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With just two weeks left until the transfer window slams shut, Liverpool now reportedly want to make an Olympic medalist the first signing of the Arne Slot era.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have been the quietest club in Europe's top five leagues this summer, so far failing to sign a single reinforcement. It looked for a moment as though Martin Zubimendi would end that drought, only for the Spaniard to steal the headlines by changing his mind and opting to stay put at boyhood club Real Sociedad.

Slot recently spoke about the midfielder and Liverpool's pursuit of fresh faces, saying via The Evening Standard: "I've said many times already that our squad is really strong and it's not so easy to find players who can help us or improve the squad.

"Zubimendi was one of them to be fair, but he decided not to come. We go forward with the ones we have. [Wataru] Endo did well in pre-season. We're in a good place.

“[Sporting director] Richard [Hughes] is trying to strengthen the squad. Zubimendi decided not to come, we did every effort. If a player decides not to come then it's obvious he's not coming.”

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Now, reports suggest that one of the areas Hughes is attempting to strengthen is the current Anfield defence. According to L'equipe, Liverpool now want to sign Adrien Truffert from Stade Rennais after the left-back enjoyed a solid summer, winning the silver medal for France at the Paris Olympics, missing out on gold up against Spain.

The Reds aren't the only side interested, however, with Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest all reportedly eyeing moves to sign the 22-year-old this month.

Andy Robertson, now 30 years old and criticised for his performance at Ipswich on Saturday, won't go on forever, and signing a young replacement would represent the type of squad planning that Liverpool have so desperately lacked in recent years.

"Unreal" Truffert can become Robertson heir

With doubts over Owen Beck's future and Kostas Tsimikas often struggling to replicate Robertson's quality, Truffert could emerge to become a solid piece of business from Liverpool, should they turn their interest into a solid move this month. Just 22 years old, the Frenchman has all the time in the world to step into Slot's squad and learn from one of the best in Robertson, before eventually taking the starting place.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Adrien Truffert

Andy Robertson

Key Passes

19

62

Tackles Won

21

24

Ball Recoveries

116

104

Assists

2

2

Crucially matching Robertson off the ball, Truffert certainly has plenty of potential and potential that Liverpool should play a large part in unlocking. Described as "unreal" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Olympic medalist wouldn't steal the same headlines that Zubimendi would have, but he'd arguably be of similar importance in the long term.

As the Premier League season gets going and the Reds remain without a single incoming, Truffert could quickly become one to watch, having shown all the hallmarks of a player that those at Anfield should be looking at in the next two weeks.

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Chegou ao fim a maratona do Inter longe do Beira-Rio. Nas últimas duas rodadas do Brasileirão, o Colorado visitou Atlético-MG e Ceará e terminou com um aproveitamento baixo.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

No Mineirão, o Colorado até encarou o líder do Brasileirão, mas foi superado na etapa final e perdeu o jogo por 1 a 0.

Na noite da última quarta-feira, o Ceará foi o adversário e o jogo ficou empatado sem gols, para desânimo do torcedor.

Agora, o Internacional volta a campo no fim de semana e tenta a sua recuperação no Brasileiro diante da Chapecoense, no Beira-Rio.

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As they look to make their first move of the transfer window, former English Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson now believes that Celtic should look into hijacking a major move to sign the ultimate replacement for Joe Hart this summer.

Celtic transfer news

Improving a side who have just won their third consecutive Scottish Premiership title is no easy task, but the retirement of Hart has left one obvious void for Brendan Rodgers to fill in the coming months. The veteran shot-stopper enjoyed a resurgent spell in Glasgow before bringing an end to an illustrious career at 37 years old.

Replacing such experience will be no easy task, but Robinson believes that Celtic may be keeping an eye on Euro 2024 and one of the tournament's biggest standouts so far in Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Celtic monitoring £3m gem rated as one of the best prospects in his country

He’s one for the future.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 28, 2024

The former Premier League goalkeeper told Football Insider: "He played for Valencia last season, and for me, he was probably La Liga’s goalkeeper of the tournament. The way he’s played in this tournament for Georgia, I think there’ll be a lot of teams around Europe standing up and taking notice.

"If there was any type of opportunity, if Celtic were going to push the boat out and go big, I mean, this kid’s really good, really good. He’s still only 23 years old, six foot six, dominates his box, makes some great saves; that type of signing would be a real statement signing.

"Dubravka would be a good option, but again, it’s only short-term; they’re going to be in this situation again at the end of next season or the season after. I can see Celtic hijacking the deal."

"Superb" Mamardashvili would break Celtic record

If Celtic want to sign Mamardashvili this summer, they will have to get in line. The goalkeeper has already been linked with the likes of Newcastle United and Atletico Madrid in deals that could cost up to €40m (£34m) this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano. With that said, Celtic would also have to smash their current transfer record of just £9m when they signed Odsonne Edouard in 2017 if they want to secure the Georgian star in the coming months.

All things considered, while he was described as "superb" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig and would undoubtedly be the coup of the summer in the Scottish Premiership, Mamardashvili's arrival seems like a dream rather than anything that is likely to become a reality for Celtic.

Unless they spend bigger than they've ever spent in the past, the Bhoys must look elsewhere when it comes to replacing Hart ahead of next season.

Tottenham have displayed a sudden interest in signing a £50 million Brazil international "in recent days", as Spurs look to back manager Ange Postecoglou ahead of his second full season in charge of the club.

Spurs targeting new central midfielder for Postecoglou

Widespread reports indicate that a new midfield number six is firmly on the agenda in north London this summer, coming amid the uncertainty surrounding a few squad members in that position.

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The Australian is personally eyeing a move.

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Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is keen to leave Spurs after losing his starting place under Postecoglou last season, as reported by Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg.

Hojbjerg actually featured in 39 games across all competitions, but only a handful of those cameos were full starts. The 28-year-old's contract expires next summer as well, so now is the right time for chairman Daniel Levy to sell Hojbjerg and make some money back off the £20 million they paid to bring him in from Southampton.

Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Giovani Lo Celso also struggled for consistent opportunities in Postecoglou's debut managerial season. Multiple reports from reliable sources state that Tottenham want to use Lo Celso in a player-plus-cash bid to sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa but it remains to be seen whether Unai Emery's side will give in to their advances.

In any case, Lo Celso's future appears far away from N17, with the Argentine's contract also set to expire next summer. Postecoglou is rumoured to want a new midfield number six more tailor-made to his system, leading to Tottenham's interest in Chelsea star Conor Gallagher among others.

Gallagher's own expiring contract, which is also set to run out in 2025, could make him a transfer opportunity for Spurs and other interested sides with Chelsea under some pressure to sell this summer or agree on an extension.

Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea

8.78

Chelsea 6-0 Everton

8.64

Chelsea 5-0 West Ham

8.39

Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea

8.22

Chelsea 3-0 Luton Town

7.90

The history between Tottenham and Chelsea as bitter rivals could make this a complicated deal, though, so the Lilywhites do have alternative options to pursue.

Tottenham show sudden interest in signing Joao Gomes

According to South American reporter Valentin Furlan, Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes is somebody Tottenham are considering.

The Brazilian, who's estimated to be worth around £50 million, impressed under Gary O'Neil last season and even managed to earn call-ups to the national team. Tottenham have shown a sudden interest "in recent days" to sign Gomes, according to Furlan, and it is believed the Molineux side are open to selling him for good market value.

Gomes joined Wolves from Brasileirao side Flamengo for just £15 million in January 2023, making 34 league appearances in his full debut season last campaign.

“He’s tenacious, he’s a brilliant ball winner and he’s someone who wanted to be at Wolves and wanted to go out there and perform in gold and black," said Wolves reporter Liam Keen on the 23-year-old.

Howard Webb was listening to the VAR conversation which led to William Saliba’s red card for Arsenal, but did not influence the final decision.

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Gunners defender was initially shown yellowJones asked to review incident before dismissalPGMOL chief in the stands at Vitality StadiumFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners were left incensed after seeing their France international sent off during the first half of the Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Saliba was initially shown a yellow card, before referee Rob Jones was encouraged to review the incident on a pitch-side monitor.

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Sky Sports cameras showed PGMOL chief Webb sat in the stands with an earpiece and mobile phone as he watched events unfold on the south coast. He was in conversation with the person sat next to him, while ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher asked on social media – before hastily deleting the post: “Was Howard Webb involved in the decision-making of the red card of Saliba??”

DID YOU KNOW?

Jarred Gillett, who was on VAR duty, asked Jones to take a second look at Saliba’s challenge on Bournemouth striker Evanilson – with the Cherries star dragged back while running clear as he looked to latch on to a wayward pass from Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard.

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Saliba was judged to have denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity, as all angles of the challenge were taken into account, and was given his marching orders in a game that Arsenal went on to lose 2-0. The Gunners believe that they have been on the wrong end of another controversial call from the match officials.

Following the season of his life, it is now believed one player is about to sign for Arsenal after "rapidly" progressing talks in "recent days".

Edu and Arteta looking to make attacking signings for Arsenal

It is no secret that sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta are on the hunt for new attackers to bolster the club's forward line, and could look to make fresh additions both out wide and through the centre.

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Gabriel Martinelli's form took a slight dip towards the back end of last season, while you could make a case that Arteta is lacking a star alternative to Bukayo Saka on the opposite flank.

This has prompted rumours linking Arsenal with a new wide man, and they've apparently been targeting Spain star Nico Williams, among others, as a result. The La Liga gem racked up double figures in assists for Athletic Bilbao over 23/24, and has really impressed for his country at Euro 2024 thus far.

Williams has held talks over signing for Arsenal, according to some reports, but it is believed that his preference is a move to Barcelona. It will be interesting to see which winger could come to the Emirates Stadium, if not Williams. Meanwhile, Edu is also looking to the market for a new striker.

Arsenal's goals last season came from across the forward line, with Saka, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz finishing the campaign as their top scorers in all competitions.

Bukayo Saka

20

Leandro Trossard

17

Kai Havertz

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Gabriel Jesus

8

However, it remains the case that Arsenal are reportedly very keen to end their near-year-long search for a world-class centre-forward. Arteta wants a striking partner for Havertz ahead of 2024/2025, and the club were involved in a very public race to sign Benjamin Sesko for the role.

The Slovenia international ended up rejecting Edu's advances, though, and instead chose to remain at Leipzig by putting pen to paper on a new contract.

Now, they're being heavily linked with Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres as an alternative. The £39,000-per-week Sweden international racked up a phenomenal 43 goals and 15 assists in the Bundesliga, with Portuguese outlet Leonino claiming earlier this week that Gyokeres is very close to joining Arsenal, with only financial details holding up the transfer.

Gyokeres "about to sign" for Arsenal after rapid talks this week

Now, that same outlet has another update on the matter. Sharing more news, Leonino state that Gyokeres is about to sign for Arsenal for an initial £76 million, after the two clubs reached an agreement over his price. The total operation, including variables and performance-relatred add-ons, could reach as high as £101 million.

Talks between Sporting and Arsenal have "evolved rapidly in recent days", claims the report. Arteta's side believe Gyokeres is the final missing piece of the jigsaw to usurp Man City and finally beat them to a Premier League title.

Harry Kane has sent a “we are Bayern Munich” warning to Bundesliga title rivals, with the prolific frontman back in the hunt for elusive trophies.

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• Ended debut campaign empty-handed
• Flying start to the new season
• Leverkusen up next at the Allianz Arena

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England captain moved to Germany in the summer of 2023 expecting to get his hands on silverware of some description during his debut campaign. That was not to be the case, with Bayern enduring a rare season without success – despite their No.9 hitting 44 goals across all competitions.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane is determined to right those wrongs and has already been back in the goal-getting groove this season. After grabbing hat-tricks in back-to-back Bundesliga and Champions League games, he netted again in a 5-0 mauling of Werder Bremen to take him to double figures already.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  Next up for Bayern is a home date with defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, with Kane saying of the immediate past, present and future: “It was a great week. Congratulations to the lads for the right attitude and mentality. We played an away game against opponents [Werder] who had remained unbeaten in the league for a while. The way we played with and without possession is the kind of style we want to show in the upcoming games as well. You could tell that we kept pushing, even after the second and third goals.

  “We are Bayern Munich. It's definitely going to be a different game against Leverkusen. They showed last season how strong they are. It's going to be a tough game. We have to show the same mentality and the same hunger for success that we showed [against Werder] and in our previous games. We're playing at home, it's October, and it's going to be a great game.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

  Leverkusen went unbeaten in the league throughout last season, but have already come unstuck this term. Bayern, meanwhile, are yet to drop a point through their opening four fixtures and will hope to see home field advantage work in their favour when welcoming title rivals to the Allianz Arena.

A European club have set their sights on bringing on signing a young "prolific scorer" from Arsenal this summer, and they're set to open talks over a deal this week.

Arsenal set for summer sales to bolster transfer kitty

The north Londoners, after just missing out on the Premier League title to Man City for the second consecutive campaign, now turn their attentions to the summer transfer window in a bid to reinforce Mikel Arteta's ranks.

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It has been reported that the Gunners and sporting director Edu want to bring in a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward (Simon Collings) – with new arrivals potentially coming in across the first team.

Aaron Ramsdale is likely to leave Arsenal after becoming Arteta's second choice keeper behind David Raya, with Edu rumoured to be targeting a replacement. Elsewhere, Arsenal have been heavily linked with Turkey and Fenerbahce full-back Ferdi Kadioglu, with some reports even claiming they've agreed personal terms.

Aaron Ramsdale

Thomas Partey

Gabriel Jesus

Eddie Nketiah

Reiss Nelson

Emile Smith Rowe

Fabio Vieira

Albert Sambi Lokonga

Kieran Tierney

Nuno Tavares

In midfield, Edu is apparently ready to sell Emile Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah to fund a move for Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes – who could well come in to replace Thomas Partey as uncertainty surrounds the Ghanaian's future.

Gabriel Jesus has also been linked with an Arsenal exit in recent weeks, so Arteta and the board are not exactly short of sale nominees to bolster their kitty this summer. Edu, speaking to the media recently, says the club's summer transfer process has been thought out since January.

"You can’t sign players for the sake of signing," said Edu on Arsenal's transfer plans.

"This has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks. There on my desk, I have reports with more than 180 pages on a player. It’s really detailed stuff. Physical, technical, mental profile, if you have Premier League experience, if you will be able to adapt. It has everything.

"We analyse our weaknesses, where we can improve, where we can invest and then we go in search of that new name. What I am going to do now, we have been discussing since January. It’s not my decision or Mikel’s alone. It belongs to a whole group."

Sturm Graz set to open talks with Arsenal over Mika Biereth this week

Another player who could collect a fee to enhance Arsenal's summer activity is 21-year-old forward Mika Biereth.

The Dane has enjoyed a stellar half-season loan at Sturm Graz over the last few months, scoring nine goals and bagging a further four assists. Called a "prolific goalscorer" by Standard Sport, the outlet claims Sturm Graz are set to open talks over signing Biereth permanently this week.

The young attacker signed from Fulham in 2021, but hasn't yet been handed the nod by Arteta – instead going out on loan to RKC Waalwijk, Motherwell and Sturm Graz during his time at the Emirates.

Glasgow Rangers have one more chance at glory this season as they play in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday in a bid to win a domestic cup double.

The last time they managed this feat was during the 2007/08 campaign. Philippe Clement may be looking to add to his trophy collection at Ibrox this weekend, although the Belgian is also planning ahead for the summer transfer window.

Might the Light Blues be close to securing their first signing?

Rangers transfer news

According to the Scottish Sun, Rangers are closing in on a move to secure highly rated South African youngster Relebohile Mofokeng, beating the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ahly to his signature.

The 19-year-old would be Clement’s first piece of business done this summer and, hopefully, this is just the start of many, as a major rebuild at Ibrox is clearly required.

The youngster may not be a marquee name, yet neither was Mohamed Diomande prior to his arrival in Glasgow and the midfield already looks like a wonderful piece of business.

This newfound strategy of signing promising youngsters who have the potential to develop into excellent first-team players could begin to pay dividends next season if the 50-year-old could work his magic.

Mofokeng isn’t the finished article, far from it, but he could replace Abdallah Sima and save the Light Blues money in the process.

Why Relebohile Mofokeng would be a good signing

There were a few rumours regarding the Gers trying to sign Sima on a permanent deal after a season which saw the winger score 16 goals in all competitions.

This move will cost the club a pretty penny, however. Given that Clement may need to move people on before splashing the cash, perhaps a move for Mofokeng would be the wisest option in order to add some depth to his wide areas.

Metric

Europa League

Premiership

Goals

3

11

Assists

0

2

Big chances created

0

2

Key passes per game

1

0.8

Successful dribbles per game

1.8

1.2

Via Sofascore

The South African typically operates on the left wing and has shown plenty of promise during the embryonic stages of his career thus far.

In just 38 senior matches, the teenager has scored five times and registered seven assists, while The Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson hailed Mofokeng for being an “exciting prospect” who loves taking on defenders.

He may only be a slender 5 foot 3, but this gives him a lower centre of gravity than most players, allowing him to exude his sinuous qualities down the flank.

These types of signings are always a gamble, but it appears Clement may not have much of a choice, having to be diligent with his transfer dealings this summer so he does not overspend.

Mofokeng could be an interesting addition to the squad. There is no doubt the youngster has demonstrated plenty of potential in South Africa. Can he make the step up in Scotland, however? The game tends to be fairly physical so it'll be a challenge.

Only time will tell if he passes the test but Clement may need a replacement for Sima and is going about things the right way as he seeks to build a successful player-trading model at Ibrox.

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ByDan Emery May 19, 2024

West Ham United's hopes of qualifying for European competition now border on minuscule after David Moyes' side ceded further ground in the Premier League against Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

While the Hammers are still in a good position and will be confident of a top-half finish, there has been much to be desired by this squad this term and it seems that sporting director Tim Steidten has decided that it's time to shift the pillars of power in east London.

Only at the start of the week, the general consensus was that West Ham had made Sporting Lison's coveted manager Ruben Amorim their "top target", according to The Athletic's David Ornstein, but that's now looking unlikely.

Who will be Moyes' successor (who is out of contract at the end of the season) and who is the best person for the job?

West Ham's search for a manager

Steidten has marked a lengthy list of candidates to take the reins from Moyes this summer, and while Amorim is still in the mix, The Guardian have revealed that talks have been held with Julen Lopetegui.

One of the newer, surprise names to enter circulation earlier this week is that of Maurizio Sarri, according to Lazio News 24, formerly of Chelsea and resigning from his post at Lazio only last month.

It's understood that Sarri seeks a swift return to management and is enticed by propositions at West Ham and Newcastle United in the Premier League.

How Maurizio Sarri would get West Ham playing

Sarri has been described as a "genius" in the past by defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who noted his ability to make his players notice things previously unseen, trumping the opposition due to being several steps ahead.

Mauricio Pochettino even remarked in the past that Sarri's teams "play the most beautiful football in Europe", with his meticulous approach and erudite footballing brain drilling a perfect tactical understanding into his players.

His brave, progressive tactics have been coined as 'Sarri-ball', with such a style certainly disparate to Moyes' pragmatic, oft-perceived negative brand of football.

However, Sarri has also been known to be obstinate and tactically inflexible, and while he won the Europa League and enjoyed a blistering start to life as Chelsea manager during the 2018/19 campaign, the lion's share of his managerial career has been spent in his homeland.

In fact, that sole season at Stamford Bridge is the only time he has led a club away from Italy, and while the 65-year-old would unquestionably bring a more attractive style of play to West Ham, his stubbornness might prove to disgruntle supporters when the going gets tough.

Lazio

09/06/2021

13/03/2024

137

1.64

Juventus

01/07/2019

08/08/2020

52

2.12

Chelsea

14/07/2018

30/06/2019

63

2.08

Napoli

11/06/2015

13/07/2018

148

2.16

Empoli

25/06/2012

04/06/2015

132

1.52

It could even serve as a repeat of the mistake that saw an ageing Manuel Pellegrini replace Moyes following the Scotsman's brief first tenure at West Ham in 2018, leading the Irons to a tenth-place finish in his first campaign but making a string of wayward moves in the market and being sacked – and replaced by Moyes – in December 2019 after losing nine games from 12 matches.

Sarri, who has demonstrated himself in England in the past, like Pellegrini, might not be the answer to the club's problems. With such a long list of managerial suitors, it might be worth moving for someone who's prepared to build in the long term.

The experienced, high-profile targets – like Pellegrini's tenure showcased – don't always represent a route to success.

West Ham could take Kudus to new heights with "perfect" Amorim alternative

This tactician would be a fantastic alternative to Ruben Amorim

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 27, 2024