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It has been yet another tough season for Everton, who have faced plenty of turmoil and are fighting for their future in the Premier League.

They have also faced hardships off the pitch, getting a total of eight points deducted due to a breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. They were first docked ten points but appealed and managed to get it down to six, before being docked a further two at the start of April.

Despite their continued relegation battle, there has been one silver lining for Everton this season; the emergence of centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. The 21-year-old has broken through into their first team this season and has since become a key player under Sean Dyche.

Despite Everton's defensive woes, he has been one of the better defenders in the Premier League this season. This has led to transfer rumours linking him to the likes of Manchester United, although his £85m value could be a stumbling block, according to TEAMtalk.

Branthwaite has played 35 games in all competitions, including 29 in the top flight, and has become an integral player for the Toffees. He is a superb defender, using his 6 foot 5 frame to his advantage aerially, averaging 2.69 aerial duels won per 90 minutes, placing him in the 79th percentile, as per Fbref.

He is quick and can cover lots of the ground easily, making him a good defender in wide areas. Branthwaite averages 5.56 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, which also ranks him in the 79th percentile.

Not only that, but Branthwaite is a superb box defender. The 21-year-old reads the game superbly, and averages 1.61 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, placing him in the top 9% of all centre-backs. Those are the kinds of crucial contributions that are vital for Everton this season.

Frustratingly for Dyche’s side, it remains to be seen if Branthwaite will be fully fit for their relegation six-pointer at home to Nottingham Forest this weekend, after he picked up an injury against Chelsea.

While the in-demand talent has resumed light training, there are a few other options at Dyche’s disposal to replace his main man at the back if needed…

1 The obvious option Michael Keane

With the injury to Branthwaite making things even tougher for Everton, Dyche could well turn to the experience of Michael Keane to sure things up at the back. The 31-year-old has not had many minutes for Everton this season, just 705 in all competitions to be specific.

When he replaced Branthwaite on Monday night at the 57-minute mark, it was Keane’s first appearance of 2024, with his last outing coming on the 30th of December during a 3-0 defeat away to Wolves.

However, despite a lack of game time so far this season, there is no doubting the plethora of experience that Keane will bring to the Everton side. Aside from his 211 Everton appearances, Keane also has 12 caps for England, most recently in November 2020.

He might not be the first choice at Goodison Park anymore, but Keane, who also played under Dyche at Burnley 108 times, could bring vital experience on Saturday. It could be exactly what Everton need in Branthwaite’s absence, as they look to get three crucial points against Forest this weekend.

2 The tactical tweak Amadou Onana

An alternative option Dyche has to replace Branthwaite on Sunday is Amadou Onana. Like Branthwaite’s form, the 22-year-old has been one of the only positives for the Toffees this season and has also been linked with a move away from Goodison Park. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Onana is valued between £50m and £60m by Everton.

Playing as a centre-back would not necessarily be a foreign thing to Onana; he has already played there five times in his career, although has not done so for Everton. In his entire club career, he has only played there for 331 minutes, although 180 of those came for Hoffenheim under-19s.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With that being said, it might be the correct way to go for Dyche. As a pure defender, Onana is more than capable. According to Fbref, he averages 3.89 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 16%, and his 6.81 ball recoveries rank him in the top 20%.

Onana’s aerial duel numbers are wonderful. He has won 72.6% of aerial duels, which places him in the top 1%. The Belgian is an imposing figure, standing at 6 foot 4, and that certainly works in his favour should he slot in at centre-back this weekend.

On the ball, there are not too many qualms with Onana. He is a good progressive passer, and his 0.3 through balls per game, which rank him in the top 20%, could help Everton break the Forest press easier and get out from the back more efficiently.

There are certainly worse options Dyche could pick at centre-back than Onana. Given his experience playing there and the fact he is so good in the air works in his favour. It could well be a smart move for the Toffees on Sunday.

3 The wildcard option Reece Welch

The wildcard choice Dyche could make on Sunday is to pick exciting academy talent, Reece Welch. The 20-year-old has played twice for the first team already, although not since the 23rd of August 2022, and never in the Premier League.

Welch was described by The Athletic’s Everton correspondent Patrick Boyland as “composed” as far back as February 2022. He has been an exciting prospect for the Toffees for a number of years and has also shown good leadership qualities, having captained in academy football.

He spent the first half of the season on loan at Forest Green Rovers in League 2, where he played 23 times in all competitions before returning to Goodison Park. He has since played 90 minutes in eight games for Everton’s under-21s in the Premier League 2 after his return to the club.

Starting Welch would be a risk for Dyche, no doubt. However, he could give a chance to a youngster hoping to break into the first team, and potentially see him have an astronomical rise like Branthwaite has experienced.

Whichever option Dyche chooses, there will no doubt be a lot of pressure on the player, in one of Everton’s biggest games of the season. It is all to play for at Goodison on Sunday afternoon, with the winner pulling away from the relegation zone even more, and relieving pressure as the the business end of the season approaches.

Dyche must cash in on Everton star whose value has fallen by £16m

He’s been below par for Dyche’s side in recent weeks.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 19, 2024

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones points out the area where he needs to improve as he claims he is ready for the upcoming 2024/25 season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Jones was on target against Man Utd
• Pinpointed area of his game that needs improvement
• Liverpool beat Red Devils 3-0 in their final game in U.S. tour

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 23-year-old was on target for Liverpool as they beat Manchester United 3-0 in the final friendly match of their United States tour. The Reds had an outstanding outing in America during the pre-season as they managed to win all three matches they played in.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After contributing with a goal in the club's convincing win over their rivals on Saturday, Jones spoke about the one aspect of his game that needs to be improved. The young midfielder also suggested that he is eager to play a bigger role for his club in the upcoming season after appearing in 36 matches across all competitions in the last campaign where he scored five times and provided three assists.

• WHAT CURTIS JONES SAID

  Speaking about Mohamed Salah's assist for his goal, Jones told the club's official website: "That’s what he is great at and he reads the game as well. I just had an eye on the goal and I know Mo likes to get assists as well, he is fantastic at getting his head up and he put it on a plate for me. That’s part of my game [scoring goals] I feel I can improve and get in the box more; I can score more goals. I can play deep and I can also play high. Football now has changed as it’s all about stats with goals and assists. I’ve got to try to improve my game and I think a big part of that is scoring goals, assist more and be involved as much as I can.

  "We’ve got lads who have come in on the scene and made themselves a name by scoring goals. I think it’s an important part of the game. And if you can keep yourself in the game by scoring goals and the manager sees you as a guy who can do that and can affect the game then you keep your shirt, so that’s what I’m going to try to do."

  He added, "I try to improve all the time. I feel I’m in a good place. I’ve had a little bit of an ankle and a knee issue and that is why I came off early in the Real Betis game. But in terms of [fitness] I could have played the whole game then yes, but I got a whack on my back and the head coach just said to me, ‘We’ve took you off more as a precaution and we don’t need to risk anything.’ If you are saying, ‘Am I fit?’ [then] 100 per cent I am ready for the start of the season."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Arne Slot's men will play their last pre-season friendly against Sevilla at Anfield on August 11 before kicking off the new season against Ipswich Town six days later.

Despite all the off-the-field turmoil at the club, Everton have enjoyed success in recent seasons in the transfer market, signing youngsters who have been a hit at Goodison Park.

The club's financial issues have often seen the Toffees resort to investing in youth, with the hope the club can make a hefty profit after they've made an impact at the club to avoid any future FFP problems.

Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner are just two examples within Sean Dyche's squad who have made a brilliant impact since joining – with the pair joining for a combined £10m from Carlisle United and Manchester United respectively.

The duo are now worth a combined £44m, according to Transfermarkt, with the club now operating in a much more sustainable way than a couple of years ago in a period which saw the Toffees spending over £20m on players such as Yannick Bolasie and Jean-Philippe Gbamin with the pair both leaving Goodison on free transfers.

With the summer transfer window set to open in a couple of months, Everton are already being linked with another young talent who could see the club make a huge profit in the years ahead should they win the race for his signature.

Everton linked with young English talent

According to Football Insider, Everton are one of a number of sides who are being linked with a move to sign Juventus youngster Samuel Iling-Junior, with the 20-year-old out of contract in just under 18 months.

The report states that the Toffees face competition from fellow Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion for the Englishman, with the Italian side set to sell Iling-Junior to avoid losing him for nothing.

The young "menace", as dubbed by scout Antonio Mango, is believed to be up for grabs for around £17m – as per a prior report from the same publication – and has made 17 appearances for the Old Lady in Serie A this campaign, but most of his game time has come from the bench after only featuring for 465 minutes.

Everton are claimed to be long-term admirers of the youngster, with the Toffees needing to address their lack of goals given their tally of just 29 league goals this season – the second lowest in the Premier League.

Illing-Junior could be Moise Kean 2.0 for Everton

The youngster wouldn't be the first player to swap Juventus for Everton in recent seasons, with the Toffees signing striker Moise Kean from the Italian side for £27.5m back in 2019.

At the time, it was seen as brilliant business by the club, with Kean impressing in Serie A after scoring six times in 13 league outings. However, the striker would flop at Goodison, scoring just four times in his 39 appearances before returning to Juve in 2021.

Despite his lack of impact, it was a good move from the club as they started to prioritise younger additions to the squad, with Everton needing to do the same again with Iling-Junior.

He might not have featured as much as he would've liked this campaign, but the 20-year-old has the ability to be a huge hit under Dyche should the club pursue any deal for him this summer.

His stats per 90, given his limited minutes this campaign, are remarkable, with the attacker consistently ranking highly among other players within Europe's top five leagues.

Touches in penalty area

3.8

Top 3%

Progressive carries

3.6

Top 9%

Shot creating actions

3.6

Top 5%

Shots

1.5

Top 7%

Assists

0.4

Top 1%

Given Everton's lack of goals, coupled with the youngster's impressive stats in the final third, the club should be doing everything they possibly can to win the race for his signature.

They would face tough competition trying to convince him to join the Toffees instead of Tottenham, who could even secure Champions League football this season, but a move to Goodison could allow him to receive more consistent first-team minutes and develop his game further, which could result in a hefty profit further down the line.

Everton want to complete signing of prolific gem compared to Bukayo Saka

An offer is being prepared by the Blues.

ByHenry Jackson Mar 26, 2024

Shaw is expected to turn out for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after serving an eight-month suspension

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Nov-2019Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw is likely to return to the squad as early as November 16, a day after his suspension for a doping violation ends. Shaw is expected to turn out for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 tournament.On July 30, Shaw had been handed a back-dated eight-month suspension by the BCCI for “inadvertently” consuming a cough syrup that contained the prohibited substance terbutaline.The violation had taken place during the last Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which was played between February and March this year. The BCCI had said that Shaw would need to serve at least half the ban period, and that expires on November 15.Shaw, who grabbed headlines with a century in his debut Test last October, has been training mainly at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru during his suspension. While accepting the BCCI ban, Shaw had said that he would return “faster and stronger” because cricket was “my life”, and there was “no greater pride than playing for India and Mumbai”.Now, Mumbai are providing Shaw that opportunity. Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege, who is the chairman of that state’s ad-hoc selectors’ panel, said that Shaw would “certainly” be considered for selection. Currently, Rege’s panel has announced the squad only for Mumbai’s first three matches because key players like Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur and Shivam Dube are part of the India squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh. Mumbai will have played six of their seven group games when Shaw becomes eligible.”He will be free to play from [November] 16, so of course he will be considered for selection,” Rege told ESPNcricinfo on Thursday. “I can’t make any commitment to whether he will be back, but we will certainly discuss his selection.”Rege said he had spoken to Shaw already. “He is doing the right things. Physically he is fit.”Asked why Shaw, whose last appearance was in the IPL on May 10, was on the selectors’ radar, Rege said Shaw had already proved he was a match-winner in the little time he has played both for Mumbai and India.”Shaw’s class is there, you see,” Rege said. “He is a dynamic young batsman. So that will weigh heavily in his favour because he has scored runs for Mumbai in the last one-and-a-half years and he also did well in Test cricket till he went to Australia. There has been a gap. So he will again have to start once again.”Rege said that despite his strengths, Shaw must understand that he would have to compete for his place. Rege cited the example of 17-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has taken the opportunity to establish himself in Shaw’s absence with a successful Vijay Hazare Trophy.”He will have to be fit again, There is nobody who can take his place for granted because there are others also,” Rege said. “Everybody needs to work for their place in the squad. There are some senior players who have done well last year, and even this year, but the youngsters are now really knocking hard on the door.”We have Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored quite heavily in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored a double-hundred and two hundreds in the 50-over tournament. It is a happy position for Mumbai, but as a selector it is a tough decision to keep somebody out.”Now that he has learned a few lessons on what not to do, he will come back a stronger person. I am sure this has taught him a few things in life. He will have to be careful, he will have to concentrate on his cricket and he will have to probably look at it differently because mistakes, when they happen, have to be rectified. And I am sure Prithvi has learned from this.”

Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis and Shehan Jayasuriya are unlikely to be fit for the third T20I against New Zealand, to be played on Friday – both of them picked up knee injuries after an on-field collision in the final over of the second T20I on Tuesday.Jayasuriya was running from long on, and Mendis from midwicket, in order to intercept an aerial Mitchell Santner hit that, if caught, could have turned the game in Sri Lanka’s favour. As it transpired, Jayasuriya did catch the ball, but as he was still running, was tripped up by the onrushing Mendis, and sent crashing into the boundary. That turned what could have been a wicket into a six, Jayasuriya unable to jettison the ball before he made contact with the rope.Mendis also fell to the ground outside the boundary, and both men were clearly in significant pain. They took several minutes before being helped up.”Mendis has suffered an injury on his knee on the right leg, while Jayasuriya has sustained an injury above the knee on his right leg,” an SLC statement said. “Mendis has undergone an MRI scan today and the report is due later in the day.”No replacements will be named, according to chief selector and team manager Ashantha de Mel, even though Sri Lanka only have one extra batsman – Danushka Gunathilaka – in the squad.Sri Lanka have already lost the three-match series 2-0.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na noite desta quarta-feira, ao anunciar a aprovação do balanço financeiro pela empresa Moore, o Cruzeiro cometeu uma gafe e alterou o nome do grupo para “morre”. Nas redes sociais, o erro de digitação bastou para os torcedores brincarem com a situação
+ Confira a classificação do Campeonato Mineiro

RelacionadasFora de CampoThiago Neves ajuda ex-clube a reformar gramados do estádio e CT; entendaFora de Campo28/04/2021Fora de CampoJá viu isso? Nas redes sociais, Independiente Del Valle brinca com goleada sofrida diante do PalmeirasFora de Campo28/04/2021Fora de CampoJornalista aponta Rodinei como opção para Seleção BrasileiraFora de Campo28/04/2021

Em seguida, a comunicação do clube corrigiu o erro e encarou de forma bem-humorada a situação.

– Numa dessas, quem morre é o estagiário – escreveu o perfil do Cruzeiro.

Numa dessas, quem morre é o estagi 😬

— Cruzeiro 🦊 (@Cruzeiro) April 29, 2021

achei que a empresa tinha morrido

— ؘ (@r4monz1n) April 29, 2021

ressuscitou graças a Deus pic.twitter.com/uW5CqZQr6g

— larissa (@larisxcec) April 29, 2021

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has suspended Mohammad Shahzad for an indefinite period due to a breach of the board’s code of conduct.According to an ACB release, Shahzad did not adhere to a policy that requires players to seek the board’s permission before travelling out of the country.In addition, the ACB said Shahzad had been summoned to meet the board’s disciplinary committee on July 20 and 25, “in relation to a disciplinary matter during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019”, and had failed to show up. The disciplinary committee, the release stated, would meet after the Eid holiday to decide on further sanctions.ESPNcricinfo understands that Shahzad is based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and was recently seen practising there. Last year, the ACB had fined Shahzad and asked him to relocate to Afghanistan permanently or risk having his contract terminated.Shahzad spent his early years in a refugee camp in Peshawar, but his parents are originally from Nangarhar, Afghanistan. Like many of his Afghanistan team-mates, Shahzad grew up near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border; he also got married in Peshawar. A significant number of Afghans, once refugees, now reside in Pakistan, mainly in Peshawar, registered in the country as temporary residents.The suspension is the latest development in a testing phase in Shahzad’s career. In June, he was sent home early from the World Cup in England and Wales, ostensibly with a knee injury, but the wicketkeeper-batsman insisted he was fit and claimed he had been unfairly left out.

The tremors of Jurgen Klopp's shocking announcement that the current campaign will be his last for Liverpool will be felt throughout the remainder of the season.

Of course, there is so much to play for, with the Reds through to the Carabao Cup final after defeating Fulham over two legs, favourites for the Europa League, awaiting Norwich City in the FA Cup fourth round and topping the Premier League table by five points, with second-placed Manchester City holding a game in hand.

Klopp's upcoming resignation shocked the Merseyside club, but the 56-year-old informed bosses of his intention to leave back in November, with plans undoubtedly drawn up in the background to identify a successor.

The managers that Liverpool could sign

It's rather clear at this early stage that Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner to succeed Klopp at Anfield, with the Spaniard clear of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and undefeated across all competitions, producing some excellent football.

However, Liverpool would be foolish to place all their eggs in one basket and, according to transfer specialist Dean Jones, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is among the candidates to succeed his compatriot.

Nagelsmann will lead the hosts at the UEFA Euro 2024, but his contract expires at the end of the summer and his availability could prompt Liverpool to advance discussions.

Julian Nagelsmann's tactical approach

It's remarkable that Nagelsmann is still only 36 years old; having now been a professional manager for almost eight seasons, the tactician has gone from strength to strength in his homeland and was synonymous with RB Leipzig's slick, free-flowing football over recent years.

Intelligent with his build-up play and emphasising swift transitions and high intensity, Nagelsmann turned Leipzig into a possession-centric outfit, but didn't emulate this as such at the Allianz Arena, instead turning Bayern into a kind of hybrid, dynamic attacking team.

If he were to join Liverpool, he would likely implement the 4-2-3-1 at Bayern that worked so well for the squad's fluency and progression, and by doing so, he could be the perfect manager for Trent Alexander-Arnold as the England international makes the change toward a central midfield role.

Alexander-Arnold has long been regarded as one of Europe's best right-backs and now one of the most incredible creative forces around, though the perpetual debate that his abilities are best served in midfield is starting to be realised and he might find a permanent home in the engine room in the future.

Most PL Assists: Active Players

#

Player

Apps

Assists

1.

Kevin De Bruyne

244

103

2.

James Milner

633

89

3.

Christian Eriksen

280

75

4.

Ashley Young

437

71

5.

Mohamed Salah

251

67

6.

Raheem Sterling

367

62

7.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

216

57

7.

Andy Robertson

260

57

7.

Heung-min Son

288

57

10.

Willian

303

44

Source: Premier League

When joining Bayern, Nagelsmann already inherited a side of superlative merit in possession but tweaked the system to focus the creativity from the centre of the park, which would work wonders for Alexander-Arnold's game.

The 25-year-old ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, shot-creating actions and pass attempted, the top 2% for progressive passes and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, to underpin this point.

Once described as “the best young coach in Europe” by journalist Josh Bunting, Nagelsmann probably isn't FSG's first choice to succeed Klopp at Liverpool, but he is young and enterprising, and definitely boasts the tactical aptitude to sustain the Reds' ability as a high-class competitor at the forefront of the European game.

Newcastle United endured a dismal end to 2023 and start to 2024 by losing seven from nine matches in all competitions which has left the Magpies 11 points behind the top four already in the Premier League.

Injuries were the catalyst behind the Geordie outfit’s season getting derailed. One of the reasons for Newcastle’s injury woes could be the fact that there are numerous players in the squad on the wrong side of 30.

As a result, head coach Eddie Howe is reportedly looking to add some fresher faces to the side before the January window comes to a close.

Newcastle transfer news – on the hunt for a striker

It was reported by Mike McGrath of The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday afternoon that Newcastle have made an enquiry to Bournemouth about centre-forward Dominic Solanke in the hopes of signing the frontman before the winter market slams shut once more.

While the report doesn’t reveal the Cherries’ asking price, the CIES Football Observatory have placed the striker’s market value at a whopping £34m after a tremendous season in England’s top flight. This is almost double the £19m that Bournemouth paid Liverpool for Solanke back in 2019, although the Reds will earn 20% of any potential sell-on fee.

This past week, the Geordie club were also rumoured to be keeping tabs on Bologna’s star attacker Joshua Zirkzee who is said to have a £34m release clause, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. However, due to having had many years of experience in the Premier League, Solanke could be the obvious choice for a wounded Newcastle.

Dominic Solanke’s stats this season

Having made his debut all the way back in 2014 for Chelsea, Solanke didn’t exactly burst onto the scene and tear the Premier League asunder. In fact, up until the beginning of the 2020/21 season, the Englishman had scored only 12 senior goals, spread across his spells with Vitesse, Liverpool and his first campaign with the Cherries.

However, once the 2020/21 season commenced, Solanke became a different animal. Even football scout Jacek Kulig remarked that the frontman “was written off by many”. Since then, Solanke has found the net 65 times for Bournemouth in all competitions, including a career-high 30 in the 2021/22 campaign as the Cherries were promoted back to England’s top flight.

This term, the 26-year-old is the joint-third top scorer in the Premier League with 12 goals to his name already. Only goal-machines Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have managed to convert more opportunities than the Bournemouth talisman.

Solanke has even scored more league goals than both of Newcastle’s star strikers Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has described him as a "complete" centre-forward. In all competitions, Isak is the Magpies’ top goalscorer with 13, but time may be running out for Wilson.

Now on the wrong side of 30, the England international has only managed to score once in his last nine appearances for the Toon. Between Wilson and Isak, it looks as though the former is more at risk of losing his place in the squad if Solanke moves to St. James’ Park. Additionally, Solanke has statistically beaten Wilson in the 2023/24 season so far.

Goals

13

8

Expected Goals

11

8.1

Assists

1

1

Expected Assists P/90

0.05

0.03

Shots P/90

3.52

2.99

Goals Per Shot

0.16

0.16

Key Passes P/90

0.74

0.56

Passes To Penalty P/90

0.64

0.09

Stats via FBref

Like Solanke, Wilson also played at the Vitality Stadium, where he scored 67 goals and bagged 30 assists in 187 appearances, before going on to have a wonderful spell in the Northeast after signing on a £20m deal back in 2020. Perhaps Solanke could follow these exact footsteps.

Howe has always preferred having two strikers in his team since arriving at the club, whether it be Wilson and Wood or Isak and Wilson, but it looks as though a passing of the guard could be set to take place in the near future with Solanke.

Liverpool have started 2024 with vicious intent, dispatching Newcastle United 4-2 in the Premier League before travelling to London to face Arsenal in the FA Cup with a weakened squad and prevailing, thus still in contention across all four fronts this season.

Indeed, with a double-legged Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Fulham forthcoming and a place in the last-16 of the Europa League, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with his team's progress, cherry-topping their ascent with top spot in the English top-flight after 20 matches.

It's a good start and a continuation of the seasonal resurgence after last year's malaise, and the victory at the Emirates is perhaps especially galvanising given world-class talisman Mohamed Salah's absence at the African Cup of Nations.

Every Premier League player at 2023 AFCON

Ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, which Premier League clubs could be affected most through missing players?

ByBrogan Clasper Jan 5, 2024

Liverpool will have to contend without the Egyptian machine over the next month and this is possibly an overture of sorts to a future without the 31-year-old.

It's almost unthinkable, but it's something that Klopp and his club will have to deal with at some point, what's important is that he is replaced with a star capable of dominating in the Liverpool frontline.

Liverpool transfer news – Kylian Mbappe

According to Spanish reports, Real Madrid remain the favourites in the endless soap opera that is the Kylian Mbappe transfer saga, with the Paris Saint-Germain star out of contract at the end of the season.

2015/16

14

1

2

2016/17

44

26

14

2017/18

46

21

16

2018/19

43

39

17

2019/20

37

30

18

2020/21

47

42

11

2021/22

46

39

26

2022/23

43

41

10

Mbappe is valued at £113m by Football Transfers and while he would be available on a free, would certainly not come cheap, but Los Blancos' financial security is not at its zenith right now, and Liverpool could reportedly move to secure his services with an audacious approach over the coming months.

Kylian Mbappe's rise to prominence

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has already pronounced Mbappe as "the best player in European football" and while this is subjective, it's a brave supporter to make the argument that he does not have a seat at the table when discussing football's cream of the crop.

Joining PSG in a staggering £166m move from AS Monaco in 2018 – having spent the 2017/18 campaign on loan with the Parisien giants – the Frace international has long been regarded as one of the most destructive attacking forces around, surprisingly winning Ligue 1 as a teenager and racking up 26 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, naturally.

Invariably deadly when darting up the lanes and into the final third, the 25-year-old Mbappe has since enjoyed an illustrious career and has won honours in their abundance in his homeland – with the 2018 World Cup with Les Bleus to boot – and with the Champions League still eluding him it is perhaps time to make the move away from the Parc des Prices.

Across 282 appearances for PSG, the 75-cap France star has scored 233 goals and provided 100 assists for his teammates, instrumental and central to all of the riches reaped over the past several years – described as a "generational talent" by scout Jacek Kulig.

Remarked to be an "alien" by Poland player Piotr Zielinski for his past escapades on the international stage, Mbappe thrives both as the focal frontman and out on the left side of the attack, with his devastating speed and dribbling prowess enough to leave Europe's most formidable defenders in a tangle.

To emphasise this point, Mbappe ranks among the top 4% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for shots taken, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Having been embroiled in something of a contractual stalemate last summer, there was a point when PSG, who sought to sell their prized asset to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal and accepted a jaw-dropping £259m offer (which would have been a world-record), but Mbappe was not enticed by the opulence and even appeared willing to remain in Paris and sit on the periphery.

Alas, it's all worked out okay, with Mbappe plundering 25 goals from just 24 matches this term; endowed with such a celestial level of offensive power, the £1.19m-per-week machine would be quite the acquisition for Liverpool, and surely the best option to succeed Salah in the Liverpool frontline.

How Kylian Mbappe compares to Mohamed Salah

Salah and Mbappe are not like-for-like players, preferring alternate flanks, but the signing of such an incredible player would compensate for Salah's possible sale, with the 31-year-old out of contract in 2025 and attracting a lot of attention from Saudi Arabia.

On transfer deadline day last summer, Al-Ittihad lodged an official offer of £150m for Liverpool's star man but were rebuffed, though if a contract extension cannot be agreed, there will be little choice but to cash in at the end of the current campaign.

Salah, who signed for Liverpool from AS Roma for £34m in 2017, has cemented his legacy as one of the Premier League's finest-ever forwards and boasts

This season, he has 18 goals and nine assists from 27 appearances and has been ever-immense, crafting and finishing chances with remarkable constancy to charge Liverpool's title challenge.

Matches played

16

20

Goals

1.22

0.73

Assists

0.14

0.41

Shots taken

5.07

3.06

Shots on target %

41%

44%

Shot-creating actions

4.26

4.55

Progressive passes

5.00

5.13

Progressive carries

4.93

3.58

Successful take-ons

2.64

0.88

It's interesting to place the respective skill sets together, side by side, given the dominance that each player emits with every stride that they take on the pitch.

While Salah is more creative than Mbappe, the Frenchman is far more energetic and active as a marauder, with such a set of skills only sure to wreak havoc in the Premier League,

Of course, there is something of a disparity in quality between French and English top-flight football, and it's interesting to consider what the tables would look like if the tables were turned, but there's no disputing that Mbappe is a prodigy in front of goal and would bring a rate of scoring that could even surpass what Salah has achieved at Anfield.

Nonetheless, Mbappe is a world-class talent, and while a move to Merseyside might seem implausible, there is a chance, a sliver of hope, that Klopp could pull off a signing that would send shockwaves across European football.