Tag Futebol

Liverpool could perform a 'hijack' swoop to usurp one of their biggest rivals to sign an international midfielder this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news at Liverpool?

In a whirlwind couple of weeks for Liverpool, key transfer targets Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, formerly of Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton, both snubbed moves to Anfield and instead have elected to join Chelsea.

Reacting swiftly to their disappointment in missing out on Caicedo and Lavia, Liverpool have now wrapped up the arrival of Japan international Waturo Endo from Stuttgart for a fee in the region of £16 million, as per BBC Sport.

In an interview after completing his move to Liverpool, Endo has spoken of his excitement at the prospect of turning out at Anfield, stating: "It feels amazing. It's always been a dream to play in the Premier League and with one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's a dream come true for me. I think I can help this club defensively and I will have good organisation in the middle."

Now, Liverpool could be about to steal another midfield signing from under the nose of one of their biggest rivals, Manchester United. Dutch publication AD via The Daily Mail claim that Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is a target for Liverpool and the Red Devils, respectively.

The report states that Liverpool are set to beat Manchester United to the signing of £30 million-rated Morocco international Amrabat, who has been won over after having talks with Jurgen Klopp and is now keen to move to Merseyside.

Last term, Amrabat made 49 appearances for Fiorentina across all competitions, registering a solitary assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has indicated that Liverpool hijacking Manchester United's advances towards Amrabat would be a 'fascinating plot twist' in the latter stages of the window.

Jones stated: “Liverpool have pulled one out of the bag with the Endo signing. Again, they were working in the dark to produce a transfer that no one saw coming. Now he's not going to appease all fears of how Liverpool will do from here, but the reports on him from Germany in terms of his tenacity and hard work are positive, and he sounds like he could be good. But this is a player used to life at the bottom end of the Bundesliga, not the top end of the Premier League, and I do not believe their work is done in terms of recruitment. Another midfielder will come in.

“I was very sceptical at first of the Amrabat links, but there could be something in this. There have been moves to understand what he is looking for in his next club, whether there is still a possibility he considers new options, and, of course, right now, he seems a bit in limbo because Man Utd are not in the position they expected to be to sign him. If they make moves here, it would be another fascinating plot twist as they try to hijack another rival.”

What now for Liverpool?

According to The Independent, Liverpool are hot on the tail of Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure as Klopp eyes further reinforcements in the engine room.

Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is another target now on the table for the Reds and the Netherlands international is believed to be open to seeking a new challenge, as per The Daily Mail.

Foot Mercato claim that Aston Villa enforcer Boubacar Kamara is being courted by Liverpool, who are considering making an offer 'more than ever' for the France international.

The same outlet have revealed that Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Mario Lemina is attracting attention from both Liverpool and clubs in Saudi Arabia.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsQazi Onik took a four-wicket haul on debut•Raton Gomes

Rajshahi Kings kept their qualification hopes alive with a crushing win over Chittagong Vikings at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. While Rajshahi rose to fifth position with the win, Chittagong’s defeat knocked them out of the 2017-18 BPL.Qazi Onik enjoyed a stunning debut, taking four wickets as Rajshahi defended 157 for 6 after electing to bat first. Chittagong were bowled out for 124 in 19.2, becoming the first team to exit the tournament.Onik, the left-arm pacer, took the key wickets of Anamul Haque and Stiaan van Zyl, before adding Sunzamul Islam and Tanbir Hayder to complete impressive figures of 4 for 17 in 3.2 overs.When Rajshahi batted, they recovered from 86 for 4 with the help of Darren Sammy, who top-scored with 40 off 25 balls, muscling two fours and three sixes.Chittagong apply early chokeMominul Haque fell in the second over of the match, slicing Taskin Ahmed for a catch at third-man. Zakir Hasan and Luke Wright then went on a boundary-barrage, which included four fours in six balls, until Luis Reece took out Zakir for 17.Mushfiqur Rahim got cracking with a four off his first ball but Rajshahi were again hit when Wright was caught sharply at deep midwicket by Sikandar Raza, who kept himself inside the field as he moved back to take an overhead catch. All the while, Mushfiqur was in fine form, striking Sunzamul Islam for a six and two fours in the 11th over.Nayeem Hasan, one of four BPL debutants this match, then outsmarted Mushfiqur, bowling slower through the air and getting him to hole out to long-on. Mushfiqur made 31 off 22 balls and Rajshahi were reduced to 86 for 4 in the 12th over.Sammy turns the heat on ChittagongSammy was at his imperious best in the slog overs. He struck three sixes – two of them off Reece and one against Taskin – in the last five overs. He added 69 runs for the fifth wicket with James Franklin, who made for a study in contrast with his run-a-ball 30. Rayad Emrit, Taskin and Reece bowled very well in the slog overs, never letting Rajshahi to get away with anything significant. Still, with the help of Sammy’s timely boundaries, Rajshahi punched 56 runs in the last six overs: a recovery that proved more than good enough in the end.Balance shiftsRajshahi and Chittagong went back and forth in the early exchanges during the chase. In a frantic first over, when Mushfiqur Rahim injured a finger, Mohammad Sami weeded out the big-hitting Luke Ronchi, who swiped across a length ball and offered a catch to Mehidy Hasan at the deep square-leg boundary.Anamul and Soumya Sarkar then led a quick turnaround with a 38-run second wicket stand off 28 balls. By the end of the fifth over, Chittagong had raised their fifty and were well on course to chasing the total down.Mustafizur Rahman then found a way past the partnership in the last over of the Powerplay, when he duped Soumya with a slower ball that was skewed to mid-off. Anamul followed Soumya into the dugout two overs later, top-edging a pull to the keeper and giving Onik his maiden BPL wicket.Fielding brilliance brings back Rajshahi Sikandar Raza and van Zyl kept the score ticking, but their partnership of 32 took 30 deliveries and the required rate climbed. The Pakistan legspinner Mir removed Raza, who swung at a full toss and was very well-caught at deep square-leg by the substitute Naeem Islam jnr.Luis Reece fell to his own undoing, attempting an improbable second run and being caught short of his crease. Naeem was back in the mix in the next over, when he reached over his head to catch van Zyl’s pull at the deep midwicket boundary and flicked the ball over to Mir as the momentum carried him over the ropes.Another moment of brilliance on the field, this time from Mehidy, who took a brilliant catch running to his left from long-on, sent back Rayad Emrit in the 17th over. With that, Chittagong had lost four wickets for 24 runs.Rajshahi did not let their intensity drop despite having pulled themselves ahead. They were sharp on the field right until the end, when wicketkeeper Zakir Hasan’s direct hit effected a run out of Taskin and sealed the game. Chittagong lost their last seven wicket wickets in 6.4 overs, for the addition of just 32 runs.

Australia captain Steven Smith has demanded more of the Ashes wicketkeeping frontrunner Peter Nevill, and also lashed out at accusations that he has allowed the personal to interfere with the professional in team selection.Speaking candidly on the eve of a Sheffield Shield match in which he will lead a full-strength New South Wales against Western Australia – including his likely bowling attack for the first Test at the Gabba – Smith revealed he had spoken with Nevill about the need for the gloveman to use more voice in the middle, a quality that helped Matthew Wade usurp the Blues wicketkeeper in the first place.”I’ve spoken to Pete; we had a chat and I said I probably just need a little bit more from you, and I need you to drive the boys and get the boys up and about,” Smith said in Sydney. “That’s the pretty important job of a wicketkeeper, to ensure the guys have the energy out in the middle and that we are doing everything we can. I’ve spoken to him about that.”It’s just a presence sort of thing. For a captain out in the middle, I’ve always got a lot on my mind, I’m doing different things. So for a keeper, it’s about ensuring that the energy’s up and if someone needs a little pick-me-up, go and get them, go and touch them and make sure that we’re doing what we need to do. Those are important things to do for a wicketkeeper.”I don’t think it’s ‘nice’, I don’t think that’s an issue, I don’t have a problem with people being nice. It’s just making sure that there’s a presence out in the middle and guys are getting the energy around and ensuring that we’re doing everything we can to be ready to go and taking our half chances.”Nevill, on his part, has always defined himself as a leader by actions as much as words. Last year, when speaking to ESPNcricinfo, he denied he was “quiet” on the field, but indicated he would be open to change if Smith ever asked him directly. Smith’s deputy David Warner recently indicated he would be more vocal in this Ashes series than he had been for the past two years, when he earned the nickname “the reverend” for eschewing earlier combative tendencies.”I think that’s a common misconception: saying that I’m not vocal, because I’d be the most vocal person on the field – it’s just purely directed towards our team,” Nevill had said. “But if Steve was to tap me on the shoulder and say, ‘I’d like a bit more of that out of you’, then I’d certainly oblige.”Even without thinking about it, you find a nice little equilibrium where you’re comfortable operating at. For some guys, they like to get into a verbal contest, and they find that gets the best out of them. I’ve never needed to do that to get myself in that optimal space. It hasn’t been something I’ve ever thought would that help me play better if I did that’.”Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Wade has always taken pride in his ability to unsettle opposition players as a competitive advantage, and Smith has said numerous times previously that he admires the Victorian’s terrier-like qualities. However, a batting average of barely 20 since returning to the Test team a year ago has left the door open for Nevill and also the untried South Australian Alex Carey.”I’ve said for a while that Matty brings a lot to the team,” Smith said. “He provides some good energy, he’s a good sounding board for me too. He understands the game really well, but in the end, you need guys that are performing. He’s got another opportunity this week to come out and keep well and hopefully get some runs and keep putting his name up there. So it’s a big week this week, no doubt.”The balance of body language and energy on the field for Australia has been an issue at times under Smith’s leadership, and he admitted he was still a work-in-progress as far as his own comportment was concerned. “Fair point; it’s something that I’ve been working on for a while; I probably don’t do myself any favours with my hand gestures,” he said.”I’ve got long arms and you see the way I fidget when I bat that it’s just there. I’ve tried a few different techniques to try to keep my emotions in check, it’s still something I’m working on, that’s for sure.”As for the contention that he has been involved in picking “mates” rather than superior players for Australia, levelled by the former fast bowler Rodney Hogg among others, Smith was blunt. Hogg had raised the example of Nic Maddinson playing for Australia last summer, while there has also been plenty of discussion about the call to play Daniel Hughes ahead of Ed Cowan in the NSW XI.”I’m not a selector, but I certainly speak to the selectors a lot and express my views – all this rubbish about me picking my mates is absolute garbage. I certainly don’t agree with that,” Smith said. “People can say what they like, I’ll read it. So it doesn’t bother me and I just get on with it.”More bothersome for Smith is the fact he is looking for runs to groove his technique ahead of the Ashes, after wrist and shoulder problems restricted him at times during the year. “I just need to figure out how to hold the bat again,” he said. “Haven’t felt great for a little while now and just need to spend some time in the middle. Had a really good hit today, felt like I figured things out at the end and hopefully I can put that into the middle.”It happens every now and again. I just haven’t felt quite right the last couple of weeks, just trying to get it right and make sure that everything’s okay. I think I’ve made some progress the last couple of days. It’ll be good to spend some time in the middle to just reaffirm that.”The pitch for the Shield match at Hurstville Oval is expected to be well-grassed, meaning Smith and his teammates may yet find the going difficult against WA’s seamers, including the left-arm swingman Jason Behrendorff.

The BCCI has nominated MS Dhoni for the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian award, PTI has reported.”Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been nominated by the BCCI for the Padma Bhushan award,” said BCCI’s acting president CK Khanna. “It was a unanimous decision by the members. He has been one of the greatest names in contemporary cricket and the most appropriate choice of the Indian cricket board.”Dhoni could become the 11th cricketer to receive the award, after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Chandu Borde, Lala Amarnath, Prof DB Deodhar, Col CK Nayudu, Raja Bhalindra Singh and Maharajah of Vizianagram (Vizzy).Dhoni has been one of India’s most successful captains, having led them to victory in the 2007 World T20, the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He has 10,949 runs from 380 matches in ODIs and T20Is, and 4876 runs from 90 Test matches. He also became the first wicketkeeper to affect 100 ODI stumpings, during the series against Sri Lanka this month.

Arsenal have a long and illustrious history littered with silverware, but the truly elite honours have eluded them for some time now. Mikel Arteta is clearly seeking to ensure that this summer finally gives them the chance to challenge once again at the pinnacle of English football, and they seem far from finished with their dealings.

Is Marc Guehi leaving Crystal Palace?

With Declan Rice the outstanding acquisition from this window, his big-money move perhaps overshadows the equally important signings of Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber. All three of these combine to give the Gunners a massive boost with regard to their depth, which was sorely needed.

However, rumours continue to circulate despite these improvements, suggesting that sporting director Edu Gaspar is still very much incensed when it comes to tempting new faces to the Emirates.

One such report that remains, despite emerging in May, did suggest that Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi remained a viable option for the north London club.

Although his £50m price tag could provide a stumbling block, signing the England international could prove a remarkable coup for a side seeking to cultivate a youth-focused squad with the talent to challenge for those top titles now and long into the future.

How good is Marc Guehi?

During the early years of Arsene Wenger's reign, despite claiming the Premier League title in just his second season, he had suffered many near-misses in the pursuit of domination.

Between 1998 and 2001, the Frenchman led his squad to three consecutive second-placed finishes, failing to take that next step to truly achieve greatness.

That was until he signed Sol Campbell.

It was noted in the English defender's biography [Sol Campbell – The Authorised Biography, pg. 106] that he was signed on the claims of Wenger, who noted: "It was as if he was indestructible, such a power spread from him."

He was tall, powerful, fast and menacing, yet had a touch of class; he would propel the Gunners to stardom.

TheScore served to supplement such a notion, writing the following review on the 48-year-old after ranking him as the 11th-best player of the legendary manager's reign: "Sol Campbell is the epitome of an athletic centre-back, whose robust frame and barrel chest hid the fact that he was sublime on the ball."

His first year after moving from Tottenham Hotspur saw him win the Premier League title, and two years later he would be ever-present during their Invincibles run. His acquisition proved to be a catalyst, and in Guehi, they could repeat this feat.

He too boasts many of the physical qualities that made Campbell so revered, alongside a passing range that mirrors the legendary centre-back's. After all, his England U21 teammate Josef Bursik branded him an "absolute tank" back in 2021.

Just last season saw him maintain a 6,94 average rating in the league, with that figure largely upheld by his 85% pass accuracy, 82% dribble success, 1.4 tackles and 3.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

His ability to remove danger from his own penalty area would have seen him ranked first among Arsenal's squad last season.

With his bulky frame and speed off the mark, he can stride out from the back to then find a teammate.

Should things then go wrong, he boasts the raw pace to return back in position to thwart opposition attacks.

Guehi is the quintessential modern-day centre-back and could help take Arteta's side to the next level, should Edu manage to lure him across the capital this summer.

Having also finished second last campaign, the Spaniard will be seeking the edge that can help them overtake Manchester City.

Perhaps, given just how similar Guehi is to Campbell, he could prove to have a similarly revolutionary effect that propels them to a league title in his first year upon joining.

Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter took seven wickets between them as Essex seized control of their Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Surrey at Guildford on a fascinating third day

ECB Reporters Network11-Jun-2017
ScorecardSimon Harmer and Jamie Porter took seven wickets between them as Essex seized control of their Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Surrey at Guildford on a fascinating third day.By stumps Surrey were 253 for 7 in their second innings, a lead of 217, after Essex had earlier earned themselves a slender first innings advantage with Ryan ten Doeschate finishing up on a brilliant 168 not out as they replied with 435 to Surrey’s 399.Off spinner Harmer took 4 for 75 from 34 skilful overs and Porter claimed 3 for 48 from 18 overs while Ben Foakes, with a cool and calm 46 not out, again impressed with the bat for Surrey.Essex captain ten Doeschate, unbeaten on 120 when Essex began day three on 376 for 7, guided his side past 400 and maximum batting points and, eventually, a hard-fought first innings lead of 36.Those runs looked doubly valuable as Porter and Harmer, in their contrasting bowling styles, built up the pressure on a Surrey team who knew they would have to bat for at least three full sessions if they were to make an Essex final day run chase a tough challenge.The loss of Mark Stoneman in the third over did not help their cause. Stoneman, who had batted so beautifully first time around for 197, looked like a man in prime form as he almost dismissively twice clipped Neil Wagner’s slippery left-arm seamers to the mid wicket ropes in front of the beer tent. Then, however, on 10, he edged the probing Porter to second slip where Harmer juggled the ball for Alastair Cook, at first slip, to complete the catch.A second wicket stand of 93 between Rory Burns and Scott Borthwick rallied Surrey, but then Borthwick dragged Harmer’s off spin to mid wicket to go for 36.Burns reached a solid 57 from 128 balls, with eight fours, before Porter had him caught behind and Kumar Sangakkara eased to 26 – going past 900 championship runs for the season in the process – only for Harmer to remove him with a classical piece of off break bowling from around the wicket, drawing the great Sri Lankan defensively forward and thin-edging to James Foster behind the stumps.Simon Harmer’s four wickets gave Essex the chance of a final-day chase•Getty Images

Dominic Sibley, on 28, was lbw half-forward to a Porter delivery angled in to his pads but also seeming to keep a little low and, with Matt Quinn unable to bowl again in the match because of a back spasm sustained on the first day, the 24-year-old Porter’s stamina and willingness to run in for lengthy spells was crucial to Essex’s ability to keep their opponents under pressure as a blustery but sunny day wore on.Harmer, a 28-year-old Kolpak winter signing who has played five Tests for South Africa, then tilted the match further Essex’s way by grabbing the wickets of both Sam Curran and Gareth Batty before the close.Curran, on 4, was athletically caught above his head at short extra cover by leaping substitute fielder Callum Taylor and Batty, who got to 19 without ever suggesting permanency, was well caught by a diving Dan Lawrence at short leg.Earlier in the day Wagner went from his overnight 20 to 34 while stretching an eighth wicket partnership with Ten Doeschate to 72 before he was caught at the wicket off Curran.Porter then stayed long enough to help ten Doeschate secure maximum batting points before being bowled by Stuart Meaker for 6, and last man Quinn lost his middle stump to Ravi Rampaul. Ten Doeschate’s superb innings, his 26th first-class ton, came from 209 balls and the 36-year-old hit a six and 25 fours.

Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto is accumulating interest in his services from clubs across Italy alongside Premier League outfit Aston Villa, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Which clubs are keen on signing Wilfried Gnonto this summer?

According to journalist Alessio Lento, Gnonto is being sought after by Unai Emery's Aston Villa alongside Everton, as he stated on Twitter: "Future in Premier League for the National of Mancini, Wilfried Gnonto : Everton insists, but Aston Villa of Emery has no intention of letting go. It's a hot hour."

Calciomercato claim that a move for Gnonto is being explored by Serie A sides including Inter Milan, AC Milan and Fiorentina, though his reported £17.1 million price tag is deemed as excessive by keen parties.

Leeds United will either need to lower the price for Gnonto or explore the possibility of letting him go out on a loan deal, which is a policy they have operated when sanctioning the exits of Brenden Aaronson and Robin Koch.

Sport Italia via The Sun previously indicated that Gnonto was 'very close' to joining Everton in a transfer worth in the region of £19 million and detailed that Manchester United and Arsenal had also expressed attraction towards his abilities, though no such finalisation of any agreement has taken place.

FootballTransfers have put forward information to suggest that Gnonto features on a three-man shortlist at Goodison Park beside free agent Moussa Dembele and Leicester City veteran Jamie Vardy as Sean Dyche looks to strengthen his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signalled that Aston Villa and Serie A clubs are indeed open to adding Gnonto to their ranks.

Jones said: "I know that things fell apart in the end, but it would be a shame for the Premier League to lose him completely. There are teams in Italy that are keeping a little bit of a closer eye on the Gnonto situation right now, but Villa are having a strong push in this transfer window and a player like that would be really exciting."

Will Leeds United be able to keep hold of Wilfried Gnonto?

Stranger things have happened; however, it is hard to imagine that a fully fledged Italy international at Gnonto's age would be willing to drop down to the Sky Bet Championship to continue his career development.

Last term, Gnonto made a decent impact in his debut campaign at Elland Road, registering four goals and four assists in 28 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The £20k-a-week ace has also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues regarding progressive carries, completing 4.39 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the top 20% for this metric, as per FBRef.

Cited by The Daily Mail, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville gave Gnonto some high praise in the aftermath of his performance in Leeds United's 2-1 loss to Aston Villa back in January, stating: "Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly."

Gnonto has a bright future ahead of him and it looks like Leeds United will have a thankless task on their hands to try and keep him at Elland Road.

Leeds United journalist Conor McGilligan says he is "exceptionally worried" about the club's future should manager Regis Le Bris be appointed ahead of Daniel Farke.

What's the latest on Leeds' manager hunt?

As Leeds await the green light on their change of ownership, with 49ers Enterprises being made to wait for their takeover to be finalised by the English Football League, there is still an empty manager's seat at Elland Road.

It has been over a month since Leeds parted ways with Sam Allardyce after the coach failed to save the club from Premier League relegation, with the Whites still uncertain on who their next manager will be come the beginning of the Championship season.

Daniel Farke is the favourite to take over in Yorkshire and is an obvious candidate given his two successful promotion campaigns with Norwich City, while another shortlisted name in Patrick Vieira is out of the running having agreed to take charge of Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

However, there have also been links with another French top-flight manager in recent days, with Lorient's Regis Le Bris being touted with a move to the Whites.

Le Bris guided Lorient to a tenth-placed Ligue 1 finish last season, winning 15, drawing ten and losing 13 of his 38 league games. Les Murles won eight of their opening ten matches but fell away in the second part of the campaign.

What did McGilligan say?

Journalist Conor McGilligan, speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, believes that opting for the inexperienced Le Bris over the proven Farke would be a poor decision for the club, expressing his concern over the managerial situation.

"Regis Le Bris was someone who we spoke about on the channel a while ago, and he was being reported about a month ago, so whether or not it's just agent talk, it's speculative and all this sort of stuff, you'd hope that," said McGilligan.

He added: "You have literally got a proven manager in the Championship, who was in the Bundesliga, finished mid-table in the Bundesliga last season, has an excellent points-per-game ratio and has won the Championship twice at a canter.

"[If] we are going for an unknown Regis Le Bris, who has done okay in Lorient for one season, and that's kind of up for debate as well, I would be exceptionally worried, exceptionally worried. And then the direction of the club completely changes because Regis Le Bris will have completely different targets to Daniel Farke."

McGilligan also suggests that the recent arrival of recruitment chief Nick Hammond, who he claims mainly focuses on players in the United Kingdom, points toward Farke's appointment looking more likely.

With Leeds' opening fixture against Cardiff City just over a month away and pre-season on the horizon, the club need to act quickly to bring in a new coach that can guide them back to the Premier League.

Liverpool will continue to monitor the market as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to rebuild after a challenging campaign, and Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch is one young talent who they are 'pushing' to sign.

What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool?

That's according to the Mirror, who state that Klopp has received the green light to complete a move for the Dutchman, who has endured a frustrating maiden term in the German Bundesliga with the formidable champions.

The player is said to be 'keen' on a move to Anfield and, while in an ideal world he would remain at the club he chose to kickstart his career one year ago, a lack of minutes and the offer of prominence at Liverpool could result in a transfer, with a fee of around £25m enough to prise him away.

Especially considering that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left the club; Alexis Mac Allister has been signed for £35m but the robust Gravenberch could be new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke's masterstroke this summer.

Should Liverpool sign Ryan Gravenberch?

Gravenberch forged 103 appearances for Ajax and was a key component of an outfit that gleaned the Eredivisie thrice and the KNVB Cup twice across three campaigns, catching the eye of many an outfit across Europe and subsequently earning a €24m (£20m) transfer to Bavaria.

However, five starts from 33 matches across all competitions in Germany this season will do little to convince the precocious talent of committing his future to the club despite winning the title this year, with Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka unlikely to fall out of favour any time soon.

Previously hailed as the Netherlands' "greatest talent" by ex-Ajax ace Wim Kieft, the £152k-per-week machine ranks among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 23% for progressive passes, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top 27% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, which emphasises the dynamism of his trade and hints at a future as one of Europe's most destructive conductors.

If Klopp succeeds in signing the 21-year-old, he will strengthen the Dutch spine Anfield currently boasts, with Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo occupying prominent roles either side of the centre of the park, where Gravenberch could pull the strings and inject the unrelenting intensity to send the Kop into rapture.

He could forge a distinctively slick partnership with Gakpo, who has impressed since signing from PSV for an initial £35m last winter and scored seven goals and three assists as he ostensibly slots into the departing and iconic Roberto Firmino's all-encompassing frontal role.

Adept and weaving the threads of Klopp's hundred-hued tapestry together with his creative ingenuity, Gakpo ranks among the top 10% of forwards for rate of assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 1% for tackles per 90.

Such metrics play into Gravenberch's favour – and indeed vice versa – because of his role in tethering the midfield to the attack, opening space for the inversions of wide forwards such as Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, and keeping the robustness intact with his multi-faceted approach.

Lauded for his "dominant" demeanour on the pitch by his former youth coach Brian Tevreden, the confidence that exudes from Gravenberch's tenacity in the middle will keep the system ticking, and the countrymen could play significant roles in the next phase of Klopp's dynasty in Liverpool.

كشف مصدر خاص بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم النقاب عن تطورات أزمة مستحقات المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر الأول روي فيتوريا.

وكان اتحاد الكرة قد وجه الشكر لروي فيتوريا بعد خروج منتخب مصر من الدور الإقصائي الأول ببطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

وآوضح المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات أن اتحاد الكرة قدد سدد مستحقات مساعدي فيتوريا الأجانب والمصريين عن الفترة الماضية.

خاص | مفاجأة جديدة بشأن مدرب الأحمال المنتظر انضمامه لـ منتخب مصر

وأكد أنه لا يتبقى سوى تسوية مستحقات روي فيتوريا، حيث أن عقده مازال قي المراجعة من جانب محمد الماشطة المستشار القانوني للجبلاية.

وأشار المصدر إلى أنه حال إعطاء الماشطة للموافقة القانونية سيتم تسوية الأمر مع المدرب.

وشدد المصدر على أن اتحاد الكرة يبحث عن ثغرة قانونية في عقد فيتوريا يستطيع من خلالها عدم دفع الشرط الجزائي للمدرب.

الجدير بالذكر، أن قيمة الشرط الجزائي في تعاقد فيتوريا تعتبر 3 شهور كاملة من راتبه، المقدر بـ 200  ألف دولار.