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As Virgil van Dijk continues to move closer and closer to the exit door, Liverpool have reportedly made a fresh approach over signing a defensive reinforcement worth just £40m this summer.

Liverpool eyeing defensive addition

Now in March and into the final months of Van Dijk’s current deal, there’s every chance that the Dutchman will not be a Liverpool player next season, which should be ringing alarm bells for those at Anfield. Not only will they be losing one of the best defenders in Europe, they will be losing him for free to hand any potential suitor one of the bargains of the summer.

The Liverpool captain has been quick to reiterate that his future is not yet sealed, however, recently telling reporters: “I don’t know what’s gonna happen next season.

“If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face. Contract on hold? Nothing on hold. I keep saying same things. If there is news, you will know it. I don’t even know myself.”

That said, it seems as though the Reds are at least planning for life without the Dutchman if it does indeed come to that this summer. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool have now approached Chelsea about signing Levi Colwill this summer in a deal that would cost them just £40m.

Those at Anfield have a long-standing interest in the England international but have been unable to lure the Cobham graduate to Merseyside in the past. Now, in the face of Van Dijk’s potential exit, they have seemingly returned again in the hope of landing his signature.

Alongside Alvarez: Liverpool now join PL race to sign £29m Argentine gem

He’s a future star…

ByTom Cunningham Mar 20, 2025

Still just 22 years old and battling for a top-four place at Chelsea, Colwill is yet to reach the peak of his powers despite already playing an impressive amount of top-level football – something that would have undoubtedly attracted Liverpool.

"Fantastic" Colwill previously pocketed Gakpo

Of course, Liverpool should be well aware of every strength and weakness that Colwill possesses, given that they’ve squared off against the central defender three times in the last three years. Coming against the 22-year-old at both Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea, it was at The Amex that Colwill kept Cody Gakpo quiet during the 2022/23 campaign.

As the Seagulls won 3-0, Colwill limited the Liverpool star to 0.08 expected goals and just 25 touches in an impressive display. Now, over two years on, Gakpo could get the chance to breathe a sigh of relief and welcome Colwill as a teammate rather than a rival this summer.

However, whether Chelsea are willing to part ways with their academy graduate is another question. Colwill has often found himself at the centre of praise during his Stamford Bridge rise, including from Mauricio Pochettino.

The former Blues manager told reporters: “At the moment, I need to see him and get to know him better. He is a fantastic talent, of course. We were talking about the things that also the way that we can help improve his game in all areas.

“He is so relaxed, calm and I enjoy talking to him. He has great character and personality. I am so happy to have him in the squad and to have this opportunity to work together.”

وافق مجلس إدارة النادي المصري برئاسة  كامل أبو علي على تشكيل الجهاز الفني للفريق الأول والمقدم من التونسي نبيل الكوكي المدير الفني الجديد للفريق.

وكان فريق المصري قد تأهل إلى بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، بعدما احتل المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 42 نقطة.

ويمتلك التونسي نبيل الكوكي سجلًا كبيرًا من الخبرات، حيث درب أندية الصفاقسي التونسي والملعب التونسي، وأهلي برج بوعريج، وشباب بلوزداد، ووفاق سطيف الجزائري.

طالع | بعيدًا عن النتائج.. الغندور: أتمنى رؤية الزمالك في كأس العالم للأندية مثل الأهلي

وكان نبيل الكوكي، تقدم باستقالته من تدريب وفاق سطيف بنهاية الموسم الماضي في الدوري الجزائري. الجهاز الفني الجديد لـ المصري البورسعيدي

ك/نبيل بن عمر الكوكي، مديرًأ فنيًا

ك/نادر بن عبد العزيز الهبيري، مدربًا عامًا.

ك/قيس بن علي مخلوف،  مدربًا مساعدًا ومحللًا للأداء.

ك/قيس بن عمار الغطاس، معدًا بدنيًا.

ك/وليد بن الهادي بن حسن، مدربًا لحراس المرمى.

ك/سيف داود، مدربًا مساعدًا.

ك/سعيد ابراهيم، مدربًا مساعدًا

ك/محمود جابر،  مديرًا إداريا.

With seven points separating themselves and the Championship relegation zone, Portsmouth have just been dealt a frustrating blow at a crucial time on the injury front.

Portsmouth injury news

With just 13 games remaining in the Championship, Pompey are currently on course to survive at the first time of asking. However, as always, anything can still change and John Mousinho will be keen to see his side make it three wins on the bounce when they face Queens Park Rangers this weekend, having just defeated both Cardiff City and Oxford United.

Finding their form at a crucial stage, those at Fratton Park could look back on their recent wins as a defining moment for their campaign. With all three of Derby County, Plymouth Argyle and bottom side Luton Town all deciding to sack their respective managers recently, Portsmouth are enjoying their reward for sticking by Mousinho.

The next 13 games could still be full of twists and turns though, especially following recent injury news. As confirmed by Portsmouth, Callum Lang is now set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn hamstring.

Sharing the news, Mousinho told reports at his latest press conference: “Not great news on Callum. The scan has come back, as we suspected, with a hamstring tear.

“We’re going to re-scan it in about 10 days just to see how it’s settled down. There’s a lot of fluid there at the moment. Most likely, we’re not going to see Callum in a Portsmouth shirt until next season.

“It’s a bit of a strange one because after the game, he was okay. He was up and about. He’s still actually up and about now. It’s not really affecting him a huge amount, but just the nature of it and the location of the injury means it’s going to be a long one.”

Portsmouth must replace "superb" Lang's goals

It’s the worst possible news for Portsmouth, who must now finish their battle for survival without their main man who has scored as many as 10 goals in 29 Championship games this season. Just how Mousinho attempts to replace those goals remains to be seen. For the next 13 games, it may well be a case of defence is the best form of attack at Fratton Park.

The Pompey boss needs no reminder of Lang’s quality, having been full of praise for his forward earlier this season. Mousinho told BBC Sport: “Since Callum has come to the football club he has scored some big goals and he has been our outstanding player this season.

“The energy he puts in, the amount of running he does, his physical presence and it is about adding quality for him – today he added the quality and was superb. My only disappointment is that he didn’t score more. It was really pleasing and he should be pushing for more and more.”

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham gave his first interview in Spanish after Sunday's win over Sevilla but was quick to apologise afterwards.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Bellingham on target as Madrid win 2-0
• Speaks to TV afterwards in Spanish
• Apologises for being 'very bad'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bellingham scored his ninth La Liga goal of the season on Sunday as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0. The England international then spoke to the media after the game and conducted the interview entirely in Spanish for the first time since moving to Madrid from Borussia Dortmund.

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  WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

  Bellingham told TV cameras: "We want to finish well, and that's why we went for the win, but it's a little sad because we want to play for titles. It's important because it's another title. I hope we win it. It's the team's and the club's dream. It's important for us, after a somewhat weak season."

  After being thanked for trying the interview in Spanish, a blushing Bellingham was quick to apologise, saying :"Very bad, sorry… Very nervous."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bellingham may have found it tough going but his efforts earned him praise. "He was nervous, but he came out of the interview with good marks," read the message on El Chiringuito's social media post. The England star has previously revealed that team-mates Lucas Vazquez and Brahim Diaz have been helped him learn Spanish since arriving in Madrid, and he's never been shy in try out his new language skills particularly during last season's title celebrations.

Leeds United are in transfer talks to sell a “League One” player to a European club for £5 million, according to a recent report.

Leeds United news

On Tuesday night, Daniel Farke’s men put in a very impressive display as they beat Watford 4-0 at Vicarage Road to continue their lead over Sheffield United and Burnley. The win kept Leeds five points clear of the Clarets in third place but Farke is keen for his side to guard against complacency.

“It is so far so good. After 32 game days, to be there with 59 points is outstanding, but judgement is in May when we have played 46 games.

“We know we have a good momentum and are in great shape, but we have to use and ride this moment and keep going. For that, we want to keep this momentum, stay awake, and stay on it. We have to stay focused and professional,” Farke told BBC Radio Leeds after the win over Watford.

Related Leeds flop who left after just 20 games is now similar to a £92m star

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Feb 12, 2025

Away from matters on the pitch, Leeds are already putting plans in place for the summer, as a report has stated that internal talks have been held over the possibility of signing James McAtee from Manchester City. The Whites could look to make a move in the summer, but only if they are promoted to the Premier League.

Leeds in transfer talks to sell "League One" player for just £5m

But it is not just arrivals that Leeds are discussing, as according to Bild, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over the sale of Rasmus Kristensen.

The 27-year-old joined the Bundesliga outfit on loan from Leeds during the summer transfer window. As well as the loan, there was a €15 million buy option included in the deal. Kristensen has been an important player for Frankfurt, so they are keen to sign him on a permanent basis, but they are now looking to pay under €10 million.

In fact, they want to pay around €6 million (£5 million) and are in negotiations with Leeds over completing the transfer.

Kristensen has played 18 times for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, starting all but one of those, and in that time has scored one goal and recorded two assists. This is the defender’s second loan spell away from Elland Road, as he spent last season on loan at Italian side AS Roma.

Rasmus Kristensen’s Eintracht Frankfurt stats

Apps

27

Goals

2

Assists

3

Kristensen has played just 30 times for the Whites, and they all came in the 2022/23 campaign, where Leeds were relegated to the Championship. His time at Elland Road has been very disappointing, with Leeds content creator Conor McGilligan labelling him as a “League One” standard player.

Therefore, Leeds will probably be happy to see Kristensen leave on a permanent basis, even for a lower fee than they originally agreed.

This season has been a trying one for Arsenal and their fans.

Mikel Arteta’s side have endured questionable decisions, a brutal fixture list, and a seemingly never-ending list of injured first-team players, yet they remain second in the Premier League.

Moreover, while Liverpool must now be considered overwhelming favourites for the league, there is still a chance, albeit an incredibly slim one, that the Gunners could chase them down over the next 16 games.

However, to do that, the board will need to sign some attacking reinforcements this month, so it’s fortunate that recent reports have linked the club to a young striker who was winning comparisons to the sublime Harry Kane just a couple of years ago.

Arsenal target striker prospect

According to a recent report from journalist and transfers expert Ben Jacobs, Arsenal are “assessing striker options for January.”

Transfer Focus

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

One of the players who’s “of interest” to the Gunners is Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Evan Ferguson, but only if the south coast club sanction his exit.

If he is to be made available, the North Londoners would have to sign him on a permanent deal or send Neto back to Bournemouth, as Premier League clubs can only have two players on loan from other teams in the league at one time, and Raheem Sterling’s loan from Chelsea does not include a break-clause.

In all, signing Ferguson – who has been rated as highly as £100m – might not quite be what fans are hoping for this window, but the youngster has shown that he’s capable of scoring in the top flight and was winning comparisons to Kane just a couple of years ago.

How Ferguson compares to Kane

Okay, so before we take a look at some of the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Ferguson this month, let’s examine these comparisons to Kane and where they come from.

Well, one of the more notable claims of the Irishman’s similarities to the England captain came from former Liverpool striker John Aldridge, who in March 2023 described the then 18-year-old striker as “an Irish version of Harry Kane.”

Later that year, former Spurs star Gary Lineker suggested that the club should sign the Seagulls ace “as Kane’s replacement,” which is mighty high praise from a poacher as esteemed as the England legend.

With all that said, the main thrust of these comparisons to the Bayern Munich marksman is also the other reason why the Gunners are likely considering him this month: his output from a couple of years ago.

For example, in the 22/23 campaign, the £30k-per-week forward found the back of the net ten times and provided three assists in just 25 appearances, totalling 1345 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.92 games, or every 103.46 minutes.

However, even more impressive than that, he matched Wayne Rooney’s best tally of 11 league goals in a calendar year, although his average of one every 143 minutes was significantly better than the Englishman’s average of 175 minutes.

Now, the Seagulls star has struggled to match that level of output since, but he suffered two significant injuries last season, and as he’s still just 20, there is plenty of time for him to develop into the goalscoring “superstar” former professional Danny Murphy claimed he was two years ago.

Michael Owen

1998

25

126

Robbie Fowler

1994

22

140

Nicolas Anelka

1998

12

221

Francis Jeffers

1999

12

172

Wayne Rooney

2005

11

175

Evan Ferguson

2023

11

143

Ultimately, it might not be the transfer fans are hoping for at the moment, but Arsenal are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements, and if Ferguson can show even some of the form he did prior to his injury setbacks, then Arteta will have a brilliant option to call upon, and should they opt to sign him on a permanent deal, then he might just become the Gunners own Kane.

He's better than Sesko: Arsenal exploring move for "monster" striker

Arsenal are in desperate need of signing a centre-forward in the January transfer window.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jan 20, 2025

Wednesday night felt like a turning point in Arsenal’s season.

Mikel Arteta’s side went into the North London derby off the back of two cup defeats and in real danger of falling out of the Premier League title race altogether.

Yet, an own goal from Dominic Solanke and a sensational strike from Leandro Trossard saw the Gunners come from behind and close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to just four points.

However, while the game was just what the team and fanbase needed after a gruelling couple of weeks, it also highlighted how badly attacking reinforcements are required, and while Yoane Wissa was linked with the club within 24 hours, he’s not the calibre of player fans are after.

Fortunately, recent reports have once again touted a far more impressive striker for a move to the Emirates, a striker who is way better than the Brentford star.

Arsenal chase sensational striker

According to a recent report from Italian publication Calciomercato, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović.

The report has revealed that the Italian club are desperate to get his lofty £361k-per-week wages off the books and that, so long as a reasonable offer is made, he’ll be free to leave.

Now, the story does not clarify what that fee would have to be, but reports from earlier this month claimed that an offer of around £55m could be enough to get the Turin side to sell.

It would, therefore, require a significant investment from Arsenal to get this transfer over the line, but given Vlahović’s ability, it would undoubtedly be worth it, and he’d be a far better signing than Wissa.

How Vlahović compares to Wissa

So, if the board at Arsenal are currently looking at signing Wissa or Vlahović, why should they lean towards the latter? Especially as the former has experience playing in the Premier League.

Well, the first reason is a simple one: their output.

For example, in his 124 appearances for the Old Lady, the Serbian superstar has scored 53 goals and provided 11 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.93 games.

In contrast, the DR Congo international has scored 41 goals and provided nine assists in 132 appearances for the Bees, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 2.64 games.

Moreover, it’s not just a case of playing for the better team either, as when we compare their output from their time with their prior clubs, it’s still the Belgrade-born “machine,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who comes out on top.

For example, in just 108 appearances for Fiorentina, the 24-year-old monster scored 49 goals and provided eight assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.89 games.

In comparison, during his time with FC Lorient, the 28-year-old scored 37 goals and provided 17 assists in 128 appearances, which comes out to a solid but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.37 games.

Finally, aside from his raw output, the Juve ace is also 6 foot 3, which would help him deal with the physical nature of the Premier League and make the most of the Gunners’ legendary set-pieces, whereas it’s hard to imagine Wissa getting his head on too many crosses at just 5 foot 9.

Ultimately, while the Brentford star is a brilliant player and has shown as much this season, Vlahović has the more impressive record, is more physically imposing and is four years younger to boot.

Therefore, while he won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do what they can to bring him to the Emirates this month, as he could be the key to them overtaking Liverpool and lifting the title come May.

In talks with his agent: Arsenal eye big move to sign their own Kulusevski

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MatériaMais Notícias

Após vencer no meio de semana o Londrina, o Bahia assumiu a liderança da Série B e agora vê de camarote o restante dos jogos.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

No próximo domingo, o duelo entre Grêmio e Cruzeiro marca o encontro das equipes que estão logo atrás do Tricolor.

No momento, gaúchos e mineiros estão com 10 pontos, três a menos que o Esquadrão de Aço e podem assumir a liderança.

Porém, o Bahia só perde a ponta do campeonato caso pinte uma goleada no jogo que será disputado no Independência.

Confira os cenários:

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The head coach said Australia would continue to assess how they balance their side in Asia

AAP12-Jul-2022Head coachAndrew McDonald insists Travis Head’s game has improved in Asia as Australia look to adopt a horses-for-courses approach on future tours of the subcontinent.Australia’s capitulation to an innings loss in Galle on Monday marked a poor end to two tours on the road, where they won 1-0 in Pakistan and drew 1-1 in Sri Lanka.McDonald is adamant the Galle reality check should not overshadow the fact they have taken significant steps forward on the sub-continent. But there is little doubt questions still remain ahead of next year’s tour of India.Australia were unable to make use of a platform of 329 for 5 in the first innings of the second Test, then spent 181 overs in the field and collapsed inside 41 in their second innings.Related

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Progress made, but subcontinent cracks still present for Australia

Several of those lessons will now be parked to one side and be brought out again ahead of next February’s four-Test tour of India. Australia have home series against the West Indies and South Africa, but form from Pakistan and Sri Lanka will weigh heavier when it comes to selection for India.”For a home summer it would be pretty difficult to join the dots from that surface out there [in Asia] to what we will see in Australia,” McDonald said. “[It] goes without saying [we pick a different team for the different conditions]. We picked two spinners here but we don’t pick two spinners in Australia.”It’s about the balance of your side. How many left-handers, how many right-handers. There are always things that are factored in. We have got to go away and make sure that we are asking ourselves the right questions as a selection panel and a coaching group.”McDonald’s input followed captain Pat Cummins suggestion players had to be given a chance to show what they can do in Asia.Head looms as the man under the most pressure. Across five Tests in Asia, Usman Khawaja enhanced his reputation as an improved man. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne both scored centuries in Galle and Cameron Green impressed throughout.Alex Carey had a poor second Test in Sri Lanka with the gloves, but still averaged 53.60 across the two tours. Mitchell Swepson also showed improvement with the ball in the second Test, while Nathan Lyon took two five-wicket hauls across the tours.David Warner meanwhile averaged below 30 as his century drought continued, but McDonald is adamant there is still many runs left in the opener. Head’s position is of most concern though, after Glenn Maxwell went close to selection in both Tests in Galle and Cummins made clear he was in the conversation for India.After being player of the series in the home Ashes summer, Head scored just 91 runs at an average of 15.16 against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.”He’s here for the first time,” McDonald said. “He’s been exposed to conditions that are very foreign. We saw him add the sweep shot in during [the final] innings.”He’s been working incredibly hard on his game. Sometimes, you make one small error and you are not there to actually see if your method works or not.”There’s definitely been a shift in his game in terms of how he wants to play in these conditions. So we are optimistic that across the journey, if given more time, that that can no doubt work.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was backed by the board in the recent summer transfer window, as several big-money recruits were brought in to bolster the squad.

Danish midfielder Matt O’Riley was sold to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, whilst the likes of Hyeon-gyu Oh, Mikey Johnston, and Tomoki Iwata were all cashed in on.

The Scottish giants smashed their record transfer fee by paying a reported £11m to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg to bolster their midfield options.

Celtic also reportedly paid a fee of £8.5m, potentially rising to £9.5m, to Norwich City for Adam Idah, and £5m to Sheffield United for Auston Trusty.

How Celtic's big-money signings have performed

The Hoops have decided to invest in young talent and, with that, there has to be an acceptance that inexperienced players will not be perfect right away.

Engels has produced three goals and six assists in 17 appearances for the Glasgow giants in all competitions to date, but has also lost the majority (52%) of his duels in the Scottish Premiership.

Idah, meanwhile, has scored eight goals in all competitions but has failed to convince Rodgers that he deserves to start week-in-week-out, with just five starts in the Premiership and the Champions League combined.

Trusty, on the other hand, arrived in the prime years of his career at the age of 26 and has started all eight of his appearances in the Premiership, as well as four of his five outings in the Champions League.

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Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Rodgers has hit the jackpot with the former Sheffield United man, whose performances in Europe this season have earned him a comparison with Arsenal star William Saliba.

How Auston Trusty comares to William Saliba

The USA international is listed as one of the most similar players to the French colossus in the 2024/25 Champions League on FBref, due to their respective statistics.

As you can see above, they are not identical players but they are similar in what they offer to their sides in possession, with their pass completion rate, passes attempted, Expected Assisted Goals, and touches.

Saliba is reportedly valued at more than £100m by Arsenal, amid interest from Real Madrid and PSG, and that speaks to how impressive Trusty has been in Europe for the Hoops, as his performances have been comparable to those of the France international’s.

As you can see in the table above, Trusty, who was described as “phenomenal” in the 3-1 win over Leipzig by Chris Sutton, has been incredibly reliable in possession of the ball and super dominant in duels on the ground.

The American titan has also won 64% of his duels across seven outings in the Premiership, keeping five clean sheets, for the Hoops so far this season.

These statistics, and the similarities to Saliba, show that Rodgers has hit the jackpot with the £5m signing of the former Arsenal prospect, who has slotted straight in and hit the ground running with excellent performances domestically and in Europe.

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1

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