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Liverpool have endured somewhat of an injury crisis in midfield already this season and the signing of Arthur Melo on Deadline Day was made to bolster the centre of the pitch, but now Jurgen Klopp may have changed his mind on the player.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Tutto Mercato Web, Liverpool could cut short their season-long loan deal with Arthur if they make a midfielder signing in January.

As per the report, Klopp is not particularly keen on what he has seen from the Brazilian so far and the club will keep their eye out for a potential permanent signing they can snap up in the winter transfer window so that they can send Arthur back to Juventus.

It would be a big risk

Considering the position that Liverpool have found themselves since the start of the season, it would be a big risk to let go of any midfield reinforcements even if the club do manage to secure a permanent signing to add to the depth in January.

The Reds’ midfield options are some of the most injury-prone players in the team with Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thiago Alcantara all sustaining injuries of the last few weeks and months, which would suggest that they need more than just one midfielder to cover the three key roles in the centre of the pitch.

Not only that Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all in the last 12 months of their contracts and at present, there are no indication that the three players will remain a part of the squad at Anfield beyond next summer.

As a result, signing just one midfielder in January may not be enough to strengthen the side especially if Liverpool are still in all European and domestic competitions in the new year, so letting go of Arthur – whether he is in Klopp’s plans or not – could be a big mistake.

The £125k-per-week ace has only been featured for 13 minutes so far since joining the Merseyside giants with his arrival coinciding with the return of Thiago, who earlier this month recently recovered from a hamstring injury.

It will be interesting to see if Arthur will get opportunities over the next few months before the transfer window reopens again.

Nottingham Forest have made an offer to sign VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Aster Vranckx this summer, report L’Equipe (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Rise to prominence

Signed from Belgian outfit KV Mechelen in 2021, Vranckx has gone from strength to strength since arriving in Germany, having made 47 first-team appearances for his previous employers, where he came through the academy system.

The 19-year-old Belgium youth international made 28 outings last season for the Bundesliga side, scoring twice whilst operating centrally and in wide areas to showcase impressive versatility.

Having previously been linked to Vranckx, a fresh report emerging from France has claimed that Forest did more than just show their interest…

The latest: Offer made

As per L’Equipe, translated by SW, the three-cap Under 21 starlet is understood to have ‘received offers’ from Nottingham Forest, Fiorentina and Bologna this summer.

It’s claimed that Lille are also attentive to the situation surrounding Vranckx and a move could still be on the cards before the end of the transfer window.

The report makes no mention of the details of the offer for the youngster – who was billed as a ‘very exciting’ prospect by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – but previous reports have claimed that he could be available for around €8million (£6.7million).

The lowdown: Try again

Albeit the midfield department has already been strengthened with the signings of Lewis O’Brien, Orel Mangala and Cheikhou Kouyate, adding a supremely talented and versatile operator such as Vranckx to Steve Cooper’s ranks would be a significant capture.

Sharing a similar stylistic likeness to proven Premier League performers such as Conor Gallagher, Joelinton and Jeffrey Schlupp (FBref), the teenage Belgian seemingly has all the attributes required to make the grade in the English top flight.

Earning a reported £15,000 per week, signing Vranckx at the aforementioned asking price should be an affordable venture for the City Ground hierarchy and Dane Murphy even alongside the rumoured move for Neal Maupay.

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Che Adams this summer, and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s pursuit of the player in the final weeks of the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to transfer insider and journalist Dean Jones, Nottingham Forest are “trying to sign” Southampton striker Adams.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“I do wonder about this Nottingham Forest interest. I think there’s something in that and I think that Forest are trying to sign him.

“I mean, Nottingham Forest, I’ve lost count now, but I think they’ve signed 12 players. Their aim for this window was to sign 15 players.”

Imagine him & Gibbs-White

Forest have already signed a number of new players to strengthen their team ahead of their campaign in the Premier League, however, following their first defeat in their first game against Newcastle United at the weekend, Steve Cooper will surely be hoping to resolve some of the issues displayed so far.

The Reds weren’t capable of taking anything from their opening game of the season on their visit to St James’ Park on Saturday, and the lack of attacking threat will surely be a concern for Cooper.

Forest failed to register a single shot on target against the Magpies and didn’t create a single big chance either, something that will need to be quickly resolved if the newly-promoted side want to start picking up points to have any chance of remaining in the top-flight next season.

As a result, the pursuit of Adams could be the perfect opportunity to strengthen and improve the attacking threat, along with the chances needed to be created in front of goal over the campaign ahead.

Over 30 Premier League appearances last season, the £15m striker scored seven goals, delivered three assists and created 31 big chances, as well as making 17 key passes, proving that he could be a very valuable asset to Cooper if a deal can be done.

The Saints striker was not only impressing in league football, as Adams was lavished with praise for his performances last year for national side Scotland with Ally McCoist dubbing the player a “breath of fresh air” in the team:

“He’s come away from matches bursting with confidence and it has shown in his club displays. Since then, he scored against the likes of Manchester United at Old Trafford and away to Spurs as well. He has been a breath of fresh air for us.”

Forest are also trying to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer with three bids already rejected, but if they can strike up a deal with Wolves, it could be a double boost for Cooper in his attempts to inject more creativity in front of goal.

Gibbs-White scored 11 goals, delivered nine assists and created 16 big chances for Sheffield United whilst on loan with the Championship side last season, so if the Welsh manager can combine the strong anchor play of Adams with the 22-year-old’s playmaking talents, it could cause non-stop nightmares for opponents coming up against them.

With that being said, the signing of Adams could be just what Cooper needs at The City Ground to further improve his team and get the side more creative in attacking play as they come up against tough competition in the top tier.

Combine the forward with a dose of Gibbs-White and the Garibaldi could strike gold. It’s a mouth-watering combination just waiting to happen.

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Maxwel Cornet, and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to talkSPORT, Newcastle are preparing to trigger the £17.5m release clause of Burnley forward Cornet this summer.

As per the report, Eddie Howe is looking to strengthen his front line ahead of the new season and has identified the striker as a target, but Everton are also keen to sign Cornet too, whilst Nottingham Forest failed to agree on personal terms.

He’d be a great signing

The Magpies have already added three new faces to their squad this summer, but they remain on the lookout for a star striker, and with Cornet effective when deployed at centre-forward – he is capable of offering a great deal to Howe if the Magpies can seal a deal for the player.

Cornet has tonnes of experience playing across the front three, in left midfield and at left-back – giving the Newcastle manager the opportunity to sign a player with great versatility as well as the quality needed in each position to be reliable.

The £44k-per-week Ivorian sensation had a fantastic debut season in English football, scoring nine goals and delivering one assist – finishing the season as the top goalscorer for the Clarets – but it wasn’t enough to stop the side from being relegated on the final day.

Despite a difficult relegation battle, it didn’t stop Cornet from drawing high praise for his performances, with his former team-mate Nick Pope hailing the forward “quality” and journalist Alex James even claiming Cornet was “the best summer signing” last season.

Howe could even form a formidable attacking partnership between Callum Wilson and Cornet next season, combining the Burnley star’s eye for a goal-scoring opportunity and Wilson’s hunger for goals, a duo that could be an absolute nightmare for their opponents this season.

With that being said, the signing of Cornet could well prove to be one the Magpies’ best addition this summer, however, they will need to put in their offer soon with Everton and Nottingham Forest also keeping an eye on the player.

AND in other news: “Back in…”: Sky Sports journo drops NUFC transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

Everton have only made one signing so far but continue to be linked with a number of players this summer, and now an update has emerged on an offer made for a new transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Everton have made a loan offer for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tangana.

Longari tweeted:

“Many admirers for Tanganga as anticipated last month. Milan but also Napoli closely follow the central of the THFC which also has requests on loan from the Premier as Southampton and Everton. An Italian adventure teases the English defender.”

Frank needs him badly

It is no secret that Everton struggled in the Premier League last season with a relegation scrap that left the side vulnerable to a drop into the Championship, but ultimately they managed to secure survival on the penultimate game of the season.

There were a number of issues Frank Lampard’s squad faced over the season with the side suffering a major injury crisis for the majority of the season and having the worst injury record per 1,000 minutes in the Premier League, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin in particular missing the majority of the season through injury.

Not only did the Toffees suffer a number of injury issues to key players, their performances on the pitch were atrocious and the side ended the season conceding 23 more goals than they scored with Jamie Carragher branding the Everton defence “a Championship back four”.

As a result, it’s clear Lampard needs to address and improve the team’s defensive play, and signing Tanganga could be a great opportunity to do so.

Despite the 6 foot 1 monster’s limited game time with Spurs, he has proven that he can offer fantastic defensive attributes and reliability in the back-line when he has been given the opportunity to play.

Last season over 11 Premier League appearances, Tanganga who was hailed “really special” by Gary Neville made 1.3 tackles, 2.7 clearances and won 3.8 duels on average per game, as well as being successful in completing the majority of his dribble attempts too (71%).

With that being said, the signing of Tanganga could be a major coup for Everton as they attempt to rectify their issues and improve ahead of next season, and the 23-year-old could gain more game time and development at Goodison Park.

AND in other news: Alan Myers delivers seven-word Everton transfer claim that’ll leave supporters excited

Tottenham Hotspur could finally axe one of their struggling stars as they line up a move for a former academy graduate…

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the north London outfit are tracking their former winger Noni Madueke ahead of a potential move this summer after an exciting breakthrough at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.

Verified journalist Sean Walsh relayed the report from his colleague Graham Bailey, claiming that Spurs were among multiple Premier League teams “keeping tabs” on the 20-year-old.

Leeds United and Newcastle United have also been mooted with interest, though it remains to be seen how much the Englishman would command. Transfermarkt currently value him at £16.2m.

Bye-bye Bergwijn

Given the arrival of Richarlison from Everton this week, and Dejan Kulusevski remaining on loan in N17, the arrival of another winger would certainly raise questions.

However, strength in depth will be required this season as the Lilywhites will be competing in the Champions League, and in a bid to compete on all fronts, manager Antonio Conte will need an array of options.

Behind the aforementioned duo, there is little quality, with Steven Bergwijn proving to be something of a flop ever since his £27m move from PSV in January 2020.

The 24-year-old lightweight has been linked with a switch to Ajax all summer, so the arrival of Madueke could certainly allow the Italian head coach to finally axe the Jose Mourinho signing.

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Bergwijn has managed just one start under Conte since his arrival in November, so it’s evident that he’s just not fancied by the manager.

The former Hotspur Way starlet could be an intriguing replacement and a likely upgrade in the role, considering his form for the Eredivisie side.

Over the last two seasons, Madueke scored 18 goals and laid on a further 14 assists across the Dutch top-flight, Dutch cup and all three of UEFA’s European club competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Given the fact that Bergwijn has only managed 18 goal contributions across his 83 appearances for Spurs, it’s clear that the England U21 international would be a better option, not to mention the homegrown benefits he’d bring, too.

Former PSV midfielder Tommie van de Leegte has been left impressed by Madueke’s impact over in Europe, telling Omroep Brabant (via Goal): “He’s fast and has the capability to trick his opponent. He brings creativity and is very explosive in his actions.”

On the above evidence, sporting director Fabio Paratici would be wise to follow up their interest with a firm bid as it would allow them to sell Bergwijn to Ajax and, at the same time, improve Conte’s squad.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops Christian Eriksen update…

After a disappointing Champions League final for Liverpool the supporters were hit with more bad news as it was reported that Sadio Mane plans to leave the club this summer, and now a reliable source has given an update from the club’s perspective.

What’s the latest?

Liverpool reporter for The Athletic James Pearce has given a deeper insight into the potential departure of Sadio Mane this summer and how the club are set to approach the situation.

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As per Pearce’s report for The Athletic, senior sources at Anfield have revealed that the club will not accept the reported €30m (£25.5m) and the club believes that it would be more beneficial to keep the player for another 12 months and let him go on a free transfer in 2023.

However, Liverpool value Mane at around €50m (£42.5m) and would only be interested in sanctioning a deal for the winger if they can find a suitable replacement this summer.

Supporters will be gutted

Mane has been a consistent and outstanding performer for Liverpool over the last six years since he joined the club in 2016, and has played a key part in winning huge honours including the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Not only that, the Senegalese attacker has won the Premier League golden boot and finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or in 2019, proving that he has been considered one of the best players in the world during his time on Merseyside, so supporters will surely be gutted at the prospect of him leaving this summer.

The rumoured decision on Mane’s part to leave the club comes as he has one year left on his contract alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, and it was believed earlier this month that FSG would work to open contract negotiations with the two wingers in particular to secure their future at Anfield.

With that being said, Pearce’s update does offer an element of positivity for supporters as Liverpool are clearly not ready to let the player go easily and will work to either find a like for like replacement to make sure the club does not suffer from Mane’s exit in the upcoming season should they reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial.

Either way, the news that a player who has scored 120 times for them is set to depart is not ideal at all. It’s certainly a huge blow to Klopp’s Anfield empire.

AND in other news: Forget Mane: Klopp can land new LFC hero in deal for “tenacious” £100m “predator”

Liverpool have reportedly held a long term interest in West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen, and now a new update has emerged on the club’s intentions to make a move for the player this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Liverpool are “keeping an eye” on Bowen ahead of the summer transfer window.

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Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “Right now, it will be Declan Rice that gets all the transfer headlines, but Liverpool have been linked with Jarrod Bowen in the last year and they’re keeping an eye on that situation and I think other clubs in the top four or five would like to have him in their squad going forward.”

Klopp loves him

The signing of Bowen has been one that has been highly anticipated for a long time with the player linked to Liverpool back in the summer transfer window last year, and since then the player has only got better following an impressive season with the Hammers.

The 25-year-old star has scored 18 goals and contributed 13 assists in all competitions, with a goal involvement every 131 minutes which is an incredible attacking output that would put him in a position to compete for a spot in the Liverpool team, with a better G/A than Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota this season in fewer appearances.

His talent has not gone unnoticed by the Reds boss who holds Bowen in high regard praising him when given the opportunity to in a pre-match press conference when Liverpool played West Ham earlier this season.

Klopp told the press (via Mirror Online): “Bowen, what a player he became.

“He was at Hull as well but I don’t think anybody expected this kind of jump. Unbelievable player.”

With that in mind, the German coach would surely love to sign him in the future.

It is unlikely that the player’s current club would be happy to let Bowen leave for a reasonable amount as he has been a key player for him over the last few seasons, and reports suggest Liverpool would need to pay somewhere in the region of £75m.

Ultimately, at the moment it would be hard to see how Bowen could fit into the already heavily rotated forward line after the signing of Luis Diaz in January, but if he was to sign for the Kopites it would be a huge coup for Klopp and could add even more strength to an already dominating attacking threat on Merseyside.

AND in other news: Forget Tchouameni: FSG can get Anfield rocking with LFC deal for “dangerous” £21m tank

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst could be set for a fresh injury lift after an update on Kemar Roofe’s injury situation…

What’s the latest?

According to The Scotsman, the striker has an ‘outside chance’ of being fit for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final clash.

The report claims that he has been in a hyperbaric chamber this week in a bid to speed up his recovery from a knee problem. He will be out for the first leg and for the Old Firm match on Sunday and Rangers are now targeting next Thursday (5th May) as a possible return date.

Gio will be buzzing

Van Bronckhorst will surely be buzzing with this news as it suggests that Roofe may be available for selection next week if the hyperbaric chamber is able to work its magic and get him back fit for the second leg.

The Dutch head coach is without first-choice striker Alfredo Morelos for the rest of the season due to injury and this means that the ex-Leeds man’s injury is doubly concerning as it leaves the Gers with no recognised centre-forward options. Fashion Sakala can play through the middle but is mainly deployed out wide on the right, which is why getting Roofe back will be a big boost for the club.

His injury was a major blow for Rangers as he was hitting form at the right time in the season. Prior to his knock, he scored four goals and provided two assists in his last six outings for the club in all competitions – including a crucial strike against Braga in the last round in Europe to send the Light Blues through to the last four.

This suggests that he would have had a big impact against RB Leipzig in Germany this week, and against Celtic on Sunday, as he has been in red-hot form in front of goal in recent weeks. Instead, he will be watching on from the sidelines as the Gers fight through these two huge matches without a natural number nine to call upon.

Hopefully, Rangers can head into the second leg at Ibrox without a heavy deficit to overturn and Roofe will be able to come back into the team to make the difference at the top end of the pitch. Van Bronckhorst, given the forward’s recent run of goals, will be buzzing with the prospect of having the former Anderlecht man back.

AND in other news, Wilson masterclass: Rangers must brutally axe 26 y/o dud who’s an “all-round shambles”…

Rajasthan Royals are reaping benefits of making Jos Buttler open in their last five games. And they have rain to thank for it

S Rajesh15-May-2018If Rajasthan Royals do make the playoffs this season, they will thank the rains in Delhi on May 2, which arrived during their game against Delhi Daredevils and reduced their chase to just 12 overs. With just 72 balls to play to get to a target of 151, Royals rejigged the batting order and promoted Jos Buttler, who had been languishing in the middle order until then, to open the innings. Though Royals lost that game narrowly, they have been on a roll recently, winning three on the trot. Much of the credit for that belongs to Buttler, who has scored two unbeaten 90s in consecutive winning chases, against Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.In five innings at the top of the order, Buttler has passed 50 each time, becoming only the second batsman after Virender Sehwag to score five successive fifties in the IPL. In these five innings, he has amassed 389 runs in 236 balls at a conventional strike rate of 164.83; in seven innings in the middle order earlier, he had scored 120 at a strike rate of 126.31.Jos Buttler has clearly flourished at the top•ESPNcricinfo LtdWhen viewed through the prism of Smart Stats, ESPNcricinfo’s new suite of metrics which take into account match context, Buttler’s numbers in the last couple of weeks are even more impressive. In April, when he batted in the middle order, Buttler’s Smart Strike Rate – a metric which takes into account the match strike rate and the scoring rate at the other end when he was batting – was a mere 114.72. His Smart Runs Index (SRI), which compares the smart runs scored by the batsman in an innings with the average smart runs scored historically by other batsmen at the same point of entry, was -3.59, which means he was performing below par in the historical context.Since moving to the opening slot, his Smart Strike Rate has zoomed to 200, and his Smart Runs Index is 65.13, which means he has outperformed the average batsman who has come in at the same stage, by 65 runs. That is a huge improvement on his earlier numbers. In fact, in terms of SRI, Buttler is on top of the IPL charts in May, seven ahead of Rishabh Pant, and 25 ahead of KL Rahul, the two other batsmen who have been in top form this season.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn the last five matches, Buttler has scored a whopping 50.1% of Royals’ runs scored off the bat, while the average run rate for their opening partnerships has increased to 11.42, the best among all teams in this period. Before he started opening, the run rate was 7.82, fifth among all teams.Jos Buttler has scored more than half of Rajasthan Royals’ runs in May•ESPNcricinfo LtdRoyals took a while to figure out the best slot for Buttler, but luckily they have done so in time for them to mount a strong challenge for the playoffs. With two games to go and everything to play for, they need Buttler to continue his outstanding run.