Replacing Jurgen Klopp is an almost impossible task, but it's one that Liverpool have reportedly taken a step closer to completing, with reports indicating that talks are progressing well with Ruben Amorim.

Liverpool manager latest

It looked for some time as though it could have been Xabi Alonso, who has enjoyed incredible success at Bayer Leverkusen, taking the German club to the Bundesliga title and on course to complete an unbeaten campaign across all competitions. Simply put, the Spaniard may have been top of any club's list this summer. But in the end, he chose another year at Leverkusen instead, taking Liverpool back to square one.

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Instantly, the likes of Roberto De Zerbi were mentioned after his success at fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. That deal looks unlikely, however, with the Reds instead turning their attention to Sporting CP's Amorim, who decided to remain defiantly coy despite the links in a recent press conference.

That hasn't put an end to the reports, however. Now, according to Rudy Galetti, talks between Liverpool and Amorim are progressing well and are at a key stage, as those at Anfield look to secure their replacement for Klopp without any issues.

As the weeks go by and Klopp's time at Anfield comes to an end, the rumours regarding Amorim are only likely to intensify, before perhaps culminating in his appointment this summer.

"Incredible" Amorim could make Alexander-Arnold even better

Although Trent Alexander-Arnold has spent every moment of his club career under Klopp, Amorim's system could play a part in unlocking an even better version of the England international. Given that his system uses wing-backs instead of traditional full-backs, Alexander-Arnold has the chance to focus even more on the attacking side of his game, potentially unlocking someone who could become Amorim's most important player.

The formation could put Alexander-Arnold's transition into midfield on hold though, in a move that may leave those at Anfield frustrated. With talks progressing well, questions could continue over just what Amorim's plan would be with the current Liverpool squad. Full of so much talent, yet one that is yet to reach its full potential in certain areas, the squad may face quite a transition next season.

Described by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig as "incredible" at the start of his managerial career, Amorim could now take his biggest step in management yet.

Derbyshire stay top of North Group with second win in as many matches

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2020Legspinner Matt Critchley picked up career-best figures of 6 for 73 as Derbyshire extended their lead at the top of the North Group by completing a nine-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Bob Willis Trophy match at the Fischer County Ground, Grace RoadCritchley had Colin Ackermann caught at first slip by a diving Wayne Madsen, Ben Mike caught at second slip by Leus du Plooy and Dieter Klein caught behind by wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein in the space of five balls as the Foxes collapsed from 104 for 2 to 140 for 8. Only a defiant last-wicket stand of 52 between Harry Swindells and Chris Wright, batting with a runner, prevented Leicestershire being beaten by an innings.The morning had seen a double wicket maiden from first-class debutant Ed Barnes raise Derbyshire’s hope of forcing a three-day win. The young Yorkshireman, on loan at Derbyshire until the end of the season, bowled nightwatchman Callum Parkinson off the inside edge as the batsman tried to leave a delivery just outside off stump, and three balls later found the edge of left-hander Ben Slater’s bat and saw Madsen hold a waist-high catch at first slip to leave Leicestershire struggling on 34 for 2.They would have been in even deeper trouble if Leus du Plooy had been able to hold a chance given by Harry Dearden soon afterwards, the batsman edging an attempted cut at a wide delivery from Dustin Melton to second slip, where du Plooy got both hands to the ball but could not hang on.Dearden played aggressively after lunch, hitting 21 runs off 14 balls and raising a 50 partnership with opener Hassan Azad, but an attempt to clear mid-on off the bowling of Critchley gave Luis Reece a simple catch. Azad followed, leg before wicket on the back foot to the occasional left-arm spin of du Plooy, and the writing was on the wall for the Foxes when George Rhodes tried to clip a full straight ball from Melton through midwicket, missed, and was palpably leg before wicket.Critchley’s three in five made the win all but certain, though Will Davis, Swindells – who finished on a career-best 41 not out – and Wright battled impressively to ensure the home side avoided the ignominy of an innings defeat.With the pitch offering increasing turn, left-arm spinner Parkinson then had Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman caught behind before Reece and Madsen saw their side over the line for their second win in as many matches.

On Sunday afternoon, Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur side ended their Premier League campaign with an emphatic win over Sheffield United.

While there have certainly been some speed bumps along the way, the Australian's first season in England has largely been positive.

However, the last 11 games of the season saw the club lose six, conceding 22 goals and scoring just 15 in the process, suggesting that, alongside the defence, the attack needs revamping heading into the summer, and based on recent reports, the latest player touted for a move to N17 could be the perfect option to replace Son Heung-min up top.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from a Spanish publication, Tottenham are now interested in RB Leipzig's talented striker Benjamin Šeško ahead of the summer window and could even snatch him from under the noses of fierce rivals Arsenal.

Moreover, the report has also named Chelsea as an interested party, meaning all three London clubs could be set to do battle for the 20-year-old's signature.

The report does not mention a price, but Sky Sports Germany journalist Philipp Hinze reported over the weekend that the Bundesliga side have set the forward's release clause at €65m for the summer, which converts to around £56m.

It wouldn't be a cheap deal to get done, but it might be worth it to bring in an out-and-out goalscorer into the team to replace Son upfront, especially if it means denying Arsenal and Chelsea the same opportunity.

How Šeško compares to Son

So, if Postecoglou were to get his hands on Šeško this summer, he would have to play him up top to get the best out of him, as he has only ever started one game in another position.

Therefore, the two men he'd be up against for a spot in the starting lineup would likely be Son and Richarlison, and when it comes to pure goalscoring, he has them both beat.

So far this season, the Slovenian has scored 18 goals for Leipzig, while the South Korean has 17 and the Brazilian 12, so while there is undoubtedly some more competition to be had with the former Bayer Leverkusen ace, the former Everton star is comfortably beaten.

So, how do the pair stack up when comparing their striker-relevant underlying metrics? Perhaps unsurprisingly, given his familiarity with the role, the former Salzburg "machine," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, comes out comfortably ahead.

For example, he produces a higher non-penalty expected goals figure, scores more non-penalty goals, takes more shots and shots on target, scores from more of his shots and shots on target, and wins considerably more aerial duels, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.49

0.32

Non-Penalty Goals

0.79

0.45

Shots

2.98

2.50

Goals per Shot

0.26

0.18

Shots on Target

1.62

1.15

Goals per Shot on Target

0.49

0.39

Aerial Duels Won

2.14

0.15

Now, while the "prolific" youngster, as dubbed by Kulig, would be an upgrade on the Lilywhites' captain as a striker, that doesn't mean Ange should just drop the talented attacker altogether.

In just 11 starts out wide this season, the Chuncheon-born star scored three goals and provided four assists, averaging a healthy return of a goal involvement every 1.5 games for the North Londoners.

Ultimately, Spurs are still some ways off the top teams in the country, and while Son is an incredible player, signing Šeško to come in as an upgrade at number nine would be a brilliant idea, and it would also rob Arsenal of one of their top targets at the same time.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 17, 2024

Celtic ended their 2023/24 campaign in the perfect way possible as they won the SFA Cup at Hampden Park with a late 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon.

Adam Idah came off the bench to score in the 90th minute after a hard-fought match between the two Glasgow teams at the national stadium.

The Ireland international reacted quickest to Jack Butland's fumble of Paulo Bernardo's effort to slot the ball into the back of the net and secure the trophy for the Hoops.

It was a fantastic end to the season for Celtic, as they won the double, but it was not all sunshine and rainbows for Brendan Rodgers as there were some underwhelming performers on the pitch.

One player who he must now ensure is not a regular starter in the 2024/25 campaign, as ruthless as it may seem, is centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi must be dropped as a starter

The Japan international was selected to lead the line ahead of Idah for the SFA Cup final but was a Hampden no-show with an underwhelming display at the top end of the pitch.

GlasgowWorld's Ben Banks awarded him a player rating of just 4/10 for his performance, citing his complete lack of impact on the game for Celtic.

He lasted 62 minutes on the field before the manager opted to bring on the Irish sensation, and failed to register a goal, an assist, or any memorable moments.

It was simply another no-show in what was a frustrating campaign from the former Vissel Kobe star at Parkhead under the Northern Irish head coach.

23/24 Premiership

Kyogo Furuhashi

Appearances

38

Goals

14

Big chances missed

24

Pass accuracy

67%

Ground duel success rate

45%

Aerial duel success rate

26%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo was incredibly wasteful in front of goal, with ten more 'big chances' missed than goals, and was loose with his passing, whilst also being a liability in physical duels.

The player who should replace Kyogo in the lineup

Earlier this month, Football Insider reported that Celtic are ready to make a summer offer to sign Idah on a permanent deal and the Irish forward should be brought in to be the regular starter up front next term.

The 6 foot 3 star has been on loan from English Championship side Norwich City and the Hoops must now bring him back to Parkhead for the 2024/25 campaign, so that he can kick on and nail down a position as a starter.

23/24 Premiership

Adam Idah

Kyogo Furuhashi

Appearances

15

38

Goals

8

14

Minutes per goal

76

179

Big chances missed

7

24

Conversion rate

27%

14%

Duel success rate

44%

41%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Idah has significantly outperformed the Japanese flop as a goalscorer, with a far better conversion rate, and far fewer minutes per goal on average in the Scottish Premiership.

The Canaries loanee also stepped up on the big occasion to score the winning goal on Saturday, after Kyogo's 4/10 no-show at Hampden, and all of these reasons are why Rodgers must ensure the 29-year-old is not a regular ahead of the Irishman next season.

أثار تصريح اللاعب الدولي السابق أحمد فتحي، حول الانتماء الكروي لبعض اللاعبين السابقين بالنادي الأهلي جدلًا واسعًا، الأمر الذي دفع النجم الأهلاوي السابق محمد بركات للرد عليه بشكل صريح.

وكان أحمد قتحي قد سُئل خلال استضافته بقناة “أون تايم سبورتس”، عن حقيقة انتماء بعض لاعبي الأهلي السابقين لنادي الزمالك، فأجاب: “محمد بركات وإسلام الشاطر”.

وفي تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “MBC مصر”، علق بركات: “أنا لا أوافق على هذا التصريح، (زهقت من الموضوع ده)”.

طالع أيضًا | ميدو: إسلام الشاطر وبركات “مش هيعدوها” لـ أحمد فتحي.. ولاعب الزمالك في محنة كبيرة

وأضاف: “لا يمكن لأي شخص أن يلعب للأهلي لمدة تسع أو عشر سنوات، ويحقق العديد من الإنجازات ويصنع تاريخًا كبيرًا، ثم يعتزل منذ 12 عامًا، وما زال هذا الموضوع يثار باستمرار، هذا أمر غير منطقي”.

وتابع: “عندما يتحدث الجمهور عن مثل هذه الأمور فلا بأس، ولكن عندما يتحدث لاعب محترف أو شخصية رياضية بارزة، فإن الأمر يصبح مختلفًا تمامًا”.

وأشار: “لقد كنت أقدم برنامجًا تلفزيونيًا ذات مرة، وقام مراسل البرنامج بإجراء حوار مع مرتضى منصور رئيس نادي الزمالك السابق، وقال الأخير إنني زملكاوي، فرددت عليه وقتها قائلًا -أنا أهلاوي ومعجون بمياه النادي الأهلي-، قلت له هذا وهو أكبر رأس في القلعة البيضاء، ماذا أفعل أكثر من ذلك؟!”.

واختتم: “لقد تم طرح هذا الموضوع كثيرًا لدرجة أنه أصبح مملًا، أنا لست منزعجًا من أحمد فتحي على الإطلاق، فأنا متأكد أنه لا يقصد أي شيء سيء، إنما انزعاجي من تكرار هذا الموضوع مرارًا”.

West Bromwich Albion will know that the gameplan for their second leg away at Southampton on Friday night will have to be different, with a focus more on being gung-ho than just defensively solid.

The 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Championship playoffs arguably plays into the hands of the Saints at St. Mary's, who will look to use their home advantage to secure progress through to a nervy final at Wembley.

Carlos Corberan will just pray misfiring attackers such as Grady Diangana and Brandon Thomas-Asante from the first clash can find their shooting boots again on the South Coast, with Thomas-Asante having a torrid afternoon in particular at the Hawthorns by failing to register a single on-target effort.

The Spaniard will be less worried about his defenders in such a huge contest, knowing that he can rely on the likes of Conor Townsend at the back to come good after delivering consistent top displays during the regular campaign.

Conor Townsend's time at West Brom

The decision to take a punt on Townsend back in 2018 from Scunthorpe United continues to look like a shrewd buy from a Baggies perspective, with the 31-year-old a key first-team figure over many seasons now.

Notching up a staggering 212 appearances for the West Midlands outfit to date, his importance to the West Brom cause hasn't waned at all this campaign.

Picking up four assists down the left-hand side from 42 games, with his last assist coming on the final day to help his side secure a playoff spot, Townsend has also been crucial in ensuring the Baggies' reputation for having a staunch and stern defence has remained in-tact all season long.

Once described as being "industrious" by football journalist Chris Lepkowski on the Liquidator Podcast, Townsend has lived up to that billing with 3.8 duels won on average per game this season helping West Brom pick up a respectable 11 clean sheets whenever he's featured.

Corberan could well even hope Townsend can deliver a moment of magic like the above goal versus Norwich City against Russell Martin's men, but knows he will put in a commendable shift at the back either way.

It's seen Townsend's value go up and up ever since his arrival to the Hawthorns five years ago, with his valuation now higher than that of Diangana's according to Football Transfers.

Townsend's transfer value in 2024

As of this year, the esteemed Baggies servant's value has rose to a very high £3m even as Townsend begins to wind down his career a bit at the age of 31.

Diangana's worth has crashed all the way down to a meagre £1.8m in contrast, a startling drop-off when you consider the Congolese attacker once cost Corberan's side a reported bumper fee of £12m back in 2020.

1. Jed Wallace

£3.5m

2. Okay Yokuslu

£3.1m

3. Darnell Furlong

£3.09m

4. Conor Townsend

£3m

5. Brandon Thomas-Asante

£2.9m

Away from Diangana ripping West Brom off, Townsend continues to look like a smart acquisition with his current value putting him in the top five most valuable assets at the club with his full-back partner down the right flank in Darnell Furlong also boasting an increased worth.

Diangana will just aim to get back to his dazzling best for the Baggies in the second leg to come, writing his name into the history books potentially as the star that got West Brom to Wembley.

Townsend will just be content staying put at the Hawthorns whether promotion comes about or not, knowing that he's still performing to the peak of his powers so late into his playing days.

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Manchester City want to complete the signing of a highly-rated starlet with "enormous potential" this summer, and a new transfer update has revealed his actual price is way below his release clause.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola will again look to make new signings once the summer transfer window arrives, with fresh faces adding further competition, keeping players on their toes in the process and also replacing those who could move on, such as Bernardo Silva possibly heading to Barcelona.

One player who has been continually linked with a move to the Etihad at the end of the season is West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who nearly moved there last summer only to see the transfer fall through. The Brazilian could get the best out of Erling Haaland, using his creativity to wreak havoc alongside the Norwegian superstar.

City are also believed to have made contact with Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, with the 26-year-old's future at St James' Park up in the air. He could be an ideal partner for Rodri in the middle of the park, not to mention filling the potential void left by Bernardo.

Guardiola also appears to be willing to rival Manchester United for the signing of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, should the Frenchman demand a big-money switch away from Selhurst Park. A bid of £65m could be enough to get their man.

Man City want to sign player with "enormous potential"

According to a new update from HITC, Manchester City are keen on signing Shakhtar Donetsk ace Georgiy Sudakov this summer, but they are far from the only club eyeing him up.

Arsenal are mentioned alongside City, while the report adds that "Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham United and Aston Villa are watching too, as are a Liverpool side who maybe need a little bit of inspiration to go alongside their midfield perspiration".

Meanwhile, it goes on to say that the 21-year-old is "also on the radars of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, and confirmed recently that Juventus also made a move for him in a previous window".

Sudakov looks like such an exciting talent, already scoring 18 goals and registering 15 assists in 98 appearances for Shakhtar, not to mention winning 14 caps for Ukraine and netting once for his country. Meanwhile, former youth coach Fernando Valente has hailed him in the past, saying: "Sudakov was the most talented player I ever coached.

"Sudakov is a lad with enormous potential, he could even play for Barcelona or Manchester City. He was the best player I coached and we have a strong relationship."

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Primarily a central or attacking midfielder, Sudakov could be viewed as one for the future by Guardiola, still making an impact from the off, though. Darijo Srna, Shakhtar’s director of football, has said that a fee of "more than €60m (£51.2m)" could be enough to snap him up, despite his £128m release clause.

The board is yet to advertise for the vacant CEO, CFO and NCA COO positions

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2020

The BCCI has invited applications for the post of general manager – game development, one that has been vacant since Ratnakar Shetty’s retirement in March 2018. The advertisement for the role follows Saba Karim’s resignation as the board’s general manager.Karim is the fourth managerial officer of the BCCI – after Rahul Johri (CEO), Santosh Rangnekar (CFO) and Tufan Ghosh (NCA COO) – to quit since the new administration, led by president Sourav Ganguly, took charge last October. The BCCI has, however, not invited applications for any of those posts yet, with Hemang Amin, the IPL COO, filling in as the interim CEO.Applicants for the new role can send in their resumes until 6pm IST on August 7. Post that, the BCCI will shortlist applications and conduct interviews either in person or via video conference.As per the BCCI, the person who is appointed will be “supporting the CEO to deliver on BCCI’s vision and strategy” and determine and monitor the “compliance of match playing regulations, standards of venues, and administration of the Domestic Tours Program”, among other responsibilities.Meanwhile, uncertainty looms over the future of Ganguly and BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who are due to serve cooling-off periods. But the board has twice filed pleas in the Supreme Court for several amendments to the constitution, which, if approved, will extend Ganguly and Shah’s tenures. The Supreme Court has “tentatively” listed the hearing for August 17.17.30GMT The article has been amended to reflect Ratnakar Shetty as the previous GM, game development, not Saba Karim as the article earlier implied

Wrexham talisman Paul Mullin scored on his return from injury against Salford City but was spotted grimacing in pain at the end of the game.

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Mullin returns from injury against SalfordScores on first start of the seasonLooked in pain at the end of the winWHAT HAPPENED?

Mullin made his first start of the season on Tuesday in the EFL Trophy against Salford City and went on to score the opening goal in a 2-1 win for the Red Dragons. The forward has returned to action after missing the start of the season following back surgery in the summer. However, Mullin did appear to be in some pain as he made his way out of the dugout at the end of the game, sparking fears he may be set for another lay-off.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham will be hoping that Mullin did come through the game unscathed, particularly as Phil Parkinson's League One leaders face a crunch game against big-spending Birmingham City next. Parkinson explained after the game that Mullin's early substitution had been planned, as it was his first minutes of the season, and also said his striker felt in good shape.

WHAT WREXHAM HAVE SAID

Parkinson added to Wrexham's media channel: "So pleased, first of all it was a typical Paul goal, a great finish. I think more importantly for Paul, he felt in good shape and he worked hard, and he needed to do that tonight to get the benefit of the match practice. Of course the goal is a bonus but we know he scores. It was important though to see, can we take him a step closer to starting a league game."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM

Mullin has played a key role in Wrexham's rise through the divisions to League One and will hope to continue in the 2024-25 campaign after making his comeback. Wrexham will be hoping that he can shrug off any discomfort felt after his first start of the season and be available for their 'Hollywood derby' at St Andrew's on Monday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras venceu, no último sábado (24), o Fluminense por 1 a 0 e se manteve na liderança do Brasileirão. Após a partida, o clube divulgou, em seu canal oficial no YouTube, o video dos bastidores da competição, no qual o goleiro Weverton revela a meta de pontos do time no torneio.

Manchester United próximo de zagueiro francês, Juventus fecha com atacante do Santos, Borja decide futuro… O Dia do Mercado

– Mais uma oportunidade pra gente chegar perto do nosso objetivo, que são os 80 pontos. É em nossa casa, com um adversário duro e forte. É ter atenção e impor nosso ritmo. Se fizer o melhor de cada um, tenho certeza que vamos sair daqui com os três pontos – afirmou Weverton.
​
Veja a tabela completa do Brasileirão

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Com isso, a equipe busca igualar as campanhas campeãs brasileiras de 2016 e 2018. Atualmente, o clube possui 31 pontos e, deste modo, precisa de mais 16 vitórias e um empate em 25 jogos para conquistar a pontuação desejada.

Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Em busca de mais um Brasileirão, o Palmeiras entra em campo novamente no próximo sábado (31), às 19h (horário de Brasília), contra o São Paulo.