All posts by h716a5.icu

Celtic can wrap up a second successive Scottish Premiership title with victory over Hearts later today at Tynecastle, with the Old Firm outfit currently 13 points clear at the summit with just five games left of the season to play.

In truth, it has been a case of when and not if the Parkhead giants would wrap up their league crown in recent weeks, with the recent derby victory over Rangers having all-but confirmed their status as champions.

Having again got the better of the Ibrox outfit in the Scottish Cup semi-final last weekend, the Hoops are now well-placed to secure what would be a historic eighth domestic treble, with Inverness Caledonian Thistle standing in their way in the showpiece next month.

A major concern for the Hoops ahead of that final, however – as well as for todays' trip to Edinburgh – is the news that defensive colossus, Cameron Carter-Vickers is set to be out for the remainder of the season, with the United States international set to undergo surgery after playing through the pain barrier in recent times.

As journalist John McGinley stated following the recent win at Hampden Park, the 25-year-old is simply a "warrior" and a "winner", hence the frustration that Postecoglou and co will have to make do without a player who is arguably the "best defender in the league" – as per his manager.

While perhaps putting a brave face on things, the Celtic boss himself does not appear too concerned about the loss of the former Tottenham Hotspur man, having suggested earlier this week that his side will "be all alright", with it set to be an "opportunity" for Yuki Kobayashi to enjoy a consistent run in the side.

Will Kobayashi start against Hearts?

With German defender Moritz Jenz having cut short his loan deal in January, it is set to be a straight fight between Stephen Welsh and Kobayashi to nail down a starting berth alongside Carl Starfelt, albeit with it looking as if the 6 foot 1, Japanese international is the favourite for the role, having "done really well" when he has featured of late, as per Postecoglou.

Despite having been restricted to just four appearances for the Glasgow side since signing from Vissel Kobe in January, the £1.2m-rated ace has still made a strong impression in that time, having notably been lauded by writer Stuart Hodge for his "magnificent" passing in the recent win over Kilmarnock.

As his manager stated following that impressive performance, the 22-year-old has "hardly put a foot wrong" since he has been in Scotland, having also been hailed as a 'comfortable and elegant' defender by Celtic Way's, Tony Haggerty.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has even gone as far as to suggest that Kobayashi is a "better option" than Starfelt to play on the left side of the defence alongside Carter-Vickers, albeit with the absence of the latter man ensuring that a new partnership will have to be formed involving the winter arrival and the experienced Swede.

It will undoubtedly be a test for that duo over the coming weeks, although Postecoglou will need the centre-back pairing to step up against Steven Naismith's side this afternoon.

Anurag Thakur is set to become the youngest BCCI president on Sunday afternoon at the board’s special general meeting

Nagraj Gollapudi21-May-2016Anurag Thakur, 41, is set to become one of the youngest BCCI presidents on Sunday afternoon. Thakur, currently the BCCI secretary, will officially take up the most high-profile position in Indian cricket administration at the board’s special general meeting in Mumbai and his tenure will extend until September 2017.The president’s post had been vacated when Shashank Manohar had stepped down a week ago. Thakur, as a result of the support he has gained since he was appointed joint secretary in September 2011, appeared to be the automatic choice to replace Manohar, who has since been elected the ICC’s first independent chairman.As per the BCCI constitution, its president is elected by a rotational system where each of the five zones is given the chance to put a candidate forward at the special general meeting.It was the East zone’s turn this time and if there had been more than one nomination, an election would have been held. However, at the deadline to file nominations on Saturday, there was only one name doing the rounds. Thakur was formally endorsed by all six units of the East zone – Cricket Association of Bengal, National Cricket Club, Odisha Cricket Association, Tripura Cricket Association, Assam Cricket Association and Jharkhand Cricket Association.ESPNcricinfo understands Ajay Shirke, president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, is likely to become the BCCI’s new secretary.

Newcastle United have been transformative under new ownership and new management since the Saudi-led takeover of the club in 2021, casting aside the universally deplored proprietary of Mike Ashley, who had run the club into the ground during his lengthy ruling of one of the Premier League's most prominent outfits.

With the opulence of the owners capable of rivalling even the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, widely considered the two financial powerhouses in European football, many expected lofty fees to follow the completion of the deal, but the work completed on and off the pitch has been nothing short of astute.

Manager Eddie Howe has crafted a team seeking a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2003, and having clinched 65 points from 33 matches, in third place and nine points above Liverpool in fifth, a swift return to the forefront of the scene looks soon to be confirmed.

The cobwebs of the past are all but cleared at St. James's Park, but one particular deal, the 2018 sale of Mikel Merino, remains a reminder of the previous failings that left the club fluctuating between divisions and scarcely seeing success for many years.

When did Newcastle sell Merino?

Having signed Spanish midfielder Merino from German giants Borussia Dortmund in October 2017, mere months after landing the ace on an initial loan deal, he was sold to Sociedad the following summer after his £10m buyout clause was met.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Merino's brief, 25-match stint on Tyneside preceded the birth of his true skill set at Sociedad, but his natural ability was never in question and granting his departure less than one year after his permanent acquisition seems somewhat premature.

He has now forged 191 appearances for Erreala, scoring 18 goals and serving 25 assists, with journalist Josh Bunting waxing lyrical over the 26-year-old, stating he "oozes confidence".

His rounded scope has expanded during his time in LaLiga, with his seasonal exploits notably demonstrating the improved creativity of his game – Merino has provided one goal and nine assists from 27 league appearances this term.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the 6 foot 2 ace holds a €65m (£57m) release clause in his current contract, a fee the likes of Aston Villa have been willing to meet as recent speculation over the player's future mounts, which only serves as a poignant reminder to what could have been for the Magpies.

The aforementioned fee is actually an incredible 470% increase in value, something which could feasibly increase over the coming years, Merino still only 26 years old.

As per FBref, the £66k-per-week star ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for rate of assists, the top 1% for aerials won, the top 12% for tackles and the top 15% for clearances, highlighting the impressive ubiquity of his trade.

While Newcastle are on track for a sustained period of milk and honey, the 13-cap Spaniard's inclusion could've provided the extra slant in the midfield engine this term, perhaps proving the difference in the 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United, or issuing control in divisional clashes that could have pushed the club closer to the forefront of the Premier League table and into title contention.

Their wealth, fortunately, buffers the blow, but it certainly illustrates the ineptitude of the previous chapter and the strides taken in such a short time. Indeed, this is one transfer tale to file in the mistakes column.

When reflecting on those who failed to live up to the hype at Manchester United, the obvious answer is that of Ravel Morrison, with the gifted, yet troubled playmaker regularly brought up as the wonderkid who fell by the wayside.

The star attraction in the FA Youth Cup-winning team of 2011 – alongside the likes of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard – the exciting talent looked a certainty to go on to flourish in the first team at Old Trafford.

That was certainly the assessment of many at the club at the time, with former Red Devils star Quinton Fortune only recently telling The Athletic of just what a talent the then-youngster was:

"Not even a question. It was effortless. It was a once-in-a-lifetime talent. It was like watching Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar, all those guys put together. We were mesmerised by him."

That glowing praise was also corroborated by former scout Phil Brogan who noted that young Morrison appeared "destined to be the best", while even the great Sir Alex Ferguson is said to have referred to him as "the most talented player he’s ever worked with", according to Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Redknapp.

As it proved, however, the midfield's off-field antics – which saw him "skip training" on occasion, in his own words – ultimately lead to those at the Theatre of Dreams losing patience, with the Wythenshawe native leaving for West Ham United in January 2012 having featured just three times for United's first-team.

That lack of impact in a red jersey has ensured that the Jamaica international has almost become something of a mythical, fabled figure among the club's supporters, with few having ever got to witness the once-promising talent in the flesh.

As such, there will likely have been little attachment to the current DC United man for the Old Trafford faithful, with Morrison's chance having come and gone all too rapidly under Ferguson.

By contrast, however, Red Devils supporters were likely to have been far more enamoured with another former academy star who failed to live up to their early potential, with Adnan Januzaj's first-team displays having left many daring to dream that he could be the "future" of the club, as hailed by former boss David Moyes.

What happened to Adnan Januzaj?

While Morrison's impact at senior level was all too brief, in the case of Januzaj the Belgian endured a far lengthier and more consistent run in the side, having broken into the team during Moyes' solitary season in charge during the 2013/14 campaign.

It was the winger's performance in that breakthrough season that may ensure his subsequent decline is of more frustration than that of Morrison, with the Brussels-born ace having shown – unlike his fellow youth ace – that he could flourish in a United shirt in the senior set-up.

Having been thrust into the side by Moyes as a mere teenager as the Scotsman looked for a solution to his Old Trafford woes, Januzaj – who had been an unused substitute in Ferguson's last game in charge against West Bromwich Albion the year prior – was handed his debut in the Community Shield triumph over Wigan Athletic.

It was on the wide man's first start for the club, however, that he truly announced himself to the wider world, having bagged a brace in a 2-1, comeback win over Sunderland in the Premier League in October 2013.

The manner in which the 18-year-old struck his second of the match on the volley was simply glorious, with the teen ace quickly endearing himself to the United support.

The fleet-footed menace would end that breakout campaign with a respectable haul of four goals and four assists to his name in 27 league games, with then-teammate Darren Fletcher describing him as "up there with some of the best I have seen" in terms of talent.

Having subsequently taken on Ryan Giggs' famed number 11 shirt for the following season, Januzaj would ultimately fail to replicate his early heroics, seemingly suffering from the departure of Moyes.

That 2014/15 season under Louis van Gaal saw the elegant left-footer fail to register a single-goal involvement at first-team level, having notably been restricted to just seven league starts – later reflecting on how "difficult" life was under the Dutchman.

Despite being likened to a young Wayne Rooney by Moyes, such was his talent, Januzaj failed to earn the faith of Van Gaal and was shipped off on loan to Borussia Dortmund in 2015, albeit while making only 12 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

After linking up with Moyes again the year after having joined Sunderland on a temporary basis – where he provided no goals and just three assists in the top-flight for the Black Cats – the once-promising gem was allowed to join Real Sociedad on a permanent deal in 2017, with Jose Mourinho sanctioning the player's £9m sale.

Where is Adnan Januzaj now?

That move to Spain ultimately brought some much-needed stability to Januzaj's career as the 15-cap starlet went on to rack up 168 appearances for the La Liga side in all competitions, contributing 23 goals and 21 assists in that time.

The dynamic ace also came back onto the radar of those in England after scoring against the Three Lions for Belgium at the World Cup in 2018, with that fine finish another fleeting example of what might have been for the forward at the Theatre of Dreams.

The one-time Anderlecht youth product also notably reunited with the Red Devils after taking on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in the Europa League in 2021, with club legend Paul Scholes hailing him as "brilliant" in the first-leg meeting.

That encounter had even brought to attention the fact that United could have exercised a buy-back clause that was included as part of the deal that saw Januzaj move to Spain, albeit with Solskjaer and co taking the decision not to engineer a romantic return, with the player going on to leave La Real last summer.

After departing the Basque side at the end of his five-year spell in San Sebastian, the 28-year-old was snapped up by Sevilla on a free transfer last August, only to then be sent on loan to Turkish outfit, Istanbul Basaksehir in February.

At a time when he could have been entering his peak years as a leading figure for the Red Devils, the experienced forward is now lining up outside of Europe's top five leagues, having netted three goals in nine outings for the Super Lig side this season.

That fall from grace has ensured that Januzaj is now said to be worth as little as £5m, as per Football Transfers, having never lived up to the initial, justified buzz that had surrounded him.

For United, while with Morrison the midfielder had never really made an impact on the first-team set-up, Januzaj had shown glimpses that he could be the next star of the side, hence the intense frustration for all parties that such a scenario did not pan out.

In truth, the Belgian has still enjoyed a respectable career at the elite level, but one can't help but think what might have been for the man who dazzled at the Stadium Of Light almost nine years ago…

Chelsea's main problem this season has been putting the ball in the back of the net but for a long time at Stamford Bridge, the two main options in goal have also struggled to keep the ball out.

Both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga have been considered the out-and-out number one choice for the Blues in recent seasons but neither would be considered among the best in the division, let alone the best in the world, on current form.

Kepa has had one of his best seasons in a Chelsea shirt with a 6.85 rating from WhoScored so far this campaign, which ranks him as the seventh-best performer at Stamford Bridge, yet it would be fair to suggest that he hasn't lived up to his £71.6m price tag, which saw him become the most expensive goalkeeper in football history.

Indeed, you only need to look at his limp showing against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening to realise why improvements are needed, with Chris Sutton having bluntly suggested he "should have done better" with the second goal.

Coincidentally, the Spaniard arrived in the summer of 2018 as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois, and after the Belgian helped Los Blancos to a 2-0 win over Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals this week, the Blues will surely be wishing they hadn't let him go so cheaply five years ago.

Will Chelsea regret selling Courtois?

Chelsea signed the Belgium international from Genk in 2011 for a fee of just £7.9m and he would spend the next three seasons on loan with Atletico Madrid in Spain, keeping 76 clean sheets in 154 appearances for the La Liga outfit.

He then returned to Stamford Bridge in order to dispel Petr Cech as the number one in between the sticks.

He would go on to make 154 appearances for Chelsea and established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, so it was no surprise when Real Madrid came calling in 2018, with the west London outfit perhaps forced into a sale due to the shot-stopper's contract situation.

Courtois had just one year left on his deal at Stamford Bridge and had been vocal about returning to Spain to be closer to his children, but Chelsea were able to get just £35m for a player who was considered one of Europe's best in his position.

He has gone on to make 217 times for the Spanish giants, and 'dropped the greatest goalkeeping performance in Champions League final history' – as per GOAL – to win the tournament for the first time in his career last summer.

Praise has been forthcoming for a number of years now with former manager Zinedine Zidane full of adulation for the 6 foot 6 stopper in 2020, saying:

"Courtois has shown from the beginning that he is a great goalkeeper, he has always been among the best in the world."

Unsurprisingly, Courtois' performances across his time at the Santiago Bernabeu have seen his transfer value shoot up, with Football Transfers now suggesting that he could be worth as much as up to €73.2m (£64m), which represents a big increase on the £35m Madrid paid in 2018.

At just 30, the Belgian could easily remain Madrid's first choice for the significant future and considering Chelsea's own goalkeeper struggles in recent seasons, they will surely be wishing that Courtois had committed his future to Stamford Bridge back in 2018.

Manchester United are eyeing up a swoop for World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister this summer as Erik ten Hag continues his rebuild.

What’s the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Manchester United?

According to Argentinian reporter Cesar Luis Merlo, United are fighting it out with Liverpool and Arsenal in order to lure the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window.

Merlo claims that two of the clubs are ‘already negotiating’ with the player, although he doesn’t state which teams that is.

The south coast side were looking at £50m in order for any team to prise Mac Allister away from the club during the January window and come the end of the season, this figure may have increased.

Could Manchester United sign Alexis Mac Allister?

Ten Hag is still a few signings short of completing a team which can compete for the Premier League title and Mac Allister would certainly improve the team that’s for sure.

With the Dutchman also looking to ship out some deadwood and underperformers during the summer, the Argentinian could be a big upgrade on Scott McTominay.

Indeed, this season, the 24-year-old has registered more goals (eight to none), shots per game (2.35 to 0.78), tackles won (30 to 18) and has a higher pass success rate than the Scot (86.7% to 81.9%), proving he has been much more effective across all areas of the pitch.

Ten Hag would love to add another midfielder who can pose a significant goal threat and Mac Allister ranks in the top 5% across Europe’s big five leagues for goals, total shots and penalty kicks made, meaning United would be signing one of the finest goalscoring midfielders in the continent if they lured him to the club.

His experience at the highest level is also a big plus for the Dutchman. Reporter Roy Nemer lauded the midfielder as being “unplayable” during the 2022 World Cup final that Argentina won, and he was incredible throughout the duration of the competition.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05/10 across six matches, scoring once, creating two big chances and making 1.3 key passes per match along with taking 1.2 shots per game, displaying his attacking qualities on the grandest stage of all.

McTominay has started just nine Premier League matches for United this season, making 20 appearances overall, and it looks as though his career at the Red Devils could be coming to an end.

In Mac Allister they will have a player who is a big upgrade on the 26-year-old and one who can further strengthen United’s midfield.

Liverpool are reportedly among the "most interested" clubs in signing Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada this summer.

What's the latest on Kamada to Liverpool?

The Merseyside outfit have three central players all out of contract at the end of the season, and with FSG having decided not to trigger Arthur Melo's option to buy, the Reds will need to completely revamp their central ranks ahead of the forthcoming term. Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed that he used the most recent international break to hold talks with some of his transfer targets, but stopped short of specifying particular players, though it's no secret that he's been heavily linked with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount.

Meanwhile, Japan international Kamada's deal at the Deutsche Bank Park is set to expire in the summer, meaning that he is poised to become a free agent and therefore able to talk to other clubs regarding his next move, and amid being Oliver Glasner's second-best offensive player in terms of match rating with 6.83 (as per WhoScored), he isn't short of potential suitors.

Back in February, 90min credited the Reds, alongside their Premier League rivals Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, with an initial interest in the 26-year-old, who was being monitored by the quartet, and if the following update is anything to go by, it sounds like the Anfield side are ahead of their competitors in the race to secure his signature.

According to reports from Spain-based Relevo (via Liverpool Echo), Klopp's side and Bayern Munich were name-checked as the two current clubs to be most expressing their admiration for Kamada.

The latest claim reads: "As reported by the German press, he will not renew his contract with Eintracht and will go free. Many teams are getting in touch with the environment, but so far the most interested clubs are Liverpool and Bayern Munich. At the moment there is nothing advanced with Atletico de Madrid or with other Spanish clubs, which are closely monitoring the situation."

Should Liverpool make a move for Kamada?

Kamada has been dubbed a "hero" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and considering that it would cost nothing to acquire his services, Liverpool surely have to consider making an approach at the end of the season.

The Nike-sponsored star is naturally an attacking midfielder – which is highlighted in his numbers, having racked up an impressive 18 goal contributions (13 goals and five assists) in 37 appearances across all competitions this season.

The £34k-p/w talent would also add excellent versatility to the Liverpool squad, having operated in seven different positions since the start of his career, including three within the midfield and across the frontline. Kamada knows what it takes to be successful having lifted the Europa League and German Cup with Frankfurt, so would match the winning mentality and ambitions to secure further silverware on Merseyside.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Rafa Benitez is not yet a "concrete" option to replace Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City.

What's the latest on Rafa Benitez and Leicester?

After a frankly turgid Premier League season, the Foxes finally decided to come to a “mutual agreement” with their coach and part ways.

This means Rodgers leaves Leicester in the midst of a worrying relegation battle with the club 19th in the division with ten games left to keep themselves afloat.

With that in mind, whoever comes in now won't have long to turn things around and so the Foxes may want to hire someone with good experience at handling this kind of situation.

Following that logic, Benitez has emerged as one of the favourites to come in and take over from Rodgers in the near future.

However, when talking about it all on the House of Champions: A CBS Soccer Podcast, Romano explained that there is nothing set in stone just yet.

He said (12:33): "I also heard some rumours of Rafa Benitez but I'm told that at the moment it is not something advanced or that concrete."

Who will be the next Leicester manager?

The 62-year-old Spaniard would certainly arrive with all the prerequisite experience of English football, pushing in title challenges and relegation scraps.

After all, he has managed the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton. In that time, he did get relegated with the Magpies but was only in charge for ten games that season and has never finished lower than 13th when in charge for a full campaign.

The good thing is, Benitez does seem to be keen on returning to management too. Indeed, he recently told the Daily Mail he is open to taking on a new challenge, saying: “Yeah, yeah, for sure. The good thing I have is that because I have managed so many years and because I was successful, I can decide."

However, it sounds as though he is quite picky: “I have had around 20 offers since I left Everton. National teams, different teams in Asia, in the Emirates, in Mexico. National teams everywhere.

“Some teams in England, some teams in Spain. The reality is you need to find the right one, the team that will allow you to build.”

With that in mind, it remains to be seen if the Spaniard would be up for the challenge of keeping Leicester from avoiding the drop. Although, his most recent venture saw him earn 19 points in 19 league matches with the Toffees, boasting a win percentage of just 31.8%.

Other names to be mentioned in the media are Thomas Frank, Ange Postecoglou, and Michael Carrick but all of those are currently in work. So perhaps Benitez is the most realistic target for now.

West Ham United have been handed a boost ahead of the Premier League's resumption next weekend, as Vladimir Coufal is now expected to be fit for the visit of relegation rivals Southampton.

Has Vladimir Coufal recovered from his injury?

The right-back has been out of action since picking up a heel injury in the 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest last month, missing each of the Hammers' last five fixtures.

It has been a big loss for Moyes as he has been forced to utilise either Ben Johnson or Thilo Kehrer in that position, and neither have impressed with their performances this season, ranking as the 12th and 16th-best performers in David Moyes' squad according to WhoScored.

Hammers fans will have been hoping that the former Slavia Prague man would use the international break to get back to full fitness, but he was a surprise inclusion in the Czech Republic squad and could feature in their upcoming games against Poland and Moldova.

Czech boss Jaroslav Silhavy has provided an update on the 30-year-old's situation, which will perhaps put upset West Ham fans at ease.

He told iDNES.cz: “Vlaďs had health problems with his heel, but at the moment he is doing everything to be ready for Friday.

“Our side is in daily contact with West Ham, we exchange information and we believe that Vlad will be ready for the match against Poland on Friday.”

Should Coufal come out unscathed, then there is no reason now why he won't be able to feature against Southampton in the six-pointer at the London Stadium next weekend.

While his performances have perhaps dropped from his first season at the club when he notched seven assists in just 34 Premier League appearances, he is still a reliable member of Moyes' squad, and his attitude is exactly what the Hammers need to get out of the mess they find themselves in.

Mark Noble testified this when speaking on the Peter Crouch Pod in 2021, referring to his former teammate as a "machine", which still holds true today, as he ranks third for both tackles and interceptions in the Hammers' squad, emphasising his willingness to put everything on the line defensively.

Considering Moyes' side failed to win any of their domestic fixtures without Coufal in the side, losing to Brighton and Manchester United and drawing with Aston Villa, the £35k-per-week defender's return could prove vital for the must-win game against Southampton this weekend.

Moyes knows that he can trust Coufal and it would not be a surprise to see him back in from the start against the Saints, providing he can avoid another injury issue with the Czech Republic this week.

Liverpool have found themselves really struggling to maintain their high standards this season, and it is clear the once successful squad is starting to turn stale with a refresh urgently needed this summer.

The Reds have found themselves without a chance of collecting another trophy this season and are currently seven points adrift from the fourth Champions League spot inside the Premier League top four with just 12 remaining fixtures to close the gap.

Indeed, there is no doubt that the powerbrokers at Anfield will be working hard to find fresh perspectives who can join the squad in the summer with a recruitment drive of youthful players expected as Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount have both been linked on numerous occasions with a move to Merseyside.

However, the supporters of the club will be under no illusion that their frugal American owners will be splashing the cash like their top-flight rivals when the transfer window opens, but will expect to see drastic improvements and effort put into bringing success back to Anfield sooner rather than later.

As a result, whilst the focus may be on the players Jurgen Klopp could bring in to spark the next generation of success, the German coach could unleash another player from the fantastic academy set-up at Kirkby.

One player who has been a stand-out performer in the Merseysiders' youth teams is Melkamu Frauendorf, a player who is showing signs that he could be the next Harvey Elliott.

Who is Melkamu Frauendorf?

The young talent joined Liverpool from Hoffenheim back in 2020 on a scholarship with the academy after capturing the attention of the club's scouts over in Germany and just one year later signed his first professional contract after impressing with the U18s in his first season.

Since then, Frauendorf has had no trouble making his presence known in the youth set-up and was even seen training with the first team in Dubai during the World Cup break back in November last year.

The Germany U19 international has tallied up 86 appearances, 19 goals and 14 assists since his arrival – with two of those appearances in the senior team when Klopp gave the youngster his FA Cup debut against Shrewsbury Town in January 2022.

Over his two appearances this season in the Football League Trophy, the young midfielder has registered one assist and won the majority of his duels (53%), as well as averaging two tackles, two key passes, one shot on target and four duels won per game.

Frauendorf has also earned high praise for his talents to go alongside his impressive output, with his former Hoffenheim coach Danny Galm claiming:

"Mel is a very flexible player. He is straightforward with a good technique and very, very good endurance.

"For me, he was a very important player, who often initiated decisive moments with his dynamic and straight dribbling.

"I’m not a fan of comparing players to others but Mel is a special player. He is fast and has good endurance, and he wants to learn, but remains creative."

Mostly deployed as an attacking midfielder, the 19-year-old rising star has all the attributes to become Klopp's next Elliott as he is capable of being part of a midfield system but is also fearless when it comes to breaking the lines to attack and ultimately score goals, just like his senior Liverpool positional peer.

With that being said, it is clear that Frauendorf has a bright future ahead of him and could be exactly what Klopp needs to bolster the depth in his first-team midfield personnel next season.