, na Copa do Brasil (diante do São Paulo, nas quartas) e na Libertadores (contra o Racing, nas oitavas), em 13 dias. E só uma vitória sob o comando da equipe rubro-negra. Lazlo Dalfovo, setorista do Flamengo noLANCE!, avalia o cenário atual e os principais desafios do treinador para dar a volta por cima e levar o clube ao título do Brasileiro, que seria um respiro após grandes expectativas quebradas.Assista ao comentário no vídeo acima!
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Hearts have struggled in recent weeks and the international break arrived at precisely the right time for Steven Naismith to gather his thoughts and regroup with his team.
Despite a strong start to the season, which saw the Jambos win three of their first five matches, including a stunning victory over Rosenborg in the Europa Conference League qualifying tie.
Yet, their form since the win over Partick Thistle in the League Cup has been patchy to say the least as they have struggled to recapture their early success.
Naismith has led the club to wins over Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, and Ross County, yet they led arch rivals Hibernian 2-0 with just 25 minutes left before the Easter Road outfit pegged them back to secure a draw.
Star striker Lawrence Shankland is also going through a goal drought, having not scored since the 2-1 defeat to PAOK back in August and this is certainly depriving the side of goals.
The Scotsman ended last season having scored 28 goals across all competitions and with five goals in his first six games this term, it looked like he could even surpass the 28-goal mark.
The Tynecastle side also lost a key goalscoring threat in Josh Ginnelly during the summer. The winger joined Swansea City for nothing after his contract expired at Hearts, as he turned down an improved offer from the Premiership side.
Steven Naismith
He contributed with 13 goals and seven assists last season, and it is yet another transfer howler by Hearts, letting a wonderful player depart for nothing.
It is not the first time this has happened, however, with a player who left the club on a free transfer back in the summer of 2021 recently signing for West Ham United – Andy Irving.
How many appearances did Andy Irving make for Hearts?
The midfielder made his way through the academy at Hearts before making his first team debut during the 2017/18 season having impressed while out on loan at Berwick Rangers – scoring twice and grabbing an assist in 11 matches – and he made six appearances for the Jambos.
Irving then spent half a term on loan at Falkirk before finally breaking into the starting XI at the Edinburgh side ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
He made 27 appearances that term, grabbing two goals and three assists, and it represented a solid start to his Jambos career, despite their eventual relegation to the Championship.
It was in the second tier where he shone however, featuring in 23 league matches, registering nine goal contributions as the club secured promotion at the first time of asking.
Following these excellent performances in the second tier, it was clear he was ready to impress in the Premiership yet just when it looked like he was about to showcase his true potential for the club, he left following the expiration of his contract to join German third tier side Türkgücü Munich in what looked like a strange move.
Hearts loss was their gain however, with their sporting director Roman Plesche saying: "With his good physique, his extraordinary left foot and also his ability to steer a game, Andy already brings some important components to his game at the age of 21.”
During his spell at Hearts, Irving made 61 appearances for the club, and losing him two years ago certainly looks like a howler considering his current career trajectory.
What happened to Andy Irving?
His spell in Germany didn’t exactly go as expected, with the midfielder scoring just once across 23 appearances in the third tier and the move was looking even more strange.
After just one season at Türkgücü Munich, Irving joined Austrian side SK Austria Klagenfurt in the summer of 2022 and the move has revitalised his career.
The former Hearts gem played 34 games across all competitions during his maiden season and ended up scoring six times and grabbing nine assists in what appeared to be a breakthrough season for the midfielder and this attracted interest from abroad.
His form in the current season led John Walker, who runs the Scots Abroad Twitter page, to laud the 23-year-old, saying: “Deadline Day Rumour.
“Andy Irving will complete a move to Premier League side West Ham Utd.
“23yo, Andy Irving, is one of the best performing Austrian Bundesliga midfielders (5⚽️& 5🅰️ in last 10 apps) just now.
“Expected to rejoin Klagenfurt on-loan this season.”
The rumour turned out to be true as Irving moved to the Premier League side in a deal believed to worth seven figures and it represents a major achievement for a player who was plying his trade in the second tier in Scotland just over three years ago.
How good is Andy Irving?
The midfielder has already notched four goals and four assists over just 12 matches for the Austrian side so far this season, and it looks as though he could be a worthy addition to the West Ham squad.
Indeed, across the current Klagenfurt squad in the league this term, he currently ranks second for goals and assists (six) while also ranking second for shots on target per game (0.7), first for big chances created (three), third for key passes per game (1.1) and third for tackles per game (1.5), indicating how impressive he has been over a wide range of performance metrics.
Another season in Austria will do the youngster the world of good as he gears up to play in the English top flight from the 2024/25 campaign.
61
5
48
10
27
1
21
0
16
2
Naismith could benefit from having a player contributing these types of numbers to his current squad, and it represents a big transfer howler letting Irving go for nothing two years ago.
Of course, this is not the first time it has happened, and it probably will not be the last, yet Irving’s recent success should be a warning sign to Naismith that he must tie down his most important players to long-term contracts, otherwise he risks the same thing happening in the future.
David Moyes has the eyes for a talented player and Irving will be hoping to repay back his faith when he arrives in England next summer.
The matches are part of a five-year plan by Cricket West Indies to have cricket in North America every year to develop the game further
Peter Della Penna23-Aug-2018
The stadium at Lauderhill•Peter Della Penna
West Indies are planning to host India in Florida next July, immediately after the 2019 World Cup, as part of a long-term strategy to play a minimum of two T20Is in North America every year until 2022.”There’s full board support as part of our strategic plan over the next five years to bring regular games into the Americas,” Cricket West Indies CEO Jonny Grave told ESPNcricinfo during the Caribbean Premier League matches in Florida. “So not always talking about USA, we’re talking about Canada and other parts to try to grow the sport. The whole ICC strategic plan is around growing the game and we’re huge advocates of Associate cricket.”We want to grow the game. We’re big advocates of playing in the Olympics even though one might argue that’s quite complicated because effectively we’d be playing as the separate sovereign countries of the West Indies – but we don’t have a problem with that.”Since the USA Cricket Board is yet to be fully ratified, Grave said CWI will seek the ICC’s permission directly to host the matches. They are expected to be prime-time affairs, starting as late as 9pm in Florida in order to accommodate Indian television market, while also ensuring the comfort of the people coming to the stadium. The T20Is between India and West Indies from two years ago were played at 10.30 am under heat that Grave felt was “unbearable”.”That would be our aim,” Grave said. “Clearly we have to discuss that with sponsors and broadcast partners, but realistically when you’re playing India in the Caribbean you have to play either very late at night or very early in the day. If you’re playing India, the passion of the India fans, they’ll turn up whether you play at 11am or 9pm at night.”England are touring the Caribbean from January to March 2019 and sources in Florida suggest they may also play some T20Is at Central Broward stadium. Grave, however, wasn’t very keen on relocating these matches.”England fans love coming to the Caribbean,” he said. “Even though we have a big England tour of three Test matches, five ODIs and three T20Is, that would be a big decision to take matches out of the region, whereas the traveling India fan is [coming from the USA] and it’s a growing market so it’s less of a risk to our region to have the England games in the Caribbean and the India matches [in Florida].”India and West Indies have already played at the venue earlier•Getty Images
India will start their 2019 tour with T20Is at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, before travelling to the Caribbean to play ODIs and Tests. According to the FTP, New Zealand (2020), South Africa (2020) and Pakistan (2021) are also scheduled to tour the region while India will visit again in 2022. Bangladesh have already come and gone.The PCB and CWI had tentatively agreed to play T20Is in Florida after the West Indies toured Pakistan this past April, but Grave said finding a window outside the FTP has been difficult. When asked if a tri-series in Florida would be possible involving Pakistan and India, he said that playing that many matches at the same venue could be problematic.Mid-week games scheduled in Lauderhill have had notoriously poor attendance. When Sri Lanka and New Zealand played the first T20Is on US soil in May 2010, the series, originally scheduled for three games, was reduced to a two-match weekend only affair since only 200 tickets were sold for a fixture on a Thursday. However, Grave indicated that in the future West Indies would be open to playing T20Is against Canada or USA on weekdays as build-up to matches against Full Member sides on weekends.Meanwhile, CWI extended an annual invitation for USA and Canada to play in the Regional Super50 competition, which begins in October, with Grave also hoping the women’s teams from both countries would be open to playing domestic cricket in the West Indies.”We’re not here to make a fast buck, that’s probably the bottom line,” he said. “This isn’t just about economics. This is a five-year plan and in five years we think we can start to make a difference to support USA and Canada and that’s just the next two best teams in the Americas.”We want to develop cricket in the whole region, but the next two sides have the ability to break into the 16-team T20 World Cup. Through CPL, playing in our Under-19 tournament, the Super50 and making sure this stadium maintains its status as an international ground can only help USA Cricket. We’ve been pretty vocal and been big advocates about how good the quality of the cricket was in the World Cup Qualifiers and how we need to expand the game and not shrink the game.”CWI had also played a part in helping Canada run their Global T20 tournament in June and July.
ScorecardSo much has gone wrong for Yorkshire this summer that to some of their followers, possibly even those in the committee room, could be excused for thinking that their luck is simply out, that relegation from Division One is somehow a preordained fate. The lifeline to which the players may cling is that it is in their hands.A well-worn cliché? Of course – but one that, in this instance, applies perfectly. Next to bottom on 94 points from 10 games going into this match, their last three fixtures are against Lancashire, Hampshire and Worcestershire, all of whom began this round feeling similarly fearful. Win any of those, they will have told themselves in the Yorkshire dressing room, and the points are almost worth double.The news from Taunton and Worcester will have done nothing to ease their anxieties. Points for a draw here could be precious, although they may take some securing. Nottinghamshire, themselves not properly out of the woods, made the most of their opportunity against a makeshift Yorkshire attack on an essentially flat pitch, setting a target of 299 just to avoid the follow-on, a total Yorkshire’s brittle batting line-up has achieved only five times all season.In their favour, Nottinghamshire are likewise without a full complement of bowlers. Jake Ball is out for the remainder of the season and Luke Fletcher, their most successful so far, has been on duty in the radio commentary booth rather than on the field – a sideline in which he shows a lot of promise, incidentally – although his absence is expected only to be temporary.Yorkshire made a dreadful start, nonetheless, when Adam Lyth edged the last ball of Mark Footitt’s opening over to gully, where Luke Wood held a fine catch. Footitt is playing his first match for Nottinghamshire on this ground for 11 years, so it will have felt almost like a debut wicket.At least better was to follow for the visiting team. Jeet Raval, the New Zealander who has taken over from his compatriot Kane Williamson as overseas player, had the misfortune to run into a particularly good ball from the left-arm of Harry Gurney, which took out his middle and off stumps, but Harry Brook played nicely for his 47 before Gary Ballance, whose patchy form this season has been in keeping with most of his team-mates, responded to the crisis with a timely century.Brook was out a little tamely, chipping straight to midwicket soon after Samit Patel had begun a 22-over unbroken stint at the pavilion end, but after their alliance had added 78 for the third wicket, Ballance found another solid and adaptable partner in Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who batted with valuable restraint to be unbeaten at the close.Ballance’s century is the first by any Yorkshire batsman since his own against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl in June, which is a telling statistic. Kohler-Cadmore could not get in the side at the beginning of the season but has an opportunity now, his half-century here following on from 81 against Somerset last week.Although there were a few deliveries early in his innings that unsettled him, Ballance eventually began to look comfortable. He scored 76 of his runs in boundaries, often worked off his legs but with a few punchy drives through the off side too.He fell soon after completing his hundred, when Patel – the man of the day for Nottinghamshire – spun one across him to have him caught bat and pad at short leg. Earlier, Patel and Matt Milnes, who made a career-best 43, batted freely in an eighth-wicket stand of 90 that secured maximum batting points for Nottinghamshire for the first time this season.There is not too much in this pitch now but the first overs of the third day may be pivotal, as they often are. If Yorkshire can score another 41 runs to achieve their first objective, they will have a chance to make their second.
The former India captain said no argument was going to satisfy him for Hanuma Vihari being preferred over Nair for The Oval Test
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2018Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar led the severe criticism of India’s decision to not play middle-order batsman Karun Nair in fifth Test against England at The Oval.Nair was part of the original 18-man squad, but India played allrounder Hardik Pandya in the first four Tests. When India dropped Pandya – the first time since his debut – for the Oval Test, they gave a debut to Hanuma Vihari, the Andhra batsman who averages 59 in first-class cricket and was brought in as Kuldeep Yadav’s replacement for the final two Tests.Gavaskar was furious with the selection, failing to see a reason for not playing a batsman whose last innings against England was a triple-century. The only reason Gavaskar could come up with was that Nair “has not been your favourite player”.”There is no argument that is going to ever satisfy me,” Gavaskar said on Sony Six moments after the toss. “What has Karun Nair done not to get in? I know he has not been your favourite player. You don’t want to pick him. He scores a triple hundred. You leave him out [for allrounder Jayant Yadav in Pune]. He fails in a couple of games [against Australia in the rest of the series]. You leave him out. You have brought him back in the team. It could be the selectors who have brought him back. The team management probably doesn’t want him. And that’s why they haven’t given him the opportunity to play in this game.”How many Indians have got triple hundreds? Virender Sehwag twice and Karun Nair once. You don’t give that man an opportunity. So what are you trying to tell him? ‘Look we don’t think you are a good player?'”All the best to Hanuma Vihari. I really wish him well. Karun Nair has every right to ask the team management what he has done wrong. He deserves an answer. ‘Why am I not picked?’ If you are going to pick an extra batsman, which they should have done from the first Test itself, and if you haven’t given him the opportunity, he deserves an answer.”Nair’s exclusion was reminiscent of Ajinkya Rahane, who spent a lot of time on the bench in Australia in 2011-12 but couldn’t find a place in a line-up that included Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. When Dravid and Laxman retired for the subsequent home season, Yuvraj Singh was picked for the England series. And when Yuvraj was dropped, Rahane would have hoped to play in the fourth Test in Nagpur, but India gave a debut to allrounder Ravindra Jadeja in that match.One of the arguments in Vihari’s favour has been that he can bowl offspin too – he was the third bowler used on the first morning of the Oval Test – but he has only 19 wickets from 63 first-class matches, which doesn’t suggest a Jadeja-like all-round ability.Gavaskar was not the only person in the Indian cricket community disappointed with the selection.
It’s quite intriguing that no one is talking about the possibility of playing Karun Nair…If India wants to play 6 batsmen, he should be the first choice. If bowling a little is the deal-breaker, it’s another matter… #EngvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 7, 2018
Hanuma vihari is an awesome youngster without a doubt,but the right selection would have been Karun Nair ,system and process are the roots for success in the long run #ENGvIND
— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) September 7, 2018
India's selectors have just made a damning statement of what they think of Karun Nair as a player. Very very hard on him. Would love to know what he was told when the team was announced.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 7, 2018
Hanuma Vihari getting a test match ahead of Karun Nair is perplexing. Karun must have been singularly unimpressive in the nets. Reminds me of 1986, where when Chetan Sharma was injured, Madan Lal who was playing League cricket was preferred to Prabhakar who was in the squad.
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) September 7, 2018
Leeds United could have a tough time keeping hold of one of their star men after one journalist has hinted that he could leave Elland Road in the New Year.
Leeds United updates…
Last weekend, Leeds continued their strong start to the campaign under Daniel Farke by defeating lowly Huddersfield Town 4-1 at Elland Road courtesy of two doubles from Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville. Maintaining their grip on third place in the Championship, the Whites have lost just once in their last five games in the division and are continually resembling a genuine contender to gain promotion from the English second-tier at the first time of asking.
Cited by Leeds Live, Farke signalled his delight at being able to get one over a Yorkshire rival alongside praising his players' spirit for reacting to their defeat to Stoke City last midweek with a comprehensive victory. He stated: "First of all, I think you could see how much it's meant to my players today,” a beaming Farke said after the game. Firstly to win the local derby and the second to show reaction to a bit disappointing result at Stoke and we did this in the perfect manner."
Farke then added: "It was an electrifying first half with some unbelievable offensive work, we were all over them and created so many chances. Was not perfect because of the beginning I also got the feeling, a bit like in last weeks we don't make enough out of our dominance and creating situations but if you’re 4-0 up at half-time, you can't complain too much about this."
Nevertheless, one sour note from the affair has been picked up on by Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth, who has detailed that Leeds star Wilfried Gnonto headed straight down the tunnel upon the full-time whistle against Huddersfield despite featuring as a second-half substitute during the encounter. Now, journalist Dean Jones has given an update on Gnonto and where his future could lie once the January transfer window begins to get underway.
Wilfried Gnonto transfer update
In a conversation with GiveMeSport, Jones has indicated that Gnonto could be one to watch in January after he previously attracted interest during the summer from the Premier League.
"I think they want to try and keep things as settled as they can going into the second half of the season. I mean, the Gnonto one is obviously going to be the most high-profile one to look out for. We all know how close he came to trying to leave the club and wanting to leave the club in the summer window. Quite how much Leeds have managed to convince him otherwise, I guess we’ll find out in January.
Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
Wilfried Gnonto's 2023/24 stats – all competitions
Appearances
9
Goals
1
Assists
1
"But in terms of the other players that are key to this team, I think we'll have to wait until this summer because Leeds need the bulk of this squad to stick together for now. They've got a big task on their hands to get out of the Championship and having an overhaul halfway through the season probably isn't going to help."
Gnonto, who went on strike over the summer, is a talented player who has already gone on to be a full international for Italy at 19, so it will be interesting to see where his future lies when the window opens for business in 2024.
Mikel Arteta is well on his way to the Arsenal history books after playing a central role in their transformation from top-six strugglers to Premier League title contenders. After last season's heartbreak, some may have expected the Gunners to drop off and lick their wounds, but that's been anything but the case. Instead, those in North London simply grew stronger, welcomed players such as Declan Rice, and prepared themselves to potentially go one better than the last campaign.
Their success on the pitch has played a major part in the equally as impressive success that goes on away from the Emirates and we could see the best example of that change in stature next summer when one La Liga star's contract comes to an end.
Arsenal transfer news
Gone are the days of disappointing Arsenal recruitment, it seems. Instead, they're in the era of new arrivals who may well go on to become club legends. One example of that is Rice. The England midfielder made the big-money switch in the summer and has not looked back, getting off to a flawless start under Arteta.
When looking at the Gunners squad there's not a lot that they lack, but they could possibly do with the experience offered their way by one midfielder's agent. According to Phil Thomas of The Sun, Arsenal will be offered the chance to sign Toni Kroos when his contract comes to an end at Real Madrid next summer, with his representatives set to sound out those at the Emirates.
The Gunners won't be the only club to be offered the chance to secure the German's signature, however, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Manchester United all to be handed the same opportunity, according to reports. Kroos' wages reportedly sit at £310,000-a-week, but the contract may be worth it for Arsenal, who would certainly get a boost from his arrival.
Toni Kroos' Real Madrid stats
To say that Kroos has enjoyed great success at Real Madrid would be a great understatement. The World Cup winner has done it all at the Santiago Bernabeu, from winning the Champions League in three consecutive seasons to La Liga titles and even the Club World Cup. Now could be the right time for a new challenge, though, after the emergence of the likes of Jude Bellingham has left the veteran struggling for a starting place at times.
Looking at Kroos' stats, there's no doubt that he can still match some of the best midfielders that the world has to offer, including some of Arsenal's current options.
Player
Goals + Assists
Progressive Passes
Dispossessed
Toni Kroos
4
68
1
Martin Odegaard
4
46
17
Declan Rice
3
60
7
It's little surprise that the Madrid man has been praised so often throughout his career, including by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who previously said: "He’s been one of the biggest talents in German football for a long, long, long time. He’s been a great player since he was really young. He played incredible stuff for Bayern and then made a brave move to Real Madrid and there he has become one of the most successful club footballers in the world and a World Cup winner. Obviously it’s been quite a successful career so far! There’s still a lot to come from him as well.
"He’s a nice person, we don’t know each other really well but I appreciate him obviously and admire him because he’s just a wonderful football player. He’s really difficult to defend because he can change the game from deep areas. It’s a nice package, to be honest."
Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed the appointment of their new head coach on Sunday as Philippe Clement has put pen to paper on a deal with the club.
The former AS Monaco boss has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to manage the Scottish giants and, hopefully, bring success back to Ibrox over the coming months and years.
He has replaced English tactician Michael Beale after the former Liverpool coach failed to win a single trophy during his spell with the club.
Clement now has a job on his hands to get the supporters back onside and one way he could work towards doing that is by unleashing some of the younger players within the squad.
How many matches has Leon King played this season?
Leon King is yet to make a single senior appearance for the Rangers first-team during the 2023/24 campaign, and the talented youngster now has an opportunity to break back into the side with the clean slate that the Belgian boss' arrival has provided.
The Gers academy graduate, who ex-Light Blues defender Alan Hutton dubbed a “big Rolls Royce”, has played 31 games for the club to date and has proven that he has the ability to play competitive football for the Light Blues.
However, his only minutes so far this season have come for Scotland's U21 side as he lined up in a holding midfield position against Hungary U21s on Friday.
Statistic
Leon King
Sofascore rating
7.1
Interceptions
Three
Tackles
Two
Pass accuracy
78%
Duel success rate
67%
King's performance against Hungary U21s (via Sofascore)
The rarely-seen 19-year-old ace made a combined five tackles and interceptions and no Rangers player (minimum two appearances) has made more than 3.9 tackles and interceptions combined per game in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.
How did King perform last season?
King showcased his reliability in possession along with his defensive strength across 15 league outings for Gio van Bronckhorst and Beale last term.
The 6 foot enforcer completed 88% of his attempted passes and only five Rangers players have recorded a better percentage than that this season, which speaks to how consistent the youngster was on the ball for the Scottish giants.
He also dominated opposition attackers with a ground duel success rate of 67%, which shows that the central defender is able to come out on top in the majority of his physical battles on the deck.
Glasgow Rangers defender Leon King.
Rangers have conceded five goals in their last three matches in all competitions and bringing in fresh blood could help to improve their backline for the upcoming matches after the international break.
Clement will surely want to have an instant impact on the side and that is why he could secure an early blinder by unleashing the rarely-seen King from the start.
He is an academy product whose inclusion could get supporters at Ibrox excited, as the talented teen is a homegrown star, and his aforementioned statistics suggest that the defensive skills are there for him to improve the side with his dominance and potential to make tackles and interceptions on a regular basis.
Clement, who worked with talented young centre-backs Benoit Badisahile and Axel Disasi with Monaco, must now provide King with an opportunity to prove his worth for the Scottish giants for the first time this season.