Tag Futebol

Here’s something that hasn’t been said for a while: is it an exciting time to be an Evertonian?

On Saturday, the Toffees’ men’s first team played their first-ever match at Hill Dickinson Stadium, a pre-season friendly against Roma, preparing to welcome Brighton to Bramley-Moore Dock for the first-ever Premier League fixture there in under a fortnight.

Meantime, the Friedkin Group completed their takeover in December, bringing to an end Farhad Moshiri’s ill-fated reign, while returning hero David Moyes steadied the ship after being re-appointed manager, so they’ll go into the new season with optimism.

With that in mind, could the Blues be about to make a big splash in the transfer market by signing an “explosive” young talent?

Everton's next business in the transfer window

As the table below documents, Everton have already spent around £78m this summer.

Everton’s summer signings 2025
Players	Position	Selling club	Fee
Dewsbury-Hall	Midfielder	Chelsea	£25m
Barry	Striker	Villarreal	£27m
Alcaraz	Midfielder	Flamengo	£15m
Aznou	Left-back	Bayern Munich	£7.8m
Travers	Goalkeeper	Bournemouth	£4m

On top of all these confirmed signings, David Ornstein and Gregg Evans of the Athletic reported on Monday morning that Everton ‘have agreed a deal’ to sign Jack Grealish on a season-long loan from Manchester City.

The England international played just 715 minutes in the Premier League last season, very much seeking to re-launch his career on Merseyside, but the Blues might not be finished there, potentially eyeing a player reminiscent of a young Grealish.

That’s because, according to Toffees insider Alan Myers, manager Moyes is tempted by the idea of signing winger Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town.

Nottingham Forest have already seen a £35m bid rejected by the Tractor Boys, who paid £22m to Chelsea to make Hutchinson’s move to Suffolk permanent just 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.

With Brentford also in the hunt, journalist Graeme Bailey believes the 21-year-old to be valued at around £40m, which would make him Everton’s third-most expensive signing of all time, behind only Richarlison.

Nevertheless, new owners the Friedkins, are ambitious, so could Hutchinson be their statement signing ahead of the new stadium era?

What Omari Hutchinson would bring to Everton

Despite his tender age, Hutchinson has been highly rated for many years now, most notably seen as one of Arsenal’s finest young talents, before he made the move across London to join Chelsea in the summer of 2022.

He saw just 49 minutes of senior football in a Chelsea shirt, but has really exploded onto the scene at Ipswich Town, a key figure in their promotion-winning campaign, before also impressing even though the Tractor Boys suffered Premier League relegation.

During the summer too, Hutchinson was a key figure as England retained the U21 European Championships, starting five of the six matches, scoring during the victory over Germany in the final at Bratislava.

Said to possess “explosive speed” by one Arsenal content creator, he’s left many impressed by his excellent work rate and ability to drive at defenders.

Indeed, Simon Johnson of the Athletic believes that his “flair” makes him “such a joy to watch”, citing Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna who stated “he works really, really hard… and he has got a great mindset”.

That explosive dribbling ability certainly sounds reminiscent of a young Grealish, so let’s assess how the duo compare to one another.

Hutchinson 24/25 vs Grealish 19/20
Statistics	Hutchinson	Grealish
Appearances	31	36
Minutes	2,593	3,234
Goals	3	8
Assists	2	5
All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:
Shots	1.6	2
Shots on target %	40%	31.9%
Progressive carries	97	212
Attempted take-ons	137	117
Take-on success %	37.2%	62.4%
Big chances created	0.21	0.22
Shot-creating actions	2.82	5.51
Goal-creating actions	0.21	0.5

As the table documents, Grealish’s statistics from the 2019/20 campaign – the peak so far of his career – are more impressive than those of Hutchinson last season, although there are caveats and the numbers are comparable when it comes to key metrics.

That season, Grealish was 24 years old, three years older than Hutchinson is right now, while it was his seventh season as a senior professional, compared to just Hutchinson’s second.

Thus, it’s no surprise that Grealish’s numbers are largely more impressive, although there are clear stylistic similarities, with Hutchinson actually attempting more take-ons, while the duo created a near-identical number of big chances per-90.

During his heyday at Aston Villa, Richard Jolly of the Independent believed Grealish was ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’, a statement that could well be said about Hutchinson in the near future, so will the pair become teammates at Everton by the end of this month?

Shades of Barkley: Big-money "magician" now "in agreement" to join Everton

Everton could soon sign a new playmaker who possesses shades of Ross Barkley’s exciting game.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 11, 2025

Sams hit legspinner Lloyd Pope for 31 runs in the 19th over to stun Adelaide Strikers

Tristan Lavalette17-Dec-2024

Daniel Sams teed off for 42 off 18 to get Sydney Thunder home in a close one•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Late heroics from Daniel Sams and a dazzling BBL debut from Sam Konstas ensured David Warner started his Sydney Thunder captaincy reign with a remarkable victory over Adelaide Strikers in Canberra.Chasing 183 in good batting conditions at Manuka Oval, Thunder appeared on track when Konstas smashed 56 off 27 balls at the top of the order. The 19-year-old became the youngest player in BBL history to hit a half-century and also made the fastest 50 in Thunder history.But Thunder fell away after Konstas’ dismissal and needed an unlikely 33 runs off the last two overs before Sams bludgeoned legspinner Lloyd Pope in a 19th over yielding 31 runs.Sams finished the game on the fourth ball of the last over with a boundary off allrounder Jamie Overton as Thunder ended a five-game losing streak to Strikers in stunning fashion.It was a heartbreaking result for new Strikers coach Tim Paine, who has replaced Jason Gillespie in the role.Related

Munro touch and go for Heat opener, Johnson and Neser missing

Blake Macdonald joins Stars as Maxwell cover

Calm Henriques sees Sixers through tricky chase against new-look Renegades

Doggett released for BBL duty with Adelaide Strikers

Konstas stars, Sams turns the matchAll eyes were on Thunder’s opening pair fusing an Australian cricket great and the country’s next big batting hope.In a sign of things to come, Konstas started with a boundary before Warner followed by reverse sweeping the spin of Matt Short. But Warner didn’t last long after a leading edge off seamer Henry Thornton was caught at extra cover.Thunder fans in the terraces collectively groaned before their spirits were soon raised when Konstas underlined why he’s such an exciting prospect. He executed a variety of audacious shots, including several scoops and a bludgeon over cover. His biggest blow was a huge strike off Thornton over deep midwicket that sailed into the crowd.Konstas, who received his Thunder cap from Warner, entered the record books when he reached his half-century before falling lbw to Fabian Allen.Thunder failed to regain the momentum and appeared to be petering out to a defeat. Sams had struggled initially and survived a caught behind appeal from Thornton with the not out decision upheld on review.Sams then rediscovered his big-hitting prowess in the nick of time with an assault on Pope, which included three sixes and three boundaries. He finished with 42 off 18 balls to snatch an improbable win for Thunder.Allen’s injury proves costly for Strikers West Indies’ Allen was recruited by Strikers to add to their allround depth. After he missed out with the bat, Allen’s left-arm spin proved invaluable when he dismissed Konstas.Allen bowled accurately in his two overs, conceding just 10 runs. But his BBL debut was soured when he injured his right hamstring after diving near the ropes down the ground in an effort to stop a boundary from Sam Billings.He limped off the field to leave Strikers’ attack shorthanded and his absence proved crucial. Allen probably would have bowled at the death with Short having to resort to Pope in a decision that backfired.Chris Green struck in each of his first three overs•Getty Images

Successful Ferguson debut; spin twins shineThere was a lot of excitement over pace recruit Lockie Ferguson, who made his BBL debut after rejecting a central contract with New Zealand Cricket. He bowled with trademark fire to finish with 3 for 24 from four overs, with all of his wicket-taking deliveries rattling the stumps. He was clearly the pick of the Thunder quicks.Chris Green and Tanveer Sangha also performed well and helped put Thunder in a strong position with a combined 5 for 54 from eight overs.Having given the leadership reins to Warner, Green can better focus on his offspin and he started the season superbly with the wickets of top-order batters Jake Weatherald, Chris Lynn and Harry Nielsen.Not a prodigious turner of the ball, Green cleverly slid the ball on and forced batters into errors, while legspinner Sangha dismissed Allen and Alex Ross as he mixed up his speeds to good effect.Weatherald justifies the faithWeatherald opened and he was preferred ahead of D’Arcy Short, who was at the top of Strikers’ order last season.Weatherald initially took a back seat to his captain Short, who smashed quick Nathan McAndrew through the covers for a first ball boundary. After struggling through the white-ball series against Pakistan, Short hoped to rediscover his form in a tournament where he won last season’s best player award.But Short’s desire to whack every delivery backfired when he was bowled in the second over by a sharp in-swinger from Ferguson in a rare BBL failure for him.Weatherald wasn’t rattled as he unfurled a counterattack with two sixes in three deliveries off McAndrew to ignite his innings. Entering the BBL after a strong start to the Sheffield Shield season, Weatherald’s confidence was evident with clean striking marked by a sweet sound that was music to his ears.His power and placement was impeccable as he raced to 40 but on his 19th delivery he holed out after miss-timing a slog sweep off Green as Strikers fell away.They slumped to 101 for 6 in the 13th over and appeared to be falling well short of a competitive total. But their innings flipped with the power surge, as Oveton and James Bazley whacked 33 runs across the 15th and 16th overs.Bazley entered with a career strike-rate in the BBL of 122 but he more than doubled that with a whirlwind 31 runs off 12 balls. Overton is relied upon to be Strikers’ finisher and he didn’t let the team down with four sixes.

The standards were set right from the word go under Arne Slot, with the title-winning Dutchman memorably hooking young Jarell Quansah at the break during Liverpool’s opening day win over Ipswich Town back in August.

A rising star under Jurgen Klopp, the 22-year-old had been tipped by many, including BBC pundit Nedum Onuoha, to be the successor to teammate Virgil van Dijk, both positionally and as captain, having made 34 appearances in all competitions in 2023/24.

Under the new regime, the England U21 star seemingly failed to recover from that afternoon at Portman Road, having made just three further starts in the Premier League last time out.

Sidelined to the periphery under Slot, the academy graduate has since been surprisingly shown the door this summer, albeit with the Reds able to take in a handsome £35m fee, following that intriguing switch to Bayer Leverkusen.

Whether that proves the correct course of action in the long term remains to be seen, although in the short term it has left the Merseysiders noticeably short on depth at centre-back – a fact only heightened by the situation surrounding Ibrahima Konate.

The latest on Ibrahima Konate's future

Liverpool’s last senior signing in the centre of defence, Konate has enjoyed an impressive four-year stint at Anfield, having notably started 30 league games as Slot’s men romped to the title in 2024/25.

Almost a guaranteed starter alongside Van Dijk in recent times – not least with Joe Gomez hampered by injury last season – the Frenchman should seemingly be content with his current standing at Anfield, right?

Well, according to recent speculation, it would appear not, with prior claims suggesting that the 26-year-old is demanding a sizeable increase on his current £70k-per-week salary.

Liverpool’s top earners – 2025/26
Player	Weekly wage
Mo Salah	£400k
Virgil van Dijk	£350k
Florian Wirtz	£195k
Andrew Robertson	£160k
Federico Chiesa	£150k
Alisson	£150k
Alexis Mac Allister	£150k
Ryan Gravenberch	£150k
Darwin Nunez	£140k
Figures via Capology

That uncertainty has been increased as the former RB Leipzig man only has 12 months remaining on his existing deal, with the latest reports coming out of Spain indicating that he could be willing to run down that contract, in the hope of joining Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid.

Amid the prospect of that free transfer exit, further Spanish reports have claimed that Liverpool could even be open to selling Konate this summer should he continue to refuse a new deal.

Such a prospect has only heightened the need for a replacement…

Liverpool's search for a centre-back

The leading figure to usurp Konate’s place alongside Van Dijk appears to be Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, with prior reports suggesting that personal terms have even been agreed with the Eagles skipper.

With just a year left on his own deal at Selhurst Park, Guehi is also at something of a crossroads in his career, albeit with it yet to be seen if Palace will cash in, having rejected multiple bids from Newcastle United last summer.

Amid the need to also consider alternatives to the 24-year-old, journalist David Lynch has named Parma’s Giovanni Leoni and Wolfsburg’s Konstantinos Koulierakis as two players who the Reds are keeping tabs on, with the young pair said to have been ‘watched’ by those at Anfield.

Links to Leoni – who has been compared to Madrid’s Dean Huijsen – have already emerged this summer, while in the case of the 21-year-old Koulierakis, he was tipped for a move to Merseyside earlier this year.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, reports back in February indicated that the Greek sensation could command a fee of around €40m (£34m), having only joined the German side last summer.

Why Konstantinos Koulierakis could be Liverpool's new Konate

Raiding the Bundesliga for the brightest and best has been a theme of Liverpool’s recruitment in recent years, be it Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz this time around, or Dominik Szoboszlai and Konate under the Klopp regime.

In the case of Konate, the contract rebel was just 22 when the Reds forked out a similar fee to what is being touted for Koulierakis, with the £35m man also arriving as a hot prospect from the Bundesliga four years ago.

With 132 appearances under his belt at Anfield, it’s fair to say that such a deal has proven to be a successful one, with journalist Rory Smith describing him as “outstanding” last year, while noting that his talents perhaps go under the radar.

An exit may, unfortunately, lie in store in the near future for the Les Bleus star, although in Koulierakis, a worth replacement could well be found, with the former PAOK man lauded as a truly “standout” prospect by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Also hailed as one of the “biggest talents” in Greece by scout Jacek Kulig, the Crete-born titan enjoyed a promising 2024/25 campaign, having made 30 Bundesliga appearances during his debut season in Germany.

While the left-footer typically operates on the opposite side to Konate, there are similarities to be seen in their defensive prowess. Indeed, the youngster averaged 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game last term, as per Sofascore, while his Liverpool counterpart averaged 1.8 in that regard.

At 6 foot 2, Koulierakis is also a towering presence like the 6 foot 4 Parisien, with the pair winning 59% and 66% of their total duels in 2024/25, respectively, to further illustrate their ball-winning dominance.

In contrast to a figure like Guehi – who boasts 132 Premier League appearances to date – the Wolfsburg man is a relatively raw talent, although having seen the success of nurturing Konate in recent times, why not repeat the trick this summer?

Slot's new Gravenberch: Liverpool interest growing in "special" £85m talent

Liverpool are among the frontrunners in the race for this talented star.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 11, 2025

يرى نصير مزراوي، نجم نادي مانشستر يونايتد، أن هناك بعض الإيجابيات التي خرج بها فريقه من مواجهة الديربي أمام مانشستر سيتي يوم أمس الأحد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وسقط مانشستر يونايتد أمام مانشستر سيتي بثلاثة أهداف دون رد يوم أمس الأحد على ملعب الاتحاد، في قمة الجولة الرابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي.

ويعتقد مزراوي أنه لم يستطع تحديد مشكلة مانشستر يونايتد في لقاء الأمس، موضحًا أنه سوف يحلل ما حدث في المباراة بجانب زملائه في وقت لاحق.

طالع .. برونو فرنانديز: علينا أن نكون مثل مانشستر سيتي.. ونعاني من عدم تسجيل الأهداف

وقال مزراوي في حديث إلى قناة مانشستر يونايتد الرسمية: ”أشعر بالسوء حقًا، أشعر بخيبة أمل في نفسي وفي الفريق وخيبة أمل من الجماهير لأننا لم نتمكن من تقديم الأداء الذي قدمناه مؤخرًا اليوم”.

وأضاف مزراوي في حديثه: “إذا خسرت ولعبت بشكل جيد وحصلت على الفرص التي صنعناها في المباريات السابقة، يمكنك استخلاص بعض الإيجابيات التي خرجنا بها من الخسارة اليوم، لكن بشكل عام اليوم لم نكن جيدين بما يكفي”.

وأوضح الدولي المغربي: “لا أستطيع تحديد الخطأ الذي ارتكبه مانشستر يونايتد اليوم، لأننا دائمًا ما نكون في حالة انفعال بعد المباراة، لذلك أحاول دائمًا أن أهدأ وأحلل المباراة، وإلا، فسأوجه أصابع الاتهام فقط وغالبًا ما لا أتحدث عن هذا الأمر الآن. سنحلل المباراة كفريق وسوف نتحسن حقًا”.

Leeds United have officially confirmed the signing of centre-back Jaka Bijol from Serie A side Udinese to bolster their defensive options in the coming days.

The Slovenia international has arrived at Elland Road after the club agreed a £19m deal with the Italian outfit to bring him over to England this summer.

Bijol will not be the last defender to walk through doors as a new arrival at Thorp Arch before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as they are also looking to bring in a new left-back.

Junior Firpo’s contract in West Yorkshire is set to expire at the end of this month, which means that the Whites need a first-choice option in that position.

Leeds eyeing deal for Ligue 1 left-back

Leeds, knowing that Firpo is on his way out of the club in the coming weeks, are actively pursuing left-back targets to come in and bolster the squad.

Transfer Focus

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

According to LeedsLive, Lille defender Gabriel Gudmundsson is one of the left-backs being eyed up as a target for the Championship champions this summer.

The report claims that they are ‘very’ keen on a swoop for the Sweden international, but that no transfer for the left-footed ace is close at this moment in time.

It adds that Burnley and Everton are also interested in signing the 26-year-old full-back, who has one year left on his deal with Lille, which means that the Whites will have to see off Premier League competition to secure his services.

The outlet does not reveal, however, how much money it would take to sign Gudmundsson, who is valued at around £6m by Transfermarkt, this summer.

Why Leeds should sign Gabriel Gudmundsson

The Whites should push to win the race for his signature ahead of Burnley and Everton because he could arrive at Elland Road as Daniel Farke’s own Ezgjan Alioski.

In Marcelo Bielsa’s first season in the Premier League, the Macedonia international started 29 matches and featured in 36 of the 38 league games, playing mainly as a left-back, but also as a left-midfielder.

Gudmundsson has played 74 times as a left-back and 70 times as a left-midfielder in his career to date, which suggests that he has the versatility to play a similar role in the squad to the one that Alioski did for Bielsa.

The 26-year-old star, who was described as a “fun” player and a “risk-taker” by journalist Joe Donnohue, is a left-back who can provide quality in possession by driving his team up the pitch with passes and dribbles, much like Alioski was for Bielsa.

Pass accuracy

82%

79%

Progressive passes*

4.59

4.83

Progressive carries*

3.58

2.82

Successful take-ons*

1.01

0.40

Shot-creating actions*

1.51

2.60

Non-penalty goals*

0.10

0.07

As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson offers similar progressive qualities to what the former Whites star offered in his one season in the Premier League at Elland Road.

The Lille star, however, also won 54% of his ground duels and 57% of his aerial duels in Ligue 1, whilst Alioski won 53% of his battles on the deck and 48% of his aerial contests in that top-flight campaign.

This suggests that the Swedish gem could be even more dominant, particularly aerially, than the Macedonia international was for Bielsa in the 2020/21 season, making him a solid option for the team in the Premier League next term.

Therefore, Leeds could land Farke his own version of Alioski, who has the potential to be even better than Bielsa’s dynamic full-back, by signing Gudmundsson this summer, and that is why they must work hard to secure his services.

As exciting as Buendia: Leeds expected to make move for £18m EFL star

There is a belief that Leeds will make a move for a star who would be as exciting as Emi Buendia.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2025

Still on the hunt for attacking reinforcements, Manchester United are now reportedly open to offering Joshua Zirkzee in a summer swap deal to sign one particular target worth a hefty £85m.

Man Utd could face Gyokeres and Mbeumo rejection

Whilst their recruitment of Matheus Cunha gave them plenty of hope that last season’s failure wouldn’t stand in the way of much-needed additions this summer, Viktor Gyokeres and Bryan Mbeumo could quickly flip that narrative.

It’s a fairly open secret that the Red Devils are in pursuit of the duo, with Fabrizio Romano even going as far as to suggest that they’ve been constantly contacting Gyokeres, but that pursuit could yet end in failure.

Thomas Frank’s move to Tottenham Hotspur has suddenly seen the North London side come sprinting into the race for Mbeumo’s signature and reports are claiming that the Lilywhites have met the forward’s £70m price tag. United, meanwhile, have already seen one bid rejected for the Brentford star.

Losing out on two attacking targets would be a frustrating blow for United, but losing out to two rivals in Arsenal and Tottenham would add further salt to their wounds.

Related The new Martial: Wilcox ramping up move to sign "next Mbappe" for Man Utd

Man United are pressing to bring in a centre-forward with shades of Anthony Martial.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 16, 2025

Those at Old Trafford may have no choice but to dust themselves off and go again, however. Just who they turn to if they miss out on Mbeumo and Gyokeres is the big question. On that front, names such as Antoine Semenyo and an impressive £85m striker have already been mentioned among those that United may begin to chase.

Man Utd open to swap deal for Ekitike involving Zirkzee

That £85m name is of course Hugo Ekitike. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are now open to offering Joshua Zirkzee in a swap deal to sign Ekitike. Eintracht Frankfurt reportedly value the Frenchman at €100m (£85m), but the inclusion of Zirkzee in any deal could help bring that hefty figure down.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Hugo Ekitike

Joshua Zirkzee

Minutes

2,563

1,402

Goals

15

3

Assists

8

1

Expected Goals

21.6

4.8

Whilst there may well be a concern over just how much Ekitike has underperformed when it comes to matching his expected goals, there’s no doubt that he’d be an instant upgrade on Zirkzee for Ruben Amorim this summer.

The Dutchman struggled to leave his mark in his debut season, making it harder and harder to justify his £105,000-a-week salary. Now, just one year later, he could find himself replaced and shown the exit door in one swift move.

Described as “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, who was full of praise for the Frenchman back in March, Ekitike is undoubtedly one to watch this summer. He won’t come cheap, but if Manchester United can find a way past the forward’s hefty price tag, then he is one that they should prioritise.

Newcastle United have now submitted a significant bid for an “incredible” player, with Eddie Howe of the belief he would be a perfect fit in his midfield, according to a report.

Newcastle pushing for the Champions League

Regardless of whether Newcastle secure Champions League football, the 2024-25 season will always be remembered fondly by fans, having finally ended their 70-year wait to win a major honour, but they still remain in a strong position to seal a top-five finish.

The Magpies are sitting pretty in fourth place, two points clear of Nottingham Forest with just three Premier League games left to play, although their remaining fixtures are on the more difficult side, with matches against two direct rivals now on the horizon.

Newcastle’s remaining Premier League fixtures

Date

Chelsea (h)

May 11th

Arsenal (a)

May 18th

Everton (h)

May 25th

It could prove to be a difficult task, but should Howe’s side qualify for Europe’s elite competition, they should be able to attract some top players in the summer, with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah and Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo believed to be of interest.

According to a report from Spain, Newcastle are also interested in a new midfielder, having submitted a €25m (£21m) bid for Girona maestro Yangel Herrera, who they are now determined to win the race for.

Atletico Madrid and top-five rivals Nottingham Forest are also interested in signing Herrera this summer, but the Magpies have now taken a firm step towards securing his signature, having put a strong offer on the table.

Howe believes the Venezuelan would fit perfectly into his side, and the manager is looking to introduce some additional quality into an already impressive midfield, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali attracting interest due to their performances this season.

Related Newcastle identify "incredible" £65m Prem forward as ideal summer target

The Magpies have expressed an interest in signing a Premier League attacker this summer.

Posts ByDominic Lund May 6, 2025 Herrera could be "incredible" signing for Newcastle

While Howe is not short on top-quality midfield options, there are clear signs the 27-year-old is a well-rounded midfielder, who could play an important role for the Magpies in a potential Champions League campaign next season.

The central midfielder has caught the eye in front of goal for Girona this term, registering four goals and three assists in La Liga, including a well-taken headed effort against Celta Vigo back in September.

Not only that, but the former New York City FC man impressed with his tackling ability in the early stages of his career, while also catching the eye due to his pass-success rate in the final third during the 2023-24 campaign.

Lauded as an “incredible player” by journalist Zach Lowy, there are plenty of signs that Herrera could be a success at a major European club, so it is a promising development that Newcastle have now made a concrete approach.

Liverpool recently confirmed that star attacker Mohamed Salah has put pen to paper on a new two-year contract with the club to extend his stay at Anfield beyond the summer.

His old deal was due to expire at the end of the current season, which would have made him a free agent ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but the Reds will have Salah running down the wing again next term.

That should come as a huge relief to the Anfield supporters because he has scored 243 goals for the club to date, including 27 goals in the Premier League so far this term.

The Egypt international consistently carries a big threat at the top end of the pitch, and his decision to extend his contract will come as a big boost for Arne Slot, who will be able to call upon his services on the right flank again next season.

Salah is not the only key Liverpool star who has decided to remain at Anfield, though, as Virgil van Dijk has reportedly agreed a two-year contract extension, although that has yet to be officially confirmed by the club.

Why keeping Virgil van Dijk is a big boost for Liverpool

Keeping the Netherlands international beyond the summer, when his deal is currently due to expire, is set to be a big boost for the club when it is made official.

The former Southampton defender is on the verge of winning his second Premier League title with the Reds, and his first whilst wearing the captain’s armband.

Van Dijk has played every single minute of the current league season for the Reds, starting all 32 of their matches, and has been a rock at the heart of the defence.

Liverpool have kept 13 clean sheets and conceded 31 goals – the second-lowest tally in the division – in that time, thanks to his exceptional performances at centre-back.

Starts

32

Pass accuracy

92%

Clean sheets

13

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.7

Clearances per game

5.2

Ground duel success rate

61%

Aerial duel success rate

70%

As you can see in the table above, Van Dijk has dominated opposition attackers in duels on the ground and in the air, whilst being incredibly reliable with the ball at his feet.

The Dutch defender, who scored the winning goal in their clash with West Ham United at Anfield last weekend, has been a consistent and brilliant performer at centre-back, playing a pivotal role in their soon-to-be title success.

This is why keeping the defender at the club is set to be a big boost for Liverpool and Klopp, particularly as he is now at an age – 33 – where it is all about his performances, rather than any sell-on value.

At the time of writing (17/04/2025), Transfermarkt have Van Dijk’s market value at roughly £23.9m, which is even less than they reportedly want for one of their young talents this summer.

The latest on Jarell Quansah's Liverpool future

According to CaughtOffside, there are six clubs interested in a deal to sign Jarell Quansah from Liverpool in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that Newcastle United have a long-standing interest in the England U21 international and that they are one of the six clubs eyeing him up.

It states that Everton, Bournemouth, and Brentford are among the other Premier League teams keen on the versatile defender, who can play at right-back or centre-back.

CaughtOffside adds that there is also interest from abroad in the young starlet, as Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen could emerge as suitors for him.

The outlet also reveals that Liverpool would be willing to listen to offers for the academy graduate if any teams come in with bids worth around £30m, but it remains to be seen whether or not any of the aforementioned clubs are prepared to meet their demands.

This latest report shows that the Reds have hit the jackpot on Quansah, who is now worth even more than club captain and leading centre-back Van Dijk.

Why Liverpool should sell Jarrel Quansah

The central defender has been at Liverpool since the age of five, with this year marking 15 years at the club, and this means that they did not have to spend a penny to land the talented youngster.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

He was not an expensive signing at academy or first-team level who has come into the senior set-up with expectations or potential that has to be fulfilled to live up to a price tag.

Quansah, instead, rose through the ranks as a homegrown prospect and enjoyed a loan spell at Bristol Rovers before his emergence in the squad under Jurgen Klopp last term.

As shown in the clips above, the English colossus showcased his qualities in and out of possession in his debut campaign to earn himself a senior England call-up last year.

The 22-year-old ace, who was described as a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig last term, has failed to kick on after his promising performances in the 2023/24 season, though, as he has struggled for game time under Slot.

Appearances

17

11

Goals

2

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

1.4

Clearances per game

2.3

1.3

Ground duel success rate

60%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

67%

39%

As you can see in the table above, Quansah has played fewer matches, completed fewer defensive actions, and been weaker in duels on the floor and in the air in the Premier League this season compared to last.

Instead of developing and improving with age, it appears as though the English defender has regressed, or stagnated at best, under the Dutch head coach.

This suggests that now could be the right time for Liverpool to cash in on the 22-year-old, who is now valued at £30m, as this could be the peak of his value.

The Reds could run the risk of his form continuing to regress, resulting in his value dropping, if they do not decide to make the most of the current interest in his services from teams across Europe, which is why they should move on from him this summer.

Better move than Huijsen: Liverpool closely following £50m "game-changer"

Liverpool are reportedly interested in a Premier League star who would be an even better signing than Dean Huijsen.

ByDan Emery Apr 16, 2025

England slipped to a 2-1 series defeat in Pakistan but are already looking ahead to New Zealand. Alan, Miller and Vish discuss the fallout, and preview the West Indies white-ball tour

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2024England were sent spinning to defeat in Rawalpindi, as Pakistan completed their comeback to take the series 2-1. But England have stuck with much the same group of players for next month’s tour of New Zealand. On the podcast, Alan Gardner was joined by Andrew Miller, Vithushan Ehantharajah and, from Pakistan, Matt Roller to discuss the fallout from only the second series defeat for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum – and also look ahead to the white-ball series starting in the Caribbean this week. Topics included Ollie Pope’s place in the side, Ben Stokes’ captaincy and a Test call-up for Jacob Bethell.