Liverpool fielded something of a patchwork side against Southampton in midweek, and though they had to weather the storm, in both senses of the phrase, Arne Slot’s remarkable campaign moved further forward.

The hard-fought Carabao Cup victory has set up a semi-final tie with Tottenham Hotspur in the new year, and given that Liverpool are atop the Premier League and Champions League tables, things could hardly be going any better.

Well, they could. They always could. The Reds have ceded ground in both of their recent top-flight matches, away at Newcastle and against Fulham at Anfield last weekend, having been reduced to ten men before 20 minutes were on the clock.

The culprit: Andy Robertson. The experienced left-back has been criticised throughout the campaign, and while he’s still a high-class player, there’s a growing sense that FSG will want to replace him sooner rather than later.

Why Liverpool need to replace Andy Robertson

Robertson has been nothing short of a stalwart since joining Liverpool from Hull City in 2017, signing for an astute £10m fee. His energy and dynamism have seen him defy the naysayers and forge a prosperous career at the heart of one of the most successful contemporary English sides.

Along with his alternate full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, Robertson’s creativity and ball-playing skills rewrote the job description and saw Jurgen Klopp’s system take a liftoff, with Reds writer Leanne Prescott once even hailing the Scotland skipper as a “Duracell Bunny.”

But he was afflicted by a damaging shoulder injury last term and has struggled to maintain his level under Slot’s wing, ditched for Kostas Tsimikas on several occasions and starting to fumble in big moments, conceding a few penalties and indeed being dismissed against the Cottagers.

Aged 30, Robertson might feel that he has plenty of mileage in the tank, but the tireless work that he has performed over so many years is bound to have reduced the engine’s throttle power.

Liverpool have hardly been scatter-spenders since Slot took to the helm, but there’s little question that when the time comes for action, replacing Robertson will be near the top of the agenda.

Liverpool transfer news

As per German reporter Christian Falk, Liverpool are thick in the battle to sign Alphonso Davies, with the Bayern Munich speedster out of contract at the end of the season.

Obviously, the caveat is that Real Madrid are also interested, but Davies earns a pretty penny at £178k per week and his lofty demands appear to have dissuaded the La Liga giants, as per Spanish sources.

He is set to become a free agent next summer and that is why he could be an attractive target for the Reds, who would not have to splash out a transfer fee to secure his services.

What Alphonso Davies would bring to Liverpool

What would Davies bring to Liverpool? Pace, and plenty of it. The Canada superstar’s electric rapidity is a remarkable thing, with an ever-present fleetness denoting his high technical quality too.

Bayern signed Davies from Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps for a fee rising to £17m in July 2018, which was a record for an MLS player, and a 17-year-old one at that.

Davies has stayed at Bayern throughout the entirety of the intervening period, his evident quality diffusing any notion of a loan spell to help him sharpen his tools.

In fact, the pacy defender has completed 216 appearances for Die Roten, notching 46 goal contributions and notably lifting five Bundesliga titles and the 2019/20 Champions League.

He’s a remarkable player, once described as a “machine” by podcaster Stefan Buczko, and still only 24, the Bayern ace could replace Robertson at Liverpool and serve as Slot’s number one for many years to come.

This all goes to prove that Liverpool would be getting their mitts on a left-back of immense talent, sure, but also one with an elite, title-winning mentality that amazingly has much room for further growth and success.

It will come as no surprise that Davies ranks among the top 2% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries (4.76) and the top 1% for successful take-ons (2.25) per 90, as per FBref, further highlighting the blistering energy that Slot would weave into his thriving side.

Of course, pace isn’t everything, but when assessing the Bavarian star’s metrics compared to Robertson’s across league matches in 2024/25, you can see that Liverpool’s man is lacking across the board, less threatening in attack and far less robust in defensive phases.

Matches (starts)

11 (10)

13 (12)

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

2

Touches*

69.5

84.2

Pass completion

88%

92%

Key passes*

1.5

1.6

Ball recoveries*

4.0

6.3

Dribbles*

0.2 (40%)

1.8 (51%)

Tackles + interceptions*

1.6

2.1

Ground duels (won)*

1.5 (50%)

4.9 (58%)

The pertinent question for those of a Liverpool persuasion would be whether Davies would be willing to prioritise Anfield with Real Madrid lurking. Los Blancos have their hesitations, but when a team engages in a transfer tussle with Florentino Perez, there’s rarely any surprise about the one to come out on top.

It’s curious that Robertson has adapted his game to a point where he averages only 0.2 dribbles per Premier League outing, something that is perhaps a by-product of the indefatigable displays across the best part of eight years.

Davies’ wage demands will see him rival the heaviest hitters at Liverpool on the bill, and that might prove to be a stumbling block for Richard Hughes and co. Nonetheless, the chance to sign one of the best left-backs in the world for free is an opportunity that simply can’t be passed up.

Having only signed Federico Chiesa in Slot’s first transfer window for a reduced £12.5m fee, it’s hardly as if FSG don’t have the money to spend on a high-profile superstar, one who could make a marked impact on Slot’s reign over the coming years.

It’s time for action. This would be a signing to show Europe that the Reds mean business, and are keen to turn their fast start to the season into an imperious run over a number of years.

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أكد كافو، أسطورة منتخب البرازيل، أن رافينها نجم برشلونة سيكون من أبرز المرشحين لجائزة الكرة الذهبية هذا العام 2025.

ويقدم رافينها موسمًا استثنائيًا مع برشلونة تحت قيادة المدرب، هانز فليك، حيث ساهم البرازيلي في 56 هدفًا في الوقت الحالي في جميع البطولات.

لكن كافو يتوقع أن هناك منافسًا قويًا آخر على جائزة الكرة الذهبية لمواطنه وسيكون الصراع بينهما، بسبب تألقهما وهو محمد صلاح جناح ليفربول.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رافينها يعترف: أموال الدوري السعودي كادت ندفعني للرحيل من برشلونة

وقال كافو في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “لا أرى العديد من اللاعبين اليوم الذين يمكنهم منافسة رافينها، وأعتقد أنه هو ومحمد صلاح هما اللاعبان اللذان سيكون لهما فرصة حقيقية للفوز بالكرة الذهبية هذا العام”.

وأضاف: “رافينها سجل 31 هدفًا وقدم 25 تمريرة حاسمة، وكسر رقم ميسي في فريق يُعتبر اليوم الأفضل في العالم، هو قلب الفريق، العنصر الذي يجعل برشلونة يتألق ويفوز ويحقق البطولات، وأنا سعيد جدًا لأنه برازيلي ومتألق”.

وأتم: “رافينها هو قائد فريق برشلونة، الذي يُعتبر أحد أعرق الأندية في العالم، وهو ما يجعل فرصه في الفوز بالكرة الذهبية قوية جدًا هذا العام”.

Leeds United could now have a free run to land one of their January targets after the latest development, according to a fresh report, as Daniel Farke’s side look to ensure their position atop the Championship.

Leeds flying high in the Championship

Having suffered play-off final heartbreak last season and seen their squad picked apart over the summer transfer window that followed, Leeds have bounced back stronger this season.

As it stands, Farke’s side are on course to be crowned champions come the end of the campaign, though back-to-back draws have cut their lead at the top to just a single point, with both Sheffield United and Burnley breathing down their neck as they look to secure an automatic promotion spot of their own.

All this comes with the caveat of major injuries which the club have suffered in midfield, with both Ethan Ampadu and Illia Gruev missing large chunks of the season with knee problems.

They have another problem though, in the shape of goalkeeper Illan Meslier. The Frenchman has endured a torrid campaign to date, and ranks 25th out of 40 keepers for goals prevented in England’s second tier so far this season, while ranking ninth for save % despite having faced the third fewest shots on target (of goalkeepers playing more than 10 games).

23/24

24/25 so far

Appearances

44

26

Save %

67.8%

69.8%

Errors leading to a shot

2

2

Goals prevented

-3.1

-0.4

A pair of errors against Hull City saw his side drop two points, and Farke pulled no punches after the game.

“It’s fair to say he had a poor game against Hull and his mistake for the second goal was decisive,” Farke told BBC Radio Leeds. “There were a few games where he could have and should have done better. There were perhaps one or two strikes where you would expect a player of his calibre could save it when he is on the top of his game.”

Now, their hopes of landing a replacement for the Frenchman have just been boosted.

Leeds transfer target free to leave

Earlier in the transfer window, it had been reported that the Elland Road outfit had held discussions over a move to sign Conan Ledesma from River Plate, and now a fresh update has fuelled that fire even more.

That comes as Pasion Futbol [via Sport Witness] report that River Plate boss Marcelo Gallardo is now willing to let Ledesma leave this winter in search of first team football, with the 31-year-old shot stopper having managed just four appearances so far this campaign.

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The goalkeeper, who was once dubbed “sensational” and “world class”, still has three and a half years left to run on his £16,000 a week deal in Argentina, but it is added that he could “consider leaving River Plate and returning to Europe”, with Leeds “very interested” along with clubs from across LaLiga, where he spent much of his career.

Do Leeds need to upgrade on Meslier, or should Farke trust him to come good between now and the end of the season?

Leeds United could now have a free run to land one of their January targets after the latest development, according to a fresh report, as Daniel Farke’s side look to ensure their position atop the Championship.

Leeds flying high in the Championship

Having suffered play-off final heartbreak last season and seen their squad picked apart over the summer transfer window that followed, Leeds have bounced back stronger this season.

As it stands, Farke’s side are on course to be crowned champions come the end of the campaign, though back-to-back draws have cut their lead at the top to just a single point, with both Sheffield United and Burnley breathing down their neck as they look to secure an automatic promotion spot of their own.

All this comes with the caveat of major injuries which the club have suffered in midfield, with both Ethan Ampadu and Illia Gruev missing large chunks of the season with knee problems.

They have another problem though, in the shape of goalkeeper Illan Meslier. The Frenchman has endured a torrid campaign to date, and ranks 25th out of 40 keepers for goals prevented in England’s second tier so far this season, while ranking ninth for save % despite having faced the third fewest shots on target (of goalkeepers playing more than 10 games).

Illan Meslier 24/25 vs 23/24

23/24

24/25 so far

Appearances

44

26

Save %

67.8%

69.8%

Errors leading to a shot

2

2

Goals prevented

-3.1

-0.4

A pair of errors against Hull City saw his side drop two points, and Farke pulled no punches after the game.

“It’s fair to say he had a poor game against Hull and his mistake for the second goal was decisive,” Farke told BBC Radio Leeds. “There were a few games where he could have and should have done better. There were perhaps one or two strikes where you would expect a player of his calibre could save it when he is on the top of his game.”

Now, their hopes of landing a replacement for the Frenchman have just been boosted.

Leeds transfer target free to leave

Earlier in the transfer window, it had been reported that the Elland Road outfit had held discussions over a move to sign Conan Ledesma from River Plate, and now a fresh update has fuelled that fire even more.

That comes as Pasion Futbol [via Sport Witness] report that River Plate boss Marcelo Gallardo is now willing to let Ledesma leave this winter in search of first team football, with the 31-year-old shot stopper having managed just four appearances so far this campaign.

Related 49ers now pondering recalling Leeds 20 y/o from loan spell only to sell him

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The goalkeeper, who was once dubbed “sensational” and “world class”, still has three and a half years left to run on his £16,000 a week deal in Argentina, but it is added that he could “consider leaving River Plate and returning to Europe”, with Leeds “very interested” along with clubs from across LaLiga, where he spent much of his career.

Do Leeds need to upgrade on Meslier, or should Farke trust him to come good between now and the end of the season?

Former Premier League and MLS star Shaun Wright-Phillips has urged Paul Pogba to revive his career in the MLS.

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• Wright-Phillips wants Pogba to join MLS
• Move to Marseille ruled out
• Free agent Pogba training in Miami

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pogba is finally free to play football again after serving an 18-month doping ban, which was reduced on appeal. The midfielder is currently a free agent after he mutually terminated his contract with Juventus last November. Since becoming a free agent, the World Cup-winning French midfielder has been linked with a move to the MLS as well as the Saudi Pro League. He was also tipped to join Marseille, but the Ligue 1 club's president has ruled out the possibility of signing the player.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 32-year-old is currently training in Miami to regain match fitness as he gears up to make a comeback to professional football. Ex-Chelsea and New York Red Bulls star Wright-Phillips has urged the Frenchman to sign for an MLS club as he feels that America is the perfect place for the midfielder to revive his career.

• WHAT SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS SAID

  Speaking to Genting Casino, the 43-year-old said: "He would rip the MLS up because of his stature, and his technical ability. Just because of his quality, nothing to do with the MLS. It isn't it isn't an easy league. You’re running up and down, they don't stop. They can just run, and the temperature is a whole new ballgame as well, especially when you play in New Jersey Miami, in 80%, 90% humidity on top of the heat.

  "It takes some time to get used to. As long as he's been keeping himself in good shape, which it looks like he has over this ban; he still looks the same in terms of trimness, he looks like he's been training hard. I think his ability is always going to have something to offer and you never know, he might come back. Pogba being out for that long has most probably made him realise how much he loves the game, and that hunger might be back to show people again."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR PAUL POGBA?

  Pogba has not played competitive football since September 2023, when he came on as a substitute in a Serie A clash for Juventus against Empoli before his ban was confirmed. He hopes to get back on the pitch soon by finding a new team.

Sometimes, a result in football shifts a mood dramatically. Some might point back over the past six months. Others could counter the point with evidence of Arne Slot’s incredible start to life at the helm, sending Liverpool into the driving seat for the two biggest prizes.

But football doesn’t work that way. Tottenham Hotspur beat Liverpool on Wednesday evening and they beat them soundly. So what, Lucas Bergvall’s goal was enabled by contentious officiating that is becoming a staple in this fixture, in this stadium.

The fact is, Liverpool looked leggy and sapped, with Slot’s mastermind tactics falling short this time, perhaps due to a lack of rotation across the campaign that is now catching up with a side that has performed at full throttle and defied expectations in doing so.

In the press-focused overtures of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup defeat – a 1-0 loss that still leaves the Reds with a great chance of overturning the deficit and moving to the final stage – Slot claimed that he is confident in his squad’s quality and is not actively looking to make signings this month.

That’s a boring and expected response from a Premier League manager, but it’s one that Slot needed to make, for Liverpool will only act if the perfect opportunity arises.

Has that dream chance emerged?

Liverpool tempted to seal stunning Jan signing

As per Football Insider, Liverpool have been informed that a bid worth roughly £25m would be enough to convince Bayern Munich to part with Leroy Sane this winter.

Sane is out of contract at the end of the season and has been locked in protracted negotiations for an extension, but he could return to the Premier League with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all interested.

The winger turns 29 in a few days and thus would not be the typical FSG-type signing, but he’s durable, athletic and incisive, and could be a unique opportunity to complete Slot’s frontline.

Sane has previously confirmed that he would not prioritise dealings with other clubs this month, but as January rumbles on, so too do suitors like Liverpool grow in confidence.

What Leroy Sane would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool have been playing against the backcloth of Jurgen Klopp’s shocking departure this season, with many expecting Anfield to fall like many other giants at the end of a dynasty.

But they haven’t. Liverpool are first-placed in the Premier League and Champions League tables, firm favourites on home soil and confident on the continent as they gear up for the knockout rounds.

Sane is a tried-and-tested winner on English shores, endowed with the technical and physical attributes that could see him thrive as one more member of Liverpool’s exciting attack. Indeed, he’s already scored four goals against Klopp’s Reds from just five Premier League meetings.

Though he’s been in and out of the starting line-up under Vincent Kompany this year, Sane reiterated his standing as one of Europe’s finest wingers last season, producing performances that show more roundedness than, say, Mohamed Salah.

Matches (starts)

27 (25)

19 (19)

Goals

8

18

Assists

11

13

Shots (on target)*

2.7 (1.0)

3.9 (2.1)

Big chances created

16

15

Key passes*

2.7

1.5

Dribbles (completed)*

3.6

1.7

Ball recoveries*

3.4

2.6

Duels won*

4.9

3.6

That’s not to say he’s on the Egypt sensation’s level, but it would bring something a little different to Slot’s system. Salah flattered to deceive as Liverpool fell to defeat against Spurs, peripheral and garbled in his efforts, skewing wide with both shots, failing his one attempted dribble and creating only one key pass, as per Sofascore.

Sane – who was dubbed “electric” by Gary Neville – might even be a good shout for Salah’s heir, insofar as a player who can operate in the 32-year-old’s position and provide Liverpool with an extra layer of quality to keep things chugging away across multiple positions.

He certainly has the traits to do so, with new England manager Thomas Tuchel saying this of his countryman’s talent:

With Federico Chiesa lacking fitness and fluency in Liverpool’s system, a player like Sane might have been perfect for that match, widening the scope of Liverpool’s frontline and adding that final bit of quality for matches such as the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Sane actually ranks among the top 14% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, underscoring mechanics that speak of his suitability at Liverpool.

After all, the number-crunching site reveal that Liverpool’s Luis Diaz is the Germany international’s most similar player.

The 27-year-old is one of the biggest winners from the managerial baton pass last summer, hitting 12 goals and three assists from 26 matches for Liverpool this season, the recipient of praise from correspondent James Pearce for Slot having “taken the Colombian’s game to the next level.”

Diaz isn’t old but he’s no spring chicken, but that proves that Sane could return to English football and unearth latent qualities that would shape him into a brilliant and integral part of Liverpool’s frontline.

Liverpool are not ill-equipped in their fight for silverware, but the fact remains that few – if any – foresaw such remarkable progress in Slot’s first season.

There was a general air of frustration as Red supporters trickled out of N17 like fallen winter rain, but it’s still only half-time against the Lilywhites.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It’s only half-time regarding the campaign, to be honest, and Liverpool must act to hand their team the best chance of making it a grand slam finish. Salah might be the best player in the world right now, but Sane could add one more dimension.

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Tom Blundell said that New Zealand have “got to fight” on the final day of the Headingley Test in their bid to avoid a 3-0 whitewash, but retains hope that the pitch deteriorating will help them create eight opportunities and bowl England out with only 113 more runs required to win.Blundell was unbeaten on 88 as New Zealand were bowled out for 326 in their second innings to set England 296, but an unbroken third-wicket stand of 132 runs in 26.5 overs between Ollie Pope and Joe Root has put them on back foot.”This team has been known to fight and we’ve got to come out there and do that tomorrow,” Blundell said. “You put a couple of wickets on there and you just never know. Obviously you’ve got two guys out there in good form but if we get one of those, who knows.”The wicket is deteriorating. A little bit of variable bounce, obviously with the spin as well. It’s quite hard to drive with that older ball. It looks like it’s going to deteriorate even more and hopefully we can utilise that tomorrow.”Blundell will finish the series with three fifties and a hundred to his name and an average of 76.60. He has consolidated his position as BJ Watling’s replacement and shared four century partnerships with Daryl Mitchell, but said that the tour had ultimately been “disappointing” after defeats in the first two Tests.”It’s obviously disappointing: as a group we probably haven’t been quite there,” he said. “Who knows tomorrow. On a personal note, it’s been fantastic to bat with Daryl and have those partnerships, it’s just unfortunate that a couple of results haven’t really gone our way.”Jack Leach, who took his second five-for of the match to complete the first ten-wicket haul of his career, said it had been “amazing to experience and be a part of” the England dressing room throughout the series since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes were appointed as coach and captain respectively.Related

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Leach was due to come in next if a wicket had fallen in the final 20 minutes of the fourth day and joked that Stokes had told him he would be used as a “night-pinch-hitter” rather than a nightwatchman.”It was the longest 20 minutes padded up as nightwatchman,” he told Sky Sports. “I stuck my head out the window and I said, ‘are we still going for this tonight if I get in?’ Stokesy said it’s a night-pinch-hitter now. But no, I would have been trying to survive [until] the morning and then have a swing.”It’s a challenging surface, it’s day four and things are happening, so the way Popey and Rooty especially played there was really good to watch. We’ve got to come back tomorrow and do the good things again but it’s just a positive mentality. You realise how many decisions in cricket are based maybe around negativity.”This new way, if you like, is extremely positive. It feels like in a lot of four or five-day games, you give up on the win quite early in the game, whereas [in this England team] it feels like you’re always pushing for that win. That’s obviously going to be tested – and is being tested now, because we need 100 more on a day-five wicket.”

Arsenal have confirmed that key defender Gabriel Magalhaes is set to undergo hamstring surgery and will miss the rest of the season.

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Gabriel injured against FulhamWill now go under the knifeNot expected back until next seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED

Gabriel was forced off early in Arsenal's win over Fulham on Wednesday, and the Gunners' worst fears have now been confirmed. The defender requires surgery on a hamstring problem and will not feature again in the 2024-25 campaign. The news comes ahead of Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final tie with Real Madrid and will be a massive blow for Mikel Arteta.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT ARSENAL SAID

The club said in a statement: "Further to being substituted during our match against Fulham on Tuesday, we can confirm that Gabriel Magalhaes has sustained a hamstring injury which requires surgery. Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season. Everyone at the club will be fully focused on supporting Gabi to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Gabriel has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers this season, forming a rock-solid partnership with William Saliba at the heart of the defense. Despite struggling with knee injuries earlier in the campaign—missing games in October and December—he has started 28 of Arsenal’s 30 Premier League matches this season.

His influence has been pivotal in Arsenal’s defensive success, as the club currently holds the best defensive record in the league, conceding just 25 goals so far. Losing such an integral player at this stage of the season is a significant blow to the team’s ambitions in Europe.

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Gabriel’s absence adds to Arsenal’s growing list of defensive injuries, leaving Arteta with a selection headache ahead of a crucial run of fixtures. Riccardo Calafiori is already sidelined and is expected to remain out for several weeks after picking up an injury while on international duty with Italy last month. Takehiro Tomiyasu is not anticipated to return until next year following knee surgery in February. While Jurrien Timber, who only recently made his comeback after a long-term injury, was also forced off against Fulham, raising further concerns about Arsenal’s defensive depth.