Liverpool play football this week—Arne Slot’s Reds return. It is representative of the stability at Anfield, the firmly lodged belief in the club’s ethos, that Richard Hughes and Co held onto their resolve and resisted splurging this summer.

Some might call it unambitious, but FSG will maintain that their thrifty model has borne dividends throughout the Jurgen Klopp era and into the new chapter on Merseyside.

Federico Chiesa’s £12.5m arrival from Juventus in late August ended fears that the window would drift by without ostensible issues being fixed.

Time for Liverpool to crash through the floorboards? Forget about it. First in the Premier League; two wins from two in the Champions League; emphatically into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

So much is owed to Slot, but also to Ryan Gravenberch’s ability to step up to the plate and make the deep-lying midfield position his own. Fabinho, who?

Ryan Gravenberch's start to the season

Let’s cast our minds back to April, shall we? We must do so to ascertain the magnitude of this journey that Gravenberch is taking us on.

We must do so to recognise the astuteness of Liverpool’s transfer strategy, FSG’s nous. Toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Turkish media passed that Gravenberch was on Galatasaray’s wishlist; AC Milan had also been reported to be appreciative of the midfielder’s qualities.

Last summer, Gravenberch was signed by Klopp for a fee of £34m, ending a mild nightmare at Bayern Munich. Still only 22, he’s emerged from a middling maiden year, starting only 12 times in the Premier League, in Liverpool to reinvent himself as a deep-sitting midfielder.

And what a transition. The Dutchman hasn’t so much stepped as pirouetted into his new home, with a clear identity and job in this ball-focused, control-centric climate at Anfield.

Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League

Stats (*per game)

2023/24

2024/25

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

7 (7)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

28.8

81.4

Shots (on target)*

0.9 (0.3)

0.4 (0.3)

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.6

Dribbles completed*

1.0

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

6.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.8

Total duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.9 (64%)

Stats via Sofascore

Good things come to those who wait. Liverpool spent last season without an ‘actual’ holding midfielder. Oh sure, Wataru Endo was signed for a shrewd £16m, but the 31-year-old was never going to be a long-term option and has played a marginal part in Slot’s plans.

Gravenberch has bloomed and looks set to stay, one of the most promising midfielders across the face of the game. It makes Liverpool’s decision to cash in on Fabinho when they did all the more impressive.

Why Liverpool sold Fabinho

Fabinho was a stalwart for Klopp’s Liverpool. Heralded for years as the dominant anchor after signing from AS Monaco in a £44m transfer in 2018, he was ever-present throughout the Reds’ modern golden age.

The former Brazil international chalked up 219 appearances for Liverpool across a five-year period before being sold to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia for a reported fee of £40m after a stark decline.

His once immovable steel in defensive midfield had rusted away to resemble something closer to pitted iron at the end, with transfer insider Graeme Bailey scathingly calling him an “old man” during Liverpool’s struggles in 2022/23.

This is harsh, but there’s no escaping Fabinho’s nosedive that year, with Jamie Carragher critical of the Brazilian’s performance, picking him out after an “awful” defeat against newly-promoted Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The midfielder was instrumental in winning the Premier League and Champions League, doing the gritty work that allowed Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to cause chaos in the final third.

Market Movers

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Back in 2019, pundit Gary Neville even claimed that Fabinho was the finest number six in Europe, saying: “I think Fabinho at the moment is the best.

“Because what Fabinho does, actually, he doesn’t sit back in games—these holding midfield players who play horizontally, passes sideways and shift that way when they’re shuttling across. Fabinho plays vertically as well, he goes forward with his passes, he moves forward and steps in and wins the ball back.”

It’s only natural that he would start to ebb away from that monstrous level that he performed at for years in Klopp’s system, gegenpressing has its drawbacks, with several players in that industrious midfield appearing sapped and subdued toward the end, batteries depleted.

Though many might feel that Liverpool could have eked out another term’s worth of talent from the South American, his sale was needed to open up a new era on Merseyside. Liverpool won the Carabao Cup and restored their place in the Champions League, and Fabinho was sold for a pretty penny besides.

Fabinho's market value in 24/25

According to Football Transfers’ player-valuing model, Fabinho is worth just £12m at present, suggesting that Liverpool fielded interest in their long-time servant at just the right time.

After all, the £40m recouped from his departure, coupled with the sale of skipper Jordan Henderson for £12m plus add-ons, handed Klopp and Liverpool’s stand-in sporting director Jorg Schmadtke the means to further their midfield rebuild.

Alexis Mac Allister had been signed from Brighton & Hove Albion at the start of the summer transfer window for an eye-catching £35m fee, with Dominik Szoboszlai following soon after, his £60m release clause at RB Leipzig activated. These were patently deals that had been in the pipeline for a while as improvements were made to the malfunctioned engine room.

But Fabinho wasn’t pushed toward the exit, rather, his sale was welcomed once Saudi interest revealed itself – £40m, basically the same figure that was paid for his services way back when, was an offer that the Reds were obliged to accept.

So followed the arrival of Endo, met with derision from rivals after efforts to sign Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo well wide of the mark, both headed for the bounties at Chelsea.

Endo has played his part, though, crucial in steadying the ship last term and starring in the Carabao Cup final that Liverpool won… against Chelsea.

Ah, but of course, Gravenberch then arrived at the final stage of the 2023 summer market. Cause and effect play a cardinal role in the success or failure of a football club, and Liverpool have mastered accuracy and implementation over the past decade. Fabinho was sold at just the right time.

Gravenberch is shining. It’s working out just so.

Related Earned more than Trent: Liverpool wasted £60m on "staggering" Klopp signing

This transfer proved to be such a disappointment.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 13, 2024

Jhon Duran has given Al-Nassr team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo a huge billing, claiming he is the "best" and "most important name in football".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Colombian striker has moved to Middle East
• Linking up with CR7 in Saudi Pro League
• Intends to learn from the Portuguese GOAT

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Portuguese superstar Ronaldo is about to celebrate his 40th birthday. He is showing no sign of slowing down, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner remaining a prolific presence for club and country. He now has another goal-scorer alongside him in Riyadh, with Duran moving to the Saudi Pro League from Premier League side Aston Villa.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT JHON DURAN SAID

  The Colombia international is delighted to have joined CR7 in the Middle East, telling Al-Nassr’s official channel: “I’m really happy to play with and learn from the best player in the world. He’s the best sportsperson in the world. I think he’s the best footballer.

  “I’m really happy that I can learn from him and have this chance in my career to work with such a huge star. I hope that I can see some action soon and learn everything that he can teach me and follow in his footsteps, which is the most important thing.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Duran has penned a lucrative contract with Al-Nassr, but insists that he has moved to Saudi Arabia for the sporting project rather than any financial gain. He added: “I’m really happy to join this league. This league is heading in an important direction in the world. I think there are many stars from Europe who were at big teams in Europe who are now here.

  “There’s [ex-Liverpool star Roberto] Firmino and many other big names. There’s the biggest name and I’ll be working with him. He’s the most important name in the league and in football, in the entire history of the game.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ronaldo has been the biggest name in the Saudi Pro League since making his own move to Al-Nassr in 2023. He is expected to extend a contract that is due to expire in the summer, taking him through to the 2026 World Cup finals.

The South Africa captain hopes to open the batting along with Quinton de Kock in the T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda14-Oct-2021

Temba Bavuma is looking forward to play the warm-up games•AFP/Getty Images

Temba Bavuma will have his first “live net” on Friday as he continues his recovery from a broken thumb, sustained in Sri Lanka last month. He expects to pass the fitness test to play in South Africa’s first warm-up match, against Afghanistan on Monday.”My hand is definitely improving by the day,” Bavuma said. “It’s getting stronger and I am getting a lot more comfortable with it. Tomorrow will be the first time I am having a live net, facing bowlers, so I am looking forward to that and that will give me a better indication of how far I’ve progressed. At the moment, everything is still on track. I am looking to play in the warm-up games. I am feeling good.”With teams training under strict biosecure conditions, no external net bowlers are allowed, so Bavuma will have to face one of his own. It’s not yet known who that will be, although it’s likely to be one of the slower pace bowlers, such as Wiaan Mulder, or a spinner like Bjorn Fortuin, rather than one of the out-and-out quicks.Irrespective of who runs in, Bavuma is concerned with using the exercise as a way to understand what he can and cannot do in terms of his grip and ability to hit the ball. “What I am trying to get out of it is to get comfortable with my hand and with what I can do and, I guess, make peace with what I can’t do. I can’t say I am scared or anything like that. It’s hard for me to give any emotions. It’s just for me to get the necessary comfort and also to assess where I am.”Should Bavuma get through that session and the subsequent ones over the next nine days, he hopes to line up alongside Quinton de Kock to open the batting for South Africa at the tournament proper. “My role is quite obvious and clear,” Bavuma said. “I am someone to come in at the top, and if there is an opportunity to come in at No. 3, I will fill in that spot.”That will leave Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram contesting for the third spot in the top three, and Bavuma indicated that the middle order is also still to be figured out. “Reeza has batted quite well but from my side, I will be partnering with Quinny and we will see who comes in the middle order.”Getting the balance between steady scorers and big-hitters right will be an urgent consideration for South Africa, who, on the evidence of the IPL, expect conditions to be tough for batting. “As a batter, I’d like to be able to get on a nice wicket where you can hit through the line and throw your hands, but the general trend from looking at the IPL is that we won’t have that luxury as batters,” Bavuma said. “We will have to really graft out there. We will really have to be smart. Scores of 150-160 look like winning scores. As batters, we are going to have to dig deep.”Like Aiden Markram, Bavuma thinks the most difficult conditions will be in Sharjah, where South Africa play two of their five group games. “Looking at the games played in Sharjah, it’s been rather interesting,” Bavuma said. “Wickets have been a bit tougher and guys have had to be smart, think on their feet and adjust accordingly. We don’t know what state the wickets are going to be in. We expect the wickets to be a bit worn out. The biggest thing for us is to try and assess and adapt as quickly as we can on the day.”

أصدر نادي ريال مدريد بيانًا رسميًا بعد تأجيل مباراة برشلونة وأوساسونا في منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وكان من المقرر إقامة مباراة برشلونة وأوساسونا بالدوري الإسباني، مساء السبت في العاشرة مساءً (بتوقيت مصر).

وأصدر برشلونة بيانًا رسميًا يعلن خلاله تأجيل المباراة دون تحديد موعد آخر، بسبب وفاة طبيب الفريق الأول، كارليس مينارو جارسيا (طالع التفاصيل من خلال الرابط).

وحرص ريال مدريد على تقديم تعازيه لبرشلونة وأفراد عائلة الطبيب، في البيان الذي أصدره. بيان ريال مدريد بشأن وفاة طبيب برشلونة

“يعرب نادي ريال مدريد ورئيسه ومجلس إدارته عن حزنهم العميق لوفاة طبيب نادي برشلونة، كارليس مينيارو جارسيا.

يود نادي ريال مدريد أن يعرب عن تعازيه ومواساته لجميع أفراد عائلته وزملائه في الفريق ونادي برشلونة وكل أحبائه، ارقد في سلام”.

The towering centre-back is the second teenager to have left the Gunners for Old Trafford as part of an aggressive youth transfer strategy

Manchester United versus Arsenal has long been one of the Premier League's biggest rivalries, and although the Gunners have come out on top in most of the battles on the pitch in recent years, the Red Devils have lately been winning a different kind of war: the fight to attract the most talented youngsters.

Not content with prising away Robin van Persie in 2012 or Alexis Sanchez in 2018, United are now coming for Arsenal's most prized youth assets. After snaffling striking sensation Chido Obi-Martin in October, they have lured the towering yet highly-cultivated centre-back Ayden Heaven to Old Trafford and hope he will soon be pushing his way into Ruben Amorim's side.

United have long coveted another left-footed central defender to compete with Lisandro Martinez, turning away from a transfer for Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite last summer after baulking at the potential cost. And now they have landed on a perfect solution, a very talented 18-year-old with a high ceiling who will cost them next to nothing.

The Red Devils are world-renowned for their development and promotion of young players, having had a homegrown player in their matchday squad for every competitive game since 1937. And now they are becoming even more proactive with recruiting youth, aggressively pursuing the top emerging talents from around Europe with the twin aim of raising their market value for future sales and arming Amorim with youthful, energetic and ambitious personnel who can learn and perfect his style of play.

GOAL profiles England Under-18 international Heaven, who has had to deal with plenty of rejection on his road to Old Trafford…

GettyWhere it all began

Heaven grew up in Edmonton in north London, honing his skills at local side Edmonton United before taking his first formal steps as a footballer in east London by joining West Ham's academy, a renowned talent factory that produced the likes of Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole in the 1990s and more recently Declan Rice. Heaven, however, did not make the grade and was let go by the Irons when he was aged 12. Being rejected by a Premier League club can be a brutal setback for aspiring footballers but Heaven trusted in his own ability.

"Initially, I was down because I was there for a number of years but in my mind, I knew that I was good enough to get back to academy level – I just needed the right opportunity," he told Arsenal's website. "I had the mentality that this is not the end of my story, there was still more to come."

Heaven took a step down by training with amateur side Levels to keep his fitness up and that led to him getting a trial at Chelsea. He had to deal with more rejection as the Blues decided against taking him on after two months. He was on the verge of joining fellow west Londoners Fulham but his family were not keen due to the lengthy journey from Edmonton. Arsenal were showing interest at the same time and they appealed to Heaven's heart and head. He joined the Gunners's Hale End academy in November 2019, not long after turning 13.

"Luckily at the time, Arsenal were knocking on the door too and that made more sense given that, firstly I’m a fan, but also the location was much more convenient, Hale End was only a 15-minute drive, so everything fell into place perfectly," Heaven said. "When they officially decided to sign me, it was the best feeling ever. Signing for the club I’ve supported and my mum was so happy for me – she even cried."

Heaven played as a box-to-box midfielder during his early days at Hale End, the highlight of which was a tremendous solo goal against Chelsea's U16s, running from his own box through the middle before rounding the goalkeeper to score. He later slotted into central defence, establishing himself as a regular in the U18 side.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe big break

Heaven progressed through Arsenal's ranks and after impressing in the UEFA Youth League campaign he was included in the matchday squad for the Gunners' Champions League last-16 first leg at Porto in 2023-24. He was then named in Mikel Arteta's squad for last summer's pre-season tour of the US.

He was included in the line-up against Man Utd at the SoFi Stadium and got off to a nightmare start when Rasmus Hojlund span away from him to give the Red Devils the lead. But, rather like when rejected by West Ham and Chelsea, Heaven showed mental resilience and put the mistake behind him, delivering a composed performance thereafter as Arsenal came from behind to win 2-1.

Arteta was delighted with the youngster's response. "Very impressive. At 17, I don’t know how many players are able to do that on a stage like this," he said. "He’s lost a duel against one of the strongest and fastest players in the world, it can happen. But the reaction afterwards, the composure, the quality, the body language that he had were all remarkable. I’m really happy with him."

How it's going

Heaven continued to train with the first team when the new season began and he was given his competitive debut when Arsenal visited Preston North End in the Carabao Cup in October, coming on for the final 10 minutes in the 3-0 win, in which his close friend and fellow Hale End graduate Ethan Nwaneri had starred.

The defender decided against following Nwaneri in signing professional terms with Arsenal though, and began to attract interest from other clubs having failed to make his Premier League debut to date. He flew out to Germany to visit Eintracht Frankfurt and looked set to follow the lead of Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, Jamie Gittens and the many other English youngsters who have looked to the Bundesliga to get a taste of regular first-team football.

But United, who have taken a real interest in the recruitment of young players since Sir Jim Ratcliffe's partial takeover, have beaten the Germans to the punch. The teenager is set to move to Old Trafford in the January window having rejected Arsenal's last-minute offer as the Gunners pulled out all the stops to try to keep him. It has been reported he is considered a first-team signing.

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Getty Biggest strengths

Heaven's 6'2 In frame gives him a natural advantage over his opponents while he is also physically strong, which gives him an edge attacking and defending set pieces. But he is much more than a physical specimen. He has a flair for passing out and progressing the play, making him adept at baiting the press and sucking opponents towards him.

The defender's mentality and his ability to overcome setbacks, like being schooled by Hojlund, also stands out. Arsenal journalist Charles Watts told : "He got twisted and turned inside out by Hojlund and you're like 'This is going to be a tough afternoon for him', he was 17 then. But he responded and played really well in that game.

"That impressed a lot of people, that he had the mentality to brush off getting pushed aside by Hojlund for that goal. He is highly rated, he's trained an awful lot with Arsenal, they didn't want to lose him."

On Roston Chase: “The type of cricket he plays fits right into our balance, right in the middle of our power-hitters”

Shashank Kishore16-Oct-2021Kieron Pollard feels that flexibility, game awareness, and the ability to tailor their game to situations while not giving up on their core strengths will define West Indies’ 2021 T20 World Cup campaign, as they look to take home their third trophy.The defending champions, led by Pollard, boast of a mix of players, all of whom have had varied T20 experience over the past three months. While some, like Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Fabian Allen, Andre Fletcher and Roston Chase have had prolific CPL seasons, others, like Pollard himself, Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer are coming off five intense weeks of the IPL in UAE.Related

Roston Chase is uniquely different from West Indies' other allrounders

Dwayne Bravo is reinventing himself in T20, age be damned

Akeal Hosein replaces injured Fabian Allen in West Indies squad

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Narine won't be added to T20WC squad despite IPL form

“It [IPL experience] was good, not just for us but all players involved in the World Cup, who got a feel of what is on offer,” Pollard said at a media event on Saturday. “There will be some stats comparison and trends that may have come out of the IPL. We have to take all that into consideration, take the context of the surfaces, atmosphere, and put them into our game plan.”For us, most of our guys got a chance to play recently here, so for us it’s about trying to hit the ground running, start off on a positive note, get those first two points and see what happens after that.”Pollard touched upon why it was important to do the simple things well, and how it was possible to do so without deviating from their tried and tested success formula of hitting big from ball one.”You’ve seen it all around the world, that is how we go about our cricket,” he said of the power-hitting. “Lot of people, analysts at different times, harp on dot balls, singles, ones and twos. Everything is important, but we still have to play to our strengths. I’m not going to say what that is because then the heading will be ‘West Indies just want to hit sixes’.

“Living in bubbles is difficult. If a guy who enjoys himself in any situation can’t take it, it shows how difficult it can be for some of us. We are backing him to do well”Kieron Pollard on Chris Gayle

“We need to keep our strengths as strengths and work on our weakness. We have a lot of powerful guys in the line-up, but if the situation warrants, we also have guys who can manoeuvre strike, run between the wickets. We look forward to playing complete games of cricket.”One of those players who has impressed with the very qualities Pollard mentioned is Chase. Two years ago, his game wasn’t deemed good enough for the shortest format. From there to having worked his way up to being CPL 2021’s MVP, the batting allrounder has come a long way. In a line-up full of big hitters, Chase lends calm and solidity with the bat, while also offering handy offspin. His rise up the ranks after having played just five games across six years – 2012 to 2018 – is staggering.”For him it was a matter of evolving his game and trying to be the best he can,” Pollard said. “He got a chance with St Lucia Stars. It’s a matter of putting guys in the right positions, and he has delivered for them for the last two years. It goes to show how every time you get a chance, you want to do well. He’s done well for himself.Roston Chase was the MVP at the recent CPL•Getty Images”The type of cricket he plays fits right into our balance, right in the middle of our power-hitters. We need a guy who can manoeuvre the ball, hit the occasional boundaries, and keep the run rate going. That’s an area we keep constantly working on, and we thought he was the right fit at this time. I look forward to see what he has to offer. He hasn’t played much white-ball cricket, and teams may not have that much data. Or maybe they do, there’s an archive full of runs and wickets. We look forward to reaping rewards of his form from the CPL.”On the sluggish pitches in the UAE, batting well, power-hitting or otherwise, would be important, but the other 20 overs are equally crucial – Pollard underlined the importance of using spin well and how the IPL experience would be beneficial in terms of knowing how to use them keeping in mind the different boundary dimensions of the three venues.West Indies have two frontline fingerspinners in Allen and Chase, while Hayden Walsh Jr brings in the wristspin variety. At the 2016 World Cup in India, they relied heavily on Samuel Badree’s legspin. He ended as their leading wicket-taker with nine scalps.Pollard’s response followed Virat Kohli’s, when he was asked why the focus has suddenly shifted once again from wristspinners to fingerspinners, while discussing R Ashwin’s return to the fold after a four-year gap. “At one point, wristspinners dominated, but in the recent past, for whatever reasons, don’t know if it is conditions or what, fingerspinners are back in favour,” Pollard observed. “If you want a guy to consistently bowl to a bigger side of the ground, fingerspinners may have more control. We have a couple of them in our armoury and we can hopefully maximise dimensions in whatever spin there is at any given time. Our spinners aren’t the most experienced but sometimes it can work in our favour.”And then there are Pollard’s two trump cards, two men who many thought had played their last World Cup when they stood on the winners’ podium on that emotionally-charged April night at Eden Gardens.At 42, Chris Gayle is among the oldest player in the competition, while Bravo, 38, is making up for lost time, having not played for West Indies between 2016 and 2020. He is now coming off a successful IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings, where he was their designated death bowler, bringing to the mix his variations of slower deliveries and dipping yorkers to stifle opponents.”I think he has shown time and again what he brings to any team,” Pollard said of Bravo. “For Chennai to go on and win was a fabulous team effort, and for him personally to continue doing what he does at the back and to close out matches for teams was superb. There’s no pressure on him, we’re all looking to ‘sir’ to all that in this campaign.”Gayle, meanwhile, is 97 runs short of becoming the leading run-getter in T20Is. He missed the last stages of the IPL as he left the Punjab Kings set-up owing to bubble fatigue, but Pollard was looking forward to seeing his senior stalwart contribute to another World Cup win.”No words to describe what he has done for us in the T20 World Cups and in T20 cricket around the world,” Pollard said. “The guy with the most sixes, most runs, the fear he instils in bowlers. The main goal is for him to win the World Cup and he is looking forward to that.”He did what he did in terms of taking a break. He needed it. This is another big tournament for him. I hope everyone understood the nature of what transpired. Living in bubbles is difficult. If a guy who enjoys himself in any situation can’t take it, it shows how difficult it can be for some of us. We are backing him to do well.”

Heading into 2025, Manchester City’s top concern is whether to replace injured superstar Rodri internally or with a fresh face in the transfer market, and the latest reports have revealed their opinion about Newcastle star Bruno Guimarães.

Man City plotting swoop for £51m-rated star as possible Rodri replacement

Man City are considering their options as they decide whether to replace Rodri or not.

By
Brett Worthington

Oct 2, 2024

Rodri replacements wanted at the Etihad

The Blues have had to deal with missing Kevin de Bruyne for large parts of the seasons in years gone by, but they have never had to deal with the long-term absence of Rodri. His injury is a big blow to Pep Guardiola, as he is seen as the key man in what the team does from back to front.

Therefore, given what they are going to miss, City may look to try and find a replacement, and they have already been linked with a few options. Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella emerged as a potential transfer target for City earlier this week. As well as Barella, Atalanta’s Ederson is the latest name to be linked with a move to the Etihad.

But City may also find that a replacement for Rodri is already at the club, as they have Mateo Kovacic, who Guardiola is said to be a “big fan of” and has already played an important role this season. Meanwhile, there is also Rico Lewis, who can operate at full-back as well as in midfield, and the young man came in for huge praise from his manager after his performance in the Champions League on Tuesday night – and for helping to fill the void left by Rodri.

Guardiola said of Lewis: “The way he’s playing, no words. He does everything. Making an assist and defending, he’s strong. Of course he has to improve with things, but he’s playing at the highest level.”

It appears that Guardiola and City are keeping their options open when it comes to replacing Rodri, as they are now being linked with a new player.

Man City plotting transfer swoop on £71m-rated Newcastle United star

According to reports from Spain relayed by The Hard Tackle, Manchester City are interested in signing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United. The Brazilian is seen as a potential replacement for Rodri, and his recent performances against the Blues have caught their attention.

The Blues played out a 1-1 draw with the Magpies last weekend, and Guimarães is said to have impressed City’s scouts and coaches, with his quality and leadership skills being on show. Meanwhile, his ability to “balance the midfield,” together with his endurance, makes him an “attractive” asset for City, as they look for a player with similar ability to Rodri.

Bruno Guimaraes’ Newcastle United stats
Apps	115
Goals	17
Assists	17

However, if Bruno is going to leave Newcastle, it will not be for cheap, as the Magpies paid around 42 million euros, which is roughly £35 million, to bring him to England, and any offer will likely need to exceed that by a huge margin.

He is currently valued at 85 million euros, which is roughly £71 million, a significant rise from what Newcastle paid, and his £100m release clause expired in the summer. The 26-year-old is eight games away from 100 appearances in the Premier League and Newcastle will be hoping the games to come are all in a black and white shirt, as he is contracted to St. James’ Park until the summer of 2028.

Liverpool are already planning for the future under Arne Slot, and are now plotting how to replace their veteran club captain Virgil van Dijk. According to one report, they have discovered his perfect successor.

Virgil van Dijk contract latest

As it stands, Van Dijk will leave Liverpool at the end of the current Premier League season, with his contract at Anfield expiring in July.

The Dutchman is one of three Liverpool lynchpins in that position, with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander Arnold both also free agents come the end of the campaign and the latter being strongly courted by Real Madrid, while Saudi Arabia remains a potential destination for Salah.

Related 5 potential replacements for Mohamed Salah at Liverpool

Mohamed Salah has been linked with a move away from Liverpool, but who could be in line to succeed him at Anfield?

Posts ByBarney Lane Oct 19, 2024

Van Dijk, who has played every minute of the season so far, has expressed his desire to remain at Liverpool for at least another season, but no contract has yet been announced and the 34-year-old is approaching the zenith of his powers, leaving Liverpool needing to look elsewhere for defensive solidity following the mixed performances of both Jarrell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate.

Reds boss Slot tried to defuse the contract situation, claiming that he was not worried about the trio potentially leaving for free in nine months’ time.

“If after the last game of this season is played then it might bother me to think ‘are they here or not?”, he explained.

“But my main focus is now the short-term and I think in football it is mainly about the short-term – especially if you are a manager.”

But replacements will need to be found for the trio eventually, and now they may have identified the heir to Van Dijk’s throne.

Liverpool target Bundesliga man

That comes as Caught Offside report that Liverpool have turned their attentions to Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck in their pursuit of a new left-sided defender.

The German international, who joined Dortmund in 2022, has seen his stock rise with a string of top performances for both club and country.

Still just 24-years-old, he would be a long-term solution to Liverpool’s backline, with Schlotterbeck likely to still have his best years ahead of him.

And as per CaughtOffside, Liverpool are prepared to offer around €50 million for Schlotterbeck [£41.6m] along with “a planned annual salary of €7 million” [£110,000 a week] in what would be a major statement of intent from the Reds.

The 24-year-old could well prove a bargain at that price, having already made close to 100 appearances for Borussia Dortmund in just over two seasons, while he also has 17 caps for Germany to his name.

Nico Schlotterbeck vs Virgil Van Dijk 24/25 so far (19th Oct)

Schlotterbeck

Van Dijk

Appearances

6

7

Pass Accuracy

90.1%

92.4%

Tackles and interceptions

3.62

2.86

Tackles won

66.7%

50%

Aerial Duel % won

85%

73.2%

Fouls per 90

1.55

0.43

Yellow Cards

3

1

He was dubbed a “gem” after one “sensational” performance for Dortmund by Football Analyst Premier League Panel on X, and would be a fine successor to Van Dijk should he leave. At £40m, he could even be one of the signings of the summer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Sete dias separam o Botafogo do primeiro jogo de 2022. O Alvinegro estreia no Campeonato Carioca contra o Boavista na próxima terça-feira, no Estádio Nilton Santos. A equipe comandada por Enderson Moreira vive os últimos dias de pré-temporada para o compromisso.

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+ América-MG x Botafogo: veja o provável time do Glorioso e onde assistir ao jogo da Copinha

O elenco vive a terceira semana de treinamentos desde a reapresentação. A primeira foi focada em exames médicos e atividades para recuperar o tempo de jogo diante do tempo de férias. Com o tempo, os jogadores passaram a ter as atividades de campo como o maior holofote, algo natural.

O treinador vive indefinições diante dos últimos dias de atividades. O Glorioso tem cinco casos de Covid-19 no elenco – Daniel Borges, Felipe Ferreira e Igo Gabriel devem retornar aos treinos nesta quarta-feira, mas não se sabem quais serão as condições físicas nesta volta. Matheus Nascimento, que seria titular na estreia do Carioca, e Hugo completam a lista – e desfalcam contra o Boavista.

Para completar, o comandante ainda perdeu Klaus e Vinícius Lopes, duas das contratações na temporada, por lesões. O segundo, inclusive, terá que passar por uma cirurgia após um problema no quinto metatarso do pé esquerdo e ficará afastado dos gramados por tempo indeterminado.

Desfalques, casos de coronavírus… Enderson Moreira tem buracos em aberto e poucos dias para resolvê-los. O treinador, claro, usa a pré-temporada para sanar essas dúvidas e, entre os treinamentos no Estádio Nilton Santos e Espaço Lonier, a coisa vai ‘tomando forma’.

Por mais que, internamente, o Botafogo entenda que o Campeonato Carioca não possa ser a régua máxima para definir o ano do time, ainda mais porque o dinheiro da cota de televisão e um aporte financeiro maior por parte de John Textor devem entrar após o Campeonato Brasileiro. Mesmo assim, Enderson Moreira sabe que pode ficar pressionado com uma campanha ruim.

JOGADORES À DISPOSIÇÃO DO BOTAFOGO PARA A ESTREIA DO CARIOCA
​Goleiros: Diego Loureiro, Douglas Borges, Gatito Fernández e Igo Gabriel;
Zagueiros: Carli, Kanu e Lucas Mezenga;
Laterais-direito: Daniel Borges, Rafael e Vitor Marinho
Laterais-esquerdo: Carlinhos e Jonathan Silva;
​Volantes: Kayque, Romildo, Breno e Fabinho;
​Meias: Felipe Ferreira, Juninho e Vitinho;
​Atacantes: Diego Gonçalves, Ênio, Gabriel Conceição, Luiz Fernando, Rikelmi e Ronald.

After a tough start to the season that saw them drop points against Leicester City, Arsenal and Newcastle United, there is now an undeniable air of positivity around Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have turned their fortunes around with four wins on the bounce, and following their emphatic away victory against Manchester United on Sunday, they look ready to take on anyone.

The game saw Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke continue their good form in front of goal, although as impressive as the pair have been in the last few weeks, they are being outscored by a former Spurs flop who was sold for a pittance in the summer.

Johnson and Solanke's impressive form

While the mood around Tottenham is a positive one at the moment, and for a good reason, it certainly wasn’t a couple of weeks ago when Johnson felt he had to deactivate his Instagram account due to the amount of abuse he was receiving from fans over his perceived lack of form.

It wasn’t a nice situation, but where many players would understandably crumple under pressure, the Welshman pushed ahead and has answered his critics on the pitch, scoring in four games on the bounce.

He hasn’t just scored the fourth in a 4-0 thrashing, either; he has scored important goals: the winner against Coventry City, the opener against Qarabağ when the team were down to ten men, and the opener at Old Trafford.

In short, the former Nottingham Forest ace has become one of the club’s most important players over the last fortnight or so and now looks as much, if not more, of a goal threat than the club’s £65m striker, Solanke.

That said, while the former Bournemouth star had a slow start to life in North London this season, failing to score in his first three games, like Johnson, he has found his footing in the last couple of weeks.

The Englishman opened his account with a goal against Brentford, followed that up with another against Qarabağ, and finally against United on Sunday.

Overall, while Johnson and Solanke endured tough starts to the season, they are on fire now, although they are being outscored by a player sold by the club in the summer.

Giovani Lo Celso's recent form

Yes, the former Spurs flop in question is Giovani Lo Celso, who initially joined the club on loan in the summer of 2019 before completing a permanent move the following summer, which cost the club around £42.3m, including his loan fee.

There was plenty of excitement around the Argentine when he arrived in England, but it would be fair to say that he ultimately underwhelmed in N17.

Indeed, he made just 108 appearances for the club, scoring ten goals, providing eight assists and going on loan to Villarreal for a season and a half between January 2022 and June 2023.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

After playing just 597 minutes last season, the two-time Copa América winner was finally sold on to former club Real Betis for a fee said to be as low as £8.4m, and since then, he has looked like a player reborn and would be the top goalscorer in Spurs’ squad had he stayed.

Appearances

5

8

6

Minutes

361′

544′

505′

Goals

5

4

3

Assists

0

0

1

Goal Involvements per Match

1

0.50

0.66

Minutes per Goal Involvement

72.2′

136′

126.25′

In just five appearances for Los Verdiblancos, the 28-year-old “leader”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored five goals, including a brace in his first start for the club against Getafe, and his underlying numbers are just as impressive.

Moreover, according to FBref, which compares players in similar roles across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the former Tottenham ace sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals, attempted passes, progressive passes and tackles, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 3% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for expected assists, all per 90.

Ultimately, given his lack of impact last season and his uptick in form this year, selling Lo Celso in the summer was probably the right decision for all parties involved. Still, there must be a part of Postecoglou wondering why he couldn’t have shown this goalscoring touch for him.

Spurs wanted to sign £55m star for Ange but ended up with Brennan Johnson

The North Londoners could have ended up with another winger entirely last summer.

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