Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur are stuck in a cycle of repeated mistakes, time and time again struggling to establish a winning formula on home turf and struggling also to weave Thomas Frank’s tactics into their identity.

Much has been made of Spurs’ attacking problems this season, but defensively, there are imbalances too. The north Londoners’ xGD (Expected Goals Difference) stands at -6.8, marking them 18th in the division for that metric.

Despite adding a range of talented additions to their ranks after winning the Europa League last season, the residual issues that stemmed from a torrid Premier League campaign remain, and Frank has to show that he has what it takes to wipe out the recurring patterns that are threatening an exciting season.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons were welcomed to the ranks, but Frank has yet to pull it all together

The potential Frank replacements ENIC should consider

It has been reported that Frank is not under immediate pressure in the Tottenham hot seat, but after picking just two points up from his past five outings, the Spurs boss will know that results need to improve, especially with the win over Burnley in August standing as a lonely win down N17.

Kudus might be the joint-top assist maker in the division so far, but Tottenham’s creativity is a big concern, and ENIC Group may have the perfect replacement they can fall back on.

Back at the start of the summer, ESPN reported Tottenham had whittled their shortlist down to two candidates, Frank being one, Fulham manager Marco Silva being the other.

The Portuguese tactician is a well-seasoned Premier League manager, having led 221 matches across four different tenures.

Known for establishing stability and a clear tactical vision, the 48-year-old has earned his share of praise, with pundit Jamie Carragher among those to suggest Silva may well be a tailor-made fit for the Lilywhites.

Why Carragher has "always seen" Silva at Spurs

Carragher remarked on The Overlap this week that he has “always seen Silva at Tottenham”, with his blend of pragmatism and shrewd ideas potentially instilling the secure and balanced foundations the club have been lacking in recent years.

Implementing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Silva, whose Cottager side beat Tottenham away from home only last weekend, seeks to strike a balance between possession-based play and counter-attacking football, with both sides of that coin on show against Spurs.

There is an emphasis on overlaps and wide play that could also give rise to Kudus’ qualities. The Ghanaian – who England fans will be threatened by at the 2026 World Cup next year – has made a positive start to life in north London, but there’s a sense that there is more to come from the versatile wideman.

As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for successful take-ons per 90.

Matches (starts)

13 (13)

Goals

2

Assists

5

Touches*

52.4

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.5)

Accurate passes*

20.9 (87%)

Chances created*

1.6

Dribbles*

3.1

Ball recoveries*

5.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.9

Duels won*

6.5

Kudus needs to score more, and he also needs to make more of his inherent creative skills. Silva’s system could help achieve this.

Transfer reporter Dean Jones has even gone as far as to label Silva a “genius”, with his subtle and nuanced approach to the managerial game something Spurs may need to adapt to different situations and rediscover their fluency both in defence and attack.

Whether Tottenham decide to cut their ties with Frank down the line will be a matter of time and perserverance, but should an upswing fail to materialise, Silva could be the shrewd successor to finally take this team to a sustainable level at the top.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

It has been a torrid season so far for Everton, and they find themselves in big trouble as a busy festive period rolls around. The Toffees currently sit in 15th place in the Premier League, with 11 points to their name and one point clear of the relegation zone.

They have won just two games this season, beating relegation rivals Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town. Aside from those victories, it has not been an easy ride for Toffees fans, who have seen their side draw five and lose six in the Premier League.

Unsurprisingly, that has piled the pressure on manager Sean Dyche, and there have been links with candidates to replace the Englishman.

The manager who could replace Dyche at Everton

There is definitely heat on Dyche at the moment, and the Toffees need to start picking up points or he may well be removed from his post. The Merseysiders have been linked with a couple of candidates in recent months.

One of those is former England manager Gareth Southgate. According to a GiveMeSport report from back in September, the 54-year-old has been spoken about “as an ambitious option to potentially succeed Dyche” if they decide to sack him.

There is no doubting Southgate’s ability to create a good atmosphere within the team, something the Toffees could do with. During England’s Euro 2024 campaign, The Guardian journalist Jonathan Wilson suggested he might be “perhaps rather better at the management side of football management than the football”.

The other man linked with the potentially vacant role at Goodison Park recently is Jose Mourinho. The legendary Portuguese boss is currently working at Fenerbahce, but Football Insider said in October that the former Chelsea boss can’t be ruled out if the job becomes available.

It would certainly be a bold choice from the Everton board, and there is no doubt what Mourinho would bring to the table; experience and charisma.

He has had many unforgettable moments in press conferences and on the touchline and has won it all in the game. It would be an ambitious appointment from the Toffees.

However, Mourinho is not the only Portuguese manager linked with the club should they sack Dyche.

Everton could land biggest coup since Ancelotti

The manager in question here is Sergio Conceicao. According to a report from TeamTalk late last month, the former FC Porto boss is the ‘number one target’ of prospective new owners The Friedkin Group to replace Dyche. The Portuguese manager is currently a free agent.

It would also be a bold move, given his success in the hot seat at Porto. He managed over 350 games for the Dragons, winning an impressive 11 trophies.

His final game in charge was the 2023/24 Taca de Portugal final, which his side won 2-1 against Sporting, then managed by current Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.

Stat

Number

Games

368

Wins

265

Draws

48

Losses

55

Goals for

803

Goals against

317

Trophies

11

The 50-year-old is a manager who prefers to use a 4-2-3-1 system, which certainly fits the current Toffees squad nicely. It is the formation that Dyche has tended to favour this season at Goodison Park, and whilst there would need to be tactical tweaks made, there are perhaps not many personnel changes required if they stick to such a system.

One thing that would be refreshing for the Everton supporters is Conceicao’s style of football. Football scout Antonio Mango described Porto’s style of play as “heavy metal”, and it would certainly be a big change for the Toffees, who are used to the more reserved style they currently play.

As per Sofascore, they have the lowest amount of average possession in the entire Premier League currently, with 40.3%.

It certainly feels like this would be the Toffees’ biggest managerial coup since Carlo Ancelotti became head coach. The legendary Italian manager, who is now in his second stint at Real Madrid, made the move to Merseyside in December 2019. He oversaw 67 games during his time at Goodison Park, helping them to a tenth-place finish in 2020/21.

Replacing Dyche with a Mourinho-esque figure like Conceicao would be a bold move from the prospective new Everton owners, almost as big as the appointment of Ancelotti. Not only would they be bringing in a serial winner, but a coach who could completely transform their style of play.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

After the turbulent years under the likes of Rafa Benitez, Frank Lampard and current boss, Dyche, snapping up Conceicao – who is also a reported target for West Ham United – could represent a real statement capture.

3/10 Everton flop was even worse than Branthwaite & Tarkowski at Man Utd

Everton were dealt a sobering Premier League defeat against Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2024

Madeline Penna’s composed knock was the difference as Adelaide Strikers inched past Melbourne Stars in a low-scoring WBBL clash in Perth.Chasing 113 at Lilac Hill, Strikers were 3 for 18 when Deandra Dottin, Katie Mack and Laura Wolvaardt all fell.Penna (56 not out from 50 balls) and Bridget Patterson (31 off 33) put on 44 to stop the rot before Penna kicked on to see Strikers home with five balls to spare.She latched onto one pull shot for a timely six and drove well, bucking the trend on a day dominated by bowlers to embed Strikers in the top four. Incredibly, it was the third time Penna had scored 56, her highest WBBL total.Earlier Annabel Sutherland played a lone hand with the bat for Stars, her 41-ball 47 coming while Megan Schutt and Amanda-Jade Wellington had tormented her team-mates.Sutherland also took 2 for 19 from her four overs, but her solo efforts weren’t enough for Stars

أعلن الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، القائمة النهائية للمدربين المرشحين لجائزة الأفضل في حفل جوائر الأفضل للقارة الإفريقية لعام 2025.

ومن المقرر أن يقيم الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، حفل جوائز الأفضل في إفريقيا لعام 2025، يوم الأربعاء 19 نوفمبر الجاري.

وكان كاف قد أعلن عن اختيار 10 مدربين في القائمة المبدئية للمرشحين لأفضل مدرب في إفريقيا، ومن بينهم مدرب منتخب مصر حسام حسن.

إلا أن كاف، استبعد حسام حسن مدرب منتخب مصر والكرواتي، كرونوسلاف يوريتشيتش، مدرب بيراميدز، من القائمة النهائية لجائزة المدرب الأفضل في عام 2025 للقارة الإفريقية.

وتواجد من المغرب، الثنائي وليد الركراكي، المدير الفني لـ منتخب المغرب الأول، مع محمد وهبي مدرب منتخب المغرب تحت 20 عام الذي توج ببطولة كأس العالم للشباب في تشيلي مؤخرًا. المرشحون لجائزة أفضل مدرب في إفريقيا 2025

بوبستا – مدرب منتخب الرأس الأخضر.

وليد الركراكي – مدرب منتخب المغرب.

محمد وهبي – مدرب منتخب المغرب تحت 20 عامًا.

𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗠𝗲𝗻) – 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀#CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/UL3ftAP3sg

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 16, 2025

Can you hear it, the din from the summer transfer window? Newcastle United’s tumultuous market has been placed in the background, now, and Eddie Howe must be delighted that he can crack on and write another chapter into this wonderful story.

But there’s no denying the events of recent months have taken a toll on the Tyneside outfit, who have started their Premier League campaign with just two points from three games, losing that ridiculous clash against Liverpool and blanking in stalemates against Aston Villa and Leeds United.

Still, United are organised and efficient, and having signed forwards such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa among a host of other signings, there is hope that the disappointing departure of Alexander Isak can be offset and that targets might still be hit.

But it hasn’t all been sunshines and rainbows. Isak is bound to carry his prolific nature over to Anfield, but perhaps more frustrating is the recent success of Elliot Anderson, who was sold to Nottingham Forest over a year ago to ease the strain of PSR regulations.

Why Newcastle sold Elliot Anderson

The way Isak forced his way out of Howe’s Newcastle will sting for many years. Never again will the Sweden striker receive the ball at St. James’ Park without being the recipient of a venomous chorus of boos.

But Anderson was one of the club’s own, homegrown and sold for pure profit to avoid financial ramifications. His success with Nottingham Forest over the past two years has been quite a thing, and his recent performances for the Three Lions have underscored his value.

Newcastle sold the centre-midfielder to the Tricky Trees for around £35m in 2024, but he has since become something more, hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as a “do-it-all midfield warrior” and regarded in the Premier League as one of the driving forces of Nuno Espirito Santo’s success last season.

The 22-year-old could have been something special for Newcastle, and now serves as a reminder to keep onto those top talents who show such promise but perhaps aren’t yet equipped to maintain the consistency of their more experienced peers.

Take, for example, Anderson’s countryman Lewis Hall, who has lulled of late but remains one of the most exciting up-and-comers within the Premier League scene.

Newcastle have struck gold on Lewis Hall

Hall has spent more time than he would have liked in 2025 in the infirmary, with the full-back’s fitness problems taking away from him the building noise after an emphatic start to life at Newcastle.

It was not that long ago that Toon reporter Dominic Scurr declared Hall to be “the best left-back in the country, bar none.”

Likewise, talent scout Jacek Kulig called the 21-year-old “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League” in December 2024, with Hall firing on all cylinders and instrumental in building the form that would lead United back toward the gates of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup title.

But injury struck in the days before that Wembley meeting with Liverpool, and Hall would be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

Matches (starts)

18 (8)

27 (24)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

4

Touches*

39.2

70.6

Pass completion

83%

85%

Key passes*

0.2

1.3

Dribble success

55%

61%

Ball recoveries*

3.1

4.4

Tackles*

1.6

2.1

Interceptions*

0.7

0.7

Clearances*

0.9

1.9

Duels (won)*

2.9 (53%)

4.4 (54%)

Hall has also featured twice in the Premier League this season, but both times as a substitute and for a total of 43 minutes as he gets back up to speed. He will hope to reclaim his starting berth in the weeks to come, and on the basis of the evidence, his improvements last season suggest Howe will soon deploy him from the opening again.

Data-led platform FBref reveal Hall to rank among the top 12% of positional peers in the Premier League last year for passes attempted, the top 15% for assists and the top 20% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, so it’s clear that his technical quality is crucial to erecting the build-up patterns that define Howe’s transitional approach.

It’s also clear that this ball-playing skill aligns with the methods of some of England’s finest. Indeed, Caught Offside revealed in the months preceding the summer transfer window that Liverpool and Manchester City had both registered their interest in the young England international, who Newcastle valued at a floor of £60m.

Of course, this puts Hall above a former Toon talent such as Anderson, who left for £35m and has since seen a market growth toward the ballpark of £45m, as per Football Transfers.

The aforementioned Premier League giants both signed left-backs this summer, which perhaps signals the strength of Newcastle’s response when Hall’s name was discussed in negotiations.

Hall is a defender who can do it all. After all, he played most regularly as a robust central midfielder during his younger days, since refashioned into a wide defender. Perhaps there is a future for him in the middle of the park, where he might rival players such as Anderson for a prominent role in England’s national squad.

Newcastle might have entered something of a transitional campaign, but Howe will remain steadfast in his belief that last year’s success can be used to prop up the riches still to come at St. James’ Park.

In any case, with such exciting talents as Hall set to star for years to come, there’s every reason for excitement.

New Isak: Newcastle have "one of the best teenage prospects in the world"

Newcastle will need to replace Alexander Isak’s goals with a range of different attacking talents.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 3, 2025

أفادت تقارير صحفية عالمية أن ليونيل ميسي نجم إنتر ميامي الأمريكي والمنتخب الأرجنتيني، قد أصبح محل اهتمام أحد العمالقة الأوروبيين لضمه قبل كأس العالم 2026.

ووفقاً للصحفي التركي زكي أوزوندروكان، فإن جالطة سراي يخطط لواحدة من أكثر الصفقات جرأة في كرة القدم، حيث يرغب النادي باستعارة ليونيل ميسي لمدة أربعة أشهر خلال فترة توقف الدولي الأمريكي، في منتصف الموسم، قبل كأس العالم 2026.

ودخل النادي التركي في تواصل مباشر مع نجم إنتر ميامي المخضرم صاحب الـ38 عاماً، ويعد على استعداد لدفع راتب يبلغ 10 ملايين يورو خلال هذه الفترة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: ليفربول يحدد بديلًا جديدًا لـ محمد صلاح حال رحيله

ويراقب جالطة سراي موقف ليونيل ميسي عن قرب، ويعتبرون فترة التوقف فرصة مثالية للاعب الأرجنتيني، لكي يعود للعب في أوروبا ويقوم بصقل موهبته.

وكان جالطة سراي قد أجرى تعاقدات ضخمة بضم لاعبين مثل ليروي ساني وفيكتور أوسيمين، ويرى النادي أن ميسي هو الخيار الأمثل لمطاردة المجد المحلي والأوروبي.

وأكد مسؤولو جالطة سراي أنهم مستعدون لدفع المال اللازم، وتغطية راتب الأسطورة الأرجنتينية والفائز بكأس العالم بدون أي عوائق، وفي حالة إتمام الصفقة ستكون سابقة في تاريخ كرة القدم التركية.

وسيكون ليونيل ميسي على استعداد للدفاع عن لقب كأس العالم 2026 مع منتخب بلاده الأرجنتين، مشتعلاً بأجواء إسطنبول الحماسية.

The loss to Liverpool has certainly made things more complicated, but Arsenal still have a great chance to win the Premier League this season.

Moreover, despite the narrative some in the media are seemingly desperate to spin, Mikel Arteta’s side were just as good as the defending champions, and were it not for a freak free-kick, would be level on points with them.

That said, while the Gunners were defensively excellent against the Reds, they were a little underwhelming in attack, although Viktor Gyokeres didn’t really get the service he needed to make an impact.

Fortunately, the team will only grow more familiar with his fame in the coming weeks and months, and if his form over the last few seasons is anything to go by, he should be scoring for fun in no time at all.

With that said, Arsenal may well have been able to save the £68m they spent on him had they not sold a youngster a few windows ago.

Why Arsenal splashed the cash on Gyokeres

While there were several problems Arsenal had to contend with last season, from chance creation to a never-ending list of injuries, one of the big ones was simply putting the ball in the back of the net.

So, if you were Andrea Berta and you wanted to help solve that problem, you’d probably go out and sign the most prolific player in the world last year, which is precisely what he did.

From January 1 to December 31, 2024, Gyokeres scored a staggering 36 goals in the league alone, more than any other player in any other top-flight league around the world.

Perhaps even more impressive than that, though, is the fact that the Swedish “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored a staggering 54 goals and provided 13 assists across 52 appearances last season.

In other words, the 27-year-old international averaged 1.28 goal involvements every game, which is nothing short of miraculous.

In all, it’s not his build-up play nor his passing ability that caused Arsenal to splash the cash on Gyokeres; it was his unreal ability to wallop the ball in the back of the net.

Yet, while his transfer will probably work out, it might not have been necessary had Arteta and Co shown faith in a former youngster at the club.

The Arsenal youngster who could have been their homegrown Gyokeres

For all the talents that have made it into the first team over recent years, such as Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skell and Bukayo Saka, Arsenal have let their fair share of young stars leave.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

The likes of Donyell Malen and Eberechi Eze were let go as youngsters, but in this instance, we are talking about Mika Biereth.

The Danish poacher joined the club’s youth setup from Fulham in the summer of 2021 and, within a few years, had been out on several loans, the most successful of which was at Sturm Graz, who he was sold to for around £4m in the summer of 2024.

To say the 22-year-old hit the ground running upon making the permanent move would be a massive understatement, as in the first half of this season, he ended up scoring 14 goals and providing five assists in 25 appearances.

Such an awe-inspiring start to the campaign was more than enough to convince AS Monaco to spend just north of £10m on him in the winter window.

Despite now playing in a top-five league for the first time, the “outrageous” talent, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, thrived on the French Riviera, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1366 minutes.

In other words, the free-scoring forward, whom Arteta sold for a pittance, scored 27 goals and provided eight assists in just 44 appearances, totalling 3337 minutes last season.

Appearances

44

Minutes

3337′

Goals

27

Assists

8

Goals Involvements per Mat

0.79

Minutes per Goal Involvement

95.34′

That comes out to a monstrous average of a goal involvement every 1.25 games, or every 95.34 minutes across the 24/25 campaign.

Now, we are not claiming that Biereth would be as good a striker for the Gunners as Gyokeres could end up being this summer, but it’s clear that they probably would have been better off keeping him around.

After all, his output last season was undeniably Gyokeres-esque.

Berta must axe "clunky and indecisive" Arsenal dud who earns more than Eze

It’s time for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal to move on from the big-earner.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 2, 2025

He stuck to his strengths and took the game deep to put New Zealand 1-0 ahead

Vishal Dikshit25-Nov-20221:29

McClenaghan: Tom Latham, a leader in New Zealand’s batting line-up

New Zealand might have cruised to a seven-wicket win in the end by chasing down 307 in the opening ODI against India in Auckland, but it was only after 89 overs of the game that Tom Latham swung things in New Zealand’s favour with a game-changing over.Thirty-nine overs into the chase, the home team needed 91 runs from 66 balls with seven wickets left and India would have thought they still had a chance. But Latham tore into Shardul Thakur’s eighth over by hammering him for 25 runs with a six and four fours which reduced the equation to a very gettable 66 off 60.Related

• Electric Latham, calm Williamson give NZ win with lots to spare

• Williamson: Guptill will be missed but he has not retired

• Shikhar Dhawan: 'Being calm and compassionate allows me to lead well'

Without a lot of protection in the deep on the leg side, Thakur banged the first four balls into the pitch and they were all dispatched to different parts of the leg-side fence for a six followed by three fours. Thakur then pushed short fine leg to the rope and brought deep third into the circle, pitched one full outside off, and Latham steered this one for a boundary too, between backward point and short third, before reaching his century on the next ball, his 76th. Latham said he wasn’t premeditating those shots; he was only reacting to the balls and that’s how things unfolded.”I was just reacting to what was being bowled, it wasn’t a conscious effort to try to target that over,” Latham told the host broadcaster of that over against Thakur. “When it was slightly shorter, I was trying to use the pace and target those shorter boundaries and I was just trying to react and it paid off.”India captain Shikhar Dhawan also admitted they bowled “too short” to Latham and “that’s where he took the game away.” On a ground where the square boundaries were short and the straight boundaries even shorter, Latham was fed a lot of short balls and he targeted the area behind square the most, scoring as many as 95 off his 145 in the area, which included all his five sixes and 12 of his 19 fours.Latham has a prolific record against India, averaging over 65 – his best against any team with a minimum of five innings – with two centuries and five half-centuries. Before you ask Latham himself, ask the Wankhede crowd from five years ago that watched him and Ross Taylor stitch a partnership of 200 from 80 for 3 – very similar to Friday’s 88 for 3 – to chase down 281 comfortably in the end with six wickets in hand.ESPNcricinfo LtdThat night in 2017 was Latham’s first innings at No. 5 for New Zealand and he scored an unbeaten 103. He has since then become a mainstay in New Zealand’s middle order by accumulating 1723 runs while averaging over 43 and striking at 92.18. His unbeaten stand of 221 with Kane Williamson on Friday was also Latham’s third partnership of 200 or more in ODIs, a feat no other New Zealand batter has achieved.Latham said the duo aimed to keep the asking rate under eight an over, which they did successfully for most of the chase.”For me it was about trying and being busy and hit the ball in the gap and run hard and the asking rate was hanging around seven-eight an over and we said if we try and keep it below eight then we can give ourselves a chance at the back end,” Latham said. “There was a little bit of turn there from Washington [Sundar] and he bowled really nicely so it was about absorbing that pressure and when you get the scoring opportunity, just try and put them away. Obviously the deeper we took it, you can score quite quickly out here and that’s what we did.”

Watch India tour of New Zealand live on Prime Video from Nov 18 to 30.

Just like that sultry evening in Mumbai, Latham walked out in Auckland at 88 for 3 in the 20th over, he swept and reverse swept the spinners, pulled and flicked the quicks, and punished every error from the India bowling attack – which had only five options on Friday out of which two were making a debut – on his way to his seventh ODI century.”I’m not really sure where that came from,” Latham said of his knock. “Obviously being in the position when I came into bat, just try and absorb a little bit of pressure and take it deep on a ground with some unique dimensions, you can score quite quickly so [we] also managed to build a decent partnership and get across the line which is nice.”You do your scouting of your bowlers and I’ve played India a fair bit recently so I have the understanding of what their bowlers are trying to do to me, but also trying to stick to my strengths as well and just play the situations.”

Liverpool won the Premier League last season, and quite remarkably at that.

Over the past decade, the Reds have gone from bad to good to great to incredible, and it’s through the defining presumption of their brilliance under Jurgen Klopp that they have been expected to compete for the biggest honours each year.

But that changed when Arne Slot arrived last summer. This relative unknown had stepped into big old boots and was expected to drift away like flotsam. He couldn’t replace Klopp: didn’t Liverpool want Xabi Alonso, anyway?

Doubt is one of the first conditions any manager is forced to deal with in the Premier League, both from outside and within, but Slot knuckled down and thrived across his maiden year as the Anfield head coach, not just winning the top-flight title but blowing the competition out of the water.

And he did it with minimal transfer investment, which is quite a thing. However, that’s all changed this summer, and FSG are still keen on bolstering Slot’s squad before the market deadline in under two weeks.

Why Liverpool need a left winger

Should Liverpool complete a statement deal for Isak this summer, the impressive Hugo Ekitike would have a tough time starting invariably from number nine.

Both strikers are men of mobility, and some would say Ekitike’s pace and dynamism lend themselves to a role on the wing. But that is not his natural berth.

In this respect, Liverpool could do with some more depth to even out any wrinkles in Slot’s title-winning team; it’s a new season, and now Liverpool are title challengers just like the rest.

Slot must not ride the coattails of his own previous success, and must instead propose to FSG a plan to complete the Merseyside frontline, even with Federico Chiesa and the Reds in harmony over a role at Anfield across the year for the Italian.

Isak’s stature and track record within the European game demand his signature being a priority, but Liverpool need a left winger all the same, with Cody Gakpo the only senior option operating naturally from the berth.

Rio Ngumoha looks like a fantastic talent, but overburdening him this year could run counter to the hopes of him reaching his ceiling. If the stars align, sporting director Richard Hughes must sign an alternative.

Liverpool ready late bid for new winger

According to Anfield Watch, Liverpool remain interested in signing Lyon winger Malick Fofana this summer, having opened a line of communication with the French club when selling Tyler Morton to them at the start of August.

In fact, it’s felt that FSG’s desire to sign a left winger is separate from the bid for Isak, and that Liverpool are ‘ready’ to strike a late deal for Fofana, having scouted him across the transfer window.

Valued at around £43m, Fofana’s signature would be attainable following the sales of forwards like Diaz and Darwin Nunez, and he would arrive primed to rival Gakpo for a starting spot on the left flank.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

What Malick Fofana would bring to Liverpool

Gakpo proved on Friday evening that he’s more than just a goalscorer. Not that he needed to prove anything following a year of meteoric progress in Slot’s Liverpool system.

But the Dutchman has his detractors, with some clamouring for a new winger like Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, whose future is up in the air and who has been linked with a move to Liverpool across the summer.

However, Rodrygo would cost something in the region of £86m, and he’d expect to start every week. In a rising prospect like Fofana, Slot would not find that problem at his desk, but rather, would be able to work with an exciting talent who could operate in flux with Gakpo.

Fofana, 20, has enjoyed a rip-roaring start to life in French football, joining Lyon from Genk when he was only 18. Last season, he scored 11 goals and supplied six more assists across 41 matches in all competitions, of which only 23 were starts.

Hailed for his “explosive” style of play by analyst Ben Mattinson, Fofana ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe over the past year for goals scored and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, with such data presented by FBref.

Looking at this data, we can see in Fofana a talented player looking to blend his high-speed running with a natural eye for goal, and in this way, he shares some of Gakpo’s strengths but could actually end up outstripping the Netherlands star.

Matches (starts)

29 (16)

35 (23)

Goals

5

10

Assists

4

4

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.5)

1.6 (0.7)

Big chances missed

4

6

Pass completion

84%

84%

Big chances created

6

11

Key passes*

0.9

1.1

Dribbles*

0.8

0.9

Tackles*

1.1

0.8

Duels won*

2.9

3.1

Though Gakpo is currently more clinical and more effective, it’s promising to note that the fleet-footed Fofana has already shown signs of prolific shooting and that he is equally crisp and effective on the ball.

Given the need for depth at Liverpool this season and beyond, should Slot hope to not just defend his Premier League title but claim further silverware too, adding a player like Fofana for a shrewd figure could be a fantastic move.

He would arrive on Merseyside without the weight of expectation that certain other transfer targets would bring, but the Lyon winger could still add much to the Redmen cause, and might even nail down a starting berth on the left wing in the coming years.

Wirtz will love him: Liverpool chasing "world-class" £86m Isak alternative

Liverpool have earmarked this European superstar as a potential signing before the end of the window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 19, 2025

Legend-making traits shared by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been revealed by Danilo Pereira, who has played alongside both GOATs.

• Danilo a Portugal colleague of CR7
• Worked with Argentine icon at PSG
• Hard work carried greats to the top

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Portuguese midfielder Danilo has been an international team-mate of CR7, who is still going strong at 40 years of age. They are now domestic rivals in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr respectively.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Danilo moved to the Middle East in 2024 after spending three years in France with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain. It was during that stint at Parc des Princes that he got to work with Argentine superstar Messi.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Having watched two all-time greats up close, Danilo can appreciate what separates them from the rest and helps to make them special. For him, it is work ethic that has carried the iconic duo to the very top of the global team.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  WHAT DANILO SAID

  The 33-year-old told the podcast of his time spent in the company of multiple Ballon d’Or winners: “I was fortunate to play alongside two legends, two very strong personalities on and off the field. From both of them, I remember the discipline, confidence, and professional way they approach every training session, every game, and every moment of their lives.”