Manchester City are now interested in a surprise move to sign a £35,000-a-week player from Chelsea, according to a new report.
Man City closing in on three new signings
As they did in January, City are expected to be very busy this summer, as Pep Guardiola eyes several incomings as well as outgoings. City have already announced the signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The deal is thought to be worth around £31 million with £5 million in add-ons, after Guardiola identified him as the player to solve their left-back problems.
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Robbie Walls
Jun 4, 2025
And the Blues have also agreed a deal worth £46.3 million with AC Milan to sign midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutch international underwent his medical on Sunday, and he is now expected to sign a five-year deal before the Club World Cup.
Olympique Lyonnais' RayanCherkicelebrates scoring their first goal
The final player City are trying to get in before Tuesday’s deadline is Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. It was claimed last week that discussions have been held over a deal, and they are now close to agreeing a deal for around £35 million. His potential arrival at the Etihad could see him become the man to replace Kevin de Bruyne, who has now departed the Blues.
Man City lining up surprise move to sign £35k-p/w Chelsea ace
While City work on deals to get players in before the start of the Club World Cup, they also have their eyes on players they would like to sign further into the summer transfer window. Now, according to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, City are lining up a move to sign goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea.
The Blues want to bolster their goalkeeper options for next season, given that Scott Carson is now leaving the club following the end of his contract. Bettinelli has been identified as a replacement, as City feel his character makes him ideal to be their third-choice keeper.
Leading up to the summer transfer window, there has been a lot of talk about the future of current number one Ederson, who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. That has yet to progress, but it seems it could be all change in the goalkeeper department at the Etihad Campus.
Marcus Bettinelli’s Premier League record
Apps
7
Goals conceded
20
Clean sheets
0
The 33-year-old, who earns £35,000 a week at Chelsea, has been at Stamford Bridge since July 2021. He joined the club on a free transfer from Fulham, and in those four years, he has played just one game for the Blues, and that came in the FA Cup in the 2021/22 campaign. The goalkeeper is under contract until 2026.
Compared to their nearest competitors, this has been a quiet transfer window so far over at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal.
Did you expect anything less? While Manchester City have spent a shedload on Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders, Manchester United have added Matheus Cunha to their ranks.
Matheus Cunha
Over in Merseyside, Premier League winners Liverpool have already confirmed the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold. Florian Wirtz is also set to arrive from Bayer Leverkusen in a British transfer record £116m fee too.
So, Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta better whack out the cheque book soon with plenty of new recruits needed, particularly in attack.
The latest on Arsenal's transfer plans this summer
Two of the biggest priorities at the Emirates are bolstering the wide positions and signing a brand new centre forward.
Out wide, we’ve seen notable links to the likes of Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
As for the striker position, it’s all about Benjamin Sesko. Arsenal reportedly opened talks regarding a deal for the Slovenian a few weeks ago. Now, according to German reporter Florian Plettenburg, there is a ‘positive’ feeling around the deal, but no agreement is in place yet over a deal that could reach £68m to £85m.
If a deal cannot be done for the RB Leipzig star, then it’s likely Arsenal will aim to conclude a deal for Sporting superstar Viktor Gyokeres.
The Gunners were interested in the Swede’s services last summer and that interest has remained over the last year. What’s the latest on this one? Well, amid interest from Premier League rivals, Manchester United, it appears as though Gyokeres would prefer the Gunners.
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That’s according to Saturday’s edition of Portuguese newspaper, Record. They suggest that north London and Arsenal is now a ‘dream’ destination for the 27-year-old attacker.
As a result, Record reveals that Man United are ‘no longer an option’ for the Sweden international. That’s despite the fact the Red Devils are now coached by Gyokeres’ previous manager at Sporting, Ruben Amorim.
According to previous reports, Arsenal have already lodged an offer worth £55m, of which £10m are bonuses.
What Viktor Gyokeres could bring to Arsenal
The great debate of the 2025 summer transfer window for Arsenal fans is whether Sesko or Gyokeres would be the better signing.
Well, as far as the raw numbers dictate, it would be the latter. There are few better finishers in the game right now than the Sporting sensation with the Swede scoring a ridiculous haul of 54 goals in 52 games throughout all competitions in 2024/25.
In the league alone, Gyokeres trumped Sesko considerably with the former now being described as “the best striker in Europe” by the Athletic, while former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot even posed the question: “Is he the best striker in the world right now?”
That question is a tricky one considering the level the big Swede has been playing at, but regardless of that, he’d surely be a sensational signing for Arteta’s attack.
They need goals and in the form of the Sporting star, they would find more of them. But, what qualities could be bring just outside of the goals?
Well, there are echoes of a certain Alexis Sanchez here. While the Chilean was certainly better on technique alone and he boasted better close control with the ball, they do have similar builds and running styles.
Indeed, one of the most notable traits Gyokeres can bring to the game is his bulldog-like style. His slightly stockier frame means he is a “human battering ram” in the words of the Athletic’s Mark Carey.
Outlining what makes him so difficult to deal with, Peter Kisfaludy, who was academy director at Gyokeres’s former Swedish club Brommapojkarna, once said: “He is a box player but he can also drive forward with the ball because he is fast and strong.”
What Arsenal have arguably lacked since the days of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sanchez up front is pace. Gyokeres would bring that, but like Alexis, he’d also bring the physicality to stand up to the test of rugged Premier League defences.
Alexis Sanchez in English football
Season (club)
Games
Goals
Assists
2014/15 (Arsenal)
52
25
12
2015/16 (AFC)
41
17
10
2016/17 (AFC)
51
30
18
2017/18 (AFC & MUFC)
40
11
9
2018/19 (Man Utd)
27
2
4
Stats via Transfermarkt.
The Chile superstar has a similar bulldog-like approach, described by FourFourTwo as someone who “plays like he hates losing”, hassling defenders and never giving them a moment’s peace.
Ultimately diminutive in size, Sanchez has a compact build like the Swede and his muscular frame, particularly in the upper half of his body, meaning he could drive forward and burst past defenders with the same sort of power we see from Gyokeres.
There are obvious differences, we cannot deny that, but by luring the Sweden international away from Lisbon, Arsenal may finally find a ruthless centre forward with the same level of efficiency, one who’s capable of replicating the South American’s incredible impact at Arsenal.
Can you just imagine Alexis in this current Arteta side? We can only dream.
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The outrageously talented international would be game-changing for Arsenal.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney find themselves in a position where they may have to start paying players to leave Wrexham.
Meteoric rise enjoyed by the Red Dragons
Are now working with a bloated squad
Movement expected before next deadline
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WHAT HAPPENED?
A meteoric rise for the Red Dragons has seen them enjoy a historic run of three successive promotions. Rapid progress has been made on and off the field, meaning that the Welsh outfit are now a Championship club.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Regular forays into the transfer market have been made in order to ensure that Phil Parkinson has a squad at his disposal that can be competitive across various levels of the EFL. Big money has been invested, with the record books being rewritten.
DID YOU KNOW?
Wrexham do, however, now have a rather bloated squad. They can only register 25 players (excluding those under the age of 21) for the 2025-26 campaign. As things stand, the Red Dragons have 30 senior stars on their books.
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TELL ME MORE
They have eight strikers, the same number of central midfielders – after bringing in the likes of Ryan Hardie, Josh Windass and Lewis O’Brien – along with four left wing-backs. reports that “some on the fringes may have to be paid to leave”. Others may “strike deals on transfer fees to allow the purchasing club to offer wages more on a par with what Wrexham pay”.
England collapse after Archie Vaughan’s 60 before Bennie Hansen steadies run chase
ECB Reporters Network22-Jan-2025Daniel Bosman took three wickets in four balls as South Africa Men U19s clinched the Youth ODI series against England Men U19s with a four-wicket win in Stellenbosch.Young Lions captain Archie Vaughan top-scored with 60 but his dismissal prompted a collapse of four wickets in seven balls as the tourists were bowled out for 156.South Africa skipper Bennie Hansen then hit 56, falling just short of guiding his side home, after Tazeem Ali’s three wickets had caused a mid-innings wobble. The hosts steadied to reach the target in 35.1 overs.It was spinner Bosman who turned the game with his three wickets in the 37th over immediately after Vaughan, who had struck six boundaries, was caught off a miscue to the final ball of the previous over from Bandile Mbatha.Bosman’s key over saw Joe Moores bowled attempting a lap sweep before Harry Moore was stumped thanks to sharp hands from Hansen. Bosman then parried a return catch from Eddie Jack and saw it fall to him as he stumbled to the ground.South Africa made a solid start as Adnaan Lagadien and Chad Mason added 49 for the first wicket before Hansen took up the attack with a 46-ball half-century.The Young Lions battled back through Warwickshire spinner Ali, who returned 3 for 51, but the hosts needed only seven more when Hansen edged Alex Green to wicketkeeper Thomas Rew on 57.The two-Youth Test series begins at Coertzenburg Cricket Club in Stellenbosch on 27 January.
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays are out to change baseball, one stinking, annoying, pesky, skin-crawling, chalkboard-scratching, stone-in-my-shoe, please-make-it-stop foul ball at a time.
“That’s our goal,” says Toronto infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. “To change baseball. We’re doing something that’s not taught anymore. We’re trying to bring baseball back to … well, baseball.”
It is a lofty goal that is three wins within reach after such a pestiferous 11–4 World Series Game 1 victory Friday over Los Angeles that after it, Dodgers pitchers should have been reaching for calamine lotion instead of ice.
After five seasons in which only a top-four home run team has won the World Series, Toronto (11th in homers, first in lowest strikeout rate) wants to turn the baseball world upside down, if not back to the 1970s.
The Blue Jays scored their 11 runs on 14 hits, including three homers, while striking out just four times. Talk about retro. They turned the baseball clock all the way back to 1978, the time of bell bottoms, love beads and the only World Series game in which a team had so many runs, hits and homers with only four strikeouts: an 11–5 win for the Dodgers over the Yankees in 1978 World Series Game 3.
So artful was Toronto it had nearly as many hits as swings and misses (15). The Blue Jays fouled off 39 pitches, 19 of them with two strikes. Their turn at bat in the sixth inning played out like one of those floor-borne domino cascades in which the tiles topple over one-by-one in serpentine style; there was artistry in a chain reaction that seemed to go on forever.
Twelve batters against three pitchers in that inning saw 44 pitches, including 15 pitches with two strikes without a swing and miss, fouled 12 pitches, put nine balls in play, drew two walks, took a hit by pitch and hit two homers.
“The epitome of how we play baseball,” infielder Ernie Clement calls it. “That inning is pretty much all we do as a team, as a group.”
The Dodgers brought to the series the best swing-and-miss pitching staff in the National League, especially Game 1 starter Blake Snell, who had a 50% whiff rate in three postseason starts this year. Now they know they have a fight on their hands with the toughest team to put away in baseball, whether that refers to when the Jays trail (they scored 11 unanswered runs after falling behind 2–0) or when they have two strikes.
“He had his stuff tonight,” Kiner-Falefa says. “We did a good job of getting into their bullpen. The moment he came out of the game we took advantage. We wore him down as much as we could. And it’s tough to wear him down when he’s in the zone as much as he was.”
Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk, right, hit a two-run homer to put the finishing touch on the Dodgers in Toronto’s nine-run sixth inning. / Erick Rasco/Sports Illustrated
Blue Jays’ preparation paying dividends
What is happening in this war of resistance in Canada is a synchronicity of hitting philosophy and sports performance experts on both the athletic training and strength training sides. Everything is connected. Everything is coordinated by first-year hitting coach David Popkins, 35, and assistant hitting coaches Lou Iannotti, 32, and Hunter Mense, 41, none of whom played a day in the big leagues but have plenty of experience playing independent ball.
Each day, for instance, the team posts a readout of each player’s bat speed from the previous night’s game.
“So, if a guy’s bat speeds are down, then he’ll hit the weight room,” Kiner-Falefa says. “Or I'll back off on the field [pregame work]. And if my bat speed’s down again, then I need to go in and get in the weight room and get with the hitting coaches and make the mechanical adjustment to get the bat speed back up.”
Mostly all the Blue Jays also wear Catapult vests that track daily energy expenditure.
“We wear those Catapults and they’d be like, ‘Alright, you’re working out too much,’” Kiner-Falefa says. “It was the first time where I saw it where they helped you get ready for the game. It wasn't just like tracking how much you did. They’re tracking your [swing] rotation to see, ‘Hey, my rotation's 50% low.’ It’s very skill specific.”
Sometimes the fix is physical.
“It could just be as simple as something’s locked up in your body,” Kiner-Falefa says. “Okay, then you go in the training room. And this is the best health facility, weight room and training staff I have ever seen.”
In recent years the Blue Jays so meticulously overhauled their home clubhouse facilities—which stretch from home plate to the leftfield foul pole—that they modeled their recovery room after a Four Seasons resort, complete with sauna, hot and cold tubs and a rock waterfall that spills over a giant Blue Jays logo in a stone wall.
“The hitting coaches will send me to the weight room, like if I’m not hinging properly,” Kiner-Falefa says. “The weight training coaches will send me to the training room and say, ‘You're not able to hinge,’ or ‘do your RDL [Roman deadlift] right. You gotta get worked on.’ They are so in sync that last year when I was here, I had my best offensive year, and I felt like it had a lot to do with weight training coaches and training staff.”
The hitting coaches encourage finding different ways to beat opponents, not just the modern way of selling out for home runs and accepting strikeouts as the tariff. Each day, in addition to posting daily bat speeds, Popkins and the hitting group keep track of an internal points system, which is used in the minor league system as well.
“So, it’s things like balls-in-play points,” Clement says, “and then it’s based on your swing decisions. Like, ‘Did you swing at strikes?’ And then it’s like, ‘How likely was the swing that you had to be at least a base hit or have damage?’
“We did a lot of it in Triple A, not so much here, but I like to kind of check the numbers and see where we're at. I mean, it definitely reinforces the idea of what you're trying to do, right?”
Popkins’s philosophy also adheres to a tenet that is anathema to most teams: ground balls are okay.
“Other teams I played on were more about home runs,” says Kiner-Falefa, a former Yankee. “It’s just, ‘We're going to beat you with home runs.’ But I feel like this team, sometimes it’s better to put a ball on the ground—in certain situations. Where I feel like I could get a hit that way. So, the hitting coaches do a great job of letting you go out there and be like, ‘It’s okay to hit the ball on the ground. Just hit it hard.’
“As opposed to in New York, it’s all pull-side in the air. And if you don’t, if you hit the ball on the ground, you’re in trouble. So here it’s like, we don’t care about the results—I mean, we care—but we care about how hard we hit the ball and putting the ball in play and swinging at good pitches.”
The way Toronto teaches two-strike hitting is fascinating in its posture-based approach.
“Our hitting coaches do a great job of making us be athletic,” Kiner-Falefa says. “They try to make everybody athletic so that when you get to two strikes you’re not breaking down and you’re not stiff. They want us to get our swings off but at the same time it’s not being stiff. It’s just fighting and there’s a [priority on] competing out there and there is pride in putting the ball in play, which is rare these days.”
The Blue Jays had four walks to go with their four strikeouts. It had been 20 years, going back to the 2005 White Sox, since a team opened the World Series with four or fewer strikeouts and just as many walks.
The key storyline at the onset of this series was the matchup between the red-hot swing-and-miss pitching staff of the Dodgers against the red-hot, put-the-ball-in-play hitters of the Blue Jays. Good pitching, as the adage goes, is supposed to win those battles. But Game 1 set up the possibility that maybe it’s good hitting’s turn to win. Maybe putting the ball in play is the postmodern way forward. Maybe the Blue Jays are the future of baseball—or at least for the next week.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters has refused to be drawn on Manchester City’s FFP case, merely stating that “rules are very clear”.
Charges revealed in February 2023
Independent hearing completed
Final ruling is still being waited on
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WHAT HAPPENED?
A protracted saga saw City stung with at least 115 charges in February 2023. That revelation came on the back of an investigation into supposed monetary mismanagement at the Etihad Stadium over the course of a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
An independent hearing concluded in late 2024, but no verdict has been delivered as yet. Various punishments have been speculated on – ranging from points deductions to transfer embargoes via expulsion from the English top-flight – but a final resolution remains some way off.
DID YOU KNOW?
It has been suggested that the case could drag on well into the 2025-26 campaign, with a ruling potentially being delivered during the second international break that arrives in early October.
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WHAT MASTERS SAID
Masters is giving little away when it comes to the Premier League’s stance, telling during the Summer Series of fixtures in the United States: “You can ask but unfortunately our rules are very clear; it's a confidential process. So I really can't give any information out on timing or anything like that, there's nothing more I can add. Sorry about that.”
Asalanka, Buttler, Babar and Warner round out top five performers
ESPNcricinfo stats team15-Nov-2021Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga is the MVP of the T20 World Cup 2021 according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats (all matches from start of Super 12s have been considered). In the Super 12s, Hasaranga took ten wickets and conceded runs at just 5.84 per over in the so-called Group of Death. Hasaranga also took a hat-trick against South Africa, but that was not enough to get his team over the line.ESPNcricinfo LtdNumbers, however, do not do full justice to Hasaranga’s impact.To gauge that, we need to look at Smart Stats, which looks at every batting and bowling performance through the prism of match context, and the pressure on the batter and bowler at each delivery when they batted or bowled.The games against England and South Africa stood out. All ten wickets that he took were of batters in the top seven.Hasaranga bowled three overs at the death too, taking four wickets at 6.66. In the middle overs, he bowled 14 overs and conceded just 6.14 runs per over. Hasaranga was the partnership breaker for his team, taking key wickets when they were required. He dismissed Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma and Dwyane Pretorius against South Africa, while he got Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan against England.Hasaranga took wickets when others struggled, which also helped him top the impact charts. Hasaranga’s match impact of 71.6 was way ahead of his team-mate Charith Asalanka, who was next.Asalanka had a match impact score of 55, and scored 225 runs at an impressive strike rate of 153.06. No one had a better strike rate than Asalanka among the top 20 run-getters in the competition. Asalanka’s unbeaten 80 against Bangladesh was a knock under serious pressure, with his team struggling at 79 for 4 in the tenth over chasing 171.Openers Jos Buttler, Babar Azam and Player of the Tournament David Warner complete the top five.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Most impactful bowler
The list of bowlers with the highest Smart Wickets is different from the list of top wicket-takers, because Smart Wickets takes into account the quality of batter dismissed, their score at the time of dismissal, and the match context at that point. Considering all those factors, Trent Boult and Josh Hazlewood take the top-two positions with 15 and 14.6 Smart Wickets respectively.Adam Zampa, who is first on the actual wicket-takers’ list with 13 wickets, is fifth on the Smart Wickets tally with an aggregate of 11.8. Hasaranga and Ish Sodhi complete the top five, while five of the top-ten bowlers are wristspinners.There was not much to separate Boult and Hazlewood. While Hazlewood took the most wickets in the powerplay with seven, Boult was the second-highest wicket-taker at the death with six wickets. Both quicks were instrumental in containing runs or taking crucial wickets. Boult conceded five runs or less in four out of seven games in not-so-favourable conditions for quicks. Hazlewood, on the other hand, had a big impact by either picking crucial wickets early in the match or reducing the run flow, like he did in the final against New Zealand and in the first game against South Africa.Interestingly, both Boult and Hazlewood had very poor semi-finals, conceding more than ten runs per over without taking a wicket.The legspin trio of Hasaranga, Sodhi and Zampa all had excellent impact through the middle overs. Zampa took 13 wickets in this phase and went for less than six runs per over in the competition. Although some of his wickets did come about when the match result was a formality, or were of tail-enders, he made some crucially important strikes too. The former added to the tally for conventional wickets, but didn’t add much to Zampa’s Smart Wickets count. His five-wicket haul against Bangladesh was worth just 3.29 Smart Wickets, while his spells against South Africa and Pakistan counted for a lot more.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Top batting and bowling performances in a match
While Hasaranga and Boult took pole positions in terms of MVP and best bowler, the match-wise best batting and bowling performance went to Martin Guptill and Shadab Khan respectively. Guptill’s 93 from 56 balls in tough, humid conditions against Scotland was the top batting performance.This was the only game that was won by a team batting first in Dubai. Guptill single-handedly powered his team, hitting seven sixes and six fours. His partner in a century stand for the fourth wicket, Glenn Phillips, scored at a strike rate of just 89, making it that much tougher for Guptill.\The only century of the tournament was by Jos Buttler. His brilliant unbeaten 101 against Sri Lanka in tough batting conditions was the second best batting performance of the tournament. Buttler scored 62% of his team’s runs, and at one stage had made only 35 from 38 balls. In his next 29 balls, he smashed 66 runs in bowler-friendly conditions. Kane Williamson’s 85 in the final, Najibullah Zadran’s 73 against New Zealand and Asalanka’s 80 from 40 balls against Bangladesh complete the top-five best batting performances.ESPNcricinfo LtdAmong the impactful bowling performance, Shadab’s 4 for 26 in the semi-finals topped the chart.Defending 176, Shadab took the key wickets of Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith and David Warner. He conceded just 6.25 runs per over when all other bowlers went upwards of 8 per over. Shadab’s four wickets were worth almost seven Smart Wickets. What should have been a match-winning performance sadly ended in a losing cause. Hasaranga’s two spells against England and South Africa are in the top five along with Hazlewood and Boult’s efforts in the final.
Liverpool’s pre-season schedule commences on Sunday July 13, at the Deepdale Stadium. It’ll be a feeling-out process, but one which Arne Slot will hope to use his new recruits.
And the head coach might have a range of new options to pick from. Indeed, Jeremie Frimpong is already signed and sealed as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s successor on the right flank, left-back Milos Kerkez is the subject of advancing talks with Bournemouth and the outcome of Darwin Nunez’s future move (he’s “planning to leave”, reports Fabrizio Romano) will see a new striker brought in.
But, of course, the name on everyone’s lips is that of Florian Wirtz, with the playmaker’s Bayer Leverkusen employers locked in talks with Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes to agree to a British-record transfer.
The latest on Florian Wirtz to Liverpool
Wirtz is quite the player. While biased in his opinion, former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has described him as “the best midfielder in the world”, which is high praise indeed and justifiable, if subjective.
Florian Wirtz scores for Germany
Liverpool have done so well to beat off competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich to come to the closing stages of a deal for Wirtz, which isn’t there yet.
Until the negotiations are brought to an agreeable close, fans will continue to bite their nails, with Liverpool seeing a £110m bid rejected. The Werkself are holding out for a British-record £120m fee.
Florian Wirtz
While it would be a travesty if the bid unravelled now, it wouldn’t be unprecedented. Remember Nabil Fekir, anyone?
Liverpool would be wise to have a back-up plan. And they do.
Liverpool eyeing Wirtz alternative
As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool have joined a host of clubs in the race for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, who has also attracted Chelsea’s attention following Manchester City’s earlier declaration of interest.
City might have the lead, but Liverpool may yet make their move for the £70m-rated playmaker, with Forest said to be bracing themselves for official bids.
Gibbs-White, 25, may have been monitored by the Anfield side for a while, but they will need to up their game in the coming weeks if they are to beat off the divisional competition.
Why Liverpool want Morgan Gibbs-White
One of the principal architects of Nottingham Forest’s extraordinary campaign, qualifying for Europe, Gibbs-White is now proving the Tricky Trees have received bang for their buck after forking out £42.5m for his services back in August 2022.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitereacts after the match
This season, the part-time Tricky Trees skipper scored seven goals and supplied ten more across 34 Premier League matches, creating ten big chances, averaging 4.5 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.
Gibbs-White clearly boasts the kind of profile Liverpool desire for their midfield, especially since BBC analyst Raj Chohan has also humourously hailed him as “the Aldi Jude Bellingham.”
Real Madrid superstar Bellingham has opened up about his “hero” being the iconic Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, no doubt having fashioned elements of his game on Gerrard in his pomp.
Liverpool wanted Bellingham in 2023, but pulled out of the race for the Borussia Dortmund prodigy when it became clear he was leaning toward the Spanish capital, funds instead put toward making sweeping midfield changes.
The point is, though, that the Reds wanted Bellingham’s athletic, dynamic approach, and Gibbs-White could be the perfect man to bring such an identity to the Anfield heart, providing Slot with the perfect Wirtz alternative.
Ah yes, it’s probably worth noting Liverpool would only make their move for Gibbs-White if a deal for Wirtz falls through, which would strike a sense of profound numbness across Merseyside if it came to be.
But the Forest man has the skills to succeed under Slot’s wing. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 12% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers last term for goal-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 9% for through balls, the top 12% for interceptions and the top 15% for aerial battles won per 90.
One scout has even remarked that the all-action midfielder has a “Steven Gerrard mentality”, so influential and willing to take control of a match, to spearhead the pursuit of victory.
Once called a “real character and leader” for his club by Tottenham Hotspur historian John Wenham, Gibbs-White might not be in the same talent bracket as Gerrard once was, but that’s not to his discredit.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard
Gerrard was in a different sphere to the lion’s share, in fairness, retiring as one of the standout midfielders of his generation and perhaps the greatest player in Liverpool’s history, devoting his entire European career to Anfield and its denizens.
A supreme leader and fiercely rounded midfielder, Gerrard’s blueprint has been replicated by new blood, but he’s never been overtaken.
However, Gibbs-White could perform the role to an emphatic effect, breaking lines, inspiring his teammates and providing a combative sheen too, the complete player.
Most Liverpool Appearances in History
Rank
Player
Apps
1.
Ian Callaghan
852
2.
Jamie Carragher
737
3.
Steven Gerrard
710
4.
Emelyn Hughes
664
5.
Ray Clemence
663
Stats via Transfermarkt
Maybe he wouldn’t succeed in becoming quite so legendary a Liverpudlian as Gerrard, who featured 710 times for the Merseysiders, his boyhood club, but he could play an instrumental part in winning the Premier League, breaking clear of Manchester United and becoming the most successful
It would be nice to bring Wirtz in, for he is matchless in his position right now. However, Gibbs-White would do a job in Slot’s system.
He’s still an immense midfielder with a vibrant personality and a persistent attitude besides. If Liverpool wish to continue to make gains over the coming years, this is exactly the kind of profile they should be going for.
If the move for Wirtz doesn’t come to fruition, of course.
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Australia will have all eyes on their new opener Konstas, and India would want more support for their star bowler Bumrah
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Pujara: India should pick another fast bowler for MCG
Big Picture: Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the line
This is big. If India win at the MCG, they retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. If Australia win, they remain on track for a first series win over India in a decade. A defeat for the home side would trigger significant questions while if India lose, their World Test Championship (WTC) fate is out of their hands, although retaining the series trophy would remain possible. With a good forecast, a draw would appear an unlikely result, particularly given the ground’s recent history. And whatever unfolds on Boxing Day could take place in front of more than 90,000 spectators.It’s only been six days since the damp end to proceedings at the Gabba, but a lot has happened. If you weren’t aware of the scoreline, it may feel like India are ahead given Australia have been forced into a change at the top of the order to try and counterpunch against Jasprit Bumrah. It means 19-year-old Sam Konstas will make an extraordinary debut after just 11 first-class matches.But it’s also been a curious few days for the visitors. Virat Kohli had a run-in with a reporter at the Melbourne airport; Ravindra Jadeja only took questions in Hindi at a press conference which got some people annoyed; and there were suggestions of a conspiracy when India were given used pitches to train on at the MCG.Related
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Should India opt for bowling depth over batting insurance?
Meanwhile, in terms of the important things, they are still trying to find enough support for Bumrah and more runs from a misfiring top order. There does not appear much India can do about the batting order in terms of personnel, instead they will hope someone can follow the lead of KL Rahul.There has not been a lot of actual cricket played in the last two Tests: Adelaide was over little more than an hour into the third day and rain was a constant menace in Brisbane. But since Perth, Australia have dominated. Yet it sits at 1-1 and there is not much wriggle room for them to have a bad day.Australia’s top order remains under scrutiny amid the call to drop Nathan McSweeney in favour of Konstas at such a crucial moment in the series while senior batters Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne remain low on runs. Travis Head, who picked up a quad niggle in Brisbane but is good to go, has been the game-changer while Steven Smith’s hundred was timely and by the end of it he was playing very fluently.The fact that Scott Boland can slot back in at a ground he has enjoyed so much success on (headlined by his 6 for 7 against England in 2021-22) shows the pace-bowling depth Australia have. It may just be what makes the difference, although don’t count out Bumrah being able to win it almost on his own for India, who have not lost a Test at the MCG since 2011.
Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first) Australia DWLWW India DLWLL
In the spotlight: Usman Khawaja and Virat Kohli
Usman Khawaja is coming towards the end of what is his leanest Test year since 2013 (when he averaged 19.00 from just three matches). In 2024 he has a return of 337 runs at 24.07 including just one fifty. However, the Australia camp is taking the view that he is out of runs rather than out of form, similar to Smith before his Gabba century. Khawaja has spoken about having next year’s Ashes on his radar with a potential finishing point of the SCG in just over 12 months’ time, but whether he gets there may depend on these next two Tests and the Sri Lanka series.There has been one India great retire in this series. And the rumours are bubbling about who might be next. Virat Kohli ended a century drought with his second innings in Perth but at the moment it is looking like an outlier with a pattern in his dismissals aside from that – pushing hard at the ball outside off stump. In Brisbane he was reaching out to drive a particularly wide delivery. In 2014 he enjoyed a spectacular Test at the MCG with 169 and 54, then in 2018 made a hardworking 82 as captain to help lay the foundation for a famous victory which ultimately decided that series. He missed 2020 when India won again. What will 2024 bring?
Team news: Konstas debut, Boland back; India’s balance question
Konstas’ debut was confirmed on Christmas Eve while Boland will return in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood. Head passed a fitness test on Christmas Day after coming out of the Gabba with a quad strain.Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Konstas, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott BolandRohit Sharma’s batting position remains a hot topic and he did not confirm where he would slot in ahead of the game, but it seems unlikely India will break up the opening pair. The other key debate is what to do at No. 8: stick with Nitish Kumar Reddy, pick another specialist quick (which would lengthen the tail) or play Washington Sundar as an alternative allrounder and opt for a 3-2 balance of pace and spin?India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Rohit Sharma (capt), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy/Washington Sundar, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj1:57
What’s the blueprint for winning a Test at the MCG?
Pitch and conditions: Sizzling temperatures on Boxing Day
The MCG pitch, which has become a goldmine for the quicks, has been in focus. Curator Matt Page said he will follow the formula which has been a success in recent seasons, leaving around 6mm of grass on the surface. Australia coach Andrew McDonald said it’s normally a surface where you bowl first, but things may be different this time. The forecast for a hot opening day, where temperatures could reach 40 degrees Celsius, may see the pitch quicken up earlier than normal. There is a chance of showers on the second day but otherwise the forecast is fine and a more pleasant temperature from day three onwards.
Stats and trivia
Bumrah needs six wickets for 200 in Tests. If he did it at the MCG, in his 44th Test, he would be the joint second-fastest for India behind R Ashwin
Since the 2018-19 season, there have been six Test centuries scored at the MCG – the lowest of all Australian venues to host more than a single match
Australia’s current average from their top three is their lowest ever for a home series of at least three Tests (note: includes Pat Cummins as nightwatcher in Perth)
Quotes
“Every game starts afresh…different teams, different structures. Think both teams have similar challenges at the moment. How do you find runs? Both bowling attacks have been on top. I’m not a big believer in history repeating itself.
“After three Test matches, if I had to look at it being one-all, it’s a fair reflection of how both teams have played. There has been solid cricket being played by both teams.”
Arne Slot has refuted claims that Darwin Nunez's exclusion from the Liverpool first XI is due to a clause that would trigger a payment to Benfica.
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Nunez hasn't started since March 8
Reports claim Liverpool will owe Benfica €5m after 60 starts
Slot unaware of clause
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Uruguayan forward has had a tough campaign, managing just seven goals across 42 outings in all competitions. He has not featured in the starting XI since Liverpool’s 3-1 triumph over Southampton on March 8, a prolonged absence that has only added fuel to the rumours surrounding his future at Anfield.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Earlier this week, media outlets in Portugal reported that Benfica are due an additional €5 million (£4.3m/$5.7m) once Nunez reaches a milestone of 60 combined starts in the Premier League and Champions League. Currently sitting at 59 starts, the striker's omission has drawn speculation that Liverpool are intentionally delaying his appearances to avoid triggering the payment.
WHAT SLOT SAID
Slot, who took charge of Liverpool ahead of the 2024-25 season, strongly denied those allegations, saying he had no knowledge of such a clause and rejected the idea that financial motives are influencing team decisions.
"Do you always believe what journalists say? Not always? Me neither," Slot told reporters. "Sometimes you should, but sometimes it’s better not to believe everything that is written about players. This is completely new to me, and I’ve said many times that I’m working at a club here where it’s really nice to work. Mainly sporting directors are judged by the players they bring in, for me it’s very important to have a great working environment and I have that with Richard (Hughes).
"The last thing he would do, as I expect working with him for 10 months, is tell me: ‘If you play him it would cost us this much.’ That he would never do. I don’t even know if it’s true, yes or no, because we never talk about that. He never interferes with a lineup."
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WHAT NEXT FOR NUNEZ?
Nunez’s goal return in the Premier League has been particularly underwhelming, with just five goals in the current campaign. Despite being previously linked with a January move to the Saudi Pro League, he remained on Merseyside but his role in the squad appears increasingly uncertain. Speculation continues to grow that the summer transfer window could bring an end to his time at Anfield, especially if Liverpool opt to retool their forward line ahead of the next campaign.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are now on the verge of being crowned Premier League champions. A draw or a win against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday would secure the title.