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Portugal have been warned that they need to start preparing for Cristiano Ronaldo’s retirement and fend off the threat of major “decline”.

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• Made international debut in 2003
• Shattered cap and goal records
• Remains a talismanic presence at 40

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has been a mainstay for his country over the last 22 years. The expectation is that his remarkable international career, which began while still in his teens, will be extended through to the World Cup finals in 2026.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  CR7 has helped Portugal to European Championship and UEFA Nations League glory, posting record-shattering hauls of 217 caps and 135 goals along the way. He is, however, now 40 years of age and aware that nobody can play forever.

• WHAT CARLOS QUEIROZ SAID

  Carlos Queiroz has spoken of the need for Portugal to put plans in place for life after Ronaldo, with the ex-Manchester United coach telling the National Association of Football Coaches (ANTF) forum: “We still have the illusions that recent years have accustomed us to, but I think we are approaching a very critical moment.

  “Sooner or later, we will have to face the decision of the departure of a brilliant player, who left his mark on Portuguese football, Cristiano. The big decisions for the future must be taken now to prevent the national team from going into decline. We have a new generation of players who can guarantee success, but if we go into decline, getting back on track will be more difficult.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Queiroz added on finding suitable heirs to talismanic figures such as Ronaldo and Luis Figo: “We need to rethink the entire process of training players, identifying clubs, and make more comprehensive decisions about the potential of players to bring to the national team. We need to review the competitive frameworks to make players more dynamic.

  “We also need to increase the number of players in Portugal. I don't see any reason why we shouldn't have 300 or 400 thousand effective players. The more there are, the more we can expect the genetics of Figo and Ronaldo's mothers and fathers to continue there.”

Brendan Rodgers returned for a second spell at Celtic last year and enjoyed a solid first season back in Glasgow, winning the Scottish Premiership and the SFA Cup.

Despite that success, there was a fair bit of turnover in the squad during the summer transfer window earlier this year as a number of players moved on from Parkhead.

This meant that the Northern Irish head coach needed to dip into the market to bolster his options across the park with new signings. Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, and Kasper Schmeichel, among others, all came in.

Celtic were also able to cash in on a few of the fringe players around the squad. Hyeon-gyu Oh, Tomoki Iwata, Mikey Johnston, Saed Haksabanovic, and Yuki Kobayashi were all sold to make way for fresh additions.

Rodgers did, however, lose one of his top players. Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion swooped in to sign Denmark international Matt O’Riley from the Scottish giants.

The Seagulls reportedly splashed out a fee of more than £25m, making it a Scottish record sale, to tempt the Hoops into cashing in on the star, who excelled last season.

How much Matt O'Riley earned at Celtic

As per Salary Sport, the former MK Dons magician was on a weekly wage of £14k for Celtic during the 2023/24 campaign, and the club more than got their money’s worth.

13 players reportedly earned more than O’Riley within the Hoops squad last term and, yet, he ended the season with the club’s Young Player of the Year, Men’s Players’ Player of the Year, and Men’s Player of the Year awards to show for his efforts.

The left-footed sensation earned that recognition by performing at an incredibly high level week-in-week-out for the Premiership champions under Rodgers.

O’Riley produced 18 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances in the top-flight, whilst creating 14 ‘big chances’ for his teammates and making 2.5 key passes per game.

As you can see in the table above, the Danish wizard significantly improved his goalscoring output under Rodgers, after Ange Postecoglou’s departure last year, whilst retaining his creativity in the middle of the park.

These statistics illustrate how important O’Riley was to Celtic, from an attacking perspective, in his two full seasons at Parkhead, and show how much value they got for just £14k-per-week in wages.

His performances and output on the pitch in respect to his weekly wage were even more impressive when you consider that David Turnbull, who was sold earlier this year, earned even more than him in Glasgow.

How much David Turnbull earned at Celtic

As per Salary Sport, the Scotland international earned £16k-per-week during his time with the club, which was more than O’Riley, Joe Hart, Greg Taylor, Paulo Bernardo, and Liam Scales, among others, earned.

Turnbull spent just shy of four years with the Scottish giants after his move to Parkhead from Premiership rivals Motherwell in the summer of 2020.

In those three-and-a-bit seasons, the playmaker racked up a respectable return of 31 goals and 23 assists in 134 appearances in all competitions, with the bulk of his outings coming as either a number ten or a central midfielder.

However, Turnbull failed to earn a regular starting spot in the second half of his career in Glasgow. In the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns combined, the midfielder only started 15 matches in the Premiership under Rodgers and Postecoglou combined.

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish dud managed four goals and zero assists from 16 matches in the league from open play, whilst losing the majority of his duels out of possession.

This shows that the Bhoys were not getting value for money out of his £16k-per-week wages, as he offered significantly less than O’Riley, on £14k-per-week, did.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Rodgers and Celtic then opted to cash in on the midfielder, whose contract was due to expire in the summer, at the end of the January transfer window and sold him to Cardiff City, which has turned out to be a great decision for the club.

David Turnbull's declining value in 2024

At the time of his exit from Parkhead, Transfermarkt valued the former Motherwell man at €4m (£3.3m), and that has dropped since his move to Wales.

Turnbull has struggled down south in the Championship and, at the time of writing (25/11/2024), Transfermarkt currently has his market value at €3.8m (£3.1m), which shows that his value has dropped over the past nine months or so.

The 25-year-old dud did not hit the ground running in Wales in the second half of last season. He made 17 appearances and started 11 times in second tier of English football but failed to provide much in the way of quality, with zero goals and one assist for the Blue Birds.

In those 17 games, the Scottish lightweight also lost 56% of his duels and committed a penalty, which means that he directly contributed to as many goals for the opposition as he did for his own team.

As you can see in the table above, Turnbull has also struggled badly in the Championship in the current campaign, with a lack of impact in the final third.

This means that the former Celtic dud has produced one goal and one assist in 27 league outings for Cardiff since his permanent move to the club at the start of February, which is a particularly poor return, especially in comparison to his output during his time in Glasgow.

The right-footed midfielder’s disappointing form in England and his declining market value suggest that Rodgers and the Hoops hit the jackpot when they decided to cash in on him earlier this year, as it has turned out to be a fantastic decision.

86% duels lost: Rodgers must drop Celtic player who was worse than Hatate

The Celtic player who must now be in danger of losing his place in the starting XI.

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By
Dan Emery

Nov 24, 2024

Mikel Arteta is being tipped to emulate Arsene Wenger’s 20-year reign at Arsenal, with the Spaniard getting the best out of "sh*tter players".

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• Represented Gunners as player & coach
• Won the FA Cup and Community Shield
• Now looking to land the biggest of prizes

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners’ current boss worked under a Premier League title-winning coach from their not too distant past after moving to north London as a player in 2011. Arteta returned to Emirates Stadium to take managerial reins in December 2019.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He has overseen FA Cup and Community Shield wins, while helping to turn Arsenal into contenders for the English top-flight crown once more. Questions have been asked of whether Arteta can force the Gunners over that line – replicating the success that Wenger once enjoyed – but he has plenty of credit in the bank.

• WHAT ANDERS LIMPAR SAID

  Ex-Arsenal star Anders Limpar shares that opinion, with the Swede speaking in association with brands reviewed and ranked by experts at as he told GOAL of whether Arteta can spend two decades in the most demanding of roles: "Of course. If we win one of the big tournaments like the Premier League or the Champions League, then he is going to stay there for a long time.

  "He has proved how to turn a sh*tter team into a world-class team. He has turned sh*tter players into unbelievable players – the top players in Europe. He is doing something really good, with the mentality of the whole place.

  "We are stable, we are a rich club, we can go and buy whoever we want. We don’t have to jump on his back. Just leave his back for a moment and let him work.

  "The stress factor on Arteta’s shoulders to win something, that must be so hard for him to carry. Just leave him for a while and see where it takes us. We are definitely going to be among the top three or four for many years. If we win a title along the road, or a Champions League, that’s going to be a tremendous bonus."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Arsenal are still in the hunt for European glory this season, having booked a quarter-final date with defending champions Real Madrid, with Arteta working on a contract that is intended to keep him in his current surroundings until at least the summer of 2027.

Julen Lopetegui managed to lead West Ham United to a priceless 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Monday night, putting them on 15 points in the Premier League after 12 games played.

The Hammers held 48% possession in the game, only generating 0.91 xG (expected goals) from 15 shots on the night. Newcastle, on the other hand, generated 1.69 xG from 18 shots, creating two big chances but failing to score.

Tomas Soucek opened the scoring after ten minutes with a headed goal from a corner, before Aaron Wan-Bissaka made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, with an assist from Jarrod Bowen, who put in a man of the match display.

Jarrod Bowen's amazing performance in numbers

Bowen has now made 14 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists. The 27-year-old is the Hammers’ most consistent forward and provided another assist against Newcastle.

The England winger made three key passes in the game, taking four shots (two on target), and completing two of his five dribble attempts.

But it isn’t just the output Bowen offers, he also works extremely hard off the ball, winning six of his 13 ground duels, making two tackles and three interceptions.

He drew praise from many in the media, with Henry Writer notably writing on social media that he was ‘dribbling at pace’ while ‘carrying a goal threat’ and showing ‘superb work ethic out of possession’.

It wasn’t just Bowen who did his bit off the ball, as another West Ham star who hasn’t had the best start to this new campaign put in a real shift against the Magpies.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Lucas Paqueta's performance in numbers

Lucas Paqueta has always been seen as a star man for West Ham, but this season hasn’t started with the usual form for the Brazilian, making 15 appearances so far and scoring two goals, but he’s yet to provide an assist.

Whilst the 27-year-old midfielder didn’t add to his goal contributions against Newcastle, he certainly put a shift in, rewarded with an exceptional 9/10 match rating from LondonWorld, which was well deserved after putting in a cracking display which was arguably his best of the season thus far.

Paqueta won an incredible ten out of his 13 ground duels, making a whopping seven tackles in the match, to go along with his one interception, and one aerial duel won.

This defensive effort was key in the game, as West Ham spent significant periods under the cosh, managing to show fight and belief, winning duels in the middle of the park, and getting a well-earned three points in the Premier League, and a timely one for Lopetegui’s sake who could well have faced the sack if his team lost.

If you compare this to Paqueta’s last game for the Hammers, in a 0-0 draw with Everton, the 27-year-old didn’t make a single tackle or interception in comparison to the eight against Newcastle, and only won two of his ten ground duels, compared to his 10/13 against Newcastle.

This level of effort will need to be sustained, as when the Brazil star is at his best, the Hammers look like an infinitely better side, winning the ball back, and attacking directly with his brilliant passing range and quality to start counter-attacks.

West Ham could sack Lopetegui and hire PL boss who's a dream for Bowen

West Ham can sack Lopetegui and replace him with this “very talented” coach

By
Connor Holden

Nov 24, 2024

West Ham United recorded yet another loss, their seventh of the season, as Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge of Leicester for the first time, guiding them to a 3-1 thrashing over the Hammers.

Julen Lopetegui’s side had more of the ball (61% possession), took more shots (31) and generated more xG in the game (3.10).

However, despite the Foxes only having eight shots in the game, they managed to create seven big chances, more than West Ham’s five big chances, which starts to tell the story of how Lopetegui’s side are struggling this season.

West Ham's big pressing issue under Lopetegui

West Ham are conceding 15.8 shots per game this season, the fourth most in the division. Teams are able to carve through the Hammers press with relative ease, due to the spacing between their lines of pressure.

The front four look to press high, aiming to lock off one side of the pitch, and force play down one side. The issue here is the depth of their midfield pivot and back four during this phase of pressure.

Teams are able to easily find the spare man around the West Ham front four, then attack the big space left between the front four and back six (pivot and back four). This pressing scheme is extremely disconnected and is becoming a key issue for the side.

So much so that Lopetgui’s future looks in doubt, and West Ham already look to be assessing their options for his predecessor.

West Ham looking at Italian manager

According to reports from Calciomercato, former Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri, is on West Ham’s managerial shortlist should they sack Lopetegui.

Interestingly, the Italian was in London last week to watch Tottenham take on Roma, and he’s allegedly been taking English lessons too. Perhaps this mean he could be lining up a role in England?

The biggest issue with this appointment, however, would be the money involved, as the reports claim Allegri would demand around £6.6m per year, which is double the £3.3m of Lopetegui.

Manager Focus

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That being said, he would be a great move for the Irons. The Italian coach was with Juventus from 2021-2024, with his side finishing third in Serie A last campaign.

Playing in a 3-5-2 formation, Allegri’s side conceded just 11.6 shots per game, the sixth lowest in the Serie A last season. This could be the extra defensive unity the Hammers need in order to start getting results.

One man who could benefit from this is winger Jarrod Bowen, who could play as the secondary striker in this 3-5-2 system. Bowen has averaged 2.84 shots per 90 this season, generating 0.19 xG, and scoring 0.31 goals per 90.

Last season, the England international was scoring 0.47 goals per 90 minutes, and generating 0.35 xG per 90, often playing as a striker for the Hammers.

By unleashing him in a front two, he would have the freedom to drift into wide channels, link play, and make runs in behind, working off of a more physical striker, such as Niclas Füllkrug, who scored his first goal for West Ham in their 3-1 loss against Leicester.

This new role could allow Bowen to thrive, getting the best out of him, and allowing his output to increase, which could go hand in hand with West Ham climbing the table. Other positional changes could see the likes of Mohammed Kudus playing as a wingback, and Edson Alvarez playing as a central centre-back in a back three.

One thing is for sure, change is needed for West Ham, as they drop ever closer to that dreaded relegation zone, and the owners will want to strike before it is too late, looking to get their season back on track.

West Ham dud may have cost Lopetegui his job after a 4/10 performance

West Ham fell to yet another defeat in the Premier League last night.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 4, 2024

Bournemouth and Spain defender Dean Huijsen has denied he smokes cannabis as he discussed his "sleepy eyes".

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• Huijsen asked if he smokes marijuana
• Defender denies the suggestion
• Bournemouth star says he has 'sleepy eyes'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 19-year-old defender has rocketed to fame in the last year, sealing a Premier League move after impressing on loan at Roma last season. His performances with Bournemouth earned him a call up to the Spain squad and he made his debut against Netherlands – the country of his birth – in the Nations League last week and he has even been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite his on-field heroics, the Amsterdam-born defender was asked if he smokes cannabis when he appeared on a podcast, with host Matthew Pincus saying Huijsen looks "pretty medicated on weed".

• WHAT HUIJSEN SAID

  "Basically, for everyone watching, I have sleepy eyes," he said. "I have it from my mum because my mum has sleepy eyes. I'm not high. I'm sorry, I'm not high. We're not allowed to take weed, it's doping control. I'm not high. It's how I was born. I can't do anything about it."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR HUIJSEN?

  Fresh off of his first two Spain appearances, Huijsen and Bournemouth are gearing up for an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

The January transfer window is officially set to open for business next month and it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic will be busy in the market.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have already won a trophy this season, beating Rangers on penalties in the League Cup final on Sunday, and have been impressive in the Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.

Celtic came out on top on penalties against their Glasgow rivals at Hampden Park at the weekend after a thrilling 3-3 draw during regular time.

The Hoops have also won 14 of their 15 matches in the top-flight and are already nine points clear of Aberdeen in second place, which shows that they are well on their way to sealing a fourth straight title.

Meanwhile, they have only lost one of their six matches in the Champions League, with a 7-1 hammering by Borussia Dortmund their only defeat of the season in all competitions so far.

Despite the team’s fantastic performances, domestically and in Europe, Rodgers and the club are reportedly looking at possible signings to bolster the playing squad when the January transfer window opens up.

Celtic's interest in English defender

According to Football Insider, Celtic are ‘pushing’ to sign Hertha Berlin right-back Jonjoe Kenny to add to their defensive depth ahead of the second half of the season.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that the Hoops are monitoring the 2. Bundesliga full-back ahead of a possible swoop for his services next month, although there is no mention of how much the German side would want for his services.

It states that Rodgers is hoping to make additions to his playing squad in January to ensure that his team can continue to compete on all fronts, with the Premiership, the SFA Cup, and the Champions League still to play for in the coming months.

Football Insider adds, though, that it is currently unlikely that Kenny will complete a move to Parkhead because of his existing history with the Scottish giants.

The English defender spent time on loan in Glasgow in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign and the report claims that his bad experience during that spell is a stumbling block ahead of a possible return to Celtic.

Football Insider reveals that the Hoops are pushing to get a deal done, though, and they could be, as a result, pushing to repeat the same error that Neil Lennon made in 2021.

Jonjoe Kenny's first spell with Celtic

The England U21 international arrived at Parkhead on loan from Premier League Everton in the winter transfer window at the start of 2021, as the club were looking for a replacement for Jeremie Frimpong.

Bayer Leverkusen had swooped for the Dutch starlet in January and Kenny was subsequently brought in on a short-term deal to start at right-back until the end of the season.

Unfortunately, the Englishman ended up playing a part in the team that failed to secure a tenth straight Premiership title, with Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side ultimately winning the division.

Lennon, who brought Kenny to the club on loan, was sacked later the same month and John Kennedy was in interim charge for the remainder of the campaign, before being replaced by Ange Postecoglou – who arrived after the Everton loanee had returned to Goodison Park.

As you can see in the table above, Kenny started all 14 of his appearances in the Premiership but failed to impress, making as many errors that led to opposition shots as he registered assists.

Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan accused him of “schoolboy” defending after his poor pass that led to a corner and then subsequent marking led to a goal from Alfredo Morelos in the Old Firm, in a 1-1 draw.

The same pundit went on to say that Kenny was one of the players who was “not good enough” and would likely leave to never return at the end of the season, as his loan came to an end.

Why Celtic should avoid Jonjoe Kenny

Celtic are reportedly pushing to bring the 27-year-old dud back for a second spell and are in danger of repeating Lennon’s flop with the “schoolboy” defender.

Firstly, signing a player who has already tried and failed to impress at Parkhead, as part of a poor team that failed to win the title, would immediately put him on the back foot with the fanbase, which is not an ideal situation for a player coming in midway through a season.

Also, his performances in the 2. Bundesliga for Hertha Berlin this season do not suggest that he would come in and improve the Celtic squad, which would mean that the Hoops would be taking a big gamble – given his disastrous first spell – by bringing him back.

The £13k-per-week defender has started 16 matches in the second division of German football and contributed with one goal and two ‘big chances’ created for his side.

This shows that he has not provided a consistent, quality, threat at the top end of the pitch from a right-back position, which Rodgers does get from his current first-choice in that role – Alistair Johnston.

As you can see in the table above, the Canada international offers significantly more as an attacking threat whilst also being less vulnerable defensively.

These statistics suggest that it is unlikely that Kenny, who has already struggled at Parkhead in the Premiership once, would come in to offer an upgrade on Johnston.

This is why Rodgers and the recruitment team must opt to avoid a move for the Hertha Berlin defender next month, and identify alternative targets to come in and bolster their squad.

Celtic star "just secured his departure" with 5/10 cup final showing

The Celtic defender endured a difficult afternoon in the League Cup final against Rangers.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 16, 2024

Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has called Thomas Tuchel a "German spy" and appeared to perform a Nazi salute at a charity event.

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• Redknapp filmed by audience member
• Insults new England manager
• Appeared to perform Nazi salute

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per The Guardian, Redknapp was fielding questions from an audience at a charity event, when he branded new England manager Tuchel a "German spy" and also appeared to perform a Nazi salute. While the former Spurs, West Ham and Portsmouth manager appeared to be joking, his remarks have now been published; Tuchel is the third foreign manager England have had, after the late Sven Goran-Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The event took place before Tuchel's reign began, as he guided England to qualifying wins over Albania and Latvia. Redknapp's remarks were followed by laughter from the audience, but he left swiftly after. He has not commented on the story.

• WHAT REDKNAPP SAID

  Redknapp was asked about Tuchel's appointment and replied: "I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy. I’m telling you. Seriously, he’s been sent over to f*ck us up. He has. I’m telling ya, he’s like Lord Haw Haw in the war – ‘We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.”

  Redknapp then imagined a scenario in which Tuchel is told to "ruin that team". He then affected a German accent, said "Ja" and raised his left arm, in what appeared to be a Nazi salute.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Redknapp has long been retired but he was linked with the England job during his time at Spurs, although he was beaten to the job by Roy Hodgson. Tuchel's England are next in action in June, facing Andorra in a World Cup qualifier and Senegal in a friendly.

Virgil van Dijk has revealed that his contract standoff with Liverpool is finally over and there has been 'progress' in discussions over an extension.

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• Van Dijk's contract set to run out
• Contract talks have now resumed
• Does not commit his future to Reds

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool captain Van Dijk's contract with the Reds is set to run out at the end of the season, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah. However, unlike the latter two, it had been expected that the Dutchman would continue with the Merseyside club.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, Van Dijk and Liverpool have yet to agree to a deal as the two parties have been stuck in a contract standoff. The Reds' captain has now revealed that the extension talks have now reopened, but he has not committed his future to the Reds.

• Getty
  

  WHAT VAN DIJK SAID

  Speaking to the media, Van Dijk said: “There is progress, yeah. I don’t know [if I'll stay], we’ll see. Listen (laughs), these are internal discussions and we’ll see.

  "I love the club, I love the fans and they were there for us again and we wanted to reward them but I want them to be there Sunday again and make the stadium an amazing venue like always for us. We have to make it work and we will."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR VAN DIJK?

  Liverpool are set to win the Premier League this season, barring a catastrophic capitulation. The Reds are now set to take on West Ham next, and Van Dijk will be hoping to lead his side to a win.

Liverpool, nine points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand at the top of the Premier League, could now get one over on the champions in the transfer market, having reportedly set their sights on a La Liga gem.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have been almost perfect so far this season. Even after recent draws against Fulham and Newcastle United in the Premier League, they remain in the driving seat in the Premier League title race and a step closer to their first trophy under Arne Slot after defeating Southampton. Advancing into the final four of the Carabao Cup with victory over the Saints, the Reds flexed the full strength of their squad.

Now, with the January transfer window approaching, Anfield chiefs could decide to add to that squad. Just under two weeks away from the winter window, names such as Jeremie Frimpong have been mentioned in a deal that would likely take place in the summer and see the Bayer Leverkusen star replace Trent Alexander-Arnold if he allows his contract to expire.

Regarding January, however, the Premier League leaders have seemingly turned their attention towards La Liga. According to Sport in Spain, Liverpool are now eyeing a move to sign Raul Moro ahead of Manchester City in a deal worth just €10m (£8m) in 2025.

As well as Nunez: Liverpool ace who won 100% ground duels must not be sold

Liverpool beat Southampton to advance to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 19, 2024

The left-winger has impressed for Real Valladolid since arriving in the summer and could be set to earn a big move just half a season later in what would mark sensational progress for the 22-year-old. Given Liverpool’s left-wing options, however, it remains to be seen whether they’d make such a move this winter.

"Great" Moro could struggle for game time at Liverpool

With Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo already competing for that left-wing spot in the current Liverpool side, adding one more option on that side would hand Slot a needless headache. At 22 years old too, Moro needs game time more than ever, making a move to Anfield one that he’d arguably be best to avoid for the time being. Of course, resisting Anfield is easier said than done, however.

The young winger has earned plenty of praise throughout his rise into a La Liga gem, including from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who described one of his first seasons as “great” during his Lazio Primavera days in 2020.

Kulig was right to highlight Moro’s talent, that’s for sure. Four years later, he is a young player on the rise in La Liga, with three goals and one assist potentially just the beginning of his impact for Real Valladolid. One to keep an eye on, Liverpool or others in the Premier League could yet decide to push on and secure Moro’s signature in 2025.