There are a host of high-profile players who may be tempted by a move to England this month amid a lack of minutes at their current clubs
The 2024 January transfer window was the most boring in recent memory, with Radu Dragusin's £25 million ($31m) switch to Tottenham from Genoa ending up being the biggest deal conducted in the Premier League. Purse strings were tightened due to new Profit and Sustainability Rules that came with the threat of potential points deductions, which both Everton and Nottingham Forest fell foul of.
But that doesn't mean more tumbleweeds are guaranteed over the next four weeks. English clubs will have the opportunity to arrange some bargain permanent deals or clever loans in the winter market, and the bank could even be broken for the right target, if money is raised through sales beforehand.
Several household names across La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga are being linked with moves to the Premier League after falling out of favour in their current surroundings. Some desperately need a fresh start, while others have been transfer-listed after failing to live up to expectations, and England could be seen as the ideal escape route.
GOAL is on hand to run down the top eight European outcasts who might be priority targets for Premier League sides this month…
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Endrick (Real Madrid)
Endrick followed in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo by moving from the Brazilian top-flight to Real Madrid in the summer, and thusly arrived at Santiago Bernabeu with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. The former Palmeiras wonderkid could scarcely have asked for a better start as he marked his debut with a goal in a 3-0 La Liga win over Real Valladolid, before becoming the youngest Madrid player to ever score in the Champions League with a spectacular solo effort against Stuttgart, but he has been unable to build on those dream milestones.
Unfortunately, Endrick joined the club at the same time as Kylian Mbappe, who has hogged the limelight and the No.9 slot since his arrival. As a consequence, the 18-year-old only made Carlo Ancelotti's starting XI once in the first half of the season. Ancelotti has repeatedly insisted Endrick will eventually get his chance, but Madrid are reportedly open to loaning him out in January, with Tottenham and Southampton mooted as potential destinations.
It seems more likely that Endrick will join another La Liga club if Los Blancos do sanction a loan, but a Premier League move cannot be ruled out. He would certainly see plenty of minutes at Southampton, who are in desperate need of a goalscorer to boost their slim chances of avoiding relegation.
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Randal Kolo Muani (PSG)
Paris Saint-Germain saw off competition from a host of top clubs to sign Randal Kolo Muani in 2023, having seen him emerge as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe at Eintracht Frankfurt. Kolo Muani didn't come close to justifying his €75m (£62m/$77m) fee during his maiden season at Parc des Princes, though, and now finds himself on the fringes under Luis Enrique.
PSG are reportedly ready to offload the 26-year-old permanently or on loan in the current window, with Manchester United and Chelsea said to be among his admirers. However, claims Arsenal is a more realistic move as Mikel Arteta desperately tries to find cover for injured talisman Bukayo Saka. Kolo Muani is not in the same class as Saka, but a loan deal might help boost the Gunners' title chances, especially since Raheem Sterling's move from Chelsea hasn't worked out as hoped.
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Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)
For the best part of six seasons, Leon Goretzka was a vital cog in the Bayern Munich system, but he's slipped down the pecking order since Vincent Kompany's appointment as head coach. Goretzka has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, and according to , Manchester United have been monitoring his situation again in recent weeks.
A lack of quality in midfield has been a big reason for United's well-documented struggles, and adding a proven winner like Goretzka to their ranks would be a shrewd move. The 29-year-old could come cheap, too, given his contract at Bayern is due to expire next year, though he has expressed a desire to stay and fight for his place at Allianz Arena.
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Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)
Donyell Malen may be the first big name to secure a transfer in the January window, with reporting that Aston Villa are working to sign the Borussia Dortmund forward. Villa have seen an opening offer of €18m (£15m/$19m) rebuffed, but negotiations are still ongoing, with Unai Emery eager to bolster his frontline after a disappointing start to the season.
claims that Malen is pushing for an exit after being restricted to just six starts in Dortmund's first 15 Bundesliga games. The 25-year-old is a versatile player who carries a real goal threat, and would be a useful addition for Villa as they juggle Premier League and Champions League commitments if a deal is pushed over the line in the coming days.
Team hopeful of having the pacer for the last four games as he continues a gradual comeback from elbow surgery
Matt Roller28-Jul-2021Southern Brave are not expecting to have Jofra Archer available for either of their next two men’s Hundred fixtures as he continues a gradual comeback from elbow surgery.Archer has played twice for Sussex in the last 10 days, first bowling three overs in their Vitality Blast win against Kent and a further six against Oxfordshire in a 50-over warm-up match last Tuesday, but has not linked up with the Southern Brave squad since the start of the Hundred and is not expected to do so this week.”We’re hearing stuff from the medical teams at the ECB and Sussex,” James Vince, the Brave’s men’s captain, said after Tuesday’s defeat to Welsh Fire. “I think he’s maybe undergoing a jab or something yesterday or today, and then hopefully we might get him for the last four [games] or something.”It’s one of those where I’m staying out of it and leaving it to the experts in that area. Hopefully we do get him because it would be a big boost for us, but if we don’t, we’ve got guys who are capable here.”Related
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After the fixture against Kent in the Blast, Archer told that he was “a month away from where I’d like to be” and that he was “playing with a bit of restriction”. He has not been included in the England squad for the first two Tests against India and said in May he was “quite prepared” to miss the series if necessary ahead of the T20 World Cup and Ashes this winter.An ECB spokesperson said that a further update on Archer’s fitness was expected next week but did not confirm whether he had been given a pain-killing injection in the last two days. Archer underwent elbow surgery in May following an aborted comeback from the injury at the start of the English summer.Vince also revealed that George Garton had missed out on the game against the Fire as he was suffering symptoms of post-viral fatigue after contracting Covid-19. “He was one of the lads that had Covid in that England set-up and he’s been a bit low on energy, so the doctor and medical team’s advice was that he shouldn’t play again today,” he said.The Brave were the pre-tournament favourites for the men’s competition but have lost both of their first two games and are already in danger of missing out on the knockout stages, with only the top three teams progressing. Mahela Jayawardene, their head coach, has regularly recovered from sluggish starts while coaching Mumbai Indians in the IPL, and Vince suggested that his recent experience with Hampshire – who squeezed into the Blast’s quarter-finals in the final round of group games – meant he was not panicking yet.”I’m sure we’ll realise that we need to start winning soon but I’ve just been part of a Hampshire side in the Blast that got off to a bit of a slow start and then managed to play some great cricket towards the back end and get some momentum going,” he said. “I think this format will be very similar.”We’re aware we need to improve in a few areas but we were much better [on Tuesday] and had our chance to win the game. The next three or four games coming up will be important to make sure we’re there or thereabouts come the last few.”
Mahmudullah has announced to his Bangladesh team-mates that he has retired from Test cricket.ESPNcricinfo has learned that he made the announcement shortly after the end of the third day’s play of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Harare. He didn’t say anything with regards to his decision on the BCB’s video to the media after the day’s play, where he only spoke about his 191-run ninth-wicket partnership with Taskin Ahmed, nor did he announce the news on his social media handles. But confirmation came on the final day of the Test, when his team-mates gave him a guard of honour ahead of play.His decision drew a sharp reaction from BCB president Nazmul Hassan, who said that Mahmudullah’s announcement in the middle of a match would negatively affect the team.Related
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This Test is his 50th match in the format, and he celebrated the occasion by scoring his fifth Test century. He finished unbeaten on 150, and his stand with Ahmed came after Bangladesh had slipped to 270 for 8.Mahmudullah was a last-minute addition to the Test side, picked as cover after Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim were injured during last month’s DPL T20s. This was Mahmudullah’s return to the Test side after 18 months, having last played against Pakistan in Rawalpindi last year.Hassan said that he was informed of Mahmudullah’s decision, which he called “unusual”, “unacceptable” and based on “emotion”.”I have not been informed officially but someone called me on the phone and said he doesn’t want to play Tests anymore,” Hassan told the Bengali daily . “Apparently, he told the dressing room. I think it is highly unusual, since the match isn’t even over. I think he did it from emotion. Such an announcement will have a negative impact on the team. It is unacceptable. I have no problem if someone doesn’t want to play, but there is no need to create a mess in the middle of a series.”Hassan said that prior to the Zimbabwe tour, Mahmudullah confirmed to the BCB that he wants to play the three formats as part of the board’s policy to ask each player about their availability in each format before drawing up their contract.”Four or five days before they left for Zimbabwe, we asked all the players to inform us which formats they want to play,” Hassan said. “Riyad wrote that he wants to play all three formats. Regarding Tests he wrote that he wants to play in the format if given the opportunity, which is why we picked him in Tests.”I called him to my place twice, where he confirmed me that he wants to play Tests. I find it astounding that he is talking about retirement.”Mahmudullah was an all-format player from his Test debut in 2009 to 2017, but in the last four years he has been dropped twice from the Test side. The latest was last year when he was dropped following low scores against Afghanistan, India and Pakistan in the 2019-20 season. He was then given a white-ball central contract for 2020. He has played 197 ODIs and 89 T20Is, a format in which he has been Bangladesh’s captain since 2019.Coincidentally, during Bangladesh’s last tour of Zimbabwe in 2013, Mushfiqur Rahim announced his resignation as captain in the middle of the ODI series. He overturned his decision after returning home, and captained Bangladesh for another four years.
Chelsea have only claimed four points from their opening three Premier League matches under Enzo Maresca, but there's evidence enough that the Blues are building something.
Frankly, the last few years have not been great under BlueCo's ownership, and while Mauricio Pochettino started to instil some fluency toward the end of his one-term stint, Maresca has been brought in to head a long-term project.
Against Crystal Palace, Chelsea might have only secured a draw, but they showed promising signs, with hope growing that the west Londoners will put to bed the issues of recent seasons under Maresca's wing.
How Chelsea performed vs Crystal Palace
The Italian's ball-playing vision is shaping up and was displayed through an emphatic first half against Palace on Saturday, with Nicolas Jackson scoring his second of the season and Chelsea looking slick and stylish – assured.
But Stamford Bridge was silenced by an Ebere Eze stunner after the break to restore parity and frustrate Maresca, who watched on as the pendulum swung and the control was lost, the contest becoming far more frenzied.
Maresca's decision to drop Enzo Fernandez into a makeshift right-back role contributed to the issues, with the Argentine looking unnatural and unable to produce the all-encompassing work that would be required.
Malo Gusto's injury blow
Gusto was forced off in the second half with an injury to cast a gloomy setting on Chelsea's pre-international-break performance. Reece James has not yet returned to first-team training after suffering a hamstring injury himself before the season started – albeit the club captain has been suspended anyway following a red card at the end of 2023/24.
The 21-year-old is a big talent but he's young and will need to raise his defensive game to another level if he wishes to perform with the steeliness that the Blues need across the duration of the campaign.
Malo Gusto: Stats vs Crystal Palace
Stats
#
Minutes played
74'
Touches
46
Accurate passes
32/24 (94%)
Key passes
0
Dribble attempts
0/0
Tackles
1
Clearances
1
Total duels won
1/4 (25%)
Dribbled past
1x
Stats via Sofascore
Taking the whole season into account, Gusto has impressed with his doggedness and defensive robustness, averaging three tackles per game, but he's won less than half of his ground duels – 48% – while making an error leading to a shot against Manchester City on the opening day.
Chelsea correspondent Bobby Vincent was hardly scathing of Gusto's performance on Saturday, providing him with a 6/10 match rating, though he did note that the Frenchman 'struggled going forward', as well as his issues in protecting the rear.
That's not a regular occurrence, but Gusto's injury blow accentuates the interminable wait for James to return to the field, fit and firing once again. The powerful and athletic full-back could be the catalyst under Maresca's wing.
Because of that, even if the French defender has bounced back from his own ailment, he must be replaced.
The best replacement for Malo Gusto
It has been so frustrating to watch one of the Premier League's finest players founder over recent years, simply because of his misery on the fitness front.
James, aged 24, is a Champions League winner and “one of the best in the world”, having been hailed as much in the past by recent Palace recruit Trevoh Chalobah.
The international break comes at a good time for Chelsea, allowing Gusto and James to continue their recuperation. The former has been one of the outfit's better performers since joining from Lyon in a £26m transfer in 2023, but he's no James, and it's clear that the return of the England international could spark meaningful change.
The defender missed large portions of Pochettino's reign with various setbacks, only starting five Premier League matches and being sent off twice.
Reece James for Chelsea.
But he's adept at using his power and physique to shuttle up the flank and wreak havoc with his fine array of passing and natural goalscoring sense.
Indeed, over the course of the 2021/21 campaign, as per FBref, James ranked among the top 2% of full-backs for goals scored, the top 1% for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for passes attempted and the top 6% for progressive passes and successful take-ons per 90.
Reece James: Premier League Stats (21/22)
Stats (* = per game)
#
Matches (starts)
26 (22)
Goals
5
Assists
9
Clean sheets
5
Touches*
76.1
Pass completion
90%
Key passes*
1.9
Ball recoveries*
4.8
Tackles*
1.3
Ground duels won*
3.8 (61%)
Stats via Sofascore
He was at the peak of his powers and it goes to show what a player Chelsea have in their midst, his ability lying dormant and awaiting its deserved resurgence.
Look at the table above and you will see that James is a monstrous attacking force but so too is he a crunching defender, winning 61% of his ground duels – which is an impressive feat for a full-back, invariably pitted against lightning-fast wingers.
That defensive fortitude has been carried across his past two seasons too, even though he has been heavily affected by injury. In 2022/23, he won 66% of his ground battles, and then 64% last year.
It's frightening to think of the kind of player James could yet become, for he performs so well when available and is still only 24. Gusto was welcomed to London as the skipper's understudy but has played a far more hands-on role than was probably anticipated, and in fairness, he's looked impressive.
But the club skipper is still Chelsea's main man, and he must return to the starting line-up as soon as possible to ensure that Maresca's budding project hits the ascendency after the international break.
For now, fans wait with bated breath to hear of news of the right-backs' respective return dates, and while James must be handled with care, there are two weeks now where he can really work on returning to match fitness.
Fewer touches than Sanchez: Chelsea must bench 4/10 star after Palace
This Chelsea attacker wasn’t at the races whatsoever versus Crystal Palace.
Despite the huge investment in new additions from owner Todd Boehly over recent years, Chelsea still possess one of the very best academies in the Premier League – producing endless talents who either make an impact on the first team.
Levi Colwill is just one example who’s currently thriving under boss Enzo Maresca, featuring in every minute of the first four league outings in the new campaign.
He’s cemented his place at the heart of the Blues’ defence despite being just 21, a real signal of trust placed in him by the club’s boss after his arrival this summer.
Players such as Ruben Lofus-Cheek and Mason Mount both came through the club’s academy, featuring in the first team before making their respective moves to AC Milan and Manchester United in a bid to gain valuable minutes to progress further.
It’s safe to say neither have fully lived up to the expectations they once had after coming through at Cobham, failing to emulate the form of one of their compatriots who captured the hearts of many during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard’s time at Chelsea
This summer marked 23 years since Chelsea paid £11m for 22-year-old midfielder Frank Lampard – with no supporter predicting how successful he would be during his time at the Bridge.
Premier League legend Frank Lampard
The youngster quickly became a first-team mainstay for the Blues, featuring in over 20 league matches during each one of his 12 seasons during his time at the club.
He would amass 648 appearances for the club, registering 211 goals from midfield – becoming the club’s record goalscorer in the process – cementing himself as one of the modern-day icons for the Blues.
Lampard won 13 trophies during his time at Chelsea, including three Premier League titles, whilst also being an integral part of the 2011/12 side which claimed the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
The midfielder would eventually leave to join Manchester City on a loan deal back in 2014/15 from New York City FC, with the club tasked with replacing the fan-favourite.
At one point, many predicted one youngster to fill the boots of Lampard, but his journey hasn’t been plain sailing, unfortunately, never living up to the potential he once had during his earlier years.
The player who could’ve been the next Lampard
Academy graduate Lewis Baker once appeared to have the world at his feet given his impressive record as a youngster – once looking destined to be a star for the Blues first-team, with journalist Laurie Whitwell likening him to Lampard back in 2014, due to his ‘his prowess from distance, ability to arrive in the box, and composure from the spot.’
His record of 16 goals in 28 appearances for the U21 side during 2013/14 caught the eye of many, with the talent posting phenomenal goalscoring numbers despite being a midfielder – a quality similar to that of Lampard.
Baker’s form at youth level saw him earn his senior debut in the FA Cup victory over Derby County back in 2014 – coming on as a substitute for the remaining seven minutes of the encounter.
However, he never pushed on from his first-team debut, resulting in nine separate loan spells away from Stamford Bridge between 2015 and 2021 – failing to make a single first-team appearance during the six-year period.
Lewis Baker’s loan spells away from Chelsea after his first-team debut in 2014
Season
Team joined
Appearances
2014/15
Sheffield Wednesday
4
2014/15
MK Dons
12
2015/16
Vitesse
34
2016/17
Vitesse
39
2017/18
Middlesbrough
14
2018/19
Leeds United
14
2018/19
Reading
19
2019/20
Fortuna Düsseldorf
9
2020/21
Trabzonspor
36
Stats via Transfermarkt
He massively struggled with injuries too, further preventing him from making more of an impact at the Bridge, but he did feature for a second time in January 2022 – coming off the bench as a second-half substitute in the FA Cup victory over Chesterfield.
The now 29-year-old subsequently left his boyhood club under then-boss Thomas Tuchel – joining Stoke City on a free transfer, bringing his 16-year affiliation with the Blues to a disappointing end.
Given his potential in his early years, it’s a real shame to see a youngster fail to live up to expectations, going down as another player who could’ve been a revelation for Chelsea.
He’s now featuring for Championship side Blackburn Rovers as a 29-year-old who should be in his prime years, but instead he’s still trying to pick up the pieces of a career that could’ve been so different for the former Cobham ace.
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Diogo Jota hasn’t enjoyed a fantastic start to this new Premier League season, with only one goal and one assist coming his way from Liverpool’s opening four league fixtures.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward would also frustrate those with a Reds persuasion in the Champions League recently, as the misfiring Portuguese attacker could only muster 23 touches of the ball against AC Milan, with his teammates all thankfully singing off the same hymn sheet otherwise in an exciting 3-1 away win.
Diogo Jota warming up for Liverpool
The goal-shy nature of Jota’s early season performances means even one notable former Reds dud is currently outperforming him, despite the one-time Liverpool flop really struggling during his brief stint at Anfield to find the back of the net.
Diogo Jota vs AC Milan.
Iago Aspas' transfer to Liverpool
Iago Aspas would link up with the Liverpool ranks back in 2013 with a reputation for being a potent goal machine in his native Spain, netting 12 Celta Vigo goals from 34 La Liga appearances during his swansong season for his boyhood employers, to then make the gigantic leap to England.
That jump would prove to be too much for Aspas to take, with the attacker known to Liverpool fans now as a wasteful finisher from his brief but troubled time at the club, as opposed to the deadly and instinctive striker they thought they had obtained for a low £7.6m fee.
Aspas would see his Reds spell pass him by, with only one goal and one assist registered from 15 appearances before he was shipped out to Sevilla on loan, and then found his way back to Celta in 2015.
Much like other major transfer blunders in the striker department at the time, which included Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert failing to ever settle wearing Liverpool red, Aspas just couldn’t handle the immense pressure on his shoulders of playing for the Premier League giants, but has since consolidated his status as a top striker in more comfortable surroundings in Spain having left for £5m.
Aspas' numbers back in Spain
Amazingly, Aspas is in an exclusive club with Lionel Messi with the former Liverpool dud very much now a Celta icon.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
From 499 games to date for the La Liga outfit, Aspas has 207 goals and 81 assists next to his name, with his output during the infancy of this season to date bettering that of Jota’s back at Anfield.
Stat
Aspas
Jota
Games played
6
4
Goals scored
3
1
Assists
2
1
Shots per game
2.0
2.8
Scoring frequency
156 mins
287 mins
The 37-year-old isn’t showing any visible cobwebs for Celta this season so far, with five goal contributions registered from six games only one off matching Luis Diaz’s goals and assists tally for Arne Slot’s men too, whilst beating Jota’s amount by three.
That’s the case despite the veteran centre-forward attempting fewer shots per game compared to his Portuguese counterpart this campaign, as Jota continues to be wasteful for the Reds, and Aspas continues to be a difference maker so late into his playing days for his side.
Liverpool would love to turn back the clock and see if things could have turned out differently if the then nervous attacker was given more time to acclimatise, with his stint at the club only lasting a breakneck 15 games.
But, it could well just be that Aspas is a natural fit at Celta over playing in the hustle and bustle of England, as the 37-year-old strives to keep up his electric La Liga form, whilst Jota looks to spark into life over the games to come.
Liverpool star looked "like Coutinho" when he joined, then Slot sold him
Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson has explained why Tyler Young did not get to face dad Ashley in the FA Cup, with one Everton player having "a pop".
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History could've been made at Goodison Park
Teenager remained an unused substitute
Posh boss defends his selection decisions
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WHAT HAPPENED?
History was on the cards at Goodison Park on Thursday, with the Youngs looking to become the first father and son duo to line up against one another in the 154-year history of FA Cup competition. That big moment never arrived.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Ex-England international Ashley stepped off the bench for the Toffees in the 73rd minute, with Everton leading 1-0 at the time. With the final outcome still in the balance, Posh manager Ferguson felt unable to throw on 18-year-old midfielder Tyler.
DID YOU KNOW?
By the time that Iliman Ndiaye converted a stoppage-time penalty, Peterborough had already used up all of their substitutes. The decision to deny Tyler an outing against his dad did not sit well with some, as digs were aimed in Ferguson’s direction.
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WHAT FERGUSON SAID
Ferguson, the son of legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex, told reporters afterwards when asked about why Young Jr did not make it onto the field: "The last substitution was a difficult one because I did want to get Tyler on. As much as I wanted to get him on with his dad, I had to do what’s right for my team.
"It was very difficult ,but I’ve got to do what’s best for the team. If the game had been 2-0 at that point, I would have put him on, but at 1-0 I couldn’t. If I sent a central midfielder on at 1-0, I’ve got three forwards sitting on the bench wondering what’s going on.
"One of their players had a bit of a pop at me, which is bang out of order, but I’ve got to do what’s best for out team and, at that point, it’s 1-0 and we’re trying to get a result. Quite honestly, I did put Tyler on the bench and I gave him every opportunity but I’ve got to do what’s best for the team. I am sure they will remember it."
يواصل نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، كتابة اسمه بحروف من ذهب في تاريخ النادي الإنجليزي، خاصة في ظل الموسم المذهل الذي يقدمه، 2024/25 تحت قيادة المدرب آرني سلوت.
وحقق ليفربول فوزًا على مانشستر سيتي، مساء أمس، في الجولة السادسة والعشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ويعود الفضل في ذلك الفوز الثمين إلى محمد صلاح، الذي سجل الهدف الأول وصنع الثاني.
وحقق محمد صلاح سلسلة من الأرقام القياسية بعد تألقه في مباراة الأمس، بين فريقي ليفربول ومانشستر سيتي.
وحسبما ذكر الموقع الرسمي لنادي ليفربول، فإن محمد صلاح ارتقى في سلم هدافي النادي على مر العصور، بعد هدفه أمس ضد حامل اللقب.
اقرأ أيضًا.. لاعب ليفربول: شعرت بالدوار أمام مانشستر سيتي بسبب عمر مرموش
وأوضح أن محمد صلاح ارتفع رصيده من الأهداف إلى 241 هدفًا، ليعادل ما حققه النجم جوردون هودجسون في الفترة بين 1926 و1935، ليصبح في المركز الثالث في قائمة هدافي ليفربول.
وحقق محمد صلاح ذلك الإنجاز في مباراته رقم 387 بقميص ليفربول، بعد وصوله في يونيو 2017 قادمًا من روما.
سجل محمد صلاح مع ليفربول 180 هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي، 45 هدفًا في دوري أبطال أوروبا، 6 أهداف في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، 5 أهداف في الدوري الأوروبي، 4 أهداف في كأس كاراباو وهدف في كأس الدرع الخيرية.
ويسبق محمد صلاح في قائمة هدافي ليفربول على مر التاريخ اثنين فقط، وهما روجر هانت (285 هدفًا) وإيان راش (346 هدفًا).
Marchant de Lange returns to Somerset as Wahab Riaz links up with Trent Rockets
ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2021
Devon Conway had a steady but unspectacular time in his four games with Southern Brave•Getty Images
Paul Stirling, the Ireland batter, will replace New Zealand’s Devon Conway at Southern Brave, and the availability of Wahab Riaz, the Pakistan quick, for the Trent Rockets means their South African recruit Marchant de Lange will leave the men’s Hundred after four matches and return to Somerset for their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign.Conway, also a Somerset man and one of the more prominent newcomers at the international stage, had a steady run with Brave in the Hundred, getting starts on each occasion. He had scores of 18, 23, 34 and 22 for a tally of 97 runs, scored at a strike rate of 112.79. But in that last game, against London Spirit at Lord’s, Conway took a blow from a Blake Cullen delivery in the fingers of his left hand very early in his innings, and while he finished his innings, he didn’t come out to field.Stirling, the veteran batter, wasn’t at his best when he turned out for Ireland during South Africa’s visit in July for a set of ODIs and T20Is, but brings with him a wealth of experience. Not to forget the exceptional form he was in earlier this year in Abu Dhabi, when he scored ODI centuries against UAE and Afghanistan.de Lange, meanwhile, was one of the bowling stars of the competition, the joint-leading wicket-taker after the first 17 matches with eight wickets, the same as Northern Superchargers’ Adil Rashid and the Rockets’ Rashid Khan.But the Rockets will welcome back their original pick, Riaz, whose participation in the Hundred had been delayed after he reached the UK because of an issue with his visa – he didn’t have a valid work permit – which forced him to fly home, sort it out, and then return to link up with his team. He has completed his mandatory quarantine on his return to the UK, and is available for the Rockets’ next fixture, against Welsh Fire on Friday in Cardiff.The Rockets have had the better time of it at the tournament so far, three wins in four outings giving them a top-of-the-table spot with six points, while Brave are in the other half of the eight-team table, down at seventh place with four points from four games, only above Spirit.
The September international break is behind us, and while Liverpool fans are still giddy from watching Trent Alexander-Arnold obliterate any ridiculous notion that he cannot perform for England – at right-back – fans longing for another week without the Premier League would be few and far between.
Liverpool have enjoyed a masterful start to life under Arne Slot, whose three victories and three clean sheets from three matches to start his reign have cast any doubts far into the depths of the River Mersey.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
But there's always an element of fear that international action, freezing domestic excitement, will stifle the fluency, and return certain members to their clubs nursing blows.
Liverpool, sadly, must contend with such a setback in the shape of Harvey Elliott, whose frustrating start to the season has been compounded.
Harvey Elliott's injury blow
Elliott's role under Jurgen Klopp grew as the 2023/24 campaign went on, and the dynamic midfielder actually ended up being one of Liverpool's most impressive players toward the business end, instrumental in winning the Carabao Cup and recovering form at the end of the year.
He's reverted to a bit-part role since the summer, though it's difficult to use the opening three matches as a reliable yardstick, with Slot looking to instil his methods and style as seamlessly as possible before expanding his team.
Elliott is an expert technician with ball-playing qualities that offer something distinctive and deadly to Liverpool. Klopp revealed that the 21-year-old's comparative lack of playing time last year was one of his only regrets as he touched the Anfield sign for one final time.
24/25
1 (0)
0
0
23/24
53 (27)
4
11
22/23
46 (25)
5
2
21/22
11 (6)
1
0
20/21*
1 (1)
0
1
19/20
8 (6)
0
1
The England U21 international is criminally underrated, among the finest young talents that the country's rich and expansive prospect pool has to offer. He will now watch from the side as Liverpool continue to adapt to this new way of life.
The diminutive midfielder fractured his foot earlier this week while on duty with England U21s, meaning that he will miss up to six weeks of action and thus unlikely to return to action until the end of October, after the second international break of the season.
The significance of this blow should not be understated. Elliott has not enjoyed more than 13 minutes of football under his new boss but would have been expected to feature prominently over the weeks ahead, with the games coming thick and fast, two a week after Liverpool welcome Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones celebrate
His sharp creativity is such a brilliant asset. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90.
The man to replace Harvey Elliott
He will not be easily replaced, but an unlikely replacement could emerge in 25-year-old Cody Gakpo, who has proved his positional flexibility since signing from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023.
Gakpo has been an important member of Liverpool's team since signing off the back of an exceptional campaign at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the versatile forward scoring 23 goals and supplying nine assists from 46 starting appearances.
He's usually a centre-forward or an in-cutting left winger, but he's played across myriad roles and could be an unlikely Elliott replacement, here's why.
Assists
0.25
Top 17%
Shot-creating actions
4.19
Top 7%
Passes attempted
31.88
Top 11%
Progressive passes
4.19
Top 7%
Progressive carries
2.36
Top 20%
Successful take-ons
1.62
Top 12%
Tackles
1.16
Top 11%
While the data extracted above does not run against attacking midfielders and wingers, Gakpo has displayed an aptitude for ball-playing and specifically playmaking, with new RB Salzburg manager Pep Lijnders hailing the "special skill set" that makes him such an interesting multi-functional option.
Of course, Dominik Szoboszlai looks set to continue his role as Slot's starring number ten, but the Hungarian will not be expected to feature from the start on every occasion, especially when considering the congested run of forthcoming fixtures headed Liverpool's way.
Dominik Szoboszlai
One of the principal questions boils down to whether Slot feels his slick and control-focused style of football can be successfully implemented with Gakpo in a deeper-lying role than he might have anticipated, but the table above and the Dutchman's past crispness suggests that he does indeed have the tools to succeed.
Moreover, Gakpo won 51% of his ground duels in the Premier League last year, as per Sofascore, suggesting that he has the combativeness to succeed in a deeper role, something that Klopp clearly noted.
Last season, the Netherlands international played seven times for Liverpool in a middle-situated role, particularly impressive during his team's 3-0 victory over Brentford in December.
Indeed, he completed 91% of his passes and won four of his seven contested ground duels before being replaced by Elliott in the final phase, so he's definitely a viable option: Slot would simply be taking a leaf out of his predecessor's books.
The £120k-per-week talent has yet to really showcase his style under the new management on Merseyside, in a competitive setting, but Slot is going to have to start shuffling the pack with the strong stream of matches flowing Liverpool's way, and Elliott, the likely candidate to alternate with Szoboszlai, finds himself under the shadow of the sideline.
Is he going to make this move? Alexis Mac Allister can perform in an advanced midfield role, and so can Curtis Jones. Federico Chiesa could also offer an interesting take on the position after signing from Juventus in August, but the Reds will wish to blood him slowly and avoid a recurrence of past injury misfortune.
Gakpo could be the man for the job. He'll be itching to prove himself in any case.
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The talent has endured a rapid decline in recent years.