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Newcastle United lost to Liverpool at St. James’ Park 3-2, but if ever there was a match which typified the spirit, togetherness and talent of Eddie Howe’s side, this was it.

With Alexander Isak still on strike, looking to join Monday night’s opponents before the looming crescendo to the summer transfer window, Howe was forced to field Anthony Gordon as a makeshift centre-forward once again.

However, in a moment of complete madness, the Three Lions star got himself sent off before half-time after a rash challenge on Virgil van Dijk, with the hosts 1-0 down in spite of a breathtaking and dominant display.

The Magpies rallied, restoring parity from two goals and a man down, but 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha struck an agonising blow at St. James’ Park at the eleventh hour.

But there was so much to like for the home side, and while Isak was absent (again), substitute William Osula proved he has a part to play at number nine this season. Could he be Newcastle’s next Isak? Time will tell.

William Osula shows his quality

In August 2024, Newcastle signed Osula from Sheffield United for a £15m fee. He has always been regarded as a top talent, but Howe and Co view the Frenchman as a work in progress.

Last year, the young attacker only featured 14 times in the Premier League, having not been handed a single start, scoring only once off the bench in a 3-0 win over Ipswich Town.

Had circumstances been different, it’s not unfair to suggest the 22-year-old Dane would have drifted through the clash against the Premier League champions as an unused substitute, but Isak wasn’t there, and Gordon was sent off in the first half, and so Howe threw him into the fray.

His influence was game-changing, scoring a vital second half equaliser.

Osula might come to replace or rival Isak in terms of positional value, but another talisman stepped up on Monday night.

Indeed, Bruno Guimaraes proved once again why he is Newcastle’s defining superstar.

Newcastle's next Isak-esque superstar

Guimaraes has now played 156 times for Newcastle, one of the first to christen this exciting new era and steadfast throughout, hailed by his teammate Dan Burn as being a truly “world-class” player.

His technical quality and iron-willed passion were on full show against Arne Slot’s side, and though it didn’t prove enough on the night, the goalscoring 27-year-old proved himself to be Newcastle’s true talisman as talk around Isak’s future drones on.

Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder remarked in his post-match comments that the Brazil international ‘played his heart out’ against the Reds, and awarded him an 8/10 rating for his tireless efforts.

Isak should take a leaf from his book. Guimaraes is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City have shown a vested interest this year, but the passion he exudes when performing in black and white is a thing to behold.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Touches

49

Shots (on target)

1 (1)

Accurate passes

19/26 (73%)

Dribbles

1/6

Tackles

3

Duels won

7/20

Praised by Arsenal-focused content creator Alex Moneypenny as being a “ridiculous footballer”, Guimaraes is bound to play a focal role in the year ahead.

His leadership and quality are sure to drive this football team on and toward greener pastures, building on last year’s trophy-winning campaign and ensuring that it proves a springboard for a sustained period of success.

Isak, who? The Brazilian is Howe’s true superstar.

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ByAngus Sinclair Aug 25, 2025

Harry Kane scored his 100th goal for Bayern Munich in record quick time as Vincent Kompany's team eased to a 4-0 win over Werder Bremen. The England international brought up his century for the Bundesliga leaders with a brace to make him the fastest player in Europe's top five leagues to reach that milestone. And goals from Luiz Diaz and Konrad Laimer either side of his efforts sealed a thumping victory.

BAYERN EXTEND WINNING RUN

After winning seven matches in a row in all competitions, Bayern, naturally, began this fixture in confident fashion, and had it not been for an inspired display from Arsenal loanee Karl Hein, Bremen would have been cut adrift in the opening 45 minutes.

Kane uncharacteristically dragged a shot wide early on, but was then brilliantly denied by the Estonian stopper when the England captain was through on goal. He could do nothing, however, when the irrepressible Michael Olise fired in a teasing cross and Jonathan Tah's backward flick ricocheted off an unsuspecting Luis Diaz in the 22nd minute to make it 1-0.

Hein once again denied former Tottenham star Kane when he seemed certain to score, but he was unable to keep out the 32-year-old's penalty after Marco Freidl clumsily brought him down in the box on the stroke of half-time. The visitors fired a warning shot of their own when full-back Yukinari Sugawara stung the hands of Manuel Neuer from a tight angle but in the 66th minute, it was 3-0 when Kane swept the ball home after Diaz's shot from the edge of the area was blocked.

The away team thought they pulled a goal back through Wisdom Mike but the forward was adjudged to have been offside, and then to make matters worse, Konrad Laimer danced past a challenge and scored from a tight angle three minutes from time.

This was a night to remember for Bayern as they went five points clear at the top of the table and Kane made history with his 100th goal for the club in record time.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE MVP

While former Crystal Palace star Olise looked the most dangerous and exciting player on the pitch, it was Kane's goals that ultimately got the job done. On another day, the Bayern striker could have had five of them, had it not been for the excellent Hein, but a 10th of the league season may keep him content for now. With this double, the forward took his tally for the campaign as a whole to 15 in just eight appearances in all competitions. 

Incidentally, before the game, manager Kompany explained how Kane has taken his game to the next level.

"Harry Kane has always been a goalscorer, but I think he has opened up his game even more! The way he drops back, gets between the lines. In the end, that allows him to escape the attention of defenders," he said.

THE BIG LOSER

While Bremen were always likely to lose this game, especially after going behind through Diaz, captain Friedl may have put the game out of reach for his side with his sloppy foul on Kane. The England ace wasn't in a particularly threatening position, even for a player of his quality, but the 27-year-old stuck out a lazy leg, and Kane duly went over it to win the penalty. A comeback never looked likely and Bayern scored two more to romp to victory. But it could have, potentially, been a different story if Friedl had shown a bit more defensive care.

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Getty Images SportWHAT COMES NEXT?

Bayern – who are five points ahead of second place Borussia Dortmund, although BVB do have a game in hand – take a break from the Bundesliga on Tuesday when they travel to Cypriot side Pafos in their next Champions League game. After beating Chelsea 3-1 in their league phase opener, Kompany's players will hope to build on that impressive victory when they head to Cyprus. After that, they return to the German top flight for a tricky game against Eintracht Frankfurt on October 4, in what is their last game before the latest international break.

Middlesex claim they have recovered £100,000 in ¬unauthorised payments made to their former chief executive Richard Goatley, but declined to comment after an eight-month investigation by Metropolitan Police concluded that “no criminal offences could be identified”.Goatley, who continues to deny any wrongdoing, had lodged a personal injury claim against Middlesex in April 2024, claiming that the club had been pursuing a campaign of harassment against him. In 2021, he suffered a stroke during a committee meeting at Lord’s in 2021, and had been forced to resign due to ill health.Middlesex went on to record a loss of £952,000 in 2021, with their net assets shrinking from approximately £2 million to £179,000. In part this was due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, although the club’s pensions contributions were also wrongly paid for 12 months, which was claimed to have caused a further £350,000 deficit in their books.In 2023, under the leadership of Goatley’s successor Andrew Cornish, the club was placed into “special measures” by the ECB, having been fined £50,000 for financial irregularities and handed a suspended points deduction.In May 2024, shortly after his High Court filing, Middlesex reported Goatley to the police, alleging that about £70,000 in unauthorised expenses had been paid into his personal bank account.In a statement, a Met police spokesperson acknowledged that Middlesex had made allegations of fraud against Goatley, adding that the “nature of the alleged offences were complex and required careful consideration”.”After a thorough and detailed assessment, officers decided on Wednesday 29 January that no criminal offences could be identified,” the spokesperson continued. “The case will be reopened should further investigative opportunities become available.”In a statement, Goatley said he had always maintained his innocence, adding that the police’s finding were “welcome” and came as “no surprise”. He confirmed that he will be continuing his civil claim against Middlesex. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing.Responding to the developments, Middlesex said they were pleased to confirm the recovery of the missing funds after a “lengthy and challenging process”, adding that they comprised £57,000 of cheques paid into Goatley’s bank account and a further £43,000 of ineligible payments made into his pension fund.”We are grateful to the bank and insurance company involved in ensuring that these payments were refunded to the club,” the statement continued. “We have no comment to make on the decision that the Metropolitan Police have reached and their reasoning for doing so.”This story was updated on December 1, 2025, following a clarification of the timeline of events

Neil D’Costa says Marnus Labuschagne has to keep trusting himself as he tries to rediscover his Test form

Andrew McGlashan26-Nov-20242:10

Manjrekar: Bumrah’s contributions ‘unreal’ in all three formats

Marnus Labuschagne’s long-time batting mentor has cautioned him against over-training ahead of the second Test in Adelaide and be less rigid in his gameplan as he attempts to emerge from what is the most serious batting slump since he became an international cricketer.While collectively Australia’s top order is underperforming, Labuschagne is the one squarely in the spotlight after two ugly innings at Optus Stadium. On the first day he laboured to 2 off 52 balls before missing a straight delivery from Mohammed Siraj and on the third evening left a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah that would have smashed the stumps.Related

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The twin failures left Labuschagne with 123 runs from his last 10 innings of which 90 came in one knock against New Zealand in March. Overall this year he is averaging 24.50 in Tests to follow a 2023 where that figure was 34.91 having been above 60 in three of the previous four years.Labuschagne was already back in the nets while the opening Test drew a conclusion in Perth on Monday and was expected to train individually before the squad links back up a day earlier than planned in Adelaide.”I’d probably just half what he usually does. Just try and clear it up a bit,” Neil D’Costa told ESPNcricinfo. “Keep working on reacting more, not having such rigid plans. Every batter goes through this. Almost everyone around 30 years old – I don’t know why it’s that number – seems to have this glitch. He’s a guy we all know, he loves playing cricket. He never leaves a stone unturned. He’s super fit. Does he overthink things? I don’t know, possibly everyone does.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“When someone gets to the stage where they are the No. 1 player in the world, they are going to become a target. He couldn’t keep going. He’d be averaging 80. At some stage, I don’t want to say it had to happen…it happens to a lot of players. They try a bit too hard and like [Virat] Kohli you have to keep trusting yourself, trusting your processes, trust what you do. Go back and find a way the next day.”Labuschagne’s lack of positivity at the crease came under significant focus after his first innings. “The manner that he’s been playing, for me it’s such a negative mindset, and he has been for a little while,” Aaron Finch said on . “What that does, when you’re coming up against great attacks – Jasprit Bumrah is as good as we’ve ever seen, Siraj a very good fast bowler – it just allows them to settle in, you’re not putting much pressure on them, so their margin for error becomes huge.”D’Costa, who has already spoken with Labuschagne since the Test, believed he was within his rights to think he could leave the delivery from Bumrah. “That ball was 8.3 metres [from the stumps], that’s going over the stumps all day, every day,” he said. “It just hit the top of the stumps. With a millisecond to make a decision, he saw the length and let it go and it skidded. Are we going to lose sleep over that? I’m not. Would you like him to score runs, absolutely.”Marnus Labuschagne left a lot of balls in the first innings…and fell leaving one in the second•Associated Press

Labuschagne’s two lbw dismissals in Perth come amid a period where a tendency to be caught playing away from his body had crept into his game which D’Costa partly attributes to him working on his white-ball batting.”If you look at how he plays, he lets a lot of balls go. He always has,” he said. “Think maybe he was working really hard at being a one-day player so for a little while he lost that. And he started nicking. Let me tell you, they [India] bowled so well. They knew exactly he wanted that ball on leg stump. They did not bowl there. If anything, they bowled wide. This team is really well prepared. They executed very well.”After the defeat, captain Pat Cummins acknowledged Labuschagne’s difficulties would be a focal point in the days ahead.”Marn, along with quite a few guys in the team, didn’t have the week we would have wanted,” he said. “It’s no secret how hard the batters, particularly Marn, works in the nets. He’s always trying to find those small marginal gains. This week will be a lot of conversation with the coaches around his approach and what he could be doing differently.”

يستعد فريق ليفربول، بقيادة المدرب آرني سلوت، لبدء مشواره في بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية، 2024/25، مساء يوم الثلاثاء وذلك بمباراته أمام ساوثهامبتون.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وساوثهامبتون في إطار منافسات دور الـ32 من كأس كاراباو، لهذا الموسم.

طالع | فيديو | بدون محمد صلاح.. إيكتيكي يضحي ويقود ليفربول إلى دور الـ16 من كاراباو بفوز صعب أمام ساوثهامبتون

ويدخل ليفربول تلك المباراة وهو منتشي للغاية بعدما حقق فوزه الخامس على التوالي في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي ضد إيفرتون يوم السبت الماضي، بهدفين لهدف، والسادس في مختلف المسابقات.

وأكد المدرب آرني سلوت، قبل يومين، أن العديد من النجوم لن يشاركون في مباراة الثلاثاء ضد ساوثهامبتون من أجل إراحتهم، وعلى رأسهم المصري محمد صلاح. موعد مباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون اليوم في كأس كاراباو

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون اليوم في كأس كاراباو

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة bein sport 2. معلق مباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون اليوم في كأس كاراباو

سيعلق عامر الخوذيري على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Birmingham City’s summer transfer business had seemingly gone quiet in recent weeks after some whirlwind activity in and out of the door early on at St. Andrew’s.

However, the typical chaos associated with the West Midlands side could soon be back on the menu as the Blues edge towards two new deals being completed.

Football League World was the outlet that exclusively dropped the news that Chris Davies and Co were very close to landing the signature of Werder Bremen attacker Marvin Duksch, whilst speedy developments elsewhere have now revealed that ex-Derby County centre-back Eiran Cashin is undergoing a medical to come to the Blues on loan.

Cashin will undoubtedly strengthen an already valiant Birmingham side at the back ahead of Championship football returning to St. Andrew’s, with the 23-year-old’s main footballing education to date coming in the EFL’s division when battling week in week out for the Rams.

What Cashin can bring to Birmingham

Whilst he has found his time at Brighton and Hove Albion to date to be fraught with difficulties, as seen in his two minimal appearances in the Seagulls’ first team picture, the Irishman was a firm fan favourite when he was still plying his trade at Pride Park.

In total, Cashin would go on to make a mammoth 144 appearances for his boyhood side, as his final campaign donning Derby white resulted in him being pushed to his limits as he secured safety for the second-tier strugglers.

Still, the mature 23-year-old gave his all across the full campaign as John Eustace’s men just about kept their heads above water, with a crucial two goals coming his way from 39 Championship appearances, away from also averaging an imposing 6.8 duels won per second-tier match-up.

He shouldn’t be fazed by the prospect of returning to the division, therefore, as the “colossal” centre-back – as he was glowingly labelled by ex-Rams manager Paul Warne – now attempts to fit in next to his new, towering teammates at the back in the form of Christoph Klarer and Krystian Bielik.

Whilst Cashin is a standout buy on the surface, he is only used to that dog-fight mentality in the second tier, with a bigger talent than the former Derby number six now potentially on the agenda as they attempt to make their transition back to Championship life look as smooth as possible.

Birmingham targeting a bigger talent than Cashin

You would anticipate, for the amount of cash that has been thrown about, that the ambition in the Birmingham camp is to take the EFL’s elite division by storm, as opposed to just seeking out immediate safety.

If Mateo Joseph were to finally arrive on the scene at the Blues after being linked consistently with a statement switch this summer, he would want to be competing near the top-end of the division, too, with the £10m striker just fresh off a Championship title success with Leeds United.

Joseph’s league numbers for Leeds (24/25)

Stat

Joseph

Games played

39

Games started

11

Minutes per game

33 mins

Goals scored

3

Assists

3

Stats by Sofascore

The Spanish hotshot’s electric form off the bench for Daniel Farke’s champions last season would surely excite the Birmingham masses as to what he could be capable of at St. Andrew’s, with a blistering six goal contributions coming his way from just 11 league starts.

With Kyogo Furuhashi already at Davies’ disposal, alongside the incoming arrival of Ducksch adding in more firepower, throwing in Joseph into the mix too would make the Blues’ attacking options a real sight to behold.

Arguably, that final addition of the “dynamite” forward – as he’s been labelled by U23 football scout Antonio Mango – might just be the signing Birmingham need to get done to believe they can mount a shock promotion charge when the exciting 2024/25 season kicks off, knowing Joseph has been done and done that in the tiring division before.

Obviously, Cashin will also be a valued addition defensively, as Birmingham navigates the initial step-up.

But, Joseph could be that forward-thinking spark that helps the Blues to step it up a notch, away from merely securing survival.

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They might be lagging behind their rivals in the market at the moment, but it feels like things are finally starting to pick up for Arsenal.

The Premier League runners-up look set to secure the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga for just £5m in the coming days, and more exciting than that, Martin Zubimendi’s move is finally almost wrapped up.

Moreover, Mikel Arteta’s side continue to see themselves linked with the utterly superb Rodrygo, who could be a serious needle-mover in attack.

And now, if recent reports are to be believed, the club are linked with a Premier League star who would be a dream teammate for the Real Madrid winger.

Arsenal plotting attack overhaul

The sagas around Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres might be what’s being talked about most regarding Arsenal this summer, but just behind them, the links to Rodrygo have been exciting fans.

Transfer Focus

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

While the first links to the Brazilian winger originated last year, the more substantive stories started to spring up early last month, with some claiming that approaches had been made and fees of around £85m being banded about.

In recent days, the supposed fee needed to secure the former Santos gem has dropped ever so slightly to anywhere from £70m in some cases to £77m in others, and for a Champions League winner who’s racked up 25 goal involvements in 52 games this season, that doesn’t seem too bad.

In short, it’s hard to imagine Rodrygo joining Arteta’s side this summer and not making a massive difference next season, especially if the North Londoners are also keen on Eberechi Eze.

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, the Crystal Palace star is eager to leave the South London outfit, and his camp has been in discussions with several teams, including Arsenal.

However, there are two potential obstacles to this deal, the first being his £68m release clause and the second being the fact that the player supposedly wants to join Tottenham Hotspur.

With that said, the Gunners have shown a willingness to spend big in the past, and if they went all out for the Englishman and showed him where he’d fit in, we don’t doubt they could hijack the Lilywhites’ potential deal. After all, they will be challenging on all fronts again next year.

It will be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but it’s one Arsenal should be fighting to get done, as Eze would be an excellent addition to the squad and a dream teammate for Rodrygo.

Why Eze would be an excellent teammate for Rodrygo

Fundamentally, the primary reason Eze would be a dream teammate for Rodrygo is the same reason why Bukayo Saka and whoever leads the line for Arsenal next season will also love playing with him: his output.

In 43 appearances for Palace this season, totalling 3303 minutes, the Englishman was able to amass a brilliant haul of 14 goals and 11 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Just imagine how dangerous the Real Madrid star could be with someone as adept at scoring and creating chances behind him in the number ten position.

It would surely send his own goal and assist numbers soaring.

Additionally, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, would be a serious upgrade on Martin Odegaard, who was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

Eze vs Odegaard
Players	Eze	Odegaard
Appearances	43	45
Minutes	3303′	3447′
Goals	14	6
Assists	11	12
Goal Involvements per Match	0.58	0.4
Minutes per Goal Involvement	132.12′	191.5′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Furthermore, on top of being a reliable source of goals and assists, the former QPR star is also a player who tends to favour the left-hand side of midfield – as we can see in his heatmap for this season – so he’d be playing reasonably close to the Brazilian and therefore could form an even closer partnership with him – to the benefit of both.

Ultimately, Rodrygo would be a game-changing signing for Arsenal this summer, but if Arteta and Co want to help extract even more out of him – and the rest of the attack, for that matter – they should be looking to bring in Eze as well.

The new Saliba: Arsenal schedule talks to sign "exceptional" £43m star

The incredible youngster could turn into something truly special at Arsenal.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 25, 2025

With a deal for Florian Wirtz all but wrapped up, the question remains as to just where the exciting German will line up in Arne Slot’s Liverpool side, amid his mega-money arrival from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 22-year-old’s time in the Bundesliga – which yielded 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 games for Leverkusen in all competitions – saw him operate in a number ten berth, or off the left flank, thus handing Slot something to think about heading into next season.

An educated guess would suggest that the youngster is being brought in with the view of replacing Dominik Szoboszlai in a central role, with the workmanlike Hungarian only registering eight goals and nine assists across all fronts last term.

Should that prove to be the case, there is still a headache to be solved on the left flank, not least with both Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo having been linked with exits in recent weeks.

Whether or not the Premier League-winning duo do depart, there is still a need to acquire a nailed-on first-choice in that wide berth – something which could happen if recent speculation is to be believed.

Liverpool targeting move for a new winger

While signing a new centre-forward also remains a priority for Slot and co, it would appear that there is also a focus on strengthening on the flanks, with long-term target Anthony Gordon still seemingly on the agenda.

Further reports have also claimed that Liverpool could be in the mix for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, amid the Brazilian’s uncertain future at the Bernabeu, albeit with it yet to be seen what role the Brazilian will have under new boss, Alonso.

More recently, meanwhile, it has been reported that the Reds are plotting a move for Paris Saint-Germain sensation, Bradley Barcola, with the Premier League champions said to be ready to rival Bayern Munich for the Frenchman’s signature.

Transfer Focus

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

The belief is that Liverpool could continue to spend big even after Wirtz’s arrival, with it likely set to require an offer of over £100m to prise Barcola from the Parc des Princes, after just two seasons in Paris.

For a player who cost £38m amid his move from Lyon in the summer of 2023, the Ligue 1 side would be making a sizeable profit on the 22-year-old if that asking price is met.

The question now is, would Barcola really be worth £100m?

Why Barcola would be a good signing for Liverpool

After a quiet year or so on the transfer front, with Federico Chiesa the only senior arrival last summer, the Merseysiders have sprung into life this time around, with the marquee move for Wirtz showcasing that they aren’t afraid to splash the cash.

Like Wirtz, Barcola would be a long-term addition who can also make an immediate impact, such is his quality at such a young age, having been hailed as “one of the most exciting talents in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Yes, he may have been somewhat overshadowed by Champions League final hero, Desire Doue, of late, although the ex-Lyon starlet is a devastating asset in his own right, as evident by his moment of magic in that Munich showpiece.

Picking the ball up just inside the Inter Milan half, the wing wizard delightfully surged his way into the opposition penalty area, before producing an exquisite drag back that left the goal gaping.

Sadly for those of a PSG persuasion, they were denied what would have been “one of THE great Champions League goals” – as per TNT’s Darren Fletcher – as Barcola hit the side netting, albeit with the build-up alone illustrating just what a talent he is.

That was no flash in the pan either, with the £100m man having been in stunning form throughout 2024/25, after registering 40 goals and assists in 58 games in all competitions, including seven in the Champions League.

For comparison, the aforementioned Gakpo recorded ‘just’ 25 goals and assists during Liverpool’s title-winning season, with only four of those having come in Europe’s premier competition.

Non-penalty goals

0.47

0.47

Assists

0.39

0.20

Shot-creating actions

4.24

3.83

Pass completion

81.9%

75.1%

Progressive passes

3.33

2.66

Progressive carries

5.45

3.13

Successful take-ons

1.74

1.45

Touches in opposition box

8.95

5.35

Progressive passes received

15.17

12.77

As evidenced above too, when comparing the duo across the last 365 days, it is Barcola who comes out on top across a string of metrics, namely assists, progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area – further outlining why he could enhance Slot’s forward line.

To further rubberstamp the point, Barcola already has 54 goals and assists to his name in just 97 games for his current side, while Gakpo is only just ahead on 58 goal involvements, despite playing 128 times for the Reds.

The Dutchman has, of course, proven a hit at Anfield amid his role in Slot’s debut season heroics, but if the club are keen to kick on again and cement their domestic dominance, then a figure like Barcola may be just what is needed.

A bigger mistake than Diaz: Liverpool now in talks to sell £50m star

Liverpool should think twice about parting ways with this talented first-teamer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 12, 2025

Liverpool are pushing to make a series of sweeping changes to Arne Slot’s squad nice and early, thus allowing themselves to kick their feet up and bask in the sun after winning the Premier League.

It’s been a terrific season for the Reds, whose dominance in the top flight established a commanding lead before Christmas, which was held confidently across the latter half of the year.

Only after the Premier League was wrapped up did Liverpool ease their trademark intensity – and by quite a bit at that. Only two points were claimed from a possible 12 to see out the season, with the last taste of victory, a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, securing gold with plenty of room to spare.

Slot has been against heavy rotation for the majority of the campaign, but he has dished out the changes over the past month. However, Darwin Nunez was still limited to cameos, last making a league start on Boxing Day.

The Uruguayan striker is set to leave the club this summer, and rightly so. Everyone wanted it to work out, but he pales in comparison to his predecessors at number nine.

Liverpool's longing for an elite striker

Nunez has the minerals to be a world-class player, but, frankly, he’s failed to bring it all together and must be sold. Such an argument is certainly reinforced when flicking back over some of the contemporary strikers the Merseysiders have been treated to.

Luis Suarez being chief among them, with the Uruguayan, Nunez’s countryman, only surpassed by Mohamed Salah in terms of efficacy and consistency in front of goal at Liverpool, across the past several decades.

However, would it be fair to say Suarez failed to capture the fanbase’s adoration quite to the same level as Fernando Torres in his prime?

It just might. Torres signed as a Liverpool player in 2007, aged 23. The package was worth £20m, and it was widely accepted that Rafael Benitez had scored the Premier League giants a bona fide bargain.

If Liverpool could sign their next version of the Spanish World Cup winner, they may well be laughing all the way toward a successful Premier League title defence.

And they might just be in the race for such a player.

Liverpool moving to sign new Torres

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Liverpool are firmly in the race for Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who left Manchester City to play under Diego Simeone in an £82m deal last summer.

Transfer Focus

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

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Liverpool have reportedly ‘sounded out a move’, but Arsenal and Barcelona are also interested, with the Gunners understood to have the lead in the race at this stage.

Los Colchoneros don’t want to sell their talisman, of course, but they would entertain offers that exceed what they paid to City one year ago. He supposedly has a £126m release clause, but this might prove a tad steep.

Why Alvarez could be Slot's own Torres

Liverpool would do anything to have a striker in the same vein as Torres back in the mix, and Alvarez truly could be that man.

This season, the “ridiculous” forward – as he’s been called by Statman Dave – has been a revelation for Atletico Madrid, scoring 29 goals and adding six assists across all competitions, including a seven-goal haul from ten matches in the Champions League.

This newfound level of potency marks progress from his days under Pep Guardiola’s wing, perhaps because he has been upgraded to a berth of greater importance.

Julian Alvarez – Career Stats by Club/Nation

Club/nation

Apps

Goals

Assists

River Plate

122

54

31

Manchester City

103

36

19

Atletico Madrid

53

29

6

Argentina

44

12

33

Data via Transfermarkt

Journalist Roy Nemer even made the bold statement that Alvarez has been “the best forward in the world” this season, with his 29-goal return in Simeone’s Atletico team making a convincing comment on his qualities and indeed capacity to reach even higher in another system.

Slot’s system? Just imagine. Alvarez is sharpening his developing prolific sense at the front of Liverpool’s team, backed up by the likes of Salah and Florian Wirtz, with Bayer Leverkusen receiving an official proposal from the Anfield side on Monday.

There’s a real chance that Slot’s creative capacity would know no bounds with such players threading passes in toward a mobile and dynamic focal point such as Alvarez.

As per FBref, the Argentina star ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues this season for all of shot-creating actions, passes attempted and progressive carries, as well as the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons made per 90.

All told, he’s the “complete player”, as described by Marca editor Matias Wodner. And in a way, this suggests he could become Liverpool’s new version of El Nino, especially given that Liverpool would be reeling him in from Atletico Madrid.

When Torres arrived at Liverpool, his prowess was undeniable, but there was clearly room for improvement. This was perfectly enforced. Before leaving contentiously for Chelsea, the iconic striker scored 81 goals and added 19 assists across just 142 fixtures in a Liverpool shirt.

His pace, sharp movements and lethal finishing led one Steven Gerrard to describe him as the “best striker in the world” back in 2009, with something in the Anfield air eliciting the finest form of the Spain star’s career, vindicated upon a high-profile move to Stamford Bridge which stocked Torres’ trophy cabinet but failed to yield the same prolific results.

If Alvarez were to make the move to Merseyside this summer, though, you could envisage a long-term future in Slot’s squad to be sure.

The 25-year-old has already won the Premier League twice, posting 31 goal involvements across his two campaigns despite only starting 44 matches in total.

He’s the real deal, and with rumours surfacing that Atletico are interested in talking to Liverpool about the potential signing of Nunez, this might be one to keep a close eye on.

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Chelsea reached the final of the Conference League courtesy of a 5-1 aggregate victory over Swedish side Djurgarden in midweek.

Ending the season with a trophy could be a catalyst for the Blues to improve even further in 2025/26.

Enzo Maresca will be determined to succeed, but even more importantly, is the fact that he has blooded several youngsters into the team, notably Tyrique George.

With the summer transfer window opening in a few weeks, might the Italian be aiming to sign another talented forward?

Chelsea plot move for Borussia Dortmund starlet

According to reports, the Blues have earmarked Dortmund starlet Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as a player under serious consideration this summer.

The Stamford Bridge side are currently in contact with the Englishman regarding a potential deal and if they secure Champions League qualification, it could help their cause massively.

Previously valued at €100m (£85m), Gittens’ asking price has now dropped to ‘just’ €50m (£42m) as he doesn’t fit the system of Niko Kovač, which could open the door for Chelsea to make their move.

If they did bring the youngster to London, they would be signing one of the most talented wingers in Germany.

Transfer Focus

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

He is certainly a bigger talent than George. That’s for sure.

Why Chelsea must sign Jamie Gittens

Since making his senior debut for the Blues earlier this season, the 19-year-old has now racked up 23 appearances in all competitions.

Not one to be fazed by performing at the highest level, the teenager has scored twice and chipped in with five assists, helping the club reach yet another European final.

He will only continue to get better, especially if Maresca keeps utilising him in this Chelsea squad. Signing Gittens, however, would perhaps take the club to the next level.

Making his debut for Dortmund all the way back during the 2021/22 season, Gittens has made over 100 appearances for the club. A total of 31 goal contributions have been recorded in this time as he has emerged as a player to watch out for in the coming years.

Goals

8

Assists

3

Big chances created

6

Key passes per game

0.7

Successful dribbles per game

2.6

Shots per game

1.7

Hailed as a “wonderkid” by Statman Dave in November 2023, Gittens has the talent to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham, who both made huge moves abroad after shining in Germany.

Despite his tender years, he is already playing like an experienced winger. Indeed, when compared to positional peers, Gittens currently ranks in the top 8% for progressive carries (5.55) and in the top 1% for successful take-ons (3.62) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

This ability to advance the ball into dangerous areas while being able to beat his marker could give Maresca something extra in the final third next season.

George’s emergence from academy starlet to first-team regular shows that the club aren’t going to be totally reliant on the transfer market.

But when a talent like Gittens is available, it would be foolish not to try and sign him. Especially for a fee of £42m.

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