Everton: Dyche Can Ditch Maupay By Signing £33k-p/w "Nightmare" At Goodison Park

An update has emerged on Everton and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Alfredo Morelos to Everton?

Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra has claimed that the Toffees are one of the clubs showing an interest in signing Colombian centre-forward Alfredo Morelos.

The reporter tweeted:

"Alfredo Morelos (26) and #Rangers did not reach a renewal agreement; everything is given for him to be a free agent from July 1. #Sevilla, #Cádiz, #Everton #Nottingham and #Fenerbahçe the first interested parties. There is also an Italian club that wants it."

Toffees boss Sean Dyche will now have to convince the soon-to-be-former Gers marksman to reject a host of other teams in order to secure his signature for the 2023/24 campaign.

Will Neal Maupay leave Everton this summer?

The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Serie A outfit Salernitana and the Blues head coach bringing Morelos in would surely allow him to sanction such a move, thus ruthlessly ditch the expensive dud.

Signing another striker to occupy one of the forward slots in the team would open the door for Dyche to kick Neal Maupay out of the club, after his dreadful season at Goodison Park.

Everton striker Neal Maupay.

The 26-year-old flop joined from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of £15m last summer and endured a rough campaign in front of goal for the Toffees.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.56 across 27 appearances in the Premier League and only contributed with one goal, as the misfiring striker failed to register a single assist or create a 'big chance' for his teammates. Maupay also missed seven 'big chances' and this proves that the service into him was not the reason behind his severe lack of goals in the division.

Morelos is yet to experience football in England and there is certainly no guarantee that he will be able to translate his form at Ibrox over to Goodison Park, but his form in Scotland suggests that the potential is there for him to be a big upgrade on Maupay.

The £33k-per-week international plundered an eye-catching 124 goals and 58 assists across 269 appearances for the Light Blues during his time at Ibrox.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the 26-year-old goal machine averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 in the Scottish Premiership and chipped in with 11 goals and five assists in 32 appearances, despite only having started 15 matches.

Morelos, who was anonymously described as a "nightmare for defenders" by one of his SPFL opponents, has been a reliable goalscorer, and provider, throughout his years in Scotland and Dyche could now be handed a perfect reason to ruthlessly axe Maupay by bringing the prolific striker in to take his place in the squad.

"Great" West Ham player could leave after refusing new contract

West Ham United have surprised plenty of neutrals this season, remaining unbeaten in the opening four Premier League games, with only Manchester City earning more points than David Moyes' side.

Those at the London Stadium will just be hoping that the international break didn't halt their momentum entirely, and they simply pick up where they left off, starting with a clash against the treble winners at the top of the league table.

It hasn't been an international break full of good news, either, with reports emerging that one key player is now refusing a contract extension, casting doubts over his West Ham future.

What's the latest West Ham United news?

Since losing Declan Rice to Arsenal for a reported £105m in the summer transfer window, West Ham have done well to pick themselves back up, both on and off the pitch.

Only time will tell, of course, whether their spending proves to be smart, but on paper the arrivals of the likes of Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, and Edson Alvarez all coming through the door certainly looks like solid business.

The focus now may well be on keeping hold of the players, given that they've just bid farewell to Rice in the summer transfer window. Unfortunately for the Hammers, though, they could be set to suffer another blow.

According to Sean Whetstone, via West Ham Football, Pablo Fornals has decided not to extend his contract at the London Stadium. West Ham Football Tweeted: "Hammer Pablo Fornals has decided NOT to take up an unilateral option to extend his contract at West Ham, nor has he agreed to sign a new contract meaning he will be free to leave next summer.

"Fornals signed a five-year contract in 2019 which will expire next June. He cost the Hammers £24m with up to £6m add-ons. Fornals has made 184 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions."

How has Pablo Fornals performed this season?

West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals.

It would be some blow for West Ham if Fornals not only left, but left as a free agent next summer. The midfielder is still an important part of Moyes' side, having featured in all four Premier League games so far this season, with the London club leaving many impressed in the last month or so.

When on form, the Spaniard has deservedly received plenty of praise, including from Moyes, who said, via the official West Ham website: "Pablo is a player that we really like. He is a great energetic player who does great work for the team, and he also has a knack for coming up with goals. There was the one at Bournemouth and in the semi-final. He has been a great team player over the last two years, and I have really enjoyed working with him. He is a great boy.”

With that said, it will certainly be interesting to see how the Hammers act when the January transfer window comes around. With Fornals on course to leave for free next summer, they may yet decide to cash in on the midfielder, who has been at the club for four years now.

Most famous fans: Which celebrities support Newcastle United

Newcastle United are back in their pomp and enjoying life at the top end of the Premier League table. It is a great time to be a fan of the club and there certainly are a lot of famous people who fit into that category.The St. James’ Park faithful are renowned up and down the country for being one of the most fierce fanbases in English football. This list goes well beyond Tyneside though, with Newcastle having fans from all over the world.Of course there are local heroes who have always followed the clubs but like with Katy Perry supporting West Ham United and Jay-Z being a big Arsenal follower, people from all corners of the globe can pledge themselves to some of the best Premier League teams.Closer to home there is the man himself Alan Shearer, a legend for the club and someone who was first and foremost, a fan. Here are just some of the icons from the world of music to politics who follow the Magpies that we at Football FanCast have gathered, via The Shields Gazette.

Chris Eubank

The list gets off to a powerful start with the softly-spoken, hard-hitting Chris Eubank. He is one of several sporting legends that has been previously spotted in the stands at St. James’.Eubank was born in Dulwich, South London and so his footballing allegiance may come as a surprise to some. Not only this but he lives in Brighton and his son Chris Eubank Jnr is a vocal Manchester United supporter.Eubank Snr was a champion at middleweight and super-middleweight with one of his biggest fights seeing him cross paths with a fellow Newcastle fan in the form of Welshman Joe Calzaghe.We’re sure that father and son have had some heated exchanges over the years when their two teams have gone head-to-head.

Gabby Logan

Remaining in the world of sport with one of the most recognisable faces and voices on television. Gabby Logan was recently at the fore of the BBC’s coverage of a historic Women’s World Cup over in Australia and New Zealand.Football isn't all Logan is known for either when it comes to presenting with tennis and athletics also being a part of her repertoire.Given her brilliance in front of the camera, many would forget that she herself was a competitor as a gymnast.Her support of Newcastle is just as interesting as Eubank’s given that she was born in Leeds and is Welsh, although her presenting career did begin in that area of the country. Her first game was a 1-0 victory over Everton in the early 1990s and her support may well stem from a boyfriend she had during her time at Durham University.

Sam Fender

From sports to music now and you just have to hear Sam Fender talk to know which club he supports.The peak of his excellent career to date will surely be performing at his beloved St. James’ Park earlier this year. It had always been a dream of his and the city was in an overjoyed mood when the day finally came around.Just days after the sold out shows on hallowed turf were announced, he was actually a guest of honour for a home game against Crystal Palace, a clash which ended goalless.It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him perform there again and his music will continue to be blasted out of the speakers on matchday.

Cam Norrie

Returning to the world of sports and this time to tennis, with Cam Norrie.Norrie was born in Johannesburg, South Africa but is a British tennis star, ranking number 1 for nearly two years now following on from the dominance of Andy Murray.His allegiances are wide-ranging given that his dad is from Glasgow and his mum is from Cardiff. Beyond this, he supports an Australian rugby league team, the New Zealand All Blacks and then Eddie Howe’s Magpies too.

Matty Healy

Sam Fender is probably the biggest solo artist of this generation to support Newcastle United whilst Matty Healy is probably the biggest member of a band of this generation to support them.The controversial frontman of The 1975 whose parents are TV stars Denise Welch and Tim Healy, he is never far from the headlines.Both Tim and Denise originally hail from the Newcastle area and so it doesn’t come as a massive surprise that the club they support has been passed down through the family to The 1975 star. As is the case with Sam Fender, the band have been on tour and as well as visiting The 02 and Finsbury Park, they also performed at St. James’ Park so it has been a big year for local talent.

Tony Blair

Making a swift transition into the world of politics and there are a few names of note in this field who support Newcastle.Matt Hancock and former Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva are two such names and a third is Tony Blair. He was Prime Minister of England from 1997 to 2007 and since childhood has been a follower of the Magpies.Hancock is more in the headlines at the moment than Tony Blair but the latter can still be occasionally spotted in the stands alongside other big names.

Cheryl

Another famous Geordie who follows their hometown club is the legendary singer Cheryl, who needs no introduction.She rose to fame as a member of Girls Aloud and has been a judge on The X Factor and The Greatest Days since she took a step back from her singing days.In the footballing world, some will know her better for when she was married to Chelsea and Arsenal fullback Ashley Cole but in her own right, she has performed at the ground and been there many, many times too.If you weren’t sure of Cheryl’s links to Newcastle United, the fans have sung songs with her name in over the years which very few people who aren’t players can boast.

Sting

There is clearly a strong link between famous musicians and Newcastle United with the final singer to feature on this list being the one and only Sting. Prior to launching his solo career, Sting, real name Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, was the frontman of The Police.Some of their best-known songs include ‘Every Breath You Take’, ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ and ‘Message In A Bottle’. The band’s success is there for all to see and Sting having 17 Grammy Awards to his name is no mean feat at all.Sting was born in Wallsend which is just a few miles away from Newcastle, making sense of his allyship. He has been spotted at games alongside a good friend of his, Jimmy Nail, who is also a musician as well as being a prominent actor as well.

Malala Yousafzai

The most shocking and surprising name to feature on this list is without a doubt, Malala Yousafzai.Malala is the world’s youngster ever Nobel Prize winner at just 17, having won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. She has become a major figure for social change in the last decade or so and is a major advocate for a number of causes, the most notable being against the Pakistani Taliban in her home country.Her husband Asser Malik tweeted the following last year, "I’ve proudly supported Newcastle United since childhood and have always been fascinated by its fan base. Thank you to the club for inviting me to experience this surreal atmosphere at St. James’ Park."This points towards her following of Newcastle coming from her partner and she is certainly one of the most famous faces to grace the St. James’ Park stands.

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (Ant and Dec)

There isn’t anyone as synonymous with the club when it comes to non-footballing fans than the presenting duo of all presenting duos, Ant and Dec.Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are television royalty having presented “Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway”, “I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” and “Britain's Got Talent” to name just a few of their best-known shows.When watching Newcastle on the TV, the cameras regularly pan to this double-act in the stands and whereas previously they would be grimacing a lot, nowadays there is more reason to smile for both of them as well as the St. James’ Park faithful.Ant and Dec met as child actors and have since been inseparable both on and off of the screen, it is difficult to find one without the other!

Others

These are just 10, well 11 actually, famous Newcastle United fans. There are so many others who haven’t been mentioned here and so coming up next is just some of the honourable mentions.AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, another musician in Mark Knopfler, TV presenter Matt Baker, singer James Bay, actor Robson Green, English cricket duo Steve Harmison and Graeme Swann, acting legend Brian Blessed and the hilarious Asim Chaudhry are just some of the other people in the public who don the black and white of Newcastle Un

Man United Want To Sign £60m Premier League Magician

Manchester United are reportedly among the clubs who are interested in signing Leicester City playmaker, James Maddison, with the Englishman looking set for a summer exit from the King Power Stadium.

What's the latest on James Maddison's future?

According to The Telegraph, the Red Devils – as well as both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur – are said to be keen on signing the 26-year-old, with the report suggesting that it is now looking 'inevitable' that the former Norwich City man will move on at the end of the season.

The piece adds that the two-cap ace 'is set to be sold' even if the struggling Foxes are able to stave off relegation, with any potential suitor needing to cough up between £45m and £60m if they are to secure his services, with just over a year left to run on the player's current deal.

The Coventry-born gem does appear to have been a long-term target for those at Old Trafford, with Manchester Evening News reporting back in February 2020 that Maddison was the club's 'prime playmaker target' for that forthcoming summer, with the player himself said to have been keen to make the switch.

How would Maddison fit in at Man United?

While the highly-coveted talent is part of a Leicester side that has been desperately underwhelming this season – with a return to the second tier potentially on the cards for the Midlands side – the midfield maestro has still been something of a shining light, with nine goals and seven assists in 25 Premier League games so far this term.

That follows what was a standout 2021/22 campaign for the clinical "magician" – as hailed by Statman Dave – as he contributed 30 goals and assists in 53 games across all fronts, including 20 goal involvements in the top flight alone.

Although Maddison has done much of his damage off the flanks of late, the versatile asset could also slot into Erik ten Hag's side in a creative, midfield berth, ensuring he could represent a potential upgrade on experienced ace, Christian Eriksen.

Leicester City's James Maddison

There's no denying that the latter man has been an astute capture since his free transfer arrival last summer – having racked up two goals and nine assists in 38 appearances to date – although there may be concerns over the 31-year-old's ability to be a long-term solution in midfield, particularly amid his recent, difficult return from injury.

The Denmark international was notably replaced on the hour mark in the FA Cup semi-final clash with Brighton and Hove Albion after being restricted to just 26 touches on the day, while having also 'shook his head in frustration at his own performance' against Aston Villa on Sunday, according to MEN's Samuel Luckhurst.

As such, turning to Maddison could potentially represent something of a long-term, midfield upgrade, with the England international's dynamic quality showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 12% among his European peers for progressive carries and the top 17% for successful take-ons, while Eriksen, by contrast, ranks in just the top 35% and the bottom 19% for those same two metrics, respectively.

Equally, Maddison's innate creativity is showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes received – further rubberstamping his forward-thinking and probing approach – while the current United man ranks in just the top 33% in that regard.

The Leicester sensation also potentially offers more in a defensive sense having averaged 1.6 tackles per game in the league this season, while Eriksen has averaged just 0.6 for that same metric, further proving what a potential upgrade Maddison could be for Ten Hag.

Arsenal: Gunners "Pushing Hard" For "Big Game" Signing

Arsenal are still "also pushing very hard" to sign Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan despite the advanced reports involving Barcelona, according to an update out of Spain.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

Mikel Arteta's side have many plates spinning as they attempt to bolster their ranks for the 2022/2023 Premier League season, with midfield additions and forward reinforcements in the pipeline.

West Ham star Declan Rice is a player of serious interest with Arsenal already having multiple bids rejected for the England international, though they remain determined to complete a deal and talks are ongoing (Dharmesh Sheth).

Meanwhile, the Gunners are believed to be nearing the capture of Chelsea star Kai Havertz, with reliable journalist David Ornstein confirming as much just today.

Lavia of Southampton is also apparently "most likely" to join Arsenal despite interest from Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Gundogan, who is out of contract at the end of this month, has been heavily linked with a move to north London too.

Man City's Ilkay Gundogan

The Germany international commented on his future recently amid links to Borussia Dortmund, saying there are talks happening behind-the-scenes.

"Of course I have a strong connection to Dortmund. I wasn’t surprised those rumours came up," said Gundogan.

"But the probability wasn’t too high for me. It wasn’t a big issue for me to return to the Bundesliga.

"Basically, there is no decision yet. Talks are going on in the background."

Both Arsenal and Barcelona are major suitors for the 32-year-old, who played a real role in helping City achieve monumental treble-win.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Gunners are "also pushing very hard" for his signing alongside Barca, despite Gundogan sending "positive messages" to the La Liga champions.

They say those at Camp Nou are still awaiting a definitive decision from him, meaning Arteta's side are still firm contenders to steal him away despite reports this week suggesting he is on the verge of a deal with Barca.

How many goals has Gundogan scored for Man City?

Over his 300+ plus appearances in sky blue, Gundogan has racked up an impressive 60 goals and 40 assists, highlighting his real threat in the final third.

However, his real strength is making a mark on the big occasion, having most recently bagged a brace in the FA Cup final to seal an all-important victory over rivals Man United – a win which helped them clinch their treble.

He scored many crucial goals on City's way to retaining their Premier League title as well, leaving little wonder journalists have described Gundogan as "one of the most underrated big game players ever".

Tottenham Could Secure ‘Monster’ £130m Kane Replacement

Tottenham Hotspur were likely shocked to the core when Bayern Munich submitted their offer for Harry Kane, with Daniel Levy probably assuming most would be put off by the ludicrous £200m price tag that was placed upon his head.

The chairman has remained staunch on his stance regarding the England captain, and having rejected that first advance from the Germans, he stuck to his word.

However, with news continuing that a second bid will come, it seems that now a decision must be made on whether to cash in on the 29-year-old now or lose him for free next summer when his contract comes to a conclusion.

Should he opt for the former, perhaps he could seek to reinvest those funds in the future of his number nine position, handing Ange Postecoglou the tools necessary to truly kickstart his revolution in north London.

He will need more than the initial €70m (£60m) that the Bavarian giants offered though if he is to secure the £130m that Napoli will demand for Victor Osimhen. Despite that, the Lilywhites remain one of the listed interested parties in the striker.

Is Victor Osimhen better than Harry Kane?

Across Europe, there were few front-men who could compete with the imperious form of Kane as he found the net on 30 occasions in the league despite his club being in turmoil.

In fact, he even ranked second in the race for the European Golden Shoe, of which Erling Haaland unsurprisingly stands way out in front. However, just three places behind the £200k-per-week finisher is the Nigeria international, showcasing how the 24-year-old is not far behind the levels that the Spurs favourite has reached.

The former LOSC Lille marksman hit 26 Serie A goals last term alongside notching five assists, with his raw physicality offering a completely different style to Kane's. Journalist Colin Udoh had even branded the former a "monster of a player" as if to further emphasise this point.

It could be argued that given the relentless press Postecoglou will attempt to implement in north London, Osimhen even offers an upgrade on his technically-exceptional but somewhat sluggish current option.

The presence of this 6 foot 1 star in a title-winning side will likely also interest Levy too, as he desperately seeks to add some silverware to end the stigma surrounding his club.

harry-kane-tottenham-hotspur

Kane has spent 11 long years as a senior player in the capital, with little to show for it except for his chance to break the all-time Premier League scoring record.

However, should he turn that down in favour of guaranteed trophies in Germany, Postecoglou can be safe in the knowledge that, should they choose Osimhen as his replacement, he will see little downturn in terms of goalscoring.

Fabrizio Romano: Big Man United deal is now "very close"

Manchester United's deal to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is still "absolutely on and absolutely close to being completed" despite reports suggesting otherwise, claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Andre Onana coming to Manchester United?

United have been making positive steps in the transfer window so far this summer, starting with the signing of Chelsea's academy star and former poster boy Mason Mount for a fee reported to be just £55m.

However, it was the goalkeeping position that needed the most attention after another poor season from David De Gea made his position as the club's number one increasingly untenable, and with his recent departure from Old Trafford, the need became even more acute.

Luckily, the Red Devils appear to have made good progress on their deal to sign Cameroon international Onana, with Fabrizio Romano reporting last week that the player had agreed to personal terms with the three-time European champions.

That said, the deal has been held up somewhat as United and Inter butt heads over the final fee for the player, with the Daily Mail reporting that the Italian giants want £51m for their star man, whereas Erik ten Hag's side refuse to go above £43m.

This was followed by an update from Rudy Galetti who stated that there has been an apparent breakthrough made, as they've verbally agreed a fee but final details are still being discussed.

However, these sorts of disagreements and delays are to be expected in deals of this magnitude, and fans shouldn't be too worried about the deal falling through as the next round of talks are expected to begin on Thursday, per Fabrizio Romano.

Andre Onana Chelsea target

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel:

"I am told that on Thursday, so in the next 24 hours, there will be a new round of talks to try and get this deal done. So, waiting for this new round of talks and waiting for the Andre Onana deal to be completed.

"It was a tense day yesterday (Wednesday) in terms of exchange between the two clubs, but the deal remains absolutely on and absolutely close to being completed, so this is a normal exchange at this stage of the deal when both sides are trying to have the best advantage on this situation.

"So, deal on and Thursday new talks to get it done, but Andre Onana remains very close to Manchester United."

Is Andre Onana a big upgrade on David De Gea?

The "masterful goalkeeper", as described by his former and potential future boss, ten Hag, is coming in to replace a former Premier League-winning goalkeeper, but how does he stack up to him?

In terms of their performances in their domestic leagues last season, the Inter man slightly edges it with an average rating of 7.13 from Sofascore. In contrast, the former Atletico man averaged just 6.96.

When it came to shot-stopping, again, Onana came out slightly ahead with a save percentage of 72% in the league to De Gea's 70%.

Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The biggest point of difference is in their passing ability. Where the 32-year-old could only average a passing accuracy of 68%, the 27-year-old achieved a pass accuracy of 79% in Serie A.

A final important difference is that, according to Sofascore, the Spaniard made two errors that directly led to a goal last season. In contrast, the former Ajax star didn't make a single error that directly led to a goal in the league for Inter.

United should do all they can to sign the keeper that former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop claimed "ticks all the boxes."

Liverpool: Reds star is now worth £38m more than when they signed him

For all the illustrious success of the Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool, there are few of a Reds fellowship who will not acknowledge that the journey under the German’s stewardship has not been tumultuous.

Liverpool’s success is steeped in sagacious work, from the furrowed brows of those in the transfer department to the tactical team devising strategies for those plying their trade on the verdant Anfield blades.

Klopp arrived at Liverpool with the club moored in a harbour leagues away from the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and the deteriorating Manchester United, decades without league triumph and yielding just one League Cup honour since the indelible success in the Champions League and FA Cup under Rafa Benitez’s wing in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

Premier League

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Champions League

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FA Cup

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League Cup

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FIFA Club World Cup

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UEFA Super Cup

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FA Community Shield

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FIFA Best Men's Club Coach

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PL Manager of the Season

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Trophy list sourced via Transfermarkt

Winning every major honour accessible – aside from the Europa League – since Klopp’s appointment, Liverpool have soared to heights unseen for an age, and the squad that he meticulously crafted has etched its story not only into the club’s lasting history but that of European football itself.

Klopp is the architect, but it is his acquisitions that have had a transformative effect on the pitch, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane staples of rise.

Now entering a new chapter, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and co look to lead the next wave.

Perhaps the shrewdest signing, however, one who very much serves a central role to this day, is Scottish full-back Andrew Robertson , whose signing in 2017 revolutionised the left channel on the red half of Merseyside.

How much did Liverpool sign Andrew Robertson for?

When Robertson was purchased from relegated Hull City for a grand sum of £10m, there was a chorus of contentment from the club’s rivals, mouths twitching skywards in smirk satisfaction, the Reds were not making the lucrative moves to close the gap on those at the top.

The Premier League giants were undoubtedly on the up under Klopp and had welcomed the likes of Salah and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to the fold that summer, though few anticipated what was to come.

Robertson had spent three seasons with the Tigers, joining alongside, interestingly, Harry Maguire in 2014 for just £3m, and forged 115 displays for his former outfit, scoring five goals and supplying ten assists.

Praised as “fantastic” by journalist Ryan Dilks for his role in Hull’s promotion-winning 2015/16 campaign, to say the 29-year-old has gone from strength to strength across his career would be a disservice to his meteoric rise.

Liverpool unearthed a gem, true, but Klopp moulded the flanker into a glimmering diamond, and he is now the “complete player”, as has been said by former Liverpool ace Fabio Aurelio.

How much is Andrew Roberton worth now?

According to Football Transfers', Robertson is currently worth around £48m, which signifies a monumental rise in value of 380% since Klopp acquired his services way back when.

At the peak of his powers, the site's reliable valuation model deduced his worth at a whopping £68m, and while this has depreciated over the past few years, largely due to Liverpool's fluctuating fortunes, he is still the third most valuable full-back in the world, behind only teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold and Chelsea phenom Reece James.

The Scottish star has now made 272 appearances for Liverpool, scoring nine goals and supplying 63 assists, and may well be the greatest left-back in the Merseyside outfit's history, having played a central role in each of the aforementioned major honours won under Klopp's tutelage.

Once noted with bemusement by rival fans, upon transferring to Liverpool, Robertson is now comfortably one of the most important members of the Reds' system and has been integral in the rise to prominence, boasting superlative technical skills and an unrelenting engine to maraud up and down the left channel splendidly.

Hailed as a 'role model' by Sir Kenny Dalglish, the 62-cap international could be the shrewdest signing of the modern era at Anfield.

Why is Andrew Robertson worth that much?

A creative demon, Robertson currently boasts the record of most assists in Premier League history supplied by a defender, with 57 – interestingly, this is just four behind Salah, who joined Liverpool the same summer.

The £100k-per-week machine has been simply incredible, and despite Liverpool's struggles over the past year, still ranks among the top 8% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Described as a "Duracell Bunny" by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott for his turbo-charged approach, the gem also offers an underrated level of defensive ability, recording a career average of one interception, 1.5 tackles and 1.8 clearances per game, as per WhoScored.

Now 29 years old, the 5 foot 10 ace is still contracted to Liverpool until 2026, and will continue to dominate the left flank for years yet, providing an all-encompassing sheen and allowing the likes of Luis Diaz and Nunez ahead of him to have an unceasing battery of supplementation.

Liverpool's rise under Klopp has been built on astute purchases, with so many diamonds crafted from unrefined rock since the 56-year-old German set to work eight years ago.

Robertson will go down in perpetual Anfield lore as one of the most brilliant captures in modern history, with his acquisition transforming the left-back role and providing a consistent offensive threat and defensive security for years.

Despite raising a few eyebrows after his paltry signing, there will be few outfits at present who would not rue the missed opportunity to sign a player for peanuts, now comfortably one of the best full-backs in the world.

Key Manager Update As 44 y/o Linked With Spurs Job

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed there is now a "concrete chance" Tottenham Hotspur will hire Arne Slot as their new manager.

What are the latest Spurs manager rumours?

Since Antonio Conte left, Spurs have been linked with a number of men who could come in and replace the Italian this summer.

Indeed, the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, Brendan Rodgers, and Vincent Kompany have all been touted in the media.

However, it appears that 44-year-old Feyenoord boss Slot is steadily becoming a more and more realistic option for the North London outfit.

Indeed, while speaking about the latest managerial situation on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Spurs are holding "internal conversations" about the coach and he is also set to speak to his club soon about a possible exit too.

He explained (1:44): “Also to update on the Tottenham job, because Daniel Levy is still looking for a new director, and then he will go for the new manager.

"But internal conversations, as I told you, are taking place Arne Slot, Feyenoord manager. Really appreciated entirely Tottenham, so he's a concrete chance for the Tottenham job.

"And with Arne Slot, there will be conversations also in a direct way between Slot and Feyenoord this week to understand the potential conditions and the potential compensation needed for him to go to Premier League."

What has Arne Slot said about Spurs?

Pubically at least, Slot has remained coy about his chances of leaving, telling Dutch media on the weekend (via Evening Standard): "We're here for next Sunday's game. I'm not here to talk about my future. That could mean that English journalists are leaving with their tails between their legs."

While adding: "I’m under a huge magnifying glass in everything I say about this subject. So I choose to say as little as possible again … when it comes to new clubs there’s a huge scale in every word I use, so I try not to talk about it until I can say something about it."

Feyenoord coachArneSlotcelebrates

But if he is set for "direct" conversations with Feyenoord behind the scenes about compensation and other things like that, as Romano claims, then it does sound as though he is genuinely considering the job.

Of course, though, Spurs are reportedly looking to hire a new sporting director first, so a move for Slot may be put on ice for a brief while as Daniel Levy finds a successor to Fabio Paratici.

Liverpool Transfer News: Federico Valverde Update

Liverpool were linked with a move for Real Madrid star Federico Valverde this summer, and a new update has given Reds fans hope of one day luring the midfielder to the Premier League.

Where did Real Madrid find Federico Valverde?

Back in 2016, Real Madrid signed Valverde from boyhood team Penarol in Montevideo. Having been promoted from the youth set-up to the first team two years later, as per Transfermarkt, he’s since gone on to make a total of 208 senior appearances in the Spanish capital.

Carlo Ancelotti’s central midfielder still has another four years remaining on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, but that doesn’t seem to have stopped FSG and Jurgen Klopp from highlighting him as a potential candidate to bring to Merseyside.

The Secret Scout reported that the Reds submitted an enquiry for the 25-year-old last month alongside his teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, having failed to secure the services of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia who both ended up joining Chelsea, and it wasn’t long before they took their initial interest one step further.

Spanish outlets claimed that FSG then tabled a €60m (£51.8m) offer for the Uruguay international, and whilst a deal failed to come to fruition before September 1st, it sounds like there is reason to believe something could happen in the future.

Are Liverpool signing Federico Valverde?

According to reports in Spain (via Football365), Valverde “half regrets having made this decision” to stay at Real Madrid and believes that the best thing he could have done would have been to have “packed his bags”.

The La Liga star has a “feeling of being secondary” and knows that he “needs more prominence” after saying “no” to joining Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United over the summer.

The Los Blancos veteran has “already noticed” that he won’t be a regular starter this season, so there’s a possibility that he could look to seal an exit in January.

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde.

How many goals has Federico Valverde scored?

In La Liga during the 2022/23 campaign, Valverde posted 11 contributions (seven goals and four assists) in 34 games which is an impressive return for a central midfielder, form which has seen labelled a “monster” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The Montevideo native has also recorded 11 shots so far this season which is the second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef, not to mention that he’s extremely calm and composed on the ball averaging a 90.7% pass success rate.

Furthermore, Madrid’s £133k-per-week earner, who has the versatility to operate in eight different positions over the midfield and attack, will know what it takes to compete and be successful having secured ten pieces of silverware since the start of his career, so he will possess the same winning mentality of the current squad who are already at Kirkby.

Finally, Valverde shares the same agent, Wasserman, as both Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones, so should the hierarchy attempt to make a second move for their target in the new year, the existing connection that his representative already has to the club could give them a small advantage in getting a deal over the line in 2024.

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