Derby County are interested in signing a midfielder likened to none other than Kevin de Bruyne before the January transfer window closes.
Derby suffer another defeat
It was another evening to forget for the Rams on Tuesday, falling to a 1-0 loss to Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland at Pride Park.
It was a sixth successive defeat in all competitions under Paul Warne, with Derby’s slide down the league table continuing. Talking after the game, Warne said: “I thought second half we played with more intent. No fan wants to hear this off of their manager, no doubt, but if you are going to lose then that is the way to lose.
“You’ve got to try and put your personality on the game, you have to put crosses in the box, make the keeper make saves and give the fans something to cheer.
“I didn’t think we did that in the first half and I was expecting bigger boos at half-time, truth be told. I appreciate everyone that got behind the team and the team needed it. All in all I’m proud, but hugely disappointed that we didn’t get anything.”
Derby now ready to join the race to sign "talented" Premier League player
Paul Warne is eyeing a defender.
1 ByDominic Lund Jan 21, 2025
Derby’s attention now turns to a trip to Wales with Cardiff City on the weekend, with the Rams currently in 20th place and their hosts one spot higher above the drop zone.
Warne and those behind the scenes at Derby can also bring in new additions until February 3, and it looks as if they have their eyes on a new target alongside Aston Villa defender Lamar Bogarde.
Derby interested in signing versatile midfielder
According to reports in the Netherlands over the last 48 hours, Derby are interested in signing midfielder Oscar Fraulo. The Dane can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder and is currently on loan at FC Utrecht from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Fraulo is on loan in the Netherlands with an option to buy at the end of the campaign, however, the report states that Derby may now take over that loan-to-buy deal.
The 21-year-old has been going from strength to strength, with his current Transfermarkt valuation at a career-high €3.5m. He’s also been praised by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig in the past, who previously likened Fraulo to Kevin de Bruyne.
Passing
Very strong
Tactical intelligence
Very strong
Vision
Very strong
Ball control
Very strong
Technique
Very strong
Versatility
Very strong
Kulig said on Fraulo’s style of play: “Roaming playmaker – has all the qualities to play as an advanced playmaker as well – well-rounded, hard-working team player – tactically astute and technically capable of playing in various tactical systems and roles – knows how to dictate tempo using his good vision, passing ability at all distances, and natural technique to create dynamism on the team’s build-up process.”
All the signs point to him being a shrewd signing for the Rams, making this one to watch.
Everton have now held talks with the agents of an “outstanding” midfielder they are looking at signing this month, according to a report.
Moyes eyeing midfielders after Spurs win
The Toffees’ 3-2 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend provided them with some much-needed breathing room in the Premier League relegation battle, now sitting four points clear of the bottom three with a game in hand.
However, the job is by no means close to being done yet, with just under half of the season left to play, and David Moyes remains interested in strengthening his squad by bringing in a new midfielder this month.
Moyes could look to raid Chelsea in the final week of the January transfer window, identifying both Carney Chukwuemeka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as potential midfield targets, having failed to establish themselves as regular starters at Stamford Bridge.
According to a report from Tutto Juve (via Sport Witness), Juventus’ Arthur Melo is also now emerging as a target for Everton, and they have taken their first step towards getting a deal done by making contact with his agents.
Arthur Melo for Fiorentina.
Melo was a first-team regular for Fiorentina last season, but he hasn’t been part of Thiago Motta’s plans this term, meaning he could move elsewhere this winter.
Real Betis are also interested in signing the midfielder, and at one point it looked like a deal was close, but negotiations came to a halt, which could give the Toffees an opportunity to swoop in.
Developments were expected quickly in the hours following the initial contact, but as yet it is unclear whether the Blues have made any progress towards getting a deal done.
Everton "have made moves" to sign "very interesting" 24 y/o international
David Moyes isn’t messing around.
ByHenry Jackson Jan 20, 2025 Melo could be a solid signing for Everton
The 28-year-old has already played in England before, albeit briefly, with his stint at Liverpool being significantly hampered by injury, but he did enough to impress Jordan Henderson during his time at Anfield.
Since then, the Brazilian has managed to put his injury problems behind him, making 48 appearances in all competitions for Fiorentina last season and establishing himself as a key player.
Of course, there will be concerns about the former Liverpool man’s injury history, but he showed signs of being back to his best last season, averaging a 7.12 SofaScore match rating in the Serie A, among the highest in the squad.
Melo proved he deserves a second chance to prove himself in the Premier League with his performances last season, and given that he isn’t getting any game time at Juventus, it seems likely that Everton could stand a good chance of concluding a deal.
Companheiros noShakhtar Donetsk, Maycon e Júnior Moraes se reencontraram no Corinthians nesta temporada, após deixarem o futebol ucraniano pela guerra envolvendo Rússia e Ucrânia. Na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre a Portuguesa-RJ, pelo jogo de volta da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, o centroavante desencantou e marcou o seu primeiro gol.
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> GALERIA – Giuliano comanda vitória do Timão na Copa do Brasil; veja notas
Na zona mista após o triunfo sobre a lusa carioca, Maycon mostrou o seu apoio a Júnior Moraes, e disse que o atleta estava trabalhando duro para balançar as redes.
– Centroavante sempre tem esse peso, mas ele vinha nos ajudando em outros aspectos importantes para a equipe. Ele estava lutando bastante atrás desse gol, fico feliz por ele. Conheço muito bem, vai nos ajudar bastante. Assim como o Jô, temos o Guedes, quando jogam ali, podem decidir a qualquer momento, nossa equipe precisa disso. Fico feliz por ele, está entendendo o que é Corinthians, é natural esse tempo de adaptação – disse o camisa 5.
> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Corinthians no Brasileirão
Em suas redes sociais, Júnior Moraes celebrou o primeiro gol marcado com a camisa corintiana, e disse que jogar na Neo Química Arena, com o apoio da Fiel, é diferente. O camisa 18 saiu no intervalo pois antes mesmo do jogo, estava sofrendo com alergias, mas não quis ficar de fora. O atleta vem sendo medicado.
Jogar na arena é diferente, ganhar e garantir a classificação é ainda melhor, mas hoje com certeza terá um lugar ainda mais especial. Bom demais poder marcar o primeiro gol jogando em casa e sentir todo o apoio da fiel. ⚫⚪🦅
Ainda na zona mista, Maycon falou sobre o bom momento do Timão, líder não apenas do seu grupo na Libertadores, como no Brasileirão, e agora classificado às oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil
– Fico feliz com a volta. Fiz bons jogos, outros posso melhorar. A margem de evolução da equipe é muito grande. A equipe está evoluindo bem, estamos atingindo todos os objetivos, se manter na parte de cima do Brasileiro, liderando na Libertadores, e classificamos na Copa do Brasil. Manter isso, pois o objetivo do clube é brigar por tudo até o final do ano – afirmou.
O volante, substituído por Cantillo após o intervalo, comentou sobre o rodízio na equipe titular em que Vítor Pereira vem implementando.
– Estava me sentindo bem. Entendo que tem um rodízio, os jogadores estão entendendo isso. Claro que a gente quer jogar todos os jogos, é inevitável, mas tem que entender que vai precisar ficar um de fora para não ter nenhum tipo de lesão, que possa perder mais jogos. Isso prejudica bastante – ponderou.
Na sexta-feira, a delegação corintiana viaja para Porto Alegre, tendo em vista que sábado (14), às 19h, o Timão enfrenta o Internacional pela sexta rodada do Brasileirão.
Três dias depois, o Corinthians vai até Buenos Aires, onde encara o Boca Juniors na Bombonera, às 21h30 ( Brasília), pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.
Perguntado sobre uma possível titularidade nos dois jogos, o camisa 5 do clube alvinegro deixou a questão para Vítor Pereira resolver.
– Você tem que perguntar para o Mister. Estou à disposição para os dois jogos. Se preferir para um, tem que respeitar, e quando tiver oportunidades em ajudar o Corinthians, tenho que dar o meu melhor – concluiu.
Everything you need to know about Dani Olmo's salary playing for Barcelona
Dani Olmo finally joined Barcelona in 2024 from RB Leipzig after constant links with the Catalan club in previous years, marking a return to his boyhood club after he had left Barca for Dinamo Zagreb back in 2014 as a 16-year-old.
Despite having a topsy-turvy 2024-25 season due to injuries, Olmo has managed to impress under Hansi Flick when fully match fit.
The Spanish midfielder is well compensated for his services at the club, earning a substantial salary under his current contract, which keeps him at the club until 2030.
But what does a substantial salary mean concretely for Olmo?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
*
Dani Olmo's wages at Barcelona in numbers
Under his current contract at the club, Olmo makes £150,847 ($197,469) on a weekly basis, while his annual wages reach £7.8 million ($10.2m).
Although his wages are substantial enough, he is far from reaching the numbers of the highest-paid players at the club.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Dani Olmo
Spanish
£150,847
$197,469
£7,844,047
$10,268,385
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Getty Images
Top earners at Barcelona
The top spot at the Blaugrana in terms of wages belongs to goal-scoring machine Robert Lewandowski.
Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong appears in second position, followed by former wonderkid Ansu Fati.
Finally, rounding off the list in fourth and fifth positions are French full-back Jules Kounde and Brazilian forward Raphinha, respectively.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Robert Lewandowski
Polish
£536,006
$701,667
£27,872,290
$36,486,704
Frenkie de Jong
Dutch
£305,554
$399,990
£15,888,794
$20,799,501
Ansu Fati
Spanish
£224,341
$293,677
£11,665,720
$15,271,213
Jules Kounde
French
£217,908
$285,256
£11,331,219
$14,833,329
Raphinha
Brazilian
£201,022
$263,152
£10,453,154
$13,683,882
Top earners in La Liga
Only Robert Lewandowski from the Barcelona squad makes it into the top-five list of the highest-paid players in the league and does so right at the very top.
Mbappe makes his appearance at second position, followed by David Alaba.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's only entrant in the list is goalkeeper Jan Oblak, followed by Bellingham at number five.
Nationality
Nationality
Weekly wages GBP
Weekly wages USD
Annual wages GBP
Annual Wages USD
Robert Lewandowski
Polish
£536,006
$701,667
£27,872,290
$36,486,704
Kylian Mbappe
French
£502,556
$657,879
£26,132,886
$34,209,706
David Alaba
Austrian
£361,840
$473,673
£18,815,678
$24,630,988
Jan Oblak
Slovenian
£334,983
$438,516
£17,419,136
$22,802,822
Jude Bellingham
English
£334,983
$438,516
£17,419,136
$22,802,822
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Highest paid players in the world
Despite the significant wages in the league, none of the top LaLiga earners make it to the top-five earners list globally.
Saudi Pro League players heavily dominate the list, with former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot, respectively.
Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Jose Mourinho has been told that he is “suited to life in WWE” alongside John Cena and Logan Paul after grabbing the nose of a managerial rival.
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Portuguese tangled with Galatasaray bossHas history of touchline theatricsCould have a future in the wrestling industryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Former Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Mourinho is currently working in Turkey with Super Lig giants Fenerbahce. That role is seeing him cross paths with arch-rivals Galatasaray on a regular basis.
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The latest derby date between two fierce Istanbul-based rivals ended in chaos, with four red cards dished out in stoppage-time. Once the action had finished, Mourinho tangled with opposite number Okan Buruk – leading to Galatasaray’s head coach writing around on the floor.
DID YOU KNOW?
Mourinho has been stung with a three-match touchline ban on the back of his face-pinching antics, with the Portuguese no stranger to courting controversy. With that in mind, the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ could be a useful addition to the WWE ranks.
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GettyWHAT TEDDY SHERINGHAM SAID
Former United striker Teddy Sheringham told of Mourinho being as cut out for life at Wrestlemania as he is the Champions League: “I haven't seen it yet [nose grab], that's the first I've heard of it but it's really funny. I mean I was only talking about him yesterday. I'm here in the Maldives and we're doing a coaching thing and one of the dads is a Fenerbahce fan and he said: ‘Jose's got to go. We're so far behind Galatasaray.’
“I said it's always somebody else's fault, so I wonder why he's got hold of the manager. What or why would he have done that, but it's just ridiculous. He's always got something up his sleeve to take the spotlight away from Galatasaray. He can't help himself, can he? Maybe he would be better suited to life in the WWE? He’s certainly got the theatrics for it.”
India are ready to embrace the “odd failure” in their quest to ramp up the run rate across phases of a match, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, their captain Rohit Sharma has said after winning the first T20I against West Indies.Despite a steady fall of wickets, Dinesh Karthik and Rohit embodied India’s aggressive approach, hitting 41 not out off 19 balls and 64 off 44 balls respectively on a challenging pitch in Tarouba.Related
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“We want to try certain things when we bat in the first six overs, when we bat in the middle overs, and how we finish off the games,” Rohit said after India’s 68-run victory. “So, there are three facets of the game we want to try to improve, and how we can get the best out of each player. We’ve given specific roles to specific players to come and do the job for the team. Today, we did it. There’s no guarantee that it will happen every game, but we got to try and back those ideas of going out there and trying to execute certain skills with the bat.”And while doing that we will have some odd failures here and there, but we are pretty much okay with that. We want to try to do certain things when we bat, and I think we’re able to achieve certain things. So, all in all, I thought it was a great effort and we want to continue to do that.”Rohit Sharma made a brisk half-century in India’s 190 for 6•AFP/Getty Images
Speaking to , Karthik said Rohit and India coach Rahul Dravid had built a team environment that gave players security, despite failures. “I’m really enjoying this set-up – the kind of calmness that seems to be around this set-up in terms of the coach and the captain, I think a lot of credit must go to the both of them. I think they have set up an atmosphere where they are dealing with failure in the most rational way possible. They are also bringing on board people who can help players [alluding to Paddy Upton’s appointment as mental-conditioning coach] and try and be themselves. I think that was something that could have been missing before. At times when I didn’t do well, I felt treated the same way and the dressing-room atmosphere is very calm and good.”In T20Is in 2022, India have scored at a rate of 9.46 per over, their best in a year where they have played more than one match. Only New Zealand (10.21) have scored at a faster clip than India.Rohit, though, cautioned his batters against going too hard on pitches that aren’t conducive to such an approach and urged them to be smarter with their decisions.”But, again, we need to understand what sort of pitch we play on,” he said. “Certain pitches will not allow you to do that, so you got to take a backward step and see how you can play in those overs because the guys have a lot of skill and they’ve played on all sorts of pitches back home. So, they just need to back those skillsets with the bat in the middle overs.”That India eventually scored 190 for 6 after being 138 for 6 in 16 overs was down to Karthik’s blows in the last two overs. Such a total, Rohit said, seemed beyond India’s reach at the halfway mark of their innings.”The nature of the pitch… we knew it was going to be slightly tough,” Rohit said. “The shot-making wasn’t that easy at the start and at the same time, we do understand that guys who are set need to carry on as long as possible because there was some grip for the spinners. The odd variation wasn’t easy to pick.”But the way we finished off the first innings getting to 190 was a great effort because I really thought this wasn’t a pitch where you can get 170-180 when we were batting in the first half of the game and when we finished the first ten overs.”Akeal Hosein celebrates dismissing Suryakumar Yadav•AFP/Getty Images
‘Difficult to read pitches in the Caribbean’ – Pooran West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran admitted that his side’s indiscipline played a part in India posting a total that was above par.Kyle Mayers dropped Suryakumar Yadav on 10 at short cover, Alzarri Joseph kept offering pace and bowling short to Rohit, Jason Holder missed his yorkers at the death, and then their batting unravelled in the chase. To add to West Indies’ woes, they could have just four fielders outside the 30-yard circle during the end of India’s innings due to an in-match penalty for slow over rate.”I did feel like they got 20 runs more,” Pooran said after the game. “And that was basically with our indiscipline. Obviously, with the over rate there in our last two overs and an extra guy in the circle, it was a big challenge for our bowlers. But we need to be a bit more disciplined.”West Indies picked just one spinner for the game – Akeal Hosein, who took 1 for 14 from his fours overs – while India went with three – Ravi Bishnoi, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who shared five wickets among them. Did West Indies misread the conditions in what was the first international match at the Brian Lara Stadium?”In hindsight, it is difficult to read the pitches in the Caribbean, to be honest,” Pooran said. ” We can go back and say maybe we missed a trick, but in hindsight, anything could happen. The last two overs went for 40-odd [36] runs. Maybe 160 would’ve played differently for us, but we will definitely reflect on the decision that we made and will definitely try to get better in the days to come.”The teams travel to Basseterre in St. Kitts for the second and third T20 internationals on August 1 and 2.
Celtic reacted brilliantly to their disappointing Old Firm defeat by bouncing back with a 3-0 win over St Mirren at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
The Hoops had been beaten 3-0 by Rangers at Ibrox in their previous match and Brendan Rodgers will have demanded an instant response from the group, which is exactly what he got.
Celtic managerBrendanRodgerscelebrates after winning the League Cup
Nicolas Kuhn found the back of the net twice, either side of a header from Auston Trusty, to secure all three points for the league leaders this weekend.
Nicolas Kuhn's performance against St Mirren
The German forward scored two of the team’s three goals in the match and will grab the headlines with his display for that very reason, despite them both coming courtesy of opposition mistakes.
Kuhn and Celtic’s opening goal in the game came from a cross from Daizen Maeda that found the left-footed star in the box, with his effort essentially palmed backward into his own net by Zac Hemming, who should have done better.
His second goal came in the second half after the St Mirren defence and goalkeeper failed to deal with a loose ball in the six-yard box, which allowed the winger to tap into an empty net from close range.
Kuhn, who missed a ‘big chance’, also made two key passes and created one ‘big chance’ for his teammates, but was not rewarded with an assist for his creative efforts on the right flank.
The former Rapid Vienna star was not the only strong performer for Celtic on Sunday, however, as central defender Auston Trusty proved Rodgers’ Old Firm decision all wrong.
Auston Trusty proved Brendan Rodgers wrong
Celtic’s manager opted to go with Liam Scales on the left side of the defence next to Cameron Carter-Vickers in the 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox, and it turned out to be a misstep from the boss.
The Irish dud only completed 85% of his attempted passes in the match and was directly at fault for the opening goal from Ianis Hagi, as he smashed a pass into no man’s land in midfield, leading to the Rangers star’s strike from distance.
Trusty, who landed an 8/10 player rating from 67HailHail, stepped back into the defence and produced an excellent all-round display to prove that he should not have been left out of the XI in the Old Firm.
The USA international was key to the dominant performance from Celtic against St Mirren with the most touches (131) in the match and a pass completion rate of 88%, to go along with scoring the second goal.
Stats
Scales vs Rangers
Trusty vs St Mirren
Clearances
7
10
Blocks
1
3
Dribbled past
1x
0x
Duels won
7
11
Pass accuracy
85%
88%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Trusty’s play on and off the ball was significantly better than what Scales, who had a nightmare in the Old Firm, produced on Thursday.
The American giant did not allow any opposition players to dribble past him and was dominant in his duels, winning 11, to go along with three blocks to prevent Kasper Schmeichel from being worked.
Rodgers may now be regretting his decision to go with the Irishman over the former Sheffield United titan for that match, as the result could have been different if he had gone with the left-footed colossus alongside Carter-Vickers for that game – given his improved play on the ball could have prevented Hagi’s goal.
5 players who could leave Celtic this January
There could be a clearout at Parkhead this month…
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The Celtic manager should now think twice before deciding to drop Trusty in the club’s next big match, whether that is domestically or in Europe.
This is a new year. Is this Liverpool’s year? Let’s not be too hasty – especially with Arsenal narrowing the deficit in the Premier League title race with an impressive win at Brentford – but the Reds are fixed in pole position.
The Saka-less Gunners reduced the gap to six points, leapfrogging Nottingham Forest into second place. There’s still a sizeable gap to bridge toward Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, but too many false dawns have stretched across Merseyside in recent years.
Trent
Liverpool have plenty of success stories over the past decade, but plenty more agonising flashbacks besides. That’s football. It’s staggering that Arne Slot has done so well after gripping Jurgen Klopp’s baton last summer, taking Liverpool to another level that promises, at least, gripping showdowns across multiple cylinders.
Signings are needed though to complement – hopefully – some stirring contractual resolutions. Liverpool merely dipped their toes into the market last summer, but will need to strengthen considerably this year, lest their rivals catch up and overtake them this year and next.
Liverpool looking at big signing this year
As per Football Insider, Liverpool have made Morgan Gibbs-White their top target this year, with the dynamic midfielder endowed with the completeness to make more than a few ripples within Anfield’s squad.
Morgan Gibbs-White celebrates for Nottingham Forest
It’s claimed that FSG’s recruitment team have upped their interest in the Nottingham Forest star ‘ahead of the January and summer transfer windows’, suggesting that a move this winter isn’t out of the question.
Gibbs-White has been the life-juice of Nuno Espirito Santo’s third-placed side this year, and prising him away won’t be easy. In fact, he was valued at £60m by his outfit during the off-season and they will hardly be looking for a reduced figure after the progress this term.
What Morgan Gibbs-White would bring to Anfield
Nottingham Forest appeared to splurge upon their return to the Premier League in 2022, scattergunning across the market as they sought to preserve their place back in the big time. It worked. Just.
But English football felt that business had been conducted haphazardly. English football was wrong. The Tricky Trees have burgeoned into one of the most steely and cohesive units in the Premier League, with Gibbs-White pulling the strings from the middle.
Forest signed Wolves’ talent in August 2022 for a fee rising as high as £42.5m, something that was met with derision from many circles of the Premier League’s sprawling support base. The Tricky Trees will feel that they’ve had the latest laugh, for Gibbs-White is one of the highest-performing midfielders in the Premier League this season.
Still only 24, Gibbs-White has now claimed 35 goal contributions from 95 appearances, and having been praised as a “monster in transition” by one analyst, the Englishman’s general play is highlighted, with such an impressive distinction through his playmaking, yes, but also his defensive work and on-the-ball retention.
Also praised for his “magic tricks” by reporter Jamie Martin, the £80k-per-week star has the quick-footed, fast-thinking style that works perfectly at the City Ground, marrying flair with tactical pragmaticism.
There’s also a combativeness to him and a sense of responsibility too. The free-scoring Chris Wood has commented on Gibbs-White becoming a “really positive leader for Forest” who is “always looking to progress the team.”
Bearing the full package, Gibbs-White could even become Slot’s own version of Steven Gerrard at Liverpool. That’s a bold claim, but just hear us out.
Slot's own Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard. Liverpool’s ultimate superstar. The iconic England midfielder engineered the greatest Champions League triumph in history, played 710 times for his boyhood club and registered 341 goal contributions.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard
The Premier League title eluded him but he remained on Merseyside throughout his European career and knitted a connection with the city that will endure forever.
He was the perfect centre-midfielder, in many ways, for his all-encompassing nature made him a force to be reckoned with across the various roles. Eight, six, ten – he could do it all, and with panache at that.
Gibbs-White has the prototypical skill set to assume the kind of dynamic approach that Gerrard once plied in the Premier League, with his ball-playing and -carrying skills reminiscent of the Scouse hero. Moreover, Forest’s midfield talisman has fostered an impressive defensive game through Nuno’s strategic system.
The skills learned during this time are transferrable, and Liverpool would be sure to reap the rewards of such an impressive tactical range. In fact, Gibbs-White has even been warmly referred to as the “Aldi Jude Bellingham” by BBC analyst Raj Chohan, praising his athleticism and ability to plough through even the most noble of defensive lines.
Matches (starts)
15 (15)
14 (14)
Goals
3
6
Assists
3
4
Shots (on target)*
1.7 (0.9)
1.4 (0.6)
Pass completion
80%
89%
Key passes*
1.8
1.1
Dribbles*
1.4
1.1
Ball recoveries*
4.1
3.0
Tackles + interceptions*
2.3
3.0
Total duels (won)*
5.3 (46%)
5.4 (57%)
Bellingham is cut from a similar cloth as Gerrard, describing the retired pro as his “hero” and admitting that he has attempted to incorporate similar aspects into his own game.
Jamie Carragher has also waxed lyrical about Bellingham and drawn him against a prime Gerrard, with his strength across every single area something unique and hardly replicable.
Ultimately, Liverpool know that their lionised skipper is someone who will never be replaced, not really, but through Gibbs-White, whose silky ranged passing, crunching challenges and leadership skills provide him with the template, there could be a second coming to a lesser degree.
One thing’s for certain: Slot’s tactical acumen would only elevate Gibbs-White’s impressive game over the coming years, and while he’s been eye-catching since moving to Nottingham, at Liverpool he would raise his game by many levels.
Worth more than Trent: Liverpool have hit gold on £115m star in the making
Arne Slot has turned this Liverpool talent into a superstar.
Allrounder informs BCB of his decision after being asked to choose between “playing for Bangladesh” and “staying with betting”
Mohammad Isam11-Aug-2022
Shakib is in the running to take over the T20I captaincy•ICC via Getty
Shakib Al Hasan has withdrawn from his sponsorship deal with a company called Betwinner News, according to BCB’s cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus. The news comes shortly after Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president, had stated that Shakib would never play for Bangladesh again if he did not end his “affiliation with a betting company”.Yunus said that Shakib informed the BCB of his decision in a letter on Thursday evening.”Shakib has informed us shortly before [now] that he has terminated the contract with the company. He said that all social media posts pertaining to that sponsorship will be deleted,” Yunus told ESPNcricinfo.The existing laws of Bangladesh place stringent prohibitions on any gatherings or establishments that facilitate gambling. Allowing gambling businesses to function is in contravention to the law, as well as the country’s constitution. Shakib’s endorsement with the betting company was reportedly a violation of this law.On August 2, Shakib put out a social media post announcing his partnership with Betwinner News. A couple of days later, Hassan said that the board will investigate Shakib’s sponsorship post. Then, Betwinner News put out a message on their homepage saying it “doesn’t have any relation to any kind of betting or gambling activities” and that it’s a “sports news portal only”.On Wednesday afternoon, Hassan said that that Shakib had to choose between playing for Bangladesh and keeping his endorsement with the company, giving the allrounder a day to make his decision. He said that the BCB recognised “Betwinner News as a surrogate company of the betting company Betwinner”.”The law is clear-cut about what companies are prohibited (by the BCB), and this company is related to betting,” Hassan had said. “You can call as a news (company), but it is branded as a betting company. It is a part (of the betting company). We have said that it cannot be related (to a betting company).”He (Shakib) has to decide if he wants to play for Bangladesh, or stay with betting. There’s no scope of keeping that association. He has to come out of it completely. Let alone the captaincy, he won’t be in the team. There’s no discussion. We have taken a very clear decision. Anyone who has any affiliation with a betting company can’t have a connection with the Bangladesh Cricket Board. We will not take him in the team unless we get a satisfactory answer from him.”Shakib backing out of the contentious deal puts him back in the running to take over the T20I captaincy. Shakib was originally thought to be Bangladesh’s captain in the format for the upcoming Asia Cup, before he made the social media post. The situation with Shakib, and a number of injuries, delayed Bangladesh in naming their squad for the tournament. They are now likely to make the announcement on Saturday, well past the deadline.
All of the drama surrounding West Bromwich Albion being without a manager since Carlos Corberan’s unfortunate Christmas exit has finally been nipped in the bud as Tony Mowbray is now officially back at the helm.
Signing a two-and-a-half year deal, Baggies supporters will hope the re-appointment of their ex-managerial great will inspire a promotion push in the here and now, considering the 61-year-old tasted that success with the West Midlands titans back in 2008.
Sunderland's former manager Tony Mowbray.
The long-awaited arrival of Mowbray back at the Hawthorns will now see the Baggies scramble about in the transfer window to get some last-minute deals done, with one already edging towards completion.
West Brom close to landing long-term target
As per reports from Belgium – as has been relayed by Sport Witness – West Brom have now pencilled in a medical for Northern Irish star Isaac Price to finally join the club, having been previously linked with the Standard Liege midfielder last window.
Talks have progressed quickly and are now believed to be at their final stage. Sport Witness relays that Price is on his way over to England to finalise a switch, with the move coming in at around the £1.6m mark, as the Baggies go about strengthening before the February deadline.
Mowbray would love for this move to go swimmingly to win himself a speedy first purchase back in the Hawthorns dug-out, with the 21-year-old potentially another young gem the ex-Sunderland boss can work his magic on, having garnered a reputation for getting the best out of a wide array of raw starlets when situated at the Stadium of Light.
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What Price could offer West Brom
Moving back to West Brom, Price could link up with Alex Mowatt well in the middle of the park in learning the demands of the EFL, with the pair perhaps striking up an exciting partnership centrally if the former Everton youngster can break into the first-team and excel.
After all, the 21-year-old managed to settle in well to his new surroundings in Belgium after walking away from his boyhood club in the Toffees, with a goal and two assists tallied up by the versatile midfielder last season.
Away from his ability to score and assist – which saw him hammer home a last minute strike last campaign in Jupiler Pro League action – Price has also won the affection of Liege supporters with his battling nature which could make the Baggies sterner in the middle alongside a more creative Mowatt, with five ball recoveries made per league clash for 2024/25 on top of 5.2 duels being successfully won.
This could give Mowbray a welcome headache on his arrival, therefore, with Jayson Molumby the preferred partner for the ex-Leeds United man at this moment in time, with both Uros Racic and Ousmane Diakité fading into obscurity in these positions as alternate options.
Away from simply offering another body alongside Mowatt, Price has proven across his career to date that he’s also a versatile and adaptable presence, with the former Toffees academy product more than comfortable with playing down the wings if needs be, alongside also slotting into defence as a makeshift centre-back.
CM
60
2
2
DM
22
2
3
RM
18
0
0
AM
14
0
1
RW
2
0
0
LM
1
0
0
CB
1
0
0
Looking at the table above, Mowbray would love to make Price his first buy based on his willingness to slot in wherever, with the 21-year-old acting as more of an attacking player for his national side – away from usually slotting in as a holding figure in the centre of the park – with five goals picked up from 16 senior international caps.
Once lauded as an “outstanding” prospect by ex-Everton teammate Asmir Begovic, Price will also hope a move back to England sees him flourish after waving goodbye to Goodison Park prematurely, with Mowbray perhaps the perfect man to get the most out of the new recruit.
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West Bromwich Albion could soon appoint Tony Mowbray to bring their manager hunt to a close.