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Chelsea are expected to address the centre-back position with a new signing in that area “very soon”, with the club’s transfer chiefs also setting their sights on an intriguing Brazilian target.

Enzo Maresca praised for early run of Chelsea form

New head coach Enzo Maresca has been widely praised for his start to life in the Stamford Bridge dugout, having transformed the mood around west London as Chelsea make a fine start to the 2024/2025 campaign.

£200,000-per-week star deemed surplus by Maresca and likely to quit Chelsea

The Italian has already made a decision ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 1, 2024

The Blues boast four wins from their opening six Premier League matches so far, and have scored more goals than any other side in the division, including Man City. Maresca’s arrival to replace Mauricio Pochettino caused a stir at first, especially considering the latter ended last campaign with just one loss in 15 top-flight games.

Nottingham Forest (home)

October 6

Liverpool (away)

October 20

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Man United (away)

November 3

Arsenal (home)

November 10

However, it now appears Todd Boehly and BlueCo are being rewarded for their decision to bring in Pep Guardiola’s former understudy, who was backed in the summer transfer window with a £200 million spending spree on 13 new signings.

“I’m really happy with my form so far this season and I put a lot of that down to the gaffer,” said Chelsea defender Levi Colwill in praise of Maresca.

“He’s given me a lot of confidence, and he’s put a lot of trust in me to play my football. He wants me to start attacks from the back and having that trust makes me feel a big part of how we want to play.

“I want to thank him for giving me the opportunities to play and for allowing me to play my football in the way I feel I’m good at. He’s always pushing me, and I’m really enjoy working under him.”

Colwill has impressed Chelsea chiefs with his performances under Maresca so far. The Englishman has formed a solid understanding with Wesley Fofana at the heart of their backline, but according to reports, a new central defender could still come in.

Chelsea eye Robert Renan with centre-back signing expected "very soon"

Writing vis his Substack this week, journalist Simon Phillips has revealed the numerous targets on their shortlist, and one of them is Zenit St. Petersburg defender Robert Renan.

The Brazilian has a £22 million release clause in his Zenit deal but is currently out on loan at Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab, where he’s made three league appearances so far.

It is believed Chelsea are eyeing Renan as a transfer option, with Phillips adding in the subheading of his piece that the centre-back area is “expected to be addressed very soon” as the recruitment team eye up South American solutions.

Renan was linked with a move to Arsenal in 2022, so it appears elite Premier League sides have long noticed the 20-year-old’s ability.

“Observation made here from the lawn of the Neo Química Arena: Robert Renan has a lot of potential,” said Brazilian journalist Rodrigo Fragoso two years ago.

“I really liked the posture of the Corinthians left-footed defender. He anticipates well, he’s cold in the moves. Looks like he’s going to make a very quality defender in the professional.”

Celtic made their way through to the semi-finals of the League Cup with a 5-2 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in the quarter-finals of the competition last Sunday.

Brendan Rodgers watched his side go 1-0 and 2-1 down in the first half before his substitutions helped the team to bounce back and secure the win with four second-half goals.

The Hoops are now back in action in the Scottish Premiership as they prepare to travel away from Parkhead to face St Johnstone this evening.

Celtic have won all five of their matches in the division so far this season, without conceding a single goal, and will be looking to keep up their 100% record in the evening kick-off later.

Rodgers made a number of changes to his side for the clash with Championship outfit Falkirk last weekend, which provided some of the fringe players with an opportunity to stake their claim for a place in the starting XI moving forward.

One player who may have done enough to earn himself a start in the league this weekend is centre-forward Adam Idah, after his impressive showing last time out.

Why Adam Idah should start

Celtic invested a lot of money in the Ireland international during the summer transfer window, as they agreed a deal to sign him on a permanent deal from Norwich.

Sky Sports reported that the Hoops have agreed to pay an initial fee of £8.5m for the 23-year-old striker, which could rise to £9.5m including add-ons.

This shows that the club have a lot of faith in the young forward and he should be rewarded with opportunities to shine when his performances deserve it, which is why Idah should start against St Johnstone today.

The Irish giant scored two goals in the 5-2 win over Falkirk and his two strikes turned the game around from 2-1 to the away side to 3-2 to Celtic, which illustrates how important his goals were.

That showing from the centre-forward came after he scored his first Champions League goal against Slovan in his previous appearance, with his only shot off the bench.

This means that Idah has now scored three goals in all competitions this season, with all three coming in the last two outings, whilst Kyogo Furuhashi has struggled in front of goal.

Appearances

5

1

Goals

1

1

Big chances missed

7

2

Big chances created

0

0

Assists

1

0

As you can see in the table above, the Japan international has missed a staggering nine ‘big chances’ and only scored two goals for the Hoops this season.

This suggests that Idah, who has already outscored Kyogo this term, could provide a more clinical presence in the final third for Rodgers this evening.

The Northern Irish head coach must make a change to the attacking options around the Irishman, however, as James Forrest should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting XI.

Why James Forrest should be dropped

The Celtic veteran was handed an opportunity to start against Falkirk but did not do enough, unlike Idah, to suggest to the manager that he should keep his place.

Football Scotland awarded him a player rating of 5/10 for his performance against the second tier side and cited his lack of impact on the match as a reason for his low score.

The 33-year-old winger was not directly involved in any of the club’s five goals and was substituted with the team 2-1 down after 61 minutes.

Forrest also had no involvement in the one goal that Celtic did score whilst he was on the pitch, as Alex Valle set-up Paulo Bernardo, before he watched on as his teammates secured progression through to the semi-finals.

The experienced forward had provided four assists in his previous six appearances for the club in all competitions but could not add to his tally of assists for the season against Falkirk.

His lack of impact on the right wing and the quality of his replacement is why Rodgers must brutally ditch him from the starting XI in order to unleash Nicolas Kuhn from the start.

Why Nicolas Kuhn should start

Firstly, the German forward produced an extraordinary performance off the bench, replacing Forrest in the second half, against Falkirk to win the match for Celtic.

Kuhn assisted both of Idah’s goals to put the Hoops 3-2 up before getting himself on the scoresheet with two goals to ensure that it was a comfortable victory in the end.

As you can see in the clip above, the former Rapid Vienna forward was the first to react to a loose ball on the edge of the box and crashed a volley into the bottom corner for his second and Celtic’s fifth goal.

The £3m January signing, who was hailed as “magical” by Rodgers in pre-season, has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the 2024/25 campaign.

Kuhn has racked up five goals and six assists in eight appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which includes three goals and three assists in two League Cup outings.

Appearances

5

Starts

4

Goals

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

2.2

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old star has also been on fire in the Premiership for Celtic, with his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals shining through.

The forward has created 11 chances and three ‘big chances’ in just four league starts, to be rewarded with two assists, and this shows that he excels at carving open opposition defences to create opportunities for his teammates.

This is why Kuhn is the perfect player to bring back into the XI to provide Idah with the service he needs to continue his recent run of goals for the Hoops.

The left-footed wizard can create the ‘big chances’ for the centre-forward to find the back of the net and that is why Forrest should be ditched from the team to allow the winger to return to the side.

Rodgers may have a bigger talent than Vata in prolific 12-goal Celtic teen

The Hoops youngster has been on fire so far this season for the B team.

2 ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2024

This has been a topsy-turvy start to the new campaign for Tottenham who have won just twice to open up the Premier League season.

An opening weekend draw to Leicester was followed up with a comfortable win over Everton but since then it has not been plain sailing.

Ange Postecoglou has faced criticism and understandably so following two straight defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal. The display against Coventry City in the League Cup was far from ideal either, leaving it late against Championship opposition to secure their path to the next round.

So, when Bryan Mbeumo scored within the first minute on Saturday, frustrations began to boil over.

It would have been easy for this Spurs side to crumble but they showed great mental fortitude to fight back and see off Brentford 3-1 courtesy of goals from James Maddison, comeback man Brennan Johnson and a first strike for Dominic Solanke.

Spurs’ attacking performance

This has been quite the week for Johnson. The Welshman hasn’t been at his best this term but the waves of criticism the winger received for his display against Arsenal a week ago wasn’t acceptable.

How he has fought back. Johnson scored the winner a few days ago against Coventry and found the net once more against Thomas Frank’s side on Saturday. A chorus of chants rung around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in support of him. Quite right.

It was also pleasing for Solanke to get off the mark. Since his £65m move from Bournemouth, the striker has struggled with injury but is fit and firing now in Spurs colours. This will likely be the first of many goals during his time in north London.

It was Maddison who truly stole the show though, with his performance duly handed a 10/10 match rating by Football.London’s Alasdair Gold who suggested it was ‘his best performance in a Spurs shirt’.

Not only did the attacking midfielder score but he also supplied three key passes and won a whopping ten duels. It’s not a bad afternoon’s work at all, is it?

So where was star man Son Heung-min in all of this? Well, the skipper failed to score but he did provide two assists as he flew under the radar.

He will continue to be their focal point this season but there’s a man down at N17 who’s now becoming just as important; Dejan Kulusevski.

Kulusevski’s performance in numbers this season

The Swede has played in a multitude of positions this season and after a struggle from several Tottenham wide players in the opening weeks of the season it was rather baffling that he continued to operate more centrally.

Well, such a decision has clearly been proven right as far as Postecoglou is concerned. Johnson is thriving now down Kulusevski’s favoured right-hand side and the former Juventus man is now shining in a deeper role.

It was from central midfield that the Sweden international looked so at ease on Saturday, supplying three key passes and producing three shots at the Brentford goal.

Minutes played

90

Touches

50

Accurate passes

20/26 (77%)

Key passes

3

Crosses

1/6

Long balls

1/1

Shots

3

Dribbles

1/2

Duels won

1/8

Possession lost

18x

Interceptions

1

Tackles

0

It wasn’t the most jaw-dropping of displays but he is without a doubt the best creator in this Tottenham side this season, producing 2.76 key passes per 90 according to FBRef. For context, that’s a higher rate than Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (2.63) and higher than Maddison (2.57).

For shot-creating actions per 90 (6.98) he ranks fourth in this season’s Premier League and for goal-creating actions, he is the division’s tenth-best player.

If we’re comparing the £110k-per-week star further afield, then Kulusevski is performing better than some global superstars for shot-creating actions, performing more than Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal (6.11) and Vinicius Jr (5.99). To summarise, the wide man is pretty damn good.

Those numbers are all the more intriguing when you consider that the 24-year-old has still only recorded one goal involvement this term in league action, assisting a strike in the rout over Everton.

It is surely only a matter of time before those base numbers improve. He was excellent against the Bees and with a player like Solanke ahead of him, those key passes are only more likely to turn into goals.

It is usually so often about Son down at Tottenham but Maddison and Kulusevski have now shown it doesn’t necessarily need to be. Perhaps brighter days do in fact lie ahead under Ange.

Ange's 8/10 Spurs star was just as unplayable as Maddison vs Brentford

The Lilywhites returned to winning ways in the Premier League…

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 21, 2024

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed an injury boost ahead of his side's all-important north London derby clash away to Tottenham this weekend.

Arteta dealt Arsenal selection headache with key players absent

Following the international break, Arsenal return to action imminently, with Arteta and the squad preparing to face-off against their fierce cross-city rivals on Sunday.

Arsenal hold extensive internal talks over signing £86m starlet for Arteta

He’s very highly regarded in north London.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 12, 2024

The manager will be very keen to get back to winning ways after agreeing to a new three year deal at the Emirates to extend his stay until 2027, but he faces mounting obstacles to overcome in his preparation for a tough trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Star midfielder Declan Rice is a confirmed absentee against Spurs through suspension, having controversially been sent off against Brighton for two bookable offences, with fellow midfielder and summer signing Mikel Merino also set to miss Tottenham as he is out for nearly two months with a shoulder injury.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Arsenal's shortage in that area means Arteta is reportedly planning to drop Kai Havertz back into midfield, with new arrival Raheem Sterling a candidate to play their false-nine role in the German's stead.

If absences for Merino and Rice weren't bad enough for the Gunners, defender Riccardo Calafiori is a real doubt for the North London Derby as well, after the centre-back sustained a calf injury during Italy's 3-1 UEFA Nations League win over France.

The most worrying injury blow, though, has come in the form of club captain Martin Odegaard. The Norway star was forced off in his country's 2-1 win over Austria on Monday, and needed medical staff to assist him in walking off the pitch as he couldn't bear weight on his ankle.

The 25-year-old has since returned to Arsenal, and was pictured boarding a plane to London on crutches. Reports in England have now shared that Odegaard is expected to be out for at least three weeks, dealing a hammer blow to Arteta as he gears up for crucial fixtures against Tottenham, Atalanta in the Champions League and Man City away.

Arteta handed Arsenal injury boost as Gabriel Jesus returns

Journalist John Cross, in a piece for The Mirror this week, has shared some much-needed good news out of London Colney – with £265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus looking ready to be available for selection.

As per their information, Jesus could be set to return from injury for Arsenal against Tottenham, so Arteta will at least have the Brazil international to call upon in the wake of his many casualties this weekend.

The former Man City star has played just five Premier League minutes so far this season, which came during Arsenal's 2-0 opening weekend victory over Wolves, missing their last two top flight games with a groin injury.

Jesus' experience and quality will be a real asset for Arteta, as the head coach ponders how best to set up his team against Ange Postecoglou's Lilywhites.

Rio Ferdinand has given an update on the "very complex" takeover at Manchester United, with the help of his "great source" at the club.

What's the latest on the takeover?

When Man United were put up for sale in late November last year, fans would have hoped to know who their club's new owners were by the end of the season.

Now in July, there is still significant uncertainty over the club's future, with the Glazers yet to make a final decision on United's ownership.

There are still two bids on the table for control at Old Trafford. One belongs to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the CEO of INEOS, and the other belongs to Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.

The former reportedly wants to buy a majority stake in the club, allowing the Glazers to stay as minority shareholders, while Sheikh Jassim wants to buy 100% of the club, which would push the Glazers out of the door completely.

Sheikh Jassim submitted a fifth and final bid for United in early June according to Ben Jacobs, with the bid reportedly worth approximately £5bn, and the Qatari is now considered the favourite to take over at Old Trafford.

What did Ferdinand say?

Former United defender Ferdinand has now issued a recent update on the club's potential takeover, owing certain information to his inside source at Old Trafford, with some suggestions that there may be greater clarification on the takeover soon.

Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, Ferdinand claimed: "You know what, the biggest thing is I had some news from a very good source, my great source at Manchester United.

"Things were running quite smooth and it was going down the right path but then obviously…I think the biggest issue is when you're dealing with a group of people rather than an individual it makes things very complex and difficult at times.

"You're not dealing with one individual with the Glazers, I think Jim Ratcliffe said it today, and I think that's been the issue behind the scenes. I didn't want to come out and say it but you're dealing with siblings in the Glazer family who are there to make a collective decision. I don't think one person can just make a decision on their own."

He added: "So, therefore, that makes it very difficult to kind of say yes immediately, just like that. It's a process they have to go through."

However, at the end of the podcast, contributor Joel Beya says: "You know what it's funny because there's definitely some takeover news happening. I know you can't say too much for whatever reasons, we spoke off air, but even from someone that's not in it as much as you I am hearing some big things happening tomorrow (Tuesday)."

Ferdinand responded: "I was talking to [David] Ornstein as well. Man he's got good knowledge as well but we've got good sources so."

The implication from Ferdinand is that there may be imminent news on the horizon regarding the takeover, with Sheikh Jassim supossedly leading the race. However, Ferdinand did make a point of saying that Ratcliffe is not yet out of the running, while it is still possible that the Glazers choose not to sell after all.

United supporters will be hoping that everything is sorted as quickly as possible with the current uncertainty adversely affecting the club's transfer plans heading into next season.

Journalist Dean Jones has suggested that Manchester United are still uncertain about David de Gea's future at the club, with Erik ten Hag not willing to "pin everything" on the goalkeeper's form next season.

Is De Gea leaving Manchester United?

With his contract expiring in a matter of hours, De Gea looks set to leave as a free agent.

The Spaniard has even been willing to take a signifcant pay cut to stay at the club, but Ten Hag's scepticism about De Gea's ability to implement his passing philosophy is edging the goalkeeper towards the exit door.

The fact that Andre Onana is currently in talks with the Red Devils about a move from Inter suggests that De Gea's time is running out, with a 12-year-old Trafford career potentially coming to an abrupt end.

Despite winning the Premier League Golden Glove last campaign, serious question marks have been raised over the Spaniard's inability to play out from the back, as well as some of the high-profile mistakes he made last season.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones suggests that there is still great uncertainty over De Gea's future, stressing the difficulty of this period for the 32-year-old.

Jones said: "Yeah, there has clearly been a briefing of some sorts over De Gea. And it's a tough moment for him, you know, and nobody ever wants to hear that they are not seen through the same eyes as they once were, and that's clearly the case with David de Gea right now.

De Gea has made 545 appearances since joining United in 2011 and will likely go down as one of the club's greatest goalkeepers, winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award at Old Trafford four times, including three seasons in a row between 2013 and 2016.

Onana appears the most likely candidate to succeed De Gea, with the Cameroon international having helped Inter all the way to the Champions League final last term.

Who else is potentially leaving Manchester United?

The Red Devils are expecting a fair few defensive departures this summer, with Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe leaving the club when their contracts expire.

It is also expected that Alex Telles and Eric Bailly will follow suit, having both spent last season on loan at Sevilla and Marseille respectively.

Harry Maguire has also been touted with a move away from Old Trafford, with midfield duo Fred and Scott McTominay (via the Metro) potentially departing the club as well.

Leeds United seem to be closing in on their top manager target, with imminent talks expected…

What's the latest on Patrick Vieira to Leeds United?

That's according to journalist Sami Mokbel who, writing for the Daily Mail, suggested in an article that ex-Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira had emerged as a serious contender to take over from Sam Allardyce at Elland Road despite others remaining in the frame.

Daniel Farke and Scott Parker are both referenced, and yet it is the Frenchman who is reportedly well-admired in Yorkshire, with talks planned for the coming days.

The 46-year-old head coach has been out of work since his dismissal in March, but seems raring to return to management according to reports in France.

Would Patrick Vieira suit Leeds United?

A drop down to the Championship could prove the perfect platform to rebuild a budding career, as the 49ers seek to instil a winning mentality in this fragile squad. Given his playing days, there are arguably few better placed to disseminate such ideals.

Although last term turned into something of a disaster for the former Arsenal midfielder, having failed to win in 11 before his sacking, his work the season prior must be remembered when measuring how successful Vieira could be in Leeds.

After all, many expected the worst when he was brought into Selhurst Park, only for him to secure a 12th-placed finish and an FA Cup semi-final spot.

The Premier League legend is still in the infancy of his coaching career, yet remains aligned with a 4-3-3 formation that seeks to dominate possession. Given how the Whites have often struggled when on the ball to seize the impetus, the Frenchman will be hoping to transfer his killer instinct that made him such a revered player.

During his playing career, he was a powerful central midfielder but boasted a touch of class beyond most for his era. As such, he captained the Gunners to great success, including a Premier League title in which they were not beaten once.

This came amongst two other league titles in England, a World Cup and European Championship triumph and a Champions League across his glittering career, further emphasising the claims of Ray Parlour that he is a "winner".

Having converted that mentality into a fine tactical intelligence now, he bred a free-flowing Eagles team that captured the eye for a whole year. Journalist Omar Muhammed even noted: "Crystal Palace are really fun to watch. Talent coursing through the entire side with a really smart manager in Patrick Vieira. We need to start giving them their flowers."

Perhaps his installation into Elland Road could hand him that vital second chance in English football, to iron out his errors of the past and return this famous institution back to where it belongs, with his winning pedigree sure to be a vital factor.

A big update has emerged on Arsenal and their efforts to lure Chelsea centre-forward Kai Havertz to The Emirates ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

What's the latest on Kai Havertz to Arsenal?

According to the Daily Mail, the Gunners have made a second offer to sign the German international after they had a £50m proposal turned down by their London rivals.

The report claims that Mikel Arteta's side have submitted a £60m bid, with a guaranteed £55m, in the hope of convincing the Blues to part ways with the talented attacker.

It states that they have the contract ready for the 24-year-old marksman as they are prepared to offer him at least £210k-per-week to make the switch across the city.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano followed up on this story by tweeting: "Understand deal could be done around £65m fee. Talks to follow. Havertz has been clear: he wants Arsenal move."

The reporter then added that a five-year deal is actually "already agreed" with the player and that the Gunners are hoping to strike an agreement with Chelsea this week.

Where would Havertz fit in at Arsenal?

The German maestro is far from a prolific number nine who will come in and lead the team to the Premier League title in the same way that Erling Halaand did for Manchester City.

However, Havertz could provide value to Arteta's side in a false nine role as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have shown that they have the quality to carry the goalscoring burden from out wide – they managed 29 top-flight goals combined last term.

He could be a Dennis Bergkamp-esque player for Arsenal in the sense that the 24-year-old magician could feature as more of a second-striker, with the Dutch legend having scored 118 goals and assisted 95 in 416 matches for the club.

In 2021, former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel compared the left-footed whiz to the former Arsenal star:

"I see a bit of Dennis Bergkamp, Robin Van Persie, [Dimitar] Berbatov kind of player. He can play in the half position because he has good runs, but also feels free from the nine and creates overload to one side."

Havertz has only scored 32 goals in 139 games for Chelsea but has showcased his ability to help the team in other, less direct, ways.

Over the last 365 days, the mercurial ace ranks in the top 9% or higher of players in his position in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for passes attempted, pass success rate, and progressive passes per 90.

This shows that Havertz excels at progressing the ball up the pitch and is actively involved in matches even when he is not on the scoresheet, which means that the £65m-rated marksman could thrive with two goalscoring wingers on either side of him in Arteta's system, as they would be able to provide direct running and goals to complement his playmaking.

Sporting CP midfielder Pedro Goncalves would be a "great" signing for Aston Villa this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Has Goncalves been linked with Villa move?

The 24-year-old enjoyed a superb 2022/23 season for the Portuguese giants, catching the eye with his relentless end product in the final third. Goncalves scored 15 goals and registered 11 assists in the Primeira Liga, and he also found the net three times in the Europa League, including an outrageous long-range effort away to Arsenal.

The £25,000-a-week Portuguese could well be a wanted man this summer, and while his current Sporting deal doesn't expire until 2026, they could find it difficult to keep hold of him, especially if he has decided that he wants to enjoy a new challenge.

Villa have been linked with a move for Goncalves in recent times, as NSWE look to provide plenty of transfer funds this summer, and a new update has now emerged regarding his future.

What's the latest on Goncalves to Villa Park?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, transfer expert Jones admitted that a move for Goncalves could be difficult for Villa to get over the line, but talked up his brilliance as a player:

"I think he would be great. But he’s got a big release clause. And even with Villa pushing the boat out at this next transfer window, I would be surprised if they can jump into this sort of territory. I kind of hope they can, because he’s an extremely exciting talent."

While this isn't necessarily the most positive update in the world, it does still suggest that Villa have genuine interest in Goncalves, with Unai Emery seeing him as someone who could provide great quality in attacking areas.

The Sporting hero was described as "incredible" by former striker Kevin Campbell, following his aforementioned goal against Arsenal, and he is someone who could relish life in the Premier League, proving to be a talismanic figure in attacking midfield areas, having won two caps for a star-studded Portugal team.

Given the money being discussed, though, it will clearly be hard for Villa to acquire the services of Goncalves – he could also be eyeing a move to a club who are in the Champions League or Europa League next season – but if they could get a deal over the line, it would be a signing that makes the rest of the country sit up and take notice.

There is much work to do at Liverpool.

The club will have to postpone its love affair with the Champions League, having missed out on qualification for the competition for the first time since 2016.

On top of this disappointment, the Reds have had to deal with multiple departures in the midfield – James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita have all left Anfield upon the expiry of their contracts.

Alexis Mac Allister has already been purchased to soften this blow and Nicola Barella is someone who has been linked to follow his footsteps to Merseyside.

What’s the latest on Nicolo Barella to Liverpool?

According to Sport Mediaset (via FC Inter News), Liverpool, both Manchester clubs and Newcastle are all keenly tracking the 26-year-old.

Last month, Football Insider revealed that Jurgen Klopp’s outfit were the frontrunners for the Inter midfielder, who is open to leaving Northern Italy and could be lured away for a fee of £61m.

Who could Nicolo Barella replace at Liverpool?

Since making his debut for the Neazzurri in 2019, the Italian has been an imperious asset that has made vital contributions to his side’s recent success.

In the title-winning 2020/21 season, Barella recorded 12 goal involvements and then crafted the joint-second highest number of assists (12) in Serie A in the following campaign, as his side also won the Italian Super Cup and the Coppa Italia.

His importance hasn't deterred, as he’s started 11 Champions League games during Inter’s unlikely journey to the final.

He has developed a reputation as a competent all-rounder, with a punishing ability to break up play and dance past opponents.

The box-to-box titan ranks within the top 11% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries, non-penalty goals, and shot-creating actions per 90.

Barella’s arrival could spell danger for Harvey Elliot, who fell down in his manager’s pecking during the latter stages of the campaign – the Reds went 11 league games unbeaten, winning eight in a row at one stage, but the former Fulham ace started just once in this period.

This term, the Euro 2020 winner has averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.6 key passes, and 1.1 dribbles per game, whereas Elliot only manages 0.8, 0.8, and 0.6 for the same metrics.

As Klopp seeks to pinpoint his main creative influence from midfield, it seems that Barella is the stronger, more well-rounded candidate.

Described as a “top-class” player by Klopp, the signing of Barella would be a massive statement of intent and a sizeable indication of the direction Liverpool are intending to head.