Liverpool are heading back in the right direction after slipping out of the top four last season, with a lot of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s progression attributed to their successful summer of transfers.

It was a tedious transfer window for the Reds, as they completed the majority of their deals done early in welcoming Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister at the start of the business period.

While the Reds had a quiet period in the market while other club’s seemed busy, Klopp recruited well in adding the two midfielders to the fold, with both already repaying their fees with a strong start to life at Anfield.

Business hasn’t always been so sharp in the red corner of Merseyside, as highlighted by one of the deals sanctioned to welcome a certain player back in 2017, who called time on his Liverpool career after six years this summer.

When did Liverpool sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?

In the summer of 2017, the Reds announced the signing of former Arsenal ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had spent six years in north London before making the move to Merseyside.

The then-24-year-old was signed for a fee of £35m, a price that was poised to rise to £40m based on appearance-related add-ons to the joy of the Gunners.

At the time of his departure, the Englishman had just one year remaining on his contract with Arsenal, making the collection of £35m a strong deal for those at the Emirates for a player whose future was far from guaranteed in the favoured XI.

How many goals did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain score?

Oxlade-Chamberlain left Arsene Wenger’s side having scored just 20 goals in 198 appearances, with only nine Premier League goals to his name in 132 league appearances, seeing him once branded as “awful” by journalist Miguel Delaney.

It was a confusing deal for a club as ‘on the up’ as Liverpool to agree to the expenditure of a versatile forward that didn’t have many goals to his name, however it quickly became apparent that Klopp saw the winger’s position further back.

For Liverpool, things seemed to click for the 5 foot 11 menace at first, as he was integrated into central midfield and given licence to roam.

The positional change seemed to work as Oxlade-Chamberlain had a hand in ten goals in his debut Premier League season at Anfield, scoring three and assisting seven in 32 appearances.

Fast-forward to the summer of 2023, and the Portsmouth-born whiz departed Liverpool having scored 18 goals in 146 appearances, a far from admirable tally but he had rounded the jaded edges of his game that had not been tamed at Arsenal.

How much did Liverpool spend on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?

The most pivotal factor of the misunderstood England international’s game was his inability to keep fit, seeing him missing almost 600 days of action at Liverpool, amounting to just under two years of availability over his six-year stay.

While the Englishman’s tally in front of goal marginally improved, his development was hugely hindered by his consistent battle with injury and subsequently, his slip down the pecking order.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's career earnings

Club

Year

Weekly Wage

Arsenal

2013-2014

£52k

Arsenal

2014-2017

£55k

Liverpool

2017-2019

£80k

Liverpool

2019-2023

£120k

Besiktas

2023-2026

£48k

All stats via Capology

Despite his unfortunate injury woes not being any fault of his own, Liverpool were drained financially by the entire deal regarding the now 30-year-old’s stay at Anfield.

In total, the Reds spent roughly £68m to accommodate the midfielder’s tenure, due to his £35m price tag plus his colossus £33m picked up in wages over the six years he was employed by the club.

When he first arrived, the former Arsenal dud was earning £4.1m-per-year, which increased to £6.2m-per-year in 2019 when he penned a contract extension, amounting to a weekly wage of £120k, via Capology.

Did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deserve to earn so much?

Putting aside the fact that the midfielder, despite being frustrating at times, was a likeable figure on Merseyside, his presence and inability to secure consistent game time made his price tag and wage bill difficult to merit.

When dividing the £33m in wages that the Englishman received at Liverpool by the number of goals he scored in six years, the figure amounts to around £1.8m-per-goal-scored which is harrowing reading for the Reds.

This summer, the decision was made not to extend Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract as he made nine appearances in the 2022/23 campaign, resulting in him leaving as a free agent at the expiration of his £120k-per-week deal.

Today, the 30-year-old is valued at €6.2m (£5.3m), conveying his decline over the years as he progresses in a new chapter of his story at Besiktas.

With one Champions League medal and a Premier League winners medal, the midfielder departed with silverware to add to his 18 goals scored, while Liverpool continue to weigh up the benefits of his expense.

How much do other Liverpool players earn?

While Oxlade-Chamberlain’s chapter has closed, the Reds continue to have some well-paid earners at the club, despite not pulling their weight on the pitch.

The Englishman was in the top-ten earners at Liverpool based on last season’s calculations of wage payments, with another questionable name in the lucrative list.

Similarly to Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara has made a minimal impact at Anfield, despite being one of the squad’s top earners at present.

The Spaniard picks up an eye-watering £200k-per-week on Merseyside, and after three years has made only 97 appearances in all competitions following his £25m arrival from Bayern Munich.

Last season, the 32-year-old recorded 18 Premier League appearances, just nine more than Oxlade-Chamberlain, yet continues to reside as Klopp’s third-highest earner on £10.4m-per-year.

The two-time Champions League winner and seven-time Bundesliga winner will earn a total of £41.6m in wages alone as he plays out his fourth and final year of his contract with the Reds, making the total expenditure around the sum of £66m including his transfer fee.

Still, Thiago has cost Liverpool a lower amount than Oxlade-Chamberlain did during his time at the club, identifying two of the most frustrating, draining deals in the recent Anfield squad.

By leaving England, the 30-year-old closed his chapter in his homeland after representing Southampton, Arsenal and Liverpool, in a 13-year professional spell that amounted to 48 goals and £50.8m generated in wages alone.

All in all, the Portsmouth-born midfielder failed to make an adequate impact at either club, departing Anfield having rinsed the Reds for millions with little in return.

Arsenal's youth production over the last few decades has been arguably some of the most proficient in England, having seemingly ramped up their levels across recent years to increase the quality and quantity of academy emergence.

Bukayo Saka stands as glittering proof of their hard work, but there are many more stars waiting in the shadows to earn a similar chance, and develop into the club's next big thing.

Per Mertesacker, who formerly starred for the Gunners but now oversees the academy, has waxed lyrical about the work they do: "Here at London Colney, U18s, U21s, first team, women's, men's, is more directed into performance, the success, the winning. Hale End is the development environment that we feel is needed more centrally to recruit the right players and people for us to mould them until they arrive onto the full-time programme scholarship and make their transition here."

As such, the likes of Charles Sagoe Jr, Amario Cozier-Duberry, Reuell Walters and more are all seemingly ready for that first-team chance, through the development afforded to them.

They will see Saka as the man to emulate, alongside the star-studded list of previous academy graduates. The likes of Jack Wilshere, Ashley Cole and Paul Merson have all earned varied success at the top level, but few have matched what Cesc Fabregas managed.

How good was Cesc Fabregas?

Although technically a product of Barcelona's infamous La Masia academy, it was not a signing expected to instantly impact the starting XI for Arsene Wenger, given the young Spaniard was just 16.

He was regarded as one for the future, but often if a player is good enough, age marks no barrier.

The midfield maestro proved to be one such example, who slowly worked his way into that senior side with technical brilliance and a tireless work rate that allowed him to stand out in English football.

A string of first-team appearances gave way to his true standout year, as during the 2007/08 season he would score seven and assist 20 in the Premier League alone, finishing the term on 35 goal contributions across all competitions.

Such form would earn praise, with Wenger noting: "Cesc is very like Paul Scholes of Manchester United. He uses his brain and is intelligent in the game. "He has exceptional passing ability and he knows how to time his runs to get into the box, and he's only 20!"

Then, as the Euro 2008 final approached, Spain coach Luis Aragones praised him: "A player like Cesc, who is 21, has acquired the experience of someone who is 28 or 29." So, to showcase such maturity despite being so young arguably made him even greater when he would eventually reach that age, given he would finish his career having won two European Championships, one World Cup, two Premier League titles and a host of domestic honours in Spain and England.

Adapting throughout a sparkling career, the 110-cap magician went from box-to-box dynamo to midfield metronome, starring throughout.

2010/11

25

3

13

2009/10

27

15

15

2008/09

22

3

10

2007/08

32

7

20

2006/07

38

2

11

2005/06

35

3

5

2004/05

33

2

2

Whilst there are many top midfielders within the Gunners' academy at the moment, the recent performances of Jack Henry-Francis will certainly have caught the eye as someone capable of emulating the Spanish superstar.

Who is Jack Henry-Francis?

Described by Arsenal's official website as 'a box-to-box, energetic midfielder', already the comparisons between the teenage magician and Fabregas begin to form.

Having joined the club aged 12, it has been a steady journey up through the youth ranks for the 19-year-old, who made himself a mainstay for the U21s last season despite his youth.

Such fine form at a level way above his age group even earned him opportunities to train with the first team, as if to emphasise just how close he is to breaking into Mikel Arteta's side.

Recording just two goal contributions across 14 Premier League 2 appearances last campaign was an admirable if slightly disappointing return, but one he is poised to demolish given the blistering start to the new term. He already has one goal after three games at the same level, and shone on Tuesday night in their EFL Trophy demolition of Exeter City.

This year could be the one that truly puts Henry-Francis on the map, although former U21s head coach Kevin Betsy had already sought to do so with his comments back in 2022: "His 360(-degree) awareness is very good. He receives the ball in different positions, is really reliable on the football and he goes unnoticed out of possession.

"Defensively, he picks up good positions and you can see he’s got very good passing range over 10-15 yards but also over 40-50 yards. He’s a very good player, we love working with him".

How did Jack Henry-Francis play vs Exeter City?

Starting in central midfield against a senior outfit, it was a truly comprehensive performance from the visiting youngsters, who brushed aside the Grecians in a 5-0 rout.

Whilst the likes of Sebastien Ferdinand and Sagoe Jr understandably stood out for their fine goalscoring performances, Henry-Francis not only got in on the action, but he did so whilst also dominating every other aspect of the clash too.

He was defensively solid but a creative threat throughout, hugely reminiscent of a young Fabregas who too boasted such a work rate.

As such, the U19s Republic of Ireland international would both score and assist, emphasising his influence with an impressive 74 touches and 84% pass accuracy.

However, perhaps more importantly, his underlying numbers paint the picture of a truly outstanding footballer capable of doing it all. On top of such starring earlier figures, he would also record three key passes whilst making four tackles, winning seven of the 13 duels he competed in too, via Sofascore.

His ability to stand out against seasoned professionals suggests his development at youth level is nearly complete, with the next natural step being into Arteta's first team or out on loan. Whichever is chosen, should he continue his frighteningly sharp upward trajectory, the sky is the limit for the teenage maestro already dominating games.

Should he earn half as much success as Fabregas did across his fine career, this will be another success attributed to Hale End, which continues to prove its worth.

Poonam Yadav picked up four wickets•ACC

Legspinner Poonam Yadav’s four-wicket haul guided India women to a 13-run victory over Sri Lanka women in the first T20I at FTZ Sports Complex in Katunayake.After being asked to bat, India put up 168 for 8, courtesy a 35-ball 46 by Taniya Bhatia and 36 each by Jemimah Rodrigues and Anuja Patil. In response, Sri Lanka were 70 for 2 at the end of seven overs, with Chamari Atapattu batting on 27 off 21. However, Poonam dismissed Rebeca Vandort and Atapattu in the next over to jolt the chase. Eshani Lokusuriyage fought with a 31-ball 45, but there was not much support from the other end as the hosts were bowled out for 155 in 19.3 overs.Openers Atapattu and Yasoda Mendis gave Sri Lanka a breezy start of 39 in three overs before Mendis fell to the medium-pace of Arundhati Reddy for a 12-ball 32, studded with five fours and two sixes. Atapattu and Vandort took the side past 50 in the sixth over before Poonam’s double-strike derailed the chase.Lokusuriyage held the end together, despite the wickets tumbling at the other and brought the equation down to 18 off 12 balls with two wickets in hand. Radha Yadav, the left-arm spinner, then bowled a tight 19th over, conceding just three and taking out Lokusuriyage. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur bowled Sugandika Kumari in the next over to end the innings.Earlier, India lost Smriti Mandhana for a first-ball duck to Udeshika Prabodhani. But Mithali Raj and Rodrigues added 57 for the second wicket off just 24 balls. Rodrigues struck three sixes and a four off successive balls off Nilakshi de Silva, who leaked 27 in her first over.Sripali Weerakkody broke the stand by trapping Raj for 17, but Bhatia started in an emphatic manner, smashing three fours off the first four balls she faced. Atapattu dismissed Rodrigues and Harmanpreet, for a duck, in space of three balls to reduce India to 70 for 4.A 67-run partnership between Bhatia and Patil for the fifth wicket took India to 137 at the end of 15 overs. Sri Lanka pulled things back with Bhatia’s wicket as only 18 runs came from the next four overs. Veda Krishnamurthy’s unbeaten 15-ball 21, however, ensured India finished with a total that eventually proved too much for Sri Lanka.

Without Lionel Messi available, Inter Miami clutched up through Luis Suarez to defeat D.C. United on Saturday afternoon.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Miami defeats D.C. 3-1Suarez nets braceMessi misses due to injuryWatch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream nowTELL ME MORE

The hosts opened up the scoring 14 minutes into the match through winger Jared Stroud. However, the Herons responded 10 minutes later with a goal from Ecuadorian striker Leonardo Campana. A first MLS assist for new signing Federico Redondo, the Argentine found Campana for a clinical finish.

Heading into the halftime break at a deadlock, Tata Martino brought on Miami leading-scorer Luis Suarez in the 62nd minute, and the Uruguayan put on a show.

He put the Herons up 2-1 in controversial fashion 10 minutes after coming onto the pitch, scoring off a brilliant counter-attack. However, prior to the finish, it appeared that Inter Miami committed a handball offense in their own box – only to see VAR say no, and hand the Herons the goal.

Suarez added to his tally to put the game away in the 85th minute with a cheeky finish to make it 3-1, handing Miami their third win of the MLS season. A late D.C. red card put things to bed, when Pedro Santos was removed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the 90th minute.

AdvertisementDID YOU KNOW?

Christian Benteke scored a hat-trick in his first game of the season for D.C. United in 2024, but missed matchweeks two and three due to injury. Saturday was his return to the starting XI for Troy Lesense's squad, and he put on a strong showing, despite the defeat.

Brennan Asplen/Getty ImagesTHE MVP

Luis Suarez: The best player on the pitch Saturday only played 28 minutes, but boy did he make an impact. Two goals to add to his tally, he now has four goals in MLS, but across all competitions, he has six goals and five assists. A stunning cameo to singlehandedly win Miami the game, the brilliant 37-year-old made his impact, handing them a victory without Messi on the pitch.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesTHE BIG LOSER

The Inter Miami defense: Another day, another injury for the Herons. They lost Argentine defender Nicolas Freire 31 minutes into the match. Their defense is already the weakest part of their squad, so losing a starting centerback is a disaster for Tata Martino's team, especially with no Lionel Messi in the team until further notice.

They'll have to figure things out soon if they want to succeed week-in and week-out, because lapses on their back line have doomed them throughout the season so far. They were lucky to have Suarez in the second half, because without him, the result may not have been as favorable.

Arsenal are considering a swoop for a new defender in January to provide competition for Oleksandr Zinchenko, with a fresh report detailing the chances of him moving to the Premier League.

Who are Arsenal linked with?

At the Emirates Stadium, Edu and Mikel Arteta have been heavily linked with a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto, whilst Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez are two additional names to have been mentioned in recent weeks.

The Gunners had also previously been credited with an interest in Aston Villa centre-forward Ollie Watkins, but with him having since signed a new long-term contract in the Midlands, that puts any kind of potential deal next year out of the equation.

In N7, Zinchenko is the only natural player that the boss has available at left-back so it’s definitely an area that needs addressing, and it would appear that the hierarchy have turned their attention towards Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez, who joined his side last summer from Real Madrid (Transfermarkt – Gutierrez transfer history).

Spain’s youth international still has another four years remaining on his deal (Girona contracts), so Michel Sanchez’s outfit are in a strong negotiating position, but if the following update is to be believed, the 22-year-old is someone who chiefs are willing to test their resolve for.

Miguel Gutierrez transfer update…

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside) in a transfer update on Miguel Gutierrez, Arsenal are "keen" on the defender at Girona. The Estadi Montilivi star's performances have "caught the attention" of the board in the capital, and with the club assessing their options in the market for a new left-back, they have highlighted the talented prospect as an ideal candidate.

The La Liga outfit could easily demand a big sum for their prized asset due to his contract situation and it's stated that he would "likely to be tempted to join", but at this stage, it remains to be seen whether this is a move that will come to fruition in January.

How good is Miguel Gutierrez?

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Gutierrez is a “solid” defender which is proved by him averaging 2.4 clearances per league game so far this season (WhoScored – Gutierrez statistics), highlighting his desire to get stuck in and throw himself into challenges, but he’s equally strong in the offensive aspect of his game.

The Wasserman client, who is naturally left-footed, has posted seven contributions (five assists and two goals) in 44 appearances since joining Girona which shows that he loves to use his pace to burst down the flank, take on his marker and create chances for himself and his fellow teammates in the final third.

Furthermore, Gutierrez only pockets £5k-per-week (Girona salaries), so he would be a more than affordable option for the Gunners because that would make him the lowest-earner on their books (Arsenal salaries), so should the opportunity present itself, this seems like a no-brainer of a deal to pursue at the start of 2024.

How he fits into a team that already contains both Rabada and Ngidi is one of the conundrums facing South Africa as they brace for the World Cup next year

Liam Brickhill26-Sep-2018Dale Steyn is set to play his first ODI since October 2016, and with the World Cup just over eight months away, South Africa coach Ottis Gibson has reckoned the quick will add value to his squad as a mentor.”With his experience, [he’s a natural mentor] anyway because that’s the kind of guy he is,” Gibson said four days before the start of the ODI series against Zimbabwe. “He’s talking to the guys around the group, and to have his experience there, whether he plays or not, [is great]. There’s nothing to say he’ll play every game, but to have him in and around the dressing room and the nets passing on his experience can only be a good thing for the guys.”Once Dale is fit, to me he’s still one of the best two bowlers in the country, other than KG [Kagiso Rabada]. And he’s gone away and he’s proven his fitness, so he comes back and we’ll see how he goes in the next couple of games.”He’s someone who’s still clearly very passionate about playing for his country, and we’ll make an assessment on Dale in this series and the next against Australia, the next six games, and we’ll see how we go forward from there.”How Steyn fits into a team that already contains both Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi is just one of the conundrums facing South Africa as they brace for the World Cup next year. Their ODI against Zimbabwe this weekend marks the first of 16 that South Africa will play before their World Cup opener against England at The Oval on May 30, 2019 and the upcoming games against Zimbabwe – and possibly those which follow against Pakistan – will likely be South Africa’s last chance to test new players and combinations before they settle on their World Cup hopefuls, Gibson hinted.”Every person that gets an opportunity now will know that there will be less and less opportunities going forward, so you have to make every opportunity you get count at this stage,” he said.”We’ve looked at some guys, and this series and the next one to my mind – and I’ve spoken to the selectors about it already – are probably the last sort of opportunities to see guys we’ve discussed but haven’t had the opportunity to see yet. I think by the time we get into the Pakistan and certainly the Sri Lanka series in the new year, that we’ll be looking to pick the team that we think is most likely to be the team that goes to the World Cup. So this is an opportunity to look at one or two other players.”With Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla injured and Quinton de Kock and David Miller rested, the most obvious positions South Africa might be looking to experiment in are in their top and middle order. Heinrich Klaasen and Dean Elgar have played just six ODIs each, while Christiaan Jonker has just a solitary T20I to his name. They are largely untested options, though Gibson sees plenty of potential in Jonker and a “like for like” replacement for Amla in Elgar.BCCI”When you look at this squad that we have right now, Faf is missing, Quinny is missing, Hash is missing, and there’s no real seniors,” Gibson said. “Dean is a like-for-like swap for Hash. Again you think about the World Cup, and this is thinking a little further ahead, and then you look at Dean’s record for almost every county he’s played for in England, then clearly he comes into the conversation. So, this gives us an opportunity to see Dean as a like-for-like replacement for Hash, and see how he goes. He’s always made it clear that he’s still keen on playing one-day international cricket, and this gives us an opportunity to see him in that position.”We wanted to see Klaasen a bit longer, and Christiaan Jonker came in and did quite well for us in the T20. His numbers in the franchise system are pretty good. What we’ve set out to do from the outset is to try have almost two players for every position. We know what David [Miller] can do. He’s not had a lot of runs recently, but this is a chance to see Christiaan in that position so we can then assess both of them and see which one we can take forward.”Jonker’s solitary T20I against India in February was the only time Gibson had seen him bat live up to that point, but he liked what he saw then, and said that Jonker had since worked hard to bring his fitness up to the required level.”I liked that he came in and he was just uncomplicated,” Gibson said. “He just watched the ball and hit it. And he obviously understood his game and his strengths really well. And he probably also understood that if you’re going to play international T20 cricket you need to be a little fitter, so he’s gone away and worked really hard on that and hopefully he can give a really good account of himself over the next series.”Gibson said that the likes of Temba Bavuma, Chris Morris and Vernon Philander, while not in the frame for the Zimbabwe series, were still part of the team’s thinking heading towards the World Cup. Philander is only expected to recover from an ankle injury in November, while Morris was sidelined after injuring his back during this year’s IPL. Morris is set to return to action with the Titans when South Africa’s domestic season kicks off this week, but Gibson made no secret over his concerns over Morris’ injury-prone past.”My problem with Morris …Okay, there’s a little bit of a cricket problem, but the bigger problem is fitness I think,” Gibson said. “Not in terms of general fitness, but in terms of staying on the park. Morris in the last three years has had a lot of injury issues, more so than cricket issues, and I think once he’s fit and strong then I think his real talent will come to the fore. That’s the message that I’ve given him already. We know what Morris can do, and we want him to be as fit as he can to allow himself to do what we know he’s capable of doing. Obviously, he’s back to fitness now and he’s playing for the Titans, which is fantastic, and if he can play the next month and a half, two months for the Titans and getting really hardened to cricket, then that’s obviously very good for us.”

Leeds United endured a dismal 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated from the Premier League after three seasons at the top level.

The Whites were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and enjoyed two seasons of survival before eventually going down under a combination of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce.

They are now back in the Championship and are looking to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking, with German head coach Daniel Farke at the helm.

Leeds brought the former Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach boss in to bolster their chances of promotion and he has enjoyed a strong start to life in Yorkshire, with five wins and two defeats in 11 league outings.

A drop down to the second tier has afforded a number of players the opportunity to regain form and confidence at a lower level and one ace who could have benefitted from that was central midfielder Mateusz Klich, who left the club in January.

The Poland international moved on at the start of the year and former Whites boss Marsch seemingly had a mare with his decision to part ways with the talented gem, as he has more goals and assists than some of the club's current attackers – like Crysencio Summerville – this year.

How much did Leeds sell Klich for?

Leeds did not receive a single penny in return for Klich as they opted to release him from his contract, despite having 18 months left to run on his deal at the time.

Marsch stated that it was a mutual decision as the club allowed the central midfielder to move on from the then-Premier League side for £0 after he had made 14 top-flight appearances during the first half of the campaign.

The veteran maestro was then able to complete a transfer to D.C. United, who were managed by Wayne Rooney at the time of the move, on a free transfer in January.

How many goals did Klich score for Leeds?

He racked up 24 goals in 195 appearances for the Whites in all competitions during his time in England, which began after a switch from FC Twente ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

The 33-year-old dynamo spent time on loan with FC Utrecht in his first season with Leeds before making his breakthrough as a regular under Bielsa the following term.

Klich exploded onto the scene with a phenomenal 2018/19 campaign as the club fell just shy of the play-off final. He contributed with ten goals and eight assists in 46 Championship starts from a midfield position.

The Polish whiz only missed two 'big chances' and created nine of them for his teammates, which shows that he was ruthless in front of goal and had the quality to provide his fellow attackers with excellent opportunities at the top end of the pitch.

He followed that up with six goals and five assists in 45 league starts throughout the 2019/20 season as Bielsa led the side to a Championship title and promotion to the Premier League. Klich only recorded five assists in spite of ending the campaign with ten 'big chances' created, which suggests that his teammates let him down in the final third.

The former Twente ace was then able to make the step up to the top-flight as he chipped in with four goals and five assists in 28 starts in his first year at that level.

After 18 more months in the Premier League with Leeds, Klich moved on from England with 24 goals and 21 assists in his 195 appearances.

How has Klich performed for D.C. United?

The 33-year-old gem has enjoyed a fantastic year in the MLS since his switch to America in January, with a string of impressive performances in midfield.

Klich has hit the ground running for D.C. United and has proved himself to be a consistent attacking threat from the middle of the park.

Sofascore rating

8.1

Goals

One

Chances created

Two

Pass accuracy

91%

Duels won

Four

Klich's most recent performance for D.C. United (via Sofascore)

The veteran wizard has contributed with four goals and seven assists in 32 MLS outings throughout 2023, which shows that the talented ace is getting back to the impressive form that he displayed under Bielsa earlier in his Leeds career.

He has only missed one 'big chance' and has showcased his terrific creativity with 2.5 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, and no Leeds player has managed more per match this term.

How many goals has Summerville scored this year?

Meanwhile, Summerville has scored three goals for Leeds over the course of 2023, whilst playing in the Premier League and the Championship.

He racked up one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions from January until the end of the 2022/23 campaign as the Dutch ace struggled to find consistency at the top level.

The 21-year-old wizard has contributed with two goals and two assists in nine outings so far this season under Farke, which mean that he has produced three goals and three assists in 28 matches in total this year.

This is five fewer goal contributions than Klich, who plays in a central midfield role, has managed in 2023, despite playing out on the wing.

Summerville is not the only Leeds attacker with fewer goals and assists than the Poland international in that time, though, as Italian winger Wilfried Gnonto has three goal and five assists in 28 games in all competitions for Leeds this year.

Was it a mistake to move Klich on?

These statistics suggest that Marsch had a mare by allowing Klich, who Rooney hailed as a "leader", to move on from the club on a free transfer in January as the talented maestro could have been a big player at Championship level this season.

His form in the MLS suggests that the 33-year-old technician still has the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with goals, assists, and key passes.

He has been able to outperform exciting attackers like Summerville and Gnonto throughout 2023 and it is a shame that Farke did not get the opportunity to work with the former Eredivisie star at Elland Road this term.

Arsenal are back in action this evening, as Mikel Arteta’s side look to right their wrongs in the Champions League against Sevilla.

The Gunners face a trip to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in their third fixture of Group B, and will hope to hunt down RC Lens who currently top the group after beating Arteta’s side last time out.

The loss to Lens broke Arsenal’s undefeated start to the 2023/24 campaign, with the north Londoners poised for another challenge in Europe this evening.

What is the latest Arsenal team news?

Not only will the Gunners hope to turn their form around in the Champions League, but also in general, after being held to a 2-2 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League in their most recent fixture.

It was a dull performance by the north Londoners' standards at Stamford Bridge, calling for an improved showing in Seville tonight in order to take back control in the group.

Against Chelsea, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was absent from the squad due to the birth of his child, however, the Englishman is set to return to the fold as confirmed by Arteta during his pre-match press conference.

The 25-year-old could even find himself with a role greater than being on the bench, after David Raya’s questionable performance against the Blues raised questions over the rotation of Arsenal’s shot-stoppers.

The Spaniard recorded one error that led to a shot, as well as being criticised for his positioning for Mykhailo Mudryk’s goal that gave the hosts the lead in the second half.

Raya was described as having a “terrible time” by journalist Joe Prince-Wright during the London derby, however he wasn’t the only player from the favoured XI to have a poor outing at Stamford Bridge.

Should Martin Odegaard start against Sevilla?

Usually Arsenal’s saviour, captain Martin Odegaard was far from his best against the Blues, as highlighted by his mere 36 touches and losing possession 11 times in midfield.

Once lauded as “exceptional” by Pep Guardiola, the Norwegian maintained a pass completion rate of just 80% against the Blues, and failed to record a single shot to tell the tale of his anonymous display in west London.

In form that’s unusual for the £240k-per-week ace, Odegaard was also far from impressive against Lens last time out in the Champions League, somewhat decreasing his claim to a spot in the starting XI against Sevilla.

Against the French outfit, the midfielder was again a backseat passenger for Arsenal, recording only 49 touches and losing possession nine times, raising the question of whether rotation could inspire him to rediscover his form.

Arteta isn’t short of personnel that could thrive if he made the bold decision to drop Odegaard this evening, with the likes of Emile Smith-Rowe and Fabio Vieira queuing for the chance to showcase their skills in the starting lineup.

It would be a critically bold move for Arteta to drop his captain, however, Odegaard’s performances of late have been questionable, and most commonly the key to unlocking past form is healthy competition.

Arsenal need a win tonight, and the Spaniard has several decisions to make with reference to his squad choices after the mediocre performance against Chelsea last weekend.

TalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged one player to link up with West Ham United or Premier League rivals Everton.

Will West Ham sign anyone in January?

The Hammers face a very real prospect of losing a fair few players next summer. Indeed, Tomas Soucek, Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna all have contracts which expire in 2024 (Transfermarkt) – while another pressing issue could be reported Saudi interest in defenders Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma.

The West Ham duo, according to a report by Football Insider this week, are attracting big-money interest from the Middle East and David Moyes is apparently "braced" to lose either one of them. If this happens, it is believed Moyes would be "desperate" to source a replacement. This has lead to links with Man United defender and England international Harry Maguire, who they're reportedly among the favourites to sign according to recent Maguire transfer news.

The east Londoners are also short of striking options, so if regular Michail Antonio were to succumb to injury, it would spell trouble for Moyes given his lack of faith in Danny Ings. The latter has played just 33 minutes of league action all season, prompting them to apparently look at signing in-form Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy. Meanwhile, West Ham are also linked with a move for out-of-favour Man City star Kalvin Phillips.

Kalvin Phillips transfer news

According to some recent Phillips transfer news, West Ham are among the possible destinations for Leeds' former star who has found life extremely tough at Eastlands. The England international, despite being a Three Lions regular for Gareth Southgate, finds himself far behind Rodri in the pecking order at City – meaning a January move is on the cards.

"I want to play football and want to play as much as possible,” Phillips said to the media when asked about his future, hinting an exit is possible (The Evening Standard).

"Over the last year and a half I haven't been able to do that due to injuries and [other factors]. It's something I am going to have to think about. Hopefully my chance does come but if it doesn't then I will have to make other decisions as well."

If things don't take a dramatic turn, it appears the midfielder's future may well be far from Manchester, with talkSPORT's Agbonlahor telling Football Insider that West Ham or Everton are ideal destinations – urging him to "join" either one.

“He’s not got a future at Man City, that’s for sure," said the former Aston Villa striker.

“Pep Guardiola didn’t even start him against Arsenal with Rodri out suspended. He’ll be saying ‘why did you buy me if I’m not playing these games’. If he wasn’t sure about his future before that game, he knows now.

“If I’m him, I want to play football. He’s a young lad with a lot of years left. Join Everton or West Ham and just play football, because otherwise you are going to affect your England chances.”

Phillips, who's taking in around £150,000-per-week of Man City wages, could bring quality to the West Ham midfield, as highlighted by his praise as a "very special" player in the past by former Leeds ace Andrew Hughes.

Newcastle United are back in action tonight, as the Magpies host Borussia Dortmund at St James’ Park in the third fixture of the Champions League group stages.

Eddie Howe’s side were placed as far from the favourites when the lineup for Group E was revealed, with it being dubbed the 2023/24 edition of the ‘ Group of Death’ due to its challenges.

So far, the Geordies have secured a draw with AC Milan and an emphatic 4-1 win over Ligue 1 giants, Paris Saint-Germain, giving Howe’s squad added confidence going into tonight's big fixture.

What is the latest Newcastle team news against Dortmund?

After schooling PSG in their previous fixture in the Champions League, Newcastle will face another big challenge this evening when hosting the in-form Dortmund.

The German outfit remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga from their opening eight games, having won six and drawn two to put them in good stead to give the Magpies a battle.

Their start to the Champions League, however, has been a different story, having claimed just one point from a 0-0 draw against AC Milan, placing them at the bottom of Group E.

Newcastle will hope to take the victory over Dortmund this evening, however they will have to be at their best to do so, with some squad selection decisions to be made by Howe.

The talk of the Magpies’ squad is Sandro Tonali’s pending punishment over betting offences, yet the midfielder is in contention to play against the well-oiled Bundesliga side, albeit with the likes of Sven Botman and Harvey Barnes still sidelined.

Starting as a substitute last weekend, Tonali was joined by Alexander Isak, who came off the bench despite nursing a slight knee problem, opening a potential door for another forward to lead the line from the start tonight.

Should Callum Wilson start against Dortmund?

Howe is lucky to have two impressive goalscorers to rotate between, and despite being in fine form, Callum Wilson could have an argument over his claim to start against Dortmund.

The Englishman, who was once lauded as “clinical” by journalist Chris Waugh, has already scored five goals in the Premier League this season, with his tally added to last time out against Crystal Palace.

Wilson has played just 27 minutes in the Champions League this term, and could be in good stead to claim his first start of the tournament, in a rotation up-front that could cause the opposition added problems.

The £46k-per-week talisman is no stranger to scoring goals, and could be the ideal inclusion into the squad should Howe opt to keep Isak as a substitute and rotate from the side that beat PSG.

In the league this term, the former Bournemouth sensation has a scoring frequency of just 68 minutes, averaging 1.5 shots on target per game, despite only averaging 42 minutes of play per game, via Sofascore.

By fielding a scorer as clinical as Wilson, Howe could deal Dortmund additional blows by unleashing arguably his most prolific hitman on the defence, who have only conceded eight goals in the Bundesliga this season.

Newcastle will have to be at their best in the final third to break down Edin Terzic’s well-structured side, who will be desperate for a win against the Magpies at St James’ Park.