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Liverpool will face competition from Portuguese giants Benfica as Reds manager Jurgen Klopp seeks a deal for Feyenoord captain Orkun Kokcu this summer.

What's the latest on Orkun Kokcu to Liverpool?

That's according to a report from the Netherlands (as relayed by the Liverpool Echo), which claims that the recently-crowned Eredivisie champions' captain is attracting interest from multiple angles after a brilliant campaign.

Due to Premier League interest, Feyenoord are hoping for at least €40m (£34m) for their star midfielder, and while Benfica are pushing hard to land the Turkish ace, the allure of Jurgen Klopp's outfit could swing the odds in his favour.

Earlier this year, former Liverpool gem Dirk Kuyt stated his desire to see the Anfield side make their move for the 22-year-old, which could be realised this summer as the Reds look to replace departees James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Should Liverpool sign Orkun Kokcu?

It's fair to say that it's not been a bad season for Kokcu, who scored 12 goals and served five more from 46 appearances across all competitions en route to divisional glory in the Netherlands, ending Ajax's five-year dominance.

Dubbed a "true leader" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Feyenoord captain offers an impressive goalscoring prowess to complement a dynamic slant to his midfield play – two elements that could prove enticing to Klopp considering Harvey Elliott's five-goal haul was the highest of any Liverpool midfielder this term.

Klopp's team tends not to find prolific success from the centre, instead relying on the marauding creativity of full-backs Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold while harnessing the blistering frontal potency of the likes of Mohamed Salah and co.

But the season gone past illustrates the need for change after the Reds fell by the wayside and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons, and Kokcu could change that.

As per Sofascore, he recorded a stunning average match rating of 7.48 in Eredivisie this term, complementing his direct contributions by completing 85% of his passes, making 2.8 key passes and 1.2 tackles per game, and succeeding with 58% of his attempted dribbles.

Truly an all-encompassing midfielder, burgeoning and yet to channel the full scope of his potential, much like Nice machine Khephren Thuram, who could yet forge a deadly midfield alliance with the 20-cap Turkey international on Merseyside having received reliable and heavy links with a move to Klopp's team.

With holding midfielder Fabinho likely to retain his spot in Klopp's system despite a campaign where he flattered to deceive, the more progression-centric duo could wreak havoc behind Liverpool's frontline, with Kokcu, who ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next 8 divisions, as per FBref, for both shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, achieving a state of confluence with his "tenacious" – as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – prospective teammate.

Thuram has been regarded as "dangerous" and "powerful" by club peer Aaron Ramsey, and himself ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90.

The state of confluence that Liverpool might craft with a deal for both of these exciting dynamos could be the perfect remedy for the seasonal strife, and it must be enacted by new technical director Jorg Schmadtke to ensure that the desired ascent takes the Reds right back to the top.

Aston Villa face a challenging trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in their final away game of the 2022/23 season, with the chance to edge closer to a European finish in the top six.

Unai Emery has enjoyed a successful first half-term as Villans boss on his return to the Premier League, with more highs to play for with just two games remaining.

His side will be looking to build on their previous result which took them level on points with their opponents Tottenham Hotspur in sixth in a 2-1 win at home.

Although the visitors registered 51% possession on the day, Villa were relentless in attack, having fired eight shots at goal, with four on target, as per Sofascore.

It was a performance that epitomised just how much the Spaniard has improved the squad and one they would undoubtedly like to replicate on Saturday.

It will be a tough ask given it's at Anfield, as Jurgen Klopp’s side remain in the chase for Champions League football in a heated race for the top four, though it looks like the Reds will have to settle for Europa League football, the pressure will still be on.

With a flourishing attack expected against a fired-up Liverpool side, it may be that the four-time UEL winner makes changes to solidify his midfield, luckily the options are there for rotation.

Should Boubacar Kamara start for Aston Villa against Liverpool?

It’s been a season tainted by injury for Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara, however now the Frenchman is fit and in contention to start, Emery must play him from the offset at Anfield.

Once hailed as a “phenomenon” ex-teammate by Rolando, the 23-year-old has been magnificent for the Midlands club in midfield and has formed a budding partnership with Douglas Luiz, when he has been available.

The Marseille-born player has averaged 2.2 tackles per game this season, as per Sofascore, as well as maintaining a passing accuracy of 85.5% from 34.3 successful attempts per game.

When fit, Kamara is an integral part of Emery’s midfield and could be the defining factor on Saturday to determine if the visitors can come away with a result at Anfield.

In his previous game against Klopp’s side in December, the £100k-per-week star won five out of his six attempted ground duels, made two tackles and one interception in the 85 minutes he played, via Sofascore.

He played 22 minutes of the victory against Spurs, coming on from the bench. He won half of his ground duels and completed seven of his eight attempted passes. which shows his competency in midfield when called upon.

The 23-year-old should replace John McGinn in midfield to assist in withstanding the threat in the middle of the park, providing a more defensive head than the Scotsman playing alongside Luiz, in a bid to overcome the massive challenge that lies ahead in Merseyside this afternoon.

Shakib Al Hasan and Chris Gayle helped Jamaica Tallawahs overcome a dramatic top-order collapse that saw them slump to 2 for 4 in the first seven balls, to chase 129 against Guyana Amazon Warriors at Sabina Park

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Chris Gayle hammered a 29-ball 45 at No. 7•CPL/Sportsfile

Jamaica Tallawahs overcame a dramatic top-order collapse, that saw them slump to 2 for 4 in the first seven balls, to chase down 129 against Guyana Amazon Warriors at Sabina Park. Shakib Al Hasan and Chris Gayle, who batted at No. 7, put on an unbeaten 87-run stand to take Tallawahs home. Gayle had injured his back while fielding in the first innings and left the field in the 17th over, which meant he could not bat for the first 18 minutes of the chase. The win pushed Tallawahs to second on the points table, behind Amazon Warriors who have played seven games.Two wickets from Sohail Tanvir within the first five balls and the run-out of Andre McCarthy, who failed to slide his bat in despite making his ground, in the first over left Tallawahs tottering. Their situation got worse when Kumar Sangakkara was adjudged caught behind off debutant Ali Khan’s first ball, in the second over. The Kingston crowd was stunned and a padded-up Gayle was watching from the dressing room, counting down his minutes.Andre Russell, batting at No. 6, put the chase on track by hitting a six and a four in the first four balls he faced. He clubbed a 15-ball 24 but was dismissed when Adam Zampa took a one-handed diving catch at backward square leg off Veerasammy Permaul at the end of the fifth over. To the crowd’s respite, Gayle finally walked out with the score 45 for 5.Shakib and Gayle, who has not opened the batting on just three other occasions in his T20 career, provided impetus from the outset – six boundaries were struck in the first 12 balls of their partnership. Tallawahs needed 50 runs from 13 overs at that stage with a required rate of under four. One boundary was hit in the next six overs but Tallawahs cantered to the target with 25 balls to spare.After being inserted to bat, Amazon Warriors lost captain Martin Guptill, playing his last game of the season, for a duck.Chris Lynn struck an 18-ball 33 and Jason Mohammed anchored the innings with a 51-ball 46 but a failure to put together substantial partnerships meant Amazon Warriors could only post 128. Dale Steyn finished with 2 for 31 and best bowler was Pakistan left-arm spinner Imad Wasim who bowled an economical spell of 4-0-12-2.

Aston Villa have seen a complete twist in fortune this season, from relegation candidates to European hopefuls, the Villans have been on a journey.

The club's recent success is down to the expertise of manager Unai Emery, who was appointed in November following the dismissal of Steven Gerrard.

When the Spaniard took over, Villa had gained just eight points from their opening eight fixtures, placing them just four points above the drop zone.

Not only has Emery raised the levels of performance at Villa Park, but the whole club looks to be in transition, as numerous links to lavish players have been made ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Aston Villa?

According to FootballTransfers, the Villans are the 'front runners' monitoring the movements of Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

The 22-year-old, who has also gained interest from top-flight rivals Liverpool, is reported to have a release clause of £52m in Lisbon, a price not so high for a player that can offer so much.

It’s also speculated that the price isn’t too high for Villa, who, according to The Sun, have £200m to spend this summer, as Mateu Alemany is set to arrive as director of football from Barcelona.

What could Manuel Ugarte bring to Aston Villa?

Once hailed as a “warrior” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Uruguayan is one of Europe’s hottest prospects ahead of the summer window.

As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old has maintained a match rating of 7.04 this season, ranking him among the top ten performers from Sporting in the league this campaign, warranting the hype surrounding the youngster.

Emery told The Athletic last month of his desire to strengthen his squad saying he wants "two players for each position" in order to "add performances" to improve the team.

Potentially adding Ugarte to the already budding midfield could bring the best out of his current holding midfielders, Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara, who have both been outperformed by the Uruguayan this season.

The coveted midfielder ranks in the top 1% of the eight leagues comparative to Primeira Liga for passing completion (91.5%), tackles (4.66) and interceptions (2.25) per 90 minutes, with Villa's duo scoring lower in each of the vital attributes in their position in comparison to the potential summer signing, as per FBref.

Luiz averages a passing rate of 83.1%, making 2.19 tackles per game and 1.29 interceptions, Kamara with similar numbers at 85.1%, 2.57 tackles and 1.03 interceptions, highlighting the level of talent that Ugarte possesses.

Hailed as a "ball-winning machine" by podcaster Dave Hendrick on Twitter, there are no doubts regarding the Uruguayan's physicality and aggression, which are so often failing points for midfielders that venture to the Premier League from abroad.

If Villa can pull the signing of Ugarte off, then Emery would have one of the continent's most promising talents in his midfield arsenal – a big coup heading into a huge season next term.

Manchester United may be sold for "lower than the often quoted £6bn ($7.5bn)", according to reliable CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest takeover news?

The Manchester United takeover took yet another twist this week in what is fast becoming never-ending torture for supporters, as details emerged over the bid from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

According to Jacobs, and now widely reported elsehwere, Sheikh Jassim's offer has led to confusion because it "includes the debt & around £0.8bn ($1bn) in pledged investment". The Glazers will not include pledged investment in their decision making and will only base their valuation on the actual offer for the shares, of which the controversial family currently possess 69 per cent. This means Sheikh Jassim's bid is actually only around £4bn ($5bn), which is way shy of the often reported £6bn ($7.5bn) price tag.

That makes the Qatari's bid lower than what's on offer from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO of INEOS, with "some sources indicating" the latter's bid has actually been superior right the way through the process, in what is a huge update to the ongoing takeover saga.

Some light in the tunnel for supporters?

While the supporters hoping for Qatari riches will no doubt be disheartened by the latest major twist in the tale, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, as Jacobs reports the asking price is actually lower than £6bn.

He says: "It is now understood the Glazers may strongly consider an outright sale for between £4.8bn ($6bn) and £5.6bn ($7bn), which is a bit lower than the often quoted £6bn ($7.5bn)."

This of course brings the gap between the Glazers and Sheikh Jassim right down, and fans on both sides of the matter will surely be excited by his rumoured plans for the club. The Nine Two Foundation say they want to "return the Club to its former glories both on and off the pitch" and "invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience and the communities the Club supports".

There are already reports that the potential new owners are eyeing up superstar signings like Neymar and Jude Bellingham, signings which would certainly bring back the fear factor around Old Trafford, but fans will now simply have to wait and see if they up their offer to try and eclipse Ratcliffe and get closer to the Glazers' asking price.

West Ham United have endured a terrible season by all accounts, fighting a relegation battle which even David Moyes may not survive judging by their performances of late.

With the success of last season, finishing seventh in the Premier League and reaching the Europa League semi-finals, the Hammers were expected to kick on this term, yet it has almost been the complete opposite.

There have to be changes, if not this season then certainly next, and with Lukasz Fabianksi coming towards the end of his career, a change of goalkeeper might not be a bad thing.

The 37-year-old was notably "sensational" in the win over Fulham last weekend – as per journalist Malik Ouzia – however, just a week prior was in calamitous form as his failed clearance gifted Alexander Isak with a simple chance to score from in the drubbing against Newcastle.

It perhaps suggests that the Polish ‘keeper may need to be replaced with it appearing as though he's now an inconsistent figure in the Hammers side.

As a result, Moyes could soon unleash youngster Krisztián Hegyi if he is still in charge during 2023/24 as he is making a big splash for the U21s this term.

Who is Krisztián Hegyi?

The 20-year-old has been at West Ham since 2019, with the club reportedly beating off competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid in order to sign the young talent.

The move has worked out extremely well for the Hungarian gloveman, as he has risen through the youth ranks during his four years at Rush Green. The “wonderkid” – as dubbed by Sam Inkersole not long after he joined in 2019 – played 30 times for the U18 side before moving up a level, and he has impressed ever since.

Hegyi has kept 11 clean sheets in 51 matches for the higher age group and has even turned out against senior opposition six times during his career so far in the EFL trophy.

He appeared twice in that very competition earlier this term, averaging a strong Sofascore rating of 6.9. The youngster conceded just 0.5 goals per game, and made 1.5 saves each match – at a success rate of 75% – while averaging 42.5 touches, suggesting he is solid with the ball at his feet and can play out well from the back.

Having been included in Moyes’ matchday squads on no less than 11 occasions this term, he is clearly in the long-term plans of the club and if Fabianski does move on at the end of the season, there is a perfectly solid replacement already waiting in the wings.

West Ham United secured a crucial victory over Southampton yesterday to edge further away from the Premier League relegation zone, and it will hopefully inject some spark into David Moyes’ side.

This was the club’s first league win since the end of February, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Irons struggled to retain possession during the tie, but they managed more shots than the Saints with Nayef Aguerd ultimately scoring a header during the first half which proved to be more than enough to secure all three points.

Moyes will have been happy to see players such as Lucas Paqueta and Said Benerahma getting back into some sort of form, with the duo receiving ratings of 7/10 and 7.3/10 via Sofascore for their displays, although there were still a couple of bad performances.

Tomas Soucek endured a disappointing match, taking just 33 touches and completing only 11 of his 21 attempted passes. Indeed, he was somewhat of a passenger in the West Ham midfield that sought to establish a foothold in the match.

As Football.London's Jonty Colman noted, he was 'sloppy at times' in possession, a notion backed up by the fact that the Czech lost possession on 15 occasions throughout the clash. Also poor from a physical standpoint, he won just six of his 19 defensive duels.

That said, Moyes may well be disappointed at another one of his players for their abject display – Danny Ings.

How did Danny Ings perform against Southampton?

Ings’ 65 minutes on the pitch were extremely underwhelming, and it’s no wonder he was brought off for Michail Antonio.

The striker made just seven passes at a success rate of 47%, 15 fewer than goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, as he failed to link up well with his teammates.

What was even more damning is that the ex-England international took no shots at all during the match.

West Ham correspondent for the Athletic, Roshane Thomas believes Ings doesn’t quite fit into Moyes’ tactical plan, saying: “I don't think this system works for Danny Ings. He's often too isolated up front. Hasn't quite clicked barring his two goals against Nottingham Forest. Antonio has great work rate so he has no issues playing as a lone striker. But Ings has struggled in that role.”

Taking just 25 touches in a game – 18 fewer than Fabianski – is often a sign that a player is isolated and Ings didn’t quite receive the service he required to make a meaningful difference.

Moyes signed the Englishman to score goals and a tie against his former employers in Southampton should have been the perfect opportunity for him to add another couple to his tally for the club.

If it wasn’t for Ageurd’s winner, the Hammers may well have dropped more vital points and with Ings responsible for scoring the goals to maintain the club’s league status, he has only heaped further pressure on Moyes.

Trevoh Chalobah has established himself as a regular at Chelsea over the past few seasons and his market value has understandably rocketed as a result.

Although the young centre-back recently signed a long-term contract extension at Stamford Bridge, the west London side are now safe in the knowledge that they would receive a significant fee should the academy graduate ever depart.

How much is Trevoh Chalobah worth?

Chalobah has been at Chelsea since joining the U9 set-up and progressed quickly into senior football, enjoying loan spells with Ipswich Town and Huddersfield Town in the Championship, where he was a regular for both sides throughout the season, making a combined 82 appearances.

He would impress again in the 2020/21 season with FC Lorient, making 30 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit, in which he contributed two goals and two assists, with his excellent performances clearly enough to convince those at Chelsea that he was ready to feature in Thomas Tuchel's squad the following year.

Under the German manager, Chalobah, who earns £50k-per-week, would make 30 appearances last season, which included three goals and one assist in 20 Premier League outings, with the 23-year-old earning a superb 7.03 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Teammate Thiago Silva sang his praises after he broke into the team last season and featured alongside the experienced Brazilian in defence.

He said: "He is a player despite being so young who plays like an experienced professional,’ says the Brazilian, ‘and that makes me really happy because I'm there alongside him playing the same position and I can see how he's performing, how he's developing.

"Some people said that he didn't have the ability to do so but he's made it because of his own capacities. That's something that makes me really happy because a player like Trevoh Chalobah is the future of this club."

This season was perhaps always going to be more of a struggle for the Englishman, given the signing of Benoit Badiashile and the return of Wesley Fofana from his long-term injury, but he has continued as a regular under Graham Potter, making 21 appearances in total this campaign.

Unsurprisingly, Chalobah's recognition as a regular first-team player at Chelsea has seen his market value soar in recent years, with FootballTransfers now suggesting that he would be worth €35m (£32m), which obviously is significant for the Blues considering he cost them nothing as an academy graduate.

After criticism for the loan army that Chelsea created years ago, with many never featuring for the club, it is good to see the likes of Chalobah, Mason Mount and Reece James playing a part at Stamford Bridge having come through the academy.

Erik ten Hag managed to lure some serious talent to Manchester United last summer, with the likes of Antony, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen all joining the revolution at Old Trafford.

It marks a change from the signings his predecessor made, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managing to secure deals for players who couldn’t quite cut it at United (Daniel James) or who were massively overpriced (Harry Maguire) yet it was a move for Donny van de Beek that has represented the worst value for money.

The Dutchman was signed for a fee of around £39m and with the 23-year-old enjoying a sparkling beginning to his career at Ajax, the outlay seemed like it could one day turn into a bargain for the club.

It hasn’t quite turned out like that, with van de Beek struggling to live up to the lofty expectations in Manchester while struggling for game time which has seen his value plummet in the process.

How much is Donny van de Beek worth now?

The £120k-per-week midfielder has played just 60 times during his spell at United, while his tally of two goals and two assists paints a picture of how poorly he has played in that time, failing to add the spark the club required when they signed him.

When Ten Hag took over last summer, the 25-year-old must have thought his appointment could rejuvenate him, especially considering the fact they worked together for two years at Ajax, yet he has featured just ten times in all competitions this term.

The midfielder has started just two matches in the Premier League this season, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.49/10 across his seven appearances in total. He has failed to score or register an assist, averaged just 11.1 touches, and completed only 6.6 passes per game, hardly the quality that Ten Hag is demanding from his players.

Journalist Steven Railston was particularly vocal in his criticism of the player back in November following a loss to Aston Villa, saying:

“#mufc never recovered after conceding two early goals and they were second-best all over the pitch. A really disappointing performance. Donny van de Beek was anonymous again and he shouldn’t be anywhere near the starting XI. Bruno Fernandes couldn’t return quick enough.”

Having signed for £39m, the player is now worth just €20.5m (£18m) according to Football Transfers and this represents a decrease of 54%, with the likelihood that United won’t even recoup half of the fee they splashed out on the Dutchman should he leave in the summer.

It has been a woefully misjudged transfer and his performances on the pitch have failed to live up to expectations, hopefully, Ten Hag will be able to move him on sooner rather than later, at a significant cost to the club.

Aston Villa dropped to 11th in the Premier League over the weekend as they were beaten 4-2 by Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester on their own turf on Saturday.

Unai Emery’s side are sitting comfortably in midtable and one of the team’s best performers throughout the campaign so far has been veteran full-back Ashley Young.

The 37-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 in the Premier League so far this season and this places him second in the Villa squad – only behind Douglas Luiz.

Young has played 17 times in the top flight, starting 13 of those matches, and has contributed with three tackles and interceptions and 0.6 key passes per match for the team.

However, the gem turns 38 in July and Emery may start to think about what life may look like after the former England international retires or parts ways with the club.

Matty Cash, 25, is the other senior option at right-back but the Poland international would not have any competition for his place if Young moved on without a replacement coming into the squad.

Emery could find the dream heir to the ex-Manchester United winger’s place in the side by unearthing the talent of 20-year-old academy full-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden.

The young dynamo has already experienced League Two, League One, and Championship football out on loan in recent seasons and the Villa coach could look to slowly bed him into the side as Young heads towards the end of his playing days.

Reporter Jonny Leighfield previously hailed the talented youngster during the gem’s time on loan at Swindon Town during the 2021/22 campaign, saying: “As soon as the loan deal from Villa was done Garner told us that this kid’s got serious quality, a player who’s destined to play for Villa’s first team.”

The journalist added: “He’s just a cut above.”

“He’s got a brilliant turn of pace and a player who like to do his damage up the other end of the pitch. He’s got everything about him to play either Championship or Premier League football regularly.”

During the first half of the current campaign, Kesler-Hadyen made 1.2 tackles and interceptions and 0.7 key passes per match in the second tier for Huddersfield. This came after he made 1.9 defensive contributions and created 0.8 chances per match in League One during the 2021/22 season.

The 20-year-old may not be producing the kind of numbers that Young has been delivering for Villa in the Premier League, from a defensive perspective, this season but the gem has 17 years of development to catch up with the veteran.

Kesler-Hayden could be the future of Villa’s right-back position, given the glimpses of quality he has shown in the Football League so far, and Emery could find Young’s long-term heir by providing the youngster with chances to impress in the coming seasons.