Liverpool are in great form with a number of players playing well, but despite that Garth Crooks believes that Sadio Mane is carrying the side, an argument several fans have rejected.
The BBC pundit praised the Senegal international for his contribution against Tottenham on Sunday, stating that he caused problems for the visitors and has now taken over the mantle from Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk as the Reds’ most important player.
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For some supporters it is a rather bewildering assertion, as they believe each one of their players is making a valuable contribution, with the fact they have won nine out of ten league games evidence of that.
In addition, they have seven players nominated for the Ballon d’Or this year, including Mane, whilst Salah has scored only one less than his attacking teammate, so it is understandable that fans oppose Crooks’ claim.
Many of the Anfield faithful want the whole team to receive the recognition they believe is deserved, with some claiming Mane is only so effective because of his teammates, as the following reactions show.
Charlton fans have taken to Twitter to react after they saw that Lewis Page had stepped up his return from injury with a 45-minute appearance in the U23 clash against Millwall on Monday.
The left-back is yet to play a single minute of first-team football for the Addicks this season, with Charlton boss Lee Bowyer previously expressing his frustration at the amount of setbacks the 23-year-old had suffered.
Page’s last outing for the south Londoners came in October 2018, and he has made 27 appearances in total since signing from West Ham in January 2017.
Ben Purrington has started 12 Championship games, but has no recognised senior competition behind him, as he and Page are the only two left-backs on the books at The Valley.
Luckily, Page came through the U23 version of the south London derby unscathed – as he revealed himself.
Let’s take a look at how the Charlton fans on Twitter reacted to the news…
Leeds United suffered their first defeat of the Championship season on Saturday to Burnley, and it is a result that may have put manager Daniel Farke under significant pressure.
The Yorkshire side were unbeaten in their opening four league games, winning two and drawing two, but the 1-0 defeat to the Clarets leaves Leeds on eight points, already five adrift of leaders West Brom.
Cost £12.8m: Leeds could now lose “immense” star for nothing
Leeds United will not want to lose this gem for nothing.
ByKelan Sarson Sep 16, 2024 Journalist provides an update on Leeds’ pursuit of a striker
Leeds are unable to do any more business until January, so the focus will be on the football side of things and looking to pick up wins as they try to return to the Premier League.
However, the club will also be putting plans in place in the background, and according to Football Insider’s Pepe O’Rourke, Leeds will look to sign a striker in January. He states that owners the 49ers Enterprises are set to make the money available to bring in a new marksman.
Sunderland’s Eliezer Mayenda has emerged as a potential target for Leeds, but it appears a move for the striker is unlikely, as the Black Cats will be unwilling to strengthen a promotion rival. The Whites are said to be in need for a new centre-forward, and the club’s owners are willing to sign one in January, as they have put funds aside to bring in a new player.
The Yorkshire side have Patrick Bamford, Mateo Joseph, Joe Gelhardt, and Joel Piroe as their options for centre-forward, but it appears as though the club and Farke are keen to add to that area of the pitch in the new year after losing several key players during the summer. But while Farke may be keeping an eye on what could happen in January, his future at the club may not all be guaranteed as speculation emerges.
Graham Smyth makes claim on Daniel Farke's Leeds future
According to YEP reporter Graham Smyth, relayed by MOT Leeds News, Farke’s future at Leeds United no longer feels “as certain as it once did”. This comes as it’s been claimed that pressure was always going to have been on the German this season after failing to seal promotion to the top tier last term.
Smyth wrote for the Yorkshire Evening Post on 15 September that it is “unknown” how the manager’s bond with the 49ers will hold up if pressure starts to increase. Plus, Farke’s indications of dissatisfaction with the transfer window have hinted that the relationship between manager and board might not be all that well, with CEO Angus Kinnear even alluding to tension behind the scenes over the summer.
Smyth wrote on Farke’s future at Leeds: “And what about the right manager for where Leeds United are in a year’s time? The question naturally asked itself as Kinnear’s statement hung in the air.
Matches
61
Won
33
Drawn
13
Lost
15
“There is, of course, only one way that Farke will be at Leeds come September 2025, and that is if they are playing Premier League football.
“Even then, it does not feel as certain as it once did, because of the way the window played out, because of what he said, what Kinnear said, and what fans were left saying after the 1-0 defeat by Burnley.”
Birmingham City will hope their label as being League One's biggest spenders by some distance doesn't come back to bite them at the end of the season, especially if they somehow fall short of their main promotion objective.
Chris Davies' Blues are already aware that this isn't going to be as straightforward a mission as they anticipated it to be, with Reading drawing against the West Midlands club on the opening day starting the season for the relegated Blues on an underwhelming note.
Since then, however, Davies' men have won three on the bounce and have shown a great determination to win by any means necessary, as a last-minute goal from new recruit Scott Wright saw the third tier promotion favourites overcome Wigan Athletic 2-1 last time out.
Wright isn't the only fresh face that is performing well for the Blues currently, with Birmingham less irked now by losing homegrown product Jordan James to Rennes consequently.
James' time at Birmingham
It did feel like a foregone conclusion that James would leave the club this summer in the wake of their disastrous relegation down to League One, with the likes of Serie A side Atalanta once reportedly sniffing about for the 20-year-old's services.
But, Birmingham had already proven that they could pull off the unthinkable when it comes to transfer dealings, having won back former loan star Jay Stansfield for a mammoth £20m on deadline day.
Still, they were ultimately powerless in the end when it came to their bright former gem departing last month, with the Ligue 1 titans forking out £4m to win James back in August.
Much like the situation that transpired with Jobe Bellingham – and even his brother Jude before him – Birmingham will hope they aren't left to rue another top homegrown product deserting the club for more luxurious pastures, with James far more part of the Blues first-team last season than the unbelievable pair would manage during their stays at St. Andrew's.
Scoring ten times across 105 first-team appearances, and assisting a further two goals, there would have been a worry that James' absence could hurt Davies and Co in their bid to instantly return to the Championship.
But, as has been seen all transfer window long, Birmingham are unafraid to splash the cash to strengthen all over the park, including in the deal to snap up Icelandic ace Willum Thór Willumsson from Go Ahead Eagles.
Willumsson's transfer value at Birmingham
According to Football Transfers, despite only being at the Blues for a matter of months, Willumsson has already seen his transfer value increase.
Purchased for a fee in and around the £3.5m mark – as per Sky Sports – the ex-Go Ahead Eagles man is now worth just under £1m more at £4.3m, £300k more than what James was sold on for to move to France.
Stat
Reading
Wycombe
Leyton Orient
Wigan
Minutes played
51
25
35
90
Goals scored
0
1
0
0
Assists
0
0
0
1
Touches
25
23
26
58
Accurate passes
15/16 (94%)
15/19 (79%)
14/20 (75%)
33/37 (89%)
Duels won
2/4
2/2
1/2
7/18
Stats by Sofascore
This is down to the fact Willumsson has looked like a confident performer in the English game already, registering two goal contributions from his first four tastes of League One action, with the Icelandic midfielder really standing out against Wigan last time out.
Going in for an impressive 18 duels on the day, with the 25-year-old putting his 6 foot 4 frame to good use, the Blues number 18 also assisted the opening strike of the contest before Wright's heroics at the death.
Wales international Jordan James.
Once worth just £252k when playing for BATE Borisov during the early days of his career, Willumsson will hope his value continues to go up and up playing for his new employers.
James has quickly been forgotten about at St. Andrew's, on the contrary, as the Welshman now attempts to make a name for himself in Ligue 1.
Why Birmingham should have sold Blues star who earned more than Stansfield
Birmingham City should have balanced the books to get rid of this defender.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca could now be ready to green-light a late summer exit for one player they've only just signed this transfer window.
Chelsea set for busy end to summer transfer window
The west Londoners appear set to have a busy end to the summer, despite already making 12 signings in total over the course of these last few months.
Chelsea now open talks to sign £250k-per-week ace who's open to joining
It’s set to be a busy end to the window at Stamford Bridge.
ByEmilio Galantini Aug 28, 2024
Chelsea confirmed the arrivals of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman, Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian and Joao Felix for a total of around £271 million (including the £51m spent on Estevao), but Todd Boehly and BlueCo have showed no sign of slowing down as we fast approach the August 31 cut-off.
Widespread reports in the media indicate that Maresca wants to sign a prolific new striker for Chelsea before the deadline, with both Brentford's Ivan Toney and Napoli star Victor Osimhen the subject of late-window interest from Stamford Bridge.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen
Chelsea made an inquiry over Toney earlier this week, according to an array of reliable sources like The Telegraph, while Maresca's side are believed to remain in ongoing talks to sign Osimhen as they scour the market for multiple centre-forward options.
Joao Felix is Chelsea's latest high-profile recruit, with the Portugal international enjoying a second debut to remember during their thumping 6-2 win at Wolves last weekend. Felix came off the bench to score on his return to the Premier League, but the 24-year-old may not be Maresca's final blockbuster transfer of the summer.
Joao Felix's loan spell at Chelsea – 2022/2023
Appearances
20
Goals
4
Assists
0
Yellow Cards
1
Red Cards
1
A new striker certainly seems like a very real possibility as we approach the final days, and it could spell bad news for Guiu. The 18-year-old joined Chelsea from Barcelona earlier this summer, to the tune of £5 million, and he made his debut off the bench during their opening weekend defeat to champions Man City at home.
Guiu played 24 minutes during the loss, and according to GiveMeSport, that could well be the only bit of action he sees in a Chelsea shirt this season.
Maresca could green-light surprise Chelsea exit for Guiu
GMS write that Maresca could personally sanction a Chelsea departure for Guiu, just weeks after they brought him in from Barcelona.
It is believed the current surroundings at Chelsea mean he's not guaranteed consistent game time in west London, so the club and Maresca could look to loan him out in the coming days to further his development.
There could be serious interest in taking the teenage striker on a temporary deal late in the window, and that is something which Chelsea chiefs are apparently willing to entertain.
If Chelsea manage to get a star striker like Toney and Osimhen over the line, Guiu's surroundings will be increasingly difficult for him, so this could well be one to watch.
When a club releases a new home kit, fans line up, ready to purchase what they hope will go down as a historic shirt, which sees endless trophies.Sometimes, a shirt can become famous for the wrong reasons, however, and that’s exactly the case for Arsenal’s recently released 2023/24 home kit.The club have been forced to suspend the sale of the home shirt due to an error in the design.
Why did Arsenal suspend the sale of their new home shirt?
There’s nothing quite like honouring legends in football. The only issue is when you get it wrong, and things become a tad awkward.
Adidas and Arsenal attempted to insert a piece of history into the white trim of their new home shirt by outlining all the 38 games that the famous 2003/04 side remained unbeaten in to become invincible.
Somewhere along the way, however, communication must’ve taken a wrong turn, as Arsenal’s new home shirt only features 32 games of that historic run under Arsene Wenger. Unbeaten for over half of the season doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?
Costing a hefty £110, it’s fair to say that the club and designers have made a costly error, as fans begin to contemplate whether to return their shirt or keep it in hope of it becoming a rare collectors item in years to come.
Releasing a statement about the error, Adidas told The Evening Standard:
“The 23-24 Arsenal Home Authentic Jerseys are temporarily unavailable while a design error is being corrected.
“We are working closely with the club and our partners to ensure restocked jerseys are available as soon as possible, and are offering full refunds to fans who have already bought one.
“This design error falls short of the standards we set ourselves as a brand, and we apologise to the club and its fans.
“The replica ‘fan’ version of the Home Jersey is unaffected and widely available now.”
The shirt is set to be re-released later this year.
How did Arsenal fans react to the mistake?
As expected, Arsenal fans were not happy with the mistake, with some taking to Twitter to air their grievances:
An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their efforts to improve the quality of their attacking options in the summer transfer window…
What's the latest on Josh Maja to Rangers?
According to Football Scotland, the Light Blues could make a move for Bordeaux centre-forward Josh Maja if they decide to revisit their interest in the Nigerian international.
The report claims that the player is not at the top of the club's shortlist of strikers that they want to bring to Ibrox this summer but has been mentioned in the past as a target.
It states that the 24-year-old is now available on a free transfer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign as he is not set to extend his contract with the Ligue 2 side, which expires at the end of this month.
Should Rangers sign Josh Maja?
Michael Beale must swoop to snap up the former Sunderland gem, whose natural talent was hailed as "rare" by ex-Rangers forward Jermain Defoe, as his form in the 2022/23 season suggests that he would be way better than Dutch forward Sam Lammers.
The Gers are reportedly finalising a £3m deal to sign the Atalanta star this summer but his record in front of goal in recent years leaves a big question mark hanging over his head.
Lammers scored two goals in 33 Serie A appearances last season and has only scored seven league goals since the start of 2019/20 – across the Eredivisie, Bundesliga, and the Italian top-flight combined.
Former Sampdoria striker Sam Lammers.
Maja, on the other hand, is coming off the back of an exceptional year in the second division of French football with Bordeaux.
The English-born marksman plundered 16 goals in 34 starts and proved himself to be a reliable goalscorer at that level throughout the campaign.
He had a conversion rate of 21% and these statistics suggest that the £10k-per-week whiz could be a superior option to Lammers, who converted a dismal 4% of his efforts in the Serie A during the 2022/23 season as the Atalanta dud scored twice from 4.79 expected goals (xG) whilst on loan at Empoli and then with relegated Sampdoria.
The profligate Dutchman also only created two 'big chances' for his teammates in the Italian top-flight and Maja could offer more in that respect as the Bordeaux talent produced eight 'big chances' for his fellow forwards in Ligue 2 and registered six assists.
Although it is difficult to gauge the difference in quality between the two divisions, these statistics indicate that the Nigerian international would be way better for Beale than Lammers due to his very recent track record of excelling as a goalscorer and a creator, whilst the wasteful 26-year-old has struggled badly in recent years.
As such, Rangers must prioritise a swoop for Maja in the coming weeks.
Mauricio Pochettino has landed the unenviable task of attempting to pinpoint Chelsea’s new striker and finding the right method to maximise their talents.
During this abysmal campaign, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kai Havertz, and Joao Felix have all been deployed as the focal point – and although the latter displayed minor flashes of brilliance, watching this trio all separately play as a central striker was an unfulfilling and frustrating experience.
One name that has been floated around as the solution to this damaging problem is Lautaro Martinez, who has demonstrated is more than capable of filling this humongous void.
What’s the latest on Lautaro Martinez to Chelsea?
According to The Times, Chelsea will be rivalled by Real Madrid for the 25-year-old’s signature.
The reigning European champions are in the market for a frontman after Karim Benzema’s sudden departure to Saudi Arabia.
A previous report by the Football Insider has revealed that it will take a £70m offer to tempt the Nerazzurri to sanction his sale.
Who can Lautaro Martinez emulate at Chelsea?
The Argentine has arguably been unplayable this season – he has netted 28 times in all competitions and was the second-highest scorer in Serie A.
The 48-cap international was the protagonist of Inter’s recent trophy lift against Fiorentina, who they beat 2-1 in the Coppa Italia. Unsurprisingly, Martinez was on the scoresheet twice and has registered the highest average match rating (7.18) in the squad over the campaign, as per Sofascore.
The Milanese giants will be hoping he can replicate this spell-binding potency in the Champions League final this evening when they take on treble-chasing Manchester City in Istanbul.
If the Blues secured this audacious swoop, Martinez could repeat the tricks of the irrepressible Nicolas Anelka at Stamford Bridge. The Frenchman spent four years in the English capital, scoring 59 goals and registering 36 assists in 184 games, while also winning one Premier League and two FA Cups in that time.
In his first full season at Chelsea, the former Arsenal prodigy found the net 19 times, was crowned as the division's joint-top scorer, and stepped up when Drogba’s season was ravaged by injury as he only scored on five occasions.
Nicolas Anelka Chelsea
This is similar to the current situation at the San Siro, as Martinez has netted more than fellow forwards Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku, combined.
However, what Anelka and Martinez share is the ability to be the driving force of the attack, but is also able to combine and conjure up a formidable striking partnership.
For Anelka, this was shown in 2009/10, when he and Drogba recorded 61 goal involvements in the top flight as Chelsea secured the Premier League title.
Similarly, in the 2020/21 season, the World Cup winner and the aforementioned Lukaku notched the same number of goal contributions in their imperious Serie A triumph.
Described as “spectacular” by Lionel Messi, the £186k-per-week man’s versatility, his mastery of being the main source of goals or sharing the responsibility, and his experience in playing as a single or double striking force, make him an extremely attractive prospect for the west London outfit.
Arsenal are "firmly in the driving seat" to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo after "multiple conversations" with his agents, according to reports.
Who could Arsenal sign this summer?
The north Londoners, according to various reports, have earmarked the signing of a central midfielder, or even two, during the upcoming summer transfer window.
This has lead to links with Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan, Wolves star Ruben Neves and Chelsea's Mason Mount among others – but it is in the defensive midfield where Arsenal are determined.
Indeed, a plethora of targets have been mentioned, including Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, yet perhaps the top two names are West Ham United's Declan Rice and Caicedo.
The former has attracted serious interest, with a bid apparently in the pipeline and verbal agreement already being reached, according to recent claims.
It appears the Gunners are favourites for Rice as things stand, but that apparently won't stop them making a move for Caicedo either.
Brighton & Hove Albion'sMoisesCaicedo
According to Football Transfers, Arsenal do indeed want two midfielders this summer, so their "exciting progress" on a Rice deal won't affect Caicedo's potential arrival.
On the Ecadorian, it is believed Mikel Arteta's side are "firmly in the driving seat" to sign him this summer, coming after "multiple conversations" with the player's representatives and the ability to offer Champions League football.
In a further promising piece of news from the outlet, Brighton apparently believe Arsenal will pay the £75 million fee required for Caicedo's signature. The Premier League top four side agreed personal terms with him back in January, and they apparently still stand heading into the summer.
Who is Moises Caicedo?
Having starred on the south coast under Roberto De Zerbi last season, Caicedo is currently a hot commodity.
Only Pascal Gross and Lewis Dunk were selected more in the league for Brighton, with Caicedo also averaging more tackles and interceptions per 90 than any of his teammates over 22/23 (WhoScored).
South American football expert Tim Vickery is in no doubt over his quality, either, who said this on the 21-year-old before Brighton managed to sign him (BBC via Sussex Express):
“Caicedo is a terrific player. Independiente del Valle are a small club that continue to exist based on developing players in order to sell them.They do it unbelievably well, bringing in top-class Spanish youth coaches to develop their players. Caicedo made stepping into the first team at his club and with his national team look like a breeze in 2020.“He’s a box-to-box midfielder, a terrific athlete who is cool in possession. He’s not a wizard, not a glamorous player but he’s got so much to offer.”
Chelsea have been poor this campaign and will be desperate for the close of play to arrive so they can focus on what is set to be a busy summer ahead at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues will take on Newcastle United on Sunday at home in the Premier League before taking a break to regroup before 2023/24. Mauricio Pochettino is expected to take the reins in SW6 in the off-season following a lengthy manager search by the Blues' hierarchy.
Sizing up potential transfer incomings and outgoings will be a key task for the Argentine upon arrival and Chelsea have been linked with some high-profile players as they eye another spending spree under Todd Boehly.
The Guardian report that Pochettino has earmarked Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as a target for his rebuild in west London as he looks to add an elite forward to the Chelsea attack to lead from the front next term.
What's the latest transfer news involving Victor Osimhen and why is he so effective?
As cited by The Guardian, Osimhen is indeed 'on the radar' at Stamford Bridge; however, it is believed that it would take a 'huge fee' to entice the Nigeria international away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Ben Jacobs has echoed the sentiment that Chelsea pulling off a deal to sign Osimhen will be 'difficult' to do.
Jacobs told FFC: "I think that alongside Vlahovic, for Chelsea, Victor Osimhen remains a target and player that they hugely admire, but everybody chasing Victor Osimhen is well aware of how difficult that deal is to pull off. People forget sometimes what Napoli paid, which was €80 million all in, including bonuses and the valuation put on players that were also part of the deal to Lille, but the all in number is €80 million when everything is included. As a consequence, with the form that Osimhen is on and the level of interest when Napoli are asking for a fee well in excess of £100 million, that isn't because they're being greedy, it's because they are aware that Osimhen has significantly improved in value since they signed him. Because the fee that they paid to Lille was so hefty, it's obvious that, if possible, they would like something close to double what they paid and that's where this approximate number of €150 million comes from."
It is no surprise that interest in Osimhen is strong from Chelsea, as the 24-year-old has registered 28 goals and five assists in 37 appearances this term across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.
Former Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has likened the £91k-a-week earner to Didier Drogba in a recent interview with Sky Sports via METRO, saying: "I see a lot of similarities but it’s unfair to compare players from different eras. They both play with a lot of physicality and they are both very good with scoring, taking their opportunities. He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders."
Bringing in Osimhen would be a real coup for Chelsea and there is an argument to say that he would be the best signing of Blues' co-owner Boehly's era so far. According to WhoScored, the frontman has averaged 4.2 shots per match in Serie A this campaign, demonstrating his ability to constantly trouble opposition backlines.
FBRef also show that the Nigerian has been among the elite forwards in Europe's top five divisions and has fared well in regard to his positional peers in the art of non-penalty goals in the last 365 days, averaging 0.85 per 90 minutes, putting Osimhen in the second percentile for this metric.
As per Tuttonapoli via GOAL, ex-Roma forward Ciccio Graziani has praised Osimhen's qualities as a striker, stating: “He's the top scorer in Serie A, he scores goals in every game. Maybe it won't be beautiful to see but he's effective. The highest performance in the entire league and it's the one that affects the most, so for me, he's my player in Serie A at the moment."
In a time of need for Chelsea, bringing Osimhen to Stamford Bridge would be the perfect tonic for the Blues to get back to challenging for major silverware in 2023/24.