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Newcastle United have failed to build on the progress they showed last season as they currently remain way off the top four in the Premier League table.

It's safe to say that injuries have played their part throughout the 2023/24 campaign, with Eddie Howe rueing the fact his squad has been disrupted, which has prevented them from taking the next step – with Jamaal Lascelles the latest to be struck down.

Unless results drastically change, the Magpies may find themselves missing out on European football altogether next season, which could potentially have ramifications with regard to the transfer market.

Will players want to join the club if they are not in continental competition? As Howe looks to strengthen his first team squad over the summer.

Newcastle United transfer news

Since being taken over by the Saudi Public Investment Fund in October 2021, the club have managed to attract players such as Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordan, with plenty more in the pipeline if Howe has his way.

According to Fabrizio Romano (via Transfer News 24/7), the Magpies are showing interest in OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo ahead of the summer window opening in a few months.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are also keen on luring the player from France this summer, with the North East appearing to be way down in the pecking order considering their league status at present.

Nice have set an asking price of around £40m if any club wishes to sign him, and this is certainly within Newcastle’s budget.

The club have enjoyed plenty of success by signing players from France previously, especially with one current first-team player emerging as one of the finest midfielders in the Premier League – Bruno Guimaraes.

Bruno Guimaraes' statistics at Newcastle United

The Brazilian joined the Magpies in January 2020 – just months after their takeover – from Lyon for a transfer fee in the region of £40m.

This move signalled a big statement of intent by the club that they were ready to challenge the elite and begin to move towards the top six.

Metric

Champions League

Premier League

Goals

0

3

Assists

1

5

Key passes per game

0.8

1.5

Big chances created

1

8

Accurate passes per game

39.3

52.4

Five goals and one assist during his first six months at Newcastle proved that he was going to be an excellent signing, before taking his game to the next level last term.

The club finished fourth in the top flight, with Guimaraes scoring four times and grabbing five assists. Not only that, but the 26-year-old also ranked first for accurate passes per game (43.1) among his teammates in the Premier League, along with ranking second for key passes per game (1.3), fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.4) and first for tackles per game (2.4), clearly showcasing his talents across a wide range of metrics.

He has continued this form in the current team, adding eight goal contributions in the league from the heart of the midfield, and much of Newcastle's success depends on whether the former Lyon gem remains at his peak.

It is clear Howe struck gold by signing Guimaraes two years ago. Could he repeat this coup by securing Todibo’s signature during the summer transfer window?

Jean-Clair Todibo’s statistics this season for Nice

The 24-year-old has missed only four Ligue 1 matches for his club this term, showing a solid level of consistency which suggests he could become a mainstay in the Newcastle starting XI should he make the move.

Todibo’s performances have been impressive this term, showcasing his passing and defensive abilities on a regular basis. Across his 22 league matches, the defender has completed an impressive 90% of his passes per game while averaging 98.4 touches, showing that he is willing to get involved at all times.

Todibo has also won 58% of his total duels per game while making two tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.5 clearances per game, showing plenty of evidence that his defensive skills are something Howe desperately needs.

The Frenchman was hailed as a “Rolls Royce” of a defender by talent scout Antonio Mango and with the player standing at 6 foot 3, his physical presence could be another main bonus for Howe.

When compared to his positional peers, Todibo currently ranks in the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 (5.52), the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.69) and the top 17% for progressive carries per 90 (1.04), demonstrating his forward-thinking capabilities and ability to bring the ball out from the back with ease.

Newcastle have conceded 48 top flight goals this term – the ninth-worst total in the division – which is a clear indicator that Howe must improve his defensive options ahead of next season.

Sven Botman could be an ideal partner for Todibo next season, although he is out injured having suffered another ACL injury which will require surgery.

How Todibo could fit in at Newcastle

Like the Frenchman, Botman also has a wonderful passing ability, evidenced by the fact he currently has a 91% pass success rate in the Premier League this season, along with winning 62% of his total duels per game, losing possession just 6.2 times per game and making 1.2 tackles each match.

These statistics prove that he could form a formidable duo with Todibo at the heart of the Newcastle defence, with the pair extremely suited to each other considering their attributes.

Howe will miss the 24-year-old during the final few weeks of this season and the opening months of 2024/25, thus heightening the need for another centre-back during the summer transfer window.

If the former Bournemouth manager can fight off the likes of Liverpool and Man United for Todibo’s signature, he will be significantly improving his starting XI.

Once Botman returns to the field, the pair could be the defensive duo that Howe has wanted, and they could return Newcastle to the top four once again, securing qualification for the Champions League.

As previously mentioned, this could depend on how the club ends the season. With ties against Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Everton to come over the coming weeks, they will need to be at their very best to finish in as high a position as possible.

Newcastle eyeing £42m dream Isak partner who's "difficult to defend"

He’s also subject to interest from another Premier League side.

ByEthan Lamb Mar 28, 2024

da doce： Chelsea are set for face-to-face talks this week over signing a £210,000-per-week star, with Todd Boehly's transfer plans now taking effect.

Boehly tipped to sign striker despite PSR worries at Chelsea

da apostaganha： Much has been made of potential PSR worries at Chelsea, coming after two seasons of heavy spending under Clearlake Capital's ownership.

Related Chelsea now set to make star player available this summer amid PSR worries

He’s been a standout in Pochettino’s team.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 5, 2024

The club spent over £400 million last summer in an effort to back manager Mauricio Pochettino, with some financial experts like Stefan Borson predicting even tougher sanctions than the likes of Nottingham Forest and Everton if they're charged with breaches.

There have even been claims that Chelsea are gearing up to sell star players like Conor Gallagher in an effort to balance the books, but all of this hasn't stopped Pochettino's side from making transfer plans for this summer window.

They've been widely tipped to sign a new striker later this year, as Chelsea look to add more goal threat in the final third and bring in a number nine who can add 25-plus goals per season.

One name who refuses to go away in this regard is Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who has been one of Serie A's most clinical marksmen over the last few years.

“I think Chelsea will be there,” said Fabrizio Romano on the race to sign Osimhen this summer.

Victor Osimhen's best Serie A games for Napoli over 2023/2024

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Sassuolo 1-6 Napoli

9.90

Frosinone 1-3 Napoli

8.46

Monza 2-4 Napoli

8.15

Napoli 2-0 Sassuolo

7.62

Napoli 2-1 Cagliari

7.60

"The interest is still there. It is really important to understand what is happening; first of all with the FFP situation because Chelsea do not want to overpay, so it is important to know how much the package is going to be for Victor Osimhen.

"We already know about the release clause between €120m-€130m with Napoli so Chelsea and other clubs are waiting to see if Napoli can be flexible but usually with their president, De Laurentiis, it is usually very tough to go there and negotiate, especially for a fantastic player like Victor Osimhen."

The Nigeria striker has scored 12 goals and assisted three others in 19 appearances, and was a key star in Napoli's run to the Serie A title last year.

The 25-year-old recently signed a new £210,000-per-week contract, containing the aforementioned release clause, and a new report by Il Mattino (via Napoli Magazine) has shared an interesting update on Chelsea's pursuit of the forward.

Chelsea meeting scheduled in next few days for Osimhen talks

According to the newspaper, a Chelsea meeting is scheduled with Napoli in the next few days over Osimhen, specifically to understand whether they are willing to pay his release clause, with Paris Saint-Germain also keen.

If not, a more formal negotiation will need to be started to see just how high Chelsea or PSG are willing to go. The race for his signing appears to be slowly hotting up, and it will be interesting to see if Pochettino's side can navigate PSR to win it.

يستعد منتخب البرازيل لخوض مباراة في إطار تصفيات قارة أمريكا الجنوبية، المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم في نسختها المقبلة، 2026.

ويلتقي منتخب البرازيل، في الساعات الأولى من صباح يوم الأربعاء 11 سبتمبر 2024، مع نظيره منتخب باراجواي في إطار منافسات الجولة الثامنة من التصفيات، على ملعب “ديفينسوريس ديل تشاكو”.

ويحتل منتخب البرازيل حاليًا المركز الرابع في جدول التصفيات برصيد 10 نقاط، بعد خوض 7 مباريات، حيث فاز في 3 وخسر في مثلهم وتعادل في واحدة.

في حين أن منتخب باراجواي يتواجد في المركز السابع في جدول التصفيات ذاته برصيد 6 نقاط. موعد مباراة البرازيل وباراجواي اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 3:30 فجر يوم الأربعاء، بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة البرازيل وباراجواي اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة SSC Sport1.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

Brendan Rodgers and Celtic have made three loan signings this season, most recently recruiting Adam Idah from Norwich City on the final day of the January transfer window. The Hoops fended off competition from clubs in Serie A and the English Championship to land the Irishman until the end of the campaign, but the agreement doesn't include an option to buy.

Last summer, Rodgers made two temporary additions, one of which saw defender Nat Phillips join from his former club Liverpool. Phillips, however would only play eight games in the first half of the season before being recalled to Anfield and sent to Cardiff instead.

Then there's Paulo Bernardo, who arrived on deadline day in September on a season-long loan from Benfica that did include the option to buy. Now, some key details around that detail and the player's future in general have emerged.

Celtic given Bernardo opportunity

According to The Daily Record, via Sports View, Celtic have been told by Benfica that they can sign Bernardo for a fee of £6m come the end of the season, putting them in pole position to be his next club.

Record sale on the cards for Celtic star whose value has soared by 1900%

The Hoops have struck gold with the signing of the talented midfield magician.

ByDan Emery Feb 6, 2024

Bernardo is happy at the club and will seek a permanent transfer, but it remains to be seen whether Celtic are willing to fork out the 10th-biggest transfer fee in their history to get the move done.

"Tenacious" Bernardo winning Rodgers over

Having only started two of the first 13 Scottish Premiership games for which he was available, Bernardo has now been in the line-up for the last six in succession. The absence of Reo Hatate has played a big part, with the midfielder only able to play one game since October as a result of injury and his international commitments at the Asian Cup.

After a fresh setback with Japan, Hatate is now facing a further six weeks out, offering Bernardo the opportunity to make the spot his own. He's certainly grasped his chance in recent weeks by notching four goal involvements across his six-game run, including a memorable opener in the Old Firm derby against Rangers.

Dundee

1

–

7.8/10

Rangers

1

–

7.5/10

St Mirren

–

2

8.5/10

Ross County

–

–

6.8/10

Aberdeen

–

–

7.2/10

Rodgers has spoken glowingly of the Portuguese as both a footballer and an individual, hailing his maturity and "great attitude at training" as well as his appetite on the field.

"He has come in in these last few games and created goals and scored goals and he has put his foot in too," he said at the start of last month. "He is tenacious. I'm absolutely delighted for him. It is now about consistency."

Based on that verdict, Rodgers may push for Celtic to pay up, but Bernardo will have to show that "consistency" for the remainder of the season to earn the faith of the Parkhead hierarchy.

The England star faces plenty of competition at the Gunners from Chloe Kelly, Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord, but still has a big part to play

One can only imagine what Jocelyn Precheur, head coach of London City Lionesses, was thinking when Beth Mead came off the Arsenal bench last weekend and killed any chance of his team getting anything out of their first game in the Women's Super League. Just a few weeks prior, Precheur had spoken with the England forward about a potential move. Now, having decided to stay with the Gunners, here she was showing just why the club was interested, producing two assists within just 83 seconds of each other to put victory at the Emirates beyond doubt.

London City made a bigger splash in the summer transfer window than perhaps any other side in Europe – and certainly within England – by signing Grace Geyoro for a world-record fee on deadline day to cap several months of impressive business which had brought established names like Nikita Parris, Katie Zelem and Danielle van de Donk to the newly-promoted club. For a while, it looked like Mead would be added to that list, with the ambitious outfit, backed by the billions of Michele Kang, offering her a move that would surely bring with it more game time.

Off the back of a summer in which she largely played the role of substitute as England retained their European Championship crown, having also found herself on the Arsenal bench more often than not in the second half of last season, few would've questioned Mead's decision had she opted for a switch. But her incredibly impactful cameo on Saturday was evidence that she still has plenty to give in north London, as well as for England.

• Getty Images
  

  Competition for places

  In some ways, Saturday's performance encapsulated Mead's 2025. Since Chloe Kelly's arrival at Arsenal at the end of the January transfer window, in a loan deal that would be made permanent this summer, the 30-year-old has struggled for consistent starts at club level.

  Indeed, since Kelly's second Arsenal debut, Mead has started just six times for her club and has appeared as a substitute on eight further occasions. Kelly, meanwhile, has made 10 starts and three sub appearances. Only twice have the pair started together, with head coach Renee Slegers preferring to combine the two with the other wide options in her squad, rather than with each other.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Making the most of minutes

  Yet, despite her opportunities becoming more limited than she is used to, Mead has remained effective. She scored three goals and provided three assists in that period after Kelly's arrival last season, for an average of one direct goal contribution every 102 minutes, with the biggest of that half-dozen being her classy assist in the Champions League final, setting Stina Blackstenius up for the goal that made Arsenal champions of Europe.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Changing roles

  It was a similar story at Euro 2025. Mead went into that tournament with England as a starter, having featured from the get-go in each of the Lionesses' last five outings before the competition got underway in Switzerland. She'd justified her place, too, despite reduced minutes at Arsenal, producing three goals and two assists in that spell. When Sarina Wiegman picked her first XI of the tournament against France, Mead was in.

  But it quickly became apparent that a change was needed to balance the England team out. After a flattering 2-1 loss in that opener, Wiegman moved Lauren James from the No.10 role to the right wing, meaning Mead dropped to the bench. Despite that, she would still play a crucial role in the Lionesses' second-successive continental triumph via impressive cameos off the bench throughout the knockout stages.

• Getty Images
  

  'Tough club to walk away from'

  No senior player ever really wants to be a super-sub, especially not one with Mead's pedigree. It thus made total sense for London City to try and prise her away from Arsenal this summer, with more minutes sure to give her a greater shot of returning to that England XI. But it was always going to be hard for her part ways with the club she has grown into a superstar with over the last eight years, especially when she didn't have to.

  "It’s a tough club to walk away from," Mead told last week. "When you’ve been somewhere this long it holds a very precious place in your heart. I have another year left on my contract, I still think I’m more than good enough to compete and be able to play in this team and I know I bring something different."

Manchester United moved up to seventh in the Premier League after picking up an important three points on the road to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The thrilling encounter saw missed chances and plenty of last-gasp action as the game ended 4-3, the perfect viewing for the neutral but a nail-biting affair for those involved.

Erik ten Hag will be pleased with his side on the whole, and that result could be the first step towards a much-needed run of good form.

How the game vs Wolves played out

Marcus Rashford has had his critics for his off-field actions this week, but he silenced those within five minutes thanks to a brilliant strike. United came out of the tunnel with a point to prove, and by the 22nd minute, they had their second through Rasmus Hojlund, who picked up the Player of the Match award.

Ten Hag's side had two more goals ruled out for offside before the break, and the visitors racked up eight attempts at goal, 1.38 xG, and just 0.16 xGC in what was arguably their best half of the season.

United looked set to cruise to a victory, but a rather controversial penalty was given to Wolves with 20 minutes to go, which caused the Red Devils to go into the usual panic mode we've witnessed all season. Scott McTominay eased those worries four minutes later, however, scoring from a corner.

Fast forward to the 95th minute, and Pedro Neto had put the ball in the back of the net to make it 3-3 after United lost the ball from their own corner. Luckily, 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo was on hand to glide through the Wanderers' defence and curl home with minutes to go.

Andre Onana and Antony vs Wolves

Andre Onana didn't do a whole lot wrong on the night, and for the first time this season, United looked comfortable when playing out from the back. However, the Cameroon star also had a few moments of chaos, which could have cost his side on another day.

For example, the goalkeeper attempted to claim a cross but missed the flight of the ball, which ultimately led to Lisandro Martinez clearing the ball off the line. His goals prevented was -0.40, which probably comes from his lack of bravery for the second goal and being beaten quite easily at his near post for the third.

Nonetheless, the table below shows a handful of Antony's stats during his short cameo, which left a lot to be desired, earned him a 2/10 rating by the Manchester Evening News, and made journalist Samuel Luckhurst call him a "liability."

Minutes

17

Dribble attempts (Succ)

4 (1)

Accurate passes

2/4 (50%)

Possession lost

6

Duels (won)

7 (3)

The Brazilian got his first goal and assist of the season against Newport County at the weekend, but he failed to build on that when he came on for 17 minutes. When the side is under pressure, players need to attempt to manage the game and not allow the opposition chances to attack.

However, the former Ajax man was extremely wasteful, and his ball retention was horrific, as shown by his 50% pass accuracy, two passes all game, possession lost six times, and his 25% dribble success rate. The 23-year-old also lost four of his seven duels, with one of them leading to the overturn in possession for Wolves' equaliser.

It was most certainly an evening to forget for the £86m enigma, with Ten Hag needing to consider whether it is wise to even bring him off the bench at the weekend, let alone handing him a start.

If Scorchers don’t qualify, then Allen should be available for the full series

Tristan Lavalette10-Dec-2025Opener Finn Allen could miss the start of New Zealand’s upcoming five-match T20I series in India due to BBL commitments.The series, which starts on January 21 in Nagpur, serves as important preparation for the T20 World Cup to be played in India and Sri Lanka. It is the second leg of New Zealand’s white-ball tour with three ODIs slated from January 11-17.But Allen might not be available until possibly the fourth T20I on January 28 if Perth Scorchers reach the BBL final set to be played on January 25. Scorchers wrap up their regular season against Melbourne Stars on January 17 in Perth. If they don’t qualify for the finals, then Allen should be available for the full T20I series.”Pending selection, I’ll head straight to India once the Big Bash finishes up for us [Scorchers],” Allen told ESPNcricinfo.Allen, 26, is one of five players who signed casual agreements in order to have some flexibility between playing for New Zealand, remaining within the high-performance system, and taking up franchise opportunities overseas.”Playing for New Zealand is still, for me, the pinnacle and the reason why I love playing is to represent my country,” Allen said. “But cricket’s obviously evolving and changing year on year.”New Zealand Cricket’s been really good to work with over the last wee while. [I’m] confident about getting back into some Black Caps stuff after the Big Bash and hopefully can continue that.”Gearing up to partner Australia T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh at the top of the order for Scorchers, Allen will be making his return to competitive cricket after being sidelined with a foot stress fracture sustained in the MLC in early July.In the season opener of MLC, Allen had smashed 151 – featuring a T20 record of 19 sixes – in San Francisco Unicorns’ victory over Washington Freedom at the Oakland Coliseum.Allen last played international cricket in March, where he hit 27 off 12 balls in New Zealand’s eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in Wellington.

Mitchell Santner hit the winning runs for the visitors in a dramatic final over

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Sep-2019

Tom Bruce and Colin de Grandhomme swung momentum the visitor’s way•Associated Press

For the second time in succession, a substantial fourth-wicket stand swung a run-chase decidedly in New Zealand’s favour in their T20I series in Sri Lanka. Despite a drama-filled final over, in which two wickets fell, and a third should have had two fielders not collided at wide long-on, fifties from Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Bruce proved sufficient to propel the visitors to victory with two balls and four wickets to spare. New Zealand thus sealed the series, despite not having had the services of their two most prolific T20 batsmen – Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor – for this innings.The chase, which had several similarities with Sunday’s performance, was calculated. Once again, Sri Lanka took three early wickets – Akila Dananjaya striking three times in the space of seven balls. But then de Grandhomme and Bruce came together, and the pair calmly set about building a partnership, picking up the singles and twos on offer first, before taking aim at the boundary only later in their association. Like on Sunday, Sri Lanka should have had New Zealand’s eventual top-scorer dismissed for 36, but substitute fielder Lahiru Madushanka slipped beneath the high chance off de Grandhomme’s bat, and could not even get a hand to the ball. He would go on to make 59 off 46, Bruce would be out in the last over for 53 off 46, and it was their 109-run stand off 88 balls – a record for New Zealand against Sri Lanka – that formed the spine of the innings.Sri Lanka had not bowled particularly well – Lasith Malinga in particular conceded 39 runs in four wicketless overs – but still had one final chance of sneaking a victory, when legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga ran Bruce out first ball of the final over, and then had Daryl Mitchell caught at long-on next ball. New Zealand still needed seven from the last four deliveries, and should then have lost Mitchell Santner to make it three successive wickets. But Shehan Jayasuriya, who took an outstanding running catch at wide long-on, was tripped up in his stride by an oncoming Kusal Mendis, and was sent crashing into the boundary. Both fielders might have sustained substantial injuries, taking several minutes to get up. What was worse was that a ball that should have provided a dismissal had now conceded a six – Jayasuriya unable to jettison the ball in time.Earlier, Guptill had to go off the field with a sharp pain in his abdomen, and was unavailable to bat. Taylor had been ruled out of this game with a hip injury sustained during practice.New Zealand had to shuffle their top order to make up for Guptill’s absence, sending Tim Seifert in to open, and promoting Scott Kuggeleijn to a pinch-hitting No. 3. But Akila quickly sewed up the top three, having Colin Munro caught at long-on in his first over, before nailing Kuggeleijn and Seifert lbw in his second.Thanks to some early boundaries, however, de Grandhomme and Bruce had time to play themselves in. Once the Powerplay ended, they respected the spinners, until in the 12th over, against Hasaranga, they decided to hit out again. Two fours and a six from that over set New Zealand back on track with the asking rate. With regular boundaries coming after that, they would not fall behind again. De Grandhomme completed his fifty in the 15th over, and the pair’s century stand came up in the 18th. The batsmen had given their team such a cushion that even those dramatic late wickets could not sufficiently shake the chase.Sri Lanka’s own innings had been a stuttering effort, in which virtually every batsman who came to the crease appeared to go through a period of struggle. Kusal Mendis did his best to compensate for Kusal Perera’s lack of timing, hitting two memorable leg-side sixes in his 26. Even Mendis could not strike at better than 108, however, and Sri Lanka’s run rate at the end of the Powerplay was only slightly over six. It did improve through the middle period, as Niroshan Dickwella and Avishka Fernando prospered against spin in a third-wicket partnership worth 68 off 44 balls, but after those two batsmen departed – for 39 and 37 respectively – the middle order could not quite provide an explosive innings. Sri Lanka’s 161 for 9 was perhaps 15 runs short.

Despite already having concerns about the depth of their attacking quality, Leeds United could now lose one of their most dangerous stars amid reported interest from Saudi Arabia.

Roy Keane delivers Leeds survival verdict

Leeds and the rest of the promoted sides have so far shocked the rest of the Premier League. Alongside Burnley and Sunderland, those at Elland Road are out to end the curse of the newcomer and become the first side in six to survive at the first time of asking back in the top flight.

As things stand, Leeds are four points above the dropzone and could even push into the top-half if results go their way after the international break. After Daniel Farke spent much of the summer airing concerns that his side lacked enough attacking quality, he will be delighted with how they’ve already secured a number of results.

Leeds now ramping up January move to sign "excellent" Serie A attacker

He could solve their attacking problems…

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 8, 2025

Alas, the German’s work is far from done. Leeds must get back to winning ways after losing against Tottenham Hotspur last time out and continue what has been a solid start. Then, when January arrives, it will be all about keeping hold of their best players and, if reports are anything to go by, fending off interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Saudi billionaires readying Gnonto move

As reported by MOT Leeds News, Saudi billionaires Neom and Al-Ittihad are readying January moves to sign Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds. Backed by the riches of PIF, the two clubs could hand all parties a difficult offer to turn down, but those in Yorkshire must remain firm on their transfer stance.

With just less than three years remaining on Gnonto’s current deal, Leeds should be in no rush to cash-in on their talented winger midway through the current campaign. What’s more, when considering Farke’s attacking concerns, it’s clear that the Italian still has a role to play.

After featuring from the start in three of the four Premier League appearances to his name before a calf injury disrupted his season, Gnonto should have all eyes on returning to full fitness with a bang following the international break.

At 21 years old, he remains one of Leeds’ brightest attacking sparks and someone who has already earned praise from the likes of Jermaine Beckford, who once said: “He’s very direct, I’m a huge admirer of him.”

That said, not many have rejected the riches of Saudi Arabia in European football and Leeds may face an uphill battle to stand in the way of Gnonto when January arrives.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted that the Reds will not hesitate to strike with further additions in the summer transfer market.

Never in the Anfield side’s history has there been such a cascade of first-team signings across a single summer window, but then Liverpool won the Premier League last season and have the financial means to package Slot’s squad with exciting additions.

The thought of Mohamed Salah combining with the likes of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, previously two of the German Bundesliga’s brightest talents, over the next few years is quite a thing.

And more may yet be added to the ranks.

However, Luis Diaz has been sold to Bayern Munich for a £65.5m fee, and that’s a departure which will be felt on Merseyside next season.

Liverpool's decision to sell Luis Diaz

Liverpool sold Diaz, 28, due to the fact he had entered the penultimate year of his contract and wanted to leave, earning a comparatively meagre amount compared to many of Liverpool’s best-paid stars.

Bayern presented the Reds with a pretty few pennies, and his sale felt like a no-brainer, although it has now left the Anfield side lacking the versatile forward’s electric-paced energy.

Following the announcement of Diaz’s sale, Salah said this: “Your energy, drive, and passion on the pitch have left a mark that won’t be forgotten.”

And he only improved over the past year, shifting from Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpress to the more methodical ‘Slotball’.

Matches (starts)

37 (32)

36 (28)

Goals

8

13

Assists

5

5

Shots (on target)*

2.5 (0.9)

2.0 (0.8)

Big chances missed

13

11

Pass completion

85%

86%

Big chances created

5

8

Key passes*

1.8

1.6

Dribbles*

1.8

1.5

Ball recoveries*

3.4

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.0

1.3

Duels won*

4.6

3.8

Diaz’s sale does, of course, hand Cody Gakpo something of a window to grasp over the coming weeks and months, for he is – as things stand – Liverpool’s leading left-sided forward.

But the Colombian, now part of the Die Roten squad, played a fair share of football as a makeshift number nine, and when Liverpool replace him, they might have their sights set at a central player.

Liverpool target wants to join them

As per The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Liverpool have seen an opening offer for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak knocked back. It fell into the ballpark of British-record territory, in excess of £120m.

Transfer reporter Ben Jacobs has corroborated the report, revealing that the 25-year-old is “pushing to join” Slot’s side. The Magpies, it’s important to stress, are adamant they will only cash in should they find a suitable replacement.

Careful planning and handling of finances have allowed Liverpool to shift into this enviable position, and Isak really would be the icing on the cake this summer.

What Liverpool would get with Alexander Isak

Isak has been with Newcastle for three years now, having joined them from Real Sociedad for £63m in 2022. Pundit Ally McCoist hailed him as “the best all-round centre-forward” in the Premier League for his efforts across the 2024/25 season, and it’s hardly an outrageous take.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland may be a more clinical ball-striking machine, but Isak’s rounded style, merging strength with style, suggests he could slot right into the way of things at Anfield.

It’s the kind of offensive game that would play right into Salah’s strengths, prominently, but also Gakpo’s too. Liverpool’s Netherlands ace scored 18 goals and provided seven assists last season, instrumental in winning the Premier League.

He’s not averse to creating and drawing defenders away, of course, and so in this way, Liverpool could find a new high-class partnership developing between Isak and Gakpo, with the Newcastle number nine so elegant and suitable for the prolific wide forward’s skill set.

Matches (starts)

30 (27)

34 (34)

Goals

21

23

Assists

2

6

Touches*

26.8

33.3

Shots (on target)*

2.4 (1.4)

2.9 (1.4)

Big chances missed

21

18

Pass completion

80%

77%

Big chances created

5

11

Key passes*

0.9

1.2

Dribbles*

1.4

1.2

Ball recoveries*

1.3

1.6

Tackles + interceptions*

0.4

0.5

Duels (won)*

2.4

2.8

The £120k-per-week Isak has a lot in his locker, but he has almost simplified his game at Newcastle, relinquishing some of the more athletic and mobile elements to refine his world-class shooting. It worked to an emphatic effect, for Newcastle restored their place in the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup (against Liverpool in the final) besides.

He was only outscored by Salah, but his roundedness suggests that he could be an exciting dance partner for Gakpo, whose responsibilities may well increase with Diaz now gone.

Gakpo isn’t a one-trick pony by any stretch, but he does put an emphasis on his goalscoring, cutting inside and clinically striking on goal.

Since Isak created 11 big chances in the top flight last season, it seems like he would be a tailor-made addition to combine with Gakpo, who ranked among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last year for non-penalty goals (0.47) per 90, as per FBref.

The Dutchman was praised by pundit Peter Crouch for having “gone up a level” since Slot replaced Klopp in the dugout, and you can only imagine the kind of heights that the 25-year-old could reach alongside a cultured and confident superstar such as Isak, who has been described by teammate Nick Pope as being “like a wizard” for the playmaking side to his arsenal.

Once again, Liverpool know that their hopes of signing Isak hinge on Newcastle’s ability to find a replacement. They want RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, but he’s also being pursued by Manchester United, who are readying a formal bid.

However, the Magpies will be cautious about keeping Isak on the books after his desperate efforts to force a move to Liverpool, and this is – without a doubt – one to keep a close eye on.

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