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Jurgen Klopp is building one of the best attacks in the world at Liverpool – but not just the three players he would choose to start most games, but also including his squad depth in that area too.

The signing of Luis Diaz from Porto in the January transfer window showed that the Reds aren’t afraid to splash out the cash on players who aren’t guaranteed to start every game, as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane still firmly remain number-one choices on the wings.

However, Salah’s contract has little over one-year remaining, and both parties still haven’t made any more progress in reaching a new deal, with the Egyptian’s demands reportedly far too extortionate.

What’s the news?

It is expected that if the Merseyside club can’t agree a new deal before the end of the summer, they will begin lining up transfer targets to replace their superstar.

Real Madrid star Marco Asensio is one man that has been linked with a move in recent weeks, but it is also possible that he may be signed to play in a deeper role should Liverpool press ahead with a deal.

But forward Darwin Nunez is one player that is expected to leave his club in the summer, and Liverpool are believed to be keen on a deal for the Benfica forward, who has scored an incredible 20 goals in 20 Liga NOS games this season, with two of them coming from the bench.

It’s thought he may cost in the region of a whopping £55m.

Tactical reshuffle should Salah leave

The 22-year-old forward, tipped to be “world-class” by manager Jorge Jesus, has been sensational this season in Portugal, and has also made an impact in the Champions League too, where he has scored three goals in seven games.

Though, the all-important question is, how could the Uruguayan replace Salah and would his entrance finally signal the end of their Egyptian hero’s stay in England?

Interestingly, he is more of a centre-forward than a winger, but he can play on the left should he be required to. Though, should the 29-year-old Liverpool star depart, there is only really one player already capable of performing on the right side of the pitch in his spot, which is Diogo Jota.

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The Portuguese forward has more often than not played as a striker this season, but in three appearances where he was deployed on the right-hand side, he has scored three goals, which could suggest that if Nunez was to make the move should their Egyptian star leave, he would play down the middle and Jota would take Salah’s spot.

It sounds like a very menacing duo in attack, one that could finally allow Jurgen Klopp and co to part ways with their star man.

In other news: Forget Ox: Klopp must now unleash “classy” £1.8m-rated LFC maestro one last time 

Andrew Musgrove has given his reaction to some positive Newcastle United news that has now emerged involving Ryan Fraser.

The Lowdown: POTM nominee

As shared by the official Twitter page of the St. James’ Park faithful, Fraser has now been nominated for the Player of the Month (POTM) award for February.

The Scotland international grabbed one goal and one assist in the four games played in the Premier League, helping his team pick up three wins and a draw (Transfermarkt) to lift them further away from the relegation spots in the table.

The Latest: Musgrove reacts

Taking to Twitter, The Chronicle journalist Musgrove has now given his reaction to the news of Fraser’s nomination, claiming that he has had a ‘fantastic turnaround’ in a Magpies shirt.

Before his goal and assist last month, the 28-year-old had managed just one assist in the top flight this season.

The Verdict: No looking back

After a disappointing start, Fraser will not want to look back, and the winger will hopefully kick on even further from now until the end of the campaign.

Eddie Howe has even been singing his praises, stating in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon that he has played ‘very well’ under him and that he has ‘proved’ that he is a ‘good’ player.

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Nonetheless, with Allan Saint-Maximin still a doubt for the visit of the Seagulls, it is Fraser’s time to shine once more.

In other news, find out who was not in training alongside Saint-Maximin here!

Gio van Bronckhorst will be looking to lead Rangers into the semi-final of the Scottish Cup as the Ibrox side head into a quarter-final clash today.

The Gers won 3-0 against Annan Athletic in the previous round, with Filip Helander, Kemar Roofe and Fashion Sakala all getting themselves on the scoresheet in that match.

They now face Dundee FC away from home and come into the game off the back of a 3-0 win – thanks to goals from James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and Leon Balogun – in the Europa League.

How many changes will Gio make to the side? Here is our predicted XI…

McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Sands, Jack, Ramsey, Diallo, Kent, Roofe (4-1-2-3)

We are predicting that he will make seven alterations to the team, with a number of players coming in for this cup clash.

Starting off between the sticks, Jon McLaughlin may replace Allan McGregor. The ex-Sunderland man kept a clean sheet in the last round and, therefore, deserves to keep his place as the cup goalkeeper.

At the back, we are predicting that Filip Helander and Borna Barisic will come in to make up the defence next to James Tavernier. Both players played against Annan Athletic and this match is a chance for them to get out on the pitch.

In midfield, van Bronckhorst could be forced into at least one change. John Lundstram is an injury doubt and we are predicting that Aaron Ramsey will replace him in the middle of the park. The Welshman’s only start for the club to date came in the last round of the competition and this is a big opportunity for him to get some minutes under his belt, with James Sands – who also played in that game – coming in for Glen Kamara.

Out wide on the right, Joe Aribo may drop out due to an injury and this would allow Amad Diallo to make his return on the wing. It would be a huge chance for him to showcase his quality and prove that he can make his loan from Manchester United a success before the end of the season.

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Finally, we are predicting that Alfredo Morelos will be given a rest. He has played nine times since the start of February and van Bronckhorst may axe him from the XI to give him a break, whilst offering a starting berth to Kemar Roofe.

Ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard previously dubbed him a “Duracell bunny” and he recently came off the bench to score the winner against Aberdeen. He must step up and show that he can fill in for Morelos in the number nine position and help Rangers land a place in the final four of the competition. 

Tavernier, Goldson, Ryan Jack and Ryan Kent are the players we are tipping to remain in the side from the one that beat Red Star Belgrade on Thursday.

AND in other news, Cost £2.2m, now worth 145% more: Rangers struck gold on “consistent” £18k-p/w dynamo…

Crystal Palace impressed against Manchester City for the second time this season by holding Pep Guardiola’s side to a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park on Monday evening.

The Eagles, who beat City in the reverse fixture back in October, defended superbly throughout and were good value for their point.

There were some impressive displays on show from the home side, but here at The Transfer Tavern, we’ve used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who the three very best performers were for Palace.

Vicente Guaita – 7.9/10

No surprise to see Guaita top the rankings list, with the goalkeeper Palace’s best performer with a 7.9/10 rating.

The Spaniard made five saves, three of which were from inside the box, and completed 19 passes, eight of which were long balls.

Tyrick Mitchell – 7.2/10

Next up is Mitchell, who impressed up against Riyad Mahrez. The left-back won all of his four duels and completed 13 passes.

More importantly, Mitchell also wasn’t dribbled past all evening and made five clearances and four tackles.

Marc Guehi – 7.1/10

Captain Guehi is the third and final inclusion, ending with a 7.1/10 rating. The centre-back made nine clearances, one tackle and won all three of his duels.

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Guehi also wasn’t dribbled past all night and even made a key pass, losing possession on just nine occasions.

In other news: Palace want to beat Leeds to ‘instrumental’ 12-goal midfielder; same agent as Andersen & Edouard.

Liverpool are interested in signing PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo this summer, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Gakpo impressing for PSV

The 22-year-old is enjoying an eye-catching season for the Eredivisie giants, scoring eight goals and registering 13 assists in the division.

Gakpo also netted twice in the Champions League prior to PSV’s exit and he has been described as a player who ‘has everything’ by former Netherlands midfielder Theo Janssen.

The youngster’s current deal in Eindhoven may not expire until 2026, but a fresh update suggests that he could be on the move in the near future.

The Latest: Liverpool eye up move for Gakpo

Writing for The Athletic, Ornstein claimed that Liverpool are among the clubs interested in making a move for Gakpo this summer.

The likes of Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also seen as potential suitors, with PSV willing to sell if the right offer comes along. The Dutch outfit are not believed to have set an asking price, although offers in excess of £35m have already been mentioned

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The Verdict: One for the future

Liverpool have five excellent attacking options at their disposal these days, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino all battling for minutes.

However, Firmino is now 30 years of age, while Salah and Mane will both reach that milestone later this year, so Gakpo could be considered a long-term replacement for them at Anfield.

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The majority of his appearances this season have been in a left-sided role, so he could be seen as Mane’s successor, although Diaz’s emergence does cloud the situation.

Gakpo’s versatility means that he can excel anywhere across the frontline, so Jurgen Klopp may feel that the 22-year-old is an ideal signing who can fill in across various roles as the years progress, eventually joining Diaz and Jota as a regular in a new-look front three at Liverpool.

In other news, Liverpool are interested in signing one highly-rated player. Find out who it is here.

Everton’s transfer windows back in the  2017/18 season was arguably their worst ever, having spent almost £183m on new signings, with just two of them still playing regularly for the club – Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford.

It was a disastrous waste of money for the club, as they signed a number of players who proved to just not be good enough – including Dutch playmaker Davy Klaassen, who arrived at Goodison Park from Ajax for £24.3m.

Manager at the time Ronald Koeman was a huge fan of the midfielder, but despite being given a year to adjust to the Premier League, he failed to settle in Merseyside, and left just a year later.

“He had trouble with the aggressiveness and the tempo,” said Koeman. “You do not get time on the midfield.

“I was disappointed with Davy. What did not help him was that we did not have a striker. Romelu Lukaku left and the arrival of Olivier Giroud did not go through at the last moment.

“I really expected him to adapt more easily. That’s why I had also met him. Nobody in the club had doubts about him. Not in the Netherlands either.

“Klaassen was someone we spent a lot of money for and who could have really played a role in the midfield. In retrospect, you may have to doubt whether the step was not too big.”

Perhaps a rather more damning assessment comes from the Netherlands with one outlet claiming the attacking midfielder “almost drowned” such was his diabolical spell in Merseyside.

After making just 16 senior appearances for Everton and creating just one goal, he was sold to German club Werder Bremen for just £12.15m the following summer, earning £3.64m from a 56-week salary of £70k for his sole season in the Premier League and costing them a staggering £5.8m for every shot he took in the top-flight.

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Now, he is turning out for Ajax once again, having scored seven goals in 35 appearances in all competitions this season, on top of scoring an impressive four goals for Holland in his last ten caps, as well as setting up four more.

The 29-year-old is reviving his career as he edges closer to his 30s, but after scoring five Eredivisie goals this season and being praised by manager Erik ten Hag recently for giving “the right impulse” – Everton will be wondering what went wrong, and why he is once again returning to the kind of form that tempted them into buying him in the first place.

In other news: Lampard could unearth Everton’s next Distin in unseen 17 y/o prodigy at Finch Farm

On-loan Aston Villa star Philippe Coutinho has expressed a willingness to take a major pay cut to facilitate a move away from Barcelona. 

The lowdown

The Brazilian moved from Camp Nou to Villa Park on a short-term deal in January, and 90min last week reported that Steven Gerrard’s side have already opened talks over a permanent deal.

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However, they also revealed that the 29-year-old earns ‘just shy’ of £500,000 per week with the inclusion of bonuses. That far outstrips Villa’s current wage ceiling, the £120,000 that they pay to Danny Ings, who earns 50% more than the next-best reimbursed players on the list.

Coutinho’s £142m move to Spain in 2018 remains one of the biggest in football history, but he has struggled so much for Barcelona that he has occasionally been booed by his own fans.

The latest

Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo reported (via Birmingham Mail) that both Barcelona and Coutinho hope to negotiate a permanent exit from the Nou Camp this summer.

The La Liga club want €40m (£33.5m) for the Brazilian, which is pretty much in line with the £33m purchase option that Villa have been granted.

The report stated that ‘the main obstacle’ to a permanent move is Coutinho’s salary, but ‘club sources consulted by MD’ insist that the player ‘always does his part to overcome’ this barrier. The 29-year-old will seemingly do what he can to ensure that an agreement can be reached with a new club.

The verdict

Coutinho is enjoying his football at Aston Villa. He said at the end of February that he is ‘very happy’ in the Midlands, having fulfilled his ambition to return to the Premier League.

That sense of contentment has been evident on the pitch, with the playmaker bagging four goals and laying on three assists in his first 10 appearances in claret and blue.

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Significantly, his Brazil prospects have also improved following the move away from Camp Nou. Having missed out on the Selecao squad altogether in September and October and watched on from the bench in November, he has featured in each of the country’s three games under Tite so far in 2022.

Coutinho knows that leaving Barcelona for good could be crucial to his World Cup ambitions, and that is yet another reason to make sacrifices in terms of his pay packet. It could be a major hurdle cleared if Villa are hopeful of sealing him on a permanent move.

In other news, could this throw a spanner in the works for Villa?

Florian Wirtz will undoubtedly have envisaged a wide range of scenarios after completing his (briefly) record-breaking £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool during the summer, but it’s unlikely the German would have thought he’d be without a goal or an assist in the Premier League just before Christmas.

But that is Wirtz’s reality, with the silky playmaker having struggled to adapt to the English game. That being said, Arne Slot’s system has been so dysfunctional that it’s been difficult to dovetail into – Alexander Isak is struggling too.

Still, the 22-year-old is considered a “generational talent” in his homeland, as has been said by media professional Cristian Nyari, and he needs to crank up the gears over the next few months, especially with the Reds scraping to retain their place in the Champions League, let alone challenge for the league title.

There remains anticipation that Wirtz will come good, but he’s got a long way to go before he begins rivalling like-styled predecessors like Phil Coutinho, and the hierarchy have already begun to sniff around for an upgrade.

Liverpool eyeing Wirtz upgrade

Wirtz’s place in Slot’s Liverpool squad is not in jeopardy, but the Germany international will need to start hauling more weight if he wishes to become a focal part of this new era.

Coutinho would be the benchmark, the star to aim for. Sold to Barcelona for a jaw-dropping £142m sum in Janaury 2018, the nifty Brazilian was the star of the show in those early Jurgen Klopp days, and to land a new version would be quite a thing.

Wirtz has been envisaged as that man, but transfer insider Graeme Bailey has revealed that Como talent Nico Paz has been earmarked as a potential signing for the Anfield side, with initial enquiries already made from the Reds and their elite Premier League rivals.

However, Real Madrid are firm favourites to bring the 21-year-old home, having nurtured the Argentine playmaker through his formative years before sending him to Italy with a buyback clause embedded in his contract.

Valued at £70m, Paz would mark a significant outlay, but there’s no question that he’s going straight to the top.

Why Nico Paz would be the new Coutinho

Paz has many qualities, but he’s been singled out as a “magician” of an attacking midfielder by talent scout Jacek Kulig, a natural creator cut from the same cloth as someone like Coutinho (and Wirtz, for that matter).

Under Cesc Fabregas’ wing in the Italian top flight, Paz is developing his skills as a crafty and entertaining attacking midfielder, one whose defensive work rate is second to none too.

Well, not quite, but he does rank among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for tackles per 90, as per FBref, illustrating that point.

This, too, was true of Coutinho when in his Liverpool pomp, the Brazilian winning so many duels to complement his flashy passing and stunning strikes.

Coutinho (17/18) vs Paz (25/26)

Stats* (* per game)

Coutinho

Paz

Matches (starts)

14 (13)

15 (15)

Goals

7

5

Assists

6

5

Shots (on target)*

3.9 (1.2)

3.5 (1.3)

Pass completion

79%

81%

Key passes*

2.9

2.2

Dribbles*

2.8

2.1

Tackles*

1.2

2.8

Duels won*

5.6

7.7

Stats via Sofascore

Perhaps it’s something taught when out in Serie A. Liverpool, after all, signed their little magician from Inter Milan for a crisp £8m fee way back in January 2013, moulding him into a superstar.

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Paz is further back in his development, but he’s already shining, proving himself to be a player capable of surviving the toughness of the Premier League and indeed thriving for a club like Liverpool.

Wirtz is Liverpool’s man, and fans want nothing more than to see him click into gear and start proving to FSG that they have received bang for their buck.

However, if FSG’s desire for Paz is genuine, then it’s understandable. He’s the real deal and has the potential to become a bona fide sensation at the top of the global game.

If Liverpool can sign a star with shades of Coutinho back in his heyday, they might just be onto a winner. Given that Paz has the pizzazz but also the tenacity and grit too, he might just be the man for the job.

Related The new Szoboszlai: Liverpool "have every chance" of signing £35m "monster"

Liverpool are getting ready to add to their ranks in the January transfer window.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

The January transfer window is just around the corner and it will be interesting to see what Tottenham Hotspur decide to do with their squad.

A winger seems to be one of the positions that is on the agenda for Fabio Paratici. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz are two players who have been linked with a move to the club in recent weeks.

Signing a new winger is not the only move that Spurs should make to bolster their attack ahead of the second half of the season, though, as they should also be in the market for a new number nine.

Why Spurs need to sign a new centre-forward

Centre-forward has been a problem position for the club since they sold Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for £86.4m in the summer of 2023, which is not a surprise given that Tottenham’s all-time top scorer, with 280 goals, was always going to be a tough act to follow.

Dominic Solanke was signed from Bournemouth for £65m last year, but the English striker only scored nine goals from 10.97 xG in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, and has been out since August with an ankle injury this term.

Richarlison has been the first-choice centre-forward for Tottenham in the 2025/26 campaign, partially down to Solanke’s injury, and has only scored seven goals in 25 appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore.

The Brazil international has scored some stunning goals, including the one above and an overhead kick against Burnley on the opening day, but he has not provided consistency on the pitch, as evidenced by the graphic below, which is why a new striker should be signed.

Richarlison, despite his inconsistency in front of goal, has not been Tottenham’s most frustrating player this season, though, as there is another flop who should be sold in January.

The Spurs flop who should finally be sold in January

With the January transfer window on the horizon, Spurs should finally cash in on Pedro Porro, whose form has left a lot to be desired in the 2025/26 campaign.

OnlyTottenham podcaster Seb Martin claimed that the Spain international has been “absolutely diabolical” at the end of last month, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment of his performances this season.

Porro lost possession 22 times and lost five of his eight ground duels, per Sofascore, in the dismal 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at the weekend, which was the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the full-back this term.

Pedro Porro – Premier League

24/25

25/26

Appearances

33

16

Possession lost per game

17.5

19

Key passes per game

1.7

1.3

Big chances created

10

3

Assists

6

1

Ground duel success rate

53%

49%

Pass accuracy

76%

75%

Cross accuracy

31%

18%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Sporting defender has been far more wasteful and less creative in possession than he had been in the top-flight for Spurs last season.

Porro, as of a couple of weeks ago, was also the third-most dribbled past defender in the division, which shows that his defensive work has also been lacking.

His performances have declined under Thomas Frank, as evidenced by these statistics, and the January transfer window provides the club with an opportunity to part ways with him.

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Earlier this month, TEAMtalk reported that Manchester City are keeping tabs on the defender’s situation in North London, ahead of a possible swoop for his services, which suggests that there is interest in the full-back if Spurs decide to cash in on him.

Porro has been even worse than Richarlison, who has at least provided some big moments with his goals, this season and that is why Tottenham should finally cash in on him, after almost three years at the club.

City may be hoping that they can get him back to the form that he showed in the past for Spurs, but there is no guarantee that he will not continue to underperform and regress on the pitch.

Related Archie Gray upgrade: ENIC submit offer to sign "magic" £61m star for Spurs

Tottenham need to make a signing or two in the January transfer window.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair

Therefore, Spurs should cut their losses and cash in on him amid interest from their Premier League rivals, to fund a move for a new right-back to come through the door.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Leeds United are on the verge of sealing a deal for Derby County forward Matej Vydra. The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to the Whites in recent times and has reportedly been left out of Derby’s squad for their pre-season tour of Tenerife, and with a deal for the Czech star close, the Yorkshire giants must now seek to add Jordan Rhodes to their ranks in a bid to storm the Championship.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, 26-year-old Vydra finished as Derby’s, and indeed the Championship’s, top goal-scorer last term in netting 21 goals in 40 appearances for the Rams, thus continuing to prove his credentials as a hugely adept forward at second tier level.

And with 65 goals in 187 appearances in the Championship, the Czech Republic international will add a significant amount to the Leeds striking ranks, while the addition of Sheffield Wednesday’s Rhodes would add even more to Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.

The 26-year-old made the move to Hillsborough initially on loan in 2017 before making the move permanent later that year, yet things haven’t quite gone to plan for the Scotland international given he has scored just eight league goals in 51 Championship appearances for the Owls.

However, his struggles in Yorkshire shouldn’t detract from an otherwise outstanding second tier record, with Rhodes having scored 83 goals in 159 games at Championship level for Blackburn Rovers, as well as six in 18 games for Middlesbrough to help them win promotion back in 2016.

So while things haven’t gone to plan at Hillsborough, one mustn’t forget that just a matter of years ago, Rhodes was scoring goals for fun in the second tier, and alongside the equally-prolific Vydra, they could strike up quite the partnership in Bielsa’s side.

And even if the Leeds chief decided against playing both of them together, there aren’t many better players to have on the bench if one isn’t quite producing the goods – it would be a striking department to be feared.

What do you think of the World Cup so far? Let us know

Yes, the Whites weren’t the lowest goal-scorers in the second tier last season, but only two men reached double figures in Kemar Roofe and Pierre Michel Lasogga, and with the latter not returning after spending last term on loan at Hamburg, goals could be a problem this season.

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Yet they certainly won’t be if Vydra and indeed £5.4 million-rated Rhodes (as per Transfermarkt) join the club this summer, which is why with the former closing in on a move to Elland Road, the Whites must seek to add the latter in a bid to take the Championship by storm this season.

Leeds fans… what do you think? Let us know!