Zimbabwe will also be without Sean Williams, who is unavailable for personal reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2022Wicketkeeper-batter Regis Chakabva has been named Zimbabwe captain for the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh with regular captain Craig Ervineruled out with hamstring and knee injuries. Allrounder Sean Williams will also miss the series, with Zimbabwe Cricket saying he had been granted leave to “attend to some personal matters”. Blessing Muzarabani, who missed the T20I series against Bangladesh with an injury, continues to remain unavailable.Zimbabwe have also brought in fast bowler Brad Evans in place of the injured Tendai Chatara. Evans is yet to play an ODI, but was influential in Zimbabwe’s win in the third T20I, taking two wickets to hamper Bangladesh’s chase.Left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava returns to the ODI side, while quick Victor Nyauchi and left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza are also included. Masakadza was the third highest wicket-taker in last season’s Logan Cup (Zimbabwe’s domestic 50-over tournament) with 35 wickets in seven games while Nyauchi finished fourth on the list with 32 wickets in seven matches.Allrounder Tarisai Musakanda and batters Tadiwanashe Marumani and Tony Munyonga have also been added to the squad. Musakanda, who has played 15 ODIs so far, last played for Zimbabwe in the format in 2021. Marumani made his debut in the ODI series against Bangladesh last year – where he scored 21 runs across three matches – and has not played in the format for Zimbabwe since. Munyonga, meanwhile, is yet to make his ODI debut.Chakabva, who made his Zimbabwe debut in 2008, will lead the side for the first time.”It is an honour, one that I will definitely cherish,” Chakabva said. “I am a cool, calm guy so I will try to be myself as I always am. A bit unfortunate to lose Craig, who I have learned a lot from. I don’t think I will do anything different from my normal character. I will try to rally the guys.”While they have lost their last two ODI series, against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in January and June this year respectively, Zimbabwe have been on a roll in T20Is. They have won seven of their last eight T20Is, including an unbeaten qualification campaign that has earned them a spot in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. They followed that by beating Bangladesh in last week’s T20I series 2-1 – the first time Zimbabwe have won a T20I series against Bangladesh.Chakabva said the ODIs would be a different prospect. “Bangladesh are a strong side. We have been playing some good cricket. We look forward to a good challenge with these guys. We expect to keep playing that way. The results will follow from that.”Obviously, ODIs are a different challenge. You have to play well for longer. It won’t be a T20 in a one-day game. We are looking to play positive cricket for a longer period of time. Points or no points, it is still a big series for us. We are looking forward to be as challenging as we can. We have India and Australia after this, so in some way, it is just one preparation for us leading up to those series.”The first ODI will be played on August 5, with the second and third to follow on August 7 and 10 respectively. All three matches will be played in Harare.Zimbabwe squad: Regis Chakabva (capt), Ryan Burl, Bradley Evans, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tarisai Musakanda, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba

Harry Kane has issued a rallying cry to his Bayern Munich team-mates and fans after missing a golden chance in the club's 2-1 loss to Inter Milan.

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• Kane and Bayern behind in UCL quarter-final
• Striker missed big chance in first leg
• Issued rallying call for trip to Milan

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane was presented with a golden opportunity in the first half of Bayern's Champions League quarter-final first-leg encounter against Inter on Tuesday night but uncharacteristically failed to take his moment. The England captain was played through inside the Inter box and wrapped a curling effort towards goal, only to see the ball clip the post and fly out for a goal kick.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was a rare miss from such a distance from Kane, who has a reputation as one of Europe's most lethal finishers. His side were then punished for his mistake, conceding two second-half goals to trail heading into the return leg at the San Siro. It was a night to forget for the former Tottenham man, but he has taken to social media in an effort to rally the troops for the second part of the tie.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  On his official Instagram page, the 31-year-old said: "A disappointing result last night but lots of good things we can take from the game. Tie isn’t over! All to play for next week. 💪"

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  Kane has been firing on a constant basis this season, netting 34 goals in all competitions, including 10 in the Champions League. He will need to produce some magic in Italy next week if Bayern are to progress to the semi-finals.

The PCB has ushered in a number of major changes to the domestic structure for the 2022-23 season, where 187 matches will be played across formats over five months starting August 30.The second XI tournaments, played between six teams, will now be played on a double-league basis across formats. In the T20 tournament, each side will play a minimum of ten matches and a total of 30 matches as compared to the previous seasons when the event was held on a single-league basis with 15 matches overall. The three-day tournament that used to be played as a pathway to first-class cricket will now be played over four days [though it still won’t be a first-class tournament], and just like the T20s and the 50-over tournaments, each side will get a minimum of ten matches in a total of 30.The domestic season will commence with the National T20 Cup, which will be held in Rawalpindi and Multan from August 30 to September 19. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the premier first-class event, will continue to be played on a double-league basis, and will run from September 27 to November 30. The season will end with the 50-over Pakistan Cup, which will be staged in Karachi from December 10 to January 3.The board has also rejigged the venues this season and slotted a significant chunk of the first-class and second-grade cricket in the northern part of the country, including Abbottabad, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The final stages will take place in Karachi, where a new venue – the Naya Nazimabad Stadium – is set to get first-class status.The season will be wrapped up in January, unlike the previous seasons where domestic cricket was usually played from September to March.”We have introduced a new concept whereby the non-first-class CA [provincial associations] Championship matches will be four-day fixtures,” Nadeem Khan, OCB’s director of high performance, said in a statement. “This will ensure the matches are well-contested and result-oriented, and the players get full opportunity to make the best of these games.”This will also help in narrowing the gap with our first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in which only the best of the best participate. We have also tried to streamline the player development and progression. Now, a talented U-19 cricketer will not have to wait until the next year before playing in the seniors’ competition.”I am sure that this year, we will see a few outstanding U-19 cricketers from the CCA, CA and National tournaments that will feature in the topline events, as the pathways events have been designed to lead into the main competitions.”The PCB has completed its review of all the coaches from last season and is set to announce the appraisals soon. The teams for each association will be selected next month.

Chelsea now want a Paris Saint-Germain star with a link to the club through midfielder Moises Caicedo, who happens to share the same agent as the Ligue 1 ace.

Chelsea considering new left-back for Enzo Maresca

While a lot of the talk has centered around Chelsea’s hunt for a new centre-back in January, leading to their serious interest in re-signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, it is also believed that a new left-back is on the agenda for 2025.

Chelsea told Kobbie Mainoo transfer stance after making first contact

The west Londoners are reported frontrunners to tempt him away from Old Trafford.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 9, 2025

Chelsea have held initial discussions with Palace over a deal for Guehi, according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, with one report from The Sun even claiming that BlueCo lodged a low-ball bid for the England international which was rejected out of hand.

The latter claim is yet to gain traction, but what appears to be certain is that Guehi is attracting serious interest from Chelsea as Enzo Maresca scours the market for a new central defender.

Injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile have exacerbated their need for another body in that area, but it is now claimed that Chelsea could even bring forward their plans to secure left-back cover.

Bournemouth (home)

January 14

Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)

January 20

Man City (away)

January 25

West Ham (away)

February 3

Brighton (away)

February 14

Chelsea have been monitoring Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez in that regard, with Phillips sharing via his Substack that a new full-back is now possible for this month.

Chelsea add PSG left-back Nuno Mendes to left-back shortlist

The reporter also states that PSG left-back Nuno Mendes has found his way on to their list of targets. The Portugal international, rumoured to command a price tag of around £58 million, is out of contract in 2026 and Luis Enrique’s side may be forced into making a tough decision on his long-term future soon.

The 22-year-old was forced to spend the majority of last season out with a hamstring injury, and appears to still be fighting to get back to his best. Mendes has been called one of the best left-backs in world football, though, and he’d be quite the signing for Chelsea in place of the exit-bound Ben Chilwell in that position.

Phillips writes that Chelsea have identified Mendes as a potential signing from PSG, and he interestingly employs the exact same representatives as midfield mainstay Caicedo (AS1), who helped to facilitate the Ecuadorian’s marquee move to Stamford Bridge from Brighton.

That being said, a new full-back in January will apparently depend on whether Renato Veiga leaves.

“Chelsea have many names on the left back shortlist, but the latest one we are now hearing about via a top SPTC source, is PSG’s Nuno Mendes,” wrote Phillips.

“The Portuguese international left back will have a year left on his current contract come the summer of 2025. You hear me speak about opportunities all the time, and there might be one here that Chelsea are looking at. But so are many other clubs, he has a lot of interest.

“So, new left backs will depend on the Veiga situation and whether he pushes to go out to play this month or not. Remember, there are a number of Chelsea fringe players who are frustrated with their current game time and could still push to go this month.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma única finalização em 90 minutos: a participação de Gabigol no jogo contra o Ceará, no sábado, é um dos sintomas do time que não evolui sob o comando de Paulo Sousa, mesmo com os principais nomes de ataque à disposição há mais de um mês. É um Flamengo de repertório ofensivo limitado, que não oferece chances ao camisa 9 no Brasileirão. São 13 finalizações (três certas) em seis jogos de Gabi.

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Titular em cinco rodadas, Gabigol ainda entrou aos 26 minutos do primeiro tempo contra o Athletico. Portanto, esteve em campo por 510 minutos, nos quais soma 10 finalizações erradas e três certas.

Vale ressaltar que o atacante é o segundo maior finalizador do time no campeonato, atrás apenas de Arrascaeta, com 18 (nove certas).

Em termos coletivos, o Flamengo aparece como terceiro time com mais finalizações até a manhã deste domingo, antes dos jogos da tarde pela sexta rodada. O time de Paulo Sousa, com 89 finalizações (37 certas), está atrás do Palmeiras, com 95, e do Atlético-MG (128).

Assim, a participação de Gabi nas partidas tem chamado atenção. O centroavante tem saído muito da área para buscar a bola na intermediária. Contra o Talleres, pela Libertadores, conseguiu ótima assistência para Pedro, mas no Brasileirão não tem sido eficiente.

Nas seis rodadas que disputou, Gabigol só tem uma participação direta: fez um dos gols da vitória por 3 a 1 sobre o São Paulo, no Maracanã. Contra Atlético-GO, Palmeiras, Athletico, Botafogo e Ceará, não balançou a rede ou deu assistência para os companheiros.

The allrounder was “shattered” to miss out on selection in Sri Lanka but is hoping to be part of the India tour next year

Alex Malcolm and Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Aug-2022

Glenn Maxwell doing fielding practice on the Test tour of Sri Lanka•Getty Images

Glenn Maxwell has revealed he was “shattered” to miss out on selection for Australia’s most recent Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, but it has only reignited his desire to play Test cricket again with a tour of India on the horizon early next year.Maxwell was a surprise call-up to Australia’s Test squad in Sri Lanka as cover for the injured Travis Head, after not being selected in the side initially. He had not played Test cricket since September 2017 and last played a first-class game in October 2019.Maxwell was close to playing in the first Test in Galle, but Head passed a fitness test and retained his place. He was even closer to playing in the second Test when it was revealed by skipper Pat Cummins that Maxwell was in line to play at No.8 in place of Mitchell Starc if the Galle pitch was going to be a duplicate of the surface used in the first Test.Related

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Progress made, but subcontinent cracks still present for Australia

But conditions changed significantly with a much more placid batting surface presented, and Maxwell missed out.”I was shattered when I got told,” Maxwell said about his exclusion from the second Test. “It wasn’t that I thought they made the wrong call, I was just genuinely disappointed.”I really wanted to play. I loved being a part of it [Test cricket], and I loved the thought of playing again.”Even not thinking about Test cricket for a couple of years, I felt like I was ready again. I loved working with the coaches and coming up with new tactics to deal with difficult spin bowling and balls exploding.”I’m glad Heady got through his fitness test because I’d have hated to be in because of an injury to one of your players. Unfortunately, they changed the conditions. If it was the same conditions for both Tests, I probably would have played. But they made a slightly better wicket, and the selectors made the right call.”I tried not to get too excited or get my hopes up too much because I know, having been in that situation so many times and been on the wrong side of it, the ups and downs of selection and the 50-50 calls … but yeah, I allowed myself to get a little bit too excited.”Glenn Maxwell hasn’t played Test cricket since 2017•AFP

Maxwell also revealed that he felt a lot more love and positivity around his possible Test recall than he had done in the past, even if he did lament that his batting style wasn’t more accepted when he was around the Test team between 2014 and 2017.”It’s certainly nice to have support, where I feel like I probably didn’t have that in the early days of my Test career,” Maxwell said. “It was probably the other way around, where it was just like, no, can’t have this guy in the team. So it’s sort of nice to see it change. When I came back into the side in 2017, it felt like there was a real shift of positivity coming my way, which was rare.”For so long, whenever I played a reverse sweep, it was frowned upon and it’s become a staple of Test cricket wherever you play in the world. Everyone plays it.”So it’s like, where was this six years ago? It would have been nice when I was playing, if people would have looked at me and gone, oh, visionary [laughs]. Uzzie [Usman Khawaja] plays 300 of them, and he’s a superstar, [he] gets 150 and like, [we] bow down to him.”Maxwell is now firmly in line to play in the four-Test tour of India next year, particularly after Head’s lean tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka where his highest score was 26 in five Tests. Head now averages just 21.30 in Asia from seven Tests and has passed 50 only once. Maxwell has played all seven of his Tests in Asia and averages just 26.07 there. He has also passed 50 just once, but he made a superb century in Ranchi on Australia’s last Test tour of India in 2017.The balance of right and left-handers in Australia’s top seven will be important against the left-arm orthodox of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, and the right-arm offspin of R Ashwin.Maxwell’s experience facing all three in India, across red and white-ball cricket, will no doubt give him an advantage from a selection standpoint. He revealed the Australia selectors have spoken to him about what specific preparation would be best for him ahead of the India tour and he stressed, as he has previously, that playing Sheffield Shield cricket on Australian pitches will not help.”They sort of just asked what do you need to get ready and would Shield cricket make a difference? I said no, it won’t,” Maxwell said. “Because the conditions are just so different over there. It’s certainly hard to prepare for spinning tracks in Australia during our first-class games.”I think we’re able to still get nets up in Melbourne that can spin and do some different things. Last year I had a pre-season at Junction Oval, where we would use the same pitches, maybe four or five net sessions in a row and by the fifth net session they were basically India. And it was awesome. They were the best net sessions I had. Because I was going away, I think at that stage, the next subcontinent tour, it might have been the IPL and it was awesome. It was the perfect prep, and I had no excuses, I suppose, going into the next series.”

Liverpool fans believe the Reds used Mohamed Salah's extension to fire shots at Trent Alexander-Arnold, as a free transfer to Real Madrid nears.

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Salah has penned a new deal at Anfield Liverpool put out a cheeky social media postFans believe it is a dig at Trent Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds have successfully secured the future of their talismanic forward, Salah, quashing months of speculation regarding his potential departure. The 32-year-old Egyptian international was previously set to see his contract expire at the end of the 2024-25 season, sparking numerous rumors linking him to various European giants. Although the official announcement only confirmed that he would remain beyond next season, reports suggest the new terms extend his stay by another two years – taking him up to a full decade in a Liverpool shirt since arriving from Roma in 2017.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Soon after revealing Salah’s contract extension, Liverpool shared a cryptic message on social media: "More in than out." The seemingly simple phrase immediately caught the attention of fans, some of whom suggested it carried a deeper, possibly pointed meaning directed at Alexander-Arnold. The Liverpool-born defender has allegedly declined to open talks over a new deal and is widely expected to complete a move to Real Madrid this summer.

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

One supporter took to X (formerly Twitter) to suggest that the post was a not-so-subtle jab at Alexander-Arnold.

@Okayy_Dan wrote: "'"More in than out' is definitely a dig at Trent. Love it."

Not all fans agreed with that interpretation, however. Another user stepped in to offer an alternative explanation, pointing to Salah’s own comments from late 2024. Back in November, Salah had publicly expressed concern about his contract situation, admitting he felt uncertain about staying at the club.

Salah said: “We are almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club. I’m probably more out than in. You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future.”

@Dom_1810 who remember those words argue that the phrase "More in than out" is in fact a reference to Salah’s own journey, highlighting how his situation has now turned around with a contract finally agreed upon.

He wrote: "It’s not. It refers to Salah’s interview a few months ago when he was frustrated about the lack of movement in his contract renewal and said he was more out than in."

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ECSTASY IN MERSEYSIDE

Liverpool fans were on cloud nine after Salah's extension was announced.

@edem_DemsLfc wrote: "Build him a statue in the centre of the Liverpool City."

Whereas, @C2Dougie wrote: "Premier League on notice – the goals, the assists, the menace aren’t going anywhere."

Meanwhile, @AnfieldRd96 suggested: "Trent can also give his vice captaincy to Salah right now, please."

@joe_boyersLFC opined: "Salah understands the city more than Trent."

While, @NomadicUser chose sarcasm and wrote: "Shout out to Trent for freeing up the wage bill."

Newcastle United return to action in the Premier League this evening as they prepare to welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to St. James’ Park.

A win for the hosts would send them into the top four and above Chelsea after the Blues were held to a 2-2 draw by Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

Eddie Howe’s side head into this clash with struggling Wolves off the back of a 3-1 win over League Two side Bromley in the FA Cup last time out, thanks to goals from Lewis Miley, Anthony Gordon, and Will Osula.

Whilst the English head coach will be keenly focused on getting results in the Premier League as the Magpies go in search of Champions League qualification for a second time in his tenure, he will also have one eye on the market.

The January transfer window has been open for two weeks now and Newcastle could look to bolster their squad, or put in the work ahead of doing deals in the summer.

In fact, the Magpies are reportedly interested in signing a player from one of their Premier League rivals, but it may be a deal that drags on to the end of the season.

Newcastle interested in Premier League forward

Speaking on The United Stand, as relayed by The Boot Room, journalist Ben Jacobs claimed that Newcastle are keen on a swoop for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.

The reporter has revealed that the Magpies have made an approach to sign the Cameroon international, but they are not planning to make a bid for him in the current transfer window.

Jacobs said: “Brentford don’t want to sell, that is the first thing. Newcastle are the only team who have made any sort of concrete approach, no bid for January, but they’re looking at Mbeumo for over the summer.”

The journalist went on to add that Manchester United may have the left-footed dynamo on their shortlist of targets because of Dan Ashworth’s short time with the club, as Mbuemo was also one of his targets during his spell with the Magpies.

Ahead of the January transfer window, Football Insider reported that Liverpool and Arsenal are also interested in signing the 25-year-old star, who is valued at around £60m by Brentford.

Transfer Focus

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

This suggests that Newcastle could face some serious competition for his signature at the end of the season, if the Reds and the Gunners retain their interest and make a move for him in the summer.

It also shows how much the Magpies could need to splash out to secure his services and it remains to be seen whether or not the club are willing to pay that kind of money for him.

The board should sanction a £60m swoop for the Bees sensation, though, because he could be Howe’s own version of Liverpool and Premier League superstar Mohamed Salah.

Bryan Mbeumo compared to Mo Salah

Last month, Mbeumo produced a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over Newcastle in the top-flight and talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy described him as a “mini-Salah” in his analysis of the match.

Both Mbeumo and Salah are similar in style as left-footed attackers who predominantly play on the right wing and look to cut inside onto their stronger foot to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

As you can see in the chart above, ‘mini-Salah’ is an accurate description of the Brentford forward because he is statistically similar to the Liverpool star in terms of style, but the Egypt international’s output in front of goal is significantly greater.

The former Chelsea attacker has racked up a staggering 18 goals and 13 assists in 20 appearances in the Premier League this season, leading the division in both statistics.

Salah provides a consistent threat in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals and Newcastle have not had that in the right wing position for a number of years.

Whilst they are not going to tempt the Egypt international to make the switch from Merseyside to Tyneside, Howe could land the club’s own mini-version of the superstar by signing Mbeumo.

Why Newcastle should sign Bryan Mbeumo

The Magpies could improve their team by swooping to sign the £60m-rated attacker in the summer ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, when they will, hopefully, have Premier League and Champions League football on offer.

Jacob Murphy has been the first-choice option for Howe on the right flank so far this season and the former Norwich man has provided a big threat as a creator, with nine ‘big chances’ created for the team in 17 appearances.

However, the 29-year-old attacker has only scored three goals in those 17 matches and Newcastle could upgrade their frontline by bringing in a forward who offers more as a goalscorer week-in-week-out.

Murphy has only scored 14 goals in 167 Premier League appearances for the club to date and Mbeumo has already managed 13 goals in the division just this season, whilst playing in the same position.

Appearances

21

17

xG

6.56

2.32

Goals

13

3

Big chances created

10

9

Key passes per game

2.0

1.3

As you can see in the table above, the Brentford star has significantly outperformed the Newcastle winger in the top-flight this term, with 23 goals and ‘big chances’ created compared to Murphy’s 12.

He is in the best form of his Premier League career, with a tally of 13 goals, but also carried a big goal threat in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns for the Bees, hitting 18 league goals across both seasons combined.

These statistics suggest that Mbeumo, who could be Howe’s own mini-Salah cutting in from the right wing, could be a big upgrade on Murphy as a scorer and a creator of goals, to improve Newcastle’s chances of winning matches by providing a bigger threat in the final third.

At the age of 25, the Cameroon international is also four years younger than the Englishman and could come in with development still to go through with the help of Howe’s coaching, which means that he could be a fantastic long-term addition as well as an immediate upgrade for the team.

Newcastle chasing big £34m Pope upgrade who's the "best GK on the market"

Newcastle are in the market for a new goalkeeper, looking to upgrade Nick Pope, while Martin Dúbravka is seemingly on his way to the Saudi Pro League.

Jan 14, 2025

Liverpool turn their attention away from the Champions League and back to the Premier League this weekend as they prepare to travel to face Bournemouth away from home.

The Reds are six points clear at the top of the table ahead of their trip to the Vitality Stadium and will go nine points clear with a win over the Cherries, as Arsenal do not play Manchester City until Sunday.

Arne Slot’s side come into this match off the back of a 3-2 defeat to PSV, with a much-changed squad, last time out, but did beat Ipswich 4-1 in their last top-flight clash.

The Reds will be focused on picking up all three points against an in-form Bournemouth team, that beat Nottingham Forest 5-0 next weekend, and there may not be much attention being paid to the January transfer window, which slams shut on Monday.

Slot revealed, in an interview with the BBC, that he is happy with his current squad but that there is work going on behind the scenes to identify targets for the summer window, to ensure that they have enough options to compete on all fronts next season.

This ties in with one of the most recent transfer links that has emerged for the Premier League leaders, as they are reportedly eyeing a player ahead of a move at the end of the season.

Liverpool's interest in Bundesliga starlet

According to BILD reporter Christian Falk, Liverpool are one of a number of clubs keeping an eye on Xavi Simons’ situation with German side RB Leipzig.

The reporter claims that the Reds, Manchester United, and Manchester City are all monitoring the Netherlands international with a view to making a move for him at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Falk reports that the three Premier League teams have shown an interest in the Dutch playmaker, despite his permanent transfer to RB Leipzig from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain only going through this week.

The German journalist adds that the Bundesliga outfit are willing to listen to offers for the attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window, which will be just five months after their deal to sign him permanently from PSG, having spent the past 18 months on loan with Leipzig.

He also reveals that they would be open to a fee of up to €80m (£67m) for the Dutchman and that his new contract with the German side is due to expire in the summer of 2027.

Transfer Focus

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Giving a 21-year-old player of Simons’ talent a two-and-a-half-year contract may indicate that selling him on for a profit has been the plan all along, as it seems strange not to want to tie him down to a four or five-year deal to secure his future at the club.

Signing the Dutch starlet may not be at the top of Liverpool’s agenda for the summer, however, as they still need to agree a new contract with Mohamed Salah.

Why Liverpool have to keep hold of Mo Salah

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s matches, Slot once again confirmed that the club want the Egypt international to put pen to paper on an extension with the Reds, as his current deal is due to expire at the end of the season.

Earlier this month, TEAMtalk reported that Salah wants a three-year extension on £400k-per-week wages, making him the highest earner in the club’s history, and that his preference is to remain at Anfield, but there is yet to be an agreement with Liverpool on those terms.

The board must be as flexible as possible to reach an agreement with Salah and his representatives because there is no getting away from how important he is to Slot.

24/25 Premier League

Mo Salah

Club rank

Goals

19

1st

Assists

13

1st

Key passes per game

2.3

1st

Big chances created

17

1st

Dribbles completed per game

1.7

1st

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea and Roma man currently leads the team in pretty much every meaningful attacking statistic, with more goals, assists, ‘big chances’ created, key passes, and dribbles completed than any other player in the squad.

This illustrates just how influential the left-footed forward is for Liverpool and why losing him on a free transfer in the summer would be a huge blow for Slot and the club, which is also why it is so important that they manage to agree a new deal with him.

If the Reds can secure Salah’s long-term future at Anfield then they could also bring in Simons to be a dream addition for the Egyptian star next season and beyond.

Why Xavi Simons would be a dream for Mo Salah

As aforementioned, the Liverpool legend is currently the biggest contributor as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Premier League for the team this season.

This means that he has to carry the side from a goalscoring and a creative perspective, which may prove to be too much work moving forward – even in the second half of this season – to maintain consistently.

Therefore, signing a player with the quality to take some of that load away from Salah’s shoulders could be a dream for the winger, which is why he could love the addition of Simons from Leipzig in the summer.

The Netherlands international, who analyst Ben Mattinson claimed is “destined for greatness”, has missed 13 games with an ankle injury so far this season, but has still managed four goals and six ‘big chances’ created in 11 appearances in the Bundesliga.

23/24 Bundesliga

Xavi Simons

Appearances

32

Goals

8

Big chances created

14

Key passes per game

2.5

Assists

11

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Simons was a regular starter for Leipzig in the 2023/24 campaign and showcased his creative quality week-in-week-out in the German top-flight.

The 21-year-old, who can play out wide or in the middle as an attacking midfielder, is a star who has the ability to take on some of the responsibility that Salah currently has creatively, freeing him up to focus more on scoring goals.

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Simons could, therefore, be a terrific signing for Liverpool to be the creative hub of the team, creating ‘big chances’ and providing key passes consistently to the likes of Salah and Cody Gakpo in the final third.

While there is still every chance that Arsenal can turn around their current form and finally win the Premier League this season, that is starting to feel more and more of a distant possibility with every passing game.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been almost faultless for the last two seasons, but so far this year, injuries, suspensions, and a blunt attack have seen them fall off the pace in the league and face the prospect of elimination from the League Cup at the hands of Newcastle United.

However, despite how gloomy things might look at this current moment, the Gunners remain a sensational football team, and with players such as Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, there is every chance they will come back stronger next season and finally haul themselves over the finishing line.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the club’s number one transfer target for the summer could be just the player to help them do that, a player so sublime that he’d help the irrepressible Saka reach another level as well.

Arsenal chase dream teammate for Saka

According to a recent report from former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown via Football Insider, Arsenal have maintained their significant interest in Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

Brown goes a step further, revealing that the Gunners have identified the Swedish goal machine as their “first choice” striker target for the summer window.

Moreover, while Brown explains the Toon’s desire to keep the former Real Sociedad star beyond the summer, he claims that the North Londoners are “determined” to bring him to the Emirates.

If Arteta and Co get their man, it’ll cost a pretty penny, with reports from earlier this month claiming his price tag could be as high as £150m.

Now, while that is undoubtedly an extraordinary amount of money for a single player, it could prove worth it given his sensational ability, especially as he could help Saka reach another level entirely.

How Isak would make Saka better

Okay, so while there are likely a myriad of reasons why Isak could help Saka reach another level, from how he trains to his attitude on the pitch and in the dressing room, there is one primary reason: his output.

Simply put, the “world-class” marksman, as dubbed by manager Eddie Howe, is such an incredibly dangerous player in front of, or practically anywhere near, the goal that he’d undoubtedly send the Englishman’s numbers to the moon.

For example, just this season alone, the Swedish “nightmare,” as dubbed by Alan Shearer, has racked up an outrageous tally of 15 goals and four assists in 22 appearances, which equates to an absurd average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games.

Isak vs Havertz vs Jesus 24/25
Player	Isak	Havertz	Jesus
Appearances	22	26	26
Goals	15	12	7
Assists	4	3	2
Goal Involvements Per Match	0.86	0.57	0.34
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, Kai Havertz has done reasonably well in racking up a haul of 12 goals and three assists in 26 appearances, while Gabriel Jesus has been less effective, racking up seven goals and two assists in as many appearances.

Now, while neither of these returns are abysmal, they aren’t spectacular either, and at an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games for Havertz and every 2.88 games for Jesus, neither one is remotely close to what the Solna-born superstar is capable of.

Moreover, the Gunners’ strikers were able to achieve their level of output with a significant helping hand from Saka, who, prior to his hamstring injury, was on fire, racking up a world-class haul of nine goals and 13 assists in 24 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.09 games.

Just imagine what the Newcastle star would be capable of playing alongside a winger as productive and creative as the Hale Ender, and then you may understand why we think it would be a partnership that would see both players reach stratospheric heights.

Ultimately, signing Isak in the summer will cost Arsenal an arm and a leg, but given just how deadly he has been this season and the potential of how much better he could be with the likes of Saka and Odegaard around him, it may just be worth breaking the bank for him.

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