9/10 Leeds star with more touches than Summerville was unsung play-off hero

Leeds United stepped up to produce an outstanding performance on Thursday night as they ran out 4-0 winners against Norwich City at Elland Road.

The Whites will now play at Wembley in the final of the Championship play-offs later this month, as they battle it out to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Ilia Gruev, Joel Piroe, Crysencio Summerville, and Georgino Rutter all got on the scoresheet in a sublime attacking display from Daniel Farke's side.

However, whilst the forward players should be deservedly praised for their fantastic showing, defender Junior Firpo was the unsung play-off hero of the match with his excellent display.

Junior Firpo's in possession performance for Leeds

The Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth handed him a sensational player rating of 9/10, citing his dangerous play in possession and his effortlessly impressive defensive work.

On the ball, Firpo produced a fantastic assist for Summerville, for Leeds' fourth goal, as he reacted quickest to a save from Angus Gunn to fire the ball back across the goal for the winger to find the back of the net.

Crysencio Summerville for Leeds United.

Firpo, who had more touches (68) than Summerville (52), created one 'big chance' – the assist for the goal – and completed 89% of his attempted passes during the game on the left side.

This shows that the left-footed ace was very reliable on the ball, as he rarely gave it back to the away side, and capped it off with an assist, his eighth of the campaign in the Championship.

The 27-year-old gem, who created 13 'big chances' in 19 regular season matches, provided a fantastic outlet down the flank to complement Summerville in the final third.

Junior Firpo's defensive masterclass against Norwich

The former Barcelona defender's best work, arguably, came at the other end of the pitch, though, as he kept Gabriel Sara quiet.

Norwich's Brazilian magician racked up a staggering 13 goals and 12 assists in 46 Championship games heading into the play-offs, and was selected to play on the right of their attack on Thursday night – directly up against Firpo.

Minutes played

90

Minutes played

90

Sofascore rating

7.7

Sofascore rating

6.5

Ground duels won

2/3

Ground duels won

4/7

Aerial duels won

2/3

Aerial duels won

1/3

Fouls committed

0

Big chances created

0

Dribbled past

0

Shots on target

0

As you can see in the table above, the Canaries star had very little impact on the game in possession, as he failed to register a single effort on target and did not create any 'big chances' for his teammates.

Firpo won the majority (4/6) of his duels on the night and did not allow himself to be dribbled past once, which speaks to how dominant his defensive display was for Leeds.

Leeds' 9/10 sensation outshone Summerville to become play-off hero

Leeds United swept Norwich City aside with ease to reach the Championship play-off final.

ByKelan Sarson May 17, 2024

His work was crucial in stopping Sara from having an influence on the game and that, along with his brilliant play in possession, is why he was the unsung hero for Farke against the German manager's former team earlier this week.

Jude Bellingham ignoring medical advice after avoiding surgery – with Real Madrid superstar still nursing long-standing shoulder injury

Jude Bellingham is reportedly ignoring medical advice at Real Madrid after avoiding surgery on his long-standing shoulder problem.

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Damaged shoulder in October 2023Still struggling with ailment 11 months onEager to avoid missing any more gamesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

There were suggestions that the England international would be forced under the knife after representing his country at Euro 2024. Bellingham played through pain for much of the 2023-24 campaign, having dislocated his shoulder during an October clash with Rayo Vallecano.

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Nearly 12 months on and said ailment is still causing Bellingham problems. Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that the 21-year-old is no longer playing with a supportive brace, but was seen clutching at his shoulder again after coming off against Espanyol.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to , Bellingham has been advised to rest. He is, however, reluctant to heed that advice having recently missed a month of action due to a foot complaint. The Three Lions midfielder is said to have no intention of sitting games out as he bids to recover peak form and fitness.

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Bellingham may be rotated out for a La Liga clash with Alaves on Tuesday, giving him a bit of a break, but the likelihood is that he will be make Los Blancos’ starting XI for a derby date with neighbours Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on Sunday.

Man Utd flop Antony brutally told he's 'too lightweight for the Premier League' as Newcastle transfer links rubbished

Manchester United outcast Antony has been dubbed "too lightweight for the Premier League" while seeing links to Newcastle dismissed.

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  • Antony told he is not fit for English top-flight
  • Newcastle unlikely to sign him
  • Brazilian played only a minute in EPL this season
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Brazilian winger, who joined United from Ajax in a much-hyped move in the summer of 2022, has failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford, scoring just 11 goals in 83 appearances across all competitions. Antony has experienced only a minute of Premier League football in the current campaign so far after falling out of favour with head coach Erik ten Hag.

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    Amid his poor run of form, the ex-Ajax star has been linked with a move away from the Red Devils, with Newcastle United reportedly considering signing him. However, former England and Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has rubbished Antony's links to the Magpies, claiming the Brazil international is not suited for the Premier League's physical style.

  • WHAT PAUL ROBINSON SAID

    Speaking on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Robinson said: "Antony, no, I don’t think anybody at Newcastle would touch him. Listen, there’s a good player there, but he’s too lightweight for the Premier League, he takes too much time on the ball and it’s a league that’s too quick for him. When you look at other leagues, the Dutch league that he stood out in or maybe the Spanish league La Liga or Ligue 1 maybe more suited to a player like him. But you look at the way that he’s struggled at Manchester United, Newcastle will look at themselves on a level with Manchester United. They’re competing for the same things, European football, they both want to be in the top four, that’s the type of level that they’re on now. The Newcastle fans nor the board will look at Anthony and go, ‘That’s going to improve us in any way.'"

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    WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

    The 24-year-old will hope to find his name in Erik ten Hag's starting lineup again when United take on League One side Barnsley in their upcoming EFL Cup third-round fixture on Tuesday.

Reifit fala sobre desafio do Corinthians no Brasileiro de Aspirantes

MatériaMais Notícias

O elenco do Corinthians que disputa o Aspirantes viaja à Maceió para o seu próximo desafio no Brasileiro da categoria. A equipe que conta com o atacante Reifit terá pela frente o CRB, nesta quinta-feira, às 15 horas, pela última rodada da primeira fase da disputa, brigando por classificação para a etapa seguinte.

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TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2021 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

GALERIA
> Jemerson e Otero dão adeus! Veja quem já deixou o Corinthians em 2021

Aos 19 anos, Reifit vai para o jogo decisivo e sabe o que é preciso fazer para voltar para São Paulo com os três pontos e a classificação para 2ª fase.

– Estamos bem concentrados para essa partida. Só a vitória nos interessa. Faremos o melhor para buscar os pontos e avançar na competição. Não podemos dar espaços – explicou o jovem atacante.

Com oito pontos, o Corinthians é o terceiro colocado do Grupo A. O CRB é o quinto do B, com onze. Ao final das oito rodadas de competição, avançam à segunda fase do Aspirantes os quatro primeiros de cada chave.

Chelsea tell Lukaku he may be used in swap deal to sign £213,000-a-week ace

Chelsea have now told striker Romelu Lukaku he could be used in a swap deal to sign one £213,000-per-week star when he returns from his loan at Roma.

Chelsea set Lukaku price tag as Boehly seeks mass summer sale

The Belgian, following his return to Chelsea in 2021, has now gone down as one of the club's biggest transfer flops in recent memory.

Pochettino wants Chelsea to replace Thiago Silva with £115,000-a-week star

The Argentine has transfer plans if he remains beyond this season.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 9, 2024

Lukaku cost the west Londoners a huge £97 million to sign from Inter Milan three years ago, following a campaign where he helped spearhead the Nerrazzuri to a Serie A title under Antonio Conte, before the latter joined Tottenham.

Chelsea's most expensive ever signings

Price

1. Enzo Fernandez

£106.8 million

2. Moises Caicedo

£100 million

3. Romelu Lukaku

£97.5 million

4. Mykhailo Mudryk

£89 million

5. Kai Havertz

£75.8 million

However, it's been a match made in hell since the 30-year-old opted to return to England, and chairman Todd Boehly is now set to try and rid Chelsea of his £325,000-per-week wages for good this summer.

Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea will demand around £38 million for Lukaku this summer, which is the same price tag as last year.

Lukaku isn't the only big-name player who's facing his last potential season at Stamford Bridge. Indeed, Chelsea could use winger Raheem Sterling in a swap deal for Michael Olise, with many other men set for Mauricio Pochettino's axe this summer.

Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Hakim Ziyech and Armando Broja have also been named as players who could depart Chelsea when the window reopens, with Boehly looking to raise £100 million through player sales by June 30 in a bid to comply with PSR.

Part-exchange deals could be a fruitful way for Chelsea to both offload deadwood and upgrade the squad simultaneously, and it is now believed they're plotting that scenario for Lukaku.

Chelsea tell Lukaku he could be offered in Osimhen swap deal

According to The Boot Room, Chelsea have informed Lukaku he could be offered in a swap deal to sign Victor Osimhen.

The Napoli striker has been a long-term target, but chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis may be reluctant to negotiate a lower value than the Nigerian's £113 million release clause.

Lukaku would come as a direct replacement for Osimhen, though, so perhaps de Laurentiis could be tempted to entertain this sort of agreement.

Osimhen has been one of Serie A's most devastating strikers for a few years now, so he would be ideal to add that extra bit of goal threat and provide Chelsea with a a classic number nine for next season. The 25-year-old, called a "monster" by members of the African media, is currently earning around £213,000-per-week after signing a new Napoli deal earlier this season.

Crystal Palace could land Eze replacement in PL ace who’s a "joy to watch"

Crystal Palace became one of the most entertaining teams to watch anywhere in the country towards the end of the Premier League season this year, scoring for fun and punishing the 'big six' home and away.

Under new boss Oliver Glasner, the South Londoners looked as if they would have reached the European places if the season hadn't come to an end, and while the Austrian deserves plenty of credit, his ideas were executed by a squad full of brilliant talents.

Players like Adam Wharton, Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze have been spectacular under the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, although their impressive performances have led to stories about their potential departure, especially in the latter's case.

That said, if the Eagles do lose the former Queens Park Rangers star this summer, they could quickly replace him with another serious talent, according to recent murmurings.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to reports from Spain earlier this week, Crystal Palace are one of several clubs interested in signing Arsenal's highly regarded midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.

Emile Smith Rowe playing for Arsenal

Alongside Palace, the story names Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa, Everton and Nottingham Forest as the teams keen to land the Englishman.

While this extra competition is far from ideal, the good news is that the story claims the Hale End graduate is available for as little as €25m, which converts to just £21m.

kalvin-phillips-emile-smith-rowe-west-ham-opinion

It might be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but if the South Londoners are set to lose Eze in the summer, they could do a lot worse than replacing him with the Gunners ace.

How Smith Rowe compares to Eze

Now, it's not really possible to compare Smith Rowe to Eze this season, nor is it really fair, as a couple of years' worth of injuries have seen him lose his place in the Arsenal team, meaning he's played just 474 minutes of first-team football this season – in which he's provided two assists – while the Palace man has played 2284 minutes.

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.

However, as the Eagles' dynamic midfielder has enjoyed his best season at Selhurst Park this year, we can compare that to the Gunners ace's best season in red and white, which came back in 2021/22.

During that campaign, the "special talent," as Jamie Carragher described him, scored 11 goals and provided two assists in just 2176 first-team minutes. This means he managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 167 minutes, which is genuinely impressive for someone who was 21 years old at the time.

Appearances

37

31

Minutes

2176

2284

Goals

11

11

Assists

2

6

Minutes per Goal Involvement

167

134

In comparison, the Eagles' Greenwich-born star scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 2284 minutes this season, giving him a slightly better average of a goal involvement every 134 minutes – but he's four years older.

Moreover, they're pretty close again when comparing some of the Croydon-born gem's underlying numbers from that season to Eze's from this year.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.38

0.59

Non-Penalty Goals

0.47

0.44

Assists

0.09

0.18

Goals per Shot

0.25

0.12

Goals per Shot on Target

0.43

0.30

Progressive Carries

3.05

2.98

Progressive Passes

3.99

4.08

Progressive Passes Received

6.53

6.10

Passing Accuracy

82.9%

77.0%

For example, while he comes out second best for non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual assists, and progressive passes, he comes out ahead for actual non-penalty goals, goals per shot, goals per shot on target, progressive carries, progressive passes received and passing accuracy, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Glasner is set to lose Eze in the summer, signing Smith Rowe for £21m as a replacement wouldn't be the worst idea. In fact, it might be a rather good one.

He hasn't been able to play a full season of football for some time, but the last time he did, he was a "joy to watch", per Mikel Arteta, and if there is anyone who could bring that joy back out of him, it's the Austrian who has already transformed Selhurst Park this year.

Crystal Palace could sign £51m "monster in the making" to replace Edouard

The impressive prospect could become a leading Premier League striker.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 28, 2024

49ers not wasting time: Leeds make contact to sign 25 y/o int’l for Farke

Leeds United and the 49ers Enterprises have already made an enquiry for a summer signing following their Championship playoff final defeat to Southampton.

Leeds transfer plans after Southampton defeat

The Whites and Daniel Farke are now preparing for another season in the second tier following a 1-0 defeat at Wembley on Sunday, with another busy summer in regards to incomings and outgoings now expected.

The next Gray: Leeds could soften Gnonto exit by unleashing academy star

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ByKelan Sarson May 29, 2024

Speaking to Sky Sports, Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe said there are "going" to be some departures and arrivals ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

“We are well capitalised from an investment standpoint. We have the funds that we need to do what we need to do. The reality of being in the Championship is that Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) plays a role. We also inherited a challenging situation, so naturally there are going to be some trade-offs. But also, we have a really good team, and it is not just about outs, but ins. We're looking at scouting possibilities and players that we can bring in. We will have to make some trade-offs because of P&S but we have the investment commitment to do what we need to do.”

Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto and Archie Gray have already been linked with moves away from Yorkshire, however, it looks as if plans are already being put in place to finally bring a 2023 target to the club.

Leeds make Ao Tanaka enquiry

Last year, Leeds were heavily linked with signing midfielder Ao Tanaka but ended up bringing in both Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev. The links to the Japan international have now returned, with reports from Hochi News stating that Leeds have already enquired to sign Tanaka this summer alongside Borussia Monchengladbach, FC Mainz and Everton.

It is increasingly likely that Tanaka will leave Fortuna Duesseldorf after they failed to win promotion to the Bundesliga, throwing away a three-goal lead in a two-legged promotion final against Bochum.

Tanaka, who appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation, can play in holding or attacking roles but is primarily a box-to-box midfielder, so could provide Farke with plenty of versatility next season alongside the likes of Kamara, Gruev, Ampadu and potentially Gray. He caught the eye of Josh Bunting during the 2022 World Cup as well for his “effective” displays, with the journalist saying:

The 25-year-old has plenty of experience in the German second division, making 91 appearances for his current employers, and by the looks of it, he could be on the move this summer, whether that be with Leeds remains to be seen.

Mike Hesson: 'Wilful breach of IPL bubble will have strong consequences'

“If someone violates any rules or any guidelines that have been set by us a franchise, what happens? What are the repercussions?” Virat Kohli kicked off the inaugural virtual meeting of Royal Challengers Bangalore with that question, which was addressed to his team director Mike Hesson.Hesson, who took charge of Royal Challengers after last IPL, did not mince words, saying any “wilful” breach of the protocol would be dealt “very seriously.””We have a document the BCCI have written, which is basically part of your contract,” Hesson said while addressing the virtual meeting which was held in the Dubai. Royal Challengers reached the UAE last week to participate in the 2020 IPL, which was moved to the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”If there’s a breach of the bubble, if it’s a wilful act, then that becomes a contractual issue between the player and RCB; it will be dealt with very seriously,” Hesson told the players and support staff during a virtual team meeting.”ALSO READ – Steyn, de Villiers link up with RCB in UAEIf the breach was “accidental”, Hesson pointed out the person would be “removed” from the team bubble. “They have to go into isolation for seven days, have to repeat their [covid] tests before they’re allowed into the bubble again. So there are some protocols which we will go through.”As you [Kohli] alluded to, if there’s somebody who breaks this bubble, that we’ve worked incredibly hard to ascertain and put in place, it affects the whole tournament. It’s not just RCB, it’s actually the tournament, the TV rights. There will be strong consequences if players choose to do that. Every player from every team will need to sign a document which basically explains the consequences around that.”Kohli counted 34 members of the Royals Challengers squad, including the coaching staff led by Hesson and head coach Simon Katich, during the virtual meeting, which he said was first of a kind. Also present on the meeting were AB de Villers, Yuzvendra Chahal and Chris Morris, who was bought at the auction last December.Having moved the tournament out of India, which has the third-highest number of Covid-19 infections globally, the IPL has laid down rigorous protocols, including testing process for all stakeholders and teams. Currently all eight teams are holed up in their rooms, undergoing the mandatory six-day quarantine after which they can start training.Kohli said he “could not wait” to start the training having been in in lockdown for the past six months, but emphasised the need to stick to the guidelines. “If someone was to end up in such a situation or position, for me that’s letting the whole team down,” Kohli said.”Because it might happen at a stage of a tournament where we can’t afford to lose that player. If he does so, and we get harmed by it, then the whole team, the whole system and culture loses. I just wanted to talk about this so that everyone understands the repercussions that may take place if someone violates the rules.”Last month, England fast bowler Jofra Archer was dropped from a Test match against West Indies on disciplinary grounds for a biosecurity breach. Archer took an unauthorised detour to his home in Brighton while on his way from Southampton to Old Trafford. It is a move that “could have been a disaster” which cost English cricket “tens of millions of pounds,” according to ECB’s director of cricket Ashley Giles.Royal Challengers’ squad landed in Dubai on Friday. All members, barring four players – Aaron Finch, Kane Richardson, Joshua Phillipe and Moeen Ali – have linked up with the squad.

Rangers could land dream Souttar partner in "exciting" sensation

Philippe Clement has acted swiftly since the end of the season, making two signings already for Glasgow Rangers as he seeks to strengthen his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Jefte and Oscar Cortes are the two arrivals at Ibrox as Clement’s transfer strategy begins to emerge; signing talented youngsters who could develop into sellable assets further down the line.

Oscar Cortes

This philosophy makes sense. Hopefully, the days of signing players in their late 20s/early 30s on bumper three or four-year contracts are long gone. Instead, a new model will be put in place from this summer onwards. One that could see Rangers close the financial gulf to Celtic.

Money might not always be spent on incomings, with several players who are out of contract targeted, including a young centre-back who is on the books at AC Milan…

Rangers transfer news

As revealed by the Gallant View podcast earlier this week, the Ibrox side are showing interest in Clinton Nsiala as they aim to secure his signature on a free transfer from Milan.

With Clement’s budget for the transfer window unknown, he may have to rely on exploring players who are out of contract, which means Nsiala could arrive in Glasgow for nothing.

While interest is there for the youngster, it remains to be seen whether he fancies making the move to Scotland, although it looks as though he may have a better chance at playing at Rangers.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the Gers have signed a talented defender for nothing, as the likes of Calvin Bassey, Leon Balogun and John Souttar cost nothing in transfer fees.

Player

Year joined

Games

Aaron Nemane

2017

6

Sebastien Faure

2012

65

Salim Kerkar

2010

`18

Jerome Rothen

2009

8

Lionel Letizi

2006

8

Jeremy Clement

2006

22

William Stanger

2006

1

Oliver Bernard

2005

14

Julien Rodriguez

2005

46

Gregory Vignal

2004

38

Jean-Alain Boumsong

2004

26

Jerome Bonnissel

2003

4

Fabrice Fernandes

2001

4

Stephanie Guivarc'h

1998

18

Lionel Charbonnier

1998

27

Basile Boli

1994

31

Should Nsiala sign for the Light Blues, he could potentially be an ideal partner for Souttar, especially with Connor Goldson’s future up in the air.

Why Rangers could sell Connor Goldson this summer

According to Saudi Arabian outlet Al-Riyadiya, former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard – who is now in charge of Al-Ettifaq – is keen on making a move for Goldson this summer.

Not only that, but James Tavernier is also being lined up for a reunion with his old boss. The duo are on the wrong side of 30 and, as the Ibrox faithful saw towards the end of last season, their performances dropped significantly as Celtic pipped the club to the Premiership and Scottish Cup.

Connor Goldson

Moving on Goldson could see Souttar return to his favoured slot as a right centre-back, which will allow Nsiala to play as the left-sided centre-back, and it could make for a solid partnership.

John Souttar's 2023/24 season in numbers

The former Hearts defender missed practically the entire 2022/23 season after suffering an ankle injury just 45 minutes into his league debut for the Light Blues.

The 2023/24 campaign was much more productive. Souttar showed resilience way beyond his 27 years in order to fully recover and make 41 appearances for Rangers in all competitions, even chipping in with two goals and two assists.

John Souttar

The Scot ranked third among his teammates for accurate passes per game (58.3) in the top flight, along with ranking second for interceptions (1) and for clearances (3.5) per game, showing how solid he was at the heart of the defence.

These performances came after he was regularly deployed alongside Goldson in the left centre-back slot.

If the Englishman does leave, it could leave a gap in which Souttar could fill, allowing Clement to bring in a left-sided defender who is comfortable on the ball and can build play from the back.

What Clinton Nsiala could offer Rangers

While he has shown plenty of promise, the former French U16 starlet has yet to make his first team debut for Milan, mainly playing at U19 level for the Italian giants.

Last season, the 20-year-old made 40 appearances for the U19 side in both the UEFA Youth League and in the Primavera 1, registering four goals and two assists.

This shows he could add a few goals into the side from the heart of the defence – similar to Souttar – but his abilities go way beyond that.

Throughout the 2023/24 season for Milan U19s, Nsiala finished with an impressive 87% pass success rate while also averaging 5.1 accurate long balls per game, evidence that his passing is among one of his finer attributes.

The youngster also averaged 3.2 interceptions per game along with averaging a staggering 10.8 ball recoveries per game while winning 6.8 total duels each match.

These statistics certainly indicate that the defender has plenty of promise, but they came during an U19 league season rather than a top flight league.

Earlier this year, scout Ruairi Criscuolo profiled Nsiala, saying that Nsiala was “another exciting French prospect” before also saying: “As well as short passing he has the vision and ability to spot runners and find them with his long passes.

“Tall and powerful enough to be a threat in the box.”

It would be a major gamble for Clement to bring him to Ibrox and deploy him in the starting XI straight away, yet he has clearly demonstrated plenty of potential during his spell with Milan and this is the type of profile in which the Belgian must sign this summer.

Experienced players will be required during the transfer window, but having a mix of old and young players could be the perfect recipe for success next season.

Souttar is coming into his peak years as a defender and if he can maintain his form from last season, there is no doubt he will be one of the first names on the team sheet for Clement.

Clement could wave bye-bye to Goldson as Rangers eye 20 y/o colossus

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ByDan Emery Jun 5, 2024

A change of mentality is needed ahead of next term, especially considering how badly the club stuttered when the pressure was on during the final few weeks of last season.

Perhaps making some bold calls in the transfer market could be a good thing for Clement and his backroom staff, going against the grain by luring talented youngsters who could make an impression if given a chance.

Liverpool enquire for "fantastic" player who Jurgen Klopp wanted to sign

Liverpool have contacted a Premier League rival over bringing a new defender to Anfield in the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are preparing for life under Arne Slot, with a host of players continuing to be linked with new signings before the 2024/25 season gets underway.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold's position having the potential to change with Slot in charge – he is reportedly going to be used as a midfielder for England during Euro 2024 – it could be that Liverpool look to sign a new right-back to provide competition for Conor Bradley.

Bayer Leverkusen hero Jeremie Frimpong has been backed to seal a move to Anfield in the summer, having excelled as a right wing-back in 2023/24, winning two trophies along the way.

Jeremie Frimpong for Bayer Leverkusen

Lutsharel Geertruida is another player in that position who could be an option, having shone under Slot at Feyenoord, while further up the pitch, Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is seen as an alternative option to Reds-linked Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon.

Now, another player is also emerging as a target for Liverpool, with Klopp wanting to snap him up during his time in charge at Anfield, even holding talks with him last summer.

Liverpool make contact with "fantastic" player

According to a fresh update from HITC, Liverpool have made contact with Chelsea over defender Levi Colwill: "Liverpool have again spoken to Chelsea to enquire about the availability of one of their key players this summer.

"A new defensive addition as well as an attacker looks to be Liverpool’s priorities in the summer transfer window under new manager Arne Slot."

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill.

Colwill arguably didn't progress quite as much as some predicted this time last year, at which point many thought he would be a strong contender to start at the Euros. That's not to say that the 21-year-old didn't enjoy a solid campaign, though, making 23 appearances in the Premier League and averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.9 aerial duel wins per game in the process.

Still only 21, the English defender has been seen as a huge young talent for some time now, with Lewis O'Brien hailing him during their time together at Huddersfield Town back in 2022: "When people like that come in, he’s a young player and you question is he going to perform? But he has stepped into the Championship unbelievably well – I’m sure he’s got a fantastic career ahead of him at the highest level."

Slot must sell Liverpool star earning more than Diaz & Jones combined

This £19m-rated stalwart might have played his last match in Anfield red.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 14, 2024

Colwill could be viewed as a massive part of Liverpool's defence for many years to come, potentially even being viewed as Virgil van Dijk's long-term replacement, which will admittedly be an enormous void to fill.

As a bonus, he can also play at left-back, as was the case at Chelsea at times this season, and while he will likely cost a lot of money, he could be worth every penny over time.

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