Azhar Ali, who had replaced Shehzad in the ODI squad, did not find a place in the T20 squad

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2018Opener Ahmed Shehzad, who had been dropped for the ODI leg of the New Zealand tour, has returned to Pakistan’s squad for the three-match T20 series. Azhar Ali, who had replaced Shehzad in the ODI squad, did not find a place in the T20 squad. The only other change from the ODI squad was the inclusion of batsman Umar Amin in place of Imam-ul-Haq.Shehzad’s recent form bodes well for Pakistan: he has scored 403 runs in seven innings in the ongoing Departmental One Day Cup at an average of 67.16 and strike rate of 100.24.With allrounder Imad Wasim yet to recover from the knee injury that had sidelined him from the ODI series, Mohammad Nawaz retained his place in the squad.”Imad Wasim was yet to recover from his knee injury, and was told to continue his rehabilitation at the NCA,” Inzamam ul Haq, the chief selector, said.Pakistan are presently two games into a five-match ODI series, with New Zealand prevailing in both contests via the DLS method. The first of the three T20s will be played on January 22 at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, three days after the fifth ODI.Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt &wk), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Umar Amin

Leeds United could be set to secure a fine coup, opting for a Championship-proven star to spearhead their return to the Premier League…

Who else will Leeds United be signing this summer?

Having already welcomed four new faces to Elland Road, it could be easy to assume that this window has been a successful one thus far for Daniel Farke.

However, that has been far from the case. With players refusing to show up for matches, and others forcing loan exits to avoid the mess they created, the atmosphere in Yorkshire is far from ideal for the new German manager.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

That being said, some positivity does remain, with TEAMtalk now offering a beacon of hope by referencing them as one of the interested parties looking at Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.

They are said to be very keen on the 27-year-old gem, who FootballTransfers value at €10.9m (£9m). However, they will have to battle with a host of top-flight clubs to secure his signature.

How good is Josh Brownhill?

Having spent the last few years of his career at Turf Moor, it feels like only recently has the midfield general began realising his potential after spells at Preston North End and Bristol City

After all, last season did mark a standout one for the one-time Manchester United academy graduate, who shone by showcasing his improved creativity.

Clarets boss Vincent Kompany is the man responsible for such an upturn, as he was thanked by the midfielder:

"He’s liberated us, because he believes in us, he believes we’re good players and we can win games. The lads who are still here were devastated by relegation last season. We just wanted to get back up and I’m very happy we did."

A key cog in that promotion push, already that pedigree will have caught Farke's eye, as he seeks to replicate that form.

Should Brownhill join and translate his form from Lancashire to west Yorkshire and they will certainly be in a fine position to do so.

After all, the Warrington-born machine did score seven times in the Championship during the 2022/23 campaign alongside a further eight assists. This helped him earn his 7.27 average rating as he also added 1.8 key passes and 2.2 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Sky Sports' EFL pundit Lee Hendrie had predicted such a starring year as he claimed back in 2021:

"Josh Brownhill, I think he is a fabulous player, I really do. Out of [Sander] Berge and him, I'd take Brownhill all day just because Josh Brownhill reminds me of John McGinn.

"He's very energetic, he's very neat and tidy on the ball, he gets up and down the pitch well and you know what you're getting when you're getting a player from Burnley, Sean Dyche, what he expects."

Such offensive impetus from deep could easily draw comparisons with Ilkay Gundogan, who too earned praise for how his scoring numbers improved to help Manchester City claim a historic treble.

Whilst the German has already made his switch to Barcelona, he left the Etihad a hero, having posted 18 goal contributions across all competitions.

Then, to compare his underlying figures with Brownhill's, it is clear to see the similarities. He too posted a 7.13 average rating in the Premier League, buoyed by 1.3 key passes and one tackle per game, via Sofascore.

City boss Pep Guardiola led the praise for his midfielder and captain, noting:

"Ilkay shows again, again and again his quality and his importance. His commitment to all of us at the club. It's not just scoring goals, he has his momentum because against Leeds, he was the player and again here. He can do everything."

Whilst he starred on a far larger stage, Brownhill shares enough of those starring attributes to suggest he could emulate his figures once again under Farke and help spearhead another promotion charge.

Big Picture

Pakistan have gone from being champions to being in shambles within the space of six months. Their winning streak is history and their batting line-up is back to pre-Champions Trophy standards. The bowling is flat, the captaincy frenzied, and the selectors running out of ideas. None of that is good news, least of all when playing a New Zealand team in sensational form and trying to avoid an ODI whitewash.The hosts can’t put a foot wrong. After going with an unchanged XI in the first three games, they brought in Colin de Grandhomme for the fourth. He was returning from Zimbabwe after the death of his father, and could have been forgiven for being less than his usual big-hitting self. But it turned out that he was New Zealand’s star performer, smashing 74 off 40 balls in a Player-of-the-Match display that got them out of a tight spot. Kane Williamson’s men are shaking up their squad for the final game, resting Trent Boult and bringing in Seth Rance. They will view this as an ideal opportunity to blood newer players into international cricket.With the series long since gone, the contest doesn’t nearly have the appeal a decider would, but both teams still have a stake in the outcome of this game. New Zealand will be looking for a clean sweep to extend their winning streak across formats to 12, while Pakistan are desperate for a final shot at redemption going into the T20I series.

Form guide

New Zealand WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLLW

In the spotlight

Since his debut in Ireland in 2016, Hasan Ali only missed one of the 31 games Pakistan have played, and until this series, he had been in sizzling form, a fact underlined by the ICC naming him the Emerging player of 2017. However, in New Zealand, things haven’t quite worked for him. Hasan has managed just six wickets at 36.1, conceding 60 runs for no wicket in the last game. It is his first real test in a career that had played out to perfection so far. How he responds in the final ODI might reveal more about the kind of player he is.Trent Boult has grabbed the headlines throughout this series but his absence could give his fast-bowling partner Tim Southee a chance to shine. The 29-year old has taken eight wickets from the four matches this series, just one fewer than Boult, but hasn’t received the same kind of recognition. With the left-armer out of the side, this could be a chance for New Zealand’s most experienced bowler to rubber-stamp his value to the side. And, in a low-pressure game against a dispirited Pakistan, the stars may just align for him.Tim Southee appeals•Getty Images

Team news

New Zealand have rested Boult from the last ODI, and look set to give fast bowler Seth Rance another go in international cricket.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Todd Astle, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Seth RanceShoaib Malik will miss the final game after being struck in the head during the fourth ODI – batsman Umar Amin has been drafted into the ODI squad in his place. If Imam-ul-Haq does not recovered from the finger injury that has left him sidelined as well, seamer Aamer Yamin or left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz could come in. With the Faheem Ashraf as opener experiment failing last game, Azhar Ali could also return to the top of the order.Pakistan (probable): 1 Azhar Ali/Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Rumman Raees

Pitch and conditions

The forecast for the game is clear, though rain is expected for much of the preceding day. The Basin Reserve doesn’t host too many ODIs, but this will be the second game played at the venue in this series alone. New Zealand won the previous game, scoring 315.

Stats and trivia

أكد المغربي رضا سليم لاعب النادي الأهلي، أن جمهور المارد الأحمر، كان له الفضل في تتويج الفريق ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا للعام الحالي 2024.

وحصد الأهلي بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا للمرة الـ 12 في تاريخه، بعد الفوز على الترجي التونسي في المباراة النهائية بهدف نظيف.

وقال سليم خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “كورة كل يوم” المذاع على قناة “الحياة”: “سعيد بالفوز بدوري أبطال إفريقيا، مباراة لم تكن سهلة أمام الترجي”.

طالع.. فيديو | محمد الشناوي يبرر تصريحاته ضد الصحفيين بعد تتويج الأهلي بـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وأضاف: “نشكر جماهير الأهلي العظيمة على مساندتهم للفريق، جمهور رقم واحد في قارة إفريقيا، ونحب أن نراهم دائمًا في الملعب”.

وواصل: “أفضل لاعب في المباراة من وجهة نظري، هو جمهور الأهلي”.

وتابع: “نشكر اللاعبين الذين كانوا رجالًا في الملعب، أول بطولة لي ومزيد من الألقاب في الفترة المقبلة”.

وأردف: “الترجي التونسي فريق جيد ويقدم كرة جيدة، وكولر مدير فني كبير”.

واختتم: “كهربا بمثابة شقيقي ولكنه مجنون، وقلبه أبيض، علمني النشيد الوطني لمصر”.

Crystal Palace have made a strong start to their Premier League campaign, defeating Sheffield United at Bramall Lane and despite tasting a narrow loss against Arsenal, followed that up with a respectable point at Brentford and a thrilling 3-2 victory over Wolves.

For their strong start to the season, the Eagles have soared up the league table without significantly strengthening in the transfer window compared to their rivals.

Who did Crystal Palace sign this summer?

Making four acquisitions for a combined cost of £32m, it's fair to say that the purse strings have been tight at Selhurst Park this summer having ended the window without a direct replacement for Wilfred Zaha.

Although Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are more than capable of shouldering the weight of goal contributions in his absence, the lack of ambition shown in this window was underwhelming to say the least.

Palace brought in attacking midfielder Matheus Franca, box-to-box midfielder Jefferson Lerma, goalkeeper Dean Henderson and lastly, centre-back Rob Holding.

For all of his top-flight experience at Arsenal, it was the latter of those signings who raised the most eyebrows and that isn't surprising given his career has gone on a downward spiral recently.

How many games did Rob Holding play for Arsenal?

In his seven-year stay at Arsenal, Holding made 162 appearances and scored five goals but has never really shown the ability to become a regular starter for the Gunners.

He was frozen out for the majority of last season, until star defender William Saliba sustained an injury in April and the Englishman was entrusted into the starting XI, going on to make seven starts in the last month of the season.

Despite scoring a consolation in the 4-1 defeat against Manchester City, Holding has struggled to become the ball-playing defender that Mikel Arteta desires, ultimately leaving him surplus to requirements.

During the Gunner's London derby defeat against Tottenham in May, which was a result that handed Man City the initiative in the title race, Holding's reckless sending off for making two silly fouls cost his team in their biggest match of the season.

After the game, many pundits heavily criticised Holding as Jamie Redknapp made his thoughts known on Sky Sports.

He said: "'That's a silly thing, he's doing judo moves on the football field. Then he gets caught again, and it becomes an accumulation."

With Holding enduring a reckless end to his Arsenal career, a fresh start in the Premier League is what he needed and got, but it still begs the question as to why Palace didn't take up their interest in fellow Gunner Takehiro Tomiyasu, who would have been a huge upgrade on the Englishman.

How good is Takehiro Tomiyasu?

According to a Daily Mail report in late August, Palace were showing an interest in signing Tomiyasu but following the injury to Jurrien Timber, Arsenal were reluctant to sell the Japan international.

Since joining the club from Bologna two years ago, the £55k per-week "warrior" – as he was once lauded by former teammate Mitchell Dijks – has gone on to make 56 appearances under Arteta and during the 21/22 season, Tomiyasu made 20 Premier League starts. He was impressive during that spell, averaging an impressive 1.7 tackles per game, completing 60% of his dribbles and winning 55% of his duels, as per Sofascore.

However, after a promising debut season, his second term was hampered by separate knee and calf problems, making only 21 appearances in the top flight with the majority of those coming from the bench.

Despite this, the 33-cap titan has still been highly regarded by many during his time at north London with Martin Keown waxing lyrical about his performance against PSV in the Europa League last season, saying:

“Tomiyasu is probably Arsenal’s best out-and-out defender, in a one-on-one situation. Look at how dominant he is in the air. He’s a big boy actually. They have dealt with that problem [of Gakpo] really well,” he told BT Sport.

Keown's comments are supported by Tomiyasu's defensive and attacking metrics, ranking highly when compared against his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for the former of those. He places in the top 10% for tackles per 90, top 19% for interceptions per 90 and top 1% for aerial duels won per 90, via FBref.

While his defensive capabilities shine through, his ability to progress the ball up the field is second to none, ranking in the top 8% for passes completed and the best 1% for progressive carries.

In a Crystal Palace team that has to do a lot of defending, Tomiyasu would excel at both winning possession back and being proactive with it, unlike Holding, who falls well below his former teammate for those aspects of his game.

During the last 365 days, Holding has only recorded one tackle per 90, 0.69 interceptions per 90 while falling lower for progressive passes than Tomiyasu (4.37/7.76) and progressive carries (0.54/2.00).

When being tasked to defend, the 27-year-old has fallen well short in the past year and will find it difficult to dislodge Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen, who are forming an indispensable partnership at the heart of the Eagles' defence. Indeed, the former has played so well over the last year that he's now in and around the England squad, even being touted at an eye-watering £50m during the summer window.

Although Holding and Tomiyasu predominantly play different positions across the back line, the defensive solidity and dependability that the Japan international would have brought to Selhurst Park is levels ahead of the declining Englishman. After all, the latter does present you with more versatility too, boasting the ability to play in the centre-back role and on both sides as a full-back.

MatériaMais Notícias

O clima esquentou no Moisés Lucarelli. Durante o jogo entre Ponte Preta e Operário-PR, as duas diretorias se desentenderam nas cadeiras do estádio e por muito pouco não aconteceu algo pior.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalSérie C: Nada de vencedor nos três jogos do sábadoFutebol Nacional19/09/2020Futebol NacionalEm jogo movimentado, Ponte Preta e Operário-PR apenas empatamFutebol Nacional19/09/2020BrasileirãoApático, Internacional é superado pelo FortalezaBrasileirão19/09/2020

Segundo o repórter Gustavo Biano, a confusão iniciou após uma provocação do diretor do Operário-PR. Ao ver João Brigatti elogiando Ivan, o cartola gritou ‘ex-seleção’, fato que irritou a diretoria da Ponte.

Incomodados, os campineiros foram ao ataque da diretoria rival e a turma do ‘deixa disso’ teve trabalho para acalmar os ânimos.

Dentro de campo, Ponte Preta e Operário ficaram empatados por 1 a 1, em jogo válido pela 10ª rodada da Série B.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a profitable Deadline Day already even if they fail to bring in anyone else, but reports continue to suggest that they still might…

Who else could Tottenham Hotspur sign on Deadline Day?

With Brennan Johnson the outstanding piece of business for this hectic day, as Ange Postecoglou finally got his key man, the Lilywhites have seemingly not allowed that to slow down their pursuit of bolstering other areas of the field.

After all, they even saw a bid for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher knocked back earlier in the day, with it being suggested that they could well return again before the window concludes.

However, it is instead another West London star that could be set to make that move, with journalist Fabrizio Romano offering the following update on social media:

"EXCL: Tottenham approach Chelsea to ask for Trevoh Chalobah on loan deal, no green light from Chelsea, difficult due to rival + formula of deal. Complicated deal while Forest still trying to make permanent deal happen for Chalobah but no green light player side."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

The collapse of his move to Bayern Munich has emphasised this possibility, as the German transfer window slammed shut without the Englishman having finalised terms. It could now be the north London outfit who profit, should they see fit to unload the proposed £50m price tag for a possible permanent deal.

How good is Trevoh Chalobah?

Although the 24-year-old has fallen down the pecking order significantly at Stamford Bridge, he still remains an outstanding ball-playing centre-back who would more than align with the style Postecoglou is seeking to usher in.

Having broken into the first team in 2021, he has remained a solid and elegant figure at the back whenever called upon, with the pinnacle of his short career thus far arguably coming during that 2021/22 season.

Maintaining an admirable 7.23 average rating across 20 Premier League appearances, he scored three times and recorded a 91% pass accuracy, alongside two tackles and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

An English defensive legend in Rio Ferdinand sought to praise him, noting over two years ago: "I watched him in the Super Cup game the other day with BT in Belfast. Massively impressed with him, the way he defended. He had three or four big moments defensively where he pulled the hat out of the bag, it was unbelievable."

It is his proficiency in possession that has truly caught the eye though, as the quintessential modern-day defender who remains supremely comfortable on the ball. When compared to other centre-backs across Europe, the Cobham graduate even ranks in the top 17% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 18% for passes attempted, via FBref.

This outlet seeks to draw comparisons between Chalobah and Manchester City defender Ruben Dias by including the 26-year-old on his 'similar players' list, likely due to their shared solidity and ability in possession.

The Portugal international has been an instant hit since moving to the Etihad in 2020, winning the Premier League Player of the Year award after his first campaign as they won the league title. There, his average rating of 7.11 from that season was bolstered by figures similar to the Chelsea man, with a 93% pass accuracy, 1.1 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

It is no surprise to see Pep Guardiola laud his influence, claiming: "Ruben is not playing just his game. He is playing the game for everyone. He has the ability to see and solve the problems for many things. His character is so important. His leadership is huge especially even when he didn’t play."

Should Postecoglou manage to add Chalobah to his side late on in the window, relying on him to be that Dias-esque figure to uphold his new regime, it could actually prove to be their biggest coup of the entire summer.

The India U-19 head coach feels the focus should rather be on moulding these players to become first-class and India A ready

Shashank Kishore in Tauranga13-Jan-2018Two days ago, the internet went berserk as a group of teenagers smashed cake all over Rahul Dravid’s face to ring in his 45th birthday. Dravid seemed at ease, soaking in what has become the norm in Indian cricket these days, before posing for several photographs. This was on the sidelines of their rained out warm-up game against Kenya.Had the Cricket Advisory Committee’s recommendation of appointing Dravid as batting consultant for the senior team when they go on tours had gone through as planned, he might not have been in Christchurch as the head coach of the Under-19 team. But the BCCI changed its mind and a group of 15 starry-eyed cricketers playing a World Cup couldn’t be happier.In June, Dravid was with the India A team in South Africa when the Under-19 team was in England, but was constantly in touch. The side led by Prithvi Shaw swept the ODI series 5-0. The four-day squad led by Himanshu Rana won the Tests 2-0. That they did so in cold and wet conditions was the first real sign of the squad being in the groove. Yet, Dravid’s focus when he was back with the Youth team was to not be influenced by short-term results.”The under-19s is slightly different to the A team,” Dravid said of his coaching methods ahead of India’s tournament opener against Australia in Mount Maunganui on Sunday “The A team, I always feel, is a little bit more about the performances with guys almost pushing for spots into the Indian team, so you’re really focused on trying to get performances from them to start getting recognition. You want them to get that recognition from the selectors to get into the Indian side as we’ve seen some of the A team boys do.”Here it’s a little bit more of a developmental role. You can have a little bit more of an impact even on technique, mindset and looking at them slightly from a long-term perspective. Sometimes with the A team, I feel we’re looking at them very much immediately to see how quickly they can (progress). But here, we know that the time frame is a little bit longer. So we’re not looking at them to get into the Indian team tomorrow – if they do, great – but we’re not really expecting that. We know they have three-four more years down the line, it’s a slightly different thing but both of them are really enjoyable and fun.”Dravid has often spoken of the need to use the Under-19 platform to mould players to become first-class and India A ready, without worrying about short-term results. This perhaps explains why he wasn’t too perturbed by the loss to Nepal and India’s subsequent exit from the group stages of the Under-19 Asia Cup in November.”We keep the bigger picture in mind,” Dravid said. “From the players’ perspective, they want to win every game. But if you see the lead up to it, what has been satisfying for me is that we’ve given 30-35 people an opportunity to represent India Under-19 at some level in some form over the last 14 months before finalising this squad. We ensured we didn’t pick people who had played last time, ensuring a fresh group keeps coming through. Those things are pleasing in the background, but when you get into a tournament like this you play every game to win, try and do your best to win this tournament.”Rahul Dravid poses with children at an event•Getty Images

Meeting strict fitness standards, such as passing a yo-yo test, were done away with because Dravid felt bodies of those who are as young as 16 may not be fully matured. The onus was largely on skills. Then came a residential camp in Alur in December, with a focus on team bonding activities. The players were split into pairs randomly so that no two members were room-mates for prolonged periods. A number of pool, volleyball and football sessions got them together, followed by musicals and team dinners. Later, at the NCA in Bengaluru, there was a mix of one-on-one sessions, video analysis and player feedback. The camp was topped off by a series of three matches against the Under-19 batch of 2016.That group was also invited to talk to the current batch about their experiences of playing in different conditions against different teams. “The conditions were the most exciting things for us, playing away from home,” Dravid said. “It’s really a good learning from our perspective, just exposing them to conditions is very important at the Under-19 level. It goes back to that earlier point about these results versus the experiences, and I think it’s the experiences that really matter more than sometimes the results.”As he’s gone about ticking all boxes of preparation, Dravid has been ably assisted by Paras Mhambrey, the bowling coach, and Abhay Sharma, the fielding coach. “It works really well, we’ve worked together really well for the last couple of years so we understand each other,” Dravid said. “I kind of don’t believe so much in just demarcating and saying that you know, even though Paras may be the bowling coach and Abhay is the fielding coach, I believe both of them have enough knowledge and experience as they’ve coached Ranji Trophy teams, they’ve been around teams a lot and they’ve played a lot of cricket themselves.”They know a lot about the other disciplines so the way we work here is not like Abhay won’t have a suggestion on bowling or on batting, or Paras might not have a point of view. What we’ve tried to do and encourage is a situation where we say we’re three coaches, let’s just pool our heads together and see how we can work in all the departments. Abhay sort of manages the fielding a little bit more and Paras has a little more responsibility with the bowling. But we work in sync and we’re not restricting them from actually sharing their knowledge.”Both India’s players and their staff will both be put to test over the course of the next three weeks. They may not yet have their eyes on the crown that has eluded them since 2012, but a method such as this will rarely fail twice in a row. Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan captain, believes they too should adopt a similar junior system headed by an international cricketer of repute. There can’t be a bigger endorsement than when you’re the neighbour’s envy.

تمكن فريق النصر من تسجيل هدف التعادل في شباك منافسه الهلال، خلال المباراة التي تجمع بينهما حالياً ببطولة كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين.

ويلتقي الهلال مع النصر، على أرضية استاد مدينة الملك عبد الله الرياضية في جدة، في نهائي بطولة كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين.

وجاء هدف تعادل النصر في الدقيقة 85، بعد عرضية رائعة استقبلها أيمن يحيى برأسية قوية سكنت الشباك.

طالع أيضاً.. فيديو | طرد مباشر لـ أوسبينا في مباراة النصر والهلال بنهائي كأس خادم الحرمين

وتلقى ثنائي الهلال علي البليهي وكوليبالي بطاقتين حمراويتين وغادرا المباراة، وذلك بعد سلوك غير جيد من علي البليهي مع لاعب النصر، بينما تدخل كوليبالي على حارس النصر دون كرة.

وكان ميتروفيتش قد تقدم بالهدف الأول للهلال في الدقيقة 7 من عمر الشوط الأول، بعد عرضية من مالكوم استقبلها ميتروفيتش برأسية سكنت الشباك.

بينما تعرض ديفيد أوسبينا حارس مرمى النصر للطرد المباشر أيضًا في الدقيقة 54 من عمر المباراة، وذلك بعد إعاقة للاعب الهلال مالكوم. هدف تعادل النصر أمام الهلال في نهائي كأس خادم الحرمين

طرد علي البليهي في مباراة الهلال والنصر

طرد كوليبالي في مباراة الهلال والنصر

Liverpool may have taken their time, and had plenty of moments to forget along the way, but eventually, they got their midfield rebuild done. If you cast your minds back, they got things underway fairly quickly, with the early arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but Jordan Henderson and Fabinho's exits threw a spanner in the works.

The Reds' need for midfield reinforcements became an open secret, and their public failure to sign both Moises Caicedo – who they had reportedly agreed a deal with Brighton & Hove Albion for – and Romeo Lavia looked set to end their summer on a disastrous note. But things soon changed.

First, in came Wataru Endo to at least give Jurgen Klopp an option in defensive midfield. Then, to complete the rebuild, in came Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich.

Now, the Reds have been told that they can begin talks to sign another option in the middle of the park for January, and one that they missed out on in the summer transfer window.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Given Thiago Alcantara's injury history, as well as Curtis Jones' fitness woes, Liverpool may feel as though they can never have too many midfielders. And, with that, they could turn their attention back towards Andre Trindade from Fluminese.

The Premier League giants did make contact with the Brazilian club over signing the 22-year-old, but had their attempts rejected, as revealed by Fluminese president Mario Bittencourt.

On a positive note, though, Bittencourt welcomed the idea of Liverpool opening talks for his midfielder ahead of a potential January move. He said, via Paul Gorst: "LFC's chief executive contacted me directly. I replied to him: 'My friend, I don't sell players now. If you want to buy now to take in January, we can start talking, or if you want to wait until December."

With that said, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Klopp and co pursue the Brazilian once again come the winter transfer window.

Should Liverpool sign Andre Trindade?

Liverpool may have solved their midfield problem in the short term, but given that Endo is 30-years-old and yet to show he really has what it takes at the top level, the addition of Andre in January could be crucial.

The Brazilian, compared to Endo, is just 22-years-old, and has plenty of potential to become an important part of Klopp's side. Statistically speaking, Andre has impressed at Fluminese, too.

According to FBref, the midfielder is in the top 99 percentile for pass completion rate, with 93.3%, as well as the top 93 percentile for take-ons completed, completing 1.66 per 90. Meanwhile, Andre also makes 5.57 progressive passes per 90, which is more than current Liverpool man Endo managed for Stuttgart last season.

So, it wouldn't exactly be a bad piece of business if Liverpool did sign Andre in January. It could be argued that, with his arrival, their midfield problems would be solved once and for all.

For now, Klopp's focus will be on ensuring that his side continue their good start to the Premier League season, having won three of their first four games.