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Imad Wasim was the other hero, cracking a half-century against Peshawar Zalmi

The Report by Peter Della Penna21-Feb-2020In the hunt for what would have been just the fourth successful 200-plus chase in PSL history, Darren Sammy and Liam Livingstone nearly got Peshawar Zalmi over the line. But excellent death bowling from Umaid Asif in the final over ensured that Karachi Kings held on for a thrilling 10-run win at the National Stadium on Friday afternoon.The Kings’ victory was set up by a brilliant 97-run partnership between Babar Azam and Imad Wasim. They got together after Cameron Delport fell in the ninth over to a sharply turning googly from Mohammad Mohsin and supercharged the Kings innings. It took an excellent piece of hustle from Tom Banton to run Azam out and break the stand in the 18th over. But by then, the home side had 170 on the board and Iftikhar Ahmed blasted a four and two sixes off the only three balls he faced to put an even more emphatic stamp on proceedings.Babar Azam turns into the leg side•Associated Press

Chris Jordan struck a pair of early blows in the chase, getting Banton lbw on review and yorking Haider Ali three balls later. But Kamran Akmal led a revival with 43 off 26 balls before handing the keys over to Livingstone in the 10th over. Zalmi already needed to score two runs a ball at that stage, but Livingstone and Sammy somehow kept up with the rate.Then, needing 16 to win off the final over, with Sammy on strike, Zalmi’s boundaries dried up as Asif kept the batsmen off balance with an array of slower balls and cutters bowled into the pitch.Turning pointAsif produced a phenomenal effort in the final over, culminating in a sensational return catch to dismiss Sammy.After a pair of singles and a two brought the equation down to 12 off 3 balls, he banged one in short and outside off. The batsman skied an attempted pull over short midwicket. Asif stopped in his follow-through, changed direction, circled back 20 yards to his right, then lunged forward to complete a very difficult catch.On strike for the penultimate ball, needing a pair of sixes to win, Livingstone flubbed a knee-high full toss tamely into the covers for a single to effectively seal victory for the Kings.Star of the dayAzam played a special knock to lead the Kings’ recovery after they had been sent in to bat. He was especially fluent through the off side, finding a majority of his seven fours and two sixes there, including perhaps the shot of the day, a blistering six over extra cover off Hasan Ali in the 15th over.When Wasim started to accelerate alongside him, Azam was happy to rotate the strike and would almost certainly have carried on to reach three-figures if not for Banton’s excellence.The big missBy umpire Richard Illingworth. Banton has been a rampaging menace on the T20 circuit over the last year. But Jordan had him foxed with a clever offcutter two balls into the fourth over which the batsman swung over the top of to be trapped deep in his crease and in front of middle stump. Jordan flew into an appeal and was borderline apoplectic when Illingworth turned it down. Wasim wasted little time in calling for a review and DRS showed the delivery taking out middle stump three quarters of the way up, allowing the decision to be corrected.Where the teams standKings moved level with Quetta Gladiators at the top of the table on two points after two games. Zalmi joined Islamabad United on zero points, alongside Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars who are set to play their opening games later on Friday.

Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday as they prepare to travel away from Parkhead to take on Motherwell at Fir Park.

The Hoops could head into the match this weekend with a five-point gap to first place as Rangers play before them, on Saturday, but they could also have a chance to move to the top of the table if their rivals drop points.

Brendan Rodgers' side provided the Gers with a chance to go top after they dropped points against Kilmarnock last time out in the Premiership.

A stoppage time equaliser from David Watson in Glasgow was enough to secure a point for the away team, after Kyogo Furuhashi had given the Bhoys the lead during the first half.

One player who struggled against Kilmarnock last weekend was Japan international Daizen Maeda, who must now be ruthlessly ditched from the starting XI to make way for January addition Nicolas Kuhn.

Daizen Maeda's performance against Kilmarnock in numbers

The 26-year-old forward was selected to play on the right side of the attack, with Luis Palma on the left and Kyogo and Adam Idah through the middle, but failed to make much of an impact on the match.

Rodgers decided to haul Maeda off after 68 minutes following an unimpressive performance from the winger, who recently returned from international duty with his country.

Out of possession, the opposition found it a little bit too easy to get the better of the right-footed lightweight as he lost four of his six ground duels, and one of his two aerial battles, throughout the game.

He did little to help Anthony Ralston at right-back as the attacker came off the pitch with zero clearances, tackles, interceptions, or blocks in 68 minutes.

To go along with his weak play off the ball, Maeda also failed to produce much in the way of quality at the top end of the field to win the match for his team.

As you can see in the table above, the Japan international did not threaten the opposition goal. He did not provide the goalkeeper with anything to deal with and did little to help his teammates to put pressure on Will Dennis between the sticks.

Unfortunately, this was not a one-off bad performance from Maeda as he has rarely made a big contribution in the final third for Celtic in the Premiership so far this season.

Daizen Maeda's season in numbers

The Hoops number 38 has been underwhelming as he has not produced goals or assists on a regular basis on the wing for the Scottish giants.

His finishing has left a lot to be desired as Maeda has only scored three goals in 19 league appearances, whilst the dud has missed eight 'big chances' in front of goal.

This shows that the forward has not made the most of the chances that his teammates have created for him, as the wasteful attacker has more than twice as many big chances missed as goals scored.

He has not made up for his poor finishing with outstanding creativity. The Japanese gem has only provided two assists in those 19 Premiership appearances, and four of his fellow attackers have registered more in the division.

Maeda has only made 0.5 key passes per game in the Scottish top-flight so far this season, which places him joint-20th within the Celtic squad.

This shows that the 26-year-old flanker rarely makes passes or whips crosses into the box that provide his teammates with an opportunity to test the goalkeeper or score a goal.

Overall, these statistics suggest that the Ange Postecoglou signing has struggled to find consistency in the final third, as a scorer and as a creator, throughout the Premiership season so far.

That, coupled with his poor showing against Kilmarnock last time out, is why Rodgers must ruthlessly ditch him from the starting XI for this clash with Motherwell.

Why Nicolas Kuhn should start over Maeda

The Northern Irish head coach should unleash Kuhn from the start ahead of Maeda as the January signing has the potential to offer more at the top end of the pitch.

Celtic signed the 24-year-old magician from Austrian side Rapid Wien during the last transfer window, after he enjoyed a terrific first half of the season in the Bundesliga.

Across 16 appearances, the German gem created 11 'big chances' and made 1.8 key passes per game for his team and was rewarded with five assists for his creative efforts.

This return is considerably more impressive than Maeda's return of four 'big chances' created and 0.5 key passes in 19 Premiership games for Celtic.

Therefore, the former Ajax and Bayern Munich youngster could provide more quality as a creator, which could then lead to more chances being created for the likes of Kyogo and Idah to find the back of the net.

Kuhn, who was hailed as a "dynamic" player by Rodgers, also showcased his potential as a goalscorer in just his second appearance for the Hoops – off the bench – against Aberdeen in January.

Idah held the ball up well inside the box and teed up the winger to fire in a fierce shot that went into the bottom right corner, via the help of a deflection, to secure a point for the Bhoys on the day.

The 5 foot 9 dynamo only scored two Bundesliga goals for Rapid Wien but did produce quality in front goal in his younger days, with 24 goals in 35 matches for RB Leipzig's U17s.

Rodgers will be hoping that he can unlock Kuhn's goalscoring potential as well as his creativity on the right flank, cutting inside on his favoured left foot to cause chaos in the final third.

Regular minutes on the pitch could help the young dynamo to find his feet in Scotland as he gains valuable experience with his new teammates and against Scottish opposition, which is another reason why the talented whiz should start.

Maeda's underwhelming performances and Kuhn's exciting quality at the top end of the pitch is why Rodgers must make that change to his XI on the wing on Sunday.

Phil Parkinson has explained why it is “difficult” for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to bring “electricity” to Wrexham on a regular basis.

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• Hollywood stars at the helm since 2021
• Overseen back-to-back promotions
• Travel from the United States when possible

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hollywood co-owners make every effort to visit SToK Racecourse as often as possible during any given EFL campaign. Since acquiring the Red Dragons in 2021, the pair have taken in some memorable trips to North Wales – with back-to-back promotions being enjoyed.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reynolds and McElhenney were back for the opening day in 2024-25, as Wrexham claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Wycombe. They continue to generate plenty of content for the club’s award-winning documentary, but cannot commit fully to a surprising sporting venture as both have acting day jobs and are based in North America.

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  WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Parkinson has said of the boost that famous faces bring to Wrexham whenever they take in the live matchday experience: “I have always said that when Rob, Ryan and Humphrey Kerr are here, there is an electricity in the place. They are great at relaxing everybody and we always enjoy it when they come over. It's difficult because it is a long way from the USA and they are both very busy but when they come over, there is a real lift around the place; not just in the dressing room but around the ground as well.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  McElhenney said on the back of his latest visit to Wrexham that he intends to be back “in the fall”. Parkinson will be hoping to have plenty of points on the board by the time co-chairmen return – with four being picked up from early outings against Wycombe and Bolton.

England recover from rusty batting display and hosts’ bright start to run chase to seal victory

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2020England overcame several scares in their first game back in sky blue since the World Cup final to beat an inexperienced Cricket South Africa Invitation XI by 77 runs as they warmed up for next week’s ODI series in Paarl.Jason Roy struck a fluent 104 as he continued his comeback from a shoulder injury, but there was precious little else for England’s batsmen to shout about as they were bowled out for 240 in 44.1 overs.And it looked as though they were set for a humbling defeat when Jacques Snyman started positively in the run chase, taking them to 91 for 1 after 17.3 overs, but after Matt Parkinson and Tom Curran made breakthroughs, the hosts’ raw middle order was exposed, with a collapse of nine for 72 handing England the win.Despite the low-key nature of the contest, Roy admitted to having been a bit “giddy” at the prospect of getting back on the field with England, having been rested for the tour of New Zealand before Christmas before picking up a shoulder injury at the Mzanzi Super League.”It was nice to get the shirt back on,” he said. “I was pretty giddy getting on the plane back home to come out here. Obviously I haven’t represented England for a while now so it’s quite nice to get going.”Playing a warm-up game in Paarl when the last game you played was in the World Cup final is quite difficult but we’ve got to build foundations again going forward for the next few years.”[The World Cup win] is a memory that we can keep close to us, but we’ve got to move forward and work hard for the next four years now until the next World Cup.”After winning the toss and choosing to bat, England made a disastrous start as they slumped to 16 for 3 after 19 balls. In a passage that must have reminded the tourists’ supporters of several games more than a decade ago, a fast bowler named S Tait struck early – though this time it was the left-armer Stephan, as opposed to Australia’s Shaun – trapping Jonny Bairstow lbw and having Joe Root caught down the leg side first ball. Eoin Morgan then chopped on, shaping to cut Imran Manack’s offspin, to leave the tourists in trouble.Joe Denly, in an unfamiliar role at No. 5, steadied the ship with 29, but he and Tom Banton fell to Smangaliso Nhlebela’s left-arm spin in quick succession to leave England five wickets down with only 109 on the board. Part-timer Andile Mokgakane bowled Sam Curran, but Roy began to find some rhythm, shifting through the gears to reach a 94-ball hundred as he added fifty for the seventh wicket alongside Chris Woakes.Woakes continued to tick over with Tom Curran and Chris Jordan, but the wickets continued to fall as England eventually limped up to 240, Matt Parkinson the last man out with 35 balls unused.In response, Snyman, a top-order batsman from Pretoria, started aggressively despite the early loss of Kabelo Sekhukhune, who was bowled by Sam Curran. He struck Woakes for six, before taking 14 from a Curran over, while No. 3 Jean du Plessis struck a couple of boundaries to leave the CSA XI 58 for 1 after ten overs of the chase.But the introduction of dual spin in the form of Adil Rashid and Parkinson stemmed the flow of runs, as du Plessis was stumped off a wide and Jesse Christensen was clean bowled. Snyman’s scoring dried up, as he added only one boundary after the Powerplay, and was eventually trapped in front by Tom Curran.Curran also removed the team’s senior player in Qaasim Adams, the 35-year-old Western Province batsman, before a run-out, and two wickets apiece for Woakes and Jordan sealed England’s win.One mitigating factor in England’s wobbly display with the bat was a two-hour power-cut, due to load-shedding, that hit the ground midway through the first innings. It left Roy unsure of how to pace England’s innings, and also caught him unawares at the moment he reached his century.”I thought the umpire stitched me up, to be honest!” he said. “Everyone started clapping and I didn’t have a feeling because I didn’t get clapped for my fifty or anything.”I could only assume it was for my hundred so I raised my bat. He said ‘are you sure they are not clapping the team’s 150?’ I said ‘I bloody hope not’, as I would have looked like a bit of a muppet.””It was frustrating without [the scoreboard] but more with the team score because you don’t know where you are after 10, 15 or 20 overs. It is annoying especially when you get to the 30-over mark. You like to know where you are at that point.”

West Ham United manager David Moyes continues to divide the fanbase, and he has now been dealt a potential worry over his long-term stay as the club consider a decorated alternative.

Moyes expects new contract with West Ham supporters split

Moyes admitted to the media recently that talks are set to resume over a proposed fresh contract, with his current deal expiring at the end of this Premier League season.

West Ham hierarchy and Moyes take blame for one real failure

The manager and club officials have arguably let supporters down.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 6, 2024

"We'll get back on it now the transfer window is shut. We're well down the line and moving on with it," said Moyes on his future and new contract to the press.

"We'll pick that up again in the next few weeks."

While the Scotsman is sure of his decision to remain in east London, West Ham's followers are a bit more diverse in their opinion. Some believe that Moyes has fully earned the right to stay and is the correct coach to take them forward, coming after he transformed them from relegation-battlers to UEFA Conference League victors in the space of three seasons.

West Ham have achieved European qualification for three consecutive seasons and a fourth certainly isn't off the cards, but there are some loyal supporters who believe Moyes has already done all he can with his peak years in charge now out of the way.

There are also some complaints about Moyes' pragmatic approach to games and general style of play, with the 60-year-old partly to blame for West Ham's failure to sign a left-winger in January as well (Malik Ouzia).

Amid these concerns, journalist Dean Jones has now written for Sportslens that the club's hierarchy are slightly more tentative about announcing a new deal, with West Ham still yet to win a single game in all competitions this year.

West Ham considering Paulo Fonseca to replace Moyes

They're also exploring alternative options to Moyes if they do decide to let the ex-Manchester United boss leave at the end of 23/24. One of them, according to Jones, is current Lille head coach Paulo Fonseca.

The 50-year-old, who's won nine pieces of major silverware across spells in charge of Shakhtar Donetsk, SC Braga and FC Porto, is apparently on Tim Steidten's radar. West Ham are considering Fonseca as an option to succeed Moyes, with Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick also being targeted.

While there is little else added beyond this in regard to Fonseca, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano shared a promising bit of background on the tactician when Spurs were linked with him in 2021.

"He is perfect in the dressing room and perfect in his relationship with the players, which is something really needed at Tottenham at the moment," said Romano (via talkSPORT).

“He likes to play a 3-4-2-1 formation and likes to play with quality and fast players behind the striker."

Football fans have been busy making their predictions ahead of the start of the new 2024-25 Premier League season.

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• Premier League will kick off on Friday
• Fans make predictions ahead of new campaign
• Supporters also name best stadium and worst fans

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Thousands of supporters have revealed their tips for the new season in a new survey by Betfair conducted by YouGov Sport. The new poll has also seen fans name Liverpool's famous Anfield stadium as the ground with the best atmosphere ahead of the Emirates Stadium, St James' Park and Stamford Bridge. The worst away fans have also been revealed, with Arsenal supporters voted top of the pile in the poll.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Manchester City will be aiming to win the title for a record fifth straight season and fans are expecting the Cityzens to finish in top spot. A whopping 44% of fans went for Pep Guardiola's side to be crowned champions, with Arsenal receiving 21% of the vote and Liverpool 10%. Meanwhile, Manchester United are expected to return to the top four after finishing down in eighth place last season, beating Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle and Aston Villa to the final Champions League spot.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton will be back in the Premier League after promotion last season. However, fans are expecting the Tractor Boys and the Saints to go straight back down. Nottingham Forest are also being backed to drop back down to the Championship after narrowly escaping the drop last season.

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  WHAT NEXT

  The new Premier League season will kick off on Friday when Manchester United take on Fulham in the opener. A busy weekend follows with some key clashes, most notably Sunday's huge game between champions Manchester City and big-spending Chelsea.

West Ham United have been pushing for signings over the late stage of the January transfer market, and having completed the loan addition of centre-midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City, will now look to make a last-gasp move for a winger.

David Moyes is eager to sign a striker but will bide his time until the summer, now focussing on strengthening the flanks following the likely departures of Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma.

Al-Ittihad's Jota has been on the radar but with that one stuck in the mud, one journalist believes the Hammers could delve down a different road…

West Ham plotting late bid for EFL star

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – West Ham could return for Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto after Jota and Ibrahim Osman deals stall.

West Ham offered last-gasp chance to sign £47k-p/w Coufal upgrade

The Hammers have the opportunity to sign the Ligue 1 defender before the deadline.

By
Dan Emery

Feb 1, 2024

He said that it's been a "frustrating" week for the Hammers and that a move for the Italy international would "appeal", having been linked with a transfer earlier in the window.

Wilfried Gnonto is a Benrahma upgrade

Sixth in the Premier League and with a game in hand on Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion below, West Ham have been impressive once again this season but have stagnated slightly since the new year and a player such as Gnonto would be a great fit.

Jarrod Bowen has missed the past two matches because of a setback while playmaker Lucas Paqueta is out till March with a calf injury.

Gnonto has not played a prominent role under Daniel Farke in the Championship this season, starting just seven times in the league, but he was praised as a "pocket rocket" by pundit Tam McManus for his exploits in the Premier League last season, making his mark and proving one of the bright sparks as the Whites fell into the abyss.

Clinching four goals and four assists apiece despite his side's woes, the 13-cap Italy international would be a big Benrahma upgrade given that the Algerian has only landed a single assist from 22 matches this term, though more importantly, he is failing to contribute effectively in the defensive sequences.

Gnonto, in comparison, ranks among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across divisions similar to the Championship for pass completion, the top 1% for progressive carries, the top 21% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances, as per FBref.

Not only is he a barrelling outlet down the left flank, stretching defences and driving the ball into the danger area, but the £20k-per-week starlet is more than willing to get stuck in and this is an attractive proposition for Moyes and his system.

An "electric" – as described by pundit Sam Parkin – figure on the pitch who will only improve over the coming years, West Ham must complete a swoop for Gnonto in the next few hours, with the 20-year-old's skill set well suited to improve Moyes' side.

Portuguese winger Jota has indeed been touted with a move away from the Saudi Pro League but there have been concerns about his staggering salary and the league champions are also now willing to re-integrate him into the squad, having ostracised him following restrictions to foreign players available for inclusion.

Some reports in the player's homeland have speculated that a £13m offer would be enough to prise Gnonto away from Elland Road, and if this is the case, an official bid will surely be forthcoming.

Tom Latham is expected to captain the side should Williamson be forced to sit out

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-2020Glenn Phillips has been summoned as last-minute batting cover after illness hit the New Zealand camp ahead of the final Test in Sydney, forcing Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls to sit out training for the second day running.Mitchell Santner, whose position in the side was under scrutiny after two poor outings, has also come down with the bug, leaving the possibility that New Zealand’s resources will be stretched very thin as they aim to avoid a whitewash. Jeet Raval, who was dropped after the Perth Test, is currently the one spare batsman in the squad and the decision has been taken to fly in the uncapped Phillips on the eve of the game.Phillips averages 42.54 from 23 first-class matches – with four hundreds – and struck a century for New Zealand A against England late last year.”We’ve obviously got a few balls up in the air at the moment and we want to be on the safe side and have options,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “Glenn has been in terrific form this season and has good versatility with where he can bat and the roles he can play.”He’s been around the T20 team for the past couple of years so should feel comfortable in the environment. We’re still hopeful Henry and Kane will pull through and we will give them every chance to prove their fitness. If one or both are ruled out then we will consider our options and most importantly how they balance the side for this final Test.”ALSO READ: Preview – New Zealand seek pick-me-up in hazy SydneyShould Williamson be unavailable – and it would take a very severe illness to sideline him – Tom Latham would be the likely replacement as captain, although last year, when Williamson was ruled out of the Christchurch Test against Bangladesh that was subsequently cancelled following the terror attack , Tim Southee was in line to lead the side.Latham took on the official duties at a reception with the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday and also did the pre-match press conference.Kane Williamson walks off after his dismissal•Getty Images and Cricket Australia

“[Kane] is obviously a great leader amongst this group and he’s passionate about this group, so I’m sure if there’s any chance of him playing, even if it is a small chance, he’ll certainly be playing,” Latham said. “It’s gone around the team a little bit which obviously isn’t ideal but fingers crossed, they’re resting up today and hopefully they’ll wake up and be good to go.”If we lost those guys it would be disappointing but we’ve got a squad of 15 who are passionate about this team, and whatever side we do play has the backing of the whole group that it’s the right team for the job.England’s preparations for the first Test against South Africa last week were severely impacted by illness which swept through the majority of the squad in the first few weeks of the tour and continued to strike players while the Test was in progress.ALSO READ: Somerville’s SCG journey – tears in the car park to Test cricketIt leaves New Zealand’s planning up in the air although if everyone is available for selection there is the potential for two changes to the bowling attack with Matt Henry replacing the injured Trent Boult and Will Somerville coming in for Santner. While the surface is expected to turn, it is thought unlikely they will field two spinners, particularly after the workloads Southee and Neil Wagner have had during the first two Tests.The series has been a chastening experience for New Zealand after they arrived with the hope of competing with Australia having risen to No. 2 in the Test rankings. They failed to cross 200 in the first three innings before Tom Blundell’s defiant century in Melbourne, in his first Test as an opener, provided belated resistance.”We haven’t played our best brand of cricket and I know the guys are excited about getting out there over the next five days and trying to put a good performance on the board,” Latham said. “Yes, the series is lost but it’s the Test Championship and points are up for grabs. We’ll be doing our best to put a good performance out there.”Tim Paine was expecting Williamson to be standing with him for the toss and was focused on Australia not letting up in their intensity after a dominant Test season which has seen them win all four matches, including two against Pakistan, so far by huge margins. In the Ashes series last year, Australia produced a poor performance at The Oval after they had retained the urn with a match to spare but Paine was confident his team had learned from the experience.”I wouldn’t say we took our foot off the pedal [at The Oval], but we’ve certainly learned how to handle that experience of having the emotional high of the win then switching back on really quickly,” he said. “We spoke this morning about making sure that we turn up tomorrow with the same energy and focus that we turned up at the Gabba. All I’ve asked tomorrow is we turn up expecting New Zealand to come out hard and expecting it to be another fight for five days. We feel if we can match them in that area that eventually we’ll be able to wear them down.”GMT 0800 The story was updated to include the news of Phillips’ call-up.

A significant development has emerged regarding Liverpool's pursuit of a "complete footballer", with the Reds reportedly ready to table a "huge offer" for his services.

Liverpool transfer news

Jurgen Klopp must be delighted with how last summer's transfer business at Anfield has panned out, with his decision to completely change the midfield paying off handsomely. His side lead the Premier League table by five points and are still in every cup competition, as this season threatens to be a memorable one.

New signings this month are something that the Liverpool manager may still be considering, however, especially as injury problems are beginning to mount, and the Merseysiders have been linked with plenty of players of late.

Teenage "golden boy" Bilal El Khannouss is an interesting name who has emerged as a target for the Reds, with the 19-year-old currently plying his trade at Genk, while Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri is an option at left-back, with a long-term replacement needed for Andy Robertson eventually.

Liverpool ready "huge offer" for Teun Koopmeiners

According to a fresh update from Tutto Atalanta [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are readying a "huge offer" for Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners. Another report from Calciomercato has claimed that Newcastle United, Napoli and Juventus are all interested, too.

He is described as a "prime target" for the Reds, and while a specific figure isn't mentioned in the report, a fee of around €45m (£38.5m) is relayed from previous updates. A January move for the Dutchman may be tricky, however, due to him being happy at his current club,

Koopmeiners could be an intriguing option for Liverpool, having grown into a formidable midfielder over the years, becoming a key man for Atalanta and making a total of 104 appearances. In that time, he has also scored 21 goals and registered 12 assists, highlighting his end product, and former Ajax ace Ruud Krol has lauded him in the past, saying:

“Koop is a great player. He has an international caliber and is the starter in the Dutch national team. I certainly see him doing well at a big club. Juve or Milan? He would certainly be invaluable to both of them. Koopmeiners can play in all positions in the middle of the pitch: both as a playmaker and as a midfielder. He is a complete footballer who would be useful for all coaches, including Allegri."

At 25, Koopmeiners is in the sweet spot of his career where he is experienced but still young enough to improve further – he is the same age as current Liverpool hero Alexis Mac Allister – and a tally of 20 caps for the Netherlands alongside the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch outlines his international pedigree, too.

Liverpool looking at move for "delicious" £50m star who'd unlock Diaz

Jurgen Klopp is laying the groundwork for a massive summer transfer at Anfield.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jan 22, 2024

It looks as though a summer move may be more likely, and while the Reds do now look well-stocked in midfield, Thiago could leave at the end of the season when his contract expires, and Koopmeiners could be an ideal replacement, capable of playing in various positions.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri heaped praise on midfield maestro Luka Modric after his decisive goal secured the win over Bologna. Allegri believes Modric’s exceptional game intelligence keeps him a step ahead of both opponents and teammates, making him an "extraordinary" player.

• Modric's game winning goal

  In a match where Milan kept a perfect defensive record by not allowing Bologna a single shot on target, Modric’s solitary goal made all the difference. Starting a counterattack from deep inside Milan’s half in the 60th minute, Modric surged into Bologna’s penalty area to meet Alexis Saelemaekers's perfectly-timed pass with a calm finish to the goalkeeper’s right.

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  What Allegri said about Modric and Milan's performance yesterday

  Allegri was pleased with Modric's performance and heaped praise on him afterwards, telling reporters: "Luka is an extraordinary player, it's a pleasure to watch him play, and above all, he's a truly humble guy, just like the champion he is. He's wonderful, he knows where the ball is going one minute before, and then he's extraordinary."

  Allegri was also pleased with the team effort from the players, saying: "It was important to win at home without conceding a goal. In difficult moments, the team remained united: in those moments, it's important not to disintegrate and let them pass."

• The controversial penatly decision and Allegri's red card

  In a controversial moment late in the game, on-field referee Matteo Marcenaro initially awarded a penalty after Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler was judged to have fouled Christian Nkunku in the box. However, the decision was overturned due to insufficient contact following a VAR review. The decision sparked the ire of Allegri, who was sent off for dissent.

  Allegri downplayed the incident later, adding: "Nothing special, there was the penalty incident and at that moment I had something to say to the fourth official and luckily the jacket saved me."

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  Milan and Allegri's challenges up ahead

  Despite starting the campaign with a loss to Cremonese at home, Allegri will be happy to have two wins in two games. He will hope that Modric will be able to reproduce his form from Bologna when Milan will travel next to Stadio Friuli to take on Udinese.