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The pair’s 204-run stand, steered by Liton Das’ maiden Test ton, countered Pakistan’s early surge when they reduced the hosts to 49 for 4

Mohammad Isam26-Nov-2021After more than a month of international cricket without registering a 50-run stand or a half-century from any of their batters, Bangladesh’s batting finally breathed easy, in Chattogram on Friday. The relief came via the 204-run unbroken fifth-wicket stand between Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das, who struck his maiden Test hundred.Both batters found instant reward in their first match back in the Bangladesh XI, after being dropped from the T20I side last week. It was perceived as a punishment for their sub-par T20 World Cup performances. Liton played a first-class match in the National Cricket League in the interim, while Mushfiqur spent the time presumably facing hundreds of balls in the nets, as well as slamming the selectors.The partnership provided for a stunning comeback for the home side, who had lost four wickets in the first session of the Test. It was shaping up to be yet another batting debacle when the top four succumbed to Pakistan’s bustle. Taking into account Bangladesh’s mentality, 49 for 4 could have easily become worse.Related

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Liton century, Mushfiqur 82* put Bangladesh on top after Pakistan's early success

Liton and Mushfiqur changed the complexion of the day in three phases. First, they gritted out 40-odd minutes in the first session when they shifted the focus from scoring runs to stalling Pakistan’s surge. They carried that confidence in the second session, typically a quiet time for bowling sides. Liton and Mushfiqur did that with 102 runs in 31 overs, gradually raising the scoring rate, and building their own confidence.They both reached fifties, which probably freed them up for more consolidation after the tea break. The last session was mostly about reacting to the situation. Both had their eyes out on keeping Pakistan at bay. As Liton inched towards his hundred, things got a bit nervy as he struggled with cramps. Mushfiqur kept feeding him the strike, to make sure he got to the landmark. When Liton reached the three-figure mark, Mushfiqur too appeared equally delighted.Batting coach Ashwell Prince was proud of how Mushfiqur and Liton lifted Bangladesh out of a difficult situation. He was especially pleased to see Liton reach his century by fighting cramps.”I think the guys showed a great deal of character and skills after we were 40-odd for four today,” Prince said. “Mushfiqur was very patient at the start. He is an experienced player. A lot of younger players might have panicked at the low strike rate, and not being able to get the ball away. But he is an experienced Test player. He stayed calm. He knew runs can come in faster periods in Tests. He played a great innings.Liton Das soaks in his maiden Test century•AFP/Getty Images”I was really impressed by how calm and composed Liton was today. He was solid in defence. He was decisive in leaving balls outside the stump. He was committed and positive when playing an attacking shot. I think the most nervous everyone got was when Liton started getting cramps. We were hoping that his body can hang in there till the end of the day. The dressing room was extremely happy when he got the hundred.”Liton has bonded with Prince ever since he was appointed as batting coach in July. Prince said that they worked on minor aspects of Liton’s stance and balance ahead of this Test series.”I didn’t ask anything of him during the T20 series [against Pakistan],” Prince said. “He came here earlier to prepare for the Tests. We worked on one or two little technical things.”It was more about changing his stance, and basically his alignment to get him lined up better. I think he showed good balance at the crease. He is such a joy to watch. He makes batting look so easy when he is batting well.”Liton focused heavily on the zone square on the off side, where he got three quarters of his 12 boundaries. He abstained from forcefully driving the fast bowlers straight, and only pulled the ball when it was too short.Mushfiqur, too, struck plenty of fours through point, backward point and cover, but he drove straight almost regularly. He struck three fours in the range between mid-off and wide mid-on.The way Mushfiqur and Liton batted should spread confidence across the dressing room. Here were two cricketers who were shown tough love by the team management, albeit somewhat unwarranted, but they bounced back strongly.The partnership also sets Bangladesh up for a stronger second day, and it is sure to serve debutant Yasir Ali a great platform to benefit from, even though Bangladesh don’t really have a target in mind for the first innings.Prince said the straw-coloured Chattogram pitch was a sight for sore eyes in the Bangladesh dressing room. “The pitch makes a big difference. It is a good pitch. The guys played well. It is nice for our batsmen to bat on good pitches more regularly. But is 400 or 500 enough? No one knows. We just have to keep batting until the captain feels we have enough to declare.”

Aston Villa are still looking to fill the void left by Jhon Duran as the summer transfer window enters its embryonic stage.

The Colombian was sold for £71m in January after scoring 12 goals for the club during the first half of the season.

While Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford contributed well between January and May, scoring 12 goals between them, both have since returned to their parent clubs.

This means Unai Emery enters the market looking for a forward who can make a difference. Might he turn to Ligue 1 again?

Aston Villa lead the race for Belgian sensation

It appears as though Rashford won’t return to Villa next season. The club have shown interest in Tyler Dibling and Jadon Sancho in a bid to improve their wide options next season.

Transfer Focus

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

Rather than focus on Premier League talent, the manager also has eyes on the continent. According to TEAMtalk, Villa are among the clubs leading the race for talented Lyon winger Malick Fofana.

Liverpool and Arsenal are also in contention for the player and the report states that Lyon’s financial troubles could see Fofana available for just £40m this summer.

A young, left-footed talent ready to make his mark in the Premier League. Can Emery sign his new Duran in a move for Fofana?

Why Villa must sign Malick Fofana

Duran certainly had the potential to become Emery’s main attacking option, but the offer from the Middle East was too good to turn down.

The youngster dazzled with his displays off the bench for the Midlands side, eventually scoring 20 goals in 78 appearances, yet only 17 of those were starts.

Metric

Ligue 1

Europa League

Goals

5

6

Assists

4

1

Big chances created

6

1

Key passes per game

0.9

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.8

0.9

Emery has been craving a talent like Duran ever since he departed, and in Fofana, the Belgian starlet could become his next exciting young forward. Indeed, journalist Antonio Mango has lauded him for his “frightening speed” and “game-changing potential” – remind you of anyone?

The 20-year-old made his debut for Gent during the 2022/23 campaign, impressing sufficiently to secure a move to Lyon in January 2024.

His spell with the French giants has been a major success. Across 62 games, the youngster has registered 22 goal contributions – 15 goals and seven assists – particularly impressing last term.

Indeed, in April, talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed the winger for “showing flashes of his enormous potential” and he was especially dangerous in the Europa League.

When compared to his positional peers in the competition, Fofana ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05), progressive carries (7.88) and touches in the attacking penalty area (8.23) per 90 in the Europa League.

His explosiveness and desire to make things happen in the final third make him an excellent prospect, and he could continue his development under Emery at Villa.

Like his fellow left-footer, Duran, he would be an exciting young signing with potential, and there is no doubt Fofana could have a similar sort of impact as the Colombian forward.

With Villa playing in the Europa League – a competition Fofana excelled in – then bringing the Belgian sensation to the Midlands this summer could turn out to be one shrewd move by the manager.

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Maddy Darke’s unbeaten 106 along with Katie Mack’s 68 set up Australia A’s eight-wicket victory over India A in the second one-dayer in Mackay. The openers added 131 as Australia A chased down India A’s 219 with ease to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Having been put into bat, Raghvi Bist and Tejal Hasabnis hit fifties helping India A fight back with a 124-run stand for the fourth wicket. But Charli Knott and Grace Parsons triggered a collapse as the visitors slumped from 176 for 3 to 218 all out.The game started with Tayla Vlaeminck’s superb opening spell of 4-3-3-1 where she had Priya Punia caught behind. Nicola Hancock replaced Vlaeminck and dismissed Shweta Sehrawat in her first over before Knott sent back Shubha Satheesh for a 38-ball 24.Bist and Hasabnis started slowly before picking boundaries in overs from Parsons and Kate Peterson. They focused on rotating the strike in the middle overs and eased past fifties. But India’s acceleration was cut short by Parsons having Hasabnis caught and bowled and Knott having Minnu Mani caught behind in successive overs.Shipra Giri got going with a couple of fours but with Bist getting run out in the 45th over, India slipped to 203 for 6. Maitlan Brown cleaned up the tail in a triple-wicket maiden over, which included a run out, as India were bowled out in 48 overs.Mack and Darke were aided by wides and a couple of threes from Soppadhandi Yashasri and Sayali Satghare’s opening spells as Australia A coasted past fifty in the 11th over. Between overs eight and 16, every single one went for at least five as Mack reached fifty in the 16th over. Darke reached hers in the 21st over with Australia A on 121 for 0.Satghare trapped Mack lbw in the 23rd over but Darke carried on. Her 38-run stand with Knott included just one boundary but brought the asking rate well under three. Tahlia McGrath hitting four boundaries in her first 15 balls quashed the little chances for a visitors’ comeback and allowed Darke to complete a century in the 37th over. The duo stayed unbeaten to take Australia A home with 58 balls to spare.Australia A had swept the T20I series 3-0 and have the chance to repeat the feat in the ODIs at the Gold Coast on Monday.

Garber declined to address any potential suspension for the Miami star duo, pointing to Inter Miami's recent matchload

Garber wouldn't discuss potential suspensionCommissioner did say rules are rulesPointed to Messi's overall impact for MLSGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

AUSTIN, Texas – Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber declined to say whether Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi or Jordi Alba will be disciplined for their absence at this week's MLS All-Star activities, but admitted the league should have been more proactive in confirming the players' status ahead of its marquee summer event.

"Yeah, we should have known earlier. We should have addressed it earlier. No doubt about that," Garber said in his midseason address prior to the All-Star Game.

MLS didn't publicly announce that Messi and Alba would not play in the All-Star game until the roster was confirmed Wednesday morning, and offered no specifics behind the absences. Many of the other 28 MLS All-Stars had expressed their excitement to play with the eight-time Ballon D'Or winner.

But after the Argentine and his teammate Alba were absent for the second ASG training session, several players mentioned their surprise that the two were no-shows.

READ MORE: Messi's ASG absence stained league – and MLS must clean it up

Garber stressed that MLS and Inter Miami are communicating as to why neither were available for Wednesday's game, but he also pointed to Miami's heavy schedule – playing nine matches in just more than a month – spread across the Club World Cup and MLS action.

"Miami has had a schedule that is unlike any other team," Garber explained. "Most of our teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn't. We had Leo playing 90 minutes in almost all the games that he's played."

The Herons did have a 14-day break prior to their participation at the Club World Cup, with their last MLS match ahead of the competition on May 31. Miami then opened the Club World Cup on June 14.

By comparison, the Seattle Sounders – one of the two other MLS teams in the tournament – had just seven days off prior to the Club World Cup. LAFC had eight days between competitions.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Garber noted that Messi and Alba did not participate in recent practices, alluding to a potential injury for Alba. Miami is set to return to MLS action against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

"We have to manage that as a league, but at the same time we do have rules and we have to manage that as well," Garber said. "So we would have loved to have Leo here. We love to have every player that was selected for the All-Star team here. And after this All-Star game, we'll figure out what needs to happen this weekend.

"I was told this morning that neither Jordi nor Messi practiced today. So Jordi came up with an injury in the last game, and we'll have to manage through what Miami is going to say about that."

WHAT GARBER SAID

Garber pointed to Messi's immense social media following as a significant boost to MLS. He also compared the forward's impact on the league that of David Beckham – one of the owners of Inter Miami now – during his time in the league.

"MLS wouldn't be what it is today without David Beckham, but MLS wouldn't be what it is today without Leo Messi," he said. "I don't think any of us realized what impact this player would have on our league, on our global exposure, on our credibility, on creating the thrills and and just unique experiences that he's done over just the last couple of weeks – scoring multiple goals in multiple games, playing 90 minutes over the last four or five games and not wanting to come out of the game.

"He's an incredible competitor, and he's performing at a really high level. So we are perceived very differently globally because Leo Messi is in our league. But we are very different from the way the world thought of us because David Beckham not only played in our league, but also because he's built a team that is globally popular."

DID YOU KNOW?

Messi currently has 18 goals and nine assists in 18 MLS matches.

Aiden Markram vowed that South Africa’s near-miss in the T20 World Cup final will “fire us up” for future tournaments, but admitted that their failure to win their first major title after needing 30 runs from the final five overs was “gut-wrenching” and “pretty tough to deal with”.This was South Africa’s first men’s World Cup final in either white-ball format and they looked nailed on to chase 176 after the 15th over of their innings, which saw Axar Patel concede 22. But India’s bowlers conceded a single boundary – via Kagiso Rabada’s outside edge – in the final 30 balls to pull off a seven-run win and leave South Africa to dwell on what might have been.Asked to put his emotions into words, Markram said: “I don’t think I can say them yet, to be honest. It’s tough. This group is a great bunch of people. In my opinion, they deserve really good things to go their way.Related

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• History weighs heavy as South Africa die another death

“I had a really good feeling about this competition before we came here and as the competition went on, that feeling got stronger and stronger. It’s pretty tough to deal with now, but it’s sport at the end of the day: someone’s going to win, someone’s going to lose. And we’ll try to use it to fire us up for future events.”The core of South Africa’s side are aged 28 to 34, with Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs the only younger players picked for the final. Some of them will have moved on by the time of the next T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in early 2026, with Quinton de Kock’s retirement expected imminently, but Markram believes the rest will use this defeat to spur them on.”It’s a great group of guys that’s been together for quite a long time now,” he said. “To get to our first final, like I mentioned a few days ago, it’s something we can be proud of [but] still, in our eyes, not good enough. You’re not satisfied with making a final… it’ll take a bit of time for us to reflect back on all the good things that we’ve done, but obviously for the time being, it just hurts a lot.”David Miller wonders what could have been•ICC/Getty Images

Markram said he was “proud” of how his team performed throughout the competition, winning eight games out of eight to reach the final: “In hindsight, things will still feel really good about this competition. Just for the time being, it stings a bit, but it’s good for it to sting. It gives you that little bit of fire in the belly for the next time that you’re here.”He also said that by reaching their first final, South Africa have become “one step closer” and that when they finally win one, there will be “a snowball effect of quite a few to come… It’s tournament cricket, it’s tough cricket. It’s not easy to win trophies and you’ve got to take your hats off to a team like India for lifting the trophy. A lot of hard work goes into it.”It’s just gut-wrenching. That’s really what it is. Each player has been on a different individual journey to get to this first final. Ultimately, you become really tight as a group and you want good things to happen to this group because you know they’re great people.”When you get really close like that, especially the nature of how the game went, obviously adds to the emotions. It’s one of those things but, we can channel it moving forward. I think for the next couple of days you let it be, you let yourself feel the way you want to feel and then really start reflecting in a positive manner.”Markram also singled Heinrich Klaasen out for praise, after his innings of 52 off 27 balls took South Africa into their position of strength with five overs remaining. “It was special,” Markram said. “We’ve seen him do it many, many times around the world.”To deliver it on a stage like this is a really special effort. It’s going to be tough for him [but] when we reflect back, there’s going to be lots of things to be happy about and I’m sure that knock would have made it really tough to put in a performance like that.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da betway： O meia-atacante Guilherme Soares, de 16 anos, é o novo reforço para as categorias de base do Bahia. Ele chega ao Tricolor após se destacar no Campeonato Paulista Sub-17, neste ano, ao defender a camisa do Botafogo-SP, com contrato definitivo de três anos.

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da fezbet： Natural de Rio das Ostras, Região dos Lagos do Rio de Janeiro, Guilherme iniciou no futebol nas categorias de base do Macaé. Após chamar a atenção pela boa qualidade técnica, agilidade e a finalização precisa, o meia-atacante se transferiu para o Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto. Com números positivos, ele reforça o Bahia e espera crescer dentro das quatro linhas.

– Estou feliz com essa grande oportunidade de estar jogando num dos maiores clubes do Brasil. Vou me dedicar bastante, buscar sempre melhorar em campo e poder realizar um grande trabalho. Espero conquistar o meu espaço, títulos e grandes triunfos para o clube – projetou Guilherme, que fez questão de destacar o ponto principal que o fez optar pelo Esquadrão:

– Entre as propostas apresentadas, a que mais me chamou a atenção foi justamente a do clube. Junto aos meus representantes, da Pantera Sport, escolhemos o Bahia por conta do seu projeto e pelo novo momento vivido através da SAF – complementou o meia-atacante.

Guilherme vem se preparando para a disputa do Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17, que terá início em julho. O Bahia está no Grupo B ao lado do Atlético-GO, Cruzeiro, Fortaleza, Goiás, Grêmio, Palmeiras, Santos, São Paulo e Athletico-PR, adversário da estreia. A partida será no dia 5, às 15h, no Estádio de Pituaçu, em Salvador.

Everton signed off at Goodison Park with a rip-roaring victory over relegated Southampton, marking a historic and unforgettable day for Blues across Merseyside and beyond.

With no hyperbole, the emotion was palpable as the Premier League match entered the dying embers.

It was an emotional farewell, one which was always going to end with three points for the hosts. It was Southampton, but it could have been anyone unfortunate enough to be swallowed into the noisy sea of Everton support.

Everton say goodbye to Goodison Park

The Toffees have weathered some storms in recent years, and no mistake, but with David Moyes back at the helm, there’s something cyclical about this change of scenery.

It’s a new beginning, but one which shouldn’t see the club lose their sense of place, nor their deep-rooted ‘Evertonism’ as they finally close the door at Goodison Park for the final time.

And what a send-off. The fans were out in force, and so too were some club legends and former icons. Tim Cahill, Peter Reid and Graeme Sharp were all there as special guests, as was Wayne Rooney.

Rooney might not have played the prime years of his career out on Merseyside, but he was reared in the city and raised to the professional level by Moyes before signing for Manchester United in a £30m deal, aged 18.

One of the Premier League’s superstars, Everton may well have found their new version of the Three Lions legend, and he took centre-stage on Sunday.

Everton's new Wayne Rooney

Moyes elevated numerous players when he replaced Sean Dyche at the helm in January, and while this could be said for Iliman Ndiaye, the Senegal international had proved the bright spark for the Merseysiders across the first half of the season.

Signed from Marseille for £15m last summer, Ndiaye has been a pillar of strength for Everton throughout the campaign, and while he’s the top scorer with nine goals from just 28 starting appearances, his slickness and thrilling movements suggest he could become a talisman in the mould of Rooney, one who could actually devote some of their finest years to the club.

Rooney’s capacity to excite, especially in his earlier iterations, was something that differentiated him from other talented up-and-comers.

Though Ndiaye is 25, he bears a likeness to the English great in this regard, as evidenced by his underlying data this term. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 20% of positional peers in the Premier League for goals, the top 17% for pass completion, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 1% for ball recoveries per 90.

There’s certainly a spring in his step. Ndiaye has been hailed for his ability to produce “magic” moments by Sky Sports commentator Seb Hutchinson, and if Moyes and the owners can get it right in the transfer market this summer, there’s every chance he could hit the next level in his development and truly establish himself as one of the country’s heaviest hitters.

Man United

559

253

141

Everton

117

28

8

D.C. United

52

25

14

Derby County

35

7

3

Were Everton to end up selling their silky star, he would also fetch a large transfer fee, like Rooney. Whichever angle you look at it from, Moyes has hit the absolute jackpot with this one, and must ensure he retains his services for the upcoming campaign at the least.

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ByAngus Sinclair May 18, 2025

Manchester City can still finish the 2024/25 season holding the FA Cup aloft, but it’s safe to say this campaign has been an eye-opener for Pep Guardiola and Co.

Indeed, the reigning Premier League champions find themselves all the way down in an unsatisfactory fifth in the league standings, with a mammoth 22-point gap opening up between the lacklustre Citizens and Arne Slot’s seriously impressive Liverpool at the top of the tree.

Therefore, it isn’t out of the question this summer that Guardiola will rip up what was once successful at the Etihad in order to bring in some exciting new blood, with Phil Foden in danger of dropping out of the Spaniard’s first-team plans if he doesn’t improve.

The numbers behind Foden's poor form at Man City

Out with the old and in with the new could well be the mantra at City this summer with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne perhaps moving on after such a disorienting season is over and done with.

Foden is unlikely to up and leave like his Belgian teammate, but the 24-year-old is still a shadow of the skilful talent he was just last campaign when he was crowned PFA Player of the Year as Guardiola’s men romped home to yet another top-flight triumph.

Critiqued on the international stage by Roy Keane for some uninspiring showings donning England white, Foden has failed to pick up a goal or assist in Premier League action since Chelsea away in January, leading to the agile midfielder having to make do with spots on the substitute bench as of late.

While he’s not impressed on the international stage, he also needs to do more at club level. Last term the attacking midfielder found the net 27 times but in 2024/25, he’s only scored ten times.

Thus, his minutes could deplete further at City, particularly if they complete a mega-money transfer in the summer.

Man City City "want to sign" big Foden upgrade

A few tweaks here and there to the first team personnel could inspire City to get back to their best down the line, especially if they are able to sign their number one target this summer.

As per a report by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the bruised outfit “want to sign” Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz when the window reopens.

The Bundesliga side are preparing to offer Wirtz a new deal that would keep him at the club until 2028 but it will include a release clause allowing club’s to him out of that deal in a year’s time.

It should be seen as a priority on City’s end to try and snap up the services of the explosive German, with sumputous strikes such as the one below helping Leverkusen lift the Bundesliga title proudly last season.

He could well steer his new employers back to the very summit of the Premier League, therefore, but it will come at a significant cost, with Plettenberg further revealing that Xabi Alonso’s men would only consider parting ways with their electric ace if an offer around the £108m mark was made.

Away from his side being crowned champions last term, Wirtz has also torn open top-flight defences in 2024/25, with the German up to a ridiculous 27 goals and assists in all competitions next to Foden’s inferior 15.

Wirtz vs Foden: Key league stats in 2024/25
Stat	Wirtz	Foden
Games played	25	25
Goals	9	7
Assists	10	2
Big chances created	15	7
Successful dribbles per 90	2.9	0.5
Ground duels won per 90	5.4	2.3
Key passes per 90	1.9	1.7
Stats by Sofascore

His continued ridiculous performances for Leverkusen has even seen him branded as “world class” by 1. FC Köln boss Gerhard Struber, with Wirtz’s swagger and skill on the ball making him a perfect replacement for a declining Foden, considering he can operate either as a number ten or as a winger, much like this counterpart.

City do find themselves at a crossroads at this moment in time with some uncomfortable decisions having to be made soon over first-team stalwarts, leading to Foden being ditched potentially for Wirtz to shine.

The next captain after De Bruyne: Man City have struck gold with £62m star

Man City have hit the jackpot on a player they signed in 2019

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 24, 2025

da bet vitoria： Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk confirmed that the Premier League leaders will meet up to watch Arsenal’s home fixture against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, knowing that a surprise defeat for the Gunners would seal the title for the Reds.

da 888casino： Should Mikel Arteta’s side avoid an upset, Liverpool can finish the job themselves on Sunday, against Tottenham Hotspur and surrounded by four sheets of Anfield support, roaring and bellowing and cheering with such volume as has rarely been heard anywhere across the vast footballing landscape.

Surely the more favourable of the two scenarios, the one which will indelibly mark the occasion in the minds of the myriad supporters.

Arne Slot, truly, has worked wonders this season, a shining light to guide Liverpool through the beginnings of a post-Jurgen Klopp world. He will receive his crown, taking a seat at an exclusive table of managers to have won the Premier League on their first attempt.

Managers Who Won Premier League in 1st Season

Season

Manager

Club

2004/05

Jose Mourinho

Chelsea

2009/10

Carlo Ancelotti

Chelsea

2013/14

Manuel Pellegrini

Man City

2016/17

Antonio Conte

Chelsea

Sourced via GIVEMESPORT

Liverpool were supposed to be rudderless, but they have gone from strength to strength with a new head coach and minimal help on the transfer front.

The point is this is to underline that Liverpool are capable of absorbing a big punch and responding with a flurry of their own to prove the doubters wrong.

It’s a quality that may well be called into play again this summer, with some rather big names touted with a summer exit.

Who could be leaving Liverpool this summer

After scoring the winner against Leicester City on Sunday afternoon, Trent Alexander-Arnold did little to allay fears that he will join Real Madrid when his contract expires this summer, refusing to comment on speculation when interviewed post-match.

Though Liverpool are set for a summer of spending, while cutting out some of the deadwood, there’s no question that all of a Liverpool persuasion want the homegrown vice-captain to sign a new deal.

However, that’s not the same for all of Slot’s first-teamers, with Darwin Nunez, for example, confirmed to have been transfer-listed ahead of the market by Fabrizio Romano.

Nunez needs to go, but parting with too many members of the frontline might rock the boat too hard. Indeed, it might be a mistake if FSG were to act on rumours and part with Luis Diaz this summer.

Why Liverpool may regret selling Luis Diaz

Slot won’t want to spark too much upheaval this summer, especially after keeping such a close-knit group together to charge through the many obstacles of the season and move into the final stages of winning the Premier League title.

With Nunez set to be sold and potentially Chiesa too, it might be something of a risk to part with any further members of the frontline, and it’s for that reason that FSG may want to resist any offers for Diaz.

The 28-year-old winger has attracted attention from the Saudi Pro League and from Barcelona in the past and is about to enter the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week contract.

However, discussions for a renewal do not appear advanced.

Saying that, Football Insider have recently reported that sporting director Richard Hughes is preparing to dig deeper into contract talks with the Colombian’s representatives.

He might ebb and flow in front of goal but the left-sided forward is dynamic and direct, such a slippery customer for Premier League and European opponents to deal with.

Liverpool’s Frontline in 24/25 (all comps)

Player

Apps

Goals

Assists

Mohamed Salah

47

32

23

Cody Gakpo

44

16

6

Luis Diaz

46

15

8

Diogo Jota

33

9

4

Darwin Nunez

42

7

7

Federico Chiesa

12

2

2

Data via Transfermarkt

Diaz’s output had lulled in recent months, but he’s not put in a bad shift in front of goal, all told. Indeed, with Mohamed Salah blanking across his past six matches in all competitions, Diaz has stepped up big time in the Premier League, steering Liverpool toward the title.

He’s bagged either a goal or an assist in five of his past six league outings, in fact, with Liverpool winning all but one of such fixtures. That loss, by the way, was against Fulham at Craven Cottage, a game in which Diaz scored off the bench.

He’s also much more than just a goalscorer. As per FBref, Diaz ranks among the top 9% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for pass completion as well as the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

Of course, the patchiness of his goalscoring form can be deceiving: Lucho also ranks among the top 8% for non-penalty goals scored per 90. Is there any wonder he’s been hailed for his “world-class performances” this year by journalist Adam Brown?

It may well be that parting with Diaz carries every bit the negative impact that Trent’s inevitably will. Liverpool cannot afford to lose the wider nucleus of their title-winning group.

If Liverpool sign a centre-forward who can actually produce significant hauls across multiple seasons, there’s every chance that Diaz could take his game to the next level in 2025/26.

Moreover, Alexander-Arnold’s departure calls for a new playmaking outlet, which will most likely come in the centre of the park.

Plenty to chew on. Whatever happens, Liverpool might want to think twice about parting with their electric South American winger.

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Apr 20, 2025

da fezbet： It may feel bizarre to say, following a 15th Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon, but there is a growing sense of optimism at Manchester United, following a potentially pivotal week both on and off the field.

da bet nacional： On Thursday night, of course, the Red Devils completed a barnstorming turnaround against Lyon to progress into the last four of the Europa League, with Ruben Amorim edging ever closer to European glory and potential Champions League qualification.

Even the weekend loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers was somewhat overshadowed by the standout display of the club’s latest academy debutant, Tyler Fredricson, while the man pictured next to him, Matheus Cunha, looks like he could be back at Old Trafford permanently.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, last week provided a positive update regarding Amad Diallo’s injury rehab, with Amorim no doubt itching to have the Ivorian back fit and firing again.

Latest on Amad's injury return

Excluding Bruno Fernandes – who yet again leads the way for goals and assists at Old Trafford – the shining light of 2024/25 has been Amad, with the 22-year-old notably contributing 12 goals and assists in just 20 games following Amorim’s arrival.

Amad’s Man Utd record by coach

Manager

Games

Goals

Assists

Erik ten Hag

24

3

3

Ruben Amorim

20

6

6

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Michael Carrick

0

0

0

Total

57

12

9

Stats via Transfermarkt

From his late heroics against both Manchester City and Liverpool, to his stunning hat-trick against bottom side Southampton, the former Atalanta starlet had repeatedly stepped up in the early months of a real breakthrough campaign on an individual basis.

Frustratingly for all concerned, the £120k-per-week winger – who signed a new contract in January – was struck down by an ankle issue in early February, with Amorim seemingly ruling him out for the season at the time.

The former Sporting CP boss did subsequently hint that Amad could actually return before the campaign is at an end, a fact that has been bolstered by images of the youngster back in training last week.

Amorim suggested that while his rising star is “not ready” to feature in April, his return could well come in May, with that set to be a welcome sight amid United’s shortcomings in attack.

A welcome sight would also be the signing of a similarly exciting young talent this summer, with United seemingly stepping up their search for the next big thing from across the globe.

Man Utd ready to sign teen sensation this summer

While it has taken time to come to fruition, United are beginning to reap the rewards of having plucked Amad from Italy as a teenager back in October 2020, with the then-17-year-old ultimately arriving in January 2021 on an initial £19m deal that could reach £37m with add-ons.

Transfer Focus

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

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That relatively costly deal looks like it could be repeated in the near future, with reports outlining that INEOS are ready to trigger the £38m release clause for River Plate sensation, Franco Mastantuono.

The 17-year-old is believed to be being watched closely by those at Old Trafford, with United seemingly needing to act quickly if they are to win the race, amid rival interest from the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Inter.

The report claims that while the Argentine outfit are keen to hang on to their teenage diamond, a ‘serious bid’ from those in Manchester would likely ensure a deal gets done.

Why Man Utd are keen to sign on Franco Mastantuono

Having already looked to the South American market to sign Paraguayan full-back, Diego Leon, ahead of next season, United appear to be ready to add to that deal with the signing of another potential superstar, in the form of Mastantuono.

Like Amad before him – who was likened to Lionel Messi by Atalanta teammate, Papu Gomez, before joining United – the River starlet is earning rave reviews in his homeland, amid comparisons to Manchester City’s Phil Foden.

A left-footed attacker, like both Foden and Amad, who can operate on the flanks or as a number ten, Mastantuono has been hailed as a “creative genius” by analyst Ben Mattinson, following a fine start to life at senior level.

Still just 17, the Argentina U20 international has already made 53 appearances for his current side in the first team, with that regular involvement seeing him chalk up 11 goals and assists to date.

What particularly sets the teenager apart is both his ability to create chances for his teammates, but also his innate ball-carrying ability, as evidenced by the fact he averages 2.3 key passes and 2.9 successful dribbles per game in the league in 2025.

To put that into perspective, that places the in-demand talent just ahead of Amad in that regard, with the current United man averaging 1.8 and 1.6 for those same two metrics, respectively, in 2024/25.

Like with the Ivorian, it may not be expected for Mastantuono to immediately hit the ground running in a United shirt, although all the signs point to him being a future star, with Mattinson even noting that there are “shades of Kevin De Bruyne” about him.

Seemingly a perfect fit in one of the two number ten roles in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, the £38m playmaker certainly appears worth investing in, even despite the eye-catching nature of the price tag, with the case of Amad showcasing the benefits of putting faith in the next big thing.

After years of being burned by short-term, expensive signings, the Red Devils now need to do things differently.

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