رغم انتقاله في الميركاتو الصيفي إلى نادٍ جديد إلا أن هدف الأهلي السابق، كيفن كارلوس أمام قرار هام بشأن مستقبله الدولي في الأشهر المقبلة.
كان كارلوس أحد أهم الأسماء التي دخلت رادار الأهلي عندما كان يلعب في يافردون السويسري قبل الانتقال إلى بازل في نهاية الميركاتو الصيفي الماضي.
ويعد الإسباني صاحب الأصول النيجيرية أحد أهم المهاجمين الشباب في القارة الأوروبية وكان هدافًا في الموسم الماضي لبطولة الدوري السويسري.
اقرأ أيضًا | فرصة للثأر من مدرب الأهلي السابق.. كارتيرون يقترب من نادٍ جديد في مسيرته التدريبية
ولكن الآن، هناك إمكانية لتمثيل كارلوس منتخب إسبانيا بعد تألقه في سويسرا مع بازل عقب تسجيله 5 أهداف في آخر 5 مباريات.
وتحدث كيفن كارلوس عن الأمر في حواره مع شبكة “Relevo” الإسبانية، وقال: “إذا جاء لي العرضان بتمثيل المنتخبين، علي الجلوس مع وكيلي وعائلتي لاتخاذ القرار”.
واستمر: “أنا فخور بامتلاكي جنسيتين مختلفتين الإسبانية والنيجيرية، فخور بعائلتي بأكملها، بفضلهم وصلت لما أنا عليه الآن، لقد ضحوا بالكثير”.
Assistant coach believes he can have “massive impact” working in partnership with Mark Boucher
Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth14-Jan-2020
Enoch Nkwe is positive about the road ahead for South African cricket•Getty Images
South Africa’s assistant coach, Enoch Nkwe, who carried the title of team director until a month ago, has acknowledged that being moved sideways was difficult but provided reassurance that he is not the victim of a whitewash and has been able to hold his own.Nkwe took South Africa to India in September-October last year and was set to take the reins for the England series this summer. But, a major overhaul 10 days before the first Test saw Mark Boucher installed as head coach and Nkwe effectively demoted amid an outcry at perceived racial discrimination. Given South Africa’s history, it’s not difficult to understand why it was badly received in some quarters.Against the backdrop of financial and administrative crises, Thabang Moroe, a black African CEO, was suspended and replaced by Jacques Faul, who is white. Almost immediately, Graeme Smith was appointed director of cricket, Boucher was named coach, and Jacques Kallis was hired as a batting consultant. All three are white. Nkwe, the first black African national men’s head coach, was offered a lesser role. He accepted, despite how it looked.ALSO READ: ‘Wouldn’t be surprised if he takes over after Faf’ – Nkwe on Bavuma”It wasn’t an easy call to make but when I met with Jacques Faul and Bouch and Graeme, it was pretty clear and they were very realistic in terms of what has happened, and the type of support [they wanted]. They showed a lot of care,” Nkwe said. “I’m not going to beat around the bush — it’s been a challenge, especially when it all unfolded. But I believe I’m mature enough to deal with the situation. By the time we got to the [training] camp I felt very strong and confident I can make a massive impact in a different role.”Given the limited time the new backroom staff had between the end of the Mzansi Super League on December 16 and the start of the Test series on Boxing Day, they decided to hold an intense training camp in Pretoria. That’s where Nkwe and Boucher began to work together and Nkwe quickly realised that he would be treated as an equal.”Boucher has given me the platform to make a difference in the team, to contribute as much as possible; whether it’s in team routines or in training,” Nkwe said. “We’ve worked closely together. I’m enjoying the partnership. Yes, there’s different energies and different minds. But there hasn’t been a hierarchy. We all pull in the same direction. He’s very relaxed. As much as he’s intense when it comes to business time — just like any other coach — he cares a lot about the team.”The adjectives Nkwe uses to describe the new coaching staff extend specifically to Smith and transformation. The Smith/Faul administration has been accused of neglecting the need for change, especially after the Test team fielded only four players of colour in the first two matches. South Africa’s target for the national men’s team is six players of colour, including at least two black Africans, calculated on average over the course of a season. Though this number can be made up in future fixtures, at a politically sensitive time in cricket, the missed target sticks out.Nkwe addressed transformation directly and emphasised it remains a key part of South Africa’s game plan.”It’s not something that has been ignored,” Nkwe said. “We’ve also got to take care of the mental aspect of players. We are really working hard behind the scenes to build a strong pool of players to come through. We’ve looked at the high-performance system to make sure that we can produce and make sure we are a well transformed team in the future, a true rainbow nation. And there’s no doubt that’s going to happen in the very near future.”I have had a small chat with Graeme and he is fully behind it. People maybe might not see it but he really cares and he has put in a lot of processes and a lot of plans behind the scenes to make sure that in the near future, there are no questions on that topic.”No questions is unlikely, especially because of South Africa’s complex history and the recent crisis in cricket, which transpired alongside an agenda of Africanisation. Under Moroe, CSA was a transformed organisation with people of colour in senior positions. Nkwe was one of them, despite his promotion being seen as premature.Not only was Nkwe handed the toughest away tour around, in going to India, but he had had only one summer as a full-time franchise coach to his name before that. Though he won three out of four trophies on offer, it was still early days. Consider that Boucher was about to begin his fourth season as a franchise coach for the Titans, and had collected five trophies along the way, to gauge the extent of experience that a national promotion calls for. Still, Nkwe believes the India tour only adds to his knowledge.”I wanted the team to go and win,” he said. “Yes, there were a lot of questions around my experience. I knew it was going to be a massive task, and that could only do me good as a coach going into those conditions. The only thing I could take away from there was experience, and I know that if I’m still involved when we go back to India in four years’ time, I’ll do things differently. We’ll have good players in place to execute our skills better, compete better and look to win the series. I’m comfortable and happy that I went there to gain that sort of experience.”For now, Nkwe is focused on the next three years, which will take him and South Africa to the 2023 World Cup. The long-term plan is that he will take over from Boucher at the end of the tournament and though it is something Nkwe is aiming for, he wants to take the focus off himself and onto the bigger picture. “For me, it’s always been about the country. It’s never been about me. I am here to coach human beings, I am here to coach cricketers to get better.”
Johannesburg crowd could end up playing a role, however small, in how this series ends
Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers24-Jan-2020″Hit him again,” came the cry from an exasperated South African supporter, as Anrich Nortje geared up to deliver the final ball of his sixth over, eight minutes after his previous delivery, which sconed Zak Crawley on the helmet.It was hardly a classy piece of advice for the quick bowler – and the Wanderers crowd are not known for their hospitality to opposition teams – but it was also the only one South African fans could come up with. They were desperate.It was 28 overs into the England innings, and South Africa had nothing. Even the somethings they could have had were nothings.When Dom Sibley was given out after what looked like a strangle down the legside from Beuran Hendricks, he reviewed and was found not to have made any contact with the ball. Four overs later, Sibley steered Vernon Philander straight to gully but even as Temba Bavuma and Faf du Plessis were celebrating Bavuma’s catch, the rest were watching Joel Wilson’s signal for a no-ball. Sibley was on 10 the first time, and 12 the second. He was on 29 by the time Crawley was hit. The growing impatience, from people who waited more than three hours just to see some play, was understandable. And it spoke to a wider restlessness that can be felt rumbling through the cricket community in this country.Zak Crawley was hit on the helmet by Anrich Nortje•AFP/Getty ImagesAlthough fans have been told, repeatedly, that rebuilding the South Africa team is going to take a few years, the fast-forward nature of the changes that took place mid-December, the win at SuperSport Park and the fight at Newlands promised a quick-fix. But since then, South Africa have been teetering on the brink of free-fall. And that’s not an exaggeration.Consider that the last time South Africa lost three successive Test series was in 2004-5 when they were defeated by Sri Lanka, India (both away) and England (at home). They have already lost to the first two in this run, made worse by the fact that the failing against Sri Lanka came at home. Should they lose the Wanderers Test, they will have repeated that sequence of defeats, which came at a time when South Africa had options. Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn were at the beginning of their careers, and competition for places was steep.Now, South Africa are searching for options, so much so that in their last 10 Tests dating back to the Wanderers fixture a year ago, 11 players have made their debuts. Not only is that effectively a whole team, but it literally could have been. There have been top-order batsmen, Pieter Malan, Zubayr Hamza and Rassie van der Dussen, middle-order players like Heinrich Klaasen (also a wicket-keeper), two spin-bowling allrounders, Senuran Muthusamy and George Linde two seam-bowling allrounders, Dwaine Pretorius and Wiaan Mulder and three specialist seamers, Dane Paterson, Hendricks and Nortje. Technically that makes up a team, and it’s not a bad team, but it wouldn’t be South Africa’s first choice.That five of the rookies are playing this Test tells you how much experience South Africa lack. That two of them, Pretorius and Paterson, effectively do the same thing, and the same as another member of the XI, Philander, speaks to a selection conundrum that South Africa have only become more tied up in since Port Elizabeth. There, they used Paterson and Philander, who opened the bowling despite the presence of Kagiso Rabada, and were equally ineffective on a slow pitch. Here, they brought in Pretorius as well, in place of Keshav Maharaj.Their decision to go without a spinner might appear to be vindicated by England’s choice to do the same but with England scoring at 3.5 runs an over, it begs the question over where South Africa expect sustained control to come from. Maharaj can hold up an end all day, while Philander, Paterson and Pretorius can only do it in bursts, and not always to the same effect. They’re all medium pace and in Rabada’s absence, that makes the lack of bite in the attack, more obvious.ALSO READ: Openers bring calm on dramatic day as SA find some fightSouth Africa had a flat morning session, the third in a row when they have been in the field and have not taken a wicket. Hendricks acknowledged they bowled “too full,” and were not as aggressive as they should have been. That changed post-tea. Sibley was eventually caught down the leg-side off Hendricks, ending the first century stand at this venue since 2013.Philander produced a vintage dismissal when he had Crawley caught at first slip, hanging his bat out to the perfect fourth-stump delivery and Paterson had Denley, who was dropped twice, eventually caught at slip. But it’s the wicket of Ben Stokes that will give South Africa the most confidence.Nortje drew Stokes forward as he pushed across, took the edge and van der Dussen, who started this series with several drops, pouched his third, high and to his left. The Wanderers crowd knew the importance of the wicket and some of them took to heckling Stokes as he departed. One of them said something he really didn’t like.”Come say that to to me outside the ground, you f***ing four-eyed c***,” came the reply from Stokes, caught on camera. The repercussions will be known in the coming hours (or days). The fact that it was said at the opposite end of the day to the barb the came from the grandstand tells the story of the ebb and flow of a prickly start to the finale.England would probably consider themselves ahead had they not lost 4 for 50 in the second session but South Africa will know that the mini-collapse is a sign of what could come on a pitch that is expected to quicken up, especially given the condition of their line-up.But there’s a third factor here, that could end up playing a role, however small, in how this series ends: the Johannesburg crowd. They don’t come in the numbers the Barmy Army does or with the pleasantries of the St George’s Park band. They are bunch that don’t shy away from causing a bit of trouble, and won’t stand for any that’s given back to them.
Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has shared "another target" for Tottenham this summer as manager Ange Postecoglou seeks to upgrade further.
Radu Dragusin's starting debut to forget at Spurs
In the absence of star defender Micky van de Ven, January signing Radu Dragusin made his long-awaited full debut against Fulham just before the international break.
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Unfortunately for the Romania international, it was one to put behind him, as he struggled on the left of a defence which conceded three in a damp 3-0 defeat away at Craven Cottage.
The 22-year-old's sky-high potential is there, and his agent Florin Manea revealed on Sunday that Dragusin is working tirelessly on his game in Tottenham training – even putting in three extra hours across time in the gym and on the pitch.
"He doesn’t go out," said Manea in an interview with Fanatik.
Luton Town (home)
March 30th
West Ham (away)
April 2nd
Nottingham Forest (home)
April 8th
Newcastle United (away)
April 13th
Arsenal (home)
April 28th
"We went out twice to a restaurant. He leaves at 9am, and comes back at 3-3.30pm, because he puts in an extra two hours of gym every day and an hour on the pitch.
“It’s not exactly easy. It’s like having a job. He grafts and grafts. There’s also this pressure, he’s thinking about the national team, the Euros. He really wants to succeed. I think we can already say that he is one step in the winning boat.”
Following van de Ven's latest injury, Postecoglou has admitted that Spurs may look to sign another defender, regardless of Dragusin's arrival. It is unclear what their role in the squad would be, as the club would then have four senior central defenders, and the fourth isn't guaranteed to get much game time at all.
Tottenham targeting left-footed defender this summer
Despite this, it appears another centre-half is very much on the Spurs agenda. Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky journalist Bridge has claimed that Tottenham are likely to chase another left-footed centre-back in particular.
Ange Postecoglou
"Ben Davies is reliable in terms of squad depth, in terms of experience, and leadership," said Bridge.
"He can also play on the left side of central defence. I think we saw in the previous game that Radu Dragusin came in as Micky Van de Ven was injured but on that left-hand side and it was a difficult afternoon for him. So I think a left-footed centre-back will be another target for Spurs in the summer. I don't think Spurs will be rushing the likes of Ben Davies out the door, even if it's just a squad member."
In terms of who they should bring in, we believe Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly would be an astute choice. The Englishman is out of contract this summer, meaning Tottenham can snap him up for free, and his pace is arguably suited to Postecoglou's high line.
Wolverhampton Wanderer’s manager, Gary O’Neil has a squad at his disposal which can beat any team in the Premier League on their day.
The Old Gold have proven this throughout 2023/24, defeating Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea (twice) as they chase a top half finish in the league.
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil before a Premier League game.
One key thing for O’Neil is how the squad seems to be clicking into gear at just the right time, and he can call upon players to perform across all areas of the team.
One of his most important assets is Max Kilman, as the defender has seen his market value increase rapidly.
How much Max Kilman cost Wolves
The centre-back actually arrived at Molineux for a transfer fee believed to be around £40k back in 2018 from Maidenhead United when he was aged just 21, and it has since proven to be a remarkable bargain.
He made his debut on the final day of the 2018/19 season and has since played 136 times for the Old Gold since joining.
Max Kilman
Kilman has emerged as one of O’Neil’s key players and his market value clearly reflects that, as he is worth more than teammate, Mathues Cunha.
Max Kilman’s market value at Wolves
Following Kilman’s impressive start to the season, Kilman was targeted by West Ham United during the January transfer window but, having signed a new contract until 2028 just last August, the defender was valued at £40m by the Old Gold.
No move ever materialised and Kilman will remain with Wolves until the end of the season at least, but O’Neil will be desperate to keep hold of him.
Indeed, across the whole squad in the top flight, Kilman currently ranks first for accurate passes per game (46.6), while ranking second for accurate long balls per game (3.9), second for interceptions per game (1.1) and for clearances per game (4.8), clearly showing that he has shown excellent defensive ability and is one of O’Neil’s finest players across a range of metrics.
He was lauded by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher in 2023, who said about the defender:
"Max Kilman at the back for Wolves, an ever-present for Wolves all season. He’s no-frills at centre back, he just gets on with his job and very rarely makes mistakes, hence why he’s an automatic pick no matter who the manager is."
Even though Cunha has been in impressive form himself this term, scoring 11 goals and registering seven assists, his market value according to Football Transfers currently stands at €28.9m (£24.7m), which is lower than the £40m price tag that Wolves have placed on the Englishman.
Only seven teams have a better defensive record than the Old Gold in the Premier League this season and a lot of that is down to how solid Kilman has been among a back three which regularly features Craig Dawson and Toti Gomes.
If O’Neil can keep this group together, then the club could be on the cusp of something special, and it marks a change from their relegation worries that plagued the side throughout the vast majority of the 2022/23 campaign.
Christian Pulisic has snubbed Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas when picking his all-time favourite USMNT player, with another icon getting the nod.
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Milan forward currently captain of his country
Is following in some illustrious footsteps
Star of present is big fan of leading goal scorer
WHAT HAPPENED?
AC Milan star Pulisic is currently captaining his country at the 2024 Copa America. He has become the fastest player to register 30 goals for the USMNT – through 69 appearances – and remains a talismanic presence in an exciting young squad.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Pulisic is following in the footsteps of some illustrious figures, as he seeks to lift the game in the United States to even greater heights, and has taken inspiration from many of those that have gone before him. The ultimate goal is to eclipse what they have achieved.
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WHAT PULISIC SAID
have charged Pulisic with the task of picking between a number of American greats. He sided with former Manchester United and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard after seeing him paired with Landon Donovan, while also favouring the iconic shot-stopper in battles with all-time leading appearance maker Cobi Jones and legendary defender Lalas, whom he snubbed without hesitation. Pulisic did drop Howard for former frontman Brian McBride, but ultimately gave Clint Dempsey top spot.
Celtic needed two late goals in stoppage time to secure a 3-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon.
Brendan Rodgers brought Norwich City loanee Adam Idah on for Kyogo Furuhashi at half-time and the Ireland international scored twice put the Hoops in front, having been 1-0 down.
The 23-year-old marksman has already scored four goals in four league appearances for the club, and appears to be on course to become one of the manager's best signings of the season.
Norwich forward Adam Idah.
Most of the boss' key players – including Matt O'Riley, Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Kyogo Furuhashi – were brought to the club by his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.
The Australian tactician rarely missed in the transfer market with some fantastic signings in his two years at the club, with O'Riley, Kyogo, and Jota among the most impressive moves.
However, Postecoglou did not always get it right and Argentine left-back Alexandro Bernabei is one example of that, as the flop has endured a tough time in Glasgow and is worse than current first-choice Greg Taylor.
How much Celtic paid for Alexandro Bernabei
The Scottish giants swooped to sign the defender from Lanus, in his home country, for a fee within the region of £3.75m in the summer of 2022.
Upon signing for the Hoops, Bernabei revealed that the manager had faith in him and his ability to adapt to life in Scotland quickly to make an impact on the pitch.
It was a significant fee to pay for a young left-back, particularly when you consider that the club paid £3m to sign Taylor from Kilmarnock back in 2019, who had yet to reach 100 first-team appearances.
The Argentina U23 international had played 88 senior games for Lanus prior to Celtic deciding that they wanted to bring him over to the Premiership.
He had established himself as a regular starter for his former club in the Liga Profesional during the 2021 campaign, though, with 23 league starts that year.
Appearances
24
Goals
Zero
Assists
Two
Dribbled past
34 times
Duel success rate
48%
Sofascore rating
6.64
As you can see in the table above, there were some warning signs for Celtic in his performances in his home country as opposition players found it a little bit too easy to get the better of him at times.
He was dribbled past 1.4 times per game and lost more than half of his physical duels across those 24 league outings throughout the 2021 season.
These statistics did not suggest that Bernabei was set to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch as an attacking left-back, with a lack of goals and assists, or that he would be able to deal with the physicality of Scottish football.
Of course, the young full-back was signed at the age of 21 and Postecoglou may have viewed him as a long-term signing who could develop his game in and out of possession.
Alexandro Bernabei's Celtic career in numbers
It has not gone to plan for the now-23-year-old defender, though, as he has struggled badly in the Premiership and failed to establish himself as a regular option for either of his managers.
Postecoglou handed him 15 appearances and nine starts in the Scottish top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign as Taylor retained his place as the first-choice at left-back.
The Argentine dynamo did provide an attacking threat down the left flank with one goal and three assists in those nine league outings, which is a return of one assist every three starts on average.
Celtic defender Alexandro Bernabei.
However, Bernabei struggled out of possession as he failed to step up to the level of physicality required of a left-back in the Scottish league.
The 23-year-old dud lost 60% of his duels, including 63% of his battles on the deck, in his 15 Premiership appearances, which shows that opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him.
He was also dribbled past 14 times and gave away a penalty in those nine starts as the young flop failed to provide a solid defensive presence at the back for Postecoglou.
Appearances
Eight
Starts
Three
Goals + assists
Zero
Dribbled past
Five times
Duel success rate
47%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Bernabei has also struggled to find his top form under Rodgers in the Premiership so far during the 2023/24 campaign.
The Argentine defender, who was recently criticised for his "weak" defensive work by ex-Hoops full-back Mark Wilson, has not offered much in an attacking sense and has still been poor off the ball as the opposition have got the better of him too easily.
Put simply, Postecoglou endured a rare transfer howler by signing him as he cost more than £750k more than Taylor, yet is worse than the Scotland international.
Greg Taylor's season in numbers
The former Kilmarnock star has been the first-choice option for Rodgers in the number three position and been an excellent performer for the Hoops.
Celtic defender Greg Taylor.
Only Luis Palma (12) has created more 'big chances' for their teammates than Taylor (eight) in the Premiership so far this season, which highlights the impressive work the Scottish ace has done at the top end of the pitch.
The 26-year-old whiz, who has scored two goals, has produced 1.9 key passes per game and produced the assist for Idah's equaliser against Motherwell on Sunday with an excellent left-footed cross.
Defensively, Taylor has only been dribbled past 19 times in 24 league starts, which is less than once per start on average. Whereas, Bernabei has been dribbled past 19 times in 12 starts since the start of last season in the top-flight.
He has also won 54% of his duels on the ground in the Premiership this term, which shows that the current first-choice left-back can hold his own on the deck and deal with the physicality of the division.
Therefore, Taylor is a better option for Rodgers than Bernabei as opponents find it harder to dribble past him, win a lower percentage of their duels against him, and the Scottish gem has the quality to offer more in possession.
Therefore, Postecoglou had a howler with the signing of the Argentine dud as he cost more than the Scotland international, despite currently being worse than the ex-Killie ace.
As Thursday's transfer deadline approaches, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is trying to secure a reunion with Ben Godfrey, one of his former players at Norwich City.
Leeds United transfer target Ben Godfrey in action for Everton.
Everton are open to letting Godfrey leave Goodison Park before the end of the window as they look to trim their wage bill, but they have rejected Leeds' first loan offer. 49ers Enterprises are still pushing to get the deal done, and are expected to return with another bid.
In the meantime, though, it's sensible for Leeds to put some feelers out for alternative centre-backs, to ensure they're not left empty-handed if they can't pull off the Godfrey deal. That's where Bournemouth's Chris Mepham comes in.
Leeds unsuccessful with Mepham approach
According to Fabrizio Romano, Leeds have made an approach for Mepham, along with Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United, but both the Championship promotion-chasers and Premier League strugglers have been rebuffed by Andoni Iraola's side.
The Cherries regard him as too important a player to be sold or loaned out at this late stage, and they've told his suitors that he won't be leaving this week.
"Aggressive" Mepham has been hard done by
It sounds like Leeds can forget about signing Mepham, until the summer at the very least, and that's as disappointing as it is surprising. Bournemouth's stance isn't really consistent with the hard facts when it comes to Mepham's lack of involvement this season – as you can see in the table below, he's played almost as many minutes in the domestic cup competitions (225) as he has in the Premier League (265). Indeed, his start in the 4-0 defeat to Liverpool last time out was only his third in the top-flight this season.
Chris Mepham stats
Appearances
Minutes
Premier League
6
265
League Cup
2
180
FA Cup
1
45
Leeds fans may have relished what former manager Scott Parker has called an "aggressive" approach to defending from the Welshman. When compared to fellow centre-backs in similar leagues over the last year, he ranks in the 94th percentile for dribblers challenged per 90 (2.08), demonstrating his eagerness to put a foot in, and the 90th for blocks (1.74), which shows that he's ready to throw his body in the way of the ball. He sits in the 91st for interceptions too (1.82), so he clearly defends on the front foot.
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Now that Leeds look set to miss out, there's extra pressure on the club to land Godfrey, or indeed a different, plan-c target. It's unclear why exactly Everton were dissatisfied with their proposed terms – they may have wanted the Whites to take on a greater share of the player's salary – but whatever the reasoning, they need to either meet the Toffees' demands or move on at this stage.
Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to be active in the final hours of the January transfer window and have reportedly made their move for another "devastating" striker.
Lemina to join Wolves
So far in 2024, Wolves’ focus has been on outgoings, with a number of players departing on loan. There is still time for additions to be made before Thursday evening’s deadline, with sporting director Matt Hobbs hinting at the possibility of a few new faces arriving at Molineux, saying earlier this month:
“We dealt with the most pressing profit and sustainability issues during the summer in a positive and proactive way, so while Gary knows we’ll support him if we can, we’re also not going to put ourselves in any danger whatsoever.
“If players have gone out on loan, we can look to replace them, but they’ve got to be better than what we’ve got. The boys have done unbelievably well, and we have some talented young players coming through who want more minutes off the bench, but if we can improve what we’ve got, and help Gary and the squad be more competitive, then we will, within the financial position.
“Let’s focus on the players we’ve have in the building. Gary has spoken about developing the players that are here and I think all of them have improved under him, and that will continue to be the case. A lot of the time solutions lie within, but if we can help, we of course will.”
One player who appears to be on the cusp of joining Gary O'Neil's side is Paris Saint-Germain youngster Lemina. An agreement has been reached to sign the younger brother of Mario Lemina on loan with an option to buy.
After the teenager, though, it looks as if Wolves are working towards a significant striker signing.
Wolves make Broja approach
While talks are underway for Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto, Wolves have also made a late approach to sign Armando Broja from Chelsea. However, the transfer expert stated that the Blues have turned down any talks over a deal, perhaps ramping up the importance of the move for Alberto.
Recent rumours suggested that Chelsea may have been willing to do business for Broja in a deal worth £35m, however, with it being so late in the window, it looks as if a transfer is now unlikely.
The 22-year-old has played less than 700 minutes of football at Stamford Bridge this season, so could’ve been open to the idea of a move to the Midlands.
He also previously impressed on loan at Southampton previously in the Premier League, with former defender Sergio Porrini previously hailing the Albania international.
"From last year to this year he has grown a lot and at Southampton he exploded. His greatest qualities are in his progression, especially with the ball at his feet. With the necessary comparisons, he is a bit reminiscent of Leao in how he becomes unstoppable if he extends the ball into space However, he is less good with his back to goal, in constructing the action, but in spaces he is devastating."
A move for a striker could be one to watch before the deadline then, but it looks as if it won’t be Broja.
Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign a "criminally underrated" alternative to heavily-linked midfielder Amadou Onana this month, according to reports.
Edu eyeing new midfielder for Arsenal
As per widespread rumours in the last few months, manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu are eager to bring in a new central midfielder this month.
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They've been linked with the likes of Onana and Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz beforehand, with journalist Sacha Tavolieiri making a big claim last week that Arsenal had opened talks for the former.
Thomas Partey's reoccurring injury problems have been a source of real frustration for Arteta and co this season, with Mohamed Elneny and Jorginho also looking set to leave when their contracts expire at the end of 2023/2024.
Onana, though, is rumoured to cost around £50 million, and it is believed that Arsenal will have to weigh on the cautionary side when it comes to abiding by Financial Fair Play laws.
The north Londoners spent over £200m on new recruits in the summer window, including a deal for club-record signing Declan Rice, so their January budget may also be limited as a result.
Amadou Onana
January 9th
Youssouf Fofana
December 8th
Douglas Luiz
December 22nd
Pedri
January 3rd
Alternative options to Onana may well be a prudent idea from Edu's perspective, if Arteta is indeed determined to shore up his numbers in the middle of the park.
Arsenal offered Jordan Henderson deal
According to a report by journalist Graeme Bailey, sharing information to HITC, former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson is a name who's been floated to the club. The Al-Ettifaq star is apparently eager to make a return to Europe, with Arsenal offered the chance to sign Henderson and make that dream a reality.
However, it is believed Ajax is a far more likely destination for the 33-year-old, as the player and his representatives prepare to open exit talks with Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson is a player of real English top flight experience, though his age and high salary could be a sticking point for Arsenal.
That being said, Trent Alexander-Arnold has sung the praises of his ex-teammate, calling him "criminally underrated".
“I think he is criminally underrated as a footballer,” said Alexander-Arnold. “He is someone who can influence games. When people think of him, they think about shouting, running and the dirty side of the game, but on the ball, he is technically an outstanding footballer.
“He is a natural-born leader and you can tell it is not forced, it’s completely natural."