Category Uncategorized

Glasgow Rangers started their new era under Philippe Clement with a dominating performance in the Premiership.

The Ibrox side defeated Hibernian 4-0 in Glasgow and the performance, while far from perfect, was a massive improvement from the regular lacklustre showings under Michael Beale.

The 43-year-old had led the club to a woeful start to the 2023/24 season, failing to qualify for the Champions League group stages along with suffering a defeat to Celtic and the writing was on the wall that his tenure could be over sooner rather than later.

Indeed, a dreadful home loss against Aberdeen was the final straw and he was sacked at the start of October.

Steven Davis was placed in interim charge of the Gers for two matches and despite winning only one of these ties, the faith he had in several youngsters was refreshing to see and proves that the chances are there for talented youth products who have shone for the academy recently.

One name stands out more than most, however, as Zak Lovelace has the potential to become a regular in the Light Blues starting XI over the coming years.

How much did Zak Lovelace cost Rangers?

Lovelace made his first team debut for Millwall aged just 15 back in December 2021 after enjoying success in their youth teams and he became the second youngest player in their history.

With Rangers aiming to recruit some of the brightest talents in Britain, Lovelace was earmarked as a potential signing and Giovanni van Bronckhorst secured his signature in the summer of 2022, and due to cross-border rules, the teenager cost the Light Blues just a £100k compensation fee.

It could eventually turn out to be a bargain due to his seemingly limitless potential, and he has already made his mark at Ibrox.

How many appearances has Zak Lovelace made for Rangers?

It didn’t take long for the Dutchman to give the former Millwall starlet his senior bow for the Gers. Just a couple of months or so after joining, Rangers faced Queen of the South at Ibrox in a League Cup tie and Van Bronckhorst heavily rotated the starting XI.

Lovelace came on with just 14 minutes left to make his debut for the club and showed flashes of just why the Light Blues wanted to lure him north of the border.

Throughout the remainder of the campaign, the teenage sensation netted 18 goals for the B team across all competitions – including two in the UEFA Youth League – along with helping himself to ten assists, and it was a stunning start to life in Scotland.

Beale rewarded him by giving the player a cameo against Celtic in May and so far this season, he has featured twice in the Premiership.

He started off brightly against St Mirren, causing their defence plenty of trouble on the right wing and came close to setting up an opening goal with a wonderful pass across the face of the St Mirren goal.

16 years 1 month

16 years 4 months

16 years 4 months

16 years 5 months

16 years 7 months

Lovelace made one key pass and was fouled once, yet he had to go off before the half-time break due to injury and it is unclear when he could add to his four Rangers appearances.

The Belgian will be keen on allowing the young talents to flourish over the next few months and could he even repeat Rangers’ Lovelace masterclass from 2022 as the club are keen on a player who is making a splash down south – Mason Cotcher.

Are Rangers interested in signing Mason Cotcher?

According to the Sunderland Echo, Rangers are showing a keen interest in the 17-year-old who plays for the Sunderland U18 side, but he is yet to feature during the current season.

Clement could face some stiff competition for the youngster however, as Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion are also keeping tabs on Cotcher and the Gunners may have just secured the upper hand with regard to securing his signature.

The teenager was named in the starting XI for Arsenal’s U18 side against Middlesbrough as a trialist just a few days ago as they appear to be stepping up their interest in the striker and Mikel Arteta is trying to lure some of the finest talent in the country down to London.

What is Mason Cotcher’s best position?

The youngster is quite versatile and can feature across the front three, but it appears as though playing through the middle is his favoured position, and certainly the one he has scored the most goals from.

For the Sunderland U18 side last season, Cotcher netted nine goals and grabbed one assist across 21 matches, a more than solid return for the striker, and he could certainly follow in Lovelace’s steps by moving from the Championship to Scotland.

The 17-year-old has also earned national recognition, playing twice for the England U17 side, and he will be keen to make progress up the age groups as fast as possible.

Due to the teenager being on a scholarship deal at the Black Cats, he could technically move away at any time and with the cross-border rules allowing Rangers to potentially exploit situations like this, could they perhaps be in the best position to sign him?

Considering Lovelace only cost £100k, it is possible they could sign the Sunderland gem for a similar fee and much will be made of how interested Arsenal and Brighton are, as they will have to fork out more for his services.

Clement already looks to be eyeing future signings that will add some depth to his youth squads and having given young winger Ross McCausland a run out against Hibs on the weekend, there is a clear pathway from the B team to the starting XI of the first team if players work hard.

This could only be an advantage when going after teenage starlets from English clubs as there is a chance at playing in front of a full house at Ibrox, while potentially featuring in European competition and this is something Cotcher will need to weigh up when deciding his next move.

If he does move to Rangers, it could be the catalyst for plenty more teenage sensations arriving in the coming months.

Jose Mourinho was in attendance to witness Anthony Joshua fight Francis Ngannou in Riyadh just hours after presenting the trophy at Egypt Cup final.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mourinho is currently a free agent
• Flew to Riyadh in his free time to watch boxing
• Was also present alongside Ronaldo & Totti in the Egypt Cup final

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mourinho received the biggest cheer of the night from fans in an otherwise flat atmosphere at the Kingdom Arena during the showdown fight between Joshua and Ngannou. After his unceremonious sacking from AS Roma, the Portuguese manager has made the most of his free time by flying out to the Middle East, where his presence garnered significant attention amongst fight fans.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Earlier in the day, Mourinho was at Al-Awwal Stadium for the Egypt Cup final, where he presented the trophy alongside football legends Ronaldo Nazario and Francesco Totti. He walked out of the tunnel with the silverware in his hand, flanked by Ronaldo & Totti, amid loud cheers from the audience. The trio shook hands with players from both Zamalek and Al Ahly before taking their place in the VIP box.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• (C)GettyImages
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Mourinho had been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League but the manager turned down the opportunity as he wanted to honour the contract with Roma. Even after he got sacked, Al-Shabab came knocking on his door but the coach once again knocked them back as he is reportedly keen to stay in Europe for the time being.

The Mumbai captain rued the lack of support for Ben Cutting in the tense chase in Delhi

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2018

BCCI

Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma felt a “slightly better bowling performance” could have eased some tension in a must-win game where they had to chase 175 on a difficult pitch at the Ferozshah Kotla. The defending champions fell 11 short against Delhi Daredevils to crash out of the tournament with six wins and eight losses.The chase was alive until Ben Cutting was dismissed for a 20-ball 37, with Mumbai needing 12 off four balls with one wicket in hand. They were eventually bowled out when Jasprit Bumrah was caught first ball.”Certain areas in our bowling, if we’d done well, could’ve restricted them to 10-15 less,” Rohit said after the match. “Looking at how Ben [Cutting] was batting, if one batter stayed till the end, you never know what could’ve happened.”There are a lot of things we can look back and say we didn’t do right. We played good cricket in the second half, but things like that can happen. We can get a lot of learning out of it.”Rohit credited the Daredevils bowling for bouncing back after opener Evin Lewis set Mumbai up with a blistering 31-ball 48. Then they lost Lewis, Kieron Pollard and Krunal Pandya in the space of five deliveries and Rohit underlined that as the defining phase of the game.”Hats off to Delhi. They played good cricket and bowled in the right areas, we knew chasing will always be tough, considering how the wicket was playing, but taking the excuse away from it, we played bad cricket as well,” Rohit said. “We have to say we were not there today.”Rohit dismissed a suggestion that the Mumbai had been under pressure because they won only two games in the first half of the season. “I have no regrets how the season has gone, it was a mixed season for us,” he said. “Everyone is fighting hard to get the playoffs, so we knew it won’t be easy. We’ve been in this situation many times before, can’t say it took a toll on anyone’s body. We played bad cricket, but we will accept this and have to move forward.”

Gary O’Neil will be pleased with the progress his Wolves side has made this season.

The Old Gold have shown a togetherness that allows them to play as a team rather than individuals, and that was on show against Brentford in the 1-1 FA Cup draw last weekend.

Despite being 11th in the Premier League, the Wanderers will look to strengthen their squad in January.

Wolves transfers latest – striker hunt at Molineux

According to The Athletic, Wolves are interested in signing Danny Ings on loan from West Ham.

The Wanderers have been keeping an eye on Ings’ situation, but talks are yet to begin between the clubs. As a result, we may have to wait until later in the winter window to see if things develop into a formal offer for the player.

The deal is allegedly dependent on Michael Antonio’s recovery from injury, with the Irons forward reportedly out for the best part of six weeks.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 How Danny Ings compares to Raul Jimenez

Sasa Kalajdzic was the latest player signed in an attempt to replace the goals that Raul Jimenez brought in the 2019/20 Premier League season (17). However, the 6 foot 6 striker has just joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan after failing to secure a place in the starting XI. He joins a pretty wretched list of forward players who have simply failed to make the grade in the Midlands.

Raul Jimenez

67

13

Patrick Cutrone

4

0

Fabio Silva

72

5

Willian Jose

18

1

Hwang-hee Chan

84

20

Sasa Kalajdzic

14

3

Matheus Cunha

41

8

Diego Costa

25

1

Therefore, Ings could be drafted in as a short-term fix to a long-term issue, who coincidentally is a similar player to Wolves icon Jimenez according to FBref’s similar players model.

The former Liverpool player has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but he has only missed one game since the start of 2021.

Despite being available, the 31-year-old has failed to nail down a spot in the starting XI at West Ham, with either Antonio or Jarrod Bowen being preferred in the number nine role, which has led to Ings playing just 108 minutes in the Premier League this season. Wolves, therefore, could offer him a valuable short-term exit.

The West Ham striker would bring experience and goals to the Wolves attack, as according to one football writer Ings is a “clinical finisher," and in fairness, the table below does prove that he knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, notably in the Premier League.

2022/23

35

8

2

2021/22

30

7

6

2020/21

29

12

4

2019/20

38

22

2

2018/19

24

7

3

Ings is the definition of a goal-scorer, but his technique and ball-striking ability are what make him so dangerous.

Indeed, if the striker gets half a chance, he will most likely bury it, which is needed when playing for a side like Wolves, who have created the 12th most big chances in the Premier League this season. This makes him like Jimenez, who has overperformed his xG this season for Fulham.

But just how do they compare specifically? Well, when it comes to how involved they are in the play, where they take their shots from, passing and carrying, there's not much to separate the pair.

Expected Goals (xG)

0.06

0.32

Average shot distance

14.1 yards

13.8 yards

Pass Success rate

63%

66%

Passes into penalty box

0.63

0.57

Touches

32

35

Successful take-ons

0.63

0.65

Carries

17.5

19.8

Overall, the potential signing of Ings is by far from one that the Wolves faithful will be extremely excited about, but given the fact that Hwang Hee-chan will be their only available striker for the rest of the season (when he returns from the AFC Asian Cup), the move does seem smart.

AFC Asian Cup 2023: Every Premier League & Scottish Premiership player going

With the AFC Asian Cup 2023 now upon us, FFC takes a look at which players from the Premier League and Scottish Premiership will feature.

ByLuke Randall Jan 2, 2024

Even if he doesn’t feature heavily. This transfer has absolutely no risk attached, and therefore, there can only be an upside to the loan.

Jason Holder’s second five-wicket haul in three Tests consigned Bangladesh to another embarrassing meltdown

The Report by Mohammad Isam13-Jul-2018Jason Holder leaps to celebrate a wicket•CWI Media

Bangladesh were bowled out for 149 in reply to West Indies’ 354, producing yet another inept batting display. Jason Holder led the home side’s bowling attack with superb spells on either side of the tea interval. He removed three of Bangladesh’s four most experienced batsmen – Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim – before completing his third five-wicket haul with the wickets of Mehidy Hasan and Abu Jayed.West Indies opted against enforcing the follow-on, but lost Kraigg Brathwaite, whose series ended with a low score when he was bowled by Shakib in the day’s last over. It was a minor slip-up in an otherwise superb day for West Indies, which they ended on 19 for 1.Till the tea interval, the two teams had taken one session each. Bangladesh had taken six West Indies wickets for just 59 runs in the first session, as the home side were bowled out for 354. But Jason Holder and Shannon Gabriel brought them back in control with two wickets each in the middle session, before a Keemo Paul beauty gave the fast bowler his first Test wicket. Tamim Iqbal, who had survived two reviews, a dropped catch by Devon Smith at slip and several close shaves, finally fell for 47 in the final session. Paul beat his outside edge with an angled delivery that many experienced fast bowlers find hard to create.Next ball, he had Nurul Hasan lbw for a golden duck although replays suggested that he had been struck outside off. But Mushfiqur at the other end didn’t offer any help as Nurul walked away.Mushfiqur’s stay didn’t last long either. He was caught by Shai Hope at gully, to give Jason Holder his third wicket. Miguel Cummins joined in the act with Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s wicket, another lbw decision that was upheld after the review.Holder’s fourth wicket was Taijul Islam, bowled through the gate with Bangladesh still five runs short of avoiding the follow-on,
The second session had begun badly for Bangladesh as they lost Liton Das and Mominul Haque quickly. Liton was slightly unlucky as replays showed that the Gabriel delivery would have missed his leg stump. Liton, too, didn’t review.Mominul’s difficulty dealing with the full ball continued when he edged to gully for the second time in the series while on the move. His dismal scores read 1, 0 and 0 so far.Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim handled the West Indies attack better thereafter, adding 59 runs for the third wicket. They struck a number of fours through point and cover, but had loose moments. An over after he was dropped, Holder removed Shakib with an incoming delivery that he misread and attempted to cut. Mahmudullah was then trapped leg-before for a second-ball duck.Bangladesh’s batting difficulties made it easy to forget how well Jayed and Mehidy had bowled in the morning session. Shimron Hetmyer, through his second Test fifty, showed glimpses of a classy left-hander willing to find gaps in the off-side ring. But on the second morning, there was no solidity of Kraigg Brathwaite at the other end, with whom he had shared a 109-run stand on the first day. Jayed removed him for the addition of only two runs to his overnight 84. Roston Chase followed soon, continuing his difficult year in Test cricket, as Jayed trapped him leg-before for 20.Mehidy removed Paul and Cummins to complete his five-for, but some lusty hitting in a last-wicket stand of 35 helped the hosts stretch past 350.

A day after clinching a four-run win against Ireland, Netherlands went on to chase 159 with an over to spare against the same opponents in the second match of the tri-series in Rotterdam

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2018Peter Della Penna

A day after clinching a four-run win against Test nation Ireland, Netherlands went on to chase 159 with an over to spare against the same opponents in the second match of the tri-series in Rotterdam. The four-wicket win was led by their openers before Roelof van der Merwe scored 37 off 26 and then captain Pieter Seelaar saw them through with an unbeaten 22. Van der Merwe had also taken two wickets earlier as Ireland scored 158 for 6 with an unbeaten 42-ball 45 from Gary Wilson.Netherlands never let the required run rate out of control once Tobias Visee started the chase with a 15-ball 25 and his opening partner Max O’Dowd scored a brisk 39 off 24. George Dockrell broke the stand when he bowled Visee in the fourth over and Nos. 3 and 4 Ben Cooper and Bas de Leede got out cheaply. Between those two wickets, O’Dowd was caught behind off Stuart Thompson and Netherlands were 97 for 4 in the 12th over.However, van der Merwe and Seelaar stitched a stand of 39 runs in 32 balls, as van der Merwe struck three fours and a six. Even though he was bowled by Barry McCarthy in the 17th over, Netherlands needed another 23 runs from 20 balls and Seelaar’s unbeaten knock took them home.Earlier, Ireland opted to bat and their openers Paul Stirling (27 off 16) and James Shannon (31 off 21) gave them a flying start. They put on 58 runs by the fifth over but were both bowled within a space of nine balls and it reduced Ireland’s run rate thereafter. The middle order could not capitalise on the platform, as left-arm medium-pacer Fred Klaassen and van der Merwe strangled the scoring rate. William Porterfield and Wilson could not score at a strike rate of over 110 in the 62 combined balls they faced together to score a total of 65 runs and even though Kevin O’Brien struck 13 runs off six balls, 158 did not prove to be enough.

Petersen has dealt with pressure before and come out on top; the challenge this time was of a slightly different order

Firdose Moonda at Basin Reserve25-Mar-2012Before the start of the Hamilton Test, Alviro Petersen was asked what it was like to bat between the superstars. With names and reputations like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers in the same line-up as him, Petersen was essentially being asked if he sometimes got lost in a galaxy of greats. He was asked the question again after his 156 in Wellington, the highest score by a South African batsman on this tour. His answer was the same again.”I don’t know,” Petersen said, with a knowing look on his face, one that suggested he knew exactly how it felt to bat as well as any of those big names. “I am just focussed on my cricket. But, I don’t want to be Jacques Kallis, I don’t want to be Graeme Smith. I am Alviro Petersen.”Who exactly that is, we aren’t sure. We probably won’t know for many more Tests as Petersen establishes himself in the side. What we can say with confidence, is that Petersen is promising enough to be more than a speck of moondust in the atmosphere.Petersen is playing in his 13th Test match and has already scored three hundreds. All of them came at a time when he has had to make a point. The first one was on debut, the second on his comeback after being dropped more because of the prolific form of Jacques Rudolph than any over-riding concern about his own ability and the third here, amid calls for whether he should open the batting despite his last big knock having come just three Tests ago.Why Petersen faced pressure for his place from some quarters in this match remains a mystery. Although his century in the New Year’s Test was overshadowed by Kallis’ all-round efforts which included a double-hundred, it has not been completely erased from memory, especially not the memory of the selectors. He only managed 66 runs from his previous four innings in New Zealand but did not look inept by any means. At worst, he was uncomfortable in previous innings, was guilty of trying to play across the line too often, was lbw twice and adopted an approach that was perhaps too attacking.He was certainly due a knock but it was not a do-or-die situation. The main source of anxiety for Petersen came from Petersen himself, who admitted that he was concerned about how he had played in the previous two matches. “I was under pressure coming into this game because of the standards I set for myself,” he said. “I hadn’t really scored a lot of runs in this series so it was important that I once I got in that I try and score big.”The crucial part was getting in. He looked a little shaky against the away movement but had the luxury of giving himself time to settle in because Amla was playing the role of the aggressor at the other end. He did have one edge go third slip’s way in the early stages of his innings but was lucky to find no-one manning the area. When Amla got out, he had JP Duminy to push on. In that period, he offered another chance that went to Martin Guptill’s right at second slip. Petersen was on 68 then and got away with it again. Then, he capitalised.A hallmark of his play on the second afternoon was his execution of the pull, which came off perfectly almost every time. He said the bounce off the surface was something he enjoyed because it reminded him a little of home. “I grew up playing at the Wanderers so I think I am just used to a bouncier wicket,” he said. “Facing the likes of Marchant [de Lange] in the nets, especially when he tries to take all our heads off, does make things easier as well.”He went to bed on Saturday night on 96 and returned to turn that into 100 by the second over on Sunday morning. With the sun out, the pitch flattened, the pulls from day two became the drives of day three as Petersen rolled them out in conditions which suited. “Today, the wicket played really nicely,” he said. He looked well set to turn his hundred into a double but a lapse in concentration allowed New Zealand to break through and dismiss him the way they have twice before, trapping him lbw.Petersen’s annoyance at having made the same mistake was obvious. He accepted the umpire’s verdict without asking for a review but went back to tap the pitch in a frustration that he lapsed back into a technical flaw he had tried to eliminate. Prior to this match, Petersen studied some footage of himself from previous games to see whether the mistake had crept in recently. “I had a look at some videos, especially of Newlands Test and just worked on a few things,” he said. “I think in this game it came through quite nicely.”This innings has given Petersen a healthy dose of confidence ahead of South Africa’s next tour – to England in July. His challenge will be to avoid waiting for a situation where he to score runs to convince people he is worthy of star status but to keep piling them on regularly. “Every cricketer wants to be consistent and I am no different. It’s just that, I enjoy pressure,” he said. “I have to find a way of trying to put that pressure on every innings and almost play like it’s my last game every time.”

A lot of the noise surrounding Chelsea right now is centered on who could leave Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks, as BlueCo look to balance the books by selling certain players.

£52m Chelsea star could now join Barcelona, he's "no longer" unsellable

The La Liga champions have cast their eyes towards Stamford Bridge.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025

The club landed a seismic financial windfall by reaching the Club World Cup final, where they will face off against European champions PSG in a hotly-contested clash at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, thanks to a stunning brace from new signing Joao Pedro in their semi-final against Fluminense.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

That 2-0 win over the Brazilian minnows means Chelsea have banked around £80 million worth of prize money en route to the final, having won five of their six games so far, on top of their participation fee. If they win the whole thing, and somehow beat an imperious PSG side this weekend, Enzo Maresca’s side will bank close to £88 million.

This cash will undoubtedly ease some pressure with regard to PSR, but after being slapped with a recent UEFA fine for breaking FFP rules, Chelsea will also want to ship a plethora of unwanted players off their considerable books.

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Djordje Petrovic are just some of the Chelsea players who could reportedly leave before deadline day on September 1, while previous mainstay striker Nicolas Jackson faces an uncertain future after the arrivals of Pedro and Liam Delap.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli have already been sold for around £19 million worth of transfer fees in total, but the Chelsea hierarchy will be very keen to increase this total while drastically reducing their wage bill.

Sterling and Chilwell, who were both frozen out by Maresca last summer, are among the club’s highest earners, while Chukwuemeka is believed to be on as much as £100,000-per-week.

As well as the need to offload senior players, there are a plethora of youngsters who could help to raise cash, and one of them is young left-back Ishe Samuels-Smith.

The 19-year-old joined Chelsea from Everton in 2023 for around £4 million, and Samuels-Smith recently put pen to paper on a new contract running until 2031 – meaning the west Londoners can demand a fairly substantial fee.

Ishe Samuels-Smith in talks to join Strasbourg from Chelsea

According to L’Equipe, Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg, could offer them a chance to recuperate some money off the teenager.

The newspaper states that Samuels-Smith was at Strasbourg’s training facilities on Wednesday ahead of a potential move, and the Ligue 1 side are currently in talks with his representatives as Chelsea consider selling him for £5 million.

The defender is yet to make his senior debut for the club since transferring from Goodison Park, and it now appears that Chelsea are preparing to cash in on Samuels-Smith with a £1 million profit.

He captained the Under-21s side on numerous occasions last season and was a mainstay of Filipe Coelho’s backline last season, but this seemingly hasn’t been enough to convince Chelsea that he could emerge as a first-team player.

Liverpool’s return to form this season has been a huge relief for the Anfield faithful as it proves last season was merely a blip.

The club failed to make the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season while they also finished trophyless as injuries and poor form meant they struggled throughout 2022/23.

Jurgen Klopp had to do something in the summer transfer window and a midfield rebuild looks like it is beginning to pay dividends, especially in the Premier League.

Before the international break, they had lost just once in the top flight while securing passage to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup and topping their Europa League group.

Everything looks rosy on Merseyside again and the German will be keen to win another trophy or two, especially with the way his side are playing.

Despite shipping out some deadwood during the summer and bringing some wonderful talents to the club, the January transfer window could potentially see another one or two new faces arrive at the club.

Liverpool transfer news – Leroy Sané

As per the Mirror, Leroy Sane has halted negotiations at Bayern Munich with regard to a new contract as he is focusing on the season ahead.

This could prompt Liverpool to swoop in and make a more concrete offer for the player – who has been valued at around €100m (£87m), according to CIES Football Observatory.

According to journalist Christian Falk, Liverpool’s interest is firm as he discussed their interest in the former Manchester City winger, saying:

“Liverpool’s interest in Leroy Sane is concrete. You can compare him to the man he might end up replacing at Anfield in Mo Salah; they both have speed and Sane is certainly younger.

“Bayern Munich are aware of the interest and after the international break they will meet the agents, LIAN Sports Group, to talk about an extension. They really want to keep him and Sane said that Bayern is the first club he will be talking to. His family has arrived in Munich after their new house was built and the player is feeling happy.”

This looks like a move which has more chance of occurring at the end of the season rather than midway through, but it looks as though the Anfield side are serious in their interest.

The player has plenty of knowledge of the Premier League, and he could be a huge asset for the club, while he is also similar to Real Madrid sensation Vinícius Jr.

How Leroy Sané compare to Vinicius Jr

Both players certainly pose a dangerous threat in the opposition penalty area and the Brazilian has emerged as a world-class player over the previous couple of years.

Since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, the Real Madrid star has scored 51 goals while chipping in with 45 assists, and he is clearly in the form of his life.

According to FBref, he is the sixth most comparable player to the current Bayern gem and considering how effective the 23-year-old has been in recent seasons, it is certainly not a bad comparison to have.

Indeed, the duo have registered similar statistics with regard to goals scored (nine vs six), shots per 90 (3.23 vs 3.07), shot-creating actions per 90 (6.39 vs 4.56) and progressive carries (82 vs 66), suggesting that are both performing at the top of their game and causing chaos for opposition defenders for their respective clubs.

Signing Sane would give Klopp’s attacking yet another bolt of energy and a move should seriously be considered during the summer transfer window.

Leroy Sane’s statistics at Bayern Munich

The £330k-per-week sensation was hailed as “unbelievable” by his former manager Julian Nagelsmann following their 5-2 victory over Benfica in the Champions League a few seasons ago and it is safe to his form for Bayern since joining in 2020 has been nothing short of incredible.

Across 152 matches for the European heavyweights, Sane already has 47 goals and 44 assists, and he has started the current season on fire.

Not only has he found the back of the net on nine occasions in all competitions, but he has racked up seven assists too, showcasing how much he enjoys creating chances for others.

Not only does he rank second behind summer signing Harry Kane for goals and assists in the top flight (14), but the winger also ranks first for big chances created (ten) and for successful dribbles per game (4.1) while also topping the pile for key passes per game (3.6), indicating that he has been Bayern’s key attacking outlet alongside Kane this term.

Sane also leads the Bundesliga standings for key passes and successful dribbles per game, as well as big chances created, and it shows how much he has improved since leaving City three years ago.

Liverpool could replace Diaz with move for “world-class” £87m star

The Anfield side could face losing their Colombian maverick following links to a European giant.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 23, 2023

The 27-year-old even ranks in the top 4% when compared to positional peers for successful take-ons per 90 (3.79), the top 9% for total shots per 90 (3.08) and the top 10% for shot-creating actions per 90 (5.2) over the previous 12 months.

These statistics are clear evidence that he would be a valuable asset for Liverpool ahead of next season and he would improve them massively.

As previously mentioned, his figures are similar to those of Vinícius Jr and this comparison would allow Klopp to yield one of the finest wingers in the world should he make the move back to England in the near future.

Much will obviously depend on how much funds Klopp has to work with, yet there will be a few players who he could sell off in order to raise some money for potential arrivals.

Much will also depend on whether the club qualify for the Champions League next term. Judging by their start to the league season, this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem, yet Klopp will be keen to avoid any complacency.

Playing in Europe’s premier club competition is key to luring the best talents, and in Sane, there is a player who is already world-class, and he could take the Reds to the next level.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery could be dealt a huge blow in his endeavours to keep hold of one of his star men in January after his recent positive form, according to a report.

Aston Villa updates: Watkins for England, Soler links

Speaking to Sky Sports, pundit Jamie Carragher has given a glowing endorsement regarding Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins' future at international level and had indicated that the free-scoring 27-year-old should be second in command to Harry Kane for England.

Carragher stated via The Daily Mail: "Even when he doesn't score he can play a big role and you can see that. As the game has gone on he runs in behind. When he stand alongside him, I thought he was taller. He has that presence and the pace.

"If Harry Kane is injured, he is England's centre-forward. Him and [Moussa] Diaby look like they're trying to combine. The set up means he doesn't need to come deep, you can see it all and it's all about getting it central. He doesn't need to go deep, he can create space between the lines."

According to reports, Emery's men are keen to bolster their engine room in the January transfer window and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler has been identified as an Aston Villa transfer target.

Claims indicate that Spain international Soler is believed to be keen on a new challenge in 2024; however, both Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion and La Liga outfit Valencia will rival the Villans to bring in the 26-year-old.

Club captain John McGinn has urged his teammates to target a top-four finish and subsequent qualification for the Champions League this term after Aston Villa defeated West Ham United 4-1 on Sunday, stating via BBC Sport: "This is a demanding place to play but the manager has educated the fans a bit. He has pleaded with them to be patient. Hopefully we can try and disrupt that top four, top six. It is not going to be easy, but why not? Why can't we challenge them and do what Newcastle did last season?"

Aston Villa's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Europa League

AZ Alkmaar

AFAS Stadion

Premier League

Luton Town

Kenilworth Road

Premier League

Nottingham Forest

City Ground

Europa League

AZ Alkmaar

Villa Park

Premier League

Fulham

Villa Park

Aston Villa transfer news – Douglas Luiz

According to an update on Douglas Luiz's future from 90min, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is personally keen to bring the Brazil international, who he holds a personal relationship with after working with the midfielder at Manchester City, to the Emirates Stadium in the January transfer window.

Despite both Arteta and Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar being huge fans of Luiz, the Villans have no intention to listen to any offers for the in-form 25-year-old as they aim to secure Champions League qualification.

From midfield, Luiz has enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign so far for Aston Villa, netting six times in his opening 14 appearances across all competitions (Luiz statistics – Transfermarkt).

Aston Villa will be desperate to keep hold of Luiz and will imaginably pull out all the stops to ensure he remains in the West Midlands for the time being, so it would be a massive blow if Arsenal can wiggle their way in and convince NSWE to sell.