Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford has reportedly received a boost in his chances of joining Barcelona this summer.
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Dominik Szoboszlai slots it home 🔥 pic.twitter.com/scGst1IueG
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 23, 2025
| Vs Liverpool | Kevin De Bruyne |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 66 |
| Pass accuracy | 79% |
| Possession lost | 11x |
| Big chances created | 0 |
| Shots on target | 0 |
| Duels won | 2/4 |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
image
large
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
| Highest-earning attackers in the Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Weekly wage | PL goals + assists (24/25) |
| Erling Haaland | £525k | 22 |
| Kevin de Bruyne | £400k | 8 |
| Mohamed Salah | £350k | 41 |
| Bruno Fernandes | £300k | 12 |
| Jack Grealish | £300k | 1 |
| Wages via Capology & stats via WhoScored | ||
Now worth more than Doku: Man City must regret losing "wonderkid" for £0
Man City have moved on a number of young stars in recent years
By
Joe Nuttall
Feb 22, 2025
Turning their attention towards the summer transfer window, Newcastle United have reportedly joined the race to sign a 15-goal striker who’s already had the seal of approval from Alan Shearer.
Newcastle join £63m striker race
For the first time in two transfer windows, the Magpies could be ready to splash the cash this summer. Fresh from their Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool to end 70 years of hurt, the rumours have come thick and fast over just who Eddie Howe could welcome with open arms this summer.
Names such as Senne Lammens and Dean Huijsen have been just two names among those rumours, with the latter particularly attracting attention from across both Europe and the Premier League.
Newcastle monitoring "special" record-breaking wonderkid who idolises Neymar
He’s some talent.
ByBarney Lane Mar 24, 2025
That attention should come as no surprise too. The Bournemouth defender has enjoyed a fantastic first season in the Premier League and has a release clause worth just £50m waiting to be triggered this summer. Whether Newcastle can jump ahead of the likes of Real Madrid in pursuit of his signature remains to be seen, however.
Meanwhile, Huijsen’s not the only target with a release clause that the Magpies could trigger when the summer arrives. According to TeamTalk, Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Matheus Cunha, who will be allowed to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers for a hefty £63m in the coming months.
The Brazilian has dragged Wolves to safety at times this season and opted to stay put during the January transfer window in an attempt to finish the job. Given that the Midlands club now sit as many as eight points clear of the dropzone, it’s fair to say it is all but job well done for Cunha and his teammates.
Now, the forward’s attention could turn back towards a summer exit, which may yet end with a trip to St James’ Park.
"Magnificent" Cunha has been more clinical than Isak
Those in Tyneside are, of course, well aware of what a top striker can do to a side after watching on as Alexander Isak steals the headlines week in, week out. In just a few months time, however, they could get double the joy if Cunha arrives to form a deadly partnership with the Swede – potentially taking Howe’s side to a new level.
Cunha has already received the ultimate Newcastle seal of approval too, earning the praise of Alan Shearer who told the Rest Is Football podcast: “He was unbelievable again.
“The goal he scored, the one he bent in the top corner was an unbelievable finish. He was superb, Gary O’Neil had to talk about him again after the game, there’s no doubt he’s getting the best out of him. He’s been one of the players of the season up to now, he’s been magnificent as he was again (vs Fulham).”
What’s more, if there were any concerns that the Wolves man wouldn’t be able to match Isak’s standards then the stats should quickly put those to bed, with 15 goals in all competitions this season.
Starts
24
25
Goals
13
19
Expected Goals (goals vs expected)
6.7 (+6.3)
15.6 (+3.4)
Assists
4
5
Overperforming his expected finishing rate in the top flight by over six goals, Cunha has been incredibly clinical and will no doubt find himself at the centre of a transfer saga this summer.
Liverpool’s travelling supporters sang in the stands long after the full-time whistle had been blown, Arne Slot’s emphatic Premier League double over Manchester City confirmed.
They sang, bellowed and capered, and who could blame them? Etihad hoodoo had been vanquished, and Arsenal’s shock defeat against West Ham United the day before resulted in an 11-point lead at the peak of the division.
Some would call that unassailable. Liverpool, to be sure, have more challenges to overcome this season, but wow what a team, so cultured and combative and many-angled. From Alisson Becker to Virgil van Dijk to Mohamed Salah, this is a squad moving forward with an urgency, an indomitability.
It’s a star-studded unit, but in fact Liverpool are comprised of many different parts, with Slot’s success in raising the bar for many Redmen one of his greatest triumphs. The Dutchman didn’t welcome much new to Anfield when he arrived but he invested in these players.
It could be quite the grand slam finish to the term, and while the likes of Salah and Van Dijk have earned their flowers, many more have come on leaps and bounds to spring from Jurgen Klopp’s legacy and into something new and very much its own thing.
Liverpool's 'most improved' this season
How could we start anywhere but slap in the centre? Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation in the middle of the park this season, praised as “the best midfielder in the world” by Liverpool writer Joseph Agbobli.
Intelligent, silky-smooth and press-resistant, the Netherlands star has made remarkable improvements are a middling maiden term in England, used in rotation by Klopp and struggling to showcase his full scale.
Matches (starts)
26 (12)
27 (27)
Goals
1
0
Assists
0
2
Touches*
28.8
65.7
Pass completion
83%
89%
Key passes*
0.6
0.8
Dribbles*
0.9
0.9
Ball recoveries*
2.8
5.3
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
3.5
Total duels (won)*
2.8 (47%)
4.7 (58%)
He’s not the only one. Cody Gakpo is Liverpool’s second-top scorer this season (no prizes for guessing top spot). Gravenberch’s Oranje partner has matched last season’s tally of 16 strikes having played about 1,000 fewer minutes.
Slot’s genius lies in his simplicity, concentrating Gakpo’s role into that of a goalscoring winger. Liverpool are a world-class unit, capable of shifting into various styles of play, but you can’t exactly call them overwrought.
Players like Dominik Szoboszlai have been identified to possess skill sets capable of different uses, which is why he operated so effectively in a makeshift centre-forward role at the Etihad. The Hungarian is another to have gone from strength to strength this term, having fallen out of favour in the last days of Klopp, benched for five of the final six top-flight fixtures of 2023/24.
Then you have someone like Luis Diaz. The Colombian’s reputation preceded Slot’s arrival, but he ebbed and flowed last year. However, he too has made gains in this new system – with his towering market value reflecting that.
Liverpool have hit the jackpot on Luis Diaz
Last season, Diaz reoriented himself after an injury-marred 2023/24 campaign, but he lacked the potency that his ability demanded.
Electric on the ball and determined off it, the Colombia international, 28, has made his mark in Slot’s system, proving to be a winger of mixed proportions.
Slot is a fierce proponent of hard graft and team play, something that the indefatigable Diaz performs with aplomb.
His finishing has also improved. As per Sofascore, Diaz has scored nine goals in the Premier League this year (a personal best) having missed only seven big chances. To put that in perspective, he scored eight, missed 13 big chances across more game time.
Lucho has been an invaluable option at centre-forward this season with Darwin Nunez regressing and Diogo Jota enduring yet another injury-hit season, not always riding the most prolific of streams but playing an important part nonetheless.
Left winger
24
6
3
Centre-forward
11
6
0
Right winger
1
1
0
And that’s not to say he hasn’t found the goal. Diaz, like Gakpo, has equalled last season’s tally of 13 goals having played far fewer minutes – about 1,300.
And with such variegated underlying metrics, it’s clear to see why he’s held in such a high regard. As per FBref, Diaz ranks among the top 1% of forwards for pass completion and shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, showcasing his expansive tactical tool kit.
Such plaudits are indeed reflected through his current price tag, with Football Transfers placing him above all the other vastly improved members of Liverpool’s first team mentioned above.
Diaz’s performances have seen Football Transfers (FT) give the South American star a current value of £65m, a figure FSG could bank given Barcelona’s ongoing intrigue in Liverpool’s left winger, who is heading into the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week contract at Anfield.
He wouldn’t come cheap, but the proof’s in the pudding: he’s a “deadly” and dynamic forward, as reporter Lewis Steele has pronounced.
To further contextualise this: FT record Gakpo as a £51m-rated player right now, whereas the fast-improving Gravenberch is close by with a £50m value.
So then, 28-year-old Diaz has two years left on his current deal and is one of the most profitable players in FSG’s brood. Perennial transfer links with Barcelona might just come to fruition this summer, but who knows?
Whatever the final act may be in this electric-paced and dangerous forward’s Liverpool career, he will depart with a weight of silverware and perhaps a Premier League title in that mix.
Market Movers
He’d also turn a pretty, and if Liverpool’s transfer history is anything to go by, Slot would welcome a brand-new starlet to the fold with a glittering future, taking his predecessor’s baton.
Liverpool ace who Klopp sold is now outperforming Szoboszlai after leaving
He’s one of the most underrated Liverpool players in recent memory.
ByAngus Sinclair Feb 25, 2025
MatériaMais Notícias
da gbg bet： Os últimos dias tem sido de absoluta celebração para Bill Morais, inspirador do meme “Bora, Bill!”. Isso porque, dias após tomar ciência de que seu bordão foi o termo de busca mais procurado em território brasileiro no Google em 2022, ele recebeu a importante honraria no prêmio Digital Awards..
A cerimônia, ocorrida na cidade de São Paulo, contou com a presença de algumas personalidades além da apresentação do humorista Tom Cavalcante, responsável por anunciar o prêmio concedido ao seu conterrâneo, já que a consagrada figura do humor brasileiro também é cearense.
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A situação, aliás, foi comentada pelo próprio Bill após receber a premiação. Para ele, oportunidades como dividir o palco com Tom Cavalcante bem como o carinho que recebe de diversas pessoas nas redes sociais são pontos fundamentais como elemento de motivação para que ele aproveite o momento.
-Eu nunca imaginei estar aqui recebendo essa importante conquista, principalmente, dividindo o palco com o meu conterrâneo do Ceará, Tom Cavalcante. Quero agradecer a todos os brasileiros pelo carinho que recebo no dia a dia e que isso me motiva a seguir em frente – afirmou o vigilante que, nas horas vagas, é treinador de equipes de várzea e viu, em uma das partidas, o meme a seu respeito tomar conta da web.
Segundo apurou o Futebol Latino, a agenda de Bill Morais prevê a aparição em duas partidas festivas neste fim de ano. Uma delas ocorrerá na cidade de São Paulo e a outra no Rio de Janeiro, mais precisamente, no “Jogo das Estrelas”, organizado por Zico.
Stand-in captain shocked at opportunity, but ready to lead having learnt from Test set-up
Matt Roller19-Sep-2023Zak Crawley was “shocked” when Matthew Mott told him that he wanted him to captain England. His leadership experience at professional level amounts to two Championship games and two T20s for Kent, and he has only won three caps for England’s white-ball teams, all of them against Pakistan two years ago.But this three-match ODI series against Ireland, which starts at Headingley on Wednesday, represents an opportunity for Crawley to lay down his captaincy credentials. “We see leadership potential in him,” Luke Wright, England’s national selector, said this week. “The way he handles himself around the group in Test cricket has been hugely impressive.”There is no imminent prospect of either Ben Stokes or Jos Buttler stepping down from their respective roles as Test and white-ball captain, but there is no harm in having a succession plan in place. Ollie Pope, Crawley’s close friend, is Stokes’ official deputy at Test level, but Crawley may only be a couple of injuries away from leading England in India early next year.”I captained a few age-group teams and my school team, growing up,” Crawley said. “I remember Shane Warne saying you should always think like a captain when you’re playing. I’ve done that since I was a kid – ‘what should we do now?’ – but I think everyone does that when you’re in the field, and maybe a bit bored.”The good thing Baz [McCullum] has done – and Stokesy – is they’ve encouraged everyone to speak up. You feel very comfortable speaking up in the dressing-room. I certainly think that’s happened more in the last couple of years: more people have come out of the woodwork and led from the front. That’s most of the [Test] squad: there are leaders everywhere you look.”Crawley’s captaincy debut will be about as low-key as international cricket gets: a midweek, end-of-season ODI against Ireland at a half-full Headingley, with attendances unlikely to be helped by the weather forecast. As if to underline it, Crawley’s family will not be there to watch him: “They say they get a better view at home, which I agree with.”Related
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England have opted to rest their World Cup squad ahead of seven weeks in India, giving opportunities to a number of fringe players instead. With several first-choice players likely to play their final ODIs in India, these fixtures arguably mark the start of England’s planning for the 2025 Champions Trophy.Crawley’s message to his side will be simple: “We’re trying to get this group to become the main team one day. We’re looking at the future and trying to emulate those guys above by doing the same things, playing the same positive way and trying to copy them as much as possible… We’ll try and keep it very similar and take the game on, like those guys have been doing for eight years now.”Among “those guys” is Joe Root, who was added to the squad at his own request after a scratchy series against New Zealand. Root scored 6, 0, 4 and 29 in his four innings in that series and struggled to rediscover the tempo of 50-over cricket. Since the 2019 World Cup final, he has only batted 16 times in the format, scoring three half-centuries and no hundreds.”If anyone has forgotten how good he is, that’s their fault,” Crawley said. “He’s just using it to find some rhythm; he’s a big rhythm player. I played under him for a long time, and stood next to him at slip when he was captain. It’s great to have him in the team and I’ll lean on him… hopefully he gets what he wants from it.”Two weeks after the World Cup final, England are due to play three ODIs in the Caribbean and may well select another weakened squad to face West Indies. “I’d just be keen to go on that tour, to be honest,” Crawley said, asked if he thought he might continue as captain.”If it works out that way that they want me to lead that, then we’ll cross that bridge when it comes. But I’d love to be on that tour as a player and we’ll see how it goes from there… I’ve got to concentrate on getting runs this week. If I don’t get any runs then that makes it hard to do that.”I’ve tried my best to enjoy my cricket all summer, which is something I haven’t done so well in previous years when I probably put too much pressure on myself.”Between finishing the Ashes as England’s leading scorer and captaining them for the first time, it has been a memorable summer for him.
Jack Grealish could link up with Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour at Napoli, with Antonio Conte a “big fan” of the Manchester City outcast.
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England forward seeing move speculated onOpen to the idea of heading abroadLinked with teams in Europe, USA & SaudiFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
A change of scenery for Grealish continues to be speculated on after making just seven starts in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign. The England international has only found the target on three occasions across 31 appearances in all competitions.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Pep Guardiola is expected to freshen up his ranks at the Etihad Stadium this summer after missing out on a history-extending fifth successive English top-flight title. Grealish may be among those that are allowed to move on.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to , the 29-year-old forward has attracted interest from Italy. Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham manager Conte, who is now calling the shots in Napoli, is said to be an admirer of Grealish’s creative qualities.
Getty ImagesTELL ME MORE
Former Manchester United star McTominay and his fellow Scotland international Billy Gilmour are already in Italy, as they chase down Serie A title glory in 2025. They could be joined by Grealish in the summer transfer window.
It is claimed that Grealish would favour a move abroad over an extended stay in England. German giants Borussia Dortmund are also said to be keen, along with AC Milan – who currently have Manchester City loanee Kyle Walker on their books.
England captain named Player of the Match after putting himself through 24 overs in India’s second innings at Lord’s
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-20252:32
Stokes: I was going to decide when I stop bowling
Ben Stokes, England’s captain, admitted he had taken himself to some “dark places” with his bowling workloads but said “nothing was stopping” him as he embarked on two lengthy spells to help drag his side to a 22-run victory over India on the final day at Lord’s.Stokes was named Player of the Match after taking five wickets across 44 overs – the third-most he has bowled in a Test, and the most since 2019 – to go with innings of 44 and 33 with the bat, as well as the crucial run-out of Rishabh Pant in India’s first innings.On the third evening, he received an instruction from England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, to call it quits after a seven-over spell, with the team management still wary about protecting Stokes’ fitness after hamstring surgery over the winter.Related
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But he again pushed his body to the limit on Monday, resuming his over from the previous evening and bowling a further 9.2 overs during the morning, which included the wicket of India opener KL Rahul. He followed up with a ten-over spell after lunch, eventually dislodging Jasprit Bumrah after a dogged 35-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja for the ninth wicket, as England sought to confirm victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.The Lord’s Test was also the second of back-to-back matches, with just a three-day turnaround from India’s win at Edgbaston, where Stokes bowled 26 overs. In the first Test, at Headingley, he sent down 35 overs and spoke afterwards about how hard it was to recover.”I have taken myself to some pretty dark places before. Today was… but look, bowling to win a Test match, if that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what does,” he said, speaking to Sky Sports at the post-match presentation.”With what today was, what was on the line. Yesterday [Saturday] was a bit different. You know, there was still more cricket to be played. And, you know, pulled myself off there. I mean, to be honest, I was absolutely cooked [on day three] as well. But again, today, you know, game was on the line. Nothing was stopping me [carrying on].”Ben Stokes appeals for KL Rahul’s wicket•Getty ImagesAlthough Stokes hinted at a return to form with the bat, Lord’s extended his run without a Test fifty to ten innings. He is now averaging 29.18 in 20 Tests since his last hundred, at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes, but said that his ability to impact games with the ball meant he had little time to dwell on his batting returns.”I’m an allrounder. I get four opportunities in a Test match to be able to influence the game. And one of the great things about being an allrounder is that if one thing doesn’t quite click, you’ve got an opportunity with the other. And that’s how I look at it.”Obviously, I would like to be scoring more runs at the moment, but as soon as I’ve got my whites on out there on the field, all my thoughts flip over to bowling. And that’s the great thing about being an allrounder, that you don’t really have a chance to sort of worry about anything. And everyone knows, I’ll always put in as much as I possibly can.”Jofra Archer took two crucial wickets in his opening spell•Getty ImagesStokes offered particular praise for Jofra Archer, playing in his first Test since 2021. Archer claimed match figures of 5 for 105 in a display of sustained hostility that regularly pushed the speed gun above 90mph/145kph. On day five, six years on from his heroics in the ODI World Cup final, he made the first breakthrough with the key wicket of Pant, and Stokes said he had backed Archer to do something special.”Yeah, part of the reason I went with Jof this morning, six years ago now to the day. He played a major role and I had a feeling he’d do something special and crack the game open. A bit of discussion, Brydon [Carse] had an amazing spell [last night], but I had a gut feeling that Jof’s going to do something in his first game back.”Speaking afterwards to Sky, Archer said that the long periods he experienced in rehab due to back and elbow problems between 2021 and 2024 were made all the more worthwhile by the taste of victory at Lord’s.As well as his involvement in the World Cup final, when he bowled the Super Over as England’s men lifted the trophy for the first time, Archer made his Test debut on the ground during the 2019 Ashes. However, he had not played a Test since February 2021 before his comeback against India, enduring a four-year absence from red-ball cricket while road-testing his body in the limited-overs formats.0:55
Manjrekar: Stokes always makes things happen
“I only played one other Test at Lord’s, but you know, the last one was just as special as this one,” Archer said. “A lot of rehab, a lot of training, but it’s moments like this that make everything worth it.”I feel the hardest part is playing cricket for the last year-and-a-half and then still having training, talking about workloads, and ‘bowl today, don’t bowl tomorrow’, stuff like that. That would probably be the hardest part, because some days you think that you’re ready, but you never know if you’re ready or not until you do it. But the safer way is the best way. So I’m not too fussed. This surely, surely is worth it.”On day two, Archer struck with his third ball on returning to the Test side, having India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at second slip, and celebrated by sprinting away to square leg, where he was enveloped by his team-mates.”Guess I was a little bit emotional,” he said. “It was a long journey. I can’t tell you the amount of keyboard warriors that I had to put up with for the last three to four years as well. I told myself that I was going to try my best not to be [emotional] and when [Jaiswal] nicked it, and it went to Brooky [Harry Brook], I think all of that just went through the window. The joy, the whole crowd, the Long Room yesterday, I’ve never seen it like that ever in my life. So it’s just moments like this that made the rehab all so much worth it.”Archer also revealed what was behind his send-off for Pant on the final day, having removed the batter’s off stump from the ground. “It wasn’t a proud moment,” he said. “I just told him to charge that. Honestly, this morning, I was struggling a little bit, the ball just kept coming out full. One of the full ones, he just charged, and it p****d me off a bit. When the [wicket] ball nipped down the slope, honestly I was so grateful for that.”
Liverpool won the 2024/25 Premier League and are now moving to secure their place among Europe’s elite for the coming years, making sweeping changes in the transfer market.
A momentous effort to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz looks to be coming to a pleasing head, but the negotiations are still ongoing. Liverpool’s latest offer totals £113m, but the Bundesliga side are holding out for what would be a British-record £126m fee.
With moves for full-back pairing Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez already wrapped up, the Reds are surely set to continue competing for the biggest prizes in Arne Slot’s system.
However, there’s still something missing and no mistake. Well, while Liverpool have options at centre-forward in Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, neither really cut the mustard last term, and both could be sold.
Liverpool aren’t prioritising the frontman position at the moment, but they are surveying the market and have been linked with a move for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.
With Arsenal “advancing in negotiations” for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, says Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool could have a free shot at Gyokeres this summer, having opened talks for the forward last month.
The Sweden striker has been breathtaking over his two campaigns in Portugal, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists across just 102 matches, winning back-to-back Liga Portugal titles.
Regarded as “the best finisher in the world” by data analyst Spencer Hossman, you can see why Liverpool are keen, for the 27-year-old is levels above Nunez and Jota.
However, recent reports suggest Manchester United may be set to win the race, ready to pay a £60m fee for the goalscorer.
|
Most Goals Across Europe’s Top Ten Leagues (24/25) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
# |
Player |
Apps |
Goals |
|
1) |
Viktor Gyokeres |
33 |
39 |
|
2) |
Kylian Mbappe |
34 |
31 |
|
3) |
Mohamed Salah |
38 |
29 |
|
4) |
Robert Lewandowski |
34 |
27 |
|
5) |
Victor Osimhen |
30 |
26 |
|
5= |
Harry Kane |
31 |
26 |
|
Data via Transfermarkt |
|||
Every case is different, but some fans might reserve judgment on this one, for Nunez posted 34 goals from 41 matches in 2021/22, playing for Benfica in Portugal.
The Iberian country is not on the same level as the Premier League, and that’s a fact. If Liverpool were to sign a striker from their own division, one already proven as a world-class option on English shores
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are still dreaming of signing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak this summer, despite The Athletic’s David Ornstein previously declaring there would be “no chance” that the Sweden international leaves after United qualified for the Champions League.
It’s understood that upcoming contract talks will have a significant bearing on Isak’s stance, but if he were to leave this summer, Newcastle would be looking to bank a figure reaching as high as £150m.
Sky Sports’ Keith McDownie has claimed that while Newcastle are hopeful they can retain their talisman this summer, Isak is ambitious and does appear to view a transfer away at some stage.
What would Isak bring to Liverpool? In short, goals, and lots of them.
The 25-year-old has been a revelation at St. James’ Park since signing for a club-record £63m fee in 2022, departing Real Sociedad.
Across his three campaigns on Tyneside, Isak has scored 62 goals and laid on 11 assists across 109 matches, hitting his most confident stride over the past year, scoring 27 times as the Magpies flew back onto Europe’s elite stage, and indeed bagging against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
But it’s not just the numbers, instead the remarkable range of skills that Isak brings to the table. Slot has showed through his maiden year at Anfield that he likes offensive players who operate dynamically, not just firing at goal but creating and linking up with teammates.
He’s a deadly marksman, hailed as a “world-class assassin” by pundit Alan Shearer, but Isak is indeed far more than a simple goalscorer, finishing the chances created by his peers.
Indeed, he’s one of the most complete out there. As per FBref, Isak ranked among the top 16% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.
You can see why he’s so coveted across the continent. Isak is the very definition of world-class, bringing so many dynamic attacking qualities to the table.
His tried-and-tested consistency in the Premier League bespeaks his suitability for Liverpool, and he’s two years younger than Gyokeres besides.
Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson even went as far as to coin Isak “the best striker in the world.” The one-time Newcastle man acknowledged his bias, but in fairness, Isak has showcased his skills to such a level that that claim isn’t without substance.
Ultimately, both Isak and Gyokeres would improve Slot’s Liverpool system if they were added into the ranks, but if fans were quizzed on their ideal option to don the striker’s shirt, Isak would win overwhelmingly.
After such a prolific and robust campaign for Eddie Howe’s side, Isak has proven himself one of the best of his generation, especially since his athleticism appears to have taken a leap forward, avoiding any impactful injury that plagued him through previous seasons at Newcastle and in Spain.
Liverpool are dreaming of completing this staggering signing, and if they play their cards right, the pieces might just fall into place.
He's like Gordon: Liverpool lead race for "explosive" £40m Diaz replacement
Liverpool boss Arne Slot will need to welcome a new winger into the fold if Luis Diaz is sold.
1
By
Angus Sinclair
Jun 7, 2025
Nottingham Forest have the ‘strongest’ interest in a midfielder who’s been compared to Aston Villa star John McGinn, with Evangelos Marinakis expecting offers for Elliot Anderson.
Elliot Anderson shining for Forest with £100m price mooted
Anderson has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most impressive midfielders this season, with Forest reportedly setting a £100 million asking price to deter potential suitors during January.
The 23-year-old has transformed into one of England’s most complete central midfielders since his £35 million arrival from Newcastle in July 2024.
His exceptional form also convinced Thomas Tuchel to hand him a senior international debut in August, with the Three Lions manager subsequently praising him as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.”
Anderson featured heavily during Forest’s fairytale seventh-placed finish last campaign, making 37 Premier League appearances whilst scoring two goals and registering six assists.
However, his development has accelerated dramatically throughout 25/26, establishing himself as Sean Dyche’s most influential player whilst earning recognition among Europe’s elite midfield talents.
Nottingham Forest make approach for Matic-like starlet who could replace Anderson
Forest have slapped a £100 million price tag on the latter’s head amid growing interest.
ByEmilio Galantini 5 days ago
Man City have emerged as Anderson’s preferred destination should he depart the City Ground, though Man United and Liverpool are apparently monitoring developments closely as well.
Pep Guardiola views him as an ideal long-term successor to Rodri, who is currently suffering from another injury setback which threatens to derail his mission to return to Ballon d’Or winning form.
Reports suggest that Forest are already making enquiries for potential Anderson replacements as interest grows in his signature grows, and this is backed up by The Mail’s Simon Jones.
Nottingham Forest make approach for Hibernian star Josh Mulligan
According to their information, Forest have emerged as frontrunners in the race for Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, with Dyche’s side making initial enquiries ahead of a potential January move.
The Scotland international has impressed since arriving at Easter Road during the summer on a free transfer from Dundee, featuring in all 24 of their competitive matches whilst chipping in with three goals and three assists.
Mulligan, who The Mail report has been compared to McGinn for his tenacious style of play, was lavished with praise by Hibs boss David Gray following the Edinburgh side’s 3-0 win over Falkirk last weekend.
Steve Clarke recently called Mulligan into Scotland’s World Cup qualifying squad, challenging him to become a leader at club level.
With the 2026 tournament approaching and the Tartan Army qualified, regular Premier League football would significantly enhance his international prospects.
Hibernian secured Mulligan on a four-year contract and will demand substantial compensation before considering any mid-season departure.
Forest’s Europa League participation provides additional motivation for strengthening squad depth during the January window, with the Tricky Trees also expecting offers for Anderson next year.