Tag Futebol

Liverpool are back on track this season after struggling to perform last year, and Jurgen Klopp will be delighted that his stratagems to revitalise the midfield have gone off without a hitch.

The signings of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have been made with an eye on energy and enthusiasm renewed, and the early-season success has been remarkable, with the Reds storming into a seven-match winning streak across all competitions after drawing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the term.

The malaise that crept in last season has perhaps detracted from the illustrious, glittering success of Klopp's reign on Merseyside since taking the helm in 2015, with many lamenting the severity of the collapse last term; as if in a quake, the honours dotted on the shelves trembled and fell.

But now, things appear to be back on track, with the centre of the Anfield pitch restored. It's quite possible, that had Liverpool's myopic transfer efforts over the past several years not been so, well, short-sighted, appropriate moves might have been made to maintain the equilibrium and continue the silver-laden journey.

And, dating back to the days before the German manager's appointment, one Dele Alli been signed before his journey with Tottenham Hotspur started, Liverpool might have boasted a star man to maintain success, and the prosperity of his once prodigious career might still be intact.

Did Liverpool nearly sign Dele Alli?

In 2015, prominent Liverpool reporter James Pearce – who writes for The Athletic but worked for the Liverpool Echo at the time – revealed that Alli had been on Liverpool's radar prior to his move to Tottenham from League One side MK Dons.

Alli is believed to be a boyhood Red and held Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard as his icon in the past, seeking to emulate the former England star with his own playing style, something that was indeed reflected during his finest days in a Spurs shirt.

According to Pearce, Alli had been 'scouted extensively' by the Anfield side and was one whose talents were held in high regard, and after an emphatic 2014/15 campaign with the Dons, scoring 16 goals and supplying nine assists in League One and starring in an infamous 4-0 victory over MK Dons in the League Cup, he earned a £5m transfer to Tottenham in February 2015, remaining with his erstwhile outfit for the remainder of the term.

Sky Sports confirmed that numerous Premier League sides had been interested in his signature but it was the project in north London that had convinced the then 18-year-old to forge the maiden stage of his career at Tottenham.

Reds manager at the time, Brendan Rodgers, was certain of the precocious talent's skill set and urged the board to make their move, but the powers that be were dissuaded by the £5m price tag and ultimately opted to focus their attention elsewhere.

What a mistake that turned out to be. Despite the 27-year-old's struggles and affecting decline, he is one of the brightest talents to ever burst onto the scene on Premier League soil, and under Klopp's stewardship, he might have sustained his position of rising power.

How good was Dele Alli?

Jose Mourinho once proclaimed that Alli could become "one of the world's best", and certainly, across the first several seasons at Tottenham, the England international proved to be a bona fide prodigy, alighting the English top-flight with his razor-sharp offensive movements and clinical finishing.

Across the first three Premier League seasons, the 37-cap international actually scored 37 goals and supplied 29 assists from 106 outings, with the majority of that time preceding his 22nd birthday.

Hailed as "very special" by Barcelona legend and current manager Xavi, Alli had the world at his feet and truly looked to be set to stay at the forefront of Premier League prominence for years to come, excelling in an offensive midfield role by combining his intelligent awareness with instinctive, powerful bursting movements into danger areas – both with the ball at his feet and when waiting to be the recipient of a pass from a teammate.

At his zenith, Alli was valued at a staggering £150m by the Lilywhites, which underscored just how incredible a player he was, but it all came crashing down in startling swiftness.

The Athletic cited a decline in both output and technical prowess to have contributed to his regression over the past several years, with the 6 foot 2 star only scoring one Premier League goal since the 2019/20 campaign.

Alli, at his very best, thrived off high-octane teammates pushing the play forward, allowing him to foray into the danger areas and wreak havoc, with superlative creativity enveloping him.

Well, at Liverpool this would have been the best he could have wished for, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson overlapping from the wide channels and the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane providing the kind of first-rate offensive ferocity that Alli could have bounced off.

Alli fell by the wayside and slipped from a starring role at Tottenham before completing a free transfer to Everton in winter 2022, with the first £10m permissible after he completed 20 appearances for the Merseyside outfit, something that has still not happened, having played in only 13 matches to date.

Alli has cited traumatic personal issues and several distinctive circumstances to have contributed to a fall from grace, and the footballing world will be behind the dynamic midfielder if and when he does take to the Premier League pitch again.

The £100k-per-week ace is currently battling an injury with the Toffees, with Sean Dyche revealing in August that he was "miles away" from a return to competitive action as he rehabilitates from a hip injury.

While nothing is certain in football nor in life, the stability and impact that Klopp could have had on his career and growth might have provided Alli with the perfect foundation to build from, and while his prowess as a youngster will always be remembered as among the most prodigious in Premier League history, under Klopp's tutelage, he might still be burgeoning to this day.

Jurgen Klopp has built his legacy at Liverpool by being extremely diligent in the transfer market, signing players who are on the verge of a major breakthrough for fees far lower than expected.

The likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane all arrived at the cusp of greatness and grew into three of the finest players in the Premier League under the leadership of the German.

Of course, these three are just a few of the players signed by Klopp who have gone on to form the best Liverpool squad in their recent history as they challenged Manchester City’s hegemony of the English game.

Signing promising players for low values while turning them into prospective superstars is not something which is new at Anfield, with Rafa Benitez enjoying success with Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres while Brendan Rodgers even had a few hits in the transfer market.

Roberto Firmino cost the club just £21.3m in 2015 and over the course of the next eight years, he scored 111 goals for the Anfield side across 362 matches, winning practically all there was to win in the process.

The Northern Irishman even signed someone during the latter stages of his stint at Liverpool who is still a key part of the first-team squad – Joe Gomez.

How much did Joe Gomez cost Liverpool?

Following a tough 2014/15 campaign in which the Reds finished in a disappointing sixth place, Rodgers looked like he was building a squad which could challenge for trophies.

In came Firmino, Christian Benteke and Danny Ings among others, while Gomez joined from Charlton Athletic for a fee in the region of £3.5m and considering he had played just 24 senior matches, he was earmarked as a future star.

The defender was clearly excited to be joining one of the biggest teams in the country, saying: "It's a dream come true. It's a bit surreal and it hasn't really hit me yet. But I'm buzzing and just excited to get started.

"The club has got great history, it's a great club and one that I've always been following from when I was young.

"Here was somewhere I wanted to go and get better and learn, and play good football. It was an easy decision."

Little did anyone think at the time he would still be playing in the first team eight years later, having won both the Champions League and Premier League during his Anfield career.

What is Joe Gomez’s market value now?

Eight years since joining, the Englishman has seen his transfer value rise and the gamble of signing a relatively unknown defender back in 2015 appears to have paid off.

According to Football Transfers, Gomez is now currently valued at €26.1m (£22.5m) which currently represents a rise of 542% from his initial £3.5m transfer fee, a staggering increase.

His highest value was achieved back in January 2021, where he was valued even higher at €33.7m (£29m) and although this has dipped recently, if he can continue to perform for Klopp and be consistent enough, this could see his value rise to this type of figure again.

Why is Joe Gomez worth so much?

His first two seasons at Anfield saw the centre-back make only ten appearances for the senior side in all competitions, and it looked as though Klopp was looking to settle him in gently, allowing the player to get a taste for action rather than throw him in at the deep end unnecessarily.

During the 2017/18 season, Gomez soon began to make his presence known, featuring in 31 games for the club as they narrowly missed out on Champions League glory, losing to Real Madrid in the final.

With Klopp finally leading the Reds to glory in Europe’s premier club competition the following season, Gomez played an integral part in the Anfield side claiming their first league title in 30 years during the 2019/20 campaign.

Across 28 matches, he ranked second in the squad for accurate passes per game (62.5) and interceptions per game (1.4), while even winning four duels per game – a success rate of 56% – showcasing his defensive abilities as the club conceded just 33 goals throughout the whole season, the lowest total in the top flight.

Klopp even hailed the defender, saying: “He is a sensational footballer, which is good.

“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good.

“The package is really nice. It was always clear in the moment he starts playing and can get rhythm again, everything will be fine – and that’s how it is.”

However, what should have been a catalyst for the 26-year-old to kick on and cement his place in the starting XI soon turned into an injury-hit few seasons, missing 39 matches due to a knee problem while struggling to get back into the team upon his return.

The £85k-per-week brute forced his way back into the starting XI last term, and he certainly showcased his forward-thinking attributes.

According to FBref, when compared to positional peers across Europe, Gomez ranked in the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90 (1.31), the best 8% for progressive passes per 90 (5.28) and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90 (1.14), demonstrating that he can also move the ball forward often in order to begin attacks from the defence.

Gomez is still only 26-years-old, and he arguably hasn’t even hit his peak years yet, which is remarkable considering it feels like the defender has been at Liverpool forever.

There is no doubt the club struck gold on him, despite some challenging times across the previous eight years. Gomez has risen to the occasion numerous times and displayed the correct attitude which has allowed him to flourish under the German.

With four years left on his current contract, it doesn’t look like he will be departing anytime soon, but if he does fall out of favour or decides to move on, the Anfield side will make a bumper profit on him in the process.

Ed Smith, the former Kent captain turned journalist, has been named as the new National Selector

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2018

Ed Smith, the former Kent captain turned journalist, has been named as the new National Selector.Smith played three Test matches for England in 2003, and made 350 appearances in county cricket across a first-class career that spanned 12 years.He has since forged a varied career in the media, including stints as a commentator on the BBC’s Test Match Special, a leader writer for The Times, and a column for ESPNcricinfo. He is also the author of several books, including “Playing Hard Ball”, an autobiographical account of a foray into baseball, and “Luck: What It Means and Why It Matters”.His appointment comes amid a restructuring of England’s selection process, with a greater emphasis on scouting, assessing and selecting players for the Test, T20 and ODI sides.Smith succeeds James Whitaker, whose tenure ended last month, and he will appoint a full-time independent England Selector to work alongside him and England Head Coach Trevor Bayliss, with his first squad due to be selected ahead of the Lord’s Test against Pakistan, starting on May 24.”I’m delighted to take on the role of National Selector,” said Smith. “I was very happy with what I was doing previously but the chance to be at the forefront of this development in English cricket was too good an opportunity to turn down.”Selection and Talent ID have always fascinated me and I’ve explored extensively how they are evolving.”It is an exciting time for England cricket. I’m very much looking forward to working with Trevor, Joe [Root] and Eoin [Morgan], as we work towards ensuring that the talent in English cricket feeds into consistent performances in all formats of the game.””Ed stood out as an ideal candidate for the role for a number of reasons,” said Andrew Strauss, Director of England Cricket. “There is real depth to his talent identification knowledge and he’s done a great amount of research into the subject.”He has a rich and varied sum of experiences having played professional cricket for 12 years and having written extensively on cricket and other sports. As well as this he has a strong academic interest in high performance and excellent knowledge of the international game.”Ed will come to this role with fresh ideas and his input will help us implement a structure that we hope can become world-leading, not just in cricket but in sport generally.”We’re excited about the changes we’ve made to our talent identification and selection structure. It’s about us getting better quality information, and making sure our decision-making is as clear and robust as possible.”

Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain, has responded to criticism from Simon Doull about the team’s T20 fortunes and reiterated that he wants to be involved in all formats for his country. Williamson said he had chatted amicably with Doull about the former pace bowler’s comments but would be looking to continue the balancing act that sees him lead the Test, ODI and T20 sides.Speaking on New Zealand radio last week, Doull suggested bringing in a specialist T20 coach to replace Mike Hesson and said that Williamson should only be in the side as an opener. Williamson has batted at No. 3 in recent series, with limited success, and New Zealand have lost three T20s in a row – in the process dropping from No. 1 to No. 4 in the ICC rankings.Despite being heavily beaten by Australia in their opening Trans-Tasman T20 fixture in Sydney last week, New Zealand have qualification for the final in their own hands ahead of three games at home. Williamson may yet miss out on Tuesday’s match against England in Wellington due to a back problem. Henry Nicholls has been called up as cover.”I’d quite like to play,” Williamson said. “I spoke to Simon afterwards, he wanted to go for a coffee. So we caught up, and I’ve known Simon for a long time and he wanted to clarify a few of those points because he didn’t believe they came across in the right way. He’s looking at volume of cricket, bringing new players into the international game and there’s sense that he makes, but at the same time from a personal perspective T20 cricket is so prevalent in the international and domestic game and you play a lot more of it nowadays, and it’s something you want to be a part of.”I definitely want to play all three forms, without a doubt, it’s a challenge I look forward to. But at the same time, as we’ve seen throughout the summer already, guys have had time off, they’ve missed a few games for those reasons and it’s a balancing act moving forward because the volume of cricket seems to increase every year.”Since January 2017, Williamson has averaged 18.60 in T20 internationals, with a strike rate of 100.54. While Colin Munro’s move up to opener has been a success – he has scored two hundreds and two fifties in nine innings – the knock on has been a further dip in Williamson’s form: at the SCG, with New Zealand in trouble after losing early wickets, he managed just 8 off 21 balls and was caught at cover off a leading edge.”Not as good as I would have liked,” Williamson said of his recent returns, “but at the same time it’s the nature of the game, that you’re wanting more and more. I’m looking to improve all the time, trying to contribute as much as I can for the team and that’s my focus. Don’t get me wrong, I would like a lot more runs, but at the same time you don’t want that to get in the road of what you’re trying to achieve, which is your gameplan facing each ball as best you can and knowing that if you do put your trust in that, that’s when the runs come.”You take risks in T20 cricket sometimes it doesn’t come off and it came be frustrating but it is going out and playing in the right style to help move the team forward. When you do take that approach and you do score some runs, that’s when you help the team, rather than perhaps thinking about yourself too much and how many runs you might want.”While New Zealand have refused to rip up their playbook for T20, they have made changes for the next few games. Mark Chapman and wicketkeeper Tim Seifert are set to debut at the Westpac Stadium, with Tom Bruce and Tom Blundell making way, and Williamson said it was just reward for their form domestically.”Tim’s a player that can score all around the ground, packs a punch and hits the ball a long way… it was a really tough decision because Tommy [Blundell] came in and offers so much to the group every time he is involved. But it was purely a balance and a role-type decision and that’s why Timmy comes into the fold and it’s a really exciting opportunity for himself and Mark to make their debuts for New Zealand and come out and play their natural game, which they’ve been doing so well in the domestic T20 comps.”New Zealand have had a ten-day break without a game, as England completed the Australia leg of their tour, and Williamson said it was helpful for the players to have some time off. Having won every game at home this summer until two T20 defeats to Pakistan in January, they will be hoping to get back on track.”T20 is fickle, so it’s important we don’t chase the win, we chase how we want to be playing cricket,” Williamson said. “That’s where we put our focus, we’ve said it all along. We’ve had a couple of losses in a row, which hasn’t been what we’ve wanted but we’ve just been looking at how we’ve been playing and how we want to try and improve, and when we do that’s when the results happen for us. So it’s important we don’t get ahead of ourselves.”

Australian cricket is on course to top two million spectators at matches this summer, as the expected success of the Ashes series and the limited-overs matches that follow combines with the continuing growth of the Twenty20 Big Bash League.Including day one of the SCG Test, total Ashes attendance has now reached 729,527, putting the series in line to top the record crowds of 2006-07, when the preceding 2005 clash in England had raised interest in the ensuing battle. That was the only Australian Test series on record to have topped 800,000 spectators, with the previous Ashes series in 2013-14 being attended by more than 753,000 spectators.This summer’s increased attendances have been aided by the greater capacity of Adelaide Oval, and also the fact that each match so far has run into the fifth day. James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said the rising tide of crowds was being matched by the growth of the BBL, as the two contests feed off one another in terms of drawing people to cricket.

Ashes crowds in Australia since ’90-91

1990-91 394,255
1994-95 478,126
1998-99 545,820
2002-03 568,774
2006-07 819,627
2010-11 764,463
2013-14 753,868
2017-18 729,527*
*After day one of SCG

“It’s been a great series in terms of putting on an event, an Ashes series in our cycle of future tours programme is always a really important summer,” Sutherland told ABC Radio. “We’re heading towards crowds of over 800,000 for the Ashes Test matches. I think when we get to the one-dayers, T20s, we’ll be over a million.”Add another million for the Big Bash League, then for the first time ever we’re going to see attendances of over two million for cricket matches in Australia. So far so good, it’s been fantastic and I’d have to say the performances of the Australian team have been very pleasing as well.”This year we’re buoyed by the Adelaide Oval being at full capacity. It was only at half capacity last time, it’s one of the great assets of Australian cricket in that we’ve got these magnificent stadiums. We’ve got the Perth Stadium coming online for a game on the 28th of January, already pretty well sold out, and that in itself is just another way in which we can meet the demands of people wanting to come along to the cricket, which is fantastic to see.”Sutherland said that CA had seen evidence of Test match crowds becoming younger and more diverse, a shift he attributed to the use of T20 in general and the BBL in particular to bring new audiences to the game – a key plank of CA’s recently released strategy for the game down under. While there are inevitable grumbles about overlaying the BBL across the international summer, Sutherland has long been a proponent of co-existence rather than distinct windows.”The focus we have around T20 is bringing new fans to the game, particularly with kids, females and families, but at the same time what we’re seeing – and you only have to look around the SCG today – is kids graduating their interest into Test cricket,” Sutherland said. “Some people think that BBL is sort of counter to Test cricket, but it’s actually designed to be complementary. All of our research suggests that people still understand that the pinnacle of the game is Test cricket, the aspiration for young people is to play Test cricket, that’s the ultimate.”They’d love to play BBL, but to take it a step further and play at the highest level, and play for your country. I think this time of year I often say ‘more cricket is never enough’ and that’s been demonstrated by the way the Big Bash League has continued to grow. We also forget that Test matches are played in one place. They’re here for one week, we’re here in Sydney for one week, and that’s where it is, but at the same time, Big Bash League matches are being played in other parts of the country.”Previously in other summers gone by, we haven’t been able to feed the appetite of the Australian cricket community with other matches that they wanted to go to. We saw last night there was a game down in Hobart, great crowd, fascinating game, and again just another example of cricket being able to spread itself around the country.”As for the recent “poor” rating given the MCG for its lifeless drop-in pitch, Sutherland said the venue had been fortunate to miss out on the new ICC regulations – enforced from January 1 this year – that would have meant it faced a ban from international matches in the event of a second consecutive “poor” rating.”I think now with the new regulations that are in at ICC level, the consequences of that are quite severe,” Sutherland said. “The new regulations that came in on the first of January mean that once you’ve got a first strike, the second strike means you’ve actually got to have matches taken away from you. We’re not at that stage with the MCG, but it’s all about improvement and this is an opportunity to get better.”Ultimately it’s very disappointing to receive that rating. I think it’s probably a moot point as to where it lands and whether it was poor or the next category up, which was below average. But it’s an indicator either way – below average or poor – and it’s a rating we’re not comfortable with, and I know the MCC and the MCG aren’t happy with it either.”I think that will be the catalyst for us to work closely with them to respond and ensure we know and understand exactly what we’re looking for in an MCG pitch. And to define that, and to then make sure that’s rolled out with regularity and confidence.”

دافع ديدييه ديشامب، المدير الفني لـ منتخب فرنسا، عن استدعاء اللاعب نجولو كانتي للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا.

وأعلن ديشامب، اليوم الخميس، قائمة منتخب فرنسا للمشاركة في بطولة يورو 2024 هذا الصيف.

وشهدت القائمة مفاجأة باستدعاء لاعب اتحاد جدة السعودي، نجولو كانتي، بعد غياب دام عامين عن المشاركة الدولية (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وقال ديشامب في مؤتمره، الذي نشرته شبكة “rmcsport” الفرنسية: “آخر استدعاء دولي لـ كانتي كان في يونيو 2022، ما أعقب ذلك كان أمرًا أكثر تعقيدًا بالنسبة له، خاصة مع الإصابة التي حرمته من المشاركة في مونديال 2022”.

وأضاف: “لقد تمكن من استعادة كل قدراته الكروية والرياضية، كما أنه يلعب حاليًا ويشارك، كان الوضع واضحًا في ذهني”.

وواصل: “أردت منه أن يستعيد قدرته على أرض الملعب من خلال منح وقت اللعب للشباب لاكتساب الخبرة أقوى معه”.

وعما إذا كان استدعاء كانتي له علاقة بحالة عدم اليقين بشأن مشاركة تشواميني، الذي يعاني من إصابة حاليًا، قال: “لن أذهب إلى هذا حد، طالما أن تشواميني مدرجًا في القائمة، فذلك لأنه إذا سارت الأمور على ما يرام، هناك احتمالية كبيرة لمشاركته”.

وتابع: “بغض النظر عن الوضع، لا توجد مشكلة أبدًا بشأن كانتي، إنه ملاك، الجميع يحبه، ليس لديه أي ضمانات بخصوص المشاركة، لأكون صادقًا”.

وأوضح: “يمكن للاعبي خط الوسط السبعة أن يشاركوا، كانتي سيحصل على المكان الذي يستحقه، ولكنه على ما يرام وفي حالة جيدة”.

Glasgow Rangers return to action this evening as they host Swiss side Servette at Ibrox in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier.

What is the latest Rangers team news?

Light Blues head coach Michael Beale has revealed that left-back Ridvan Yilmaz and central defender Ben Davies will not be available for selection, although they are both expected to be back in action before the end of the month.

The club also confirmed on Tuesday that Fashion Sakala has officially left the club on a permanent basis to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Fayha.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

Glen Kamara, Kemar Roofe, Jon McLaughlin, and Tom Lawrence will also be absent for this game as the English manager opted against including them in his UEFA squad list.

Will Todd Cantwell start against Servette?

One player who must be unleashed from the start for the Gers tonight is attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell, after Beale placed him on the bench against Kilmarnock on the weekend.

Rangers lost 1-0 on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership and the former Norwich maestro was given less than 30 minutes to turn the game around as a substitute.

Meanwhile, Sam Lammers lined up in attack and failed to produce a shot on target or key pass in 84 minutes, which could lead to him being dropped for the Englishman.

The former QPR tactician must now name the 25-year-old maestro in his starting XI tonight alongside Kieran Dowell as they could cause serious problems for the opposition with their respective attacking quality and pre-existing relationship.

Cantwell and the ex-Everton prospect played 24 matches alongside each other on the pitch at the same time during their spell at Carrow Road and won a league title in the Championship together during the 2020/21 campaign.

This means that they already know how to function in the same team and know what it takes to be successful in doing so, which is why they could be an excellent partnership for the Gers in midfield.

Both players carry a goal threat and have the potential to be a match-winner tonight from the middle of the park. Cantwell showcased his ability for Rangers during the second half of last season after his move from Norwich in January.

The Canaries academy product, who was once described as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting, scored six goals and provided four assists in 13 Premiership outings.

He also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 in that time, which was the third-highest score at the club – only behind Borna Barisic and James Tavernier.

Malik Tillman (ten) was the only midfielder who scored more league goals than the 5 foot 10 wizard last season, which illustrates how important the talented maestro was to Beale when you consider that he was only at Ibrox for five months of the campaign.

Dowell is also a player with the potential to be a scoring threat as the left-footed dynamo produced ten goals in 26 Championship starts for Norwich across the 2020/21 and 2022/23 terms combined, which shows that he is able to regularly chip in with strikes when given the opportunity to start.

These statistics show that both midfielders are capable of scoring goals from the middle of the park, or from a wide position in Cantwell's case, and would be able to hit the ground running alongside each other because of their experiences in England.

Therefore, Beale must start them against Servette tonight in order to give the Light Blues the best chance of building up a healthy lead to take into the away leg later this month.

Aston Villa have made contact to enquire about a summer deal to bring Fiorentina star Sofyan Amrabat to the Premier League, according to fresh reports.

Who is Sofyan Amrabat?

Amrabat is primarily a defensive midfielder who has plied his trade at the Artemio Franchi Stadium since arriving from Hellas Verona back in 2020, and despite being sent straight back out on loan to his former club after joining, he’s gone on to become a regular feature of Vincenzo Italiano’s outfit, making 107 senior appearances to date.

However, the 26-year-old’s contract with the Serie A side is set to expire in less than a year so the ongoing transfer window will be their final opportunity to cash in and demand a decent fee for their prized asset, and should he depart, he won’t be short of potential suitors in the top-flight.

In England, Manchester United are the club to have been the most heavily linked with a swoop for the Morocco international, whilst Liverpool have also been sounded out as a potential suitor, though if the following update is to be believed, Unai Emery is one of the latest new managers to be chasing his signature.

Are Aston Villa signing Sofyan Amrabat?

According to Viola News (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have "tested the ground" and initiated for Amrabat. It's unknown whether the contact was made with the player's personal camp, his current club or both, but it does seem as if there has been approach from the Midlands.

The Midlands outfit hold an "interest" in the talisman and it's stated that the "Premier League solution remains alive", with United and Tottenham Hotspur name-checked as admirers in the report. Fiorentina are demanding €30m (£25m) in order to sanction his sale, but as of yet, none of the trio have submitted an official opening offer.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Aston Villa will know that Amrabat is much stronger in the natural defensive midfield aspect of his game having registered just one assist across all competitions last season, but having been dubbed a “monster” in the centre of the park by reporter Carlo Garganese, he has all the qualities to excel under the guidance of Emery.

The World Cup participant averaged 1.3 tackles per league game during the previous campaign so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team, something which he is calm and composed in doing having recorded an 89.8% pass success rate which was higher than any of the regular features managed in the Midlands.

The Huizen native would also provide the Spaniard with wonderful versatility having operated in an outstanding eight various positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the midfield and even in defence at centre-back, left-back and right-back, so he would be a fantastic option for the boss to have in the building.

Furthermore, Amrabat shares the same agent, CAA Stellar, as both Ezri Konsa and Bertrand Traore, so NSWE and Monchi could be handed a small advantage should they decide to seriously pursue a deal considering the existing connection that his representative already has to the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are edging closer in the pursuit of Bristol City gem Alex Scott, as Julen Lopetegui aims to secure the signature of the highly-rated youngster.

The Midlands club have been linked to the Championship star since January, however after making sufficient sales, the Old Gold can now focus on the chance to equip the Englishman to their side.

How much is Alex Scott worth?

As reported by Football Insider yesterday, Wolves are believed to have leapfrogged fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in the race for Scott.

The report claimed that Lopetegui’s side are in ‘pole position’ to sign the midfielder after having two bids rejected by the Robins, with the latest figure said to be around the £20m mark.

It’s believed that the Championship side will hold out for £25m for the teenager, who was an integral part of their squad last season.

How good is Alex Scott?

At just 19, the teenager has imposed himself as a key figure in Bristol City’s line-up, being the conductor to orchestrate the midfield with authority and skill.

Described as a "top talent" by Jack Grealish, the Guernsey-born diamond played a mammoth 49 games for his club last season, adding to the 39 appearances recorded in his breakthrough term in 2021/22.

Deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, Scott could prove to be a youthful cog in Lopetegui’s depleted Molineux midfield, following the departures of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves earlier this summer.

The Spaniard could equip his side with a promising fearless talent, who could force fans to forget about the magic that the Portuguese duo once brought to Wolverhampton.

After signing Joao Gomes from Flamengo in January, Wolves displayed preliminary signs of a midfield revamp, which could be rounded off by the potential introduction of Scott, who could pose to be an upgrade to existing options to partner the Brazilian.

29-year-old Mario Lemina was also introduced in the winter transfer window of 2023, signing from Nice in the bid to bolster the midfield.

While the Gabonese star has been a strong introduction to Lopetegui’s side, the former Southampton player could find his position in the starting line-up compromised should Scott enter the Spaniard’s plans.

When comparing the two players based on their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, it’s clear to see why the former Real Madrid manager wants to bring in the 5 foot 10 Championship star, who would represent an upgrade on Lemina.

As per FBref, the teenager recorded a higher average than the Gabon international for his distribution, averaging 3.43 progressive passes per 90 to his 2.91, as well as 1.04 key passes to the Wolves man’s mere 0.21 per 90.

Acting as a lively dominator of the middle of the park, Scott also scored higher averages while in possession, averaging 1.22 successful take-ons and 2.34 progressive carries to Lemina’s 0.76 successful take-ons and 0.42 progressive carries per 90 in the Premier League.

While tackling is a major element of maintaining control of the engine room, the Englishman showed his potential in comparison to the former Juventus ace, making an average of 2.05 tackles and 0.98 interceptions per 90, to his 2.63 tackles and 0.97 interceptions.

Lopetegui could form a youthful spark in Molineux’s midfield by recruiting Scott, however, it could be uncomfortable viewing for Lemina, who could see himself usurped by the teenager.

When Ben Stokes grimaced and limped off the field at Headingley to check on the health of his knee, Moeen Ali had more cause for concern than most.The balance of England’s one-day side means that if Stokes’ all-round prowess is denied them at any time during the Champions Trophy then the resulting reshuffle would leave Moeen fearing for his place.England’s captain Eoin Morgan sought to allay fears that there might be something seriously wrong with a knee that has let Stokes down in the past, but England will be giving it careful scrutiny before determining whether he should play in the final two matches of the ODI series against South Africa.With Stokes fulfilling strong roles as a middle-order batsman and a seamer, it could lead England to replace him with Jonny Bairstow in the middle order and opt for an extra seamer – David Willey and Jake Ball were omitted against South Africa on Wednesday – and that would leave Moeen vulnerable.Not the sort of outcome that he needs after the sight of him blazing sixes into Headingley’s blue skies in the first ODI indicated that he might be running back into form again.Moeen cleared the boundary boards five times in a late assault, alongside Morgan, which helped swing the match in England’s favour. It was a reminder of his innate talent. Even when his shots sail deep over the ropes, it feels less about power-hitting than aptitude. If he is heading back to his best, it will be another tick in the England box.Moeen missed the one-day matches against Ireland while Stokes was absent at the IPL and now he says: “It’s nice to be back in the side and to have Stokesy back helps me play as well. I was told by Morgy it was about the balance of the team, and especially against Ireland when [Adil Rashid] bowls a lot more variation and he felt he was going to bowl well against them. I’m fine with it and it’s one of those things. You just get on with it.”In addition to a brisk unbeaten 77, Moeen Ali also took 2 for 50 in the first ODI against South Africa•Getty Images

Moeen freely admits that he has had a thin run with the bat. After taking a century off Scotland in Christchurch in February 2015, he went 23 innings without passing 50. In his defence, batting at No. 7 behind a successful top six does not create many opportunities. But his unbeaten 77 in Leeds, to follow a half-century against India in Cuttack in January, hints at better times.”I find batting seven tough,” he admitted. “But I’m trying to get better at it. On previous occasions when I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot more balls I’ve given my wicket away a bit early. So I told myself I was going to give myself a bit more time, get myself in and back myself that I can then play a few more shots as well.”In county cricket and when I played first for England I opened the batting. I can beat the field in the first few overs and then later on I can play a few more shots. When I’m in, I feel I can hit decent-sized sixes. You only have to get it over the rope and that’s all I try to do really. But it’s not easy for someone like me who probably can’t hit sixes like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and hit the gas like those guys.”Moeen is averse to working on his power-hitting because he feels it destroys his timing and he is grateful that Paul Farbrace, England’s assistant coach, has come to understand his game more deeply.”I find if I work on power-hitting I lose my rhythm,” he said. “I just try to keep it as natural as possible. Even towards the end of my innings there were a couple I tried to slog and I lost my shape. It’s more an instinctive way of batting and Farby helped me a lot. He knows my game, knows what I need to do to get myself into a bit of rhythm. It’s more confidence building. But until you’ve gone out and scored the runs you don’t have that confidence.”In the meantime, for all his assurances that he will happily accept what falls his way, he will be keeping an eye on Stokes’ health. After all, millions of others will be doing precisely that.”At my best I can get in the side,” he said. “I can bat anywhere in the order and I feel my bowling is quite important against good sides. There’s obviously times when I don’t pick up the wickets but I try and bowl as tight as I can.But if Stokesy is not fit, or for whatever reason he’s not playing, and I get told that I’m not playing I’ll still be happy.”