This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Liverpool are in the mix to secure the services of Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
What’s the word?
The 22-year-old is one of the hottest properties in the Premier League at this time and has already got off to a decent start for Brendan Rodgers’ side this season, with two goals and two assists in eight Premier League matches.
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The Reds have joined the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham in competing for the England international’s signature.
Ornstein revealed that Manchester City are also a possible rival but have a ‘less so’ chance of opting for a move. The Red Devils cannot offer Champions League football which could influence Maddison’s decision if he decides to leave the Foxes.
The end for Shaqiri
The arrival of Maddison at Anfield would be disastrous for the Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, who has found himself ostracised from the playing squad at Anfield.
After his £13m from Stoke City in 2018, the Switzerland international saw his playing time dramatically slashed compared to his final season at the Potters.
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The 28-year-old played just 1,057 minutes of Premier League action during the 2018/19 campaign while he played 3,049 minutes during his final year at the bet365 Stadium. If Liverpool decide to move for Maddison, Shaqiri could see himself fall even further down the pecking order.
The Foxes midfielder experienced over twice the amount of game time, with 2,849 minutes under the Englishman’s belt.
Shaqiri can play across both wings and has been used across the midfield trio within Klopp’s typical 4-3-3 formation. Meanwhile, Maddison has played three times on the left for Leicester this season and scored against the Reds during the Foxes’ 2-1 defeat earlier this month.
Both players are versatile and with the momentum that Maddison currently has, a move to Anfield could see the end for another man at Anfield.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Arthur Melo joined Barcelona in the summer of 2018 and back then, the Catalans already knew they had someone special on their hands.
The now 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder was never one to bang in dozens of goals or assists but he had that Barcelona DNA in him – he was a master of passing the ball and holding possession, keeping his team in firm control at all times.
His skill and natural ability were the things that attracted the Blaugrana and it only took €31m (£26.7m) to get him from Gremio to Catalonia.
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Of course, there are certain add-ons in his contract that could bump that price up a bit but all things considered, and especially given the state of the modern-day market, his transfer does look like a true steal.
And this is even truer today than it was a year ago when he joined.
Back in 2018 everyone could see there were talent and potential in the kid but despite playing 44 games across all competitions in his first season in Europe, he only managed two assists in the process and couldn’t really finish the full 90 minutes of a high-paced game in Spain.
Of course, he was still secure on the ball with 93.5% passing accuracy but with only 0.5 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game, he did little to actually tilt the big clashes in Barcelona’s favour.
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Fast forward a year, however, and Arthur is a changed man.
From a talented midfielder, he turned to a brilliant one that is slowly but surely even becoming world-class.
Now, after only nine games played across all competitions, the Brazilian can already boast with two goals and four assists to his name. Not only that but he has improved in other categories as well.
His passing accuracy is still brilliant despite a small dip with 87.8% but both key passes and dribbles have improved greatly and now stand at 1.3 and 2.7 per game respectively.
By all means, he truly seems like a reformed man and not only that but he has also played the full 90 minutes of four out of those nine games in total, showing that he has successfully adjusted to Barcelona’s tempo and style of play.
Needless to say, if he can continue his development like that and keep improving, there’s no telling how good the 23-year-old can actually become and the world-class bracket certainly seems within his grasp.
For the Blaugrana, this is certainly wonderful news.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
You’d think after the start the team have made this season that he’d be able to relax a little bit more.
Sabri Lamouchi has masterminded a near-perfect start to the season for Nottingham Forest, barring the slight blip during his first game against West Bromwich Albion.
Despite all that though, it appears as though his first aim as Forest boss is to make sure that he is still in the dugout at the City Ground at this time next season.
Speaking to Sporting Life, Lamouchi noted the high turnover of managers at Forest and how he isn’t trying to get ahead of himself when it comes to what he can achieve:
“The last five years, they have changed 11 managers here. The last one to do a full season it was close to ten years ago. I just want to make one season, one full season, and we will see where we finish. It just needs stability. I am not a magician. I am just a manager.”
Whilst it is good to see that Lamouchi isn’t coming across as arrogant in what he’s saying, very much the polar opposite of Jose Mourinho when he first came to England, you wonder if perhaps he is being too cautious.
It’s all about getting the balance right, but at the same time if consider the start that Forest have had, if all he is aiming for is stability, then it essentially means that he’s not 100% focused on promotion to the Premier League.
That’s something that stands to be a real possibility for Forest this term too.
Perhaps he’s not really telling us his true feelings and is trying to be ‘diplomatic’ with how he comes across, but is that really being honest with the fans if that’s his response.
If you are setting your expectations that low, why should they get excited by what you’re offering?
It’s one of the oldest motivational sayings in the book, but it applies here. “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
He doesn’t have to go promising that they’ll go the rest of the season unbeaten, but if his main concern is just staying in the job, he could himself out of it if things start to go wrong.
As he said, there’s a high turnover rate at the City Ground, so the owners won’t be hesitant to make a change.
Former England international Dean Ashton has been speaking to Football League World about Charlton’s impressive start to the season, although he has one concern regarding the Addicks.
Lee Bowyer has overseen a wonderful return to life in the Championship for the south Londoners, guiding them to four wins and two draws from their opening seven games having won the League One playoffs last term.
Their unbeaten start to the campaign was ended by Birmingham at The Valley last time out thanks to 16-year-old Jude Bellingham’s goal, a match in which Ashton’s one concern was evidenced.
What did he say?
Ashton said: “It wouldn’t surprise me if Lee Bowyer did manage to keep them there.
“The way he’s built the team and got them playing is good, and I think a lot will just come down to Lyle Taylor.
“If they can keep him fit to score the goals to keep them up there they’ll be looking strong because defensively they’ve looked pretty good as well.”
Ashton’s concern evidenced vs Birmingham
In the 1-0 loss to Birmingham, Lyle Taylor was missing after sustaining an injury while on international duty with Montserrat.
Ashton states that “a lot” will come down to the 29-year-old staying fit and scoring the goals, and that much was certainly evident against the Midlands-based side.
With Tomer Hemed starting in Taylor’s absence, the Israel international struggled to replicate the former Millwall man’s impact.
Taylor has five goals and an assist in six Championship games so far this term, and his efficiency in attack will be key to Charlton’s hopes of success this season.
Bowyer’s men don’t often have unlimited chances – they managed just three shots to Brentford’s 21 in the 1-0 win over the Bees earlier this term – so having someone to finish off a rare chance is vital.
Against Birmingham, they didn’t have that man in Hemed, whereas his strike partner Jonathan Leko had no shots on target.
Taylor is unquestionably the side’s talisman, and Ashton is spot on in saying the Addicks need to keep him fit – the dire attacking performance against Birmingham proved just how key the 29-year-old is.
West Ham United fans have wished Michail Antonio well after he updated them on his injury recovery on Twitter.
The winger sustained a hamstring injury in the 2-0 EFL Cup win over Newport County last month.
He has subsequently undergone surgery in an attempt to correct the issue and The London Evening Standard reports that he could miss four months of action, ruling him out until 2020.
He posted on Twitter, however, that he is confident of making a swift return to action with the Irons.
He said: “Thanks for all the messages of support. This injury is nothing to a beast, I’ll be back bigger, better, faster and stronger.”
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And supporters are hopeful that the 29-year-old will be back sooner rather than later.
Indeed, his injury has left the club rather short in the forward positions, with Manuel Pellegrini having just Sebastian Haller and Albian Ajeti, both of them summer signings, to call upon, though winger Andriy Yarmolenko is capable of playing through the middle.
Many Watford fans have given their response on Twitter to one of the club’s tweets which shows new signing Ismaila Sarr at training on his first day.
The club posted a video of Sarr walking through the training ground, carrying his boots in a plastic bag.
Sarr, 21, joined the club for a reported fee of over £25m, blowing their previous record fee of £18.5m for Andre Gray out of the water.
The Senegalese winger has penned a five-year deal at Vicarage Road after impressing for Rennes, scoring 13 times in 50 games for them last year.
Yesterday was Sarr’s first day training for the Hornets, and the club updated their fans, letting them know how much he impressed the medical staff.
Head of injury prevention and rehabilitation, Alberto Leon, said: “It was the first day with the player and the first approach is a positive one.
“He came in a good condition and we did all the tests to see more deeply how he is.”
“With all this information we have created a profile of the player and we can see if there is an imbalance or a weakness point.
“We are still collating the results but all the staff say he is in a normal shape and this is not a player we are going to have to work a lot on different things. He came with a good baseline, he looks good and we are really happy with the player. He looks a good athlete.”
Watford fans couldn’t help but poke fun at themselves, though, considering the video posted by the club has Sarr looking rather grumpy. Others also laughed about how Sarr was carrying a plastic bag with his boots in, rather than a boot bag.
One fan commented: “Would love to see film of him laughing and joking with the other players and staff. And please can someone give him a boot bag?”.
Liverpool have completed the signing of Harvey Elliott from Fulham, per BBC Sport.
The highly-coveted winger became the youngest ever player to play in the Premier League last season, as he came on for a substitute for the Cottagers against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the age of 16 years and 30 days.
The BBC reports that Elliott attracted interest from a number of elite clubs, including Real Madrid, Arsenal and Manchester City.
Liverpool, of course, have done this before; they have scooped up highly promising young talents in the hope of turning them into superstars.
But how has that worked out for them?
Football FanCast takes a look at 10 recent examples below!
Raheem Sterling
Soccer Football – Euro 2020 Qualifier – Group A – Montenegro v England – Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro – March 25, 2019 England’s Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring their fifth goal Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine
Where else can we start?
Sterling was signed from QPR in 2012.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were all guilty of passing on the opportunity to acquire the future England international, per the Daily Express, and were left to rue the mistake.
The winger went on to make 129 appearances for the Reds, scoring 23 goals, and he subsequently earned a £49m move to Manchester City.
He has scored 69 goals for the club and won the Premier League twice, while also winning 51 caps for England.
He is the role model for Elliott to follow.
Jerome Sinclair
Signed at the age of 14 from West Bromwich Albion, Sinclair showed a great deal of promise at Liverpool.
He spent four years at the club and made his debut under Brendan Rodgers against West Brom in a League Cup tie at the age of 16 years and six days, becoming the youngest ever player to play for the Reds.
He made a total of five appearances before moving to Watford in 2016.
Sinclair remains on the books at the Hornets but is currently on loan at Dutch club VVV Venlo.
Jonjo Shelvey
Less a prospect, more a star at Charlton Athletic, Liverpool paid £3m to sign the 18-year-old in 2010.
The Guardian claimed at the time that Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs were all interested in the attacking midfielder but he flattered to deceive at Anfield.
He made 69 appearances for the Reds but laid on just four assists, scoring seven goals, and was ultimately sold to Swansea City in 2013.
The Reds received a mere £5m for him – a profit of £2m – and he went on to enjoy a good spell in Wales prior to a move to Newcastle United, where he remains.
Joe Gomez
Still at Liverpool, Gomez was another player snaffled away from Charlton.
The Reds paid £3.5m for the defender and he has gone from strength to strength since his move at the age of 18.
Indeed, he has made 66 appearances for the club and has also won seven caps for England.
He is likely to be a fixture of the Reds’ defence for years to come.
Jordon Ibe
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Brought in at the age of 16 after a spell with Wycombe Wanderers, Ibe spent four years at Liverpool.
He made 58 appearances for the club, with most of his appearances coming in the 2015/16 campaign.
AFC Bournemouth signed Ibe in 2016 for a fee of £15m and he remains with the Cherries, where he has made 88 appearances.
Sheyi Ojo
Liverpool snapped Ojo up in 2011 when he was just 14.
Now 22, he has made 13 appearances for the Reds, with five starts in the Premier League, but he has spent the majority of his Anfield career out on loan.
Indeed, he is currently with Rangers, having spent the 2018/19 campaign with French club Reims.
It feels like now or never for Ojo if he is to make it on Merseyside.
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Pedro Chirivella
Liverpool signed Chirivella after he spent nine years at Valencia but he has failed to make the grade at the club.
He made five appearances for the Reds in 2015/16 but, since then, it has been loan spells for the Spaniard and the club even accepted a £3.5m bid from Rosenborg for him in 2018.
He opted against the move, however, and it remains to be seen where his future lies.
Ovie Ejaria
Liverpool signed Ejaria from Arsenal in 2014 but he has yet to make any sort of impact at Anfield.
He has spent time on loan at Sunderland, Rangers and Reading and has made a total of eight senior appearances for the Reds, though that equates to just six minutes of Premier League football.
Now 21, Ejaria is said to be for sale this summer.
Bobby Duncan
Still just 18, Duncan joined Liverpool from Manchester City and hopes are high for the striker.
He has scored 23 goals in 26 outings for the Under-18 side and has been capped at Under-16 and Under-17 level by England.
His ceiling appears to be high and he is beginning to be embedded into the Under-23 side, making three appearances at the higher age group.
Yusuf Mersin
Signed from Millwall for a transfer fee at the age of 16, the goalkeeper was nowhere near the required level to make a breakthrough at Liverpool.
He joined Kasimpasa in 2014 prior to a move to Crawley Town; he is now with Dover Athletic.
A Turkey youth international as he was breaking through, this is a cautionary tale for Elliott.
Daniel Sturridge is just days away from being officially released by Liverpool.
The Reds have already confirmed his release and the 29-year-old centre-forward will now be available on a free transfer.
But, despite a rather bleak and tepid conclusion to his time at Anfield, Sturridge is seemingly in good spirits and enjoying his holiday.
His latest
/BzL9buUgHBS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link” data-lasso->Instagram snap shows him in the company of no other than Kylian Mbappe, who cost Paris Saint-Germain an eye watering £166m to sign him from Monaco.
Of course, when stars meet it catches the attention of the crowd, and this particular snap caught the attention of Manchester City star Raheem Sterling.
Sterling noted how the partnership between Mbappe and Sturridge would be insane. And that is definitely hard to argue against, even if the PFA Young Player of the Year award winner is not the most popular figure amongst Liverpool supporters.
The soon-to-be ex-Liverpool man played a total of 18 games in the 2018/19 season and managed to score twice and assist one goal.
Unfortunately, his time as a Red was very much hampered by injuries, but he will leave with plenty of fond memories from his time on Merseyside.
After a disappointing season for Manchester United, one positive to come out of the campaign was the club’s reported pursuit of a sporting director.
Reports in recent months had suggested the club were looking to appoint someone to the role before the start of the next season, and there were even claims that United legend Rio Ferdinand was in the frame to take on the job.
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Instead, a few months later, United have no-one to show for it and are staring down the business end of a transfer window that is threatening to spiral out of control.
A muddled mess
More than anything, the sporting director would have provided greater clarity. For far too long, criticism has been aimed at United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward over his apparent influence on the footballing side of things despite his relative lack of experience or inside knowledge.
Appointing someone like a Ferdinand would have given the club a figurehead to rally around and an authoritative presence of whom people would know what their job was. In contrast, United’s work in the summer transfer market – both in terms of incomings and outgoings – has been muddled to say the least.
Their reported interest in Bruno Fernandes has developed into somewhat of a parody. Ander Herrera’s comments that United left it “too late” over reaching an agreement with him was a damning statement of their indecisiveness. And the cherry on top – Paul Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, continues to run rings around the Old Trafford bureaucrats with his finely-tuned PR machine.
The club look totally out of their depth from top to bottom and it’s hard to shake off the nagging feeling that they would have been better served by showing some due diligence and getting a deal done for a sporting director, before they made any moves in the transfer market.
The next three to four weeks are set to define United’s future not just for next season, but for the following ones too. If things don’t work out, they will certainly regret not following through on grabbing their very own transfer guru.