Will Max Aarons spell Rangers end for Tavernier, Kuhn's true worth and how the Souttar saga should have been handled

Daily Record

4 hours ago

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Game On!
Got two minutes? Well that's all you'll need for Record Sport's podcast which sees the expert panel discuss all the big issues in Scottish sport and beyond - in handy bitesize chunks.
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We will debate all the major global sporting topics in a fast-paced manner as the team gets their points across before the whistle blows. The handy segments of the show mean there's no waffling on, we get straight to the point and you can get your fix in a quick and easy manner.
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Game On, which is available now on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, airs every Friday and this week Michael Gannon and Gavin Berry passionately debate the big talking points. Our expert panel discusses all the big issues in Scottish sport and beyond - in handy bitesize chunks.
This week the top team discuss whether Celtic should cash in on Nicolas Kuhn and whether the £15million RB Leipzig are reportedly looking to pay is a fair price and James Tavernier's future with the imminent arrival of Max Aarons.
You won't regret taking two minutes out of your day to enjoy it. Here's just a flavour of it. You can watch the full podcast in the player above, or listen here.
Is the reported £15million a fair price for Nicolas Kuhn and should Celtic cash in?
GB: If Celtic were to receive an offer of £15m I think you would take it.
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MG: Yeah? This is a guy who was a shoo-in for Player of the Year up until January.
GB: That's the key thing - up until January. He's been there for 18 months and had a purple patch. He's been hot for a third of his time at Celtic. Bought for £3.5m, off the boil at the end of the season. If Celtic want to get more than £15m you have to be sure he's going to get back to the blistering level of the start of last season and there's no guarantees of that.
MG: I don't think he's maximised his value yet. It would be hard to get £15m just now but they could get more down the line. The key is to get him to be more consistent but you have to cut him some slack and I don't think his fall off in the second half of the season was that bad. He was still good at times. He had a phenomenal performance away to Bayern Munich. We know he's a player. Celtic shouldn't be looking to sell him unless he's got itchy feet.
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Has John Souttar put his Rangers career in jeopardy by delaying surgery to play for Scotland?
MG: I don't think he's put it in jeopardy. The reality is John Souttar is a very good footballer, a good defender, really solid but he has had his issues with injuries. He's done amazing to come back from three career-threatening injuries. Rangers needed two central defenders for the season anyway - you have to think Robin Propper will go as well - and this slightly strange situation has expedited that. Who is to blame for this? I find the timing of the surgery a bit strange and narrowing the the time of recovery.
GB: I have to say Russell Martin has spoken about it and said he will be fit for Panathinaikos. And that it was very much John Souttar who was desperate to play for Scotland. I'm not sure Rangers fans will agree those games were important enough.
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The other thing is Scotland have huge World Cup qualifiers in September - is it not better he's in peak physical condition for those games?
MG: All parties will look back on this and think it was silly. John should have said after the Bilbao game he wanted in sharpish to get back, the club should have said that and Steve Clarke should have said he didn't need him for friendlies against Finland and Liechtenstein as he knows what he can do.
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Is there a future for the FIFA Club World Cup in the current format?
MG: I've liked a few of the games but Bayern Munich v Auckland City... the poor goalkeeper for Auckland is a forklift driver and could have done with one to lift the ball out the back of the net.
GB: I picked up a coupon in the bookies and Bayern were 1/1000 and I'd never seen odds like it. I had to watch the game to see if it was as one-sided - and it was! (10-0). But there are quality sides outside of the Big Five leagues in Europe. We live in this Champions League bubble and think nothing exists outside of UEFA.
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MG: Did you see Real Madrid vs Al-Hilal? I was really impressed with them. They've spent a few quid but you watch them and think they could do some damage to some of our teams.
GB: There is potential. There has to be changes. When in the season should we play it? Should the domestic season finish earlier or the new one start later? Bin League Cup games in a lot of these countries.
Listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.