تحدث المهندس سميح ساويرس، مؤسس نادي الجونة، عن وضع نادي الزمالك في الفترة الحالية، مؤكدًا أن النادي يشهد تحسنًا إداريًا ملحوظًا، لكنه ما زال يعاني من ضعف الإمكانيات المالية مقارنة بالنادي الأهلي.
وقال ساويرس في تصريحات لبرنامج “الصورة” على قناة النهار: “الزمالك بدأ يتحسن بالفعل في الفترة الأخيرة بفضل الإدارة الجديدة، لكن إمكانياته المالية لا تُقارن بالأهلي، على سبيل المثال، النادي كان يواجه أزمة في تمويل مشروع أرض 6 أكتوبر الخاصة به، وكاد يفقدها بسبب نقص الموارد”.
وعن إمكانية دعمه للنادي الأبيض ماديًا، أوضح ساويرس: “في الفترة الماضية لم يكن الوقت مناسبًا لأي دعم، لأن الأوضاع داخل الزمالك كانت مضطربة، سواء على مستوى الإدارة أو حتى بسبب ظروف الدولة في تلك المرحلة، أنا من الأشخاص الذين لا يندفعون، بل أفضل الانتظار حتى تتضح الصورة”.
طالع أيضًا | أحمد سليمان: الزمالك لن يموت.. والطموح أجبرنا على صفقة بيزيرا “الضخمة”
وتابع حول انتقال أحمد سيد زيزو إلى الأهلي: “بصراحة، حزنت للزمالك لأنه لم يمتلك القدرة المالية الكافية للحفاظ على لاعبه، لكن بالنسبة لي، لا يمكن أن أشارك في أي دعم إلا عندما أرى منظومة متكاملة وسليمة، فيها إدارة واضحة ورقابة ومحاسبة”.
وختم ساويرس حديثه مؤكدًا: “مجلس إدارة الزمالك الحالي لم يُكمل عامين بعد، ويحتاج بعض الوقت لإثبات الاستقرار، أي مؤسسة يجب أن يكون لديها نظام ممتد من القمة إلى القاعدة، وليس مجرد أشخاص مميزين في مواقع معينة، بل منظومة كاملة تعمل بتناغم”.
Peter Schmeichel has shared his disappointment at Manchester United's recent acquisition of Senne Lammens. The legendary shot stopper has said he believes the Red Devils should have gone after Aston Villa's Emi Martinez or recent Manchester City signing Gianluigi Donnarumma, rather than the inexperienced Belgian. Schmeichel went as far as to say he had "never heard" of Lammens before the deal.
Schmeichel disappointed at Man United's goalkeeper situation
The Premier League legend made the comments to through Sky Bet. He suggested Martinez is "exactly the kind of goalkeeper" United should have in their team, while questioning if Lammens' one season of top-flight football in Belgium would prepare him for the pressure of the No.1 shirt at Old Trafford.
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United sign Lammens instead of Donnarumma or Martinez
The 23-year-old signed at the close of the summer transfer window, making the switch from Royal Antwerp to Manchester for an initial fee of €21m (£18m/$25m), as Andre Onana was shepherded out on loan to Trabzonspor. Despite a summer of speculation and a notable absence in Aston Villa's 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Martinez remained in Birmingham. Donnarumma made several key stops in last week's Manchester derby for the Red Devils' fierce inter-city rivals, Man City. The Champions League and Euros winner joined the Sky Blues for a reported €35m (£26m/$41m). With United now left with Lammens and Altay Bayindir as their goalkeeping options, the Dane thinks it's unclear who Ruben Amorim's number one keeper will be going forward.
What Schmeichel said
Schmeichel said, "We should have signed Emi Martinez. In fact, we should have gone for Gianluigi Donnarumma when we had the chance. With Martinez, everything was lined up, and that felt like really good news, because he’s exactly the kind of goalkeeper Manchester United should have."
On Martinez, the United legend added: “He’s proven at the very highest level. He does all the basics brilliantly, but beyond that, he provides real leadership. He’s the sort of goalkeeper who makes strikers think twice. That presence is vital. So it was hugely disappointing to hear the deal fell through for financial reasons.”
On Lammens, Schmeichel said: “As for Lammens, I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of him until the link came up. I know his stats are excellent across the top ten European leagues. But that was with Antwerp in Belgium, in a team that finished fifth. He saved four out of eight penalties, but recruitment based purely on stats is risky. Stats don’t show how you react after a mistake, or how you cope with the pressure of Manchester United. That pressure is unlike anywhere else in football. Lammens could turn out to be the best signing ever – but right now, it feels like a hopeful one, and that’s not what United need at this moment in time. If we’d signed him alongside Martinez, that would have made perfect sense: a proven World Cup winner as number one, with a talented young keeper developing behind him."
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Lammens in line for Old Trafford debut against Chelsea
The young Belgian can make a huge statement on Saturday. He is expected to be in goal for the Red Devils' Premier League clash with Chelsea. If Lammens can lay down a marker, he could well put a nagging issue for Amorim to bed, and maybe make an admirer out of United's greatest ever goalkeeper.
After failing to secure Champions League football at the end of last season, Aston Villa would have been looking for a strong summer in which they could springboard and start the new campaign strongly. Yet, things have not really worked out like that for Unai Emery’s side.
As well as signing young centre-back Yasin Ozcan from Turkish side Kasimpasa, the only other first-team addition has been Evann Guessand. The Ivorian striker made the move to the West Midlands from French side OGC Nice for a fee in the region of £25.9m, and is the marquee signing of the summer so far.
Now, with the Premier League season a matter of days away, Villa are targeting a new attacker to add to their ranks.
Villa’s potential next signing
After bringing Guessand to the club this summer, it appears Emery wants to strengthen further in attack. They were previously linked with Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, although new reports have emerged about another target in forward areas.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a report from Simon Jones at The Mail, the Villans ‘have revived talks’ with French giants Paris Saint-Germain over a move for former loanee Marco Asensio.
The Spaniard spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa Park, and given the fact he has ‘snubbed moves’ to other sides, a return is on the cards.
The West Midlands club ‘have asked about loan and permanent deals’ for the former Real Madrid star, who is said to be ‘keen to return’ to the club this summer. Back in May, it was suggested that a fee of around £13m was enough for Villa to seal the permanent signing of Asensio.
Why Asensio would be a good signing
Despite a lack of football in the French capital for Asensio last season, he flourished on loan at Villa Park. His excellent form led former Premier League winger Andros Townsend to describe him as a “special talent”.
Marco Asensio celebrates for Aston Villa
Indeed, the 29-year-old forward, who was born in Mallorca, played 21 times for the club last season. In that time, he bagged eight goals, operating most often as a number ten, and also assisted once, too.
Some of his best performances in a Villa shirt surely came in the Champions League. The Spain international scored three goals in four games, but only chalked up 126 minutes, leaving him with a goal every 42 minutes on average.
If Villa are successful in bringing Asensio back to the club for next season, he could form a sensational partnership with new signing Guessand. The Ivorian was excellent for Nice last term, with nine goals and 12 assists in 33 Ligue 1 games.
It is that ability to both score and assist that might make the duo so deadly. Asensio became a goalscorer for Villa last season, and with Guessand so prolific when setting up goals, those two certainly pair well together.
Yet, the former Real Madrid star also grabbed 32 assists for Los Blancos and 11 for PSG. His best season, the 2022/23 campaign for Madrid, saw him score nine La Liga goals and set up a further six.
Indeed, his stats from that season highlight the creative force Asensio can be at his very best. For example, he averaged 2.5 chances created and 8.2 forward passes per 90 minutes for Los Blancos in that campaign.
Goals
0.6
9
Assists
0.4
6
Chances created
2.5
39
Forward passes
130
8.2
Take-ons completed
23
1.5
Ball recoveries
45
2.9
For a fee of around £13m, this could be a bargain for Villa. Asensio and Guessand pair well together, with the Spaniard playing in behind the new Villans star. Both players can chip in with goals and assists, which could make for some exciting link-up play with each other.
Marco Asensio & Marcus Rashford for Aston Villa
Villa fans can surely get excited about this partnership, especially since they know what Asensio can bring to the table and just how good of a footballer he is.
Unplayable with Guessand: Aston Villa keen on signing £40m “special talent”
Aston Villa are in the market for another new attacker after signing Guessand
The BCB had named Najmul Hossain Shanto as the Bangladesh captain for the three ODIs against Afghanistan in Sharjah next week. The announcement follows the discussion between Shanto and BCB president Faruque Ahmed on Thursday evening after the Chattogram Test, as Shanto had informed the board of his reluctance to continue as Bangladesh’s all-format captain. BCB however hasn’t announced the squads for the West Indies tour later in November where Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.Faruque told the media on Thursday that Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was named Shanto’s deputy for the Afghanistan series, and Taskin Ahmed are “front-runners” in the BCB’s captaincy discussion.All three are in the Bangladesh ODI squad. Nahid Rana, the 22-year-old tearaway quick, is only uncapped player in the side. Rana has played five Tests so far, impressing with his pace and bounce. He has taken 26 wickets at 16.46 in ten List-A matches.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The selectors have also recalled opener Zakir Hasan and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed. The left-handed Zakir has played just a single ODI last year to go along with 12 Tests. Nasum, meanwhile, played the last of his 15 ODIs in the World Cup in India last year.There was no room for Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam and Hasan Mahmud. Mahmud is out due to a shoulder injury he picked up in the ongoing National Cricket League.Bangladesh are also without Shakib Al Hasan, who Faruque said voluntarily pulled out of reckoning for this ODI series. Litton Das is also missing due to fever which kept him out of the Chattogram Test against South Africa.The Bangladesh team, which will depart for Dubai in two groups on Saturday and Sunday, will play the three ODIs on November 6, 9 and 11 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Australia have shown their depth over the first two matches and will be favourites to clinch the series in Durham
Andrew McGlashan23-Sep-2024
England need victory to keep the one-day series alive•Getty Images
Big PictureAustralia have played like world champions, England have played like a team that has only just come together and are trying to figure out their next style of one-day cricket. Which is exactly the position of both sides.What will (or at least should) frustrate Harry Brook and Marcus Trescothick – stand-in captain and coach – is that England have had their opportunity in both games: at Trent Bridge they were 213 for 2 in the 33rd over before falling away to Australia’s collection of spinners and at Headingley they had the visitors 161 for 6 and 221 for 9 before Alex Carey swung the momentum.Related
Could more crushing ODI failure be just what England need?
Carey takes his chance to silence hostile Headingley
In both matches, Australia have found key performances from potentially unlikely sources, firstly with Marnus Labuschagne’s three wickets then Carey’s superb 74 off 67 balls from an opening that only presented itself due to Josh Inglis’ injury.With Australia struck down by illness ahead of Trent Bridge, it always felt as though that was going to prove a big missed opportunity for England and so it proved as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell returned at Headingley and combined to take 7 for 119. With an eye to the future, Aaron Hardie’s performance was also significant with 2 for 26.England have some of the building blocks to make their attempts at rejuvenation a success. Ben Duckett is in excellent form, Jamie Smith is a high-class batter whatever colour ball he is facing, Brydon Carse could yet replicate the Liam Plunkett role – even if Carse says it’s never been spoken about – Adil Rashid remains world-class (although replacing him is a concern) and there is a collection of quicks with genuine pace.However, at the moment they seem unable to quite find their groove, especially with the bat, with Brook’s comments about not caring whether batters are caught attempting to clear the boundary not yet carrying the weight of when Eoin Morgan backed his team’s ultra-aggressive mantra in 2015. There is time yet for the rebuild to come together; Chester-le-Street would be a good place to start to at least ensure this series remains undecided for a few more days.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first) England LLLWL Australia WWWWW4:07
The Huddle: Smith recalls his battle with Archer in Ashes 2019
In the spotlight: Phil Salt and Steven SmithPhil Salt appears to have the task of playing the ultra-aggressive opener but he hasn’t looked entirely convincing in the first two matches. At Trent Bridge he seemed somewhat perplexed when bowled as he gave himself room against Ben Dwarshuis then at Headingley he was given a working over by Josh Hazlewood. He survived a review for a caught behind and was dropped at slip as he flayed at Hazlewood’s relentless short-of-a-length line around off stump before edging through to Carey. He will, no doubt, be fully backed to continue in the same vein but Australia’s quick bowlers are not easy to smash off their lengths.Back home, Steven Smith is at the centre of the key debate in Australian men’s cricket – or at least as much as these things raise attention during the September football final season – about where he will bat when India arrive for the Test series. For now he’s been at No. 3 and 4 in this series and would no doubt like a decent score. He looked in good touch in the opening game before offering a return catch to Liam Livingstone then was beaten by a superb delivery from Matthew Potts at Headingley. There is a good chance of a second rematch with Jofra Archer which always makes for compelling viewing.Team news: Archer in line for return, Australia hopeful illness has passedArcher would appear likely to slot back in having been given his expected rest at Headingley. Who he replaces will be interesting: Olly Stone bowled with good pace in Leeds, Potts was excellent and Carse adds some batting depth at No. 8. England felt potentially a seamer light in the last game, but without a true pace-bowling allrounder it’s hard to squeeze another option in.England: (possible) 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Will Jacks, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jamie Smith (wk), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Jacob Bethell, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Matthew PottsBen Dwarshuis has flown home after picking up a pectoral injury which restricted him to just four overs on debut in Nottingham. However, other than that Australia are hopeful of having a full squad to select from for the first time in the series. If Inglis is fit it creates an interesting call to make after Carey’s success in the last match. Inglis could play as a specialist batter, but there isn’t room for that, either, unless there’s some rotation. The north of England in September may require an extra pace-bowling option with Cameron Green and Sean Abbott available.Australia: (possible) 1 Travis Head, 2 Matthew Short, 3 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 4 Steven Smith, 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Aaron Hardie, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsTeams were forced to train indoors on Monday but the forecast for game day is a little better, albeit with the chance of showers. To say it will be mild might be stretching things. Overhead conditions could assist the bowlers although pitches at Chester-le-Street are usually pretty good for batting in one-day cricket.Stats and trivia Starc needs one more wicket to move into fourth spot alone in Australia’s ODI tally. He equalled Mitchell Johnson on 239 during the previous game. England have two ODI centuries in the XI which played at Trent Bridge – one apiece for Duckett and Salt – while Australia had 28. England have a 3-1 winning record at Chester-le-Street against Australia. In 2018, Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh struck centuries but England comfortably chased 311 as Jason Roy made 101 off 83 balls. Only three players from that game will likely appear this time: Carey, Travis Head and Adil RashidQuotes”There have been big changes, new batters, new bowlers. It will take time. It will always take time when it is a rebuilding process. We have got every base covered in terms of bowling, batting, keeping. Everything is there for us.” Adil Rashid on England’s new era“There’s been a big emphasis on being flexible, being adaptable, there’s so many players who have cemented their spots – Travis at the top, Mitch [Marsh] through the middle then you’ve got Smith, Labuschagne – so it’s just about filling the roles as they pop up, whether it’s with the bat or ball, just being adaptable, jump up and down the order, and be able to contribute wherever possible.”
Manchester City are seeking to retain their FIFA Club World Cup crown this summer as the tournament takes on a new and exciting format, with 32 teams competing to be named football’s best club side.
After much excitement and intrigue, the revamped FIFA Club World Cup has begun, with stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise already taking centre stage in the United States.
Pep Guardiola’s side can become the first English team to be crowned the kings of world football on two occassions with a triumph this summer, and only the second side in history to retain the title, after Real Madrid’s three-peat between 2017 and 2019.
How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free
Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.
By
Charlie Smith
Jun 13, 2025
The eight-time Premier League champions’ quest to reach the final, which takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13, starts this week on Wednesday June 18 when they take on Wydad AC, who compete in Botola Pro, the top flight of Moroccan football.
City earned their place in this competition via their UEFA Champions League triumph against Inter back in 2023, while Wydad were crowned CAF Champions League winners in 2022 after a heroic 2-0 win against Egyptian side Al-Ahly.
Watch the FIFA Club World Cup live and on-demand here
Ahead of what should be an action-packed opening fixture for two of the four sides in Group G, here’s everything you need to know on how to watch – and who to be looking out for – when Wednesday rolls around…
Where to watch Man City vs Wydad at the Club World Cup
63 games featuring the world’s best players all in the space of a month and all in one place, for free! Sound too good to be true? It isn’t.
Indeed, FIFA revealed back in December 2024 that the extended Club World Cup will be available for free globally, with the world’s largest sports streaming platform, DAZN, showcasing every game with unique coverage which will finally settle the debate – who is the best club side in the world?
Available globally in 14 languages, DAZN is the only place to truly celebrate the groundbreaking new tournament, with easy access provided to watch the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham competing on the biggest stage.
If you are already a DAZN subscriber, then the Club World Cup action is already included in your membership. For those who haven’t yet signed up, all you need is an email address to register a free account on the DAZN website, with no hidden costs or added fees. You will then be able to watch every game on the DAZN app via your TV, computer, phone or even on your games console.
Man City vs Wydad AC (Wednesday 18 June – Philadelphia – 5pm UK time, midday local time)
FIFA Club World Cup
Current Champions
Manchester City
Founded
2000
Most Championships
Real Madrid (5)
DAZN
Watch all FIFA Club World Cup games free on DAZN. The biggest clubs and the best players in the world compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Watch Every Game Live on DAZN
Man City vs Wydad – Who to look out for
Bouncing back from a challenging campaign, City have strengthened their ranks significantly in 2025, with several new signings included in their Club World Cup squad, like Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and perhaps most excitingly of all Rayan Cherki.
All three new arrivals could make their Man City debuts this week, while we are also likely to be treated to more spectacular showings from Omar Marmoush, who has scored eight goals in 22 games since moving to the Etihad Stadium in January.
Marmoush and Cherki could form an unstoppable attack which of course already includes Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland. The 24 year-old will be looking to continue his incredible scoring rate since moving to England, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goal involvements earlier this year, reaching the landmark with 84 goals and 16 assists in just 94 matches.
Manchester City's ErlingHaalandcelebrates scoring their first goal
As for the underdogs, Wydad are the most successful team in Moroccan football history, winning 22 top flight titles, most recently in the 2021-22 campaign, when they also won their version of the Champions League and Cup Winners’ Cup to complete a historic treble.
Based in Casablanca, they had a poor season by their own lofty standards in 2024-25, finishing third in Botola Pro, but that is not to say they cannot pose a problem to their opponents in Group G this summer.
Undoubtedly their biggest threat is Dutch winger Mohamed Rayhi, who came through PSV’s academy and has been capped at youth level by the Netherlands. Rayhi scored 13 times this season and can play on either flank, but is best cutting in from the left onto his dangerous right foot.
A familiar face to MLS fans will be attacking midfielder Cassius Mailula. The South Africa international spent a year with Toronto FC before joining Wydad last summer, scoring five times and providing seven assists in his first campaign in Morocco. He will hope to be the creative force to unlock Man City’s defence on Wednesday.
Who else is in Group G?
Manchester City will fancy themselves as favourites to top Group G, but there is certainly some stern competition from Juventus, the 36-time champions of Italy, who qualified for this competition courtesy of their four-year UEFA ranking.
With two UEFA Champions League titles to their name, Juve have suffered a slight fall from grace in recent years, failing to win a league title since 2020 and finishing fourth in Serie A this season. Led by Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic and Turkey wonderkid Kenan Yıldız, they can restore themselves as a global footballing superpower with success at the Club World Cup.
Group G Fixtures – Club World Cup
Date
Fixture
Venue – Kick off time (ET/BST)
June 18
Man City vs Wydad AC
Philadelphia – (midday/5pm)
June 18
Al Ain vs Juventus
Washington – (9pm/2am June 19)
June 22
Juventus vs Wydad AC
Philadelphia – (midday/5pm)
June 22
Man City vs Al Ain
Atlanta – (9pm/2am June 23)
June 26
Wydad AC vs Al Ain
Washington – (3pm/8pm)
June 26
Juventus vs Man City
Orlando – (3pm/8pm)
The final place in Group G has been taken by Al Ain FC, who are based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and compete in the UAE Pro League. They finished 5th this season but gained access to this summer’s action after winning the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.
Could Wydad kick off the Group G action with one of the biggest upsets of all time? Find out on DAZN!
Liverpool made mincemeat of the Premier League’s finest in 2024/25, winning the title in Arne Slot’s first season at the helm.
Such was their dominance that a late-season sojourn over in the Gulf states was permitted while rivals worked toward positive finishes to the term.
This wasn’t the case for the Anfield side; far from it. However, 2025/26 will bring a new campaign and Liverpool are acting like it, using their pull, heightened by the recent success, to sign Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
Liverpool like to pluck exciting talents from their divisional rivals, and this summer is proving no different. Indeed, with a fee agreed with Leverkusen for the £34m sale of Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract, Real Madrid lurking, is it any surprise that sporting director Richard Hughes is hoping to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi?
Why Liverpool target players like Kerkez & Guehi
Liverpool might have broken the British transfer record this month (should Wirtz’s fixed £100m fee be expanded by the £16m in add-ons), but the Merseysiders tend to walk down a less-beaten path, signing up-and-coming talents from clubs settled lower down the Premier League ladder.
Take Andy Robertson, for example, signed from Hull City for just £10m back in 2017. He’s since solidified his name among the division’s all-time great full-backs.
1.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
259
64
2.
Andy Robertson
308
60
3.
Leighton Baines
420
53
4.
Graeme Le Saux
327
44
5.
Kieran Trippier
204
38
And how could we forget Gini Wijnaldum? The Dutchman was the industrious, metronomic heartbeat which kept Klopp’s system ticking, purloined from Newcastle United after their relegation to the Championship.
Shoutout Xherdan Shaqiri, too.
The point is, Liverpool run their club intelligently, identifying players proven in the Premier League and with plenty of scope for growth. Manchester United, with their Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, may well have taken a leaf from their rival.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
While FSG are in a position to sign superstars like Wirtz, they haven’t lost track of their roots: Kerkez, signed for £40m, is evidence of his, hailing from the south coast, while the 24-year-old Guehi would also align with this tried-and-tested Merseyside method, having been at the centre of transfer rumours in recent days that suggest Liverpool would be willing to pay £50m to snap him up.
Slot will have had his say in identifying such players, looking to bring them to Anfield, but he is benefiting somewhat from the club’s prowess when Klopp was at the helm. Certainly, there’s one star in particular who aligns with the discussed method who should be the barometer from which to judge an addition’s success.
Liverpool have struck gold on Premier League signing
Like Kerkez and Virgil van Dijk before him, Alexis Mac Allister has proved a stunning signing for Liverpool, joining the club from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth £35m two years ago.
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister
His first term, the Argentina international, who was instrumental in his nation’s 2022 World Cup triumph, filled in as a holding midfielder after the Anfield side failed in a bid to land Moises Caicedo; since, with Slot in charge, he’s moved back into a more expansive midfield role, winning silverware in both seasons on Merseyside.
One constant, however, has been Mac Allister’s brilliance in the centre of the park. The 26-year-old has only gone from strength to strength after switching the Seagulls for the Liverbird, with pundit Joe Cole even declaring him a “superstar” who “can play anywhere”.
Matches (starts)
33 (31)
35 (30)
Goals
5
5
Assists
5
5
Touches*
74.2
55.8
Pass completion
88%
87%
Big chances created
3
6
Key passes*
1.4
1.3
Dribbles*
0.5
0.5
Ball recoveries*
5.9
4.2
Tackles + interceptions*
4.1
3.3
Ground duels (won)*
5.0 (50%)
4.3 (50%)
Take a look at the table above. What do you see? Curiously, Mac Allister has shifted roles under Slot, less active and frenetic in his play, calmed into a controlling force which channels the flow of the coach’s ball-playing vision.
The South American star perhaps said it best himself: “In terms of the change, perhaps with Jürgen I played as a lone five [holding midfielder]. So, the position was very different. I was much more defensive than anything else.
“So, the system has changed a little, but the main ideas are the same. I think perhaps the big change is in having that patience to have longer periods of possession and dominate games more and obviously that creates more chances.”
Alexis Mac Allister celebrates for Liverpool
It’s certainly showcased through the metrics: as per FBref, Mac Allister ranked among the top 20% of midfielders in the Premier League last year for goal involvements, the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 14% for shot-creating actions and the top 13% for tackles per 90.
He’s the real deal, having ballooned in value and technical quality since making the leap. It’s a rise that Slot and co will no doubt hope Kerkez will follow, and Guehi too, should he sign from Palace this summer.
The fiesty midfielder’s progress at Liverpool has even impelled Real Madrid to come knocking on the door, with reports earlier in the year suggesting Florentino Perez would be willing to fork out some €90m (£76m) for the maestro, who has been earmarked as a potential long-term successor to Luka Modric’s soon-to-be vacant locker at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Naturally, this puts him in a much higher bracket than Kerkez and Guehi, but we must caveat that with a firm ‘for now’, as the ball-playing specialist may yet find his new and potential teammates to be rivalling him on the financial scales down the line.
Liverpool know their stuff, work with a calculated eye to sign up-and-coming Premier League stars and bring them up to elite status, when certain other high-station clubs then come sniffing around for fully developed product.
Market Movers
Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?
Mac Allister is a perfect representation of that, and soon Kerkez and perhaps Guehi will be too.
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As Manchester City go in pursuit of replacing Kevin De Bruyne and finding an alternative option to Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, they’ve reportedly set their sights on a shock move to sign an Arsenal star.
Man City bid farewell to De Bruyne
The crossbar may have denied him a final goal at The Etihad, but Kevin De Bruyne has plenty of other memories to fall back on in a Manchester City shirt. The Belgian bowed out in front of his home fans for the final time in an emotional farewell and undoubtedly has his place among the best players to ever play for the Citizens.
A Champions League winner, a serial Premier League winner, the only player to ever match Thierry Henry’s Premier League assist record and so much more, replacing De Bruyne will be the toughest task that Manchester City have had to complete in the modern era.
Pep Guardiola, like many, was full of praise for the midfielder, telling reporters in his post-match press conference: “Messi is the best I have ever seen because Messi has done it really, really close to the box but Kevin is there. It’s just the stats, the goals, the assists, that he provides to the team in the final third and the talent.
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“That is unique, that is why he has been one of the best players this club has had in the whole history. These are big, big words because he has been a special player.”
With their farewell complete, however, Man City must now search for a replacement and with a deal to sign Wirtz unlikely at this stage, it could be an option far closer to home that emerges.
Man City eyeing shock Nwaneri move
According to The Boot Room, Manchester City are now eyeing the chance to sign Ethan Nwaneri in a shock move from Arsenal. The Hale End graduate, who is valued at £84m, is yet to sign a new deal in North London despite turning 18 years old this season and has, therefore, alerted those at The Etihad as well as Liverpool.
It would be some move from Manchester City, who witnessed Nwaneri’s quality first-hand when he scored Arsenal’s final goal in a 5-1 thrashing of Guardiola’s side earlier this season. For Arsenal, meanwhile, it would be a familiar feeling, having previously seen the likes of Kolo Toure and Samir Nasri ditch them in favour of the Blues.
The talented teenager is certainly not someone that Mikel Arteta will want to lose, especially to a top six rival.
The Spaniard was full of praise for his academy graduate earlier this season, telling reporters after Nwaneri scored his first Champions League goal: “That’s what we love about him – he’s very aggressive. Before that [goal], he had another action where he made the right choice, he went for it.
“He never [looks nervous], he’s so composed, calm and confident in his ability. At 17, scoring a really important goal in the Champions League is not very common.”
And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to a bitterly disappointing end.
Mikel Arteta’s side started like a house on fire against Paris Saint-Germain last night, but two goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi were enough to dash their hopes of only a second Champions League final in the club’s history.
Bukayo Saka managed to pull one back late on, but it all proved too much for the visitors, and once again, they came up short when it really mattered and looked utterly bereft of ideas for much of the game.
While it wasn’t a terrible performance from the North Londoners, a few players let themselves down, like Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and another who has to be axed this summer.
Arsenal's poorest performers vs PSG
Like the team overall, Odegaard and Martinelli started the game relatively well last night, with the former forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into an incredible save down low to his left and the latter getting past his markers several times.
However, as the game progressed, both starters began to fade into the background, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claiming the captain put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half,” and the same could be said about the latter.
It might sound overly harsh, but we aren’t alone in this opinion, as Alex Turk of the Express was particularly scathing of the pair.
He awarded the Norwegian a 4/10 and the Brazilian a 3/10, writing that the former ‘goes missing in these crunch games far too often’ and the latter was both ‘invisible’ and ‘not near the level required.’
It’s a damming assessment of their performances, more than justified by some of their statistics, as, across his 95 minutes of action, the captain amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.22, while the former Ituano gem failed in 100% of his crosses and lost 50% of his ground duels.
However, while neither player looked anywhere near their best last night, there is still some clear upside in keeping them for next season, which cannot be said about another of the Gunners’ biggest disappointments from Pairs.
The Arsenal star who has to be axed
While William Saliba and even Mikel Merino looked off the pace last night, neither of them should be moved on in the summer, which cannot be said for Thomas Partey.
The former Atlético Madrid star was absent for the first leg of the tie due to a stupid incident off the ball against Real Madrid, but it would be hard to say he added much of anything to the team in the second leg, bar some rather underwhelming long throws.
For example, while he kept the ball moving fairly well in the first half, he slowly became more and more of a problem in possession, losing the ball at an increasing rate, including for Hakimi’s tie-ending goal late in the second half.
Chalkboard
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Again, while it sounds harsh, we aren’t alone in being disappointed with Turk awarding him a paltry 3/10 match rating at full-time, while Catterson-Reid simply described his showing as “so so bad.”
Minutes
95′
Touches
61
Completed Passes
31
Crosses (Accurate)
3 (1)
Long Balls (Accurate)
4 (2)
Shots
0
Ground Duels (Won)
7 (4)
Aerial Duels (Won)
2 (0)
Lost Possession
19
Dribbled Past
1
Unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old’s statistics more than back up the scathing reviews of his display, as, in 95 minutes of action, he made just 31 passes, misplaced two of three crosses and 50% of his long balls, failed to have a single shot, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball a staggering 19 times and was dribbled past once.
It was the sort of showing that makes talk of him being offered a new contract seem utterly ridiculous, as with him turning 32 in the summer, there is no reason to believe he’ll improve, let alone maintain his form into next season.
Ultimately, while the team clearly put in the effort at points last night, there were a few too many players who weren’t at the level, including Partey, who should be thanked for his service in the summer and sent on his way.
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With the end of the campaign in sight, the race for the Championship automatic promotion places and playoff slots is heating up, and excitement is starting to build over who will earn a shot at Premier League stardom.
Promotion hopefuls planning for top flight return
Sheffield United retain a two-point lead at this stage, but know that Leeds United and Burnley lurk directly below and will be on hand to deal a blow to their title aspirations at the first sign of complacency.
Evaluating wider competition, Sunderland, Coventry City, West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough and Bristol City are directly contesting each other for a place in the playoffs, creating a tense atmosphere across the division ahead of this weekend’s matches.
How the race looks with eight matches left
1. Sheffield United
83
2. Leeds United
81
3. Burnley
81
4. Sunderland
72
5. Coventry City
59
6. West Bromwich Albion
57
7. Middlesbrough
57
8. Bristol City
57
Undoubtedly, the pick of the round has to be West Brom’s home clash with Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime. The former are desperately clinging to sixth place after a run of only one win in five league games.
Tony Mowbray may even find his side knocked off their perch by Middlesbrough amid the latter’s kick-off against Blackburn Rovers on Friday evening. Either way, there is a lot of tension brewing between divisional rivals desperate for a shot at top-flight football.
On one end of the scale, Burnley would be devastated to miss out on an automatic return at the first time of asking. Meanwhile, clubs such as the Baggies and Boro have strong Premier League pedigree, even if they have spent a few years away from the dizzying heights of England’s most prestigious domestic environment.
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Intriguingly, the trio mentioned aren’t only battling on the pitch, they are also now fighting for the signature of an international player who could be available for free this summer.
West Brom, Middlesbrough and Burnley want to sign Tom Lawrence
According to The Daily Mail, West Brom are joined by Middlesbrough and Burnley in the hunt to sign Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence, who is out of contract in Glasgow at the end of the campaign.
Competition is fierce for his signature, with Coventry City, Wrexham, PAOK, Olympiacos and Besiktas also in the mix to tempt the 23-cap Wales international elsewhere on a free transfer.
Having previously played in the Championship with Derby County, Wayne Rooney paid tribute to his “excellent” leadership skills while captain of the Rams under his stewardship.
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old’s injury struggles have limited him to just 25 appearances at Ibrox this term, during which time he registered six goals and two assists across all competitions.
No confirmation has emerged regarding Lawrence’s next steps, creating an opportunity for interested parties to present a vision that could tempt the Wrexham-born man to seek regular football in an alternative environment.
Who will win the race for his signature? It is too soon to say, but achieving promotion to the Premier League would certainly help West Brom, Middlesbrough and Burnley make a compelling case.