Chelsea have joined the race to sign one defender with Blues chairman Todd Boehly reportedly ready to make a last-gasp £34 million bid.

Chelsea spend £271 million on 12 summer signings in busy window

The arrivals of Joao Felix, Mike Penders, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman and Pedro Neto have brought Chelsea's spending for the summer to around £271 million (including their £51m move for Estevao).

Club chiefs think Chelsea will make late bid for £60m star after new talks

They’re convinced after a drop in asking price.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2024

It's been yet another show of BlueCo's willingness to spend big since their takeover of the club in 2022, and as they back their new head coach Enzo Maresca ahead of his crucial debut campaign in the Premier League, they've shown no sign of being done yet.

Chelsea have been in ongoing talks over a deal for Napoli star Victor Osimhen this week, as they attempt to add a new striker to Maresca's ranks before the transfer window cut-off point on August 31.

Appearances

25

Goals

15

Assists

3

Shots Per 90

3.86

Key Passes Per 90

1.05

Successful Take-Ons Per 90

0.73

WhoScored

Deadline day looms tomorrow, and time is running out for the Blues to formally seal an agreement for the Nigerian, who is also being chased by Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, according to widespread reports in the last few days.

If a deal for Osimhen cannot be done this late in the day, there are alternatives, with Brentford striker Ivan Toney subject to a Chelsea approach earlier this week as they cast their eyes on multiple striking options for Maresca.

As Chelsea look to ship out Raheem Sterling in the final 48 hours of this transfer window, it is also believed that Jadon Sancho could come the other way in a swap deal, according to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

"Juventus and Chelsea remain both in talks for Jadon Sancho," wrote Romano on X last night.

"Juventus have improved their proposal today for loan with buy option, Man Utd insist on obligation and salary coverage also key point. Chelsea remain in active talks but still want swap with Raheem Sterling."

Chelsea ready late £34 million bid for Tomas Araujo

As per CNN Portugal journalist Nuno Farinha, despite Chelsea's desire for options up front, it is now possible they could look to bring in another defender as well.

Indeed, Farinha states, via Mais Futebol, that Chelsea have entered the race to sign Benfica centre-back Tomas Araujo, and are ready to offer £34 million to get a late deal over the line.

The 22-year-old made just 13 appearances for Benfica last season, but has impressed with an average match rating of 7.30 across three Primeira Liga starts for the Portuguese heavyweights so far this campaign, according to WhoScored.

Big Picture

Sri Lanka will be desperately looking for ODI Super League points – they sit in the negative currently – while Bangladesh will be keen to bolster their own tally as the teams seek improvement in the ODI series starting Sunday in Dhaka. Both sides have played very few ODIs since the 2019 World Cup too, which puts this series in sharper focus. Apart from the World Cup qualification points, the home side will look to break their ten-match winless streak across formats that followed just after they crushed West Indies 3-0 in ODIs in January. It is part of their downward trend in results, since the 2019 World Cup, when most of their wins have come against sides ranked lower than them.Midway through this difficult year, Bangladesh will be desperate to turn things around with a busy schedule coming up. Playing at home may give them an advantage, but pitches at the Shere Bangla National Stadium have often been slow and low for ODIs. However, Bangladesh have been trying to catch up with the rest of the teams by looking to score faster and bigger as well as having genuinely quick bowlers in their attack. They will welcome back Shakib Al Hasan after he missed the New Zealand white-ball tour and the Tests in Sri Lanka. The hosts will be hoping that Shakib can, once again, combine with captain Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah to drag the out-of-form youngsters from their funk.There will be a similar role for newly-appointed ODI captain Kusal Perera and his deputy Kusal Mendis, too, with the new crop of Sri Lanka players. Fast bowler Shiran Fernando has got his maiden international call-up, while Chamika Karunaratne and Binura Fernando – in the ODI side for the first time – have only played a Test and two T20Is, respectively. Though Sri Lanka’s selectors have also brought in Dhananjaya de Silva and Isuru Udana, the majority of the side has relative newcomers like Pathum Nissanka, Ashen Bandara, Ramesh Mendis and Asitha Fernando.They will be tasked to solve Sri Lanka’s problems with batting and bowling in the middle overs. There are also concerns about scoring in the last ten overs, which has stopped them from consistently getting 300-plus scores. Sri Lanka will be pressed to bat deep in Dhaka where the pitch doesn’t always suit quick scoring in the first 20 overs. The visitors have also brought a relatively young pace attack and the wicket-taking will largely depend on legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who has Akila Dananjaya for company.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLLWW
Sri Lanka LLLWWShakib Al Hasan will slot back to No. 3 for Bangladesh•AFP via Getty Images

In the spotlight

As it usually happens, a Shakib Al Hasan comeback game puts the entire spotlight on him. He will slot back in at No. 3 where Bangladesh have recently tried Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar with no success, while his bowling will add the sorely missed stability to the attack.There will be a different kind of pressure on Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis who have returned to the ODI side, and as leaders. They have to navigate their young squad, bereft of most of their experienced players, in what could prove to be a tricky first assignment against Bangladesh.

Team news

Shakib batting at No. 3 allows Bangladesh to field a more balanced playing XI. Rubel Hossain’s absence due to a back injury could bring in Mohammad Saifuddin, which means Sarkar may miss out.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Liton Das, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mohammad Mithun, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanSri Lanka will have to make at least four changes to the side that played their last ODI – against West Indies in March. Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal and Suranga Lakmal are all out of the team, while Thisara Perera has retired from international cricket. Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis are likely to take spots in the top five while Isuru Udana’s experience in Bangladesh could get him a place too.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Perera, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva, 6 Ashen Bandara, 7 Dasun Shanaka/ Chamika Karunaratne, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Lakshan Sandakan, 11 Dushmantha Chameera

Pitch and conditions

Teams batting first at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, which has been a generally low-scoring ground, have lost four out of the last five ODIs. The weather is expected be scorching hot, with a high temperature of around 36 degrees.

Stats and trivia

Shakib has taken 15 wickets at 52.26 against Sri Lanka, his worst bowling average against a team he has played at least 10 ODIs.

The imposing 6’7″ left-arm quick Binura Fernando, who played two T20Is before making his first-class debut in 2015, has earned his maiden ODI call-up against Bangladesh.

Quotes

“You have to bowl well to win matches. We [have] got both our best bowlers back – Shakib and Mustafiz. Taskin has been bowling exceptionally well. Miraz is ranked No. 5 in the world. I am expecting that we will put up a very good show.”
“We have plans for our death bowling, but it’s important to keep in mind that that’s a role that you only get better at with experience. We can’t expect perfection from the start, our bowlers are new to this role so we need to have patience; sometimes you need to get hit and learn from your mistakes.”

Also said that selectors have told him to go beyond just scoring half-centuries in ODIs

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-May-2021Fearlessness. If there’s one change Sri Lanka’s new ODI captain Kusal Perera would like to usher in, it is for his team to play as he says he does: completely unafraid.Perera has been appointed leader of a young squad, which is without several big names, including Angelo Mathews, and now has the opportunity to turn around Sri Lanka’s poor form in the format – the side having slipped to ninth on the ICC rankings. Perera has long been one of the most aggressive batsmen in Sri Lanka’s ranks, and early indications are that he would like the team to embrace that ethos.”We have to play fearless cricket to win matches,” he said, a day after his appointment as captain was made official. “You can’t be fearful about losing. If you’re worried about your place, you aren’t going to give 100%. What I’m going to tell the players is to go and give it everything. If we play fearlessly even when we are practicing, then you will be able to play the same way in a match. That’s what I’ve told the team. If we are fearful, we will fall even further. I’m trying to build a culture where the players have a lot of confidence.”Perera’s own most notable innings have been aggressive ones. In Tests, his 153 not out off 200 in Durban is now counted among the format’s greatest knocks. In ODIs, he has hit the second-equal fastest half-century – off 17 balls, against Pakistan, in 2015.”I really like to play fearless cricket personally, and that’s where my success has been. Whenever I’ve played with fear, it hasn’t worked for me. I want everyone else to play like that. You can’t guarantee that you will go right playing this way, but the chances of things going well are greater.””But you have to practice well to instill that fearlessness. Because if you are 100% certain about the shot you’re playing, you can play without fear. You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Where does the ball need to be for me to hit it? Will I get myself in trouble by hitting there? You need to have that understanding. If you’re a bowler, you need to know which ball can get you a wicket, and which will help you bowl a dot. These things help you play fearlessly. As a fielding unit, you have to carry that same ethos as well, and I have big hopes for the upcoming Bangladesh series about our fielding.”Although Perera has sparkled briefly, however, his overall record as a batsman is modest. After 96 ODI innings, he averages 31.04, with a strike rate of 92.04. The responsibility of leadership, he hoped, would bring bigger personal scores as well.”What the selectors told me when they appointed me was that I often get a 50 or a 60 and get out without getting to a 100. I accept that. If I score a hundred, the chances of winning the match go up. You can’t get a 100 every game, but when you get a start, you need to make sure you convert. They expect me to take that responsibility.”

Matt Turner has been advised what he might need to do to help become a regular in Europe, with the USMNT goalkeeper told "Arsenal was a hard push".

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• Keeper left MLS in a bid to crack Europe
• Toiled at Arsenal, Forest & Palace
• Backwards step might've served him better

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 30-year-old shot-stopper bid farewell to his native America in the summer of 2022 when severing ties with MLS side the New England Revolution. He was chasing a dream at that stage, with an opportunity to link up with Premier League heavyweights at Emirates Stadium proving too good to turn down.

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  EPL STRUGGLES

  Turner made just seven appearances for Arsenal before heading to Nottingham Forest, where he took in 20 outings last term but tumbled down the pecking order after making several costly errors. He is now on loan at Crystal Palace, but has figured in only one Carabao Cup fixture as his career threatens to grind to a halt.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  While Turner’s ambition in heading for England is to be applauded, a countryman that once did likewise has suggested that the United States international took the wrong career path. Kasey Keller forged his reputation at Millwall before going on to represent Leicester, Tottenham and Fulham, while Brad Friedel is another who took a step backwards from Liverpool to Blackburn before becoming a Premier League stalwart.

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  WHAT KASEY KELLER SAID

  Quizzed on what Turner needs in order to avoid seeing his starting berth with the USMNT come under threat, Keller – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “He’s getting picked because there is nobody else to challenge him! That’s a tricky one when you look at the situation. Friedel went three-and-a-half or four years at Liverpool without playing and then Brad was able to get to Blackburn in the Championship, and then they get promoted and he went on to have a great Premier League career.

  “The hard part for Matt is, originally going to Arsenal was a hard push at that stage to say you’re going to break into this. But then when you go to a club like Forest, and then you go to Palace, there has to be a point where you’re either good enough for the Premier or you’re not.”

Liverpool start their 2024/25 season on Saturday as they travel down to Suffolk to take on Ipswich Town at Portman Road in the Premier League.

The Reds will have a new manager in the dugout for the first time since Jurgen Klopp's arrival in 2015, with Arne Slot set for his managerial debut in England.

Klopp was replaced by the Dutch head coach, who was at Feyenoord last term, this summer and the supporters will get the chance to watch his style of football in action for the first time in a competitive setting this weekend.

However, at the time of writing, it does not appear as though there will be any new signings for fans to get excited to see against the Tractor Boys.

Liverpool have not made a single addition to their first-team squad during the summer transfer window, which officially slams shut at the end of the month.

That is not through a lack of trying, however, as it has been well-documented that the club have been in the market to add a new defensive midfield option to their ranks this month, with no luck.

Liverpool's failed pursuit of Martin Zubimendi

Sky Sports reported that Liverpool had identified Real Sociedad defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi as a player who could have made a big impact in the middle of the park at Anfield.

The outlet added that the Reds believed that the Spain international, who won the European Championship with his country in Germany this summer, was set to move on from his boyhood club before the end of the window.

Instead, the 25-year-old midfielder has opted to remain with Real Sociedad after an offer of a contract extension with increased wages, which has convinced him to extend his stay with the Spanish side.

Sky Sports claimed that Zubimendi, who has a £51m release clause in his current contract, has decided to reject a move to Liverpool, in a blow to Richard Hughes' recruitment plans.

Their failure to tempt the Spaniard into making the move to England does not have to be a major disaster, though, as Slot could forget about him by landing another one of the club's reported targets.

The Mirror recently claimed that the Dutch boss added free agent Adrien Rabiot to his list of possible number six targets, as he believes that the France international could provide his young squad with valuable experience and quality.

He is available on a free transfer after his contract with Juventus expired at the end of last season and that could make him an ideal target for the club now that they have missed out on Zubimendi, as they would not have to negotiate a fee with a selling team.

What Liverpool missed out on with Martin Zubimendi

It is easy to see why the Reds were keen to sign the Euros winner to bolster their midfield options for the 2024/25 campaign when you consider his form for Real Sociedad last term.

The 25-year-old ace made 31 appearances in LaLiga for his club and showcased his quality in and out of possession at the base of the midfield.

His progressive passing from a number six position was one of his biggest strengths. In fact, he ranked within the top 26% of midfielders in LaLiga for progressive passes (5.15) per 90, and the top 21% for pass accuracy (85.7%).

This shows that he was one of the best players in his position in the division when it came to being reliable and progressive on the ball, as the £51m-rated talent rarely gave possession away and constantly looked to play forward.

23/24 season	Zubimendi (LaLiga)	Endo (Premier League)
Appearances	31	29
Pass accuracy	86%	88%
Tackles + interceptions per game	2.8	2.4
Ball recoveries per game	5.5	3.7
Ground duel success rate	52%	41%
Aerial duel success rate	61%	53%

As you can see in the table above, Zubimendi also caught the eye with his work off the ball, outperforming current Liverpool number six Wataru Endo in a host of key defensive statistics.

The Spanish brute won the majority of his physical battles, notably in the air, and made more tackles, interceptions, and recoveries per match on average.

Whilst, on paper, it appears as though the Sociedad star would have been a fantastic addition to the squad, there are alternatives out there and Rabiot is one who could make Slot forget all about Zubimendi.

Why Liverpool should sign Adrien Rabiot

Firstly, the France international being available as a free agent could make him an ideal target as it would alleviate the need for the club to go out and splash millions on a number six, which could then free up those funds to be used in other positions.

Rabiot's form for the Old Lady in the 2023/24 campaign suggests that he has the quality to make up for the Reds missing out on the Real Sociedad star.

Firstly Zubimendi produced four goals and one assist in LaLiga last term, whilst Rabiot racked up five goals and three assists in 31 outings in the Serie A for Juventus, which suggests that the free agent could make a greater impact in the final third.

The 6 foot 4 Frenchman also ranked within the top 49% of midfielders in the Serie A for progressive passes per 90 (4.07) and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90 (2.44) – illustrating his ability to drive his team forward in possession.

23/24 season	Adrien Rabiot (Serie A)	Martin Zubimendi (LaLiga)
Appearances	31	31
Pass accuracy	84%	86%
Tackles + interceptions per game	2.7	2.8
Ball recoveries per game	4.8	5.5
Ground duel success rate	56%	52%
Aerial duel success rate	58%	61%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Rabiot and Zubimendi's defensive statistics in their respective leagues were very similar, with the Spanish ace slightly shading it in a few areas.

This suggests that Liverpool would be bringing in a midfielder with similar attributes to the Real Sociedad ace by signing the former Juventus star, who was once hailed as "incredible" and described as a "proper wardrobe" by the legendary Gigi Buffon.

Therefore, Slot could forget all about the club's failure to sign Zubimendi by landing the experienced Rabiot on a free transfer, due to his quality in and out of possession in a number six role.

Liverpool targeting 'one of the best players in the world' to replace Salah

Liverpool could have found their long term Salah replacement

By
Connor Holden

Aug 12, 2024

Chelsea chiefs are reportedly very impressed with a £100 million member of their squad, following his excellent start to the new Premier League campaign, and they apparently rejected advances from a "big club" in the summer window.

Chelsea begin 2024/2025 campaign in promising fashion

Barring an opening weekend defeat to champions Man City, it has actually been a fairly promising start to the 2024/2025 campaign under new head coach Enzo Maresca.

Related Sky pundit urges Maresca to axe £180k-per-week Chelsea star for youngster

The high-profile ace is apparently “not good enough” to start for them.

Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 3, 2024

After their 2-0 defeat to Pep Guardiola's side at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea put the loss right behind them with a thumping 6-2 win away to Wolves, with goals from Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, summer signing Joao Felix and a Noni Madueke hat-trick putting Gary O'Neil's side to the sword.

It was a display of real attacking intent and ruthlessness by the Blues, who were hoping to follow that impressive win with another routine victory at home to London rivals Crystal Palace last weekend.

Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace – top performers by WhoScored

Player

Match Rating

Cole Palmer

7.6

Nicolas Jackson

7.2

Moises Caicedo

7.2

Eberechi Eze

7.2

Dean Henderson

7.1

Despite creating a host of chances, both in the first and second half, Chelsea were regrettably held to a 1-1 draw. Nicolas Jackson's close range finish from a swift counter-attack was cancelled out by Palace star Eberechi Eze's stunning curled effort into the corner, but Maresca was adamant that Chelsea deserved all three points.

I feel it is a shame for the players because when we finished the game, you could see the players’ frustrations. In the way we played today, we are going to win games," said Maresca after Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Palace.

“We completely deserved to win the game. We created chances and controlled the game. We didn’t concede chances and in the first half, I think they just had one shot on goal with Adam Wharton and then they had the goal in the second half which was a fantastic goal.

“[We] completely deserved to win the game but unfortunately we didn’t. But the performance was very good, on the ball and off the ball."

There have been many top performers for Chelsea so far this term, with Madueke, Palmer and Jackson impressing in particular. Maresca's bright forward trio have already racked up a combined six goals and five assists over their opening three league games, but another player silently doing his job to great effect is Cobham academy graduate Levi Colwill.

Chelsea chiefs impressed by Levi Colwill's start to the season

The Englishman, who Chelsea reportedly value at £100 million, has started all of their matches thus far – averaging a near-95% pass accuracy according to WhoScored.

According to journalist Kieran Gill of The Daily Mail, Chelsea chiefs have been very impressed with Colwill after their first three games, and it is believed the Blues snubbed an approach from one mystery "big club" in the summer.

That big club may well have been Bayern Munich, as it is rumoured Vincent Kompany held an interest in signing Colwill from Chelsea during the transfer window.

Liverpool supporters' transfer-window discontent went into remission following a stunning 3-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford to maintain Arne Slot's 100% start.

Few could have envisaged such a scoreline in spite of recent history, regardless of the wall-to-wall disparity between the arch-rivals over the past decade. Slot, indeed, designed success through every department on Sunday afternoon, and is yet to drop points or even concede after three Premier League fixtures.

Surely it wasn't supposed to be this way? Farewell, Jurgen Klopp – rival fans cheer, for Liverpool are headed for the scrap. But no, Slot looks every bit the elite-level boss, every inch the fitting leading coach for Anfield's red-golden array of talent.

There is so much still to do; Slot and his Liverpool squad will not get carried away. The Reds will pause for the imminent international break before jumping into the thick of more action in the league, wedged by Champions League and Carabao Cup ties that will put the club's depth to the test.

One man, it will not be surprising, is performing with some level of gusto right now. Mohamed Salah's future is an anxious thing, but the Egyptian dominated the Theatre of Dreams, as is his way.

Mohamed Salah's incredible form

Salah fizzled out toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign, and with Klopp leaving and the soon-to-be 32-year-old about to enter the final year of his £350k-per-week deal, many thought he had reached the end of his glory days.

How wrong they were. Salah has scored three goals from three matches under Slot, claiming three assists and leaving Manchester United icon Roy Keane in awe of his "world-class performance", having dismantled the Red Devils in their own backyard. Again.

Premier League

14

12

6

FA Cup

2

3

0

Luis Diaz carried a brace into the half-time break, supplied by Salah from the right both times. He's evergreen, and more dangerously for his rivals, he's revitalised. Salah might have lost some of the snap-jerk motion that saw him obliterate Premier League backlines upon arriving back in 2017, an electric-paced superstar with a deadly ball-striking ability, but he's morphed into a first-rate playmaker.

His intelligence is second to none, and there's simply little chance that Salah will not play an instrumental role in Liverpool's campaign, rivalling the younger Erling Haaland and Bukayo Saka to take the crown as the division's foremost forward.

United were abject on Sunday, pulled apart by their nemeses blistering counters and struck further by their own internal malfunction. But mistakes are a part of football, and Salah's creative balls for Diaz were pinpoint, his first-time finish after latching onto Dominik Szoboszlai's exquisite pass, placed with the deftness of an artist applying the finishing touch.

It's a measure of Liverpool's brilliance that Salah actually squandered a glorious opportunity to make it four shortly after netting, and while he was the attacking architect, his headline display was enabled by Ryan Gravenberch, who was the real hero on a victorious day.

Why Ryan Gravenberch is Slot's real hero

You can't help but wonder if Martin Zubimendi cast a rueful gaze Liverpool's way on Sunday evening, watching the Premier League outfit maintain their perfect record with some style, while Real Sociedad suffered a goalless draw against Getafe in La Liga, consigned to 12th place and one win from four attempts.

Zubimendi, of course, made his choice and deserves a measure of praise for his loyalty in an ever-more perfidious landscape, but he was perfect for Slot's Liverpool, who fought fiercely to bring him to Merseyside in August, felt they were set to win the battle, but didn't.

Sociedad refused to let up and the Spanish Euro 2024 champion stayed put, leaving sporting director Richard Hughes in dismay, with the 25-year-old profiled as the dream addition. FSG, who never jump the gun, did not find an apt alternative.

Luckily, Liverpool already have one in Gravenberch, who has long carried the properties for a deep-lying midfield role but lacked temperament, holding a boyish immaturity that is starting to dissipate.

Gary Neville said that the Dutchman, 22, "absolutely destroyed" Man United's midfield last weekend, having now performed three matches as Slot's anchorman to a top standard.

There's so much to like, three games into the new era. Gravenberch has averaged 74 touches per Premier League game so far, as per Sofascore, completing 89% of his passes and averaging 2.7 tackles and 5.7 ground duels per game.

What's more, Gravenberch ranks among the top 19% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes and the top 16% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, further emphasising the technical skill he possesses, tailored for success in his new position.

His press resistance and smooth forward passing have raised chatter that his boss Slot, a fellow Dutchman, is sculpting him into a world-beater at no. 6.

Indeed, he was so good against Erik ten Hag's men, so dominant in the central battle, that The Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle awarded him a 9/10 match rating, writing: 'Helped Liverpool increasingly dominate midfield, played important role in opener and kept the visitors nabbing possession in key areas. Superb performance.'

Liverpool are only three games into the season. There will come a point when Slot will taste defeat, and Gravenberch will shake his head following a poor performance – these things are certainties, not eventualities.

But the idea of a prosperous new age at Anfield has taken root within the mind of the fanbase, and Gravenberch has showcased his acumen and suitability. Given that Zubimendi's signing fell through, he might just be the most important cog in the system.

As good as Diaz & Salah: Liverpool star is becoming a monster under Slot

The Reds maestro is enjoying a fantastic start to the campaign under the Dutchman.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 1, 2024

Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be ready to offer up one of their own stars in a fresh attempt to sign Manuel Ugarte this summer, it has emerged.

Man Utd off to winning start

A late winner from debutant Joshua Zirkzee handed Manchester United a hard-fought three points to kick off their 2024-25 Premier League campaign under Erik ten Hag.

Facing Fulham at Old Trafford, United missed a series of good opportunities before Zirkzee emerged from the substitutes bench to announce himself by scoring the only goal of the game in the closing stages.

Better than Berge: Man Utd could sign Casemiro upgrade who's like Pogba

He has impressed at his current club.

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 18, 2024

It was a game in which new signings made a strong impression, with Noussair Mazraoui also enjoying an excellent first game in Manchester United red, while ex-Ajax, Bayern Munich and now Manchester United teammate Matthijs de Ligt didn't put a foot wrong when replacing him late on.

But there could still be plenty of movement in the final days of the transfer window at Old Trafford, and deals may be set to get creative to get transfer targets in, with a player exchange potentially on the cards.

Swap deal touted between PSG and Man Utd for Ugarte

That comes courtesy of London World [via Man Utd News], who suggest that talks are ongoing between the Red Devils and the Ligue 1 champions for Ugarte and that a potential swap deal has been mooted.

In this case, such a deal would see United and Ratcliffe finally land midfield target Ugarte, while PSG could take Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho to the Parc des Princes. Despite his reconciliation with Ten Hag, Sancho is yet to really nail down a spot in the United starting XI, while Ugarte has endured a tough 12 months in Paris.

A swap deal may make sense for all parties. Ugarte was left out of PSG's squad for their opening Ligue 1 clash as they thrashed Le Havre 4-1, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Ugarte "wants to join Manchester United" as soon as possible as he looks to end his Parisian nightmare, and reports have previously claimed personal terms have already been agreed.

Meanwhile, Sancho was also left out of Manchester United's squad courtesy of a reported ear infection, while Romano has claimed that the winger's "future remains open" in the final weeks of the transfer window despite the Englishman still having two years left to run on his £250,000-a-week deal at Old Trafford, a salary that puts him among the club's highest earners.

Manchester United highest earners (Via Capology)

Player

Weekly wage

Casemiro

£350,000

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

Marcus Rashford

£300,000

Mason Mount

£250,000

Jadon Sancho

£250,000

Antony

£200,000

With PSG interested in Sancho but unwilling to pay the asking price, and Manchester United feeling the same way about Ugarte, a swap deal may make sense with each side valuing their star at around £50m.

Any deal could even follow the same blueprint as earlier "swap" deals this summer, where each player was signed individually for a set sum, in order to allow both sides to maximise the benefits from a financial fair play standpoint.

The 23-year-old undoubtedly has the talent and the temperament to become the best player in England's top flight – but can he deliver every week?

Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Monaco really could have been one of those games for Arsenal – but for Bukayo Saka.

While everyone else around him was squandering gilt-edged opportunities, the winger remained the picture of composure. He opened the scoring shortly before the break, just as the fans' frustration with Gabriel Jesus' finishing was beginning to boil over, and then soothed their nerves with a killer second goal with just 12 minutes remaining.

Saka was essentially the reason why 'the new Stoke City' didn't need corners to capitalise on their dominance. "He is loved by everybody," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told , "and he makes the difference on the pitch."

Indeed, Saka has already been directly involved in 21 goals this season. The only Premier League player to have managed more is Mohamed Salah (28) – and it is the Egyptian's level of sustained excellence to which Saka must now aspire.

TNT Sports'His leadership is increasing'

It's testament to Saka's talent and temperament that, at just 23 years of age, he is viewed as one of the wise old heads at Arsenal.

"He looks really mature," Arteta said after the 3-0 win over Monaco. "What he has already done in the game at his age is incredible. Very humble, a great guy to have around. He's a special person.

"In his role, his leadership is increasing. With the young kids he is amazing."

Wednesday was a case in point, with Saka dishing out some words of encouragement to 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, who played a key role in the opener after becoming the youngest player to start a Champions League game for Arsenal for 13 years.

"He just needs to keep going," Saka told . "I'm just so proud of him. I just said to him that this is his level."

Saka's true level, of course, has previously been a hot topic of great debate.

AdvertisementAFPNot yet 'world-class'?

It was Rio Ferdinand who sent Arsenal Twitter into meltdown in March by claiming that Saka wasn't yet "world-class".

It's obviously a ridiculously subjective term, open to innumerable interpretations, but the former Manchester United defender had a point.

Or, at least, you could see what he was trying to say: Saka hadn't yet made anything like the same impact on the Champions League as some of his peers, such as Vinicius Junior.

He's starting to, though.

Having been held back by Arsenal's status as a Europa League club for the majority of his young career, Saka is now making the most of his belated chance to shine on the club game's grandest stage.

Getty Images Sport'His aim is to improve'

Since the start of last season (Saka's debut campaign), only Harry Kane (18) and Vinicus (16) have been involved in more goals than the Arsenal attacker, who has scored eight and created a further six – in just 14 appearances.

The challenge for Saka is maintaining that impressive ratio in the games that really matter, or what Ferdinand called "the nitty-gritty stages" of the tournament.

As even Arteta acknowledged: "You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to put yourself in that position [to be called world-class].

"We can talk about what he's done in his first six years of professional football, which is exceptional. But his aim is to improve, and I think he has the players and environment to continue to do that, so I'm sure he will."

There's no denying that Arsenal look like serious Champions League contenders this season, with Arteta's side third in the table and likely to seal a top-eight finish with one round to spare.

And yet doubts persist.

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GettyCould Saka leave Arsenal to win titles?

Both Saka and Arsenal were shut down with worrying ease by a Bayern Munich side in total turmoil under Thomas Tuchel during the two teams' quarter-final clash in April, while they've also drawn blanks against both Atalanta and Inter in this season's league phase.

In that sense, this feels like a potentially defining season for Arsenal, Arteta and Saka – especially when one considers that, in the Premier League, it is Liverpool and Chelsea who rather surprisingly look better placed right now to take advantage of Manchester City's miserable form.

Even club legend Alan Smith has admitted that he has doubts over Saka's long-term future at the Emirates if the Gunners don't start winning major trophies.

"It's hard to say whether I think he’ll stay at Arsenal [for life]," the former striker told , "as it always depends on where the club is and if they’re challenging for honours.

"If they are, then a lot of top-class players – and Saka falls into that category – will feel like there's no need to move. But if there’s a dip in the club’s fortune…"

The coming weeks and months will be decisive – which is just what Saka needs to be for Arsenal.

يعتقد نجم الدوري الإنجليزي السابق، آلان شيرر، أن المصري محمد صلاح سيكون المرشح الأوفر حظًا للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية إذا فاز ليفربول بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويواصل محمد صلاح تألقه بقميص ليفربول، حيث سجل 25 هدفًا وساهم بـ17 تمريرة حاسمة في 33 مباراة مع الفريق هذا الموسم.

وينتهي عقد محمد صلاح مع ليفربول في نهاية الموسم الجاري، ولم يصل بعد إلى اتفاق لتجديد عقده.

اقرأ أيضًا | “ماذا لو حدث الأسوأ؟”.. شيرر يحذر ليفربول بشأن عقد محمد صلاح

ونشرت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” تصريحات شيرر عن صلاح، وقال: “سجل محمد صلاح هدفين آخرين في المباراة الماضية أمام بورنموث، ويخوض موسمًا رائعًا”.

وأضاف: “إذا فاز ليفربول بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ودوري أبطال أوروبا، فلن تستبعد ذلك، فقد يكون صلاح على وشك الفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية”.

وأشار: “كيف يمكنك إيقافه؟ ربما بقليل من الحظ، عليك أن تضغط على الخصم مرتين أو ثلاث مرات، وهو أمر صعب للغاية لأنك بذلك تترك المساحة للاعبين آخرين، سيكون إيقافه صعبًا للغاية”.