All posts by h716a5.icu

Rashid Khan starred with the ball for Afghanistan but their batters fell short against India’s attack

Alagappan Muthu20-Jun-20241:18

Manjrekar: SKY showed his value on a tricky pitch

There were geniuses at play in Bridgetown, wearing the India blue as they cruised to victory in their first Super Eight game against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup 2024. The pitch, once again, was tough to bat on: slow and offering purchase to everyone willing to roll their fingers across the ball. Suryakumar Yadav, though, found a way to prosper as he often does in T20 cricket, helping his team post an above-par total of 181 for 7. That brought Jasprit Bumrah into the fray and he immediately set about dismantling Afghanistan, his two early strikes leaving them indisposed for the rest of the chase.The old guardVirat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did not play a single T20I between the end of the previous World Cup in 2022 and January this year. But they’re here now because they want that medal around their neck. They want to be world champions. And to that end, they’ve been open to batting in a different way. Rohit made only 8 off 13 but he looked to hit a boundary off six of those balls. Kohli was going smoothly but he wasn’t willing to settle for that. He looked to hit Rashid Khan for six and got caught.After being burned in big matches for being too conservative, India have ditched the safety-first approach. And the reason for that played out in the middle overs of this game. When Kohli fell, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster had their total tracking down by 18 runs to 171. In the space of a mere six balls, the other batters had it tracking back up by the same number of runs. India were set to reach 189 now. That’s how quickly a game can change in this format. That’s why it’s better to have tried and failed than not try and all.Surya on songIt’s possible India knew this all along but were holding back because they weren’t comfortable with the options they had down the order. That’s changed now because their best T20 batter mans the No. 4 position.Suryakumar played some special shots – not in the way you usually associate with, where he finds a soft spot in the laws of physics and mercilessly pokes holes in them. But more in terms of just knowing his areas and trusting his skill. Even the one time when he made jaws drop to the floor – dragging Azmatullah Omarzai from somewhere off the wide line to the square-leg boundary – he was just trying to put away a full toss. The legside was the shorter boundary. It just made sense.Jasprit Bumrah struck off his second ball against Afghanistan and finished with 3 for 7•CREIMASSuryakumar focused on three things while he was out there. Sweep to mess with the wristspinners. He played four and each of them resulted in a boundary. Smash whenever the quicks went too full. He struck a six that sailed into the three Ws stand and held his pose. Worrell, Weeks and Walcott would’ve loved that. Finally swipe – after making sure to hold his shape – when they went slower ball. First time he tried it, he got beaten. Second time, he nearly hit the ball out of the ground. This was a classic case of an attacking batter paring down his options to just those he knew would succeed in the conditions.Suryakumar was box office, even without bat in hand. In between the innings, he admitted that he was nervous. “I began chewing my gum harder when Kohli got out.” But he knew he couldn’t let himself be bogged down. “It was important to keep the intent up.” India do not want to fall into the same traps as before. This World Cup, they’re going to bat like they have a full ten wickets to spare.Bumrah on fireHe has twice as many wickets as he’s conceded boundaries (8 vs 4) in this T20 World Cup. Bumrah is undeniably India’s most important player. He came on to bowl after Rahmanullah Gurbaz had struck a lion’s share of the 13 runs in the first over of the chase. He had seen, in the first innings, that slower balls had been mighty effective (five wickets for 30 runs at an economy rate of 7.2). Immediately, he dialled one up and also shifted his line real wide to deny Gurbaz the straight hit that he likes so much. Assessing the conditions and the opposition to that degree that quickly is the reason why he is an all-format great. He gave away only seven runs, the second-fewest by an Indian bowling four overs in a T20I.There were further positives as well. Kuldeep Yadav, back in the XI to exploit favourable conditions, picked up 2 for 32. Axar Patel began with a wicket-maiden in the powerplay. Ravindra Jadeja had a good run out as well. And Arshdeep recovered from a two-over spell for 22 runs to almost pick up a hat-trick in the dying moments.

Celtic are in the process of making some significant moves this summer and look to have reignited their interest in an exciting attacker, according to a report.

Celtic searching for attackers to offer final third variation

Brendan Rodgers opted to operate with Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah as central options during the second half of last campaign, taking a look at the market before deciding to stick rather than twist in January.

However, Celtic are set to conclude a deal for Fulham youngster Callum Osmand after the Wales international turned down the opportunity to sign professional terms at Craven Cottage, offering an alternative threat through the middle.

Nevertheless, Frank McAvennie believes the Bhoys should offer a shock deal to Jamie Vardy amid their efforts to strengthen across the front four positions, with free agent Danny Ings also recommended by the former Scotland international.

The ex-Celtic explained: “Vardy. I would take Vardy. I know they are talking about him going to Rangers, but I would take Vardy at Celtic.

“They (Vardy and Danny Ings) are goal scorers. Two of them are goal scorers. They are just natural predators. Get them up here. Good names.”

Celtic can forget about Kvistgaarden with move to sign "gifted" £0 striker

With Celtic seemingly set to miss out on signing Mathias Kvistgaarden from Brøndby, they should instead go for a “gifted” free agent.

ByBen Gray Jun 10, 2025

While it feels unlikely that either of the duo mentioned would arrive north of the border, there is an appetite for another striker and winger at a minimum to bolster squad depth.

Marco Tilio’s return from Melbourne City could also intrigue Celtic, but it has always felt likely that the Bhoys will dip into the market to acquire new creative threats.

Speaking of which, Rodgers’ men have now reportedly opened talks with a familiar target as they look to push a deal over the line, per recent developments.

Celtic hold discussions to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha

According to Sacha Tavolieri on X, Celtic have made contact and opened discussions with Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s camp to begin ‘new discussions regarding personal terms’ involving the Royal Antwerp man.

Retaining an interest in the former Belgium Under-21 international since last summer, further updates are expected on his future in the coming days as Rodgers looks to land his man.

Labelled “unpredictable” by Ben Mattinson, Balikwisha is someone the Irishman has personally expressed an interest in signing and his small sample size on the pitch over the campaign has illustrated why.

Despite having injury issues, the 24-year-old registered four goals and three assists in 18 matches across all competitions. Valued at roughly £4.2 million by Transfermarkt, it remains to be seen what the ballpark figure is for Celtic to secure his services.

It feels as if this summer is make-or-break for Ruben Amorim’s long-term future at Manchester United.

Amorim’s stint in charge to date hasn’t gone to plan whatsoever, with 17 wins and 17 defeats coming his way from 42 contests, culminating in the Red Devils having to stomach a shambolic 15th final place finish in the Premier League.

Therefore, the recruitment in and out of Old Trafford this chaotic transfer window has to be spot on, with the underperformers nearly nailing down the signature of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha to offer up at least one ray of much-needed positivity.

Unfortunately, that excitement has been short-lived as modern-day United great Bruno Fernandes now reportedly edges closer to the exit door. But his departure could be softened immediately by one bold replacement entering the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd lining up Fernandes replacement

The graphic above gives you just a flavour as to why the Portuguese ace leaving would be a disaster, with the 30-year-old just fresh off a combined 19 goals and assists in Premier League action, despite United sinking to 15th spot.

Transfer Focus

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

But, Amorim and Co. would surely bounce back from Fernandes’ exit swiftly if they were successful in landing Sporting star Pedro Goncalves, with a new report from Portuguese outlet A Bola – via Sport Witness – indicating that he is being lined up as a like-for-like replacement.

The suggestion is that the Red Devils are ‘considering making an offer’ for the 26-year-old, with any move likely to be ramped if Fernandes departs – although it could still take place regardless.

Losing the experience United number eight to Al-Hilal for mega millions would be able to finance the deal, with the report further stating that Amorim’s ex-employers would only cash in if his €80m (£67m) release clause is met.

How Goncalves compares to Amad

Signed the exciting “creative force” – as he’s been glowingly branded by football analyst Ben Mattinson – wouldn’t be purchased to just plug the gap of Fernandes.

The former Wolves flop is also a tricky customer down the left or right flank, thus representing a potential upgrade down the channels than another of United’s bright gems in Amad Diallo.

Goncalves will be chomping at the bit to change his negative Wolves narrative if he does return to England, having already caused ripples when scoring this blinder away at Arsenal in 2023.

Amad has also had to bounce back from his own difficulties at Old Trafford, albeit while tallying up 11 goals and ten assists last season as the United ship regularly hit icebergs.

That said, the “incredible” Goncalves – as he has been praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – might well have the beating of the Ivorian down either channel or through the centre as a number ten when assessing his glittering career numbers in Lisbon.

LW

98

28

34

RW

55

34

9

CM

36

18

12

SS

3

1

0

AM

3

1

0

When assessing the table above, it’s clear how flexible Goncalves can be for the cause, with an amazingly high 30 goals and assists tallied up from 36 games centrally, on top of also registering a combined 105 goal contributions down either wing in the Portuguese capital.

On the flip side, Amad, who is still raw at an earlier stage in his career, has just 26 goal contributions overall when donning a Red Devils strip, meaning he might well have to forfeit some first-team action if the Bruno-like target does join the building.

Sporting Lisbon's Pedro Goncalves.

The overriding anxiety will be that Goncalves has already flopped once in England, which could result in another high-profile failure coming up on his CV.

But, Fernandes entered the English game back in 2020 with a similar hype surrounding his name, having amassed an astounding 113 goals and assists from just 137 appearances for Sporting.

Consequently, it just feels written in the stars that this deal could go down as a similarly golden hit, as Goncalves aims to be a transformative figure that guides United to better days.

Not just Bruno: Man Utd star in talks to leave in another McTominay repeat

Manchester United could repeat their Scott McTominay disaster by selling this star.

ByDan Emery May 30, 2025

The life of a Premier League manager is a precious one; they seldom last as long as they should, with trigger-happy owners desperate to instigate the change their ailing clubs need to remain competitive, whether that’s through surviving the drop or simply staying relevant in the race for European football.

So with 20 bosses fighting for their jobs on a weekly basis, who could be next to leave? With the 2024/25 campaign in its final weeks, there could be clubs contemplating changes ahead of the summer.

Here, our ranking takes us through the managers we think are closest to being shown the exit door. As well as the threat of dismissal, we have also factored in managers wo may be tempted to jump ship, adding some uncertainty to their futures at their respective clubs.

This is how we think the Premier League’s managerial sack race stands at this late stage of the campaign, with our reasoning for each one below:

Rank

Manager

Club

Date appointed

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

February 2024

Arne Slot

Liverpool

May 2025

David Moyes

Everton

January 2025

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

December 2019

Vitor Pereira

Wolves

December 2024

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

November 2022

Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

June 2023

Marco Silva

Fulham

July 2021

Thomas Frank

Brentford

October 2018

Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham

June 2023

Enzo Maresca

Chelsea

June 2024

Eddie Howe

Newcastle

November 2021

Pep Guardiola

Man City

July 2016

Nuno Espirito Santo

Nottingham Forest

December 2023

Fabian Hurzeler

Brighton

June 2024

Kieran McKenna

Ipswich

December 2021

Graham Potter

West Ham

January 2025

Ruben Amorim

Man Utd

November 2024

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Leicester

November 2024

Here’s a further look at our rankings in more detail…

1 Oliver Glasner Crystal Palace

Oliver Glasner’s tenure at Crystal Palace could hardly have gone better. After comfortably staying up in the 2023/24 season, he picked the Eagles up from a slow start to the most recent campaign and survived with ease once again.

But the crowning glory came in the FA Cup final at Wembley, as Crystal Palace became cup winners for the first time with a historic 1-0 win over Manchester City to write their names into the record books. There is simply no one they’d swap the Austrian for right now.

2 Arne Slot Liverpool

There are few safer hot seats in Europe than the one occupied by Arne Slot at Liverpool. The Dutchman steered the Reds to a pretty comfortable Premier League triumph in his first season in charge as he replaced the great Jurgen Klopp.

Cynics will argue that the competition was nowhere near as fierce, but Liverpool’s status as a top side in English football and Europe looks assured under the former Feyenoord boss, who will look to emulate Jose Mourinho by securing two titles in his first two seasons.

Having not bought anyone of note in the summer (sorry, Federico Chiesa), his success is all the more impressive.

3 David Moyes Everton

It may be a slight stretch to call David Moyes a miracle worker, but even the Friedkin Group must be delighted with how things have gone in the past few months for Everton.

With the Scot drafted in to rescue his old club from relegation ahead of their move to Bramley-Moore Dock, Moyes not only made the Toffees more solid in the wake of Sean Dyche’s exit, but turned them into winners.

Seven wins and counting since January saw Everton coast to top-flight safety, and with only four league defeats since Moyes’ return, the Merseysiders were able to give Goodison Park the send-off it deserved without the threat of demotion hanging over them. There is no one more fitting to kickstart the new era.

4 Mikel Arteta Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has transformed the Gunners into a European powerhouse. Despite not adding to his FA Cup triumph in 2020, the north Londoners are undoubtedly one of the strongest sides in the league, if not on the continent.

That is a testament to the Spaniard’s work at the Emirates Stadium, with Arteta juggling injuries and suspensions galore in 2024/25 to steer Arsenal to just their third Champions League semi-final and what looks to be a third successive runners-up place in the Premier League.

With a big summer surely in the offing, you can bet Arteta will be backed to keep up the good work.

5 Vitor Pereira Wolves

Vitor Pereira was tasked with saving Wolves following his arrival in December 2024, with the Old Gold still in single figures in terms of points, and five from safety.

A superb run of form – including six straight wins between March and April – effectively secured their survival, even ahead of the likes of West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Heading into his first full season, Fosun must be licking their lips over what the Portuguese coach can do with his squad over the long term.

6 Unai Emery Aston Villa

Aston Villa have had a superb time of it under Unai Emery, with Champions League qualification leading to some of Villa Park’s greatest nights.

They have all been made possible by Emery’s work since his appointment in November 2022, which has seen the Villans transformed from Premier League strugglers to Champions League quarter-finalists in less than three years.

With European qualification assured (and perhaps another CL berth), Emery will surely not be going anywhere anytime soon.

7 Andoni Iraola Bournemouth

Andoni Iraola is one of the Premier League’s brightest minds in the dugout. He has taken Bournemouth to the brink of Europe following a superb top-flight campaign that has delivered their highest points total at this level.

That consistency will leave him with plenty of credit in the bank, though a big test will be how he addresses the departure of Dean Huijsen in the summer.

The next step for the Spaniard will be European qualification, and having performed well against the bigger sides in the league, Iraola may yet set his sights on new heights down on the south coast.

8 Marco Silva Fulham

Marco Silva looks at home as Fulham boss, with the Portuguese coach delivering another impressive campaign. Indeed, the Cottagers have only just exited European contention at the back end of the season.

His record at Craven Cottage thus far suggests they will remain an awkward side to face, with cup success or European qualification surely only around the corner if they can keep progressing under his tutelage.

9 Thomas Frank Brentford

How Thomas Frank continues to get results out of Brentford is remarkably impressive. Not panicked by the exit of Ivan Toney in the summer, the Bees have shown they are arguably a better side without him, while the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have steadily improved, demonstrating Frank’s capabilities as a coach.

European qualification remains a slight possibility heading into the final game of the season, and it would be just rewards for a club that is one of the most stable in the Premier League, largely thanks to Frank’s prowess from the dugout.

You get the feeling that as long as Frank remains, Brentford are in good hands.

10 Ange Postecoglou Tottenham

Who knows what the future holds for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur? Anyone with Spurs’ results record would surely have expected a dismissal at some point. But to give credit where it’s due, Daniel Levy’s decision to stick by his man delivered Tottenham that long-awaited trophy following Europa League glory in May.

However, one gets the impression that all is not rosy for the Australian in N17, with Postecoglou appearing to have a fractured relationship with the supporters during the past 10 months.

Whether a European trophy can build bridges and lead to a season more akin to his first in north London remains to be seen, so you do feel that Postecoglou’s future is still in the balance.

Sunday’s clash against Liverpool was always going to be a tough one for Arsenal from a mental perspective.

After crashing out of the Champions League at the semi-final stages, the last place they probably wanted to be was Anfield, the home of the Premier League title winners.

A guard of honour was given and Arsenal actually starting vibrantly, Bukayo Saka missing a chance from a matter of yards out. Here we go again, it’s going to be another one of those days.

Indeed, that certainly looked the case when the Gunners found themselves 2-0 down after 21 minutes. This was the perfect encapsulation of this season. Arsenal could have been two up themselves but squandered their chances and as they found in Paris on Wednesday, they were up against it.

This time, Mikel Arteta’s men rallied and put in a brilliant second-half performance to walk away from Merseyside with a point in their battle to finish inside the top four.

Arsenal's finest performers against Liverpool

While Arteta was left to bemoan some uncharacteristically lapse defending from William Saliba in the first half, shutting off for the second goal, in forward areas, there were some more encouraging signs.

Saka was his usual effervescent self, while Gabriel Martinelli was perhaps the standout player on the away side.

The Brazilian initially started the game on the left flank but a few tactical tweaks at half-time saw a renewed display, not just from Martinelli but the whole side.

Leandro Trossard moved out to the left and Martinelli moved into the centre of the pitch. A matter of minutes into the second half the two attackers combined brilliantly to get Arsenal back into the game.

The Belgian winger crossed into the box, where Arsenal’s number 11 was ready and waiting to head the ball home. In truth, that tactical tweak changed the game. Martinelli made a number of threatening runs in behind that also brought out the best from Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian has had a troubled campaign, only scoring five times, but he looked closer to his best in the second period at Anfield, playing a number of balls towards Martinelli.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Odegaard also had a vital role to play in the equaliser. Plenty of supporters have bemoaned his unwillingness to shoot from range this season but it was his fierce effort from outside the box that the second goal came from.

The captain unleashed a fizzing drive that Alisson tipped onto the post but Mikel Merino followed up well and headed the rebound into an empty net.

It was yet another crucial moment for the Spaniard who has enjoyed a fabulous back end of the season. Well, that was until he was given a red card for a late challenge on Dominik Szoboszlai, a tackle that saw him branded with a second yellow card.

Still, Merino was far from the worst player on the pitch.

Arsenal's poorest performers against Liverpool

Arsenal’s defending since Gabriel got injured certainly hasn’t been the best but one has to commend the displays of Jakub Kiwior who notably stood out in the two-legged win over Real Madrid.

That being said, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Saliba who, without Gabriel, doesn’t look quite as assured at the back.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The French titan is no doubt a fabulous player, but there have been some nervy moments for the centre-back when playing out from the back. He also switched off completely for Liverpool’s opening goal.

Despite grabbing an assist, it was largely an afternoon to forget for Trossard too, whose woes were compounded in the 78th minute when he was substituted with an apparent hamstring injury.

For Arsenal, that is not good news, particularly after Merino’s late red card. Who Arsenal will play up top against Newcastle next week is anyone’s guess.

Either way, Arteta should consider axing him from the team. Even if it’s not fully from the team, he should be axed as the main centre forward.

In the words of Arsenal writer Connor Humm, the £27m signing is a “waste of time” as a striker, not boasting the physicality to hold the ball up and perhaps also lacking the sort of runs we ultimately saw from Martinelli down the centre when they swapped positions.

Minutes played

78

Touches

61

Accurate passes

31/36 (86%)

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

1

Successful dribbles

3/5

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

1/3

Duels won

7/13

Possession lost

16x

Trossard only won seven of his 13 contested duels during the clash and failed to have a single shot on target. To make matters worse, he also lost the ball on 16 occasions. That isn’t what you need from a role that requires bringing others into play.

There was a wasteful moment that rather summed up his topsy-turvy season in the first 45 minutes. Arsenal pressed well in Liverpool’s penalty area and won the ball back. However, neither Partey nor Trossard took control of the situation and waited for each other to pick up the possession. Had either done so, it probably would have been a goal. Instead, the chance went begging.

Moments like that are why the Belgium international has frustrated supporters so often this season. There is talk of a new contract and perhaps he might deserve one. There aren’t many better squad players in Arteta’s ranks.

However, if Arsenal are going to sign one or two attackers, Trossard should be given the boot to accommodate them.

He's just like an "early Henry": Arsenal begin work to sign £85m winger

Arsenal are in the market for more firepower this summer,

ByMatt Dawson May 11, 2025

Whilst the clock ticks down to Saturday’s huge Championship playoff final to decide who the final Premier League team will be ahead of next season, Burnley are already sat at the top-flight table.

Scott Parker’s Clarets would resoundingly finish inside the top two positions alongside Daniel Farke’s Leeds United, meaning any stress that inevitably comes from a big day out to Wembley hasn’t been felt by the Lancashire outfit whatsoever.

Instead, Burnley are filled with anxiety now about a number of their star Championship performers moving on this off-season, with standout defensive star CJ Egan-Riley already reportedly off to France.

The latest on CJ Egan-Riley's future

Unfortunately, these are the pitfalls that come with success, with a lot of Burnley’s imperious defenders now being eyed up by far-off suitors.

Reports are suggesting that Egan-Riley, who contributed to a bumper 26 clean sheets, has agreed a deal to join Liam Rosenior’s RC Strasbourg, with his out-of-contract situation no doubt irking Clarets fans after such a superb season in the second tier.

The unwanted misery doesn’t stop there with James Trafford also routinely linked with a move to the likes of Newcastle United, on top of Josh Brownhill being chased by Everton and West Ham United after chipping in with 18 league strikes in attack.

Of course, both Trafford and Brownhill might not follow Egan-Riley out of the door, but there is another notable face being touted with a switch away that will further iritate Clarets supporters considering he could go on to become the club’s next Ben Mee when climbing up a division.

Burnley's new version of Ben Mee

Amazingly, Mee has still been shining in the Premier League for Brentford three years on from his Turf Moor departure.

Whilst he did reaffirm his status as a reliable centre-back option with the Bees, he really did come into his own donning a Clarets jersey, away from lining up here and there for Thomas Frank’s men, with Mee going on to make a ridiculous 376 appearances over more than a decade.

Maxime Esteve will hope he can follow in Mee’s footsteps if he stays put with Parker’s side, with the Frenchman definitely capable of having a prolonged career in the Premier League like the 35-year-old, judging by his sterling Championship numbers.

Much like Mee during Burnley’s second tier title winning heroics back in the 2015/16 season, the “unbelievable” 22-year-old – as he was labelled by Parker – was an everpresent part of the Clarets’ formidable defence as promotion was won, with the Montpellier-born centre-back now ready for what awaits him in the top-flight with or without his current employers.

Games played

46

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches*

78.0

Accurate passes*

60.5 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

3.7

Clearances*

5.0

Total duels won*

3.6

Clean sheets

30

It’s clear from the table above that Esteve excels both as a battler for Parker’s side but also as a comfortable operator of the ball, with a steep 30 clean sheets won, on top of also averaging 78 touches as a confident figure playing out from the back.

Mee operated in much the same vein for Burnley during only his second campaign at the daunting level, with the now-experienced defender finishing his 2016/17 season with nine clean sheets next to his name from 30 league contests, alongside also averaging 50.7 touches as a composed body.

It will be intriguing to see if Esteve wants to stick it out at Turf Moor to be held in the same high esteem as Mee, therefore. After all, he’s reportedly wanted by Crystal Palace and the temptation of moving on to Oliver Glasner’s FA Cup-winning side may prove to be too strong a pull.

Either way, Burnley are in a worrying state of limbo at the moment as to what their team will look like ahead of top-flight football returning to Turf Moor, with plenty of fingers crossed that Esteve becomes part of the furniture over being known as a fleeting promotion winner.

Worth more than Brownhill: Burnley have struck gold on "exceptional" star

This Burnley star has now seen his transfer value rise way above Josh Brownhill’s price-tag.

ByKelan Sarson May 18, 2025

Liverpool are champions of the Premier League once again, and you can tell that a weight has been lifted from the shoulders of all involved.

The celebrations raged on for days, Anfield having played host to the title-clinching occasion last weekend as Tottenham Hotspur were put to the sword.

It’s been a long and gruelling season, but the squad have worked tooth and nail toward getting back on their perch, with Arne Slot the mastermind. Curiously, the Dutch coach has allowed a fuzz of facial hair to carpet his face, emphasising the loosening of the focus now that gold medals have been secured.

While Slot is finally prepared to enforce some rotation in the top flight, having been stringent in his team selection across the campaign, there’s no question that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are very much headset on preparing for the summer ahead.

That, for sure, is one area of attention that will have only intensified since the jubilation of last weekend, and while a wave of signings are anticipated, Liverpool are also gearing up to present Luis Diaz with a new contract.

Liverpool looking to extend Luis Diaz's contract

Diaz’s future has been a topic of debate throughout the 2024/25 campaign, and while he lulled for a sizeable patch through the middle of the year, the Colombian has been one of Liverpool’s most influential players.

Having plundered 16 goals and eight assists across 47 matches in all competitions, Diaz is behind only Mohamed Salah in Anfield’s goal contribution charts.

However, the 28-year-old is approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week deal and has been consistently linked with a move away in recent months. Barcelona are among the recognised admirers.

Unless a mammoth bid comes FSG’s way, they’d be shrewd to march ahead with plans to tie the left-sided forward down. He’s been brilliant this year, and he perhaps doesn’t get the respect he deserves for his numbers, which are not all that shoddy.

Raphinha

31

15

11

Bradley Barcola

31

13

11

Luis Diaz

33

12

7

Vinicius Junior

27

11

7

Vincenzo Grifo

31

8

10

Is he perfect? No, but Diaz is criminally underrated within certain pockets of Liverpool support, having performed dutifully and dynamically under Slot’s wing.

The fact that Raphinha and Bradley Barcola are the only recognised left wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season to have outperformed him from a prolific standpoint says it all.

However, this argument carries substance on both sides, and if Liverpool were to receive an irresistible offer this summer, there’s one man above all others who has been identified as the perfect replacement.

Liverpool target is open to leaving

According to GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are ready to sign Real Madrid’s Rodrygo this summer, should Diaz end up leaving, with the wing wizard having ‘doubts’ over his future at the Bernabeu.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brazil international, 24, has become disillusioned with his role at Los Blancos, often shunted onto the right flank to accommodate Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

The report suggests that he is, for the first time, ‘questioning’ his future at the club, while remaining ‘open-minded’ over which club he could potentially join next.

Spanish sources suggest it could take a bid worth €120m (£102m) to convince Florentino Perez to part with his club’s forward, but if Rodrygo truly wishes to leave for a new chapter, this towering figure could be reduced.

Why Rodrygo would be perfect for Liverpool

Hailed as a “world-class” part of Real Madrid by Jurgen Klopp, Rodrygo has lived in the Spanish capital since leaving Santos in his Brazilian homeland back in June 2018. He was only 17, with the figure totalling €45m (£38m).

The problem, of course, is that Madrid have packed their squad full of attacking superstars over the past few years, with the likes of Endrick, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz also assuming space in the first-team squad.

Rodrygo, though, no doubt feels he is on par with Mbappe and the like, surely doubling his frustrations over being routinely played as a right wing.

The right-footed forward has demonstrated a raised level of prolificness when rarely handed the chance to feature on his preferred flank. This season, he’s only posted 13 goals and ten assists across 50 matches in all competitions, but 12 of those involvements have come from just 12 fixtures as a left winger.

Right winger

145

34

30

0.44

Centre-forward

82

22

8

0.37

Left winger

78

23

16

0.50

Attacking midfield

4

0

1

0.25

It wouldn’t make much sense to sign Rodrygo if Diaz was kept on Liverpool’s books, for then he would be jockeying with the Colombia international and Cody Gakpo for a starting berth, or indeed placed out on the opposite flank, though Salah’s contractual renewal makes it rather hard to imagine this would convince him to make the move.

Even though Rodrygo hasn’t enjoyed the finest of seasons, his underlying qualities have still shone through. As per FBref, ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.

This is interesting, with Diaz also renowned for his technical ability and crispness when on the ball. He’s also an electric player, with fast pace and a skilful kind of flair in possession.

Rodrygo has reached an important juncture in his career: turn one way, and he may continue to sit in the shadow of some of his Los Blancos peers; dart down the other lane, and the Brazilian could finally forge the career that his ‘world-class’ quality demands.

He’s already done it all for Real Madrid, and if he were to make the move to Merseyside, Rodrygo could not only prove to be an upgrade on Diaz but also become Liverpool’s undisputed talisman once Salah bows out too.

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Arsenal have reportedly made a pre-summer offer to sign a Barcelona star for Mikel Arteta, with the La Liga title contenders and their president, Joan Laporta, responding to their ambitious approach.

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Kieran Tierney is set to join Celtic in July after agreeing a pre-summer contract in the January transfer window, while it is believed Oleksandr Zinchenko has been put on the transfer list by Arsenal after falling down Arteta’s pecking order.

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

Jakub Kiwior has started four of Arsenal’s last Premier League matches, as well as both Champions League quarter-final legs against Real Madrid, but this is only due to Gabriel Magalhaes being out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The Poland international has performed impressively in that time, but that hasn’t stopped Arsenal from looking at new options in that position ahead of the summer.

Arsenal are one of the contenders to sign Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen, as per David Ornstein, and have held talks with the Spaniard’s camp already – so it is unclear what the future would hold for Kiwior if he were to come in.

In any case, it is clear that the north Londoners are in the market for another centre-back, and it is also believed Arsenal could move to bring in another full-back as Tierney and Zinchenko head towards the exit door.

One player who could reinforce both positions with serious quality is £223,000-per-week Barcelona star Jules Koundé.

The France international has proved indispensable to Hansi Flick’s title favourites, playing more La Liga minutes than any other player in his Catalans squad, with only Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Dani Olmo averaging more key passes per 90 than him in the final third (WhoScored).

Kounde’s contributed excellently, both in an offensive and defensive sense, leaving little wonder why Arteta is a big admirer of the ex-Sevilla sensation.

Arsenal make pre-summer bid for Barcelona defender Jules Koundé

According to reports in Spain, as cited by Football 365, Arteta has become “obsessed” with Kounde following his excellent 2024/2025 – and Andrea Berta has made an early attempt to back Arsenal’s manager with a swoop for the 26-year-old.

It is believed Arsenal have made a pre-summer offer worth £55 million for Kounde, but Laporta has swiftly responded with a polite no, as the defender is seen as far too important to even consider selling.

It was always a tall order for Arsenal to tempt Barca into selling their star man, who can play both centrally and a full-back, but it is clear to see why they made a bold attempt to do so.

“I played against him in the Champions League,” said France international teammate Dayot Upamecano.

“He’s a confident player and I hope things continue that way. He’s also a leader and he’s beginning to have a lot of experience. I wish him all the best.”

It is fair to say that Manchester City are making a concerted effort to bring down the average age of their squad.

In January, they signed Juma Bah (18), Nico González (23), Vitor Reis (19), and Abdukodir Khusanov (21), while Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, aged 34 and 33 respectively, could both be on their way out of The Etihad.

While hundreds of millions will be spent on new signings, Man City may have unearthed a top-quality youngster from within their own youth system, one that is now being compared to one of the breakout stars of this Premier League season.

Myles Lewis-Skelly's impact at Arsenal

Few had heard of Myles Lewis-Skelly just six months ago, considering the teenager only made his full Premier League debut against Everton as recently as 14 December.

Now, though, despite still having made fewer than 30 senior appearances for the Gunners, he is their undisputed first-choice left-back.

Adam Bate of Sky Sports outlines how the 18-year-old has enjoyed an astronomical rise, boasting the ‘swagger’ of someone well beyond his years, while Simon Collings of the Evening Standard believes he ‘announced himself on the big stage’ against Real Madrid this week.

Last month, Lewis-Skelly became the youngest debutant to score for England, coolly slotting through Thomas Strakosha’s legs after just 20 minutes against Albania at Wembley.

So, while the Hale End home-grown hero continues to impress at Arsenal, have Manchester City found their answer to him?

Man City's own Myles Lewis-Skelly

A goal down against Bournemouth, Manchester City’s FA Cup hopes appeared to be slipping away by the South Coast.

In response, Pep Guardiola made a half-time alteration in Dorset, introducing Nico O’Reilly at left-back, pushing Joško Gvardiol into the heart of the Man City defence.

Well, even Guardiola could not have envisaged how well this switch would go because, within seconds, O’Reilly had put the ball on a plate for Erling Braut Håland to equalise, before also setting up Omar Marmoush’s winner.

Afterwards, Guardiola hailed O’Reilly’s impact as “unbelievable”, adding “he’s going to play in semi-final for sure”, while Ben Fisher of the Guardian labeled this tactical tweak as a ‘masterstroke’, with O’Reilly’s ‘seemingly bottomless energy’ changing the game in Man City’s favour.

Similar to Lewis-Skelly, O’Reilly is a midfielder by trade, with Emlyn Begley of BBC Sport documenting that he’s really ‘an attacking midfielder’ but a ‘flexible’ one at that.

Nevertheless, the 20-year-old has found a home at left-back, starting against both Leicester and Manchester United since his second-half cameo at Dean Court.

So, let’s see how he and Arsenal’s teenage star compare.

Appearances

12

29

Minutes

717

1,621

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

2

Chances created

10

9

Attempted passes

426

783

Passing accuracy

90.86%

92.89%

Through-balls

2

10

Ball recoveries

37

59

Touches per 90

94

62

As the table above outlines, O’Reilly and Lewis-Skelly are very similar stylistically, which isn’t too surprising, even if the Arsenal man having played almost twice the number of minutes across all competitions to date.

Interestingly, O’Reilly registers significantly more touches per 90, while he’s also more of a goal-threat, emphasising the point that, if given the choice, he’d play as an attacking midfielder.

Thus, likely to be deployed at left-back against Crystal Palace on Saturday, O’Reilly is certainly going to be put to the test, considering how dangerous Daniel Muñoz and Ismaïla Sarr are as a duo down the Eagles’ right-hand-side.

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In partnership with TalkSPORTBET, Football FanCast had a quick chat with former Rangers star and manager Ally McCoist to catch up on everything Rangers, from his favourite teammates to new manager candidates. Catch the full interview and transcript below.

"Ferguson and McCall were my two most underrated teammates"

Asked if any of his former Ibrox teammates went under the radar surrounded by stars like Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, McCoist heaped praise on two former Scotland midfielders: “Probably two underrated ones would be Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson. Stuart was a brilliant midfielder, as was Ian.

“The first thing that struck you about Stuart was his energy and his willingness to run about and work hard, and I think in many ways that masked his ability in some people’s opinions, because he was a far better football player perhaps than the way he played.

“What caught your eye when he played was his work rate and his closing down, getting the ball back, but far cleverer with the ball and a better player than a lot of people imagined.

“And Ian Ferguson was the exact same. Those two guys could’ve played in any team at any level. Fergie came from St. Mirren as a younger man and Graeme (Souness) and Walter (Smith) turned him into a very mature, level-headed midfield player who was aggressive and he had one of the hardest shots out of any player I played with.

“The one thing about Fergie that helped was that he was a Rangers boy growing up so he absolutely loved every minute of putting on that blue jersey.”

"I'd have loved to have played with and managed Nicolas Raskin"

Looking at today’s Rangers squad, the legendary striker had no hesitation when asked which current Gers stars he’d have liked to have lined up alongside: “(Nicolas) Raskin, I’ve gotta say his attitude to play and his desire and the way he works. Obviously, he just got into his international side and came off the bench and played for Belgium. I just think he’s one of those boys that has a steady improvement in him.

“I think he’s actually a player I would have liked to have played and managed at the same time. (Vaclav) Cerny’s another one. I enjoy watching Cerny, that left foot of his. He can come inside, go outside. Cerny’s one I wouldn’t mind playing with as well.”

"I was the only person the new owners could talk to"

With 49ers Enterprises now closing in on a deal to take over at Ibrox, McCoist recalled his experience with a changing of the guard, as the Gers entered administration during his time in the dugout: “It’s a funny one, because you’re not really involved in it as such. The position I was in I was sitting down and getting interviewed by one or two potential buyers but that’s all you can do. You don’t have an influence on it at all. All you’re trying to do is effectively sell the football club to people.

“Nowadays it’s completely different because there’s other people to do that. The guys coming in from San Francisco will be doing their due diligence and their background work and they won’t really be asking anybody in the football management side of things.

“It was different when I was there because there was nobody. There was no board of directors, there was no chairman, no chief executive. I was effectively the only person at the club that you could talk to, so thankfully that’s not the case now and the potential buyers will be going through their due diligence and with a bit of luck it can get done and dusted in the foreseeable future.”

"Big changes are needed at Rangers"

It goes without saying that the big task on the new owners’ hands now will be to bridge the gap to Celtic, which McCoist believes starts with hiring a sporting director: “They’re going to have to do it prudently. The first thing they have to do is clearly appoint somebody that they’re going to trust with potential finances. I would rather see them take their time if I’m to be brutally honest. I’d rather see hopefully new owners come in with a business plan, because it’s not gonna be an overnight fix. There’s no chance.

“The disappointing thing for me has been the dramatic decline since they were a penalty kick away from winning the Europa League. It’s just went south very very quickly for whatever reasons. But I don’t think it’s gonna be an overnight fix.

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“A little bit like they’ve done at Leeds. They’ve not come in and went crazy at Leeds – it looks as though hopefully they will get promotion back to the top flight. But they’ve (49ers) not come in and made sweeping changes.

“Although changes are needed at Rangers, and some big ones, I don’t see them making them all at once. I see them coming in, taking their time, having a business plan, appointing someone and moving the club forward gradually.

“I think that’s a far better idea than just going out and spending money willy-nilly on four or five players. I think there has to be a business plan, you’ve gotta build and take it from there – a steady improvement all of the time.”

"Sean Dyche would be an interesting one"

If a new sporting director is objective number one, then finding a new permanent manager isn’t far behind, and the former Gers boss named some eye-catching options: “Kevin Muscat, who played at Rangers, and won the league in Australia and Japan, was spoken about before Philippe Clement. I would imagine he will come back into the craze as well and get spoken about.

“I mentioned Russell Martin at Southampton, he will be desperate to get back into football and management. Also, there’s other guys. Sean Dyche would be an interesting one for me. His teams have always been very very competitive but particularly his Everton side, it’s always a struggle and a fight. I’d like to see him in a team that are expected to win every week. I think he would enjoy that as much as anything, I really do.

Everton (2023-2025)

83

1.23

Burnley (2012-2022)

425

1.34

Watford (2011-2012)

49

1.37

“So, it’s a well-sought after job and there will be no shortage of people going for it. Mourinho was obviously there recently and he is somebody who certainly a lot of Rangers fans would take to and appreciate but I just think the most important thing is they’ve gotta get it right.”