Rangers could land big Wright upgrade in surprise swoop for £6m whiz

Glasgow Rangers made the decision to part ways with head coach Michael Beale at the start of last month and completed a swoop to bring in Philippe Clement as his replacement.

The Belgian tactician has enjoyed a terrific start to life in Glasgow with a return of six wins and one draw from his opening seven matches in charge in all competitions.

He already has a League Cup final, against Aberdeen, to look forward to next month and could secure his first piece of silverware in Glasgow, after Beale failed to win any trophies during his tenure at Ibrox.

Glasgow Rangers managerPhilippe Clement.

It would be an impressive accomplishment by Clement when you consider that the former Monaco manager is yet to be able to bring in his own players to bolster his squad, as he arrived after the summer transfer window slammed shut.

The upcoming January transfer window will be his first opportunity to dip into the market and the Light Blues have already been touted with a move for one of their former players.

Rangers transfer news – Ryan Kent

A recent report from TEAMtalk named Rangers as one of the clubs keeping an eye on Ryan Kent's situation as he has been made available for a winter exit.

The outlet claimed that Fenerbahce are prepared to send the 27-year-old winger out on loan for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign after his poor start to the season.

It is stated that the Turkish giants are willing to part ways with the English flop and that they would also be open to including an option to buy next summer for a fee within the region of £6m.

Former Rangers winger Ryan Kent.

TEAMtalk have revealed that the ex-Gers attacker has struggled to adapt to life in Turkey and is yet to adjust to his new teammates and environment, which now looks set to lead to a premature end to his spell with Fenerbahce.

Rangers, who watched on as Kent departed on a free transfer to make the switch to the Turkish giants at the end of last season, are now eyeing him up as a surprise signing in January, less than a year on from his exit from Glasgow.

However, they could face some stiff competition for his signature at English sides Leeds United and Bournemouth are both said to be keen on the ex-Liverpool gem.

The latter are currently competing in the Premier League and the former are pursuing promotion to the top-flight of English football, which could be an attractive prospect for Kent, who has already been there and done it in Scotland.

If Clement and Rangers are able to win the race for his signature, though, then they could land a big upgrade on current forward Scott Wright, who has been unable to provide a consistent attacking threat out wide.

Scott Wright's Rangers statistics

The 26-year-old lightweight arrived at Ibrox from fellow Scottish side Aberdeen midway through the 2020/21 campaign and put pen to paper on a contract until the summer of 2025.

Steven Gerrard brought him to Glasgow after the winger racked up two goals and five assists in 20 appearances in all competitions for the Dons during the first half of the season.

Wright had an unspectacular start to life with the Light Blues as he ended that term with one goal and two assists in 13 appearances, as Rangers went on to win the Scottish Premiership title.

The Scottish forward then enjoyed a solid first full season with the club as he produced seven goals and three assists in 37 matches in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign.

Rangers winger Scott Wright.

However, his form went downhill the following term as Wright ended the 2022/23 season with a return of zero goals and two assists in 34 matches for the Gers, which included one assist in 23 Premiership outings.

So far during the current campaign, the ex-Aberdeen star has managed one goal and zero assists in ten appearances under Beale and Clement combined.

This means that Wright has a dismal record of one goal and provided two assists in his last 44 games for Rangers since the start of last season. He has averaged one direct goal contribution every 14.7 matches during that period, which is a woeful return for an attacking player.

The Gers lightweight has not offered enough in the final third to be relied upon as a regular option for a team that wants to compete for multiple trophies and in European competitions.

Ryan Kent's Rangers statistics

Whereas, Kent proved himself to be a superb attacker for the Light Blues throughout his time in Scotland and he could arrive as a big upgrade on Wright if the club can pull off a shock swoop to bring him back to Ibrox.

The 27-year-old ace has zero goals and zero assists in seven Super Lig games for Fenerbahce but that should not be a concern for the Gers as they already know exactly what he is capable of in Scottish football.

Ryan Kent's Rangers career (via Transfermarkt)

Statistic

Performance

Appearances

218

Goals

33

Assists

56

As you can see from the table above, the Gerrard signing enjoyed a fantastic spell in Glasgow and was able to chip in with goals and assists from a wide position.

Over the course of his career with the Light Blues, Kent averaged a goal or an assist every 2.45 matches on average in all competitions – a considerably more impressive return than Wright's contributions for the club.

rangers-ryan-kent-everton-premier-league-transfer

Last season, the English forward, who was once dubbed "unplayable" at his best by journalist Andrew Dickson, produced three goals and eight assists in 29 Premiership outings.

The Fenerbahce flop created nine 'big chances' and won two penalties for his side throughout the league campaign as the exciting whiz showcased his creative quality on a regular basis.

Whilst Kent is not a regular goalscorer who is likely to hit double figures for Clement, his assist numbers are there for all to see – including 19 in all competitions during the 2021/22 season – and he has the ability to be a consistent contributor in that respect.

Therefore, the £6m-rated magician could be a fantastic signing on loan for Rangers as a forward who could come in and be a big upgrade on Wright out wide, due to his far superior output at the top end of the pitch.

New South Wales undone by the two Jakes as South Australia earn bonus point

Adam Zampa celebrates a wicket with his teammates•Getty Images

A sparkling century by Jake Weatherald and a strong captaincy debut by Jake Lehmann drove South Australia to a bonus-point victory over New South Wales in the domestic limited-overs match at the WACA Ground.The Redbacks were able to keep the NSW innings in check most of the afternoon, after Chadd Sayers made a pair of early incisions and Adam Zampa followed up with his own share of wickets, including the dismissal of Moises Henriques with his very first ball of the domestic season.Australia’s Twenty20 gloveman Alex Carey and capped international batsman Callum Ferguson were both dismissed early in SA’s pursuit, but Weatherald’s crisp strokeplay was augmented by Lehmann’s combination of aggression and invention across a partnership worth 171. While the Blues’ persistent use of the short ball belatedly paid off with Lehmann’s wicket, by then the Redbacks pair had scored so freely via the pull shot that they were on course for an extra point for reaching the target inside 40 overs.On a sunny Perth afternoon, the Blues were sent in by SA after losing their opening fixture to Western Australia on Tuesday. Sayers, who made his Test debut in South Africa earlier this year but was not chosen for the UAE tour to face Pakistan, found an early combination of outswing and seam to confound Ryan Gibson and then the NSW captain Kurtis Patterson.Henriques attempted a counterattack with some success, but his innings was ended when he played around an accurate first ball from Zampa and was bowled. Nick Larkin made a start before being wonderfully caught at slip by Tom Cooper, also off Zampa, and Daniel Hughes’ spinal contribution was ended on 79 in unfortunate fashion when Jay Lenton’s drive was deflected from Zampa’s hands onto the stumps with the non-striker stranded.Jack Edwards, Daniel Sams and Steve O’Keefe all made useful lower-order contributions to ensure the Blues reached 241, but this seemed a scant tally on a good pitch. So it was to prove once Weatherald and Lehmann were established, clattering regular boundaries and in the opener’s case a quartet of sixes to underline a considerable talent.The last of these, an impudent legside flick that landed halfway up one of the WACA’s grass banks, brought the scores level, and Cooper applied the finish with a straight drive in the 39th over. So SA started the competition with a win while NSW were left to ponder an opening pair of defeats. By a quirk of the competition, this is no handicap to making the finals – all six competing teams will do so irrespective of how many wins they register in the qualifying matches.

أرنولد يكشف مشاعره عند رحيل ساوثجيت.. وموقفه من تدريب كلوب لـ منتخب إنجلترا

أدلى ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، لاعب فريق ليفربول ومنتخب إنجلترا، بتصريحات حول رحيل المدير الفني جاريث ساوثجيت، ومن يرغب في خلافته لدى الأسود الثلاثة.

كان ساوثجيت قد أعلن رحيله عن تدريب منتخب إنجلترا، يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، عقب خسارة نهائي كأس أمم أوروبا على يد إسبانيا.

وارتبط أكثر من مرشح بإمكانية خلافة ساوثجيت في تدريب إنجلترا، مثل بيب جوارديولا، يورجن كلوب، إيدي هاو، ماوريسيو بوتشيتينو وتوماس توخيل.

وقال أرنولد في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية: “كان الأمر مشابهًا لما شعرت به عندما غادر كلوب ليفربول، لقد كانوا الأشخاص الذين قدموا لي أول ظهور لي، وحققوا أحلامي”.

وعن إمكانية تعاقد إنجلترا مع كلوب كمدرب جديد لهم، قال: “لقد استمتعت بكل لحظة عملت معه بها، وشاركنا ذكريات مذهلة وأقمنا علاقة ورابطة، لذا إذا حدث ذلك، فسنواصل من حيث توقفنا بالطبع”.

واعترف: “سأشعر بالمفاجأة إذا حدث ذلك، كان الأمر واضحًا عندما أعلن موعد مغادرته، والمحادثات التي أجريتها معه، وكل شيء على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، يبدو أنه يستمتع بوقته، لذا ستكون مفاجأة كبيرة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تليجراف توضح موقف كلوب من خلافة ساوثجيت في تدريب إنجلترا

واستمر: “لا يسعني إلا أن أكون ممتنًا لكل فرصة أتيحت لي والذكريات التي شاركناها مع ساوثجيت، أعتقد أنه لا يحظى بالتقدير الكافي، أعتقد أن وظيفة المدير الفني لإنجلترا هي واحدة من أصعب الوظائف على الإطلاق، سيتم الحكم عليك دائمًا، هناك دائمًا تكهنات، وللناس دائمًا آرائهم”.

وتابع: “لكن الطريقة التي قاد بها الفريق والبيئة التي يعيش فيها اللاعبون موجودة ليراها الجميع، كانت هناك وحدة واتحد الجميع كفريق واحد، لكن كل مدرب يتعرض للانتقاد، الطريقة التي تعامل بها مع الأمر كانت مذهلة، وأوصلنا إلى نهائي آخر”.

وشدد: “أوافق بنسبة 100% على أنه عندما تعمل مع أشخاص تحبهم، فإنك تتعرف عليهم كشخص، وتريد أن تفعل كل ما هو جيد لهم، يكون الأمر مكثفًا جدًا في البطولات، حيث يمكنك التعرف حقًا على الجميع في المعسكر”.

واسترسل: “لقد رأيتم كم هو شخص رائع، ساوثجيت، إنه رجل مذهل، لقد كان الأمر نفسه على أساس يومي مع كلوب، كما ترى كيف يتعاملون مع أنفسهم والآخرين”.

واختتم مازحًا: “هل يمكنك أن تكون صديقا لرئيسك في العمل؟ أنت تحترم خبراتهم وقراراتهم، ولكن في داخل عقلك، فأنت تعرف دائمًا أنهم الزعيم”.

Ranji Trophy revamp blocked as CoA-BCCI tussle continues

The board members met on June 22 and contemplated changes to the 2018-19 season, namely the addition of a Plate Group comprising the new teams that are now eligible to take part

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2018

The BCCI logo on the Indians’ kit•Cricket Australia

The Committee of Administrators that oversees the running of the BCCI has asked all its officials to disregard the resolutions made at the Special General Meeting on June 22.The BCCI’s acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary had called for the meeting without prior approval from the CoA. This led to the two-member panel comprising Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji barring the board from holding the SGM.Nevertheless, the BCCI members met in Delhi and contemplated changes to the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, namely the addition of a Plate Group to the tournament, comprising the new teams that are now eligible to take part – Bihar and the North Eastern States. The existing 28 teams, meanwhile, will make up the Elite Group.However, these decisions will not be put into practice just yet with the CoA sending out an email saying, “it is directed that no office bearer/ committee member/ employee/ consultant/ retainer/ service provider shall in any way implement, act further to or in aid of any resolutions that may have been passed during the aforesaid meeting [SGM].”The board also discussed a promotion and relegation system, where the bottom two teams in the Elite Group and the top two teams in the Plate Group would take part in a qualifying super-league. At the end of the super league, the top two teams would play in the Elite Group the next season while the bottom two would play in the Plate Group.The operational aspects of how such a tournament will run were not specificed, but it was decided at the SGM that this format would apply to all-age group tournaments as well in both men’s and women’s cricket.With the addition of Chhattisgarh, there have been 28 teams in the Ranji Trophy for the past two seasons. Till 2016-17, the Elite-Plate structure was on the lines of teams being divided in three groups, with Group A and Group B being the Elite groups and Group C being the Plate group. With 28 teams in 2016-17, it meant Group C had 10 teams, and with the BCCI also trying the concept of neutral venues that season, it made for hectic travel schedules, with teams typically having just a day’s rest between travel and matches. In 2017-18, the neutral venues experiment and the Elite-Plate system was done away with, and four groups of seven teams were made.Apart from the change in structure to the Ranji Trophy, the SGM also passed a resolution to “consider and to take decisions on the T20 tournaments hosted and organised by State Associations”. This will involve determining whether outstation players, who don’t have IPL contracts, can play in local leagues such as the Tamil Nadu Premier League, the Mumbai Cricket League or the Karnataka Premier League. A committee comprising BCCI office bearers and Sourav Ganguly, the chairman of BCCI’s technical committee, will decide on this. The resolution said they will also consider whether those players who have “briefly” played in the IPL can take part in these leagues, without specifying how many matches, or seasons, in the IPL would count as “briefly” having played the league.

Deal close: "World-class" Liverpool star wants to sign new Anfield contract

Plenty of Liverpool contract news has dominated the headlines of late, and it looks as though one Reds hero could be set to extend his stay, following a new update.

Which Liverpool players will sign new deals?

Jurgen Klopp is at the beginning of an exciting new era at Anfield, following a summer that saw him almost completely rebuild his midfield. Drastic changes were needed after a massively underwhelming 2022/23 – one that saw the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson struggling greatly in the middle of the park.

In total, four new midfielders came in, including Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. While new signings at Liverpool were paramount, there are also indispensable members of the squad who have been at the club for years, and who will continue to be huge players for years to come.

Recently, plenty of talk has surrounded the future of Mohamed Salah, amid strong interest from Saudi Arabia, while Thiago and Joel Matip's futures have also been topics of discussion, ahead of their contracts expiring next summer.

naby-keita-liverpool-jurgen-klopp-premier-league

Who is close to signing a new Liverpool deal?

Another player who could sign a new contract is Trent Alexander-Arnold, and according to Football Insider, he is now closing in on an agreement, seeing himself as a key part of the rebuild currently going on at Liverpool:

"Trent Alexander-Arnold is desperate to be part of the ‘reloaded’ Liverpool side and is close to signing a new contract, sources have told Football Insider. Alexander-Arnold has no plans to leave Anfield and there is a willingness among all parties to agree a deal.

"The 24-year-old has just under two years remaining on his contract with the Reds and the club are keen to end any speculation surrounding his future."

The report added:

"Top clubs across England and Europe would love to prise the full-back away from Anfield, but a well-placed source has told Football Insider that Alexander-Arnold is fully committed to Liverpool. The England international has recently been made vice-captain at Liverpool following the exits of James Milner and Jordan Henderson and is keen to be part of a new look side that can get back into the Champions League next season."

Retaining Alexander-Arnold's services has to be near the top of Klopp's list of priorities at the moment, with the 24-year-old an exceptional footballer whose vision and fight are such a major part of this Liverpool team. He already has 73 assists, coming in a total of 277 appearances.

Having been made the club's new vice-captain in the summer, it would be a huge surprise if he wants to move anywhere else, and he may well be a future permanent captain in waiting. The fact that he is a boyhood Reds fan also increases the chance of him staying put.

At just 24, there is still so much to come from Alexander-Arnold, who has been described as "world-class" by legendary former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, and a new deal could feel as important as any new signing that comes in over the next 12 months or so.

Tottenham transfer news: Spurs plotting January swoop for £26m "monster"

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the most interested parties in a promising young defender, but a fresh report has revealed that it won’t be easy to bring him to the Premier League.

Who are the new signings for Tottenham?

Over the summer, Ange Postecoglou’s side recruited plenty of fresh faces in the form of Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Micky Van De Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Alejo Veliz and Ashley Phillips, all of whom joined on a permanent basis for fees, via Transfermarkt.

Then in N17, Manor Solomon arrived on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk, whilst Dejan Kulusevski turned his initial loan move from Juventus into one for good, but there was a player who didn’t make the switch to the capital despite being heavily linked.

At Galatasaray, Victor Nelsson first arrived at the Rams Park from FC Copenhagen back in 2021 where he’s so far made a total of 91 appearances to date, and despite having another three years remaining on his contract, he was the subject of interest from Daniel Levy.

The Lilywhites were reportedly nearing a deal for the centre-back before the deadline, but it later emerged that the two parties were no longer in talks and that an agreement had never been fully reached, though it sounds like the boss is ready to take a second bite of the cherry for the 24-year-old in the new year.

Are Tottenham signing Victor Nelsson?

According to Turkish outlet Aksam Spor (via Sport Witness), Spurs are one of the sides “keen on signing” Nelsson in January. La Liga outfit Sevilla have also been credited with an interest in the Denmark international, but it’s “especially Tottenham” who are hoping to secure their target’s services.

Galatasaray are currently in negotiations with their young colossus over a new contract, which will include a €30m (£26m) release clause, as they look to fend off interest, though it’s not stated whether Spurs chiefs would be happy to pay that particular fee.

Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson.

Is Victor Nelsson any good?

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Nelsson is a defensive “monster” for Galatasaray and there’s no doubt that he is a fantastic centre-back when you look at the extremely positive start he’s had to the new campaign.

The Scandinavian is currently averaging three aerial wins and 2.2 clearances per game in the Turkish Super Lig, via WhoScored, highlighting what a physical presence he is both on and off the ground at the heart of the backline, but he’s also capable of playing in two other positions.

The Hornbaek native has the versatility to operate higher up in both defensive and central midfield alongside his usual role in front of his goalkeeper, so he is a player who is easily able to adapt to the demands of his manager with regards to altering formation or team selection.

Having signed Van De Ven and Phillips over the summer, Postecoglou won't be in a rush to address that particular position, but with Eric Dier potentially heading for the exit door, the boss may be tempted to look for cover at the start of next year should his veteran depart.

Novos uniformes do Santos são aprovados por conselheiros

MatériaMais Notícias

Em reunião virtual realizada nesta quinta-feira (08), o Conselho Deliberativo do Santos aprovou o terceiro uniforme do clube, na cor azul, bem como uma edição especial na cor rosa, onde parte do valor levantado será revertido na prevenção e combate ao câncer de mama.

Durante o seu direito de fala sobre o assunto, o conselheiro Vágner Lombardi solicitou a alteração do escudo antigo para o atual no terceiro uniforme. O presidente Orlando Rollo se comprometeu a tentar fazer a alteração, mas a aprovação girou em torno do projeto original.

Os novos uniformes já foram colocados à venda, mas precisavam da aprovação dos conselheiros para que pudessem ser utilizados em dias de jogos, o que com a anuência desta noite já poderá acontecer. No entanto, a estreia ainda não tem data definida.

RelacionadasSantosConselho Deliberativo aprova novo Comitê Gestor do SantosSantos08/10/2020SantosConselho Deliberativo do Santos aprova continuidade dos estudos para “nova Vila Belmiro”Santos08/10/2020SantosApós acordo com Hamburgo, Santos fica mais perto de repatriar RobinhoSantos08/10/2020

Leeds: Farke Could Sign "Electric" £20m Aarons Alternative

Leeds United have endured a tough transfer window, made even more frustrating when sure-thing deals begin to fall through. However, Daniel Farke cannot allow himself to become complacent amidst all the misery…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

In what promised to be a summer of vast revolution in Yorkshire, it has instead seen a mass exodus with little recuperation, as ten first-team players have departed with just four having been brought in.

This frustration was exacerbated when, despite seemingly agreeing a deal to sign Max Aarons from Norwich City, late interest from AFC Bournemouth spurred him to make a late change of heart. He would instead join the south coast club for £7m, breaking the hearts of Leeds fans and his former boss in one fell swoop.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

However, journalist Dean Jones has now suggested an alternative that could allow them to speedily move on, with the availability of Djed Spence a fine option for them to explore. Especially given how out of favour he has fallen at Tottenham Hotspur despite joining for £20m back in 2022.

The transfer insider told GIVEMESPORT:

"Yeah, I think in the light of the Max Aarons move not working out it seems like a good idea to explore the situation with Spence.

"There’s huge competition at right-back at Spurs, and while there’s been a resistance to letting him out so far, I think that might have to change at the very end of the window. Both Leeds and Southampton should probably be interested in something like that if it came about."

How good is Djed Spence?

As a couple of young, dynamic, English full-backs, it would be easy for the Elland Road faithful to get behind such a talented ace who could not only help their current situation, but lead them into a brighter future too.

After all, before moving to north London, the former Middlesbrough star had shone in the Championship, particularly on loan with Nottingham Forest.

Yet, as Antonio Conte was guilty of with many players, the 23-year-old saw his chances limited before being forced out to France on loan to reignite a stuttering career.

It is his exploits at the City Ground, which massively aided their Premier League return, that Farke should keep fresh in his memory, as the speedster offered plenty at both ends of the pitch in a way potentially even more potent than Aarons has ever shown.

Spence featured 42 times during that league campaign, posting six goal contributions as he marauded down that right flank. However, despite his one key pass per game he never shirked his defensive responsibilities, also maintaining 1.5 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game, alongside 15 clean sheets, via Sofascore.

Such form caught the attention of many, with former Forest star Brian Laws leading the praise:

"His rise has been remarkable. He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.

djed-spence

"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step-over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat. I’ve been impressed with his one-to-one defending. He is decent on the back post, he is strong in the air.

"There is nothing I have seen that you could call a weakness.”

Then, to compare those earlier figures with Aarons' most recent full Championship campaign, it is clear that there is little to no comparison to be made. His 2022/23 league term saw him average a 6.78 rating, scoring once, assisting twice and recording just one interception and 1.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He too may have pace, but it seems Spence has already learnt how to harness that into a tangible threat. Perhaps a return to the second tier could help reignite his career, and help fans forget about the former Canaries ace in a heartbeat.

Jason Holder suspended for second New Zealand Test

West Indies captain Jason Holder has been suspended for one Test and fined 60% of his match fee, and his team-mates have been fined 30% of their match fees, for maintaining a slow over rate during their innings defeat to New Zealand in the first Test in Wellington.Holder had previously been found guilty of a minor over-rate offence during the first Test against Pakistan in April earlier this year. The offence for the Wellington Test amounted to his second minor-rate offence in a Test within a 12-month period and resulted in his suspension.West Indies were found to be three overs short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. Players are fined 10% of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time and the captain is fined double the amount.The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian Gould and Rod Tucker, third umpire Bruce Oxenford and reserve umpire Wayne Knights. Match referee Chris Broad then imposed the suspension on Holder.The second and last Test of the series begins from December 9 in Hamilton.

Liverpool: New Update On Andre Interest

Liverpool are still interested in signing Andre, and Fluminense's Copa Libertadores match this evening could dictate proceedings, according to an update from reliable journalist Neil Jones.

Do Liverpool want to sign Andre?

The Reds are slowly running out of time to make further midfield reinforcements in the current transfer window, having started the summer so impressively with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Since then, Liverpool's business has stalled significantly, with three bids rejected for Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia, not to mention seeing the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson depart Anfield after legendary spells there.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Andre is another player who has been linked with a move to the Reds this summer, with the 22-year-old a key player for Fluminense and someone who could be a strong option to replace Fabinho in the No.6 role, along with Lavia.

The fact that the Brazilian season is in full swing does make a move tricky, however, with Fluminense reluctant to let such an important player leave midway through the campaign. Now, a new update has emerged regarding the situation – one that may give Liverpool fans some hope.

andre-liverpool-transfer-news-opinion-premier-league

What's the latest news on Andre to Liverpool?

Speaking on Empire of the Kop's Substack, Jones provided an update on the Reds' interest in Andre, revealing the Copa Libertadores clash against Argentinos Juniors on Tuesday evening (11pm UK time) could play a role:

"Andre is certainly a player that Liverpool are looking at, and if Fluminense were to go out of the Copa Libertadores this week then that could be a situation that moves.

"He’s a different kind of player to Lavia, but one that has attributes that Liverpool like – namely, a bit of bite and a strong mentality. I could see that becoming an option in the coming weeks, or maybe a deal being set up for January."

This is certainly a positive update, in terms of Liverpool still seeing Andre as a possible summer option, at a time when they simply must do some more business in the middle of the park.

Granted, midfield was a big problem last season, with so many individuals either past their best of injury-prone, but having disposed of plenty of dead wood, they are now in a position where they look horribly short of options.

Liverpool are going into Sunday's Premier League opener away to Chelsea with no recognised defensive midfielder in the squad, and it looks as though either Mac Allister or Curtis Jones will take up that role, which is far from ideal, considering what a tough fixture it could be.

The hope is that Andre and Lavia both arrive in the next week or so, solving the defensive midfield issue in an instant, but the way the Reds have gone about things this summer does leave a lot to be desired, and it would be no shock to see the situation not properly addressed by the time deadline day arrives.

The Fluminense man could be an exciting signing, having already been capped once at senior level by Brazil, not to mention already appearing 145 times for his current club, despite still only being 22 years of age.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus