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Liverpool must ‘blow up’ their wage bill to keep Mohamed Salah or risk losing their star man to a club like Manchester City, claims Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: Terrific Salah

Salah’s time at Liverpool is nothing less than remarkable. Since joining from AS Roma in 2017, the winger has hit insane heights with 134 goals and 50 assists in 212 games, winning the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup in Red.

He has started the current campaign in tremendous form, with six goals in seven Premier League games and three goals in Liverpool’s opening two Champions League games.

But with his contract expiring in 2023, there is fear they could lose their Egyptian King if they don’t offer an increase to the £200k-per-week he already earns, and it was reported by David Maddock that talks are ‘complicated’.

The Latest: ‘Blow up’ wage structure

Speaking to Football Insider after Maddock’s revelation, Sky Sports pundit and former Arsenal striker Campbell has claimed Liverpool must do all they can do to keep Salah at the club.

“When you have a player who is doing what Mohamed Salah is doing, normally there are no questions about tying him up. Normally there are no questions about tying him up because that is a priority for the team.

“I don’t know what‘s going on inside Liverpool, but I know Salah is out-playing his present contract. 100 per cent he is.

“Whoever is dealing with the negotiations has a problem. Another club like Man City could probably double Mohamed Salah’s money. That is the problem Liverpool have.

“They work within a structure but that structure is going to get blown up because Salah is playing that well. This is the type of player he is.

“It would be crazy to lose him over this. They cannot allow it to leave, but we have seen it before. It would not be the first time.

“The finances are football are so important but with a player like Salah, you have to break the bank.”

The Verdict: Need to move fast

Salah’s importance to this Liverpool squad is unquestionable and offering the attacker a new and improved deal should not even be debated after his amazing period at the club.

Breaking their traditional plans when it comes to player contracts and wages is what is going to be needed, but losing Salah to City, or another Premier League or Champions League rival, would be devastating for Liverpool fans and far outweigh any negatives which come with ripping up the wage structure.

In other news, this Liverpool target’s ideal destination has been confirmed. Find out more here.

Leicester City got their Europa League campaign off to a frustrating start on Thursday night after blowing a two-goal lead to draw with Napoli at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes started the Group C encounter in strong fashion, taking the lead through Ayoze Perez after he connected perfectly with an inch-perfect Harvey Barnes cross.

Summer signing Patson Daka then thought he’d secured his first goal for his new club before it was eventually ruled out for offside, but the Midlands outfit weren’t to be denied. Just after the hour mark, Barnes turned from creator to finisher, doubling Leicester’s lead and putting Brendan Rodgers’ side firmly in the driving seat.

However, a late collapse from the FA Cup holders saw Napoli earn themselves a deserved point at the King Power Stadium. Nigeria international Victor Osimhen’s reduced the deficit with a delightful touch past Kasper Schmeichel, before he completed the comeback with a header in the 87th minute.

It was a night of mixed emotions for Leicester, although they’ll be left ruing what could have been had their defensive unit put in a better performance against the Azzurri.

One member of the back four was arguably more at fault than any other. As per SofaScore, Jannik Vestergaard received a match rating of just 5.9 out of 10, by far the worst handed out to any player on the pitch.

The Denmark international was brought in by Rodgers to firm up his backline following an injury to Wesley Fofana, but the former Celtic boss won’t have been impressed by what he saw last night.

Vestergaard lost six of his eight duels against Napoli, was dribbled past on four occasions and only picked out a teammate with two of his five attempted long passes (SofaScore).

The 6 foot 5 beast will need to improve and adapt to his new surroundings quickly in order to keep his place in the starting XI, and Rodgers will be hoping he does just that over the weekend when Leicester take on Brighton.

In other news…£7.2m-rated “big talent” proved to be Rudkin’s greatest Leicester mistake this century 

MatériaMais Notícias

O sistema defensivo do Flamengo terá uma novidade para o duelo contra o Cruzeiro, pela 14ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, às 16h deste domingo, no Mineirão. Trauco está suspenso por ter tomado o terceiro cartão amarelo na partida contra o Grêmio e fica de fora da partida contra os mineiros.

Sem o camisa 13, o comandante rubro-negro irá promover a entrada de Renê ao time titular. Os dois laterais revezaram a posição durante a temporada e em certos momentos chegaram a atuar juntos, no período em que Diego esteve ausente, por motivos de lesão.

Se por um lado Zé Ricardo não poderá contar com o Trauco, o treinador terá o retorno de outro peruano. Guerrero cumpriu suspensão no duelo contra o Grêmio, foi substituído por Leandro Damião e volta ao comando de atauqe do rubro-negro neste domingo.

Contra o Cruzeiro, dois atletas ainda entrarão em campo pendurados. O lateral-direito e o volante Cuéllar estão com dois amarelos e se tomarem mais um contra a Raposa neste domingo, irão desfalcar o Rubro-Negro contra o Palmeiras, na Ilha do Urubu.

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Celtic are tracking Drogheda United midfielder Killian Phillips, according to The Irish Independent’s Daniel McDonnell.

The Lowdown: Phillips profiled

Phillips is 19 years of age and joined his current employers earlier this year.

Described as a versatile midfielder, the teenager is out of contract with Drogheda at the end of 2021, as per Transfermarkt.

He’s made 20 appearances for the Irish side, scoring once and registering one assist, and it seems as if he is catching Celtic’s eye.

The Latest: Celtic interest

McDonnell shared a story on Wednesday lunchtime regarding Celtic’s interest in Sligo Rovers forward Johnny Kenny.

Within his report, McDonnell claimed the Hoops will watch Kenny in action on Friday against Drogheda before sharing Celtic’s interest in Phillips.

Phillips is attracting attention from overseas, seemingly Celtic, with his long-term future on the pitch reportedly viewed as a centre-back rather than a midfielder.

The Verdict: Another Scales?

Liam Scales made the move from Ireland to Scotland this summer, and it appears as if Phillips could well follow suit down the line.

Celtic saw Scales’ versatility as crucial when bringing him to Parkhead, so Phillips’ ability to play in both midfield and in defence could work in his favour.

He may well have the chance to impress Celtic officials live on Friday during their scouting trip to watch Kenny, and who knows, should he do just that, a cut-price move in the New Year could well be on the cards.

In other news: Celtic source shares transfer news different to Sky Sports claim; good news for McKay and Ange.

The BCCI plans an annual inter-corporate tournament, covering both 50- and 20-over formats, with the winners getting Rs 1 crore (approx US$200,000). This proposal, by the board’s working committee, will mark a new area of the BCCI’s interest.A statement after a working committee meeting on Saturday said the tournament was aimed at increasing employment opportunities for players. Other prizes include Rs 50 lakh for the runners-ups and Rs 25 lakhs for the losing semi-finalists.The board also announced an expected decrease in revenues of Rs 120 crore [approximately US$25 million] for the current year in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, with the cancellation of two ODIs against England, and India’s tour of Pakistan. The amount includes the loss of revenue arising out of the postponement of the ICC Champions Trophy 2008. “While there will be a decrease in revenue, the BCCI will still have a healthy excess of income over expenditure for the current year,” the release clarified.The committee also finalised specialised coaching centres: for fast bowlers at Punjab Cricket Association’s Cricket Academy, for spinners at the Tamil Nadu Cricket association’s Cricket Academy and for batsmen at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Cricket Academy.The BCCI has urged its members to increase the number of grounds available for junior cricket, as well as improve the quality of pitches. Reports from the various sub-committees were also approved at the working committee meet.

New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has contracted a mystery illness ahead of the first Test against Australia starting November 20 in Brisbane. He has been quarantined from his teammates and placed on an intravenous drip

Cricinfo staff14-Nov-2008
Jesse Ryder was confined to the team hotel missing out on the second day of the tour game against New South Wales © Getty Images
New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has contracted a mystery illness ahead of the first Test against Australia starting next Thursday in Brisbane. Ryder has been quarantined from his team-mates and placed on an intravenous drip.With Brendon McCullum also struggling with a back problem, New Zealand have called up two reserves with Peter Fulton and Gareth Hopkins flying out to join the squad.Lindsay Crocker, the New Zealand manager, said Ryder was vomiting before and after batting in the first innings of the tour game against New South Wales at the SCG on Thursday. He was attended by the doctor on duty at the ground soon afterwards, who recommended the illness should be treated as viral.”He woke up yesterday feeling unwell and being ill,” Crocker told . “We quarantined him, basically, took him back to the hotel. He’s not eating so we rehydrated him. He spent the night quietly and he’s woken up this morning not feeling a good deal better which is a little concerning because we hoped it had run through by now.”Ryder was confined to the team hotel on Friday morning and did not take the field for New South Wales’ innings, with the allrounder Grant Elliott acting as a substitute. But Crocker said Ryder’s illness did not yet place him in doubt for the first Test, although there would be major worries if the symptoms continued through the weekend.”It’s run for a day-and-a-half now and he was vomiting again this morning. That’s the concern. That time away from eating means he’s starting to lose a bit of condition. It’s not alarming yet but we want to get him right quickly.”Other New Zealand players had also reported upset stomachs on Friday, though not enough to sideline them. “There’s a bit of diarrhoea amongst the group but no one’s reported in sick beyond that,” Crocker said. “We’re keeping careful watch in case it’s something that spreads.”Ryder made his Test debut in New Zealand’s most recent Test series in Bangladesh. He scored 169 runs in the two matches at 56.33, including 91 in the first innings of the second Test in Dhaka.New South Wales also had similar concerns on the first day of the tour match when the spinner Beau Casson was sidelined by food poisoning. New Zealand play two Tests in Australia before they host West Indies for two Tests, two Twenty internationals and five ODIs.

Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield has rubbished claims that Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey could be heading to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Ruben Neves heading in the opposite direction.

According to Italian media outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, the two clubs are in discussions over a potential swap deal just hours before the transfer window slams shut.

Juventus put former Arsenal midfielder Ramsey up for sale before the window even opened as injuries and a loss of form have resulted in him making just 66 appearances for the Italian giants.

The Wales international’s wages of £400,000-per-week have resulted in Juventus being willing to sell Ramsey for as little as £10million, according to TuttoJuve.

Neves, 24, has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal during the transfer window but Wolves do not appear keen on letting the Portugal international leave Molineux.

Hatfield is not expecting Ramsey and Neves to trade clubs with the deadline getting closer.

He told Football FanCast: “Swap deals, in general, don’t happen too often because there are so many moving parts.

“You’ve got both clubs having to want either player, both players wanting moves to those clubs and then the wages and playing time have got to add up. It’s so hard to get a swap deal done nowadays.

“It wouldn’t shock me if you see Neves still at Wolves. Ramsey’s wages are a hard one to overcome.”

Serie A expert Conor Clancy insists that Jeremie Boga would be limited by Rafael Benitez if he decided to move to Everton.

The Toffees have been linked with a potential swoop for the winger this summer, as have Crystal Palace.

Boga has emerged as something of a star during his time with Sassuolo in Serie A, and reports suggest that Atalanta have already tabled a bid worth £15.5m for his signature, though it was rejected.

The 24-year-old, who is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, has made a total of 90 appearances for the club and has scored 18 goals, while also laying on seven assists.

A pacey, tricky winger who can play on the left, in attacking midfield and up front, Boga needs to be able to have the opportunity to play with complete freedom, according to Clancy, who is the editor-in-chief at Forza Italian Football.

Boga, of course, has experience of playing in England, as he came through the ranks at Chelsea, though he made just one senior appearance for the Blues.

Like a number of Chelsea youngsters, he went on a spate of loan spells, playing for French club Rennes, Granada in Spain and fellow English club Birmingham City.

Clancy said: “Maybe Everton might make a little bit more sense but still, under Benitez, he’s going to be a lot more restricted than he would like to be.

“With Sassuolo, he’s basically just told, ‘there’s the ball, go and play’. I think he’s got to go somewhere where that can also happen and I don’t see that from Everton in the Premier League.”

Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield believes that Danny Ings could be one of the signings of the summer.

The 29-year-old made the switch to Aston Villa from Southampton in a deal worth £25m and put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Villa Park [BBC Sport].

Ings was in incredible form in front of goal at St Mary’s, scoring 46 goals for the Saints in 100 games. The striker opened his account on his debut for Aston Villa in the club’s 3-2 defeat at Watford before scoring a spectacular acrobatic goal against Newcastle United.

The transfer came out of the blue, as Ings had been linked with moves elsewhere but Hatfield believes he could be one of the signings of the summer, telling Football FanCast: “He’s probably one of the most clinical strikers in the league. When you consider other players in his position, you put Harry Kane ahead of him but other than that, who would you put really ahead of him in terms of a clinical striker in that 18-yard box?

“He’s been that good and if he can replicate that at Villa, then he could well be one of the signings of the summer.”

Villa have had a really good summer window, adding Leon Bailey, Axel Tuanzebe, Ashley Young, Emi Buendia and Danny Ings to their ranks and manager Dean Smith will be hoping that all his new signings gel as quickly as possible and Villa have another good season in the Premier League.

Hamza Choudhury is keen to join Newcastle United on loan in pursuit of game-time, according to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson. 

The lowdown

Newcastle had hoped to agree a temporary deal for Choudhury in January, only for Brendan Rodgers to stand in the way, and the 23-year-old remains on the Magpies’ shortlist.

He was limited to just four Premier League starts last season, making a further six appearances off the bench (via WhoScored).

Rodgers has hailed Choudhury as ‘one of the best’ at winning the ball back and also described him as a ‘tough’ individual.

The latest

According to Wilson on Twitter, Choudhury is ‘ready to push’ for the move ‘to ensure he plays next season’ and has told his representatives to take the necessary steps.

Newcastle are aware of this development and are prepared to open talks with Leicester, but only once ‘they know where they stand’ with Joe Willock.

As Wilson explains, only two domestic loans are allowed at any one time, and Newcastle are looking to strike a season-long deal with Arsenal. If they’re successful, they would need to decide whether to use their second domestic loan slot on another midfielder.

The verdict

It’s easy to understand why Newcastle are hesitant. Steve Bruce is working within what’s been called a ‘meagre’ transfer budget this summer, so loans will be key to strengthening the squad and staving off the threat of relegation.

Willock has to be to the top target, having proven his value to the Magpies following a hugely successful loan spell earlier this year. That move would halve Newcastle’s domestic loan quota, but they shouldn’t necessarily shy away from Choudhury simply because he too is a midfielder.

Where Willock offers a box-to-box presence and a goalscoring threat, Choudhury is a different kind of player. He is more destructive and excels at protecting a defence, so he could complement the Arsenal man’s skillset nicely if both players end up at St James’ Park for the 2021/22 campaign.

In other news, Mark Douglas says Newcastle have been offered this player.