All posts by h716a5.icu

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League on penalties by Sporting CP on Thursday, ending their chances of potentially winning a double this season.

It could perhaps be a blessing in disguise for Mikel Arteta’s men, with fewer games now until the end of the season, it should alleviate some of the burden placed on the players having to play twice a week.

The loss against Sporting may have been more significant than first thought, however, with defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba coming off in the first half with injuries.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Spaniard was asked how the two players were, saying: “I don’t know. Tomiyasu looks pretty serious from his reaction straight and what he said to me, but obviously, it’s very early. Willy? I don’t know, he had some discomfort and could not continue so we had to take him out.”

Not the best of news and while Arteta has Ben White who could come straight in for Tomiyasu, there might be a conundrum over who should partner Gabriel at the heart of the defence, but he should certainly unleash Jakub Kiwior in place of Saliba.

Will William Saliba miss the Crystal Palace match?

Arsenal will assess the Frenchman over the next 24 hours to see if he will be available to play against Crystal Palace, however, it might be better in the long run if Arteta gives him extra time to recover, especially if the injury isn’t as bad as first feared.

In that instance, Kiwior should be the man to come in at the heart of defence. The £20m January signing from Spezia struggled in his only appearance for the club against Sporting last week – having been hooked late on by Arteta – however he looks like a player that could command a starting spot in the coming years.

During the first half of the campaign, the Polish defender was in superb form for the Serie A side making 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, and four clearances per game, while winning over half of his total duels and ranking as the club’s seventh-best player in the Italian top-flight.

The 23-year-old even played a solid role for his country at the recent World Cup, ranking as Poland’s tenth-best player as they bowed out to France at the last 16 stage, and it’s clear he has the ability to perform at the highest stage.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has described Kiwior as “a very positive surprise” following his performances this season and if there is any uncertainty regarding Saliba’s involvement tomorrow, the manager must unleash the 6 foot 2 titan at centre-back.

Everton are leading the race to sign AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: January contact made

Sean Dyche failed to bring a single player to Goodison Park during the short amount of time he had available to him at the start of the New Year but it sounds like he’s already identifying his targets for the upcoming window.

Abraham’s contract at the Stadio Olimpico isn’t set to expire until 2026, but having recently dropped off in form under Jose Mourinho, he could be on the move at the end of the season.

The Yellow and Reds forward is no stranger to Premier League football, having worked his way up through the ranks from being an academy graduate to a senior first-team squad member at Chelsea.

iNews report that the Toffees had an approach for the 25-year-old turned down in January, but having made contact, it’s believed that the Italian giants would be willing to listen to offers.

The Latest: Everton in pole position

According to Forzaroma.info (via Sport Witness), Everton are in the ‘front row’ to sign Abraham with several clubs, including the Merseysiders, ‘ready to present important offers’.

Roma have already ‘fixed’ their asking price and are set to demand a fee of €75m (£66m) in order to sanction his sale.

Dyche’s side are ‘in the picture’ to land England’s former international, who could ‘part ways’ with the Serie A outfit should his form not improve between now and the conclusion of the term.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Abraham has been dubbed a ‘goal machine’ by former professional Stephen Elliot and should the opportunity to sign him arise this summer, Everton have a no-brainer of a decision to make.

Mourinho’s striker has posted a remarkable 202 goal contributions (159 goals and 43 assists) in 355 career appearances, highlighting how prolific he can be in the final third.

The Camberwell-born talent would also be the ideal target man up top standing at 6 foot 2 where he’s currently averaging 2.2 aerial wins per league game.

Chelsea’s former star offers excellent flexibility with his ability to operate out wide on both the left and right wings alongside his natural centre-forward position, making him a valuable player to have in the building.

Finally, Abraham has bagged three senior trophies during his career so far, including winning the Champions League with the Blues, so he would be able to bring a much-needed winning mentality to Goodison Park.

TalkSport pundit Darren Bent has mooted Thomas Frank as a suitable replacement for Antonio Conte at Tottenham Hotspur if the Italian leaves in the near future.

Will Antonio Conte leave Spurs?

After defeat in the Champions League this week, Spurs are set to end yet another season without lifting a major trophy.

Seeing as Conte was brought in as a proven winner to try to help the club end what is now a 15-year wait for silverware, it’s safe to say things have not gone to plan.

Consequently, there is already talk that Tottenham could begin the hunt for a new manager very soon, with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel being referenced recently by The Guardian.

While speaking about this on TalkSport, Bent suggested that Brentford boss Frank could possibly be a risk worth taking for the Lilywhites.

He said: “I like Thomas Frank. Maybe a slight risk because it’s a step up from Brentford, but he’s got all the credentials.

“And when I say credentials, look what he’s doing with this Brentford side in the Premier League.”

Why would Spurs hire Frank over Pochettino?

Seeing as Frank has been a Premier League manager for less than two seasons, his relative experience at the top level would understandably make him a bit of a risk.

Still, he’s done brilliantly with Brentford to get them promoted and then lead them to a 13th-placed finish as well as having them push for European football this season as they are currently ninth in the league

What’s more, they are currently on a run of 12 league matches without defeat – the longest in the division, despite taking on Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and even Tottenham during their past 10 outings

With that in mind, it’s clear to see how he could have the quality to go and impress at a club like Spurs, who could offer more financial backing than the Bees. What’s more, he would also likely cost less in wages than Pochettino or Tuchel due to his lack of big-club experience.

It will no doubt be interesting to see if Frank is considered when Conte does depart.

Having barely enjoyed the FA Cup trophy at the end of the 17/18 campaign, established and esteemed Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois shocked the Stamford Bridge faithful by forcing a move through to Spanish giants Real Madrid, leaving an alarming chasm between the sticks.

Irrevocably severing his tether to Chelsea and the endearment of the fanbase, signing for Los Blancos for £35m after seven years on the Blues’ books, the Belgian ace’s acrimonious departure warranted a first-rate replacement, and the club’s hierarchy swiftly scoured the market for the optimum acquisition.

Before the commencement of the 18/19 Premier League campaign, the west London outfit would announce the world-record goalkeeper signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined from La Liga outfit Athletic Bilbao for £72m.

It all could have been so different; Sky in Italy reported that Liverpool had been pursuing a deal for Roma goalkeeper Alisson, but had been priced out of a move, paving the way for the affluent Chelsea to swoop in and secure the Brazilian titan for a reported £62m.

Liverpool would return, to the surprise of observers, and complete the £67m signing of Alisson, spelling an end to Chelsea’s interest, breaking the world-record fee for a shot-stopper before the Blues would indeed break it for the Spanish Kepa just one month later.

Did Chelsea blunder on Alisson?

It’s fair to say that the respective colossus’ have had contrasting fortunes since their arrivals in England, with Alisson cementing his stature as one of Europe’s finest of his position, while Kepa has endured a tumultuous journey; not without its success, but not without its considerable hardships.

The polarity in fortunes for the gems is perhaps best encapsulated by CIES Football Observatory’s respective current values: Alisson still boasts a value of £71m that holds with the fee Liverpool paid, but the 11-cap Spaniard now yields a price to his name of just £13m, which is startling in its entirety.

Had the Blues completed the signing of Alisson, who cost less than Kepa, they could have instated an unwavering and iron-clad figure to dominate from the defensive third, providing steely resistance and instilling leadership across the pitch.

Having made 216 appearances, keeping an impressive 98 clean sheets, the 30-year-old South American has been instrumental in the craft of Liverpool’s current outfit, and despite the current seasonal woes, has basked in the glory of clinching the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Club World Cup during his stay, now nearly five years on Merseyside.

The 61-cap star has also won the 18/19 Copa America with Brazil during this period, and his elite, winning mentality, would have paid dividends for the Stamford Bridge-based side.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Matt Kim, Alisson has proved time and time again that he is a world-class star, evidenced by his stellar performances despite Liverpool’s loss of potency and fluidity this season.

And had Alisson, dubbed “the best in the world” by Reds team-mate Andy Robertson, donned Chelsea blue in 2018, the footballing script that has dictated the past several years could very well have been rewritten.

Instead of the underperforming and devalued Kepa, the Blues could have had one of the ‘best’ shot-stoppers on the globe, which is why they fumbled badly with the Brazilian in 2018.

Liverpool are once again being linked to esteemed Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, amid uncertainty surrounding the world-class forward’s long-term future in the French capital…

What’s the latest on Liverpool’s pursuit of Kylian Mbappe?

According to Football Insider, Reds owners FSG have ‘active interest’ in the forward and are ‘continuing to monitor’ his situation at PSG, following revelations from Mbappe himself last year that he discussed a prospective move with the powers that be at Anfield before committing his future to his outfit.

Mbappe said: “We talked a little bit, but not too much. I talked to Liverpool because it’s the favourite club of my mum, my mum loves Liverpool. I don’t know why, you will have to ask her.

“It’s a good club and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco I met them. It’s a big club. Of course, it was between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the end.”

While a deal would likely be extortionate, such is his estimated valuation of £158m, Mbappe is one of the world’s leading strikers, and Jurgen Klopp must throw the kitchen sink at a deal.

Indeed, he could be one of the Premier League’s most devastating outlets in history if he were indeed to switch allegiances.

What would Mbappe’s signing mean for Liverpool?

Mbappe is a talent of the very first-rate, matched by few on the world scene, if any.

He burst onto the global stage with AS Monaco before his 18th birthday and played a major part in monumentally beating PSG to the Ligue 1 throne in 2016/17, before switching to the established powerhouse in France that summer.

Praised as an “alien” by Poland international Piotr Zielinski, the 24-year-old World Cup winner has plundered an incredible 198 goals and 94 assists from 245 appearances for PSG, also clinching 36 strikes from 66 showings for France.

If Liverpool were successful in their ambitious pursuit, the void left by Sadio Mane’s departure could finally be filled, with the dynamic forward departing for Bayern Munich in a £35m move last summer after an illustrious career with the Reds.

Having scored 120 goals and provided 48 assists from 269 outings for Liverpool, the Senegalese gem was integral in one of the club’s most prosperous spells in many years, notably winning the Champions League and Premier League among other major honours.

And with Mbappe ranking among the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for rate of goals and the top 2% for rate of assists, as per FBref, he certainly appears to be a player that would not only emulate Mane’s success but take the outfit to a level scarcely seen in the Premier League, also listed as a comparable player to the Munich monster by the statistical site.

Athletes of his ilk come around only once in a blue moon, and given the hundred-hued vibrancy of his skill set, he could indeed be a “work of art” – as dubbed by Fox Sport’s Rodolfo Landeros – under Klopp’s tutelage, forging a prosperous and shining future for one of football’s most prestigious outfits.

Is a deal attainable? On the surface, it might appear not.

But given Liverpool’s stature, the long-term interest in the sensation and Mbappe’s contractual uncertainty with PSG, a move could materialise if the cogs fall sweetly into place.

And if they do, Liverpool’s trepidation over the forthcoming years of football would dissipate like a cloud of smoke, and prosperity would rain down on Merseyside in abundance once again.

While Manchester United’s recent Carabao Cup triumph has indicated that new boss Erik ten Hag is primarily concerned with leading the club to success in the short-term, the Dutchman has also showcased his desire to look to the future in his Old Trafford tenure to date, having already put his faith in the club’s promising youth products.

The most obvious breakout star so far this season has been that of Alejandro Garnacho – with the 18-year-old having provided eight goal involvements in 28 games in all competitions – although the Argentine is not alone in having forced his way into the first-team picture, as fellow teenager Kobbie Mainoo has also been handed a chance to shine of late.

While the 17-year-old has only made three senior outings thus far, those brief cameos are a marker of just how highly thought of he is by those at the club, with it undoubtedly rare to see a player of his age making a mark for an elite club.

Even despite the Englishman not earning a place in the matchday squad for Sunday’s win at Wembley, the youngster still appeared to be on the mind of Ten Hag, with the former Ajax boss seeking out his emerging star for a chat amid the ongoing celebrations.

Although it is not clear with the 53-year-old said to the promising midfielder, it perhaps represents he is seen as a figure who could go on to be a key part of the club’s success in the years to come, with the Red Devils’ conveyor belt of young talent continuing to prove fruitful.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke – speaking to Football FanCast – certainly believes that Mainoo’s emergence is a real positive for the Premier League side, having stated:

“So yeah, it’s obviously impressive for Manchester United, the players that are coming through the academy like Garnacho and Mainoo.

“So it can only be good for the club who’ve had a long history of producing their own players that these players are coming along and you know, making inroads into the first team.”

Could Kobbie Mainoo be Man Utd’s own Jude Bellingham?

The aim now will be for the teenage sensation to solidify a regular role in the side moving forward, with Mainoo likely hoping that he proves to be the long-term solution in the centre of the park, with the likes of Christian Eriksen, Fred and Casemiro all in and around their thirties.

The recent suggestion has been that the club are keen on landing another exciting English talent in the form of Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham – after previously missing out on the 19-year-old’s signature in 2020 – albeit with rivals Liverpool also firmly in the mix for the player’s signature.

Even if United are to fend off the Merseysiders in the pursuit of the former Birmingham City gem, any deal is likely to cost as much as €150m (£131m), hence the potential desire to avoid splashing the cash by turning to Mainoo instead.

Like Bellingham – who can operate as both a defensive-minded midfield asset or in a more creative berth – the England U18 international also has the capability and versatility to feature all across the midfield, with youth coach Travis Binnion having stated earlier this year:

“In recent weeks, we’ve seen him play as a 6, 8 and 10, and that shows the making of a really good football brain and an athletic capability to play throughout the pitch and play in different roles and systems. He’s progressing nicely.

“His strengths are close control, good awareness, body contact. He’s really good in both boxes, he’s combative. He’s got a nice blend of many skills. He’s been training with the first team and doing well. He’s been really consistent.

“With young players, they’re up, they’re down, and sometimes they get carried away with themselves. Then they get a reality check and struggle to deal with it. The thing with Kobbie is that he comes into the club every day, he applies himself really well. He’s never too high, never too low. He’s got quite an old head on his shoulders.”

As Binnion noted in that final line, Mainoo’s maturity has been central to his impressive rise up the age groups of late, with the FA Youth Cup winner seemingly sharing such a trait with the aforementioned Bellingham, as the Dortmund star has already emerged as a “leader” in Germany, according to teammate Mats Hummels.

That mentality should ensure that the Stockport-born ace is able to replicate his compatriot in thriving at the top level at such a young age, with Bellingham having already scored 20 goals and provided 24 assists in 120 games for the Bundesliga side to date, despite still being in his teens.

The latter man’s example should show Ten Hag that taking the risk on a youngster can well prove worth it, with Mainoo potentially able to replicate the Three Lions machine by becoming a leading figure despite his relative youth.

The summer transfer window officially opens next week and Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst will likely be in the market to improve his squad.

He won one trophy in his debut campaign in charge of the Light Blues, lifting the Scottish Cup, and he will now be hoping to go all the way in the Premiership and in Europe in 2022/23.

In order to do so, he may feel that he needs to add to his team by working with Ross Wilson to bring fresh faces to Ibrox in the coming months.

One player for whom they have been linked with a swoop is Wales international winger Rabbi Matondo, as Guardian journalist Will Unwin revealed last month that the Gers are one of the clubs who are keen on snapping him up from FC Schalke.

He tweeted: “Rabbi Matondo has turned down a number of offers in Belgium and is most likely to return to England, I am told. Vincent Kompany was interested in him at Anderlecht prior to his departure.”

Unwin added: “He came very close to agreeing terms with Anderlecht before Kompany’s exit. Rangers and Celtic are both very interested in Matondo.”

Ryan Kent 2.0

The Welsh gem, who has been on loan at Cercle Brugge, can be Van Bronckhorst’s Ryan Kent 2.0, as he is a quick, direct winger who can score and create goals.

His former national team manager Ryan Giggs once heaped praise on the 21-year-old’s speed, saying: “Just like Dan James he has electrifying pace. And that always keeps you interested.”

Born in Liverpool – 37 miles from Kent’s birthplace Oldham – Matondo came up through the youth ranks at Manchester City before moving to Schalke 04 in Germany.

He struggled to break through in Gelsenkirchen before being loaned out to Cercle Brugge for the 2021/22 campaign, and this allowed him to make great strides in his development.

The Belgian club reportedly have an option to sign him permanently for €3.5m (£3m), although it remains to be seen whether or not they will take it up after an impressive year in the Pro League, where his 6.84 Sofascore rating made him the squad’s sixth-best performer.

The statistics in the above image show that the Welsh magician enjoyed a strong season out on loan as he made a big impact in the final third in the Pro League.

He also registered an assist against Poland in the UEFA Nations League this week as he showed that he can produce on the international stage, as well as at club level.

Meanwhile, Kent registered two goals and eight assists in the Premiership for Rangers this term, following on from 10 goals and nine assists in the campaign prior. He has proven himself in the Scottish top flight and shown that he can regularly contribute at the top end of the pitch, just like Matondo has for Cercle Brugge.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst can find his new English-born wing wizard by striking a deal with Schalke to bring the Wales international to Glasgow this summer.

AND in other news, Big blow: Behind-the-scenes Rangers development emerges that’ll frustrate GvB…

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Lewis O’Brien to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that Jesse Marsch will make a move for the Huddersfield Town central midfielder this summer, with the 23-year-old said to have a £10m release clause written into his contract with the Championship side.

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The report goes on to state that, should the Terriers have secured promotion to the Premier League in Sunday’s play-off final, the Whites could have once again missed out on the player they attempted to sign 12 months ago, however, with Nottingham Forest defeating Carlos Corberan’s side at Wembley, the door is now open for Marsch to move for O’Brien.

Rice 2.0

Considering just how impressive O’Brien was for Huddersfield this season, it is unsurprising to learn of Marsch’s interest in a move for the box-to-box midfielder.

Indeed, over his 43 Championship appearances this term – excluding his three play-off fixtures – the £3.15m-rated talent was imperious in the middle of the park, scoring three goals, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots, making 1.0 key passes and completing 2.0 dribbles per game.

The £5k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, enjoying 56.7 touches of the ball, in addition to making an average of 0.8 interceptions, 2.2 tackles, 29.5 passes and winning 7.5 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per fixture.

These returns saw the Huddersfield academy graduate showered with a considerable amount of praise, with Jonathan Hogg stating of the 23-year-old earlier this season:

“I think it’s only a matter of time before he plays in the Premier League. He has a lot of great attributes, his energy and intensity is sensational, up there with the best I’ve seen in my career. He certainly drives the team with his energy and forward runs, it helps the team massively… it’s only a matter of time before he does play at the top level.”

Furthermore, Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff backed up Hogg’s claim that O’Brien is ready for a Premier League move, with the former Crystal Palace, Reading and Watford forward stating of the youngster:

“He’s probably not a household name but he’s a midfielder who, for me, has been a massive part of that Huddersfield team. He’s only 23 years of age but he’s had four real good, solid seasons now at this level and he’s really, really developing. He’s led the team at times, captaining in the absence of Jonathan Hogg.

“He can play central midfield, he’s got a bit of everything; he’s a good tackler, carries the ball ever so well and you can see him popping up with a few goals this season. He literally is a midfielder who’s got every part of his game and I certainly feel there’d be some Premier League clubs knocking if Huddersfield don’t get through the play-offs.”

Indeed, O’Brien’s metrics this season, coupled with Hogg and McAnuff’s descriptions of the 23-year-old, would very much appear to draw comparisons between the Town starlet and West Ham United’s Declan Rice – the driving midfielder who scored one goal, registered four assists, made 2.2 tackles, completed 1.4 dribbles and won 5.1 duels per game over his 36 Premier League appearances this term.

As such, should Victor Orta manage to get a deal over the line for Hogg this summer, the Spanish sporting director could well have unearthed the next Rice at Leeds – something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for both Marsch and supporters of the Whites alike.

AND in other news: Huge transfer twist emerges that will have Leeds United supporters buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur could swoop for Torino centre-back Gleison Bremer, according to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Antonio Conte is intent on strengthening his defence ahead of his first full season in charge at Tottenham. The Italian is particularly keen to recruit a left-sided centre-half for his back three, and while Bremer is right-footed, The Athletic reported that he’s still under ‘serious consideration’.

Torino offered Bremer a route into European football, signing him from Atletico Mineiro for £5.2m in 2018.

The 25-year-old, who has since made 110 appearances for the Serie A club, signed a new contract as recently as February. Howeverm it only runs until the summer of 2024, and his manager Ivan Juric has already confirmed that the defender will be leaving the Turin outfit this summer.

The latest

According to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), Tottenham ‘have strongly entered the race’ to sign Bremer, along with newly-crowned Serie A champions AC Milan.

The report advises readers to ‘watch out’ for a ‘serious assault’ from Conte and Spurs’ managing director of football Fabio Paratici.

The north Londoners are ‘ready to invest’ as much as €50m (£42.6m) to get this prospective deal done.

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The verdict

Spurs do have other options in mind. According to Jack Pitt-Brooke and Charlie Eccleshare, Conte is a big admirer of both Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol.

However, they claimed that the Italian will cost around £50m, and the Croatian even more, so Bremer could be the cheapest candidate.

The Brazilian is an ‘incredibly aggressive’ defender, even ‘more so than [Cristian] Romero’, in the words of European football expert Alex Barker. He clearly defends on the front foot, ranking in the 98th percentile among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for pressures per 90 minutes.

On top of that, he records exceptionally high volumes of interceptions (98th perecentile), blocks (99th), clearances (96th) and successful aerial duels (99th), as per FBRef. He is also someone who backs himself to carry the ball, slotting into the 79th percentile for dribbles completed.

Bremer won the Serie A Defender of the Year award even though Torino finished 10th, and that’s a glowing reflection of his talents.

Indeed, journalist Maxi Angelo has billed him a ‘monster’, perhaps a fitting summary of how huge a presence the 25-year-old could be in Conte’s defence if he comes to north London.

In other news, a journalist has shared a transfer update on Ronnie Edwards.

Sadio Mane would be ‘crazy’ to trade Liverpool for any other club in Europe in the summer transfer window, according to former England international Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Mane’s future up in the air

The 30-year-old has continued to be one of the Reds’ most important players this season, scoring 15 goals in 31 starts in the Premier League and 22 in all competitions.

However, Mane has recently been linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga giants potentially looking to sign a replacement for Robert Lewandowski.

The Senegal star’s current Liverpool contract expires in 2023 and there is currently no sign of a new deal being agreed.

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The Latest: Robinson discusses ‘crazy’ situation

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson admitted that Mane would be ill-advised to move elsewhere at the end of the season, given how well both he and Liverpool are performing.

The Sky Sports pundit warned:

“It’d be crazy to leave now. I see now value in leaving Liverpool now. He is playing the best football of his career in a team that is challenging for every major honour. He is playing in one of if not the best team in Europe right now.

“Would you want to go and play for Bayern Munich or PSG? Yes, you will win the league and the domestic trophy and challenge in the Champions League but you’d rather be doing that in the Premier League.

“The best managers and the best players are here. Liverpool are one of the best teams in the world in the best league in the world. It would be a winding down move if he went to Bayern Munich or PSG. I don’t see the value in it.”

The Verdict: Surely he stays?

While the idea of a fresh challenge may possibly be appealing to Mane at his age, he must surely see extending his stay at Liverpool as the best option this summer. Is there really a better team to be playing for in the world right now?

He remains a vital player for arguably Europe’s best team, one which could win the Champions League next Saturday. That should continue to be the case for several years to come and he is still adored by his manager, with Jurgen Klopp recently hailing the 30-year-old as a “world-class” player with “brutal” physicality.

It could simply be the case that Mane’s future is sorted once the season reaches its end, in order to not be a distraction during this pivotal week for the club after such an epic run-in to the campaign.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a midfielder. Find out who it is here.