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Since winning the Premier League a few weeks ago, Liverpool have either been working aggressively behind the scenes to sign new players or quite literally, they have been on the beach, enjoying the party life in Ibiza and Dubai.

Well, set to enter that part over the summer is Jeremie Frimpong, who is due to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold as Arne Slot’s new right-back.

They could also welcome Bayer Leverkusen Florian Wirtz to Anfield with the German being headhunted by some of Europe’s heavyweights.

Valued at over £100m, Wirtz has attracted the interest of Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

Bayern love signing domestic players while Man City are on the hunt to find a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne.

So, with such a hotly contested race, perhaps FSG will turn their attention elsewhere.

Liverpool big admirers of Florian Wirtz alternative

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are currently working on a list of creative targets.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

While Wirtz is on that list, the Reds have carried out background checks on RB Leipzig’s Dutch midfielder, Xabi Simons, while if Morgan Gibbs-White is made available by Nottingham Forest, he is another player they could pursue.

Also name-checked is Aston Villa sensation, Morgan Rogers. The report states that Liverpool are big admirers’ of the playmaker but it will be difficult to prise him away from Villa Park.

Rogers signed last year for a tiny fee of just £8m, and as some reports claim, he is now valued at around £90m by the Villans.

Given Villa’s PSR situation, it’s unlikely they’d turn down a bid in that region.

Why Rogers would be such an exciting signing

The meteoric rise of Rogers in the last year has been quite extraordinary. In January 2024, he traded Middlesbrough for the Midlands and has only gone from strength to strength since.

During 2024/25, the creative midfielder has become a full England international, scored a hat-trick in the Champions League against Celtic and helped himself to 29 goal involvements (14 goals & 15 assists).

It feels like Liverpool have been trying to add a player of his profile for a while. They famously missed out on Jude Bellingham before he went to Real Madrid and instead signed Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai.

The attacking midfielder has impressed, but ultimately hasn’t been too great a goal threat, netting just seven times in all competitions this term.

That explains links to players like Rogers and Wirtz who beat the goalkeeper with greater regularity.

Similarities between the Villa midfielder and the aforementioned Bellingham are also eye-catching. Indeed, speaking back in August, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp acknowledged that “there are parts of what Jude Bellingham does” in Rogers’ game.

That comparison stems from not just the way they carry the ball – an “electric” trait of Rogers’ in the words of European football expert Zach Lowy – but primarily their final actions in the final third of the pitch.

Goals

0.24

0.30

Assists

0.30

0.30

Key passes

1.51

1.54

Progressive passes

3.62

7.11

Shot-creating actions

3.12

3.87

Successful take-ons

1.93

1.47

Progressive carries

3.38

2.71

Ball recoveries

3.41

3.50

Considering the former Borussia Dortmund star’s elite status, it’s interesting to note that of the metrics selected here, there aren’t too many differences between the two.

Villa’s star man doesn’t register as many progressive passes, but he is in the lead for progressive carrying, a particular highlight of the duo’s game.

It’s when it comes to creating chances and scoring goals where they are most similar, and if Liverpool are to miss out on Wirtz, Rogers would be a superb alternative.

What makes this comparison even more noteworthy is that the two are actually childhood friends, with Bellingham taking Rogers under his wing during his first training sessions with the Three Lions.

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So, while Liverpool fans might not be too keen on Bellingham right, good friends with Trent of course, they would love a player of his ilk in the squad.

There are not many in the game who perform quite as highly as the Madrid star does, but Rogers is well on the way to cementing himself as one of the most exciting English players about.

Arsenal could see £59m bid accepted for "monster" upgrade on Sesko

Arsenal have been handed the chance to sign an upgrade on Benjamin Sesko.

ByMatt Dawson May 18, 2025

What did we witness last night at Old Trafford? Manchester United reached the Europa League quarter-final in the most incredible circumstances, beating French side Olympique Lyon 5-4 on the night, and 7-6 on aggregate, in what will go down as an all-time classic at Old Trafford.

It’s hard to know where to begin describing the action, but United were 2-0 up at half-time, thanks to goals from Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot. However, they let that lead slip in the second half, with Lyon clawing it back to 2-2 on the night, taking the game to extra time.

The French side, who were down to 10 men after Corentin Tolisso was sent off for a second bookable offence, went 4-2 up on the night in extra time. The impressive Rayan Cherki scored their third, and Alexandre Lacazette the fourth, from the penalty spot.

However, this is Man United; they are never down and out. With 114 minutes on the clock, Bruno Fernandes pulled one back for the Red Devils, also with a penalty, before Kobbie Mainoo equalised in the 120th minute of the game. Enter Harry Maguire, who gave United a 5-4 lead in the 121st minute. His fantastic header met Casemiro’s cross and rifled into the back of the net, winning the game for the Red Devils.

It was an extraordinary night, with Mainoo making a huge impact off the bench.

Mainoo’s stats vs. Lyon

United fans will always get behind their academy graduates, so for Mainoo to score the equaliser in an instant classic, it must have been special for the United midfielder, who actually played at centre-forward, and the fans. What a goal it was, too.

Getting on the end of a smart touch by Casemiro, the England international showed exceptional composure to bring the ball down with the outside of his right foot.

He then created space and took a couple more touches, shifting the ball into a favourable position to shoot, before he let fly. Mainoo’s strike nestled in the far right corner, a sublime goal in extraordinary circumstances.

Tyler Fell, a journalist for GiveMeSport, was incredibly complimentary of Mainoo, giving him a 7.5/10 for his efforts against Lyon. The journalist praised the United number 37 for his ‘phenomenal’ effort.

After a performance like that, the 19-year-old surely has to become a more prominent starter under Ruben Amorim, especially now that he’s over his recent injury issue. The same can certainly be said for another of United’s top performers in the historic clash with Lyon.

The player who should be a key starter under Amorim

You might struggle to find a performance with as much character this season as the one Leny Yoro put in against Lyon. After scoring a crucial first goal in the first leg last week, he was sensational at Old Trafford on Thursday, putting his body on the line and showing excellent ability with the ball at his feet.

Fell clearly thought that Yoro was excellent against the French side. Just as he did for Mainoo, the GiveMeSport writer gave him a 7.5/10, exclaiming that he ‘defended heroically’ and ‘used his pace to bail his side out’ if Lyon found a way past United’s defensive line.

Indeed, the 19-year-old’s stats from the game show just how well he played. As per Sofascore, Yoro had 66 touches of the ball, made nine clearances and won four out of his five attempted tackles.

Yoro stats vs. Lyon

Stat

Number

Touches

66

Pass accuracy

93%

Passes completed

43/46

Clearances

9

Ground duels won

5/9

Tackles won

4/5

Interceptions

2

Chances created

1

Stats from Sofascore

Described as a “generational” player by writer Liam Canning, it felt like a statement performance from the United number 15 against Lyon. In high-pressure moments, he was there, throwing his body on the line to stop the opponents from finding a way through.

It was a colossal showing from the teen sensation, who showed once again why he should, and has, become such a key player under Amorim. United have made it to the semi-finals of the Europa League, where they face a tough tie against Athletic Club.

It certainly feels like Yoro will be a pivotal part of this Red Devils side if they are to go all the way and lift the trophy in Bilbao at the end of the season.

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Without England quick’s skill and heart, India might already be out of sight

Vithushan Ehantharajah15-Feb-20242:12

Manjrekar: Sarfaraz against spin was a ‘sight to the sore eyes’

To be fair to Ravindra Jadeja, you could see why he thought a single was on.It was about 18 minutes to the close. England were weary after being slow-cooked in Rajkot’s dry, 34-degree Celsius heat. Debutant Sarfaraz Khan had come in and turned up the dials to char them to a crisp. And with Ben Stokes marking his 100th Test cap with rogue fields of catchers close enough to kiss, pushing one beyond them to move to a century was easy work. That’s certainly what Jadeja was thinking in his first three steps to the other end before coming to an abrupt halt.From the depths of the circle emerged Mark Wood, wearing the toil of his 17 overs like 17 jabs from Mike Tyson, whites looking like he was dragged up the Rajkot Highway, drenched in sweat. Yet he swooped, gathered and threw, with such calm and composure, taking out the one stump in view at the non-striker’s end. It probably happened in slow motion for Jadeja, and even slower for Sarfaraz – but it was milliseconds for everyone else. In an instant bit of brilliance, India’s next golden boy, was barbecued for 62, and a potentially match-altering fifth-wicket stand was capped at the knees on 77.Related

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Here was a perfectly packaged summation of England’s first day of this third Test in Rajkot. Just as it looked like India were pulling away, Wood, who had already given so much, gave some more. His 3 for 69, bowling the most he has in a single day of Test cricket in over two years, is the reason England were not dismayed after losing the toss. His direct hit is the reason they can look at India’s score of 326 for 5 at stumps and feel a sense of satisfaction.Two weeks ago, Wood lamented looking second-rate next to the genius of Jasprit Bumrah. But his impact here is close to what the No.1 ranked bowler gives to his team. Without the Durham quick’s skill and heart, India might already be out of sight.Stokes might not have called the coin correctly, but his selection of Wood over off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was vindicated within 11 balls from the Pavilion End. A hard length, with a bit of bounce and enough movement away from left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal drew an edge through to Joe Root at first slip.Shubman Gill was next for a nine-ball duck; forced into playing a delivery that arrowed into him before decking away off the pitch. Just like that, Wood, who had gone wicketless for 25 overs as the lone seamer in Hyderabad, had pocketed the double centurion and second-innings centurion from Vishakapatnam.Mark Wood takes flight•Getty ImagesBoth dismissals could be regarded as bonuses. Before today, only David Warner at Trent Bridge in 2015 and Marnus Labuschagne at Sydney in 2022 were Wood’s previous wickets in the first six overs of an innings.That he opened the bowling with James Anderson was more out of circumstance than design. The reasons for his inclusion here were why he was selected ahead of Anderson in the first Test – his pace and ability to reverse swing the ball late had him as a point of difference. Essentially, he is at his most valuable when the ball is old and the pitch is unresponsive. Ergo – the most unrewarding time to bowl.Not that you can ever really tell from Wood’s body language. When you have had the injuries he has had to overcome, limiting him to just 33 Tests in nine years, a day in the field is not taken for granted.His first six-over burst was predominantly full deliveries, save for a few short, including one that reared up and clocked Rohit Sharma in the face. A mix of short stuff in the next stint of three followed, along with a patented wide jump into a delivery that whistled past Rohit’s edge on 77. The third and fourth spells were almost exclusively bumpers, all delivered with enthusiasm belying the graft required to get a softer ball up at a batter’s throat.Rohit Sharma got hit on the grille by Mark Wood•AFP via Getty ImagesEven early in that fourth spell, when one sat up for Jadeja to thump through mid on for four, Wood did not relent. Three deliveries into his next over, Rohit, 131 to his name, clothed a pull to Stokes, the middle fielder of three stationed at midwicket for the spooned top-edge.That it broke a stand of 204 between Sharma and Jadeja speaks to the lack of cutting edge or control when the seamers were out of circulation. That’s not unexpected given the lack of experience in the spin department, particularly on a first-day pitch. But for the first time on this tour, it felt like Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and even Root were exposed.Had Root taken a low chance off Rohit when on 27, and England taken reviews when he was on 87 and Jadeja on 93 to overturn lbw appeals, the trio would have more to show than Rajat Patidar’s brain fade against Hartley. But India realised they could just focus on surviving Wood and Anderson and pilfer the rest. Root was particularly expensive, going at 5.23 an over, failing to use his off-breaks to keep the hosts in check or challenge Jadeja’s outside edge.As well as Sarfaraz batted, his innings was a microcosm of England’s conundrum. After facing five balls from Wood in his first six, he had 52 by the time he next faced a seamer. And though he played Anderson well, with a gorgeous late cut for four, he ducked and weaved when reacquainted with Wood (on 61) to play out a maiden.Unfortunately for Sarfaraz, Wood still found him lacking in the field. And as Kuldeep Yadav emerged as a night watchman, England were at least able to finish as they started – with a hold on proceedings.They will have to dig deep and go again on Friday, hoping for similar moisture in the air that greeted them on Thursday morning. Stokes’ decision to take the second new ball two overs before the close means it will be ripe for yet more early hijinks. And having proved more incisive in these conditions than one of England’s greatest in Anderson, there is even greater importance on Wood backing up one big day with another.

Relive ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary as Australia seal a 4-0 series win

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-202216.1, Green to Burns, OUT
Chopped on! Australia have the breakthrough and it’s a familiar type of dismissal for Burns, on the stroke of tea/dinner. Angling in from around the wicket, unsure whether to play or leave. He opts for the latter, but too late to get his bat out of the way, and he only manages to deflect it onto his own stumps! Green strikes, England’s highest opening stand of the series is broken.
20.5, Green to Malan, OUT
Brilliant bowling! This has been outstanding from Green. It’s an inside edge in the end, but Malan has been worked over. Short of a length from round the wicket, Malan is late bringing his bat down and it deflects into the stumps.
Dawid Malan chops onto his own stumps•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images22.2, Green to Crawley, OUT
Edged, gone! Magical spell from Green. Full at off stump, lures the drive and Carey dives to his right to grab a neat one.
27.5, Starc to Stokes, OUT
Taken at deep square leg! Superb catch running in from Lyon. Starc dropped in the short ball and Stokes went after it. He didn’t try to keep it down. Lyon makes good ground in off the rope and takes it diving forward.
Stokes departs, Cummins and Starc celebrate•AFP/Getty Images31.4, Boland to Root, OUT
Keeps low, smashes into off stump! Root doesn’t hit a single ball with his new bat after drinks. This is a real grubber, shooting through low and crashing into the bottom of the stump, underneath the toe-end of his bat. Root’s series is over, another without a hundred in Australia. Not much he could have done about that one!
Root loses his off stump to a shooter•AFP/Getty Images

If England are quick they could still make Djokovic’s flight.

— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) January 16, 2022