All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Saturday evening confirmed several things for Tottenham Hotspur.

One, Harry Kane's £100m transfer to Bayern Munich is not the world-ending scenario some have feared.

And two, manager Ange Postecoglou's freshly implemented system tantalises an exciting, refreshing new chapter for the club.

Dispatching Manchester United 2-0 after opening the seasonal account with a battling 2-2 draw against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium has hinted that goals and points will flow this term, but there remains space, unequivocally, for a new forward.

Richarlison has led the line for the opening two matches, whilst young striker Alejo Veliz, aged 19, has penned a £13m deal from Argentinian outfit Rosario Central.

What's the latest on Ernest Nuamah to Tottenham?

According to Football Insider, Spurs are preparing a formal offer for Danish side FC Nordsjaelland's teenage forward Ernest Ernest Nuamah, with the Daily Mail claiming he is rated at £22m.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Premier League rivals Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United are also interested, so Postecoglou and co will have to act swiftly and incisively to secure his services this month.

How good is Ernest Nuamah?

The dynamic Ghana sensation, who can play across both wings and centrally, has started the 2023/24 campaign with aplomb, scoring four goals and providing one assist from four matches in the Danish Superliga.

Still only 19 years of age, this follows an impressive breakthrough season where Nuameh plundered 15 goals and four assists from 34 matches for Nordsjaelland across all competitions.

Profiling the youngster, his former manager Flemming Pedersen said:

“Ernest is first and foremost a dribbler. He is incredibly fast, has a huge acceleration, and a good agility. He is primarily left-footed, but can also use the right. He is a great individualist with tremendous power, who has great potential to also become a skilled team player.”

While he is not naturally a forward, preferring to utilise his blistering speed and force as a forward-surging vehicle out wide, Nuamah, who has also been dubbed the "Ghanaian Flash" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, boasts an average Sofascore rating of 7.53 in the league this term, having complemented his prolific return with two shots per game and a crisp pass success rate of 83%.

Given his ability to flourish both wide and as a centre-forward, Nuamah could prove to surpass Richarlison's presence with the Lilywhites, with the Brazilian forward only scoring three goals and supplying four assists from 37 outings since completing a £60m transfer from Everton in July 2022.

The 44-cap international only managed to record a score of 6.73 across 21 Premier League appearances last season, taking just one shot per game and completing 73% of his passes.

With Kane gone for pastures news, Richarlison might feel he has a new lease of life under Postecoglou's wing, and while he has indeed started the first two games this year in the talismanic role, an average rating of just 6.5, taking one shot each match, hardly evokes confidence following a disappointing introduction to life in north London.

Nuamah might be young and inexperienced, but he looks to be a true talent and if he can retain his cutting edge with a move to Postecoglou's project, Tottenham might unveil the perfect new attacking outlet to cement a starring role, surpassing Richarlison.

Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta could make a swift exit from the club if 49ers Enterprises complete their takeover soon, according to a new claim.

The Lowdown: Orta a success at Leeds

The 44-year-old has been a significant figure at Elland Road in recent years, overseeing what has generally been a glorious period in the Whites’ recent history.

Alongside Marcelo Bielsa, Orta helped Leeds return to the Premier League back in 2020, playing a key role in making signings and having a strong relationship with the former manager.

It feels like a time of change at the club, however, and with the 49ers looking to complete their majority takeover, Orta’s future has been thrown into doubt.

The Latest: Exit could happen soon

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke, ‘major doubts’ are growing over whether or not the Spaniard will still be in his role next season, given the current takeover situation.

A full summer purchase of the club by the 49ers looks ‘increasingly likely’ and Orta has been picked out as the first senior figure likely to get the sack, given his close ties with Andrea Radrizzani.

The Verdict: Right time to leave?

While Orta has undoubtedly been a success as the Whites’ sporting director – YouTuber Joe Wainman has called him a ‘decent apple in a group of bad apples’ in the boardroom – this summer could feel like a natural time for him to move on to pastures new.

[freshpress-quiz id=“418869″]

As time has gone on, a few controversies have emerged regarding him, including sarcastically chanting ‘sack the board’ after the 4-3 win over Bournemouth, and his behaviour hasn’t always gone down well.

It looks as though 49ers Enterprises don’t see Orta as an important part of their takeover, instead deciding to bring in their own choice of sporting director, which is a decision that would have to be respected.

Should he leave, he will always be looked back on with fondness on the whole, though, being viewed as a pivotal figure in Leeds’ long-awaited return to the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur have scheduled talks tonight to re-sign defender Clement Lenglet, and Barcelona see it as a "magnificent opportunity" to finally sell.

Who are Spurs signing next?

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, playmaker James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon and striker Alejo Veliz have all officially put pen to paper on moves to Spurs this summer.

They follow on from permanent deals for right-back Pedro Porro and Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski, with Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz being the latest confirmed arrival at N17.

Lilywhites head coach Ange Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, also confirmed that there should be more activity to come – as Spurs hunt for another defender and look to offload fringe squad members.

“It's not done yet," said Postecoglou.

"We need bolstering in that central defensive area. We need defenders who can work in an aggressive formation, defend well & behind them. We'll be looking to bring in a couple in that area in the coming days."

On potential exits, the Spurs boss has said that certain players will be looking for new opportunities – drawing attention to Tottenham's "bloated" squad.

It's fair to say our squad is too big at the moment," explained Postecoglou.

"There are guys who will want to explore opportunities elsewhere. I'm not involved in that. I think we'll see some movement out in the coming weeks.”

Lenglet, who spent last campaign on loan at Spurs from Barca, has been repeatedly linked in the past week and some reports even suggest he is prioritising a second stint in north London.

The 28-year-old coming back to N17 is, potentially, a very realistic possibility as a report by Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness) share an update on the matter.

Both Tottenham and Barca chiefs, during tonight's friendly match at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys in Catalonia, have scheduled a summit and fresh round of talks over Lenglet's transfer.

The La Liga champions, for their part, see this as a "magnificent opportunity" to finally finalise the defender's sale and rid themselves of his hefty wages.

There is a price named as well, as Sport claim the potential move could amount to a small €5 million (£4.3m), a fee which may rise to €15m (£12.9m) if add-ons are met.

After tonight's meeting, further developments are expected.

What's been said about Clement Lenglet?

Spurs pundit John Wenham, speaking to Football Insider last season, heaped praise on the former Sevilla star after a solid north London derby outing against Arsenal.

Wenham said Lenglet appeared in the mould of a "very reliable" player who could be called upon to do a solid job as part of Tottenham's defence.

“I just wanted to give credit because I think his performance went a little bit under the radar. I have been impressed with him so far," said Wenham on Lenglet.

“The fact he has instantly come in for Ben Davies and we don’t look any weaker, that is a huge credit to him really.

“He’s a new signing to the Premier League, I know he has a lot of experience from Barcelona and with France but he already seems very reliable, like we could drop him in for any fixture.“

Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Santos striker Deivid Washington and a new update has provided more details on his imminent move to the Premier League.

Who is Deivid Washington?

Washington is an academy graduate at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to Paulo Turra’s first team back in April, but despite still having another three years remaining on his contract, he’s been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

At the start of August, Fabrizio Romano reported that the Blues had agreed personal terms with the 18 year-old centre-forward and had submitted a bid which was set to be accepted by his club, with the idea being that he would immediately join Todd Boehly’s Strasbourg on loan where he could be closely monitored as part of the owner’s multi-club project.

The Brazilian, however, is yet to have wrapped up his move to SW6 as a result of the Blues focusing all of their attention on big-money deals for the likes of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, though with those players now successfully through the door, it sounds as if the attacker could be the next to follow in their footsteps.

Are Chelsea signing Deivid Washington?

Taking to X, Romano revealed that Chelsea have everything in place regarding the arrival of Washington, whilst sharing the last stages that need to happen in order for him to be announced as the newest member of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. He wrote:

“Deivid Washington already completed medical tests at Chelsea — it’s about final documents, formal steps then the Brazilian striker will be unveiled as new #CFC player. Santos to receive €16m fixed fee plus €4m add-ons [£17m total]."

How many goals has Deivid Washington scored?

Since the start of his career, Washington has scored eight goals in 29 appearances, so there’s no doubt that he’s a real star in the making and has a bright long-term future ahead of him. But, right now, Chelsea would be making the correct decision to send the striker out on loan to aid his development and increase his exposure.

The youngster has recorded a total of 17 shots over the course of the current campaign which is the third-highest tally throughout his squad, via FBRef, not to mention that he has the qualities to become a physical presence up top where he's averaging 1.1 aerial wins per league game.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Santos’ “talented” prospect, as lauded by football scout Jacek Kulig, also has the ability to operate out wide on the left wing alongside his usual role through the middle, so should he return to become a member of the first team when he's matured, he would provide the boss with welcomed versatility.

The Blues are believed to be closing in on the signing of New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who is set to undergo his medical today, but he’s not the only fresh face likely to be introduced to supporters before September 1st.

Celtic have now been provided with an update regarding when Oh Hyeon-gyu is set to return from his recent injury setback by manager Brendan Rodgers.

When is Oh Hyeon-gyu back from injury?

Oh is yet to make an appearance for Celtic in any competition so far this season as a result of the calf injury he sustained in pre-season, with Rodgers confirming he was set to miss up to six weeks of football, after initially playing through the injury:

"Oh will probably be out for a few weeks, he hurt his calf against Athletic Bilbao but he trained on. No one knew and he trained on.

“He was involved in the game at the weekend and then he trained on the Sunday. Afterwards, he spoke to the medical team to say that he'd felt his calf and it's ended up that he's got a calf problem which might put him out for four to six weeks."

However, despite initial fears about the forward potentially spending a considerable amount of time on the sidelines, there has now been a promising recent update, with the Hoops boss confirming he will be available for selection against Rangers tomorrow.

As relayed by The Glasgow Times, Rodgers said: "Oh is back in training so he will be available. The guys who were out slightly longer term will be back after the international break."

Speaking more broadly about how he is feeling at this early stage of the season, the 50-year-old said: "I'm just excited by the games. The players worked very hard last year to win the title and earned the right to be in there.

"We will play the teams that we do and there are some very good teams with fantastic managers and we accept that challenge when the games come.

"I am not here to jeopardise the strategy of the team or lock the team and myself into anything that would fail or not work.

"It is just time. I don't want to go on about injuries but there are injuries to key players that could make the system function.

"I have absolutely no doubt, I know how to win and I know what it takes to win and I'll show the players how to win."

How good is Oh Hyeon-gyu?

Last season, the South Korean made a decent impact after arriving from Suwon Samsung Bluewings, scoring four goals in five games after the Scottish Premiership's top-six split, indicating he was just starting to find his form in a Celtic shirt.

As such, it is frustrating the 22-year-old was injured when he was, but it is positive news that he is now set to return from injury a little ahead of schedule, particularly heading into such an important match this weekend.

Kyogo Furuhashi has started the season very well, scoring two goals in his first three league games, but the Hoops were held to a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone at home last time out, so Rodgers will be pleased to have another attacking option back.

Oh is unlikely to start against Rangers tomorrow, but his form at the end of last season indicates he could make an impact if brought on as a substitute.

It proved to be a summer of change for Tottenham Hotspur, with the most notable departure having been the sale of club record goalscorer, Harry Kane, following the Englishman's £100m move to Bayern Munich.

The 30-year-old goal machine was followed out the door by fellow academy graduate Harry Winks who sealed a £10m switch to Championship side, Leicester City, while Davinson Sanchez was another remnant of the Mauricio Pochettino era to have moved on permanently, joining Galatasaray for a reported fee of £12.8m.

Aside from a raft of further loan departures – including Djed Spence following Joe Rodon to Leeds United – the north Londoners also saw diminutive forward, Lucas Moura move on to pastures new after just over five years on the books at N17.

The experienced Brazilian had originally been snapped up from Paris Saint-Germain back in January 2018, although the 31-year-old was sent packing this summer with chairman Daniel Levy making a sizeable loss on his initial investment.

How much did Tottenham pay for Lucas Moura?

The fleet-footed speedster had caught the attention of Levy and Pochettino following his standout form in France at the Parc des Princes, having racked up 94 goals and assists in 229 games in all competitions for the Ligue 1 giants.

That impressive, trophy-laden spell in Paris persuaded Spurs to fork out around £23m in order to bring the winger to England, with the winter arrival tasked with providing further firepower alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

While not always a regular fixture of the side over the next few years, Moura did cement his "cult hero" status – as per pundit Paul Robinson – following his remarkable hat-trick against Ajax to fire the club to a maiden Champions League final in 2019.

That stellar showing came as a significant high point in an otherwise mixed spell in north London for the 5 foot 8 enigma, as he was never able to truly kick on from that thrilling night in Amsterdam.

How much did Tottenham sell Moura for?

On reflection, it would appear that the 2018/19 season was as good as it got for the 35-cap international in a Tottenham jersey, as he scored 15 goals in all competitions, including bagging ten goals in 32 league appearances.

Following on from that standout season, Moura would remarkably score just ten top-flight goals across the next four seasons combined, having perhaps suffered as a result of the sacking of Pochettino in November 2019.

The winger's woes were particularly evident in his final season at the club as he failed to start a single league game under Antonio Conte and co, with it somewhat perplexing that Levy did not agree to sanction his departure last summer – amid reported interest from the likes of Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

As it proved, the Lilywhites ultimately allowed the misfiring marksman to leave at the end of his contract back in June, with the club unable to recoup any of their initial investment in the former PSG man.

There may be those who believe that the forgotten figure should have been allowed to depart far sooner amid his slide down the pecking order, with the 2018 transfer having perhaps not quite gone as expected, despite Moura's haul of 39 goals and 27 assists in 221 games in all competitions.

West Ham United have not always had the best of luck, or judgement perhaps, with their dealings in the transfer market over the years.

Who are West Ham's biggest signings?

The Hammers have not been afraid to splash out the cash to bolster their squad, particularly over the last five years or so, in an attempt to push on in the Premier League.

Player

Fee paid

Sebastien Haller

£43m

Mohammed Kudus

£37m

Lucas Paqueta

£37m

Edson Alvarez

£32.7m

Felipe Anderson

£32.7m

Fees via Transfermarkt.

Haller and Anderson, of the five most-expensive signings in the club's history as shown above, did not enjoy the best of times at the London Stadium and David Moyes could be on course to oversee another expensive disaster with Pablo Fornals.

The former Villarreal whiz, Tomas Soucek, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, and Aaron Cresswell are among the players who are out of contract next summer and will be free to leave for £0.

What's the latest on Pablo Fornals' future?

It was recently reported that Spanish side Sevilla are eyeing up a swoop to sign Fornals from the Hammers as their sporting director Victor Orta, who was previously at Leeds United in England, is keen to secure a deal for him in 2024.

The report stated that the attacking midfielder is free to speak with other clubs from January onwards and that a move to Sevilla would be among his preferences if the option arises.

He is allowed to sign a pre-contract with another team in January ahead of a free transfer next summer due to his expiring contract, which is why West Ham must get him to put pen to paper on an extension.

Football Insider claimed, prior to the news of Sevilla's interest, that the Hammers are planning to sit down with Fornals, along with Coufal and Soucek, to discuss a possible contract extension.

They also revealed that teams from Saudi Arabia were showing an interest in the ace, although nothing came of that before the Saudi Pro League transfer deadline earlier this month.

How much did West Ham pay for Pablo Fornals?

In the summer of 2019, West Ham completed the signing of the then-23-year-old wizard from Spanish side Villarreal for a reported fee of £24m, which made him the second-most expensive player in the club's history – behind Felipe Anderson at £33.5m – at the time.

Fornals arrived at the London Stadium after two impressive campaigns in LaLiga, following on from his move to the club from Malaga in 2017.

The creative Spaniard enjoyed a fantastic 2017/18 campaign with Villarreal as he racked up an outstanding 12 assists and created 15 'big chances' for his teammates across 30 league starts, to go along with three goals, as per Sofascore.

His teammates then let him down throughout the 2018/19 season as the technical ace produced ten 'big chances' for his fellow attackers over 28 LaLiga starts and was only rewarded with three assists. This suggests that his teammates did not make the most of the opportunities that he created for them.

The talented whiz's performances were impressive enough to convince West Ham and then-manager Manuel Pellegrini to splash out £24m to secure his services.

How well has Fornals performed for West Ham?

Fornals has been a solid performer for the Hammers over the years as he has racked up 184 appearances in all competitions and played 141 times in the Premier League to date.

He has featured in at least 32 top-flight matches in all four of his seasons with the club so far, which speaks to his reliability in terms of his performance level and durability. Managers have rarely not selected him to play, whether that is from the bench or within the starting XI, and he has not had any major injury lay-offs.

His best season in a West Ham shirt to date arguably came during the 2021/22 campaign. The Spanish maestro provided a consistent creative threat and added goals to his game as he delivered brilliant Premier League performers week-in-week-out.

Fornals averaged an excellent Sofascore rating of 6.94 across 36 league appearances for the club and contributed with six goals and ten 'big chances' created from midfield. He also showcased his defensive quality with 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game to win the ball back for his side.

The former Villarreal star, who was once dubbed "unbelievable" by journalist Karl Matchett, was the team's outstanding creator as he averaged 1.3 key passes per match throughout the season, which none of his teammates were able to better.

More recently, Fornals caught the eye in the Europa Conference League last term as the club went on to win the competition. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13 over 12 appearances as he scored three goals and created two 'big chances' from the middle of the park.

What's next for Fornals?

The report of Sevilla's interest and the player potentially being keen on the move is worrying for West Ham as it suggests that there is chance that he will sign a pre-contract with the Spanish team to join them for nothing next summer.

This would mean that the Hammers would not get back a single penny of the £24m that they initially paid to secure his signature back in 2019, which would be a disaster when you consider that he will be 28 and in his prime years ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

FootballTransfers currently has his Expected Transfer Value at €22.2m (£19.1m) and this is an indication of the kind of fee that the club are set to miss out on if they do not tie him down to an extension.

Moyes and West Ham have allowed him to enter the final 12 months of his contract before sitting down to have talks over a new deal, as per the aforementioned Football Insider report, and this has allowed Sevilla, and potentially other teams, to show an interest and possibly sway Fornals' thinking.

The situation should have been dealt with before the recent summer transfer window as they could have been able to cash in on him this year if he refused to put pen to paper on an extension.

Therefore, the Hammers are currently on course for a howler with the Spanish magician unless they are able to convince him to turn down Sevilla and remain at the London Stadium beyond the end of this season.

Manchester City have made a “fresh” approach for Lyon forward Bradley Barcola, and a reliable journalist has shared the club’s stance on a deal taking place.

Who is Bradley Barcola?

Barcola, primarily a right-winger, is an academy graduate at the Groupama Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to Laurent Blanc’s first team back in January 2022, and since that time he’s gone on to make a total of 44 senior appearances to date.

The France youth international still has another three years to run on his contract in his homeland, but having established himself as the Ligue 1 outfit’s third best-performing offensive player last season, he’s grabbed the attention of Pep Guardiola and chiefs at the Etihad.

According to 90min, the Sky Blues regularly scouted the 20-year-old during the previous campaign, and after being hugely impressed by the talent they saw on offer, have reportedly identified him as an ideal replacement for Riyad Mahrez who left last month to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in a £30m move.

Are Man City signing Bradley Barcola?

Taking to Twitter X, Gianluigi Longari revealed that Man City have taken their initial interest in Barcola one step further by holding preliminary discussions with Lyon to discover what it would take to bring him to the Premier League before the end of the transfer window. He wrote:

“Fresh contact between Manchester City #MCFC and Olympique Lyon #OL for Bradley #Barcola. He’s one of the City’s target.”

How good is Bradley Barcola?

Man City have reportedly seen an opening £70m offer for West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta turned down, but with outlets claiming that a second bid is being prepared, Barcola could be following in the formerly mentioned player’s footsteps to put pen to paper with the reigning champions should negotiations continue in a positive manner, and what an exciting double move it would be.

Lyon’s £6k-per-week earner has posted 19 goal contributions (12 assists and seven goals) in 44 senior outings at his club, not to mention that last season he ranked in the 94th percentile for attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area, highlighting his desire to create chances for himself and his fellow teammates in the final third, and this form saw him receive three man-of-the-match awards from WhoScored.

The Villeurbanne native, who has been dubbed an “elite” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline and even on the left side of the midfield, so he would give the manager great flexibility when it comes to choosing his formation and team selection should he want to include several different players altogether.

Finally, Barcola shares the same agent, Gestifute, as Ederson, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, as per Transfermarkt, so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could them a potential small advantage should they decide to continue pursuing a deal for the attacker in the closing stages of the summer market.

Glasgow Rangers have already brought in new players to bolster Michael Beale's first-team squad during the summer transfer window but they may not be done there.

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

The Light Blues have been able to strengthen their options in a number of positions across the park as they have signed Leon Balogun, Kieran Dowell, Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers, Dujon Sterling, Jose Cifuentes, Jack Butland, and Danilo on permanent deals.

They have also snapped up winger Abdallah Sima on a season-long loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

There could be more to come from the Scottish giants, though, and one player who is reportedly on their radar is Sunderland centre-forward Ross Stewart, who is set to become a free-agent at the end of this season.

How good is Ross Stewart?

The 6 foot 3 marksman is an excellent striker whose form in the Championship for the Black Cats last season suggests that he would be a fantastic player for Beale.

Stewart racked up an outstanding ten goals and three assists across 13 league outings, which included 11 starts, and that came after his tally of 26 goals in 49 League One matches in the 2021/22 campaign.

He also averaged an exceptional Sofascore rating of 7.40 across the second division season, which is a score that would have placed him third with the Gers squad last term.

Whilst the Scotland international, who was once described as "unbelievable" by teammate Alex Pritchard, has the potential to be a prolific scorer for Rangers, his physicality is particularly impressive and that could be key to getting the best out of Danilo at Ibrox.

The current Gers forward, who joined from Feyenoord this summer, struggled on his own up front against Servette on Tuesday night as the physicality of the match was too much for him. As per Sofascore, he lost three of his four duels and failed to register a single shot on target.

This is not a one-off issue for the Brazilian ace as he lost 65% of his Eredivisie duels last season and only won 0.6 aerial battles per match for the Dutch outfit.

Stewart, on the other hand, won 49% of his physical contests for Sunderland in the Championship and won an eye-catching 3.5 aerial duels per game, as per Sofascore, which was 2.1 more per outing than any Gers forward managed.

This suggests that the Scottish hotshot has the strength, and height at 6 foot 3, to do the dirty work at the top end of the pitch. He can win flick-ons and hold the ball up against strong defenders to free up Danilo, who would then be able to play off the towering brute.

The 5 foot 9 talent scored ten goals in 14 Eredivisie starts last season and found the back of the net on his full Scottish Premiership debut against Livingston over the weekend.

He has the potential to score goals and having a centre-forward like Stewart to handle the physical side of the game and occupy defenders, which could allow the 24-year-old finisher to focus on getting himself into the best positions to score goals, rather than being outmuscled out of games as the lone frontman.

Therefore, Beale could land a dream partner for Danilo by signing the Sunderland striker and that is why the Gers should consider a swoop for him before the deadline next month.

Liverpool enjoyed an impressive summer of transfer business as they overhauled their midfield options in order to bounce back from a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.

The Reds failed to win any major trophies last season and finished outside of the top four, in fifth place, as they missed out on Champions League football this term.

Jurgen Klopp's side are currently competing in the Europa League, due to their struggles last year, and the German head coach will be hoping for a swift return to the continent's elite competition for the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Borussia Dortmund tactician clearly identified his midfield as an area of the squad that needed surgery as the likes of Naby Keita, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all moved on from Anfield over the summer.

This opened the door for Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Wataru Endo to come in and compete for a place in the middle of the park, alongside Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

Szoboszlai and Mac Allister, in particular, have been outstanding additions to the squad and Liverpool played a blinder with the latter as they brought in a proven Premier League performer who could hit the ground running.

Liverpool transfer news – Douglas Luiz

The Reds could now replicate that masterclass by swooping for another player who has already showcased their quality on a regular basis in the English top-flight – Douglas Luiz.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of last month that Liverpool are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign the Brazilian maestro during the upcoming January transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Premier League rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, who both finished above Klopp's side last term, are also eyeing up the impressive whiz to bolster their own midfield options.

It is said that the Villans do not want to lose their star player in January and that it would take a fee within the region of £80m to even make them consider a deal.

TEAMtalk added that Pep Guardiola, who had Luiz on City's books prior to his move to Villa, is a big admirer of the central midfielder and that Liverpool believe he suits what they need in the middle of the park.

It was also claimed that Tottenham Hotspur have previously held an interest in his services but it remains to be seen whether or not they are ready to rejoin the race for his signature.

The report did not, however, state whether or not Liverpool are prepared to firm up their interest with an official approach for Luiz, or if they would be willing to meet Villa's £80m demand.

If the Reds were able to snap him up in January, though, then the club could repeat the blinder they played with Mac Allister earlier this year.

Alexis Mac Allister's season in numbers

The Argentina international was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion over the summer after his impressive season for club and country last term.

Starts

Six

Goals

One

Assists

One

Big chances created

Two

Pass success rate

89%

Ground duel success rate

67%

As you can see from the table above, Mac Allister played a crucial role at the 2022 World Cup as his side went on to win the famous trophy – with Lionel Messi captaining them to glory in Qatar.

The central midfielder did not allow that to detract from his club form for Brighton, though, as he played 35 Premier League matches and contributed with ten goals and two assists.

Liverpool then secured his services in a deal that could rise up to £55m and the talented whiz has enjoyed a strong start to life at Anfield.

The 24-year-old wizard has not showcased the best of his attacking qualities – with one goal and one assist in the league – but has been an excellent defensive presence in front of the back four.

Mac Allister has produced 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game for his side and currently ranks first within the squad for tackles (2.4) and joint-first for interceptions (1.3) per match.

This suggests that the World Cup winner, who has made 6.6 ball recoveries per game, has been an outstanding defender for Liverpool this season as their main ball-winner on the pitch to cut out opposition attacks.

Whilst there is more to come from Mac Allister in terms of his attacking contributions, the former Brighton star has hit the ground running, thanks to his prior Premier League experience, as a superb midfielder for Klopp.

Douglas Luiz's season in numbers

The Brazil international has been in sublime form for Villa so far this season in the English top-flight and could, therefore, follow in the Argentine talent's footsteps in 2024.

Unai Emery's side are currently fourth in the division and competing to land a spot in next season's edition of the Champions League, and Luiz has been a pivotal cog in their well-oiled machine.

The 25-year-old star has played 14 Premier League matches and caught the eye with his contributions in and out of possession from midfield.

Luiz has produced five goals – four more than any Liverpool midfielder has managed – and two assists for his team in those 14 outings.

He has created three 'big chances' for his teammates and made 1.2 key passes per game, which would place him fifth within the Reds squad.

The former Manchester City prospect has also impressed onlookers with his defensive qualities. He has made 2.4 tackles per game for the Villans, which would place him joint-first in the Liverpool squad alongside Mac Allister.

Luiz, who was hailed as "transformed" by pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor last year, has also made 6.4 ball recoveries per outing and has showcased his strength in midfield with a duel success rate of 59%, which shows that opposition players do not get the better of him with ease in physical contests.

His form this season has come off the back of his return of six goals and six assists, along with 3.1 tackles and interceptions per match, in 37 Premier League appearances for Villa during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Brazilian maestro is, therefore, a proven top-flight performer who would not need a period of adaptation in England and could hit the ground running in midfield in the same way that Mac Allister has, if Liverpool can snap him up in January.