Liverpool are believed to be ahead of the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid in the race to sign a £50m-rated international ace this summer, according to a new report.

Latest Liverpool news

The Reds reached the EFL Cup final on Thursday evening, following an emphatic 4-0 victory at home to Tottenham at Anfield, as their incredible first season under Arne Slot continues. Goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk saw Liverpool book a place in next month’s final against Newcastle United at Wembley, in what promises to be a thrilling game.

In terms of transfers, it ended up being a quiet January window at Anfield, with no new signings made and the only business of note seeing youngsters such as Jayden Danns and Kaide Gordon sealing loan moves to Sunderland and Portsmouth, respectively.

Once the summer arrives, however, supporters will rightly be demanding to see a host of new additions come in, allowing Slot to further strengthen his squad, and Liverpool have now been linked with an exciting player with a big future in the game.

Liverpool in talks to sign £50m player

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are in talks to sign £50m-rated Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson this summer, with discussions underway with his representatives. Along with Arsenal and Manchester United, the Reds’ talks are said to be the “most advanced”, putting the trio ahead of City and Madrid in the race to snap him up.

At just 20 years of age, Larsson is a young player with so much potential, already proving to be an important figure in the middle of the park for club and country.

This season, he has made 15 starts in the Bundesliga for Frankfurt, scoring twice in the process, and he also has eight caps for his name for Sweden at international level. Meanwhile, Ben Mattinson has compared him to Jude Bellingham.

“When giving the eye test on Larsson he’s very similar to Bellingham stylistically and was initially my pick to replace Jude at Dortmund but he suits Frankfurt very well and they’re building a top team. Excited to see how he settles in.”

While Liverpool’s midfield is already well-stocked, the chance to sign such a talented player should not be passed up, and he could become a fulcrum of the team over time.

Forget Gakpo: Amazing 8/10 Liverpool star just proved Carragher wrong

Liverpool dismantled Tottenham to set up a Carabao Cup final tie against Newcastle United.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Feb 7, 2025

Competition for places is always healthy for the Reds, keeping top-quality figures on their toes moving forward, and given Larsson’s age, he could be viewed as a long-term replacement for others in midfield.

Chelsea chiefs have held “fresh” negotiations over signing a marquee centre-forward this week, following a personal request from manager Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea targeting new forward and midfielder before deadline day

The Premier League top four chasers have suffered a slight dip in form lately, winning just one of their last five top flight matches, and their latest defeat at the hands of Man City was swiftly followed by a behind-closed-doors meeting.

Chelsea in January talks for £40m forward with elite club open to selling

The west Londoners want a new attacker.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 28, 2025

That is according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, via his Substack, who also claimed that Maresca reiterated his desire to bring in a new striker during these internal talks with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.

The tactician also apparently shared how he’s still minus a particular profile of midfielder, which has led to Chelsea’s reliably reported interest in Man United starlet Kobbie Mainoo throughout January, but Maresca is also believed to be keen on players with more experience.

West Ham (home)

February 3rd

Brighton (away)

February 14th

Aston Villa (away)

February 22nd

Southampton (home)

February 25th

Leicester City (home)

March 9th

Chelsea’s decision to activate their recall clause and bring back Trevoh Chalobah solves their centre-back issue, and the Englishman may even act as a possible replacement for Axel Disasi, who is being seriously targeted by Aston Villa amid reports of agreed personal terms.

However, Maresca is still allegedly in the market for both a striker and engine room technician. Interestingly, as per Phillips, Villa’s serious interest in both Disasi and summer signing João Félix could re-open the door for Chelsea to swoop for Jhon Duran.

Chelsea hold fresh talks over signing Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran

It is believed that Chelsea sense an opportunity to reignite a move for the Colombian, and Disasi would be used as a sweetener in any deal, as the Blues attempt to make Villa relax their reported £85 million price tag.

After being given encouragement in the form of Unai Emery targeting Maresca’s outcasts, Phillips writes that Chelsea have held “fresh talks” over signing Duran this week, and they’ve also approached the player’s agents to gauge whether he’d be keen on swapping the Midlands for London.

“Chelsea are sensing a deal for Jhon Duran potentially being back on the cards,” wrote Phillips.

“They have asked about him in recent conversations with Villa for Axel Disasi and Felix. Disasi would be sent on loan as a ‘sweetener’ to any Duran deal, although he could still end up going there anyway because the player has expressed his desire to go out and play this window.

“Villa told Chelsea a high price tag for Duran when they enquired again last week, but fresh talks have happened again this week. Chelsea feel that if Villa were open to offers that came in for Duran last week (from West Ham), then they would be up for a discussion, especially if they want Felix and Disasi. On the player side, I have no idea if he would accept a move to Chelsea, but we have been speaking to his agents again this week to see if it is possible.”

The 21-year-old has bagged 12 goals in 29 appearances throughout 2024/2025, mainly as a very impactful substitute behind Ollie Watkins, and he could be an excellent alternative to Nicolas Jackson.

Liverpool are reportedly seriously considering making a summer move for Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller as the Reds look to improve their midfield.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Liverpool interested in Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller Slot puts Stiller on his list of summer prioritiesStuttgart set to demand close to €60 millionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch have all contributed significantly to Liverpool's midfield, which has been the team's backbone in their resounding Premier League title win. However, the latter part of the season has seen the Reds getting overrun through the middle, with fatigue playing a major part.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

German publication Stuttgarter-Nachrichten has now revealed that Liverpool are planning to go hard in for a move for Stiller this summer, as they have been interested in the Stuttgart star. Additionally, Fichajes has claimed that Stiller's 'tactical maturity and his ability to organise the game from the base [of midfield]' has impressed Arne Slot, who has placed him on the list of priorities.

DID YOU KNOW?

As per Stuttgarter-Nachrichten, Stuttgart are set to demand a fee of €60 million ($68m/£51m) for the 24-year-old, with other reports suggesting that Liverpool could be open to paying that fee this summer for Stiller.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR STILLER?

Stuttgart are trying to fight an uphill battle to qualify for the Europa Conference League, and Stiller will likely be working to try and focus on that before he decides on what to do with his future this summer.

da 888casino： Queens Park Rangers are now in “advanced talks” over signing a “talented” Premier League player, having now reached an agreement on personal terms, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

Rs keen to strengthen in midfield

da poker： With Tottenham Hotspur’s Yang Min-Hyeok completing a loan move until the end of the season yesterday, QPR may feel they have suitable strength in depth in wide areas, given how highly the South Korean is rated by CEO Christian Nourry.

After completing the deal to sign the young winger, Nourry said: “I am pleased to welcome Min-Hyeok to QPR and to provide him with the opportunity to experience English football for the first time.

“Min-Hyeok had been identified by some of the most elite clubs prior to his arrival at Tottenham as a world-leading attacking prospect.”

Related QPR now chasing "brilliant" forward who's scored two Champions League goals

Marti Cifuentes is keen to strengthen his attack before the January transfer window closes.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jan 22, 2025

Now, the Rs may turn their attentions to strengthening in other areas, and they have been pursuing new options in the middle of the park, having recently been linked with a move for Hull City’s Xavier Simons.

Simons is a more defensive option, but Cifuentes is also keen on bringing in a more advanced player, having recently identified a versatile option.

Last week, the Hoops made contact over a deal to sign Chelsea attacking midfielder Harvey Vale, who is capable of playing in multiple positions, but has been unable to force his way into first-team contention at Stamford Bridge since returning from a loan spell with Bristol Rovers.

There has since been a promising new update on the Rs’ pursuit of Vale, with reporter Ben Jacobs taking to X to confirm they have made an offer to sign the midfielder, and he has agreed personal terms on a move to Loftus Road.

QPR are now in “advanced talks” with Chelsea to discuss the complexities of a deal, currently discussing bonus payments and a potential sell-on clause.

BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella has also corroborated the rumours, stating the west Londoners are leading the race for the startlet, despite interest from other unnamed Championship clubs.

Vale could thrive in the Championship

The 21-year-old has been limited to reserve football this season, but he was a key player for Bristol Rovers in League One last term, making 39 appearances in League One, registering two goals and five assists.

Cifuentes’ side still have an outside chance of making a play-off push, given that they are six points off the top six, and Vale’s performances for the Gas indicate he could make an instant impact at Loftus Road.

Having proven himself in the third tier, the “talented” youngster could now be ready to make the step-up to the Championship, so it is promising that QPR are now close to securing a deal.

Also, who has the most international hat-tricks? And is Misbah the oldest Test captain ever?

Steven Lynch11-Apr-2017Has anyone hit his first ball in Test cricket for six? And how about his last ball? asked Julian Metcalfe from England
The only player so far to hit the first ball he received in Test cricket for six was the New Zealand offspinner Mark Craig, who cracked Sulieman Benn of West Indies over the long-off boundary in Kingston in June 2014. In the field that day, probably nodding approvingly, was Chris Gayle, who remains the only man to hit the very first ball of a Test match for six – from the debutant Sohag Gazi of Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2012. The only man known to have hit his last ball in Test cricket for six was another West Indian, Wayne Daniel, against Australia in Port-of-Spain in 1984.Lasith Malinga took a T20 hat-trick the other day, to go with three in ODIs. Does he hold the record for international hat-tricks? asked Mahinda Villarayan from Sri Lanka
Lasith Malinga’s hat-trick against Bangladesh in Colombo last week was only the fifth in T20 internationals so far. Malinga has also taken three hat-tricks in one-day internationals – against South Africa in Providence during the 2007 World Cup (when he uniquely claimed four wickets in four balls), against Kenya in Colombo during the 2011 World Cup, and against Australia in Colombo later in 2011. The only other man to take four international hat-tricks is Wasim Akram – two in Tests (in successive matches against Sri Lanka in 1998-99), and two in ODIs (both in Sharjah in 1989-90).I noticed that India’s openers Gavaskar and Srikkanth were both out for ducks against England in 1981-82. How often has this happened in ODIs? asked Harshad Patel from India
That match in Ahmedabad in 1981 was actually the first case of both openers being out for a duck in a one-day international innings. It happened again to Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth not long afterwards, against Zimbabwe in Tunbridge Wells during the 1983 World Cup, in the match in which Kapil Dev’s stunning 175 not out rescued his side from 17 for 5. There have been a total of 38 such instances now, the most recent by Peter Moor and Chamu Chibhabha for Zimbabwe against Afghanistan in Sharjah in 2015-16.Hats off: Misbah-ul-Haq is poised to become the fifth-oldest Test captain of all time•AFPI was sorry to see that Misbah-ul-Haq is going to retire. Will he be the oldest Test captain of all? asked Khalid Iftikhar Ahmed from Pakistan
Assuming Misbah-ul-Haq leads Pakistan in the Tests in West Indies as planned, he will become – at almost 43 years of age – the fifth-oldest Test captain of all time, and the oldest for nearly 70 years. The top three are all English: WG Grace was 50 in 1899, Gubby Allen 45 in 1947-48, and Wally Hammond 43 in 1946-47, while Warren Bardsley was also 43 when he stood in as Australia’s captain in some of the Tests in England in 1926. Misbah also has the chance to move up from sixth to fourth on the list of oldest Test century-makers. He’s already the oldest captain to make a hundred, doing so against England at Lord’s last year.Has anyone umpired Tests in all ten possible countries, plus the UAE? asked James Armstrong from England
I think there are four men who fit the bill here. Steve Bucknor’s record 128 Tests included appearances in all ten Test-playing countries, plus two matches in Sharjah, while Billy Bowden (84 Tests), Asoka de Silva (49) and Daryl Harper (95) all stood in the ten traditional countries and the UAE as well. Note that for these purposes I’m considering the West Indies as one country: if you count the Caribbean nations separately, then Bowden stood in Tests in 17 different countries.Which Test player was nicknamed “Mystery”? asked Brian Hanagan from Australia
I think there may have been more than one player who acquired this nickname, but the one I first thought of was the former New Zealand batsman John Morrison, who later became a TV commentator. He played 17 Tests between 1973-74 and 1981-82, his 656 runs including 117 against Australia at the SCG in his second match, in 1973-74. Morrison had a mysterious grey streak in his hair when he was playing, but the nickname owed more to his slow left-arm bowling, which looked innocuous from the boundary but which nonetheless claimed a few victims – only two in Tests, but 51 in all first-class games. “There was also a bit of a mystery as to my whereabouts after play was over,” admitted Morrison with a smile.Post your questions in the comments below

Chelsea’s dire need for a new first-choice goalkeeper became even more apparent at the weekend when Robert Sanchez made yet another howler against Manchester City.

In an attempt to collect a long pass to Erling Haaland from City ‘keeper Ederson, the Spaniard found himself in no man’s land, allowing Haaland to turn and lob the ball over him into an empty net.

The error was his fifth leading directly to a goal this season – the joint-highest total in the Premier League.

Speaking after the City game, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insisted that despite Sanchez’s propensity for errors, he trusts the 27-year-old between the sticks.

“We trust Robert for sure,” Maresca said. “He is completely aware he is making mistakes in this moment. We trust Robert. We have one entire week and we will see the reaction for the next game.

“Robert, for sure, is completely aware he has to do better,” he added. “He knows perfectly. In this moment it is like this. The good thing is he is the first one knowing, aware that he has to do better.”

£65m comeback, Sanchez successor: 7 players Chelsea should sign this month

The Blues need reinforcements…

ByBarney Lane Jan 10, 2025

Interestingly, before the game, Maresca said that while he does trust Sanchez, he may not need to for too much longer.

Asked whether Sanchez can be Chelsea’s No 1 for many years to come, Maresca said: “For this season? No doubt. But then in the future, we don’t know. It is not only about Robert. It is not even about me, you know? I’m focused on this moment, this season.”

So come the end of the season, who could Chelsea bring in to replace Sanchez? Here, we’ve outlined seven possible replacements for the Spaniard.

1 Gregor Kobel Borussia Dortmund

Gregor Kobel has been one of German football’s standout goalkeepers since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2021, keeping 46 clean sheets in 142 games for BVB, including 7 in 27 Bundesliga matches last season.

Though he’s struggled a little more this term, it seems to be more a reflection of Dortmund’s poor form as a team – leading to the sacking of Nuri Sahin – than his individual performances.

Kobel’s impressive stats and lack of errors last season make him an ideal candidate for Chelsea. His experience in European competitions would also be a significant asset.

2 Djordje Petrovic Strasbourg (on loan from Chelsea)

Djordje Petrovic was Chelsea’s first-choice ‘keeper for much of last season under Mauricio Pochettino, but was deemed surplus to requirements when Maresca took over in the summer.

Now on loan with sister club Strasbourg, it would be easy for Chelsea to bring him back into the fold if they so desire, and it would certainly be a quick fix to a problem position.

The 25-year-old has impressed in Ligue 1 and was recently described as “world-class” by Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior.

“We have seen huge progress from Petro,” Rosenior said of the Serb. “He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day and it is still paying off today.”

3 Diogo Costa Porto

Diogo Costa has been one of the steadiest hands in Europe over the past few years, keeping 77 clean sheets in 181 games for Porto, including 11 in 19 league games this season.

However, it was his remarkable performance at last summer’s European Championship that truly captured global attention. In Portugal’s last-16 clash against Slovenia, Costa made history by saving all three of the opposition’s penalties in the shootout – a feat never before accomplished in the tournament’s 66-year history.

Following that heroic display, Chelsea reportedly approached Costa during the summer transfer window, but the 25-year-old ultimately stayed at Porto. In late 2024, CaughtOffside reported that the Blues remained interested in Costa, but that Porto are expected to demand a hefty £59 million fee for their star goalkeeper.

Chelsea's most expensive sales of all time

A look at the record departures from Stamford Bridge.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 8, 2025 4 Mads Hermansen Leicester City

According to reports, Maresca wanted to sign Leicester City shot-stopper Mads Hermansen in the summer, but instead ended up signing Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal.

Hermansen was the Italian’s first-choice ‘keeper during his promotion-winning season at the King Power Stadium, keeping 13 clean sheets in 44 games.

Maresca is understood to be an admirer of the Dane’s ability to play out from the back, which is something Sanchez has struggled to do this term.

TeamTALK reported in November that Leicester would want £35m for their current No 1.

5 Kepa Arrizabalaga Bournemouth (on loan from Chelsea)

Kepa Arrizabalaga remains on Chelsea’s books, but the world’s most expensive goalkeeper is currently on loan at Bournemouth, where he’s played a key role for Andoni Iraola’s side this term.

The Spaniard has started 16 of the Cherries’ 23 Premier League games this season, keeping five clean sheets and saving 76.3% of the shots he’s faced (as per FBref) – which is the second-best record in the division, ironically level with Sanchez.

Though a return to Stamford Bridge for Kepa (which he supposedly wants) would make sense on paper, his record in west London makes for poor reading.

In his second season with Chelsea in 2019/20, the former Athletic Bilbao star recorded the worst save percentage of any goalkeeper in the Premier League, stopping just 54.5% of the shots he faced.

If Chelsea can get the Bournemouth version of Kepa back, great. If they get their old version back, less so.

Todd Boehly's worst transfers at Chelsea… so far

There are plenty to choose from, but who has been Boehly’s biggest mistake at Stamford Bridge?

2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024 6 Filip Jorgensen Chelsea

Signed by Chelsea from Villarreal in the summer, Filip Jorgensen has yet to make a significant impact in the Premier League, but has shown promise in cup competitions, keeping five clean sheets in 11 games.

He also boasts a mightily impressive save percentage, having stopped 80% of the shots he’s faced in the Premier League, while he’s saved 83.9% in the Conference League, as per FBref.

At just 22 years old, Jorgensen could offer a long-term solution for Chelsea in goal, and clearly has the potential to grow into a top-tier goalkeeper.

However, to do that, Maresca needs to give him more of a chance in the league rather than stick with Sanchez despite his continuous errors. Doing so will no doubt be frustrating the youngster and potentially putting a dent in his confidence.

7 Caoimhin Kelleher Liverpool

Earlier this year, Liverpool’s Caiomhin Kelleher expressed his desire to leave Anfield, stating he wants to “go and be a number one and play week in, week out”.

Though he’s impressed when called upon, the 26-year-old has never been able to displace Alisson as Liverpool’s regular No 1. In August, the Reds also completed the £30 million signing of Valencia ‘keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will move to Merseyside next year.

Kelleher has kept seven clean sheets in 14 games for Liverpool this season and looks at home at a top Premier League side.

If the Knight Riders don’t pick themselves in their final match, their entire season stands in danger of malfunctioning for the second year in a row

Nagraj Gollapudi in Kanpur19-May-2016It is a weird thing. A team like Royal Challengers Bangalore, by playing fearless cricket, has now found itself within one victory of making the playoffs from a previously hopeless position. In contrast, a team like Kolkata Knight Riders who won four out of their first five matches this season has managed just three wins in their following eight matches. Instead of being in an impregnable position, the two-time champions stand on the precipice of exiting ahead of the knockout stage with just one match remaining.Sometimes what you fear materialises if you keep thinking about it. Despite being a strong position leading into the business leg of the tournament, the Knight Riders leadership group comprising captain Gautam Gambhir and coach Jacques Kallis have kept on saying that they could never forget the lesson learned from last season when they were in a similar position after a strong first half and failed to make the playoffs. Yet, the Knight Riders have failed to seal a knockout berth.The reasons are aplenty: fielding lapses, poor running between the wickets, middle-order failures and generally an absence of fearless cricket. In Kanpur that sequence of mistakes continued. Gambhir wanted a single on the very first ball of the match which Robin Uthappa had pushed in to the hands of the short cover fielder. Gambhir was nearly halfway down the pitch and had to scamper back to safety to avoid being run out. He had already been run out thrice this IPL but it seemed he had still not worked out a solution.At the start of the fourth over, Uthappa flicked Dhawal Kulkarni to short midwicket powerfully and set off for a run. Gambhir responded positively. But both openers were left stunned midway down the pitch, watching Shadab Jakati come up with a sprawling dive to his left and in one swift motion hit the stumps. Instead of focusing on completing the run, Gambhir dithered for a fraction of a second and was left shaking his head in dejection while walking back.Uthappa had voiced his desire to bat deep and today was another chance to do so. Yet when the opportunity presented itself, he floundered badly. Praveen Kumar had earlier tried the plan to confront Uthappa with outswing by placing a couple of slips. But Praveen altered his lines too many times to allow Uthappa to settle down quickly.However, Uthappa got carried away against Dwayne Smith’s medium pace and paid the price, chasing an away swinging delivery from the Bajan. Uthappa admonished himself, but it was too late. He had already seen his Karnataka teammate Manish Pandey, too, commit the same error against Smith in the bowler’s first over, yet Uthappa only ended up repeating the mistake.After the top order collapse, the Knight Riders decided to put Piyush Chawla in a pinch-hitter’s role clearly to accelerate. It was a plan fraught with danger considering the only act Chawla performed was swing his bat wildly for a hit-and-miss or be outsmarted by the bowler.With the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Shakib Al Hasan or even Jason Holder in the lower order, would it not have been a better option to send one of them to build a partnership with Yusuf Pathan, which was more important in the first 10 overs? By the time he was bowled, Chawla had chewed 16 deliveries, making just 11 runs with one four.Thursday’s 55 for 4 was the Knight Riders’ lowest score at the end of 10 overs in this IPL. Coincidentally, their previous lowest – 57 – had also come against the Lions when the teams met at Eden Gardens. On Thursday, the Knight Riders batting lacked not just a plan and wised heads, but also the ruthlessness to snatch the control back. A total of 55 dot balls in a Twenty20 totally exposed the Knight Riders batting.In the absence of the injured Andre Russell, someone had to come at the back end of the innings and pack a punch which the Jamaican has done consistently over the last two seasons. But Suryakumar and Shakib did not last long enough to help Yusuf at the other end to raise even a competitive total.Since his match-winning 60 against Rising Pune Supergiants, Suryakumar has managed just 78 runs in six innings. In Pune, Suryakumar had been promoted to play the No. 3 role after Pandey sat out due to chicken pox. Pandey, too, apart from two half-centuries, has failed to cross 15 runs in the rest of his matches. Holder said the batsmen did not do well, especially the top order.”We got to be honest, we haven’t been at our best,” Holder said. “We have been a bit inconsistent for the last few games. It just boils down to us being a little switched on at certain stages of the game so we can build partnerships when we bat and carry on as deep for guys like myself, Yusuf, Russell, if selected, to go on power hitting at the end.”Writing his newspaper column on Thursday, Gambhir described spilling the crucial catch of Virat Kohli in Knight Riders’ last match against the Royal Challengers akin to a “wardrobe malfunction”, referencing the Super Bowl halftime show fiasco involving performers Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake from 2004. If the Knight Riders don’t pick themselves in their final match, their entire season stands in danger of malfunctioning.

Ex-Brentford striker Philipp Hofmann was hospitalised with a collapsed lung and a broken rib after a Bundesliga clash between Bochum and Heidenheim.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Two players hospitalised after Bundesliga matchHofmann suffered 'potentially life-threatening injury'Goalkeeper Kevin Muller sustains concussionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Friday's relegation battle between the two sides saw Hofmann and goalkeeper Kevin Muller both hospitalised after some nasty collisions. Hofmann crashed into Marvin Pieringer and was taken to hospital where it emerged he had suffered a broken rib and a collapsed lung. Bochum admitted the injury was "potentially life-threatening." Muller was also seriously injured and taken to hospital after being stretchered off. The goalkeeper was knocked unconscious after colliding with Ibrahima Sissoko and suffered a concussion.

AdvertisementWHAT BOCHUM SAID

The club offered more detail on Hoffman in a statement: "Philipp Hofmann suffered a serious injury during VfL Bochum 1848's away game in Heidenheim. The VfL striker suffered a broken rib after a collision with his opponent Marvin Pieringer, with the rib piercing the pleura and causing a collapsed lung – a potentially life-threatening injury. Hofmann owes it only to the careful first aid and immediate examinations and actions at the local hospital that nothing more serious happened. A minor operation using chest drainage relieved the injury, restoring lung function. 'Hoffi' will remain in the hospital for observation and treatment until he is fit to be transported. VfL Managing Director Dirk Dufner visited him in the hospital this morning and conveyed the team's best wishes for a speedy recovery, which has since begun its journey home. For Philipp Hofmann, the injury means he will no longer be able to support the team on the pitch this season. We wish our number 33 all the best – 'Hoffi', you are a fighter, you can do it!"

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Hofmann has spent the majority of his career in the Bundesliga but did enjoy two years with Brentford between 2015 and 2017. He joined Bochum on a free transfer in 2022 and has been a regular this season for Dieter Hecking's side. Friday's game ended in a 0-0 draw which leaves Bochum bottom of the table and looking destined for relegation. Heidenheim sit four points above Bochum and currently occupy the relegation playoff spot.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT

Hofmann will not play any further part in Bochum's season and will instead focus on his recovery. It's not clear yet when Muller will be ready to play again after sustaining a concussion and spending the night in hospital.

A key update has emerged regarding Celtic signing an attacking “jewel” in the current transfer window, with Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph sharing the news.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops were reportedly in talks to complete the signing of Sevilla striker Kelechi Iheanacho on Saturday, with the Nigerian keen on a move away from the La Liga side. Brendan Rodgers worked alongside him during their time at Leicester City, and he could help fill the attacking void left by Kyogo Furuhashi.

Celtic are also believed to be eyeing up a last-gasp move for Slovan Bratislava forward David Strelec, with attacking reinforcements seemingly the order of the day at Parkhead. He has scored 10 goals in 11 league starts this season, as well as netting twice in the Champions League.

Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia has been mentioned as a transfer target for the Hoops, too, with Alex Valle moving back to Barcelona earlier this week.

Whether the Red Devils would be willing to sell remains to be seen, especially given Luke Shaw’s injury woes, but it would be a real signing of intent by Celtic, ahead of their Champions League playoff clash with Bayern Munich later this month. Now, another transfer claim has dropped regarding a fellow target.

Update on Celtic's move for attacking "jewel"

Writing on X on Saturday, Joseph reported that Celtic’s talks with Brondby over the signing of Mathias Kvistgaarden have “broken down”, with a move for the £10m-rated attacker seemingly off:

This is a disappointing update for Hoops supporters, considering what a strong addition Kvistgaarden could be, not only in terms of the present, but also the long-term future.

The 22-year-old has found the net 10 times in only 12 starts in the Danish Super Liga this season, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “jewel” of a footballer.

Hopefully, there is still the potential for Celtic to sign Kvistgaarden in the summer, even if he doesn’t move to Parkhead during the current window, but the fact that Joseph points out that other targets are now being looked at suggests that may not happen.

Celtic now in talks to sign former PL star who hit best form under Rodgers

He desperately needs a move…

1 ByTom Cunningham Feb 2, 2025

It’s now a case of frantically signing an alternative before Monday’s deadline, but the Hoops must make sure they don’t panic buy, bringing in the wrong player in the process.

Aston Villa failed to take advantage of Ipswich Town receiving a red card in the first half as Unai Emery’s side had to battle to take a point in the clash at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.

More dropped points won’t help their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next year, as the Midlands outfit currently occupy ninth place in the Premier League table, trailing Manchester City in fourth by six points.

Of course, they can still claw this back, but they will have to make up some ground between now and May to do so. That means as few mistakes and dropped points as possible.

The club enjoyed a solid transfer window and with Emery leading his squad on three fronts, he will have to rotate wisely.

Ollie Watkins proved to be the hero on Saturday, scoring a late equaliser against the Tractor Boys.

Ollie Watkins got Aston Villa out of jail

Watkins’ effort was his 70th Premier League goal scored during his career, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

When Ipswich went down to ten men, it looked as though the home side could take full advantage, yet Liam Delap scored with just over 30 minutes remaining to throw a spanner in the works.

Metric

Highest-Ranked

Accurate passes

Youri Tielemans (88)

Key passes

Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers (4)

Tackles

Omari Hutchinson (5)

Ground duels won

Marcus Rashford (7)

Shots on target

Morgan Rogers (2)

Marcus Rashford’s free-kick smashed back off the crossbar, right into the path of Watkins, who duly converted and this goal secured a 1-1 draw.

While he was the man who rescued a point, it was Youri Tielemans who was arguably the true hero for Emery due to his stunning performance in the heart of the midfield.

Youri Tielemans’ game in numbers vs Ipswich

The Belgian midfielder controlled the game from the heart of the pitch against Ipswich, succeeding with 91% of his passes and taking 114 touches, exerting his control over the game.

Performance in Numbers

Despite this, the club couldn’t secure all three points. Tielemans also made three key passes, succeeded with 75% of his dribbles, won eight of his 11 total duels contested, and made one tackle.

This shows that he contributed to Villa’s play in and out of possession, whilst Watkins just had his goal, and that is why he was even better than the England international.

The former Leicester City star is now one of the key members of Emery’s squad. Journalist John Townley gave the player a match rating of 7/10 for his display on Saturday, stating ‘Ipswich’s red card limited his ability to pick the lock, but he was still the glue in midfield and helped Villa sustain pressure.’

Perhaps if he had faced a full team, Tielemans may have been more productive in the final third, but he was certainly Villa’s finest player on the day.

Villa next play Liverpool at home in midweek, a game in which the Reds will be keen to take all three points to bolster their title aspirations.

If Emery’s side plays how they did against Ipswich, Liverpool will win comfortably, no doubt about that.

Aston Villa now plotting summer swoop for "special" £55m Portuguese prodigy

He’s one to watch…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 15, 2025