Leeds: Whites hit the jackpot on £3m signing who was sold for £15m

It is fair to say that astute transfer dealings and Leeds United are two things that have not gone hand in hand in recent times, with the Championship side having far too regularly been burned by their market business of late.

That has been particularly evident over the last year or so, with the Whites memorably splashing out £25m for the signing of Brenden Aaronson, only to see the American move out on loan over the summer after just a solitary season at Elland Road.

Equally, the Yorkshire outfit were also forced to watch last season's top scorer, Rodrigo, depart for just £3m following the club's return to the second tier, with the former Valencia man having initially been signed for a then club-record fee of £27m in 2020.

joel-piroe-rodrigo-leeds-united-opinion-championship

Those examples epitomise the club's woes of late – whether it be investing in the wrong player or selling key men on the cheap – although that's not to suggest that Leeds have always blundered badly in the transfer market in modern times, with there a few success stories to speak of.

One such deal that proved to be particularly fruitful for the Whites was the signing of Chris Wood back in 2015, with the New Zealand international going on to make the powers that be a sizeable profit during his brief spell at the club.

How much did Leeds pay for Chris Wood?

The 6 foot 3 marksman had begun his career for a variety of clubs back in his homeland, prior to joining West Bromwich Albion in 2009, although it was a subsequent stint at Leicester City that seemingly caught the eye of those at Elland Road.

After netting respectable hauls of nine goals for Brighton and Hove Albion and ten goals for Millwall during his numerous loan spells away from the Hawthorns, Wood's move to the Foxes saw his form truly explode, as he plundered 20 goals and registered ten assists in 62 games in all competitions.

Having proven himself as a reliable goalscoring presence in England's second tier, the Auckland-born powerhouse was snapped up by then Leeds boss Uwe Rosler ahead of the 2015/16 campaign, joining for a reported fee of just £3m.

Chris Wood

The incoming asset was described as "another important piece of the jigsaw" by Rosler, who also went on to hail his new addition as "physical, strong and experienced in this league", with Wood tipped to be the new figurehead of the club's attacking unit.

How many goals did Chris Wood score for Leeds?

A solid, albeit far from prolific scorer during his early years in England, few could have quite expected the towering marksman to prove such a success in Yorkshire, as he took on the mantle of being the main man through the middle.

After netting 13 league goals during his debut campaign, Wood followed that up with a staggering haul of 27 Championship goals in the 2016/17 season, subsequently winning the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards.

The formidable forward appeared to have benefitted from the arrival of Garry Monk in the dugout, with the then-Leeds boss stating that he had helped the striker showcase a more "aggressive" side to his game, as he enjoyed "such a successful season".

That clinical form was not enough to steer Leeds to promotion, however, as the Whites finished just outside the play-offs in seventh, ensuring that a top-flight move swiftly followed for Wood after registering 44 goals in just 88 games across his two years at Elland Road – an impressive 1:2 ratio that any striker would be proud of.

How much did Leeds sell Chris Wood for?

It was perhaps no surprise that clubs in the Premier League came calling for the Kiwi sensation in the summer of 2017, with Burnley eventually forking out a then club-record fee of £15m to prise the player from the second tier.

Despite the blow of losing their star man, that sale ensured that Leeds had moved the striker on for five times more than what they had paid for him just two years earlier, representing a stunning profit in such a short space of time.

2015/16 (Championship)

Chris Wood (13)

2016/17 (Championship)

Chris Wood (27)

2017/18 (Championship)

Kemar Roofe (11)

2018/19 (Championship)

Kemar Roofe (14)

2019/20 (Championship)

Patrick Bamford (16)

2020/21(Premier League)

Patrick Bamford (17)

2021/22 (Premier League)

Raphinha (11)

2022/23 (Premier League)

Rodrigo (13)

Stats via Transfermarkt

As for Wood himself, that exit proved to be an astute move as he swiftly hit the ground running at Turf Moor, having more than made the most of his opportunity to thrive in the promised land that is the Premier League.

How much is Chris Wood worth now?

Impressively, the experienced hitman managed to reach double figures for league goals in each of his first four seasons for the Clarets in the top flight, including a standout haul of 14 league goals during the 2019/20 campaign.

A real "handful" for defenders in Sean Dyche's side – as hailed by former teammate Curtis Davies – Wood's consistent form earned him a surprise move to Newcastle United in January 2022, with the Magpies poaching him from their then-relegation rivals in the hope of avoiding the drop.

While given a real show of faith by the Tynesiders as Eddie Howe and co forked out £25m to acquire his services, the 70-cap international was something of a busted flush at St James' Park, scoring just five goals in 39 games in all competitions prior to leaving in January.

Now at Nottingham Forest – after his initial loan move was made permanent for £15m this summer – the 31-year-old has scored just twice in 13 games for his current side, having been forced to play second fiddle to Taiwo Awoniyi through the middle.

Chris Wood

That recent decline has ensured that Wood is now said to be worth just €5m (£4m) – according to CIES Football Observatory – with that representing a drop of £11m since leaving Elland Road six years ago.

While the £80k-per-week asset did enjoy a solid spell at Burnley under Dyche, those at Leeds can still reflect on what an astute sale it was back in 2017.

England's fielding masterclass

England put in an outstanding fielding display during the first half of the second ODI at Mount Maunganui

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2018Mark Chapman: c Willey b WoakesWoakes to Chapman, OUT, Willey runs back from midwicket and takes it with a slide on his knees. Chapman late on yet another shot against Woakes, but this time he’ll pay because he’s trapped on a middle stump line, trying to pull. Back of a length ball, with some extra climb again and he’s caught halfway in his swivel as he goes for the shot. It’s good work from the fielder, who had to go about ten yards back and to his right before reaching out and completing itRoss Taylor: run out (Willey/Buttler)Rashid to Taylor, OUT, it looks like Willey has pulled off another sensational piece of fielding. Taylor won’t wait for the third umpire’s decision on this run out. This is epic stuff from Willey at backward point. Rashid drops short and Taylor slaps it. It’s a release shot after a long time and this probably leads to him instinctively take off for a run. But Willey has leapt to his right to stop this with one hand, close to the ground. He’s then chucked it back in with force after swivelling to switch to his stronger hand and it’s close enough to the stumps that Buttler won’t have difficulty whipping the bails off. Guptill sends Taylor back, and Taylor’s dive can’t get him anywhere closeMartin Guptill: c Roy b MoeenAli to Guptill, OUT, uh oh. Guptill picks out deep midwicket. Another terrific play by England in the field. Roy makes it look so easy, that’s one of the harder catches in international cricket. Some flight from Moeen, and Guptill accepts the invitation to sweep fiercely. He hasn’t quite got it. There is plenty of bat behind the stroke, but not enough timing or elevation. The ball flies flat and low to Roy, who gets his hands in position early and takes a really good catch.Henry Nicholls: c Roy b StokesStokes to Nicholls, OUT, 130 kph, another sensational catch! England are on fire. To be fair, that was a terrible delivery, short, wide and asking to be hit. Nicholls cuts, but doesn’t keep the ball down. It flies flat and quick, like the Guptill catch, to Roy’s right at backward point. His eyes are on the ball right through, he extends his hands with a reverse cup and takes it with both hands. Another very hard catch made to look incredibly easy. Stunning work from England this afternoon.Colin de Grandhomme: run out (Bairstow/Buttler)Woakes to de Grandhomme, 1 run, OUT, full on leg stump again, same shot again. But this time Bairstow at deep square has fired a flat throw in after getting there marginally quicker. CDG is struggling. It’s been sent upstairs. It’s out. A yard short. England have been good, but it won’t be unfair to question the wisdom of going back for the second this time. It was much more in front of square and towards the fielder in comparison to the last ball. A good innings from CDG ends tamelyTim Southee: run out (Stokes/Buttler)Ali to Santner, OUT, well, what do I know. Southee’s gone. Full and drifted in at leg stump. Santner flicks to Stokes’ right at midwicket. He fumbles. Santner is waiting to make a call and has taken a few steps down. Southee, however, is craning his neck and is twisted awkwardly trying to look at the ball. When Santner does make the call to go for the run, Southee isn’t in position to sprint. Santner makes it at the non-striker’s end but Southee won’t survive as Stokes fires it on the bounce to ButtlerTrent Boult: run out (Stokes/WoakesWoakes to Santner, 1 run, OUT, length on off stump, short-arm jab into the ground, to deep midwicket’s right. A one-handed pick up and throw from Stokes. Boult appears to have slid his bat in on the second run…but third umpire’s replay finds him an inch short. A cruel end to his innings. A premature one for New Zealand. Fourth run out of the inningsAnd one that got away…Stokes to Santner, 1 run, Roy has missed a pick up and a possible run out. The first real missed chance. Santner taps this in front of point and it’s a very tight run halfway through becase Roy has already reached the ball. He can’t gather on the first attempt though

Erling Haaland Man City Contract Update

Manchester City are set to offer Erling Haaland a bumper new contract, amid interest from one of Europe's top clubs, and the Saudi Pro League, according to a report.

Is Erling Haaland staying at Man City?

Haaland's current Man City contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2027, meaning he has just under four years left on his deal, but there has still been speculation over whether he will be willing to commit his long-term future to the club.

In a documentary called "Haaland: The Big Decision", Alf-Inge Haaland suggested his son wants to try out every top league in Europe, saying:

“I think Erling wants to test out his capabilities in every league.

"Then he can stay in every league for three to four years maximum. He could have two-and-a-half years in Germany, two-and-a-half in England, and then in Spain, Italy, France, right?

“We do not know if it will be like that, but I think he would like to test his abilities in the big leagues.”

In a report from Marca, it is claimed the Norwegian one day wants to be a part of Real Madrid, although that was prior to his move to City, so he may have reconsidered his future, and could be open to staying in the Premier League.

The Sky Blues will certainly be hoping the 23-year-old is keen to commit to another new contract, to such an extent they are now willing to double his wages, with a £600k-per-week deal on the table if he extends his stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond 2027.

According to The Daily Star, Real Madrid remain huge admirers of the forward, and the Saudi Pro League is becoming ever more threatening, meaning Man City are willing to shell out a huge amount on wages, in a bid to ward off interest from elsewhere.

Right now, the former Borussia Dortmund man is City's joint-highest earner, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, but he is now in line for a 60.5% pay increase, should he sign a new deal to stay with Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side.

How many goals has Erling Haaland scored?

In his professional career up to this point, the Man City star has amassed a whopping 193 goals in 242 appearances, including 58 in 59 games for the Citizens, while he has also impressed at international level, scoring 24 times in 25 games.

Lauded as "incredible" by Guardiola, it is no wonder a number of clubs are lining up to sign the £375k-per-week marksman, and City could have a battle on their hands trying to keep him, considering he is weighing up playing in every major European league.

erling-haaland-manchester-city-arsenal-edu-arteta-napoli-victor-osimhen

Since the Norway international arrived at the Etihad Stadium, the Sky Blues have enjoyed unbelievable success, winning a historic treble last season, so there is no reason for him to seek pastures new anytime soon.

In order to keep one of their best players, City will likely have to keep winning silverware, but there is no reason why they cannot keep up their current success, having won a total of 15 trophies under the helm of Guardiola.

Liverpool: Klopp Eyeing Thiago 2.0 By Signing £30m "Monster" Target

Liverpool missed out on both Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea this month, but now look poised to attempt a hijack of their own to complete the midfield rebuild.

What's the latest on Sofyan Amrabat to Liverpool?

According to Sky Sports, the Reds are said to be 'in talks' with Fiorentina for midfield star Sofyan Amrabat, looking to bypass the interest of Premier League rivals Manchester United, who have held talks with the Moroccan maestro ahead of a possible transfer.

Jurgen Klopp's side are closing on a surprising deal to sign Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo, but after a mass exodus at Anfield this summer another signature would go down a treat.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

And Amrabat, who is valued at a ballpark £30m, could be the perfect fit to complete a midfield rebuild that has also welcomed the exciting acquisitions of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but now more defensive aces are required.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Once hailed as "phenomenal" by The Star's Joe Crann, the 26-year-old pass specialist caught the eye at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, completing 85% of his passes, averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.4 clearances per game as his nation sensationally came fourth.

Lauded as the "best central midfielder in the tournament" by journalist Carlo Garganese, Amrabat would be a credit to Liverpool's team and would inject robustness and intensity into the centre, utilising his passing prowess to revitalise the midfield.

Indeed, the £32k-per-week gem ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 11% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Given his "extraordinary" skills – as praised by Spain boss Luis Enrique – Amrabat could be the perfect heir to Liverpool maestro Thiago Alcantara, especially considering the 32-year-old Spaniard has entered the final year of his contract with the Anfield side.

sofyan-amrabat-transfer-gossip-arsenal-fiorentina-edu-arteta-thomas-partey

Thiago has made 97 appearances for Liverpool since signing from Bayern Munich for £20m in 2020, scoring three goals and supplying six assists, though he has been sidelined for 45 matches across the past two campaigns and will not have many fans expecting a seamless ride this term – on the injury front, that is.

Amrabat, comparatively, has missed ten games during the same period, far more reliable to string together lasting periods of fitness and form, heralded as a "monster" by WhoScored's Ben McAleer.

To his credit, Thiago is one of the most technically brilliant, seamlessly slick and elegantly graceful midfielders of the modern age, having been praised as "sensational" by Klopp.

The £200k-per-week star ranks among the top 4% of midfielders for passes attempted, the top 6% for progressive passes, but also ranks among the top 5% for tackles and the top 11% for interceptions per 90, highlighting his defensive work rate.

Amrabat showcased his tenacity in the tackle during his international escapades in Qatar, and by blending the facets of his skill set together he has every chance to be a successful heir to such a renowned phenom in Thiago.

إليوت: ليفربول ينتمي لـ دوري أبطال أوروبا.. ونريد إثبات أنفسنا في آخر مباراتين

أكد هارفي إليوت، لاعب فريق ليفربول، أنهم يسعون إلى تقديم أفضل ما لديهم في المباراتين المتبقيتين هذا الموسم، خاصة مع اقتراب رحيل المدرب يورجن كلوب.

ويخوض ليفربول آخر مباراتين في الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي ضد أستون فيلا وولفرهامبتون.

ويقترب رحيل المدرب يورجن كلوب عن صفوف ليفربول بعدما أكد أنه سيغادر “الأنفيلد” نهاية الموسم الحالي.

وقال إليوت في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية: “الأسابيع الأخيرة لم تكن جيدة بدرجة كافية وأردنا تحقيق المزيد، ولكن مع وجود الجماهير خلفنا، في المباراتين الأخيرتين نريد الخروج بقوة، نريد فقط الفوز بهما”.

وأضاف: “لدينا دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل، وهذا هو المكان الذي ينتمي إليه هذا النادي ويستحق أن يكون فيه، ستكون هناك المزيد من الليالي المميزة ونأمل أن نتمكن من تصحيح الأمر في الموسم المقبل مجددًا”.

وفاز ليفربول على توتنهام يوم الأحد الماضي بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدفين، في الجولة السادسة والثلاثين من البطولة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فان دايك يحسم مستقبله مع ليفربول بعد اقتراب سلوت من خلافة كلوب

وعن ذلك، قال إليوت: “لقد جئنا إلى هنا من أجل تصحيح الأمور، أعتقد أنه كان لدينا نقطة لإثباتها في هذه المباراة بعد الأسابيع الأخيرة وقد فعلنا ذلك بالتأكيد”.

واستكمل: “لقد جئنا إلى هنا بخطة وكان علينا أن نأتي إلى هنا لتغيير الأمور، خاصة في آنفيلد، جماهير فريقنا كانت خلفنا منذ الدقيقة الأولى واللاعبون أظهروا ذلك”.

وعن هدفه الرائع أمام توتنهام، بعد تمريرة من محمد صلاح، قال: “لقد تدربت على ذلك في التدريبات وأشياء من هذا القبيل، في المباريات الأخيرة، ضربت العارضة والقائم”.

وأكد: “أنا سعيد لأنني سجلت، إنه أمر جيد، هذا ما يحلم به الطفل، تذهب للنوم تحلم به وتستيقظ في الصباح راغبًا في تحقيق الحلم”.

واختتم: “أي هدف بقميص ليفربول يُعد أمرًا خاصًا، لكن القيام بذلك في ملعبنا ووسط جماهيرنا، كان أمرًا رائعًا”.

Crystal Palace Eyeing Swoop For £25k-p/w "Attacking Threat"

Crystal Palace are interested in a deal to sign Everton forward Demarai Gray this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is Demarai Gray leaving Everton?

The Premier League’s left-sided winger first arrived on Merseyside from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021 and has since gone on to make a total of 75 appearances during his two years at Goodison Park, but there’s a chance that he could secure an exit before the end of the current window.

The Jamaica international’s contract is set to expire in less than a year meaning that now is Sean Dyche’s last chance to cash in on his prized asset having so far failed to reach an agreement regarding a new contract, and having been his side’s third best-performing offensive player last season, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor recently confirmed that the 27-year-old is indeed a “target” for Roy Hodgson and is a player that has “admirers” among the SE25 hierarchy, and there would already be a place in the first-team waiting for him should he make the switch.

Wilfried Zaha has now officially left the club to join Galatasaray so the Eagles will need to enter the market for a suitable replacement in the final third, and if the following update is to be believed, the attacker appears to be one of the candidates that they are chasing.

Are Crystal Palace signing Demarai Gray?

According to Football Insider, Gray is "wanted" by Crystal Palace and Fulham ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Everton's forward additionally has "huge money" offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia and he's "edging towards an exit" having made "no progress" in talks over extending his stay on Merseyside.

The Toffees would "prefer" to retain their star's services for the long-term, but as it stands, they could be set to receive a "huge profit" on the £1.7m they initially paid for him two years ago.

Everton forward Demarai Gray.

How good is Demarai Gray?

Whilst Everton survived relegation last season, Gray was one of the standout performers in a struggling side which has clearly been acknowledged by Crystal Palace, and having previously been hailed an "attacking threat" in the final third by journalist Josh Bunting, the winger would be a hugely exciting recruit for Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman.

Sponsored by Adidas, Dyche's £25k-per-week earner racked up five top-flight goal contributions during the previous term (four goals and one assist) and proved to be a constant threat even when the ball didn't hit the back of the net.

The Birmingham-born talent recorded 57 shots over the course of the campaign which was more than any other member of his squad and whipped 173 crosses into the box which was the second-highest total at Goodison, via FBRef.

Finally, Gray has the ability to operate in an outstanding seven various positions across the pitch, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he would provide the boss with wonderful versatility should he decide to put pen to paper.

Leeds Plot Swoop For £3.3m-Rated Championship Titan

Leeds United are yet to recruit any new additions this summer despite the Championship season commencing in just three weeks and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Paddy McNair?

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of the clubs interested in signing Middlesbrough centre-back Paddy McNair.

As per the report, the Championship club are willing to listen to offers for their defender this summer and Leeds will need to compete with a number of clubs to secure McNair's signature with Luton Town, Burnley, Sheffield United, Fulham, Bournemouth and Leicester City also named as potential suitors.

How good is Paddy McNair?

Daniel Farke has a huge challenge on his hands to meet the expectations at Elland Road next season, as anything short of automatic promotion back to the Premier League next season would be a disaster for the West Yorkshire outfit.

It has been a transformative summer for the Whites with a full take-over by the 49ers confirmed, a new head coach appointed and several players making an exit from the club upon their relegation.

Robin Koch, Rodrigo, Brenden Aaronson, Weston McKennie and Rasmus Kristensen have departed so far, with the latter the latest Leeds player to confirm a move, signing for Serie A club Roma on a season-long loan.

rasmus-kristensen-leeds-united

As a result, the signing of McNair could be a great opportunity for Farke to bolster the defensive presence on the pitch to replace Kristensen and provides the squad with a player who has a wealth of experience in the Championship ahead of next season.

Over 30 Championship appearances last season, the 28-year-old scored one goal, tallied up an 83% pass completion rate and won the majority of his duels combined (59%), as well as averaging 63.2 touches, 2.1 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game, proving that he is a reliable and consistent defensive presence.

Not only that, McNair has displayed strong versatility in his positioning with experience on both sides of the centre-back partnership, defensive midfield and right-back, something that could be incredibly valuable to Farke when deploying his team over the 46-game campaign.

When comparing the ball-playing Northern Irishman to Kristensen, McNair outperformed the Leeds defender in a number of key attributes over last season including pass completion (81.5% v 70.9%), percentage of dribblers tackled (63.3% v 55.3%) and aerial duels won (55.8% v 55.7%), as per FBref, demonstrating that he could be a worthy replacement.

The €3.9m-rated (£3.3m) Middlesbrough titan has earned high praise over his career, with international teammate and Leeds stalwart Stuart Dallas full of compliments for his compatriot back in 2019:

"He works hard, he’s fit and his running ability and how powerful he is are something else. You’d think the 90th minute was the first minute and it’s a credit to him."

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Leeds to sign McNair this summer as there is now definitely an opportunity to strengthen the backline, whilst his Championship experience could give the team a boost in their pursuit of dominating the second tier next season.

Liverpool Plot Deal For £103m "Exceptional Talent"

Liverpool are continuing their midfield rebuild this summer with a number of targets still being looked at ahead of next season, and now a reliable source has revealed another potential incoming.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Florentino Luis?

According to Sky Sports senior reporter Melissa Reddy, Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis is one of many targets the Merseysiders have identified to replace Fabinho this summer.

Reddy revealed on Twitter: "Liverpool had been assessing longer-term candidates to replace Fabinho. Profile might shift as they'll require an immediate starter. Among the names mooted have been Sofyan Amrabat, Ryan Gravenberch, Kalvin Phillips and Romeo Lavia…

"Lavia and Gravenberch have long been considered by LFC (regardless of current situation), with their reps spoken to. Other players they've looked at: Nicolo Barella, Khephren Thuram, Florentino Luis, Joao Palhinha, Teun Koopmeiners… They do love a surprise, stealth signing."

Who is Florentino Luis?

The Reds are seeking out more new additions for the centre of the pitch after it was confirmed this weekend that Fabinho is expected to make a £40m move to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Ittihad.

Whilst it won't be easy to replace the Brazilian mainstay's impact at Anfield, it presents an opportunity for Jurgen Klopp to complete a full rebuild of the midfield personnel with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai already acquired for the next generation of success.

As a result, the signing of Luis could be a great piece of business for Liverpool and the German coach could repeat his Darwin Nunez masterclass by snapping up another youthful prospect from Portugal.

benfica-florentino-luis-premier-league-liverpool-transfers

The 23-year-old is already showing glimpses of his strength and dominance in the deep-lying midfield role, ranking in the top 15% of his positional peers across the Men's Next Eight Leagues for aerial duels won, interceptions, tackles, progressive passes and pass completion, as per FBref.

Not only that, when comparing the talented midfielder's output with Fabinho's last season, Luis comfortably outperformed his Liverpool counterpart in several key defensive attributes including pass completion (89.7% v 88.3%), percentage of dribblers tackled (69.7% v 38.7%), successful take-ons (59.1% v 46.7%) and aerial duels won (61% v 58.8%).

The Portugal youth international has been the recipient of high praise over his career so far, with his former coach Joao Tralhao comparing Luis to Manchester United's Casemiro:

"[He has] an exceptional talent and physical qualities totally in line with his footballing qualities. [He] has a very similar profile to Casemiro. From very early on, we realised that Florentino was on his way to becoming an elite player."

Luis has a reported release clause of €120m (£103m), but Liverpool will be hoping that their relationship with Benfica will help to agree a deal much less than the contractual obligation, after working with the Portuguese giants recently to secure their record-breaking deal for Nunez last summer.

The latter man's debut campaign in England was arguably not plain-sailing – as he started just 19 league games and missed 20 big chances in the top flight – although the Uruguayan hotshot did still showcase his undoubted talent, having scored 15 times in all competitions to finish behind only Mo Salah in the scoring charts.

The 24-year-old – who had scored 34 goals the year prior in Portugal – will be hoping to truly catch fire next season, although if his stunning, instinctive flick against Real Madrid is anything to go by, then Klopp certainly has a real player on his hands.

With that being said, if the Reds can seal the deal for Luis there is no doubt that he would be a worthy successor to Fabinho at Anfield next season, while he could also follow in Nunez's footsteps by being another exciting talent to have flourished after leaving Lisbon for Liverpool.

Tottenham: Spurs Could Now Make "Sensational" Player Bid

Tottenham Hotspur could tempt Italian giants Inter Milan with a bid to sign midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu this summer, according to reports.

Who are Spurs signing this summer?

The arrival of new manager Ange Postecoglou has also marked the signings of three major players, with Dejan Kulusevski, Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison joining Spurs in that order.

Kulusevski has put pen to paper on a permanent deal from Juventus, after spending the last 18 months on loan, while both Vicario and Maddison have been signed in this summer transfer window.

Postecoglou, speaking to Tottenham’s official website (via football.london), says the latter duo have a perfect mentality suited to a Spurs team he’s looking to build

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers,” said Postecoglou.

“It’s what they bring as people as well because we are going to play football that requires a certain type of personality and character.

“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room.”

Manor Solomon, who is joining on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk, is also in London for a medical today as Tottenham close in on a fourth signing.

As the hunt for a new defender continues, with both Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba heavily linked, there is a surprise claim that Tottenham could move for Calhanoglu from Inter.

Soccer Football – Champions League – Group C – Inter Milan v FC Barcelona – San Siro, Milan, Italy – October 4, 2022 Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu celebrates after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo

That’s according to Inter Live.it, who say Spurs could end up tempting the Champions League finalists with an offer of around £30 million for the Turk.

They add this bid comes “out of nowhere” and to “especially” keep on eye out for Tottenham’s approach.

“Several British companies could, in fact, end up attempting an alleged offensive advance against Calhanoglu at any moment,” wrote the outlet.

“United and Chelsea aside, keep an eye out especially for Tottenham: a club that has set itself the goal of strengthening its midfield and that, out of nowhere, could even end up tempting the Nerazzurri by placing an offer of 35 million euros on the plate.”

What’s been said about Hakan Calhanoglu?

Last season, the 29-year-old averaged Inter’s second-highest performance rating per 90 (7.07), a number only bettered by their star striker Lautaro Martinez (WhoScored).

Over his 33 appearances, Calhanoglu racked up nine goal contributions, three goals and six assists, all while making more key passes per than any other Nerazzurri star (WhoScored).

Journalist Josh Bunting, writing on Twitter last year, also lauded the international attacker’s “absolutely sensational” range of passing.

مدرب نيوزيلندا: مباراة مصر لم تكن سهلة.. الملعب رائع وسأزور أماكن كثيرة

علق دارين بازيلي المدير الفني لـ منتخب نيوزيلندا، على الهزيمة التي تعرض لها أمس أمام الفراعنة بهدف دون رد، بالمباراة التي أقيمت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر الودية.

المباراة أقيمت على أرضية استاد مصر في العاصمة الإدارية بـ نصف نهائي بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر المدرجة ضمن سلسلة فيفا الدولية.

وقال دارين بازيلي في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “المباراة لم تكن سهلة، الفيصل بها كان الفار، أتت لنا فرص كثيرة كان من الممكن أن نُسجل منها وسنعمل على ذلك في القادم”.

طالع أيضاً.. رجل مباراة مصر ونيوزيلندا في كأس العاصمة

وأضاف: “أنا منذ أسبوع في القاهرة واستقبالنا كان جيدًا والملعب رائع وكبير، المباراة لم تكن سهلة وكنا جيدين، لكن آمل الفترة القادمة أن تُصبح نتائجنا إيجابية”.

وأردف: “منتخب مصر كان جيدًا، وفريقي كان جيد به شباب كثيرين لكن أؤمن أنه في يوم من الأيام سنحقق أهدافًا جيدة”.

واستطرد: “أحتاج أن أعرف موعد سفرنا لأن نيوزيلندا بعيدة عن مصر، لكي أستطيع أن أزور أماكن كثيرة في مصر”.

وأتم: “أنا مؤمن أن لاعبي الفريق جيدين لكن نحتاج تحليل الفرص التي سنحت لنا من أجل تصحيح الأخطاء”.

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