All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool have accepted a loan offer for an “exceptional” young player signed by former manager Jurgen Klopp, according to a new report.

Liverpool prepare for unlikely title clash at Forest

Fresh off the back of thumping Accrington Stanley 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round over the weekend, Liverpool will travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night as they try and continue their charge towards the Premier League title.

Last season, the game would likely have been a routine three points for the Reds, with Forest having only escaped relegation on the final day of the season.

This term, however, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are a different beast altogether. Not only are they currently third in the Premier League table, level on points with second-placed Arsenal, they are also the only team to have bested Liverpool in the top flight this season, having beaten Arne Slot’s team 1-0 at Anfield back in September.

Ahead of the return fixture on Tuesday, Slot told the press that he expects another difficult game, and insisted that Forest must be considered genuine title contenders.

“If Forest is up there with us, they are definitely a team that are in competition for us,” he said. “They deserve to be treated like this. Look at how they play and their results. It will be a very difficult challenge to get the result. They have already shown how good a team they are.”

Liverpool accept loan bid for Klopp signing

One man who certainly won’t be involved against Forest is young full-back Calvin Ramsay. The Scottish defender spent the first half of the 2024/25 season on loan with Wigan Athletic, but returned to Anfield just after the New Year having made only three league starts for the Tics.

According to The Daily Record, Ramsay is now set to go back out on loan, this time to Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock. The Record report that Liverpool have accepted Kilmarnock’s proposal to sign the 21-year-old for the remainder of the campaign, and that the move is expected to be made official later this week.

Ramsay also had interest from clubs in League One and League Two in England, but Killies boss Derek McInnes, who managed Ramsay as a youngster at Aberdeen, has convinced him to move to Rugby Park.

Liverpool paid Aberdeen an initial £4.2 million to sign Ramsay in 2022. Since, the youngster has made just two appearances for the Reds – one in the EFL Cup and one in the Champions League. Shortly after the moved to Anfield, former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on Ramsay.

“Everything we heard about him was that he is a fantastic boy. And what a player he is – what he did for Aberdeen last year, absolutely exceptional,” Klopp said.

“In his age group and you know the things we need from a full-back, he is as close as it gets to the things we want and is still a kid. So we really expect a lot from him in the long term.”

Harry Kane was on target yet again for Bayern Munich on Wednesday against Inter as another prolific campaign for the forward continued.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Kane scores against Inter in Champions League
• Hits remarkable record with latest effort
• Leads the way in Europe for goal involvements

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane struck his 35th goal of the season at San Siro on Wednesday as Bayern took on Inter in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. The goal means Kane has now scored more goals (79) and been directly involved in more goals (101) than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in all competitions since the start of last season.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane has come in for criticism at times this season but it's hard to fault his scoring record for Bayern. The England captain has admitted that he's been kept up at night recently by some of his missed chances and needs to be more clinical. Yet his goal against Inter also means that Kane now has 11 in the Champions League this season, and only Barcelona's Raphinha and Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy have managed more in the competition in 2024-25.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane was joined on the scoresheet against Inter by Eric Dier. The goal is Dier's first for Bayern since he followed Kane to the club from Tottenham.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• WHAT NEXT FOR KANE

  Kane and Bayern will continue their hunt for the Bundesliga title on Saturday when they take on struggling Heidenheim, having seen their Champions League dream ended by Inter.

Ipswich Town supporters will be praying that their side can survive in the Premier League against all the odds despite recent poor results.

January has passed the Tractor Boys by in the top-flight with no wins coming their way from three games, with a promising draw away at Fulham then followed up with two home defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City.

Funnily enough, after being on the receiving end of a 2-0 loss to the Seagulls, Kieran McKenna has managed to poach Julio Enciso away from Fabian Hurzeler’s men on a loan deal with the hope he can play a key part in the Suffolk side keeping their heads above water.

What Enciso could offer Ipswich

The Paraguayan has shown flashes of his quality for the South Coast side since joining in 2022 but has been unable to really stake a claim for a starting spot throughout his up-and-down stay.

Indeed, the most Premier League appearances the attacking midfielder has managed in a single campaign is 20 during his debut season on English shores, with five goals and six assists still coming his way from 57 clashes.

He was even up for contention to win the FIFA Puskas award for his outrageous strike versus Manchester City in 2023, with McKenna hopeful now that more moments of magic like this will occur when he dons his new Ipswich kit very shortly.

Capable of playing all across the forward positions too as a versatile presence, it will be intriguing to see if Ipswich can land Enciso’s services permanently if they’re impressed and they also manage to survive, with the South American’s Transfermarkt value coming in at a reasonable £18.5m.

McKenna already a talent at his disposal that is worth the same amount, with the Tractor Boys boss keeping his fingers crossed that both the new recruit and the player in question can strike up a devastating partnership moving forward.

Omari Hutchinson's importance at Ipswich

Bringing Enciso in could actually see Omari Hutchinson moved out to the right flank where he managed to cause so much havoc in the Championship during Ipswich’s promotion story. That certainly sounds like a win-win as far as the relegation battlers are concerned.

The ex-Chelsea youngster turned first-teamer at Portman Road would tally up ten goals and six assists as McKenna’s men tasted automatic promotion, with the 21-year-old also delivering some top-drawer performances on occasion this season.

Labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig as a “superb” player, he has picked up two goals and one assist in league action, with both of those strikes coming against some big hitters in the league in Manchester United and Chelsea.

Coincidentally, Hutchinson’s transfer value also sits at around the £18.5m mark according to Transfermarkt, with the potential there for that price tag to move up and up when you consider he was worth just £2.5m last October when learning the ropes in Suffolk as a wide-eyed loanee.

Even if Enciso goes on to be an underwhelming signing, McKenna will hope Hutchinson continues to shine with the possibility that the former Chelsea attacker might well be sold on for some major bucks if Ipswich do slide straight back down to the Championship.

Before any of that talk, however, both Enciso and Hutchinson could combine well on the contrary, as the Tractor Boys attempt to bring in some game-changing signings to save their skin.

Imagine him & Delap: Ipswich set sights on signing their own Anthony Gordon

Kieran McKenna would love to add this tricky attacker to his Ipswich Town ranks.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 22, 2025

Carlo Ancelotti has seen one of his 'crucial' requests repeatedly rejected by Real Madrid as the Italian coach is all set to leave the club.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Madrid rejected Ancelotti's request repeatedly
• Italian set to leave the club in the summer
• Tipped to become next Brazil boss

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid saw their 2024-25 campaign go from bad to worse last weekend as they went down 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona. Following their exit from the Champions League quarter-final, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal, Los Blancos hoped to salvage some pride by winning the cup, but it was Hansi Flick's men who emerged triumphant in the end.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reports have already emerged that the Spanish giants will part ways with Ancelotti at the end of the current campaign, amid links with Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso. Now, journalist Jorge Picon (via ) has claimed that Madrid management reportedly did not fulfil a crucial request from the Italian throughout the ongoing season. The ex-AC Milan boss reportedly wanted to expand his technical staff, but his plea was constantly rejected. Los Blancos had just two analysts on their bench with their laptops during Saturday's final. In contrast, Flick was surrounded by multiple coaching staff and analysts with four computers and a camera.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The five-time Champions League-winning coach is expected to explore international football for the first in his three-decade-long managerial career as he is tipped to become the next Brazil boss.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  The reigning Spanish champions will be back in action in La Liga next Sunday as they take on Celta Vigo at home.

Celtic have only made one addition to their first-team squad during the January transfer window so far, and they only have a matter of hours left to do further business.

Last week, the Hoops completed a deal to sign Jota on a permanent transfer from Ligue 1 side Rennes, 18 months on from his exit from Parkhead to sign for Al Ittihad.

The Portuguese forward made a terrific return to life with the Scottish Premiership giants by scoring the third goal in the 3-1 win over Motherwell on Sunday.

Celtic are, now, reportedly on the verge of signing another player to bolster their squad before the deadline, and he could form a partnership with Jota down the left flank.

Celtic closing in on Premier League ace

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic have made an offer to sign Crystal Palace full-back Jeffrey Schlupp on loan until the end of the season.

Transfer Focus

The reporter claims that a deal is close to being agreed between the two sides and it will see the versatile star make the move to Parkhead for the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, before returning to Selhurst Park in the summer.

Joseph reported that the Hoops also made an enquiry about a potential deal to sign the 32-year-old ace in the summer transfer window last year, which suggests that he is a long-term target for Brendan Rodgers.

Kieran Tierney is due to sign on a free transfer in the summer and it appears as though Schlupp has been targeted as a stop-gap until the Scotland international’s deal with Arsenal expires at the end of the season.

Why Jeffrey Schlupp could be a good signing

Firstly, the Ghana international has the versatility to play in a plethora of positions, as he has been deployed at centre-back, left-back, defensive midfield, central midfield, and left wing, among other roles, throughout his career.

This means that Rodgers could use him to fill gaps in the team in various areas, if needed, due to injuries or suspensions in the second half of the campaign.

Left-back could be his main position for the Hoops, however, after Alex Valle’s loan was cut short, and he will have to fight with Greg Taylor for a starting spot.

Schlupp, who was hailed as “fantastic” by Eagles boss Oliver Glasner, is a vastly experienced player who could be a great asset to Jota on the left wing this season.

As you can see in the table above, the Premier League veteran has made 41 appearances in the English top-flight since the start of last season, which shows that he has still played semi-regularly at the top level in the past 18 months.

He could provide a solid option at left-back when required and a great presence in the dressing room and on the pitch, given his 280 Premier League appearances, to help Jota, who is settling back into life at Parkhead after struggles at Al Ittihad and Renes, to get back to his best.

Idah 2.0: Celtic interested in last-gasp deal for "clinical" PL star

Celtic have been linked with an interest in the Premier League centre-forward.

1

By
Dan Emery

Feb 3, 2025

According to multiple reports, the 62-year-old Spanish coach has entered negotiations with the Guadalajara-based club

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Torrent coached at New York City FC, Flamengo, Galatasaray

• Was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at several stops

• Took Atlético San Luis to the semifinals last year

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Domènec Torrent has officially stepped down as head coach of Atlético de San Luis and is now reportedly a leading candidate to take over the managerial position at Chivas de Guadalajara. According to multiple reports, the Spanish coach, 62, has already entered negotiations with the Guadalajara-based club, which is said to be impressed by his extensive experience and leadership qualities.

  In recent days, Jaime Lozano had been rumored as the front-runner for the Chivas post, but Torrent's well-traveled career and tactical pedigree could tip the balance in his favor. Other names previously linked to the position include Robert Dante Siboldi, Nicolás Larcamón, Ignacio Ambriz, and Guillermo Almada.

  However, Larcamón and Almada are currently involved in the Clausura 2025 Liguilla, complicating any potential approach from Chivas – a club eager to secure a new manager quickly to begin preseason planning and potential transfer moves.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Torrent’s coaching résumé includes spells at New York City FC, Flamengo, and Galatasaray, as well as a prominent role as Pep Guardiola’s assistant during successful periods at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

  Chivas, who parted ways with Gerardo Espinoza following a disappointing regular-season exit, are under pressure to make a swift and strategic hire. While other coaches like Jaime Lozano and Guillermo Almada have been mentioned, Torrent’s international profile and recent availability make him a strong contender.

  Negotiations are reportedly ongoing, and a final decision from Chivas could come soon as the club looks to turn the page and prepare for the next chapter.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Torrent's tenure at Atlético de San Luis began promisingly, guiding the team to the semifinals in his first season – the club’s best result since returning to the top flight in 2017. However, the following campaign saw a significant dip in form, with the team finishing with just 18 points in 15th place.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR CHIVAS?

  While sporting director Mier and his team continue planning for the Apertura 2025, players have been called to report for preseason on May 21. Starting in late July, Chivas will compete in the Leagues Cup, where they share a group with the New York Red Bulls, FC Cincinnati, and Charlotte FC.

Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table back to 13 points on Wednesday night with a comprehensive 6-0 win over Dundee.

The Hoops made light work of their opponents at Parkhead and are one step closer to winning the top-flight for the fourth successive season.

Jota, who rejoined the club in a move from Rennes last month, started his first match under Brendan Rodgers and ended the game with an assist to his name.

The star of the show for the Scottish giants, however, was not the Portuguese sensation. Instead, it was the team’s Belgian wizard in the middle of the park.

Arne Engels' performance against Dundee

The summer signing from Augsburg was selected alongside Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate in midfield and caught the eye with a masterful showing.

Engels kicked off the scoring for the Hoops in the 18th minute by coolly converting from the penalty spot after Auston Trusty was fouled inside the box.

The Belgian midfielder then turned provider for the fourth goal with an assist for Daizen Maeda, before he added his second of the match with a fine, albeit slightly deflected, effort from the edge of the box that sailed into the back of the net.

Engels, who completed 88% of his attempted passes and created two chances, was a crucial part of the impressive victory for Celtic with his contributions at the top end of the pitch.

Performance in Numbers

However, there was a player at the other end of the pitch who was just as important as the Belgium international on Wednesday night – Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Cameron Carter-Vickers' performance against Dundee

The USA international did not provide a goal or an assist in the 6-0 thumping and that is why his impressive performance at the heart of the defence may have gone unnoticed, or underappreciated.

Having a rock solid defence provides the attacking players with a platform to build from and the former Tottenham Hotspur titan’s defensive work provided the perfect platform.

Carter-Vickers was just as important as Engels to the performance because he was almost faultless defensively, which allowed the Belgian, alongside the likes of Maeda, Adam Idah, and Jota, to thrive in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, the American man mountain was almost unbeatable at the back, winning the vast majority of his duels, and was not dribbled past a single time.

This allowed Celtic to assert dominance in the game, as he consistently won the ball back and prevented Dundee from building attacks, to then go on and score the goals that they did.

Carter-Vickers also provided reliability in possession, taking 126 touches and completing 96% (108/112) of his attempted passes, which allowed the Hoops to build out from the back without giving away any chances through sloppy passes.

Now worth less than Schlupp: Celtic should regret signing their £4m flop

Celtic have not had the best time with the summer signing from 2023.

1

By
Dan Emery

Feb 5, 2025

Therefore, Carter-Vickers, despite not being directly involved in any of the six goals, was just as important as Engels and Rodgers should be delighted with his showing.

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has given an update about his future at Old Trafford and said he's "different" to idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Garnacho claims he's 'different' to CR7
• Discusses United future
• Focused on Europa League triumph

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentine's adoration for Ronaldo has been well-documented, and they played together for a brief period at United in the 2022-23 season. However, in a press conference this week, the young winger has claimed that he is "different" to the Portugal captain, noting the contrasts between Old Trafford during CR7's heyday and the club today.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Garnacho has typically been one of United's better performers in recent seasons, although this campaign has been a difficult one for him. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old has bags of potential and a recent strike against Brentford took him to 24 United goal involvements in all competitions, one away from matching the tally Ronaldo set before he reached the age of 21.

• WHAT GARNACHO SAID

  Asked about being compared with his hero, Garnacho said: “I’m not focused on the numbers. I think when Cristiano played here, he was a different footballer, [they were] a different type of games."

  Garnacho has been linked with a summer transfer, but when quizzed on his future, the attacker added: "Yeah, obviously as a footballer, you always going to hear some rumours about the future. But I have a contract here until 2028, so I’m happy here."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR GARNACHO?

  The United youngster has a golden opportunity to win a first European trophy as the Red Devils eye up a potential Europa League final against fellow Premier League underperformers Tottenham Hotspur. First, though, Amorim's team must do the job against Athletic Club in the semi-final second leg and secure their entry into the final, having won the first leg in Spain 3-0.

Ruben Amorim has navigated himself through his first window as Manchester United manager, finally starting to make the changes he wants to his first-team squad.

However, it’s just the tip of the iceberg for the 40-year-old, who still has a long way to go if he is to make the last impression desired to take the club back to Premier League glory.

His first signing came in the form of left-back Patrick Dorgu who cost £30m from Lecce, but will undoubtedly provide a long-term solution to the club’s ongoing full-back issue.

As for departures, Antony left to join Spanish side Real Betis on loan for the remainder of the season, with Marcus Rashford joining Aston Villa on a temporary basis after being frozen out under the new management.

However, the aforementioned pair could’ve been joined out the door by Alejandro Garnacho who was widely linked with a move away from Old Trafford throughout the entirety of the month.

Alejandro Garnacho’s potential switch away from Man United

Winger Garnacho has found life difficult under Amorim since his appointment at the end of November, unable to slot seamlessly into his 3-4-2-1 system.

His philosophy requires two number 10s in behind the lone striker, taking away the key asset of the Argentine’s game given his desire to cut inside off the flank onto his stronger right side.

Such a situation led to rumours around his long-term future at Old Trafford, with Chelsea and Napoli the two sides most strongly linked with a winter move for the 20-year-old.

However, despite all the speculation around a move away from the club, Garnacho stayed put, producing an impressive display off the bench against Leicester City in the FA Cup, placing two efforts on target as he looked to turn the game around.

With the theme of departures evident during the recent transfer window, Amorim should’ve looked to offload one player who’s failed to make an impact at the club in recent months.

The player who Man United should have sold in January

Centre-back Victor Lindelof looked to be an astute signing when arriving from Benfica for a fee in the region of £31m in 2017, looking like a player who could be a solid addition for the immediate and long-term at Old Trafford.

Nearly eight years on from his big-money transfer, the Swede has rapidly dropped down the pecking order in recent years, with injuries also plaguing him on a regular basis.

Whilst he’s made over 20 appearances in every season at the club to date, he’s often been a backup, either receiving minutes in cup competitions or off the substitutes bench.

In 2024/25, the 30-year-old has only made nine appearances across all competitions, with only five of which coming in the Premier League and none of which have come from a starting role.

Lindelof has only featured for a total of 46 minutes since the arrival of Amorim in late November, showcasing his rapid decline down the order, with numerous players now ahead of him in the ranks.

The defender, who’s previously been dubbed “woeful” by non-league manager Anthony Johnson, earns a small fortune despite his lack of action – demonstrating when the club desperately needed to offload him in January.

Lindelof currently earns a reported £120k-per-week at the Theatre of Dreams, a figure that is more than two times that of attacker Garnacho, who pockets £50k-per-week.

His contract is set to come to an end on the 30th of June, with the club then able to save a fortune on wages and invest in other talents to bolster Amorim’s ranks.

However, last month was the final opportunity to recoup any of the fee paid for his signature, with the Swede set to go down as the latest big-money addition to depart the club on a free transfer this summer.

No need for De Ligt: Man Utd may regret selling special Carrington graduate

Man Utd might never have needed to sign De Ligt

By
Joe Nuttall

Feb 9, 2025

Manchester United will end the 2024-25 campaign without winning two Premier League matches in a row for the first time in history.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Man Utd make unwanted history
• Beaten 1-0 by Chelsea
• United remained winless in eight league matches

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  United's winless run in the Premier League extended to eight matches on Sunday, when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Marc Cucurella scored the only goal of the game in the 71st minute as Ruben Amorim's side suffered their 18th league defeat in the 2024-25 campaign.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the loss, the Red Devils also made unwanted history as for the first time, the club will end a season without stringing two wins in a row together in the Premier League. This is also the first time that United have gone through eight straight league matches without a win.

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  While United's misery continued, this was a much-needed victory for Enzo Maresca's Blues, who are pushing for a top-five finish which will secure a Champions League slot for next season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Amorim's side will now aim to end what has been a nightmare season with a trophy as they are all set to face Tottenham in the Europa League final on May 21.