All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United's attempts to secure an automatic promotion place in the Championship this season have left a little bit to be desired so far.

The Whites are seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place and four points behind Southampton in third, whilst they are a staggering 17 points off Leicester City in first.

Daniel Farke's side have only won two of their last six league matches and failed to score more than one goal in all four of the games they failed to win.

This suggests that the Yorkshire-based outfit have lacked a cutting edge at times and it has cost them in the race to secure a top two position in the division.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

They lost three games by one goal in that run and would have been in second place had they managed to turn those defeats into wins with two more goals in each match.

Latest Leeds transfer news

The Whites appear to have acknowledged their need for additional firepower as Fabrizio Romano has named them as one of the clubs in the race to secure the signing of Fabio Carvalho this month.

Leeds are said to be pushing to sign the talented attacking midfielder on loan until the end of the season, but they are not the only team in the running.

Fellow Championship high-flyers Southampton and Hull City are also trying to win the race to land his signature in January as they look to bolster their respective attacks.

However, Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers are also keen on the Liverpool starlet and this could make it a difficult deal for any of the second tier sides to complete.

Leeds could attempt to persuade Carvalho that a move to Elland Road is his best option to play regular football, which may not be available to him at a top-flight team.

Farke's reputation with young talent, particularly at Championship level, could also play a key role as the German tactician was pivotal in the development of James Maddison and Emiliano Buendia during his time at Norwich City.

Both of those players, albeit Buendia is currently out injured, have gone on to become impressive Premier League performers after shining in the second division as attacking midfielders or wide attackers for the now-Leeds boss at Carrow Road.

Leeds pushing to sign "special player" with contact made

Daniel Farke is keen to take him to Elland Road…

BySean Markus Clifford Jan 7, 2024

If Leeds and Farke can convince Carvalho to make the switch to Yorkshire then they could land a similar attacking talent to those two Championship superstars, whilst also landing the German boss' own version of Pablo Hernandez.

Marcelo Bielsa had the mercurial Spanish wizard at his disposal to carve open opposition defences on a regular basis in the club's last promotion to the top-flight and the Liverpool youngster has the potential to be a similar creative force from an attacking midfield or wide position

Pablo Hernandez's Championship form under Bielsa

The impressive magician played two seasons in the Championship for the Argentine head coach and caught the eye with his terrific contributions at the top end of the pitch.

Hernandez played 39 matches and started 37 during the 2018/19 campaign, which was Bielsa's first at Elland Road, and racked up 12 goals and 12 assists.

He also created 16 'big chances' for his teammates and this shows that the exciting whiz was a consistent creator who could open up opposition defences for his teammates.

The magical Spaniard followed that up with nine goals, nine assists, and 13 'big chances' created in 36 Championship appearances during the 2019/20 campaign, which ended in promotion to the Premier League.

He ranked within the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for xAG (Expected Assisted Goals) with 0.32 per 90, along with being in the top 1% for shot-creating actions (6.67) per 90.

Appearances

16

Goals

Zero

Assists

Two

Big chances created

One

Sofascore rating

6.75

As you can see in the table above, Hernandez was not able to translate his immense Championship form over to the Premier League the following year, as he entered the final throes of his playing career.

However, there is no doubt that the now-38-year-old was a sensational operator in the second tier with his ability to score goals and create chances from a number ten or wide position for the Whites, and Carvalho could follow in his footsteps at Elland Road.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Carvalho

The 21-year-old dynamo has struggled at the top level since Liverpool decided to sign him from Fulham in the summer of 2022 after his second tier exploits.

Carvalho made 13 appearances for the Reds in the Premier League throughout the 2022/23 campaign and contributed with two goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created.

His inability to make the step up led to Jurgen Klopp making the decision to send him out on loan during the first half of the current term.

He spent time on loan with RB Leipzig in Germany but was not able to provide a single goal, assist, or 'big chance' created in nine Bundesliga matches.

However, his form for Fulham in the Championship, prior to his move to Anfield, suggests that the quality is there for him to be Farke's own version of Pablo Hernandez during the second half of this season.

Carvalho was instrumental in the Cottagers' promotion to the top-flight during the 2021/22 campaign as the young ace showcased his attacking capabilities.

The £41k-per-week ace, who was hailed as a "real gem" by talent scout Jacek Kulig that term, racked up ten goals and eight assists in 36 league outings for Fulham.

Chris Willock

1

Harry Wilson

2

Morgan Gibbs-White

3

Callum Robinson

4

Bobby Reid

5

This means that, like Hernandez did in the 2019/20 promotion campaign, Carvalho produced 18 direct goal contributions in those 36 matches – one every other game on average.

The former Fulham star also created 13 'big chances' for his teammates and ranked within the top 4% of attacking midfielders and forwards within the division for xAG (0.31) per 90.

These statistics suggest that the Reds youngster is a player who has the ability, having proven it at Championship level, to be a Hernandez-esque figure for Farke as both a scorer and a creator of goals from midfield, which is why Leeds must push hard to win the race for his signature.

Napoli have contacted Manchester United over signing Getafe loanee Mason Greenwood.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Greenwood joins Getafe on loan from Man UtdSet to leave Red Devils amid transfer linksNapoli contact United over possible transferWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the the 22-year-old is expected to leave United permanently this summer after a season-long loan at Getafe. The Madrid outfit want to bring him back on loan next season but the Red Devils would reportedly prefer a permanent deal. Now, Napoli are keeping tabs on the forward, especially with star striker Victor Osimhen expected to leave in the coming months.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Greenwood, who had charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive control dropped in February 2023, has also been linked with Juventus, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. The one-time England international is out of contract in the summer of 2025 but the Red Devils have an option to extend that a further 12 months. While Sir Jim Ratcliffe has not ruled out a return for Greenwood, he may be heading for pastures new soon.

DID YOU KNOW?

After joining Getafe on loan in September 2023, Greenwood has played 34 times for the Spanish side. He has scored 10 goals and bagged six assists in all competitions. Incidentally, United have not ruled out the possibility of their academy product going out on loan again.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Before Greenwood heads off for his summer break, the Getafe loanee will hope to feature in their matches away to Alaves on Saturday night and then at home against Mallorca on May 25. They currently sit 10th in the table but could finish ninth if Valencia lose their last two matches and they win both of theirs.

Tottenham Hotspur came from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou had the likes of James Maddison, Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr, and Manor Solomon, among others, unavailable for selection but still mustered up an impressive performance.

Goals from Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur after Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford put the hosts 1-0 and 2-1 up helped the side to avoid defeat in Manchester.

Liverpool

1

20

45

Man City

2

20

43

Aston Villa

3

21

43

Arsenal

4

20

40

Tottenham

5

21

40

West Ham

6

20

34

However, it could have been better for Spurs if they had taken advantage of the situations that their excellent build-up play allowed them to create.

There was plenty of space in the wide area but Brennan Johnson, in particular, struggled and was worse than Timo Werner, who made his debut on the left.

Timo Werner's key contribution against Manchester United

The Germany international joined on loan from RB Leipzig earlier this month and was thrown straight in at the deep end with 80 minutes of action at Old Trafford.

It was far from a perfect debut for the former Chelsea man, however, as he wasted two good opportunities to work Andre Onana in the United goal during the first half.

He blazed the ball well over the bar from the edge of the box under no pressure and, minutes later, dragged a low shot wide of the goalkeeper's left post after working his way into the penalty area.

Werner, who completed 91% of his attempted passes, did provide a crucial contribution shortly after the half-time break, though. The forward intelligently cut inside from the left wing and slipped a sharp pass through to Bentancur, who was then able to rifle the ball in to make it 2-2.

Brennan Johnson's lightweight showing at Old Trafford

Meanwhile, Johnson lined up on the opposite flank and failed to grasp his opportunity to catch the eye in a huge game, despite being on the pitch for 96 minutes.

The former Nottingham Forest attacker was ineffective in his actions in and out of possession for Spurs and looked reluctant to get forward and attack Aaron Wan-Bissaka at times.

Appearances

18

Expected Goals

3.46

Goals

1

Expected Assists

1.86

Assists

4

Johnson failed in all three of his attempted dribbles throughout the match and lost 60% (6/10) of his duels in total, which shows that United's players found it too easy to get the better of the Spurs lightweight in physical contests.

The £70k-per-week Wales international, who lost possession of the ball 14 times, only created one chance for his teammates in 96 minutes, which was worth 0.05 xG. Essentially, the shooter would be expected to score one in 20 attempts from that opportunity.

During the first half, he was released down the right channel and had an opening to slide the ball across the box for Richarlison, who got ahead of his marker, but blazed a cross well over the Brazil international's head. What made matters even worse was that he had fewer touches (43) than even goalkeeper Vicario.

Gary Neville, who was the co-commentator on the game for Sky Sports, described it as "disappointing" from the 22-year-old forward, which summed up his performance in general.

Therefore, Johnson was worse than Werner, who was on his debut and played for the first time since the 13th of December, as did not have an influential impact on the match, on or off the ball.

The Bayern Munich board are convinced that Thomas Tuchel refused their offers of continuing at the club because he already had an agreement elsewhere.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Tuchel turned down offer of staying at BayernTuchel linked with Man Utd jobKompany set to take over at BayernWHAT HAPPENED?

Tuchel has long been linked been linked with potentially taking over the Manchester United job at the end of the season and, according to , he has already agreed a deal with the club. The United boss, Erik ten Hag, is set to be shown the exit following Saturday's FA Cup final, regardless of result, and the Red Devils look to be moving quickly to find a replacement. Tuchel may well be their man.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

As early as February, Bayern had decided to part ways with Tuchel at the conclusion of the season. However, when their managerial search had taken them from Xabi Alonso to Ralf Rangnick to Julian Nagelsmann without success, the Bayern board tried to persuade Tuchel to remain at the club. Yet again Bayern were unsuccessful and Tuchel turned down their offer. Bayern reportedly believe the reason for that rejection is because he had already decided to become the United boss.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern's quest for a new coach appears to be almost over. The Bavarian giants are close to naming Vincent Kompany as Tuchel's successor at the Allianz Arena. Most recently, Kompany was relegated with Burnley after finishing 19th in the Premier League with 24 points.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL?

If Tuchel is to become the United boss, he will be watching his future side take on Manchester City in Saturday's FA Cup final. Ten Hag will oversee what is likely his last game in charge of the Red Devils and will be dreaming of ending his mixed spell at the club with a second piece of silverware.

Somerset’s breakneck pursuit of victory saw the visitors six down at the close still needing 136 to win

David Hopps at Taunton21-May-2019Paul Farbrace would not be human if just before start of play he did not feel a tiny pang of regret when England’s World Cup squad was announced over the PA system. Timing does not always work out perfectly, and to accept Warwickshire’s director of cricket role he had to relinquish his job as England assistant coach with cricket’s biggest one-day tournament beckoning.What is more, instead of a chance to share in history, he now knows he has walked into a Warwickshire relegation fight. A largely youthful squad looks up against it and will be releved that only one county will be relegated at the end of the season.They are not entirely out of this match at Taunton, but to be 103 for 6 at the close of a hectic second day, chasing 239 on a sporty pitch, identifies them as big outsiders. Much rests with Sam Hain, whose unbeaten 43 is the top score in the match. Few, if any, batsmen in a match where 36 wickets have tumbled in two days have looked as assured. Not that many have even tried to look as assured.If Farbrace was in search of optimism he found it in the performance of Liam Norwell, a close season capture from Gloucestershire, who took 7 for 41 on his Warwickshire debut with a controlled display of swing and seam bowling. Sporty pitch or not, he has wasted no time in proving he can make the step up to Division One cricket.Banton injury scare

Somerset have played down fears that Tom Banton could miss Saturday’s Royal London Cup final against Hampshire at Lords after he withdrew from a 2nd XI match at Taunton Vale with a back spasm.
Banton’s wicketkeeping duties are bound to accentuate Somerset’s concerns, but their head coach Jason Kerr said: “We think it’s quite mild. The picture will be a lot clearer for us tomorrow but he is moving around at the minute in the dressing room so I anticipate he will be fine.”

Signing Norwell was a bit of a gamble for Warwickshire. He had spent eight seasons at Gloucestershire, though missed the entire 2018 season with recurring hamstring problems, but he has always been capable of hot spells when the conditions are in his favour.His debut for Warwickshire was delayed when he strained a pectoral muscle while fielding in a practice session at Edgbaston, inviting fears that ill luck had begun to follow a bowler who had previously enjoyed a decent enough injury record, but he felt the sun on his back at Taunton as he hustled in with an open action and revelled in the murmurs of a good crowd as the wickets built up.”I was quite fired up for it,” he said. “Warwickshire have been so great for me since I’ve been here and it’s nice to repay some of their faith. My bowling in the first innings was a bit rusty. I’ve had quite a long injury lay-off – a dark season in a way last year with three tears on the same hamstring – but today felt like I was back to where I was a year and a half ago. So it’s come back quite quickly.”I think it’s a good cricket wicket. Yes, it’s low scoring, but if you are going to be highly critical there is a lot of batsmen error as well as good bowling. There is pace in the wicket and a bit of nip, but I’d much rather play on these wickets and I think a lot of people would much rather watch cricket on these wickets than just getting to the third innings and shaking hands.”Somerset have batted in a frenzy in this match, regarding the surface with fatalism. The result of that was scores of 209 and 164 and an average run rate across the two innings of more than four an over. It was primarily down to Norwell that they subsided to 78 for 7 and it was largely in his absence that Craig Overton organised some late-order resistance for the second time in the match.Azhar Ali and James Hildreth were snaffled in his first two overs, both of them without scoring. Azhar fell to bounce and movement when he edged to the wicketkeeper; Hildreth was wary of something similar when he was lbw to one that held its line.His new-ball spell then brought wickets in consecutive overs for a second time. Marcus Trescothick released a few square drives, inviting hopes that his measured tread would bring some ballast to Somerset’s batting, but he became Norwell’s second lbw victim, 23 logged, his highest score to date in his 27th season. Tom Abell fell defensively to a ball that left him.When Norwell swung one back to bowl Lewis Gregory immediately after lunch and caused Steve Davies to follow a wide one that went wider, Somerset only had a lead of 152 and their hold on the game was tenuous at best. But Overton, who had begun the day by extending his Championship wickets tally to 22 at 14.77, responded with gusto as the last three wickets more than doubled the score.Tim Groenewald caused most merriment. Disconcerted by Henry Brookes’ pace, and struck on the hand, he was dropped at deep mid-on by Oliver Hannon-Dalby, a reprieve he celebrated by hauling a length ball over midwicket for six. “Short or yorker,” was probably the gist of the advice given to Brookes by his captain, Jeetan Patel. Brookes went short, and Groenewald was duly on his way, making room for a failed wind-up.Warwickshire lost two for 26 by tea. Will Rhodes fell in the first over, caught behind of Gregory for a duck and Rob Yates suffered the same fate. Jack Leach was popped on for a while and turned one to have Dom Sibley caught at slip for 26, so ending his run of centuries in successive first-class matches on six. Adam Hose completed an unhappy return to his former club by falling lbw to Overton for 4.This Somerset side can excel in the field, too, as was shown by the run out of Tim Ambrose. Hain ran the ball through point, the pair went for a quick single, but George Bartlett pounced to hit direct with a single stump to aim at. They will be confident about completing the job on the third morning.

Jurgen Klopp called it time on his stint with Liverpool earlier this year and the German has revealed his plans for the future.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Klopp says an emotional goodbye to LiverpoolTargeted by multiple top clubs for moveReiterates that he will take a hiatus from managementGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

On Sunday evening, Klopp got the farewell of a king from Liverpool players and fans at Anfield as he led the side for the last time during their 2-0 win over Wolves. During his departure announcement, the German had already made it clear that he would not be joining another club at least for another season as he wanted some much-needed rest from football.

AdvertisementWHAT KLOPP SAID

Speaking to the media, Klopp said [via ESPN]: "I don't know exactly why nobody believes I probably will not be a manager again. But I understand because obviously, it seems to be a drug – it looks like that because everybody comes back and everyone works until they are 70-something.

"I always had the idea that I would not do that that long. Look, other people are smarter, other people can do it in different ways. I have to be all-in, I have to be the spark, I have to be the energy, I have to be all these kinds of things and I'm empty. That's it.

"My biggest worry today was that [goalkeeper coach] John Achterberg was coughing all the time next to me and I thought I would wake up and I'm ill because he did his coughing in my direction!

"I have to start with the rest now and then we will see. But it's not now that I feel already and [think about] maybe the next opportunity.

"You only have to look outside which clubs are obviously available and stuff like this. There will be opportunities, but I don't sit here and think, 'Maybe in a year's time I take that.' At this moment, it's see you later.

"I love all and everything about the club, but it's time for me to go. But look, it's not burning behind me and that gives me a good feeling."

Getty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Klopp will leave the Merseyside club after a gruesome nine years at the helm. The German only won eight trophies during the tenure, however, he leaves the club as a fan favourite having transformed the club's dwindling fortunes to a standing where they can compete for trophies over the coming few years, even without him.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

WHAT NEXT FOR KLOPP?

The German had been linked with multiple clubs when he announced his exit, however, he has doubled down on his decision to leave the management course for the foreseeable future and will only make a return if he wishes to some time in the future.

West Ham are now targeting one of Europe's top ten goalscorers of 2023, as manager David Moyes and technical chief Tim Steidten hunt for signings.

West Ham transfer plan takes turn after injuries

As Moyes and the Hammers face a real squad shortage, it is now believed their transfer plans for January have taken a turn. Star midfielder Lucas Paqueta looks set to be out for around two months, dealing a hammer blow to West Ham, with star winger and makeshift centre-forward Jarrod Bowen also set for a spell on the sidelines.

The pair limped off during West Ham's 1-1 draw with Bristol City in the FA Cup last weekend, alongside defender Konstantinos Mavropanos. The trio join striker Michail Antonio on the sidelines, who recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury.

Coupled with Mohammed Kudus being at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana, the aforementioned absences have put Moyes in a desperately precarious situation.

As a result, West Ham are looking to make signings in January, and especially in the attacking areas. Led by technical director Steidten, the club have been working on a deal for Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy among others (ExWHUemployee).

West Ham also hold an interest in Sunderland winger Jack Clarke, according to Sky Sports, as both Moyes and Steidten scour the market for goalscoring wide players alongside a new number nine.

Other reports suggest Moyes has been working overtime to sign a new striker for West Ham, coming after they failed to replace Gianluca Scamacca in the summer window.

West Ham targeting Vangelis Pavlidis

As the Irons search for a proven attacking threat, a report by journalist Graeme Bailey and HITC has lifted the lid on a pretty promising new name on West Ham's radar. According to their information, West Ham are now targeting AZ Alkmaar striker Vangelis Pavlidis and a January move could be on the cards for him.

The club have sent scouts to run the rule over Pavlidis this season, alongside both Crystal Palace and Fulham, with all three sides now shortlisting the Greek as a target for the winter.

The international has been in fine form for Alkmaar this season, scoring 18 goals in 16 Eredivisie appearances, but what's more impressive is that he was one of Europe's top ten scorers in 2023.

Football Transfers also say Pavlidis is "similar" to ex-Liverpool star Roberto Firmino, but it is unclear how much he'll cost at this time.

Somerset pair put on double-century stand before rain, with steep asking rate too much for Essex

ECB Reporters Network26-Apr-2019Azhar Ali and Peter Trego hit chanceless centuries as Somerset maintained their impressive start to the season with a 36-run Royal London One-Day Cup win over Essex under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern at Taunton.The pair added 217 for the second wicket, a Somerset record for any wicket in List A games against Essex, Azhar hitting 110 and Trego contributing 141 to a total of 353 for 5 after their team had been invited to bat first in a contest reduced to 39 overs per side.Essex had reached 82 for 3 from 12 overs in reply when rain forced a lengthy stoppage. When the teams went back on at 8.25pm, their target had become a further 109 from five overs and they fell 37 short.The result gave Somerset maximum points from four group matches, while for Essex it was a third defeat in four. Azhar’s hundred was his 17th in List A cricket and Trego’s his tenth.The game got underway at 3pm, two hours after the scheduled start, because of rain. There was no hint of the run-feast to come when Siddle struck in the second over, Tom Banton skying a catch to cover.Somerset’s new floodlights were on from the start. Azhar and Trego began cautiously until the latter cut loose in the seventh over, pulling a six over midwicket off Sam Cook and then lofting him over long-on into the River Tone.Azhar was first to his half-century, off 45 balls, his innings characterised by some wristy off-side shots. The century stand came up off 88 deliveries and Trego brought up his fifty with a straight six off Simon Harmer, having faced 46 balls.The two batsmen, with a combined age of 71, showed all their experience in shot selection, never looking in any bother. Azhar’s first List A century for Somerset and first for the county at Taunton in any competition was reached with a six over extra-cover off Matt Quinn.Azhar Ali made his first one-day hundred for Somerset•Getty ImagesThe former Pakistan ODI captain had faced 84 balls, hitting nine fours and four sixes. Trego went to three figures in the following over off 84 deliveries, with eight fours and four sixes, celebrating as extravagantly as if it had been his first ton.By the time Azhar was caught at long-on off Paul Walter, Somerset were well on course for a winning total. Trego went on to fall six short of his career-best List A score, while Lewis Gregory and James Hildreth cemented their side’s strong position.After five balls of the Essex innings, a shower sent the players back to the dressing rooms. The visitors, on 4 without loss, faced a revised target of 311 off 33 overs when play resumed at 6.35pm and quickly lost Walter, caught behind down the leg-side off Josh Davey for 1.Alastair Cook survived a sharp chance to Lewis Gregory at midwicket on 15 before falling to Craig Overton’s next delivery, wicketkeeper Banton taking a second catch off a thin edge. Tom Westley took 14 off an over from slow left-armer Roelof van der Merwe. But when the tenth over was completed, the number required to constitute a game, Essex were on 71 for 2, 34 behind on DLS.Westley was bowled trying to lift van der Merwe over the leg side and it was raining steadily as he walked off. Shortly afterwards the clouds gathered and the umpires called another halt, with Dan Lawrence unbeaten on 32.Another restart was ordered for 8.25pm. With only a sprinkling of spectators left in the ground, Essex, needing more than 21 an over for the target of 191, added 72 to close on 154 for 6, Lawrence being dismissed for 51.During the interval Somerset made a presentation to Hildreth, who was making his 625th appearance for them in all competitions, the most by any player in the club’s history.

Liverpool thumped Bournemouth 4-0 in the Premier League last weekend to continue their imperious form and maintain the pursuit of silverware.

With Storm Isha threatening Jurgen Klopp's side's fluency, a goalless first half was a fair reflection of a slightly disjointed effort, but Liverpool clicked into gear after the break, as has become a trend this season, to blitz the Cherries and create a five-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

There has been much to cheer about for the resurgent Anfield side this season, having put last term's malaise firmly behind them, with sweeping changes made to the midfield to revive the energy and spirit.

Of course, the work is never done and bolstering the defence has been a topic of transfer conversation for some time now, and while results such as the one at the Vitality Stadium underscore Liverpool's strength as title challengers, reinforcements are needed to preserve the rekindled form.

Liverpool's search for defenders

Joel Matip's season-ending injury against Fulham in December was a cruel blow for a stalwart out of contract at the end of the season, but Jarell Quansah's emergence has ensured that drastic measures need not be taken this month.

The central defence is not the only area that needs investment, however, with a new left-back being considered for transfer in Wolverhampton Wanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are set to rival Arsenal for the signature of the Algeria international in the summer, with Wolves unwilling to do business this month, as Klopp continues to assess his options in defence.

The Old Gold have placed a lofty £50m price tag on their player and it's now up to the Reds' shrewd negotiating skills to bypass the Gunners' interest and reach an agreement this year.

Why Liverpool are interested in Rayan Ait-Nouri

Admittedly, Joe Gomez has performed admirably at left-back over recent matches and has been quirkily dubbed a "Swiss army knife" for his noteworthy multi-functionality.

The 26-year-old has played the role nine times this term due to injuries to both Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas but Ait-Nouri would be a natural rising star down that flank to work his way up to a starring role under Klopp's wing.

Signing for Wolves from French club Angers in a £9.5m transfer in July 2021, Ait-Nouri has now chalked up 97 appearances for his side, though he only started nine Premier League matches last season.

This season, now under Gary O'Neil's leadership, the £10k-per-week ace has featured 17 times in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.1 tackles and 4.7 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 61% of his dribbles and 59% of his contested duels.

Dribbling

Concentration

Tackling

Crossing

Passing

Source: WhoScored

As per FBref, the 22-year-old dynamo ranks among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons (dribbles) and the top 11% for tackles made per 90, which effectively illuminates his prowess as one of the most frightening vehicles the position has to offer.

Praised for his "delicious" distribution by The Athletic's Tim Spiers, the four-cap international is certainly not the finished product but he does boast a range of qualities that would offer Liverpool a new dimension in their wide play, with Robertson, for all his qualities, ranking among the bottom 20% for successful take-ons per 90.

"Brilliant" Liverpool talent could be out for 3 months after surgery update

The winger could have some opportunities down the stretch.

ByHenry Jackson Jan 22, 2024

Tsimikas, Liverpool's second-choice left-back, is considered a similar player to Robertson on his FBref page too and for this reason, it might be wise to swoop in for a rising talent such as Ait-Nouri, who would open up a new dimension.

Moreover, Ait-Nouri's breakneck style of play could be perfect for Luis Diaz, who hasn't quite reached his zenith this season and will be desperate for an upswing in form heading into the business end.

How Rayan Ait-Nouri could unlock Luis Diaz

Liverpool signed Diaz from FC Porto for an initial fee of £37m in January 2022 and after an exciting start to life on Merseyside the winger was ravaged by injury during the 2022/23 campaign.

This season, fully recovered and with a successful pre-season behind him, Diaz has only scored six goals and supplied two assists across 26 matches in all competitions this term, which is hardly the kind of prolific form that Klopp will demand of his frontline.

This said, the 27-year-old is a true "game-changer" – as he has been hailed by reporter Charlotte Coates – and Anfield supporters have been treated to some mesmeric displays over the past few years that have cemented the belief that he can be a leading member over the coming years.

He will need to start ramping up that direct return, however, and Ait-Nouri, whom Spiers has also declared a "phenomenal" talent when he was a teenager (Ait-Nouri, not Spiers), has the skills to pave a launchpad from which Diaz can use to soar to new levels of success.

Diaz might be performing below the desired standard regarding his clinical touch right now, but he is undoubtedly one of the most mobile and electric wingers around with remarkable technical skill, ranking among the top 7% of positional peers over the past year for pass completion and the top 11% for touches in the attacking box per 90.

By signing Ait-Nouri, Liverpool would have an engine behind Diaz to charge his exploits tirelessly, barnstorming his way into the outer rim of the final third and providing the Colombian, whose fleet-footedness allows him to drift into the box with ease, with supplementing to start racking up some more considerable numbers.

He alone wouldn't be able to bring those numbers up but Ait-Nouri could be exactly the type of full-back to increase the ever-improving dynamism and fluency of this resurgent Liverpool team, and while Diaz is not quite there yet, the signs suggest that his very own renaissance could be just around the corner.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne has told his team to forget about the first half of their World Cup campaign and pick themselves up for the second half

Alan Gardner in Leeds20-Jun-2019So far in this World Cup, Sri Lanka have been following the English blueprint. Unfortunately, it is not the one that has made the host nation one of the favourites to lift the trophy; rather, they appear to have channelled the spirit of various England campaigns between 1996 and 2015, in which last-minute changes to captaincy and personnel paved the way for predictably underwhelming results.At the last two tournaments, England’s defeats to Sri Lanka were particularly symbolic. In 2011, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga raced each other to hundreds and, almost as a pleasing byproduct, knocked England out at the quarter-final stage. Four years later, Joe Root’s first World Cup century was upstaged by one apiece from Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne delivering a similar punchline in a nine-wicket win.Sri Lanka have, in fact, won four of their last five World Cup encounters against England. At Faisalabad in 1996, Sanath Jayasuriya’s 44-ball 82 signposted how the game had changed – but now it is England who are bending the white-ball game into new shapes, having just broken their own world record for the number of sixes in an ODI while crashing their way to 397 against Afghanistan on Tuesday.Asked how his side planned to tackle England’s ebullient batting line-up, Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne suggested they had come up with some plans that involved “thinking out of the box”. He said the initial target was to try and limit England to less than 300, a score they have surpassed in eight of their last nine innings.”England are a good side, they have a good batting line-up,” he said. “We have to give them less than 300, so we have a couple of plans against the batters. Those are the things were are trying to do. In [our] batting line-up, the middle part have to take some responsibility, if they have scored more than 300 then we have to go for that. Those are the key things we discussed before the match.”If we don’t have pace, we have to think out of the box. That’s what we did the last few days, [work on] what we have to do with England’s batsmen. We played a home series before against them, so we have a couple of ideas.”Only six of the 16 players who took on England in October stand a chance of being involved at Headingley – a marker of how turbulent Sri Lanka’s build-up to the World Cup has been – but the strength of their opponents’ batting has become a common talking point. As well as describing each member of the England line-up as “dangerous… explosive batsmen”, Karunaratne called them best players of spin in the world.The precise nature of Sri Lanka’s tactics to counter them – inventing a new kind of delivery? Moonwalking to the bowling crease? – remains under wraps, but the sight of Nuwan Pradeep practising his slower-ball variations during training may have been instructive. Lack of pace is one of Lasith Malinga’s deadliest weapons, while Isuru Udana enjoyed some success by mixing things up at the death against Australia.

“If we don’t have pace, we have to think out of the box. That’s what we did the last few days, [work on] what we have to do with England’s batsmen.”Dimuth Karunaratne

With one win from five games (albeit two of them being washouts), Sri Lanka face a difficult route to the last four. Although they had a decent crack at chasing 335 in their last match, Karunaratne leading the way with an ODI-best 97, once again they struggled for contributions from the middle order. According to the captain, a change of mindset is what is required from the likes of Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews.”We have to mentally prepare,” he said. “They have lots of talent, they only do good things for Sri Lanka in the past. The only thing we need to come up with is a good mindset, that’s a key area if you’re playing against a good team. No point talking about the past matches, we know what happened and what are the key areas. There are four games left and we have to play positive cricket with a good mindset.”The middle order has lots of experience, they have proven enough for Sri Lanka and did well. The only thing is unfortunately everyone couldn’t get a start. If you take the middle order, they couldn’t get a start in the matches we played. That’s why they struggled and don’t have confidence. So that’s why I told them, forget about the last four games we have another four games to go so they have to put their hands up and play a big role here. Make sure they have a good mindset, go and enjoy the game, that’s it.”Karunaratne also clarified the role of Dhananjaya de Silva, who has batted everywhere from No. 1 to No. 9 in Sri Lanka’s ODI side. Against Australia, he dropped down to No. 8 and also delivered eight overs with the ball, while Milinda Siriwardana came in to provide greater firepower in the batting.”Dhananjaya is playing as a bowler right now in the side,” Karunaratne said. “Milinda is playing as an allrounder, he’s a much harder hitter, that’s why we brought him in. If someone can’t bowl the ten overs, then he can cover [as well]. We were trying things, we want to make sure we give everyone a chance.”