Category Uncategorized

FSG aren’t resting on their laurels this summer, brushing away the cobwebs like a house servant possessed ahead of Arne Slot’s second season in charge at Liverpool.

Cobwebs, admittedly, are few and far between. Liverpool won the Premier League last season, in case you missed it, having achieved the feat with a squad almost identical to the one Jurgen Klopp left behind when he departed 12 months ago.

But Slot hasn’t replicated his predecessor in facsimile, instead taking the same pieces and crafting something new. However, for all of the Anfield side’s success on the league front, they did fall across the various cup competitions, and it’s clear that increased depth will be needed to take this brilliant team to the next level.

Just imagine what he might achieve when backed to the hilt in the transfer market. Luckily, such dreams will become the reality of Reds supporters all over. Liverpool are mercilessly attacking the transfer market.

Liverpool's summer transfer plans

Liverpool have already offset the disappointment of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid by signing the rapid Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen.

Advanced discussions also seem to be coming to a head in regard to Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, who has been targeted as Andy Robertson’s long-term successor at left-back.

However, with Mohamed Salah extending his contract by two years, it’s the left side of Liverpool’s squad that requires more attention, especially with Luis Diaz mooted for a transfer to the Saudi Pro League.

Florian Wirtz is at the heart of lengthy and complicated negotiations between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, with FSG prepared to offer what would be a British-record bid of £118m to secure the world-class playmaker.

He’d nestle into the number ten spot, though, which is why Liverpool have centred on Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon, should Diaz leave. The former Everton star could fetch an £80m fee to bring back to Merseyside.

Though Diaz would need replacing, Gordon might not automatically walk into Slot’s starting XI, no matter the fee required to bring him over from Tyneside.

Indeed, Cody Gakpo has produced a stunning season for Liverpool.

Liverpool have hit gold on Cody Gakpo

When Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for £35m in January 2023, he arrived off the back of an eye-catching World Cup showing with the Netherlands, scoring in each of Oranje’s group stage fixtures.

However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. The initial half-season Gakpo spent on Merseyside was one of great turbulence for Liverpool, but he still managed to impress in bursts.

And after a 2023/24 campaign that promised further improvements, albeit with Gakpo’s best position proving a nebulous thing, Klopp shuffling him across every inch of the park, he’s hit his stride in Slot’s system, recording his most productive haul yet.

24/25

49

18

7

23/24

53

16

7

22/23

26

7

3

Hailed for his “monster” season by journalist Declan Carr, the 26-year-old’s quality has been such that suitors are beginning to take note of his skills.

Indeed, with Liverpool looking set to have beaten Bayern Munich to the signing of Wirtz, the Bundesliga champions have focused their sights on Gakpo, report Sky Germany.

However, given that FSG have set their asking price at €100m (£84m), it’s unlikely that Die Roten will continue to chase their quarry.

The player’s price tag does illustrate his calibre, indeed proving even more than one of English football’s finest wingers in Gordon.

Just for reference, take a look at how the Dutchman compares with Gordon for Premier League performance last season. Is it fair to say Gordon arriving for an £80m fee might not even be able to oust Gakpo for his leading role on the left flank?

Matches (starts)

35 (23)

34 (28)

Goals

10

6

Assists

4

5

Shots (on target)*

1.6 (0.70

1.7 (0.6)

Big chances missed

6

10

Pass completion

84%

81%

Big chances created

11

6

Key passes*

1.1

1.5

Dribbles*

0.9

1.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

1.1

Duels won*

3.1

4.4

Of course, Gordon showcased a deeper level of quality the previous term, when he was crowned Newcastle’s Player of the Year after posting 11 goals and 15 assists in the top flight, but Gakpo’s progress at Liverpool has been incremental, which bodes well for the upcoming campaign.

Gakpo’s prolific ability could also see him combine well with Kerkez, who is expected to sign as Liverpool’s new left-back. As per FBref, Gakpo ranked among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for goals scored per 90 (0.47).

Kerkez’s energy and enthusiasm may prove perfect for the continuation and progress of Liverpool’s £120k-per-week star. The Hungarian, who Bournemouth want £45m for, has been a “revelation” for the south coast side over the past two years, claims pundit Jamie Carragher, and will drive forward and supplement Gakpo’s attacking intentions just so.

Defensive players rarely cost as much as their forward-placed counterparts, but Gakpo’s vastly higher value makes a firm comment on the high regard Liverpool hold him in.

If Liverpool do sell Diaz to Al-Nassr or the like this summer, bringing in a player such as Gordon wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

However, Gakpo has gone from strength to strength since Slot took to the dugout, and might just find himself reprising his first-choice role on Liverpool’s left wing next term.

Move over Wirtz: Liverpool can sign Salah's next Firmino in £84m "magician"

Mohamed Salah is going to have some exciting new attacking talent alongside him next season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 8, 2025

Mohammad Abbas has carved a superb record in unhelpful conditions – but how will go against the master, Vernon Philander, on his home ground?

Danyal Rasool in Cape Town02-Jan-20196:53

Decoding Mohammad Abbas, the Sialkot not-so-express

Cape Town is Vernon Philander’s home ground, and in more ways than one. It is the place he made his debut, in that surreal game where South Africa bowled Australia out for 47, with Philander registering figures of 5 for 15. That match may have been freakish, a one-off, but Philander’s performances in subsequent years – everywhere in the world but particularly here – have not: 49 wickets in nine Newlands Tests at 16.55 leaves little room for arguments to the contrary.But in the Pakistan dressing room just across, Philander may spot a kindred soul – even if he has previously seen little of him. Newlands will be Mohammad Abbas’ 13th Test, and the first time he has taken to the field in South Africa. Like Philander, he could at best be described as medium-fast, forced instead to draw upon a range of skills most fast bowlers in his country have not needed to perfect because of the pace they were gifted with. Like Philander, he made his debut late (27 to Philander’s 26). Like Philander, he has made an explosive start to Test cricket, and like Philander, he missed the first of this three-Test series nursing an injury.The match-up between these two bowlers is as intriguing as it is unlikely. Who would imagine in the build-up to a Test in South Africa, the most absorbing conversations were to be had comparing two self-effacing medium-pacers in sides brimming with personality, aggression, verve and raw pace?

Abbas has showcased his skill on the dustbowls of Dubai, leaving him little option but to go gun-barrel straight and strip away the batsman’s choice of letting the ball go

It is their world-class talent that drives the interest. Philander’s record is well established but, in his first dozen matches, Abbas isn’t too far removed from the South African’s career trajectory. In his first 12 Tests, Philander had 67 wickets at 17.98 with a strike rate of 37.2. Abbas is hot on his heels, with 61 wickets at 16.62, his strike rate only slightly behind at 42.4.It may well be a premature comparison, and there are a couple of caveats – though perhaps not in the direction you would expect. Philander’s first 12 Tests comprised of four in South Africa, three in New Zealand, three in England, and a pair in Australia. If you were crafting out a wishlist of where you wanted to be while bowling fast, it would be indistinguishable from that schedule. Abbas, on the other hand, has played half of his 12 in the UAE, with a further three in the West Indies, two in England and one in Ireland.Add to that Abbas’ obvious discomfort in the last two matches he played – the Tests against New Zealand before he was sidelined by the shoulder injury that also kept him out at Centurion. If those two Tests were removed from his record, his average improves to 59 wickets at 15.64, with a strike rate of 38. This is not to ignore poor Test performances in order to exaggerate his quality, but simply to provide a clearer picture of how lethal Abbas has been, on mostly unhelpful wickets, so far in his career.The comparison isn’t just about the numbers, engagingly similar as they are; the methods the pair seem to apply as they go searching have an unmistakeable resemblance. Both are, as Faf du Plessis put it, “very similar bowlers who come at you relentlessly all day”. The unerring line and length ball after ball wears batsmen down more often than not, subtle seam movement drawing false shots and taking outside edges. Their tactic of targeting the stumps invariably brings lbw into play in a much more significant way than is the case for most bowlers, a skill that Abbas, in particular, has almost perfected.Mohammad Abbas exults after dismissing Aaron Finch•Getty ImagesThat is because no matter how much they resemble each other, each has had to find a way to evolve and thrive in their respective environments. In South Africa, where seam movement is more plentiful and swing more abundant, Philander is permitted a wider corridor in which to bowl and still leave the batsman uncertain about playing at him. Abbas has been forced to showcase his skill on the dustbowls of Dubai, for the most part, which leaves him little option but to go gun-barrel straight and strip away the batsman’s choice of letting the ball go. You can see it play out in the way the pair have found their wickets; Philander’s 205 scalps have included just 66 lbw and bowled dismissals, while Abbas has taken 32 of his 61 wickets in that fashion.There is another way to look at how Abbas has not let playing on uncooperative wickets become his excuse. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, in the time since Philander made his debut, 22.9% of the balls he has bowled at Newlands have drawn false shots from the batsman. It is the second highest percentage at the ground, with only Kagiso Rabada bettering it at nearly 26% (Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn rank third and fourth, with 22.4% and 20.4% respectively). Abbas, meanwhile, shuffling his way through over after over on spin paradises, still induces batsmen into false shots 18.23% of the time – not a world away from what Philander has done at his ground of choice. That he does so without the luxury of any significant seam movement or real swing is particularly eye-catching. As Sarfraz Ahmed said in the Newlands build-up: “I know this is Vernon’s home town, so he will enjoy bowling here, but there is no reason Abbas will not enjoy it too.”Sarfraz was also cautious not to get carried away by Abbas’ dreamlike start to international cricket, saying he had a long way still to go. “I think you can’t compare Philander and Abbas yet, because Philander has been playing for almost 10 years, and Abbas has only played for Pakistan for 18 months. Abbas is just starting his career, but his bowling looks a lot like Vernon Philander’s. If Abbas plays cricket for Pakistan for a long time, he has the ability to be the same bowler Philander is for South Africa.”It is a fair point, and if Abbas is to be spoken of in those terms all the time, he has many years’ worth of work ahead of him. But if he is indeed fully fit, he could find himself bowling on a surface more receptive to his wiles than he has ever been allowed the opportunity to play on. This may be Philander’s home town, but in Abbas Pakistan have a player set to make the undisputed King of Cape Town hustle to defend his territory.

Dreary drew ensues after youngster stars for Warwickshire with career-best 93

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2024Nottinghamshire 400 (Duckett 218, Haynes 74, Slater 65, Hannon-Dalby 5-78) and 75 for 1 drew with Warwickshire 361 (Bethell 93, Barnard 69, James 3-65, Pennington 3-74)Another stalemate landed in the ocean of early-season Vitality Championship draws as the match between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire petered out at Edgbaston.In reply to 400 all out, Warwickshire extended their first innings to 361, Jake Bethell posting a career-best 93 (163 balls), before Nottinghamshire went in again and acquired 75 for one.As soon as Warwickshire reached 251, which they did with some comfort with five wickets down, the match was consigned to a draw, the home side’s fourth in four championship matches and Nottinghamshire’s third in four.It was a dreary conclusion to a match which delivered some excellence – Ben Duckett’s double-century and the seam bowling of Olly Hannon-Dalby and Dillon Pennington – but was ultimately smothered by a docile pitch and the loss of more than a day to rain.After Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 175 for five, 76 short of the follow-on figure, Nottinghamshire needed to strike quickly but Bethell and Danny Briggs (37, 79) were soon collecting boundaries. Stubborn batting, allied to a pitch which stubbornly refused to deteriorate, drew the sting of a seam attack which bowled with a quality during this match to suggest they will cause batters a lot of problems in more helpful conditions.Bethell and Briggs added 85 in 23 overs to take their side to the requisite 251. Almost immediately, Briggs swatted Calvin Harrison to mid on where Freddie McCann entered the history books as the first former Papplewick & Linby CC player to take a catch as a substitute in first class cricket with the floodlights on at Edgbaston on a Monday.Bethell’s classy and composed innings ended seven short of a deserved maiden century when he edged Olly Stone to give the former Warwickshire player his first wicket back on his old patch. Bowling remained a joyless assignment though and Michael Burgess (43, 63 balls) and Aamer Jamal (40, 46) added 71 in 15 overs before the latter hammered a return catch to Lyndon James.After Hasan Ali chipped James into the covers, Hannon-Dalby settled in with his customary aplomb before running out of partners when Burgess mowed to mid off. James’ analysis had been upgraded from 0 for 57 to three for 63 in 18 balls.Nottinghamshire went into bat again at 2.54pm and filled the rest of a grey afternoon with batting practice. Duckett followed his 264-ball 218 with a six-ball seven when Hannon-Dalby trapped him lbw but Haseeb Hameed (41 not out, 69 balls) and Ben Slater enjoyed an outdoor net for the remaining two hours as the match fizzled out in a manner redolent of Nottinghamshire’s visit to Coventry in 1928 when they amassed 656 for three, four of the top five scoring centuries (only Arthur Carr missed out with a paltry 58) but their victory hopes were thwarted by a benign pitch, weather damage and obdurate batting by Warwickshire legends Tiger Smith and Bob Wyatt.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou’s future appears more and more likely to be away from north London, and his potential exit could have a knock-on effect when it comes to Spurs keeping a “top-class” player this summer.

Ange Postecoglou faces Tottenham sack regardless of Europa League

Last week, Postecoglou conceded that the general sentiment around his position was that he could be sacked regardless of how the Lilywhites perform in Europe.

52-year-old spotted at Spurs after Levy talks as pundit tips appointment

The Lilywhites chairman has sat down with him recently.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 12, 2025

This remains the case, especially after Spurs’ seventeenth Premier League defeat of the campaign against Wolves, with journalist John Cross of The Mirror reporting of a “growing belief” that Postecoglou may well be fired even if they win the Europa League.

Supporters will be very keen to put this season behind them following a 2024/2025 of historic lows, and there is a serious lack of confidence in Postecoglou being the right man to take them forward, regardless of the Australian’s misfortune with injuries.

In terms of Tottenham’s managerial targets to replace Postecoglou, it is believed Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner and Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi are all admired.

Spurs’ managerial situation also appears set to play a key role in keeping their best players at the club this summer, as well as attracting key transfer targets.

Defender Cristian Romero is rumoured to be pushing for an exit from Tottenham, amid interest from La Liga heavyweights Atlético and Real Madrid, while striker Richarlison is another who’s repeatedly been linked with a departure.

The Brazil international has been unable to showcase his best this campaign due to consistent injury problems, but did score against Wolves over the weekend and has impressed in flashes under Postecoglou when given the chance.

As well as Romero, it has been claimed that Richarlison is also keen on leaving Tottenham (Football Insider), and South American journalist Jorge Nicola reported earlier this month that the £60 million forward is a target for the likes of Palmeiras, Fluminense and Flamengo – even if the cost of an operation makes their moves for him unlikely.

Now, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared an interesting update on his future.

Richarlison could decide to stay at Tottenham if Postecoglou is sacked

Writing for The Boot Room, Bailey reports that Richarlison could decide to stay at Tottenham if Postecoglou is sacked, due to the prospect of a new manager potentially being keen to work with him.

However, while the 27-year-old threatens to perform a full U-turn over leaving N17, Spurs’ stance is that they’d like to find a permanent buyer amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.

While Richarlison’s suffered from a lack of availability when he has played, the former Everton star’s notched an impressive 16 goals and five assists over the last two seasons under Postecoglou – so there can be no complaints about his return in the final third.

Perhaps a fresh face in the dugout can revitalise Richarlison, who’s been called a “top-class” player for Spurs in the past (Paul Robinson).

The U.S. No. 1 is said to be on the move, set to join fellow American Tanner Tessmann with the Ligue 1 outfit

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• USMNT's Turner reportedly set for Lyon move
• Spent 2024-25 campaign on loan at Crystal Palace
• Goalkeeper searching for starting minutes year out from World Cup

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. men's national team goalkeeper Matt Turner is set to sign for Ligue 1 side Lyon, in a $9.1M (€8M) move from English Premier League side Nottingham Forest, according to

  Turner, 30, spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Crystal Palace, where he made four appearances en route to winning the FA Cup with the .

  The move materialized quickly, according to the report, with Turner searching for regular first-team minutes at a club playing at a high level. Lyon's current starter, Lucas Perri, is reportedly the subject of transfer speculation and is expected to leave the club this summer – making room for Turner as the No. 1.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Turner has 51 caps with the USMNT and remains the starting goalkeeper roughly one year out from the 2025 FIFA World Cup. He is currently with Mauricio Pochettino's squad, participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup camp.

  The 30-year-old was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 with the New England Revolution, which earned him a move abroad to England with Premier League side Arsenal, where he made seven appearances.

  He then moved to Forest, where he was expected to be the starting goalkeeper, but after 17 matches, he lost his starting role to Matz Sels. He then went on loan to Palace, where he struggled to break into the team outside of their early run in the FA Cup.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Turner would join fellow U.S. international Tanner Tessmann at the club, should the deal go through.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR TURNER?

  The USMNT plays Switzerland Tuesday in an international friendly in their final tune-up ahead of the Gold Cup. Turner is available for selection. Matt Freese started Saturday as Turner went unused as a substitute Saturday against Turkey, a 2-1 defeat.

No stranger to the expectations of fans in South Asia, Kirsten has already got to work to identify the obstacles ahead

Danyal Rasool16-May-2024Pakistan’s new white-ball coach Gary Kirsten may not have joined the team in person yet but he appears to be preparing for the magnitude of the challenge already. Speaking to , Kirsten said there was little doubt about the talent in the Pakistan squad, but also hinted at problems he had already picked up on.”Everyone always talks about watching some of these players play on any given day and getting mesmerised by their abilities,” he said, talking to former England fast bowler Steve Harmison and broadcaster Neil Manthorp. “But the short time I’ve had in connection remotely with the team, one can pick up very quickly what the potential blockages are. And I guess it’s my role as a coach, to assist in unlocking the natural ability that they have.”Kirsten, who takes over at a time of both on- and off-field flux in Pakistan cricket, said it was natural to expect negativity, suggesting the knock-on effects of poor on-field results seep into all aspects of the game.Related

• Babar to lead a pace-heavy Pakistan side at T20 World Cup

• Gillespie appointed Pakistan men's Test coach, Kirsten named white-ball coach

• Jason Gillespie's philosophy for Pakistan: 'Don't try to be something that you're not'

• Kirsten to link up with Pakistan before T20I series in England

Following a poor ODI World Cup, Pakistan lost 3-0 in Tests to Australia and 4-1 in T20Is in New Zealand. Then against a weakened visiting New Zealand team, Pakistan only managed a 2-2 draw before scraping past Ireland 2-1 this week.During that time, Babar Azam was sacked as captain and replaced by Shaheen Shah Afridi, only for Afridi to be replaced by Babar a few weeks later. Off the field, Mickey Arthur was removed as team director with Mohammad Hafeez performing the role in Australia and New Zealand, while there have been three different PCB chairmen in the last year.”I’ve been around the coaching circuit enough to know that pretty much any team environment that’s not winning, you will get factions. The fact is, it could be highlighted even more in certain cultures and environments. The one thing about being a coach of over 20 years now is that you get a little bit more thick-skinned. And that’s the one thing I did learn from Bob [Woolmer], by the way.”He had a really thick skin by the end of his coaching career. Because you’re just trying to do as best a job you can, accepting the fact that when the team’s not doing well, there’s always going to be a whole bunch of criticism.”Kirsten’s time with India should, in theory at least, prepare him for the administrative challenges of working with a cricket board in South Asia, and the wisdom of accepting there will be inevitable limitations on his powers. “I think my learnings over my three years with India was that there are some battles that you just absolutely not going to win. And then you just focus on the ones that you can win, and hopefully that’s enough for the team to do really well.”It’s really important that you build relationships upwards. You need to work well with the people upstairs and within the confines of the board, and hopefully build a decent relationship so that they buy into your thinking as well.”

Kirsten on Babar: ‘Not fair to depend on one player’

The most obvious example of this comes with the contentious debate around the captain Babar and his best use in the shortest format. Kirsten pointed to his recent innings against Ireland – a matchwinning 42-ball 75 – saying one of his goals was to find Babar the space to play with that kind of freedom more frequently.”It [dependence on Babar] is not fair on any player,” Kirsten said. “He shouldn’t feel like he has to be contributing all the time to a team. I’ve been in touch with Babar. He’s done remarkably well and carries a lot of the weight of the team on his shoulders. What we will try to do as a coaching staff is to lift that a little bit and to realise he’s just one of a whole group of players and that he can free himself up to play with his natural talent.Babar Azam replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain•Sportsfile via Getty Images

“Hopefully we see a lot more of that [the Ireland innings] kind of knock from him. I think if we can unlock that freedom, and understand that there’s a big group of guys that can make match-winning contributions, especially in T20 cricket, that’ll take a lot of pressure off him.”Since Kirsten was appointed coach alongside Jason Gillespie – who will serve as the coach of the Test side – Pakistan have played a three-match T20I series against Ireland, which they won 2-1. Kirsten was not physically with the side during the series due to prior IPL commitments but will link up with the team in England when the two teams play four T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup.”I got a phone call while I was at the IPL and, they asked whether I was interested. I’m always interested in an international job. It’s always just a massive privilege to be coaching in that space. I haven’t done an international job since coaching South Africa towards the end of 2013. My kids are a little bit older now, which makes it slightly easier to travel, and to work with an international team of the likes of Pakistan was very appealing to me.”

State of Test cricket ‘worries me deeply’

During Kirsten’s two-year contract, Pakistan will participate in three white-ball ICC events: the upcoming T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. And though he has admittedly set his sights on winning one of the three events, Kirsten said he was not in favour of ICC tournaments coming thick and fast.”Sometimes I do get concerned about the lack of context in many games. But does it mean we need to have an ICC event every year? No I think it could be dangerous to have a World Cup every year or other year because it’s always fun waiting for those events to come around.”And we’ve got to be really careful we don’t lose Test cricket. Having Test-playing nations like South Africa playing four Tests a year worries me deeply – to think Test cricket is not so important anymore.”

Picking up just one win across their last five Championship contests, Leeds United are in danger of falling out of the coveted top two positions in the tricky division.

If it hadn’t been for Zan Vipotnik’s late equaliser for Swansea City on Saturday, a golden victory would have been coming the way of the hot-and-cold Whites, but a disappointing 2-2 draw would end up being the final scoreline instead.

There were plenty of heroes and villains on show from the hosts, with Wilfried Gnonto firmly in the first bracket after scoring Leeds’ second on the day, whilst Illan Meslier continues to find himself in the club’s bad books.

Best and worst performers vs Swansea

Despite Gnonto displaying obvious class this season, the Italian attacker has only started 20 Championship games across 2024/25 to date.

Still, the 5 foot 8 speedster would only need 14 minutes of action against Alan Sheehan’s Swans to gift his side the slender 2-1 lead, with the 21-year-old’s effort far too fierce for opposition goalkeeper Lawrence Vigoroux to palm away.

Unfortunately for the promotion chasers, that goal would be immediately cancelled out by Vipotnik’s strike right at the death, with questions rightly asked about Meslier after the effort somehow went past him.

Dropping the ball into Harry Darling’s path for 1-1 too, patience will be running very thin in the Leeds fanbase surrounding the error-prone Frenchman, with Meslier pocketing a hefty £30k-per-week wage – as per Capology – which is the same amount Gnonto rakes in.

Whilst promotion might see Farke change up who his starting ‘keeper is, there is one high earner – who earns more than Meslier and Gnonto – who is in danger of being axed in the short-term, with his performance against Swansea another worrying one to watch.

The Leeds high earner who could now be axed

Farke will be glad that there hasn’t been a whole host of injury issues for him to deal with this campaign, with the main concern in this area coming in the middle of the park.

Indeed, the likes of Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu have found themselves sidelined for significant amounts of time this season, missing a combined 47 games, consequently, for both club and country.

Stat

Ampadu

Games missed

16

Leeds league wins when injured

8

Draws

5

Losses

3

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Ampadu’s long absences on the sideline haven’t necessarily hit Leeds hard, however, with Farke calling upon the likes of Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell in the holding midfield positions instead, leading to the Whites managing to pick up eight league wins when the 24-year-old is out of the side.

Arguably, his showing on Saturday looked as if his manager had fast-tracked him back into the XI too quickly after injury, with the shaky Leeds number four only registering 23 accurate passes when he is usually averaging 59.1 per Championship clash.

Of course, like Gnonto who is another high earner in the camp, there’s no doubt that Ampadu will still have a key role to play moving forward in Leeds’ promotion fight, but Farke might well feel he doesn’t need to start his £40k-per-week man every week following the Italian’s example.

With injury issues ramping up, it’s been far from a smooth sailing season for the Welshman, but the ex-Norwich City boss will know he needs to utilise his full squad between now and May in order to deliver a glorious return to the Premier League, even if that means he drops the 24-year-old on occasion.

Therefore, Farke must consider ruthlessly dropping the Wales international from the starting line-up and only bringing him in when the midfielder is fully fit and ready to play at his best.

Not just Aaronson: 49ers must sell Leeds dud who's rinsed them of £22m

Leeds United desperately need to offload one player who’s rapidly declined over the years.

1 ByEthan Lamb Mar 28, 2025

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been warned that Wrexham will be unable to reach the Premier League without breaking a few financial rules.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Historic run of three successive promotionsMore money required to reach the top-flightCompeting with other big-spending outfitsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

On the back of three successive promotions, the Red Dragons are now just one step away from rubbing shoulders with the elite of English football. Hollywood co-owners have never shied away from the fact that they want to bring top-flight action to North Wales.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Reynolds and McElhenney have helped to fund a meteoric rise, with more investment now being sought as Wrexham’s revenue figures and overall valuation soar. The plan is to bring in Premier League pedigree during the summer transfer window of 2025.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Wrexham have plenty of room for manoeuvre when it comes to Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), but they may need to step outside of those regulations – as part of elaborate spending sprees – in order to compete with rivals that boast even deeper pockets.

WHAT SPORTS FINANCE EXPERT SAID

Sports finance expert Dr Rob Wilson has told of the Red Dragons’ bid to reach the top tier in the not too distant future: “I don't see how Wrexham can get into the Premier League in a season or two without breaching the financial regulations that exist within the division. However, you would probably argue given their trajectory that if they were to get into the Premier League, they would probably stay there for a little while.

“Then they could afford to take any hit if they were then ultimately relegated at some point. I think mid-table is probably where I think you'd see an incredible amount of investment to try and protect that. It links with the new stadium and with some of the broader plans to activate the commercial and the broadcast opportunities.”

Liverpool have reportedly slapped a huge price tag on an out-of-favour player amid Premier League and Bundesliga interest.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Liverpool man struggling for game timeLinked with summer transfer exitReds set huge asking price for defenderFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele states that Liverpool will want around £50 million ($67.3m) for centre-back Jarell Quansah, despite his lack of game time this season. If he does go, though, a replacement will be needed.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Quansah made 25 appearances for Liverpool last season but just 13 of those were starts. He was behind captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order, and as a result, fellow journalist David Lynch believes the 23-year-old is a 'genuine candidate for a departure'. Lynch adds that Premier League and Bundesliga sides are keen on the defender but £50m does seem a lot.

DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool academy product Quansah, whose Anfield contract runs until 2029 and there is an option to extend that a further year, made most of his starts (five) this season in the Reds' run to the Carabao Cup final – where they lost to Newcastle United.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

It remains to be seen if Quansah will still be at Liverpool next season, or if he will seek pastures new in a bid for more game time. For the time being, it seems he will be a back-up to Van Dijk and Konate.

Mikel Arteta has been tipped to leave Arsenal if the Gunners miss out on silverware next season as Jamie Carragher hit out at his "excuses".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arsenal falter again in the final lap
• Remain trophyless for another season under Arteta
• FA Cup success in 2020 remains the only silverware

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal’s hopes of ending their long wait for silverware were dashed once again following their Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. The defeat at Parc des Princes means the North London side will finish a fifth successive season without lifting a major trophy, their last success being the FA Cup triumph over Chelsea in 2020.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the defeat, Arteta maintained that his side had outperformed their French opponents across both legs. He insisted that Arsenal deserved a place in the final, arguing that the overall display was more deserving than the result suggested.

• WHAT CARRAGHER SAID

  Former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher was among those who questioned Arteta’s reaction. Writing in Carragher criticised the Arsenal manager for what he described as "excuse-laden" remarks, likening them to fan reactions often seen on social media.

  He wrote: "Some of Arteta’s most recent public comments have veered into that territory, making him sound more like a fan on social media perpetuating a series of complaints about injuries and refereeing decisions. His remarks about Arsenal deserving to beat Paris St-Germain over two legs in the Champions League semi-final left him open to ridicule. Luis Enrique’s side have been by far the best side in this year’s competition, and they showed their class in both games."

  Carragher further noted that while injuries can derail a season, every title contender faces adversity. He cited Manchester City’s struggles during Rodri’s absence as an example, suggesting that Arteta’s focus on such incidents does little to justify the bigger picture.

  "One club’s valid explanations for ‘failure’ are everyone else’s lame excuses. That is especially true with regard to injuries. We could go through many league seasons in which the runners-up could point to ‘if only’ moments," he wrote.

  "Every neutral football supporter knows that the injury that truly transformed this season was Rodri’s against Arsenal last September – the first of many games Arteta’s side should have won but ended up drawing. Would a fit Rodri have altered the title race and prevented a Liverpool procession? We will never know. More importantly, when a season is reviewed, such facts become incidental, no matter how influential they were at the time."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Carragher stressed that Arteta’s tenure, although marked by substantial progress, is now at a crossroads. If Arsenal are to avoid a cycle of near misses, the upcoming season must yield tangible rewards.

  "Arteta has so much credit in the bank, it is fair and right, there is more resistance to managerial change at Arsenal than desire for it," he said.

  "But no one understands better than him that all the goodwill for creating an Arsenal team capable of winning is gone. Arteta must deliver next season, otherwise his legacy will be years of groundwork for the benefit of a successor who will be asked to add the finishing touches."