O garoto Endrick deve ganhar ovadas dos seus companheiros após o treino desta sexta-feira (21) na Academia de Futebol, na atividade que fecha a preparação do Palmeiras para encarar o Fortaleza, no Allianz Parque, em jogo válido pela 16ª rodada do Brasileirão.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras duela com Fortaleza em uma fase bastante diferente do último confrontoPalmeiras21/07/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras define estratégia no mercado e deve focar em apenas uma posiçãoPalmeiras21/07/2023PalmeirasLuan de saída?, Aníbal vem aí?, Barros pressionado… Veja as principais notícias do dia do PalmeirasPalmeiras20/07/2023
+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
A joia que já está negociada com o Real Madrid completa 17 anos de idade hoje e inicia o seu último ano como profissional do Palmeiras antes de embarcar para a capital espanhola e se apresentar ao time merengue, uma vez que Endrick só pode estrear pelo Real após completar maioridade.
Em menos de um ano no time profissional do Palmeiras, a joia entrou para a história do clube por diversas vezes, não só por ter sido a maior negociação da história do clube, como também por ser o jogador mais jovem a marcar com a camisa do Palmeiras e quebrar um recorde de 106 anos, que era de Heitor, ao balançar as redes do Athletico-PR com apenas 16 anos, três meses e quatro dias.
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Endrick também viria a ser o jogador mais jovem a marcar pelo Palmeiras na Copa Libertadores e também o jogador mais jovem a estrear pelo profissional do clube, quando entrou na goleada sobre o Coritiba, pelo Brasileirão de 2022, com apenas 16 anos, dois meses e 16 dias.
Além de ter sido o cara da conquista inédita da Copinha do Verdão em 2022, Endrick subiu ao profissional como um meteoro e em meses, já estava marcando gol no jogo que marcou a conquista do 11º título brasileiro do Palmeiras, coincidentemente, contra o mesmo adversário do duelo de amanhã.
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+ Olhar do Porco: Saída de Luan seria boa pra todo mundo, menos para Abel Ferreira
Neste ano, Endrick perdeu um pouco de espaço como titular, mas mesmo assim foi peça importante nos dois títulos conquistados pelo Palmeiras na temporada, quando foi titular em Brasília diante do Flamengo, pela Supercopa, e também titular na final do Paulista diante do Água Santa, quando balançou as redes tanto no confronto de ida quanto na volta.
Até aqui, Endrick tem 39 jogos e 10 gols no profissional do Palmeiras, com três títulos conquistados. Se for contar as taças conquistadas na base, o número sobe para 11 títulos.
Manchester United have submitted an opening offer for a “spectacular” midfielder, which is now being considered by his current club, according to a report.
Man Utd keen on new midfielder with Baleba the main target
INEOS and Man United are looking to sign a new central midfielder before the transfer deadline, and Carlos Baleba has emerged as one of their main targets, with it recently being revealed they could be set to make a bid for the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder this week.
However, given that a deal for Baleba could amount to over £100m, the Red Devils may have to make some sales to raise funds, and Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Alejandro Garnacho is edging closer to a move to Stamford Bridge.
Romano said: “Chelsea and Man Utd are now in active talks to reach an agreement for Alejandro Garnacho. The contract for the player is done 100% already. Chelsea will accelerate now. Garnacho will become a Chelsea player in the summer transfer window. We’re entering the final stages. Garnacho, Chelsea player, very soon.”
Manchester United's AlejandroGarnachoduring training
While Ruben Amorim’s side are clearly looking to reinvest the potential £50m made from the sale of Garnacho on Baleba, the Brighton star is not the only target, and an offer has been submitted for a different central midfielder…
That is according to a report from Spain, which states Man United have now tabled an offer of close to €80m (£69m) for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, which the La Liga club are currently considering.
Hansi Flick has been unable to guarantee Lopez a key role in his side, which could open the door for the midfielder to depart, and the Red Devils believe he would be the perfect addition to the squad.
Man Utd now make official approach to sign £40m PL star alongside Baleba
The Red Devils have stepped up their interest in an “unbelievable” player.
ByDominic Lund Aug 12, 2025
There is also a feeling the Barcelona ace could be enticed by a move to Old Trafford, given the prospect of playing a leading role, and he is now considering whether to embark on a new challenge in the Premier League.
"Spectacular" Lopez could kick on at Old Trafford
The 22-year-old has predominantly featured in an attacking midfield role over the past year, and he has certainly caught the eye with his performances, performing very well across some key metrics, when compared to his positional peers.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.37 (79th percentile)
Assists
0.42 (95th percentile)
Pass completion %
82.2% (88th percentile)
However, the Spaniard is also a versatile player, as displayed by the fact he has most often played in central midfield throughout his career to date, and Xavi once praised his former midfielder for his attitude, stating he has a “spectacular mentality.”
Lopez is a different type of player to Baleba, given that the 21-year-old is well-known to have more of a defensive mindset, so it would be fantastic if Man United were able to bring in both midfielders, although it is unclear whether their budget would allow that.
That is due to the fact Gianluigi Donarumma has also emerged as a target, with Amorim’s side making an approach for the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, who now looks set to leave.
Glasgow Rangers are “among the admirers” to sign a highly-rated player this summer, according to an update from reliable journalist Alex Miller.
Rangers pushing for late-summer business
The Gers’ opening weekend 1-1 draw away to Motherwell was far from an ideal start to their Scottish Premiership season, with Russell Martin’s side immediately losing ground on rivals Celtic.
It is essential that more transfer business is done between now and the end of the window, in order for Martin to have a squad that is capable of both winning the title and holding its own in Europe, and players continue to be linked with moves to Ibrox.
Russell Martin applauds the Rangers fans.
One report has claimed that Rangers have joined the race to sign young Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein this summer, with a season-long loan move potentially on the cards. The 23-year-old is going to struggle for minutes at the Emirates in 2025/26, so a year in Scotland could be ideal for his development.
Elsewhere, the Gers are said to have held talks with Real Betis centre-back Nobel Mendy about a move to the club, and are happy to pay more than £1.7m for his signature. Now, a new update has dropped regarding another summer transfer target.
Rangers admire "excellent" Championship player; Chansiri to decide
According to Miller on X, Rangers are “among the admirers” in the battle to sign Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles, with the decision left up to controversial Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri.
“Any decision on whether Sheffield Wednesday cash-in on Pierce Charles will ultimately be made by Dejphon Chansiri, Henrik Pedersen has admitted. West Ham and Rangers among the admirers.”
Pierce Charles.
Charles has been linked with Rangers already this summer, with the 20-year-old’s future at Wednesday in doubt, amid their dire financial situation and doubts over whether Chansiri is genuinely working towards a sale.
Sheffield Wednesday
15
19
1
Northern Ireland
8
5
4
It is easy to see why the Gers are eyeing him up as a top-quality young option between the sticks, with the stopper already an eight-cap Northern Ireland international, also racking up 15 appearances for the Owls. He has admirers everywhere, including his international manager, Michael O’Neill, who has lauded him in the recent past.
The lure of the Premier League is clear for any player, so West Ham will be a threat to Rangers’ chance of signing Charles this summer, but the Scottish giants can offer him European football, which the Hammers cannot.
Wednesday’s aforementioned financial situation also means they may be forced to sell one of the best young players, and he has the ability to mature into a key man for the Gers for years to come, should they strike a deal for him.
The franchise is almost certainly set to retain Dhoni, who could qualify as an uncapped player for IPL 2025
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-20241:53
Moody: ‘The longer iconic players like Dhoni can play, it’s good for the IPL’
MS Dhoni has not yet confirmed his availability for IPL 2025, according to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan, who is hopeful that Dhoni will be part of the upcoming season.”We have still no confirmation from him, though we will like him to continue playing for us,” Viswanathan told ESPNcricinfo. “Hope he will confirm before 31st [October].”October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction, and this year Dhoni is eligible to be retained by CSK as an uncapped player. That was made possible after the IPL brought back a rule that had been scrapped in 2021, according to which a player can be considered as uncapped if they have been retired from international cricket for five years.Related
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Dhoni last played for India at the 2019 ODI World Cup, and announced his retirement in August 2020; he does not play any cricket apart from the IPL, and scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 220 as a finisher in the 2024 season after handing over the CSK captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad.While it is extremely likely that Dhoni will be retained by CSK, if they retain him as an uncapped player, they will lose only INR 4 crore from their auction purse of INR 120 crore.The IPL franchises have been allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction before the 2025 season, of which a maximum of five can be capped internationals. While the IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained – INR 18 crore for the first player, INR 14 crore for the second, INR 11 crore for the third, INR 18 crore for the fourth, and INR 14 crore for the fifth – the franchises are free to pay more than those amounts to their retained players. For example, Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to retain Heinrich Klaasen for INR 23 crore, Pat Cummins for INR 18 crore, and Abhishek Sharma for INR 14 crore.
With Thierno Barry signed and delivered, Everton have reportedly made their first approach to sign a fresh midfield star in a deal that could be worth £30m this summer.
Thierno Barry: "It's a dream to play in the Premier League"
Kicking off their summer business in style, Everton finally unveiled the arrival of Barry earlier this week. The talented striker has arrived in a deal worth around £27m and should put any concerns over Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s departure to rest. Alongside Beto, the former Villarreal star should provide David Moyes with more than enough firepower.
The new striker expressed his delight after putting pen to paper, telling Evertontv: “I’m very happy. It’s very exciting to be here. I just can’t wait to start and I hope to start very quickly.
“Everton is a big club in the Premier League. They have a good history and good players have played here, like Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku. When I was young I liked to watch these players, now I want to do like these players who have gone before.
“I had good conversations with the manager. He told me I have the quality to play in the Premier League. He wants to do good work with me. He wants to help me on my road and I felt the sincerity with him so that’s why I chose to come here as well.
The dream squad Everton can build: £88m quintet & "beast" sign after Barry
A look at how Everton’s dream squad could shape up next season
1
By
Joe Nuttall
Jul 10, 2025
“For me, it is a dream to play in the Premier League. I think I proved in my career so far that I can adapt. For example, last season I went to LaLiga, which is a top league, and I think I had a good season for my first season. I’m not scared to play here and do the same.”
The Toffees aren’t waiting around to admire their new signing, however. Instead, it’s full steam ahead in pursuit of further arrivals and perhaps even a Premier League rival.
Everton make first £30m John McGinn enquiry
As reported by Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Everton have now made their first enquiry to sign John McGinn, telling Aston Villa that they’d be willing to pay £30m to welcome the midfielder this summer. Despite reports that the Scotland international is unhappy about his current role under Unai Emery, though, the Villans have swiftly rejected that approach.
Alas, this saga may be far from over. Everton are reportedly still optimistic that they can strike a deal to sign McGinn in the latter stages of the transfer window, especially if Aston Villa welcome a midfield reinforcement of their own.
If their optimism turns into a summer move, then McGinn will be bringing an end to an excellent seven-year spell in the Midlands, in which he has earned plenty of praise.
Emery, among those with plenty of positives to say about his captain, told reporters in 2023: “He is a very good example, of how he is consistent and trying to help and to be an example, a very good example for players. I really, really appreciate a lot as a person how he is, but as a professional, he is fantastic.”
It must be difficult not to get carried away if you’re a Birmingham City fan at present.
After all, £10m was recently splurged out on Kyogo Furuhashi to boost an already potent forward line, on top of the fact that pre-season action kicked into gear with a bang as the new-look Blues confidently beat Spanish titans Sevilla 3-1.
Any naysayers doubting Birmingham ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign might well have been silenced after this impressive victory, with more new signings now being tipped to join the exciting St. Andrew’s rollercoaster before pre-season is up.
Birmingham now targeting move for Premier League star
Despite a barrage of fresh signings entering the building, only Phil Neumann out of all the summer buys would be unleashed from the get-go against Sevilla, as Davies dripfeeds minutes to his whole camp before the second tier comes into view.
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Taichi Hara could soon be another option the Blues boss tests out across the remaining pre-season fixtures, with reports suggesting that Birmingham have added the Japanese gem to their shortlist after he has impressed out in the J1 League with Kyoto Sanga.
Alongside him, Birmingham could tap into the Asian market even more by snapping up Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Hwang Hee-Chan.
Hee-chan Hwang.
Indeed, a development from South Korean journalist Han June has suggested that the newly promoted side views the Old Gold number 11 as a main target due to his top-flight experience in England.
This might well result in Birmingham pulling off another ambitious swoop like the Kyogo deal, with both players in question hailing from Asia, but both well-known and exciting entities when plying their trade in some demanding divisions up and down the United Kingdom.
Why Hwang could be Kyogo 2.0
Whilst Hwang has fallen down the Molineux pecking order since Vitor Pereira’s arrival on the scene, his goalscoring record at the very top for Wolves at his prime will be enough to convince Blues fans that this is a worthwhile capture to chase after.
22 Premier League goals have come his way since he moved to the West Midlands for £14m, with 12 of those being fired home across the 23/24 season, leading to then Old Gold boss Gary O’Neil hailing the South Korean marksman as “excellent” for his clinical nature in front of goal.
On top of that, his goalscoring expertise also stretches out to a standout spell leading the line for Austrian side RB Salzburg, with a bumper 45 strikes collected, with three of those goals even coming in the illustrious Champions League.
Kyogo is well-versed in what it takes to be a goalscoring menace at this intimidating level, too, with three of his mammoth 151 career strikes falling on Europe’s grandest stage.
Hwang’s career numbers by position vs Kyogo’s
Hwang
CF
168
61
35
LW
45
9
4
RW
32
5
3
AM
8
0
0
Kyogo
CF
177
105
29
LW
99
31
22
SS
11
2
1
RW
11
3
1
Sourced by Transfermarkt.
But, as can be seen looking at the table above, they both won’t just be vying to steal the striker limelight off Jay Stansfield or Alfie May, with Hwang and Kyogo more than comfortable sneaking out to the left wing if needed, alongside also slotting nicely into Davies’ 4-2-3-1 system as a presence just behind by the main striker.
Hwang wasn’t just labelled as a talent who has “got everything” by ex-Arsenal great Ian Wright by fluke, with the 29-year-old a real standout purchase for the Blues if it goes through.
wolves-hwang-hee-chan-pedro-neto
There are some hurdles for Birmingham to overcome in terms of fee and wage costs, but if Birmingham wants to accelerate to that next level quickly, it might well be worth throwing the necessary cash at Hwang, much like they did when forking out £10m for Kyogo.
Birmingham City could sign "special" star who'd be Kyogo's dream winger
Birmingham City could soon win a dream attacking partner for Kyogo Furuhashi by securing a deal for this special forward.
Arsenal are attempting to sign another player with Brentford’s Christian Norgaard and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with the Gunners reliably reported to be closing in on deals for the latter two.
Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Arsenal transfer decision as Berta agrees deal
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Earlier this week, following quick-fire talks with Brentford, Arsenal agreed a fee of around £10 million, plus an additional £5 million in add-ons, to sign the Denmark international as a replacement for Thomas Partey.
Norgaard has also been allowed to undergo a medical at Arsenal before signing his contract as the north Londoners’ third signing of the summer, following the reliably reported arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Straight after sealing a move for the 31-year-old, sporting director Andrea Berta immediately began work on Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera too. Arsenal opened talks with the La Liga side over a deal for Mosquera on Thursday, and he could cost under £17 million given the player is entering the final 12 months of his contract.
The 21-year-old can play both as a right-back and centre-back, with Mosquera said to have already agreed personal terms over a switch to the Emirates Stadium. Amidst all of these negotiations, though, Berta is still trying to bring in a new striker for Mikel Arteta.
The Italian has been simultaneously laying groundwork on moves for both Sporting CP’s iktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, before deciding which transfer is most feasible for Arsenal to pull off (BBC).
News surrounding the centre-forwards has been more scarce than usual this week, thanks to Arsenal’s many other transfer deals, but an update has now come to light on their chances of signing Sesko.
Arsenal in ongoing talks for Benjamin Sesko who wants to join
As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, the Slovenia international wants to join Arteta’s side, and he’s posing absolutely no issues when it comes to agreeing personal terms, contrary to some reports that he wants high wages.
Arsenal remain in ongoing talks over a deal for Sesko, and negotiations are ongoing with both the player’s representatives and Leipzig themselves. O’Rourke’s sources insist that this potential move isn’t being held up by the 22-year-old’s demands, so the indication is it must be a club-to-club issue.
It’s an increasingly confusing situation, as while reports suggest Sesko has a release clause near £70 million, others state that Leipzig could still demand as much as £85 million to let their star striker leave.
He bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season, his best return to date since moving to Germany, and Sesko has been praised for his physicality in particular.
“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell.
“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”
Manchester United are in the market for additions this summer and could now look to strengthen a key position by signing a Champions League winner from Paris Saint-Germian, according to a report.
Man Utd looking to come back stronger next campaign
It goes without saying, but Manchester United endured a wretched season this term and could now look to change the feel of their side amid a fire sale that could see several first-team stars leave to make way for reinforcements.
Bruno Fernandes could depart Old Trafford for Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal amid recent reports, with Sporting Clube de Portugal’s Pedro Goncalves lined up as a replacement for the Red Devils captain.
Matheus Cunha is also on his way to the Premier League giants from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Even after factoring in his talent, his arrival won’t scratch the surface when evaluating the scale of rebuild needed for Ruben Amorim to perfect his 3-4-3 system.
The Portuguese boss is planning an intense pre-season that could see non-international players back in training earlier than usual to ensure his side has the fitness required to go the distance against their top-flight rivals.
Nevertheless, one minor detail that may offer some encouragement next term is Manchester United’s reduced fixture schedule, given that the global giants will have no European football in 2025/26.
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At face value, that is a disadvantage. Still, the ever-evolving calendar offers little room for elite players to enjoy recuperation, which may be just what the Red Devils need between challenging encounters.
With Manchester United expected to record a far better domestic campaign next season, Amorim isn’t messing around in his pursuit of proven quality.
Man Utd make Gianluigi Donnarumma approach
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United have made an approach for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after registering their interest in his services.
Out of contract in the French capital in 2026, Inter Milan, Juventus, and Manchester City are all watching closely as the Champions League winners struggle to agree on a new deal with the Italy international due to his wage demands.
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s campaign in numbers (FBRef)
Ligue 1 statistics
Matches played
24
Goals against
25
Shots on target against
74
Save percentage
67.6%
Champions League statistics
Matches played
15
Goals against
14
Shots on target against
48
Save percentage
70.8%
Said to be requesting around £8.4 million annually, Paris Saint-Germain are looking to offer around £5 million per year, leading to a disagreement that could pre-empt a surprise departure from the Parc des Princes.
Labelled “truly complete” by Jerome Alonzo, Donnarumma has recorded 12 clean sheets in 40 appearances during a momentous campaign for his side that ended in Champions League glory against Inter Milan, keeping a clean sheet in the 5-0 final triumph.
However, questions over his future continue to linger, and Manchester United are now in the mix to offer the former AC Milan star an opportunity to succeed Andre Onana between the sticks at Old Trafford.
West Bromwich Albion take to the field for the final time in the 2024/25 campaign when they host Luton Town at the Hawthorns in the Championship this afternoon.
It is a game that does not mean a great deal for the Baggies, who are without a permanent manager and cannot get promoted or relegated, but they will still want to end the season on a high in front of their home fans.
Tom Fellows celebrates for West Brom.
James Morrison will take the team for the final time before the board decide on a long-term replacement for Tony Mowbray, and one manager who has been linked with the job is Russell Martin.
The pros and cons of Russell Martin
The former Scotland international would come in as a manager with plenty of experience in the English leagues, having managed MK Dons, Swansea, and Southampton.
Martin has also proven that he can get a team promoted from the Championship, as he won the play-offs with the Saints in the 2023/24 campaign, and that makes him an ideal candidate on paper for a West Brom team that should be aiming for promotion next term.
However, the English-born coach won just one of his 16 Premier League games, picking up five points, in charge of Southampton before being sacked with his side sat at the bottom of the table.
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This suggests that it may be a risk to go with Martin as a long-term appointment as there are concerns, given his record, about his suitability for the Premier League.
West Brom, however, have also been linked with an interest in Steve Cooper, who is also out of work at the moment, and he could be an even more exciting appointment than the ex-Saints boss.
Why Steve Cooper would be more exciting than Russell Martin
The English boss, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 system, could be even more exciting than a move for Martin because he has proven that he can compete above the relegation zone in the Premier League.
Cooper was sacked by Leicester City earlier this season with his side in 16th place, and they have since been relegated from the top-flight, which suggests that they may have made a hasty decision with that call.
The 45-year-old tactician, once dubbed “tremendous” by Sam Allardyce, also kept Nottingham Forest in the Premier League after winning promotion from the second tier with the Tricky Trees.
Steve Cooper’s managerial career
Season
League
Matches
Points
League position
24/25
Premier League
12
10
16th
23/24
Premier League
17
14
17th
22/23
Premier League
38
38
16th
21/22
Championship
41
76
4th (play-off winners)
20/21
Championship
49
80
4th (play-off finalists)
19/20
Championship
48
70
6th (play-off semi-finalists)
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Cooper has either finished in the play-offs in the Championship or left a team above the relegation zone in the Premier League in every season in his senior managerial career to date.
This suggests that the former Swansea boss, who won the U17 World Cup with England in 2017, would be perfectly suited to where the Baggies are as a club at this moment in time.
West Brom need a manager who can guide them to the play-offs, firstly, and then to safety in the Premier League, secondly, and Cooper has proven that he can do both of those things as a manager.
Whereas, Martin is yet to prove that he can keep a team in the top-flight, and that is why the English head coach could be an even more exciting hire for the Baggies this summer.
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When Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk decided to extend their contracts at Liverpool and put months of speculation pertaining to their futures to bed, they wanted reassurances that FSG mean to invest.
The veteran superstars are arguably the finest players in their respective positions worldwide, and despite Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down from his long-held manager’s role last year, have enjoyed staggering success under Arne Slot to move within an inch of the Premier League title.
Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah
Liverpool are Champions Elect, all but confirmed as this year’s English top-flight winners. It’s a remarkable feat, built upon the foundations laid by Klopp.
However, now is the time for Slot to put his own stamp on the Anfield side, with Federico Chiesa the sole arrival of his reign so far – goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is expected to arrive this summer after a deal was agreed last year.
While Salah’s staying put and Liverpool are expected to prioritise the signing of a new centre-forward with Darwin Nunez expected to leave, there’s a good chance sporting director Richard Hughes will be tasked with signing a new wideman.
Liverpool need more quality on the wings
Make no mistake, Liverpool’s attacking force has been exactly that under Slot’s wing: a force to be reckoned with. However, with Nunez and Chiesa struggling and Jota enduring a disappointing season too, it’s understandable that the club wish to bolster.
Mohamed Salah
46
32
23
Cody Gakpo
43
16
6
Luis Diaz
45
15
8
Diogo Jota
32
9
4
Darwin Nunez
42
7
7
Federico Chiesa
12
2
2
The likes of Fabrizio Romano have confirmed that Nunez is set to leave this summer after Saudi side Al-Nassr failed with a series of bids in January, but Liverpool may also look out wide in spite of Salah’s contract renewal.
Indeed, Luis Diaz is in red-hot form at the moment but, aged 28 and entering the penultimate year of his contract, is also deemed expendable, should the right offer come in.
Of course, FSG aren’t going to want to let the Barcelona- and Saudi-linked star leave on the cheap, letting suitors know that they will field bids totalling €80m (£67m).
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
Salah will be 33 by the time the 2025/26 season kicks off, and though Liverpool’s data analysts, some of the best in the business, are confident that the Egyptian King will continue firing true over the next two years, some more firepower wouldn’t go amiss.
When Salah does enter his twilight, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka looks ready to take his mantle and assume the star spot as the Premier League’s most dangerous winger. Liverpool won’t want to let that happen, of course, and have actually identified their own version of the Three Lions superstar.
Liverpool step up interest in rising star
Liverpool are planning for a big summer, alright. If Diaz should leave, plans are being drawn for the transfer of Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, one of the most coveted young wingers in Europe right now.
Transfer Focus
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According to Football Insider, FSG are actually accelerating their plans to sign the 20-year-old after sorting out Liverpool’s contractual obstacles, having been scouting him for a while. He is believed to be a “key target”, as per scout Mick Brown.
Dortmund recognise the value of their youngster, however, and have previously responded to links away by placing a whopping €100m (£85m) price tag on Gittens’ head. Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have also registered interest.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action
Liverpool aren’t likely to engage in such exorbitant demands, but if a more agreeable figure can be agreed, there’s every chance the Reds could secure one of the most exciting English talents around after identifying him as a key target.
What Jamie Gittens would bring to Liverpool
Gittens might still be in the fledgling stage of his professional career, but he’s already made quite the impression in Dortmund’s senior squad, following Jadon Sancho’s footsteps in moving to the German club from Manchester City’s youth academy.
Jamie Gittens for Borussia Dortmund.
The Yellow Wall have long been a hothouse for developing exciting talent and Gittens will hardly regret his decision, having already featured 102 times for the club.
The step-by-step progress he has shown will have pleased Liverpool’s scouts to no end, always regarded as an athletic, pacy and powerful winger but starting to sharpen his attacking tools, enjoying success as a proper goal threat this term.
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This incremental growth does suggest that Gittens could match his compatriot Saka down the line, albeit in Liverpool’s shade of red.
As per FBref, Gittens ranks among the top 16% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90.
This perfectly illustrates his blend of physicality and potency, something that perhaps Saka, 23, performs without rival at the moment.
Arsenal dispatched Real Madrid over two legs to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League, and Saka was the star forward at the Santiago Bernabeu, his chipped goal taking his haul to 11 strikes and 14 assists across 29 matches this term.
So dangerous. So dynamic. The right-sided forward’s completeness is part of what makes him such an incredible, highest-class footballer, but Gittens truly has the skills to match him.
The Dortmund man has also been impressive in the Champions League this year, hailed by Romano for one “special” performance against Club Brugge in the group stage, scoring two goals.
The rising star’s technical quality suggests he can go all the way, and under Slot’s wing at Liverpool, maybe he can take the next steps toward rivalling Saka for the position as England’s prized winger.
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