Poor you. Haven’t heard of the Hundred then?

Alan Gardner16-Aug-2021The Hundred is here, bat slung casually over one shoulder, proudly wearing a cricket:team t-shirt and with its official merch snapback turned to face the other way – very much a “How do you do, fellow kids?” kind of vibe. And don’t worry, if you had any doubts about whether cricket could be considered a cool sport, they’ve now been fully dispelled.The game’s fourth format (although it’s technically recorded as T20 – more on that later) has arrived to take the world of sports entertainment by storm. “Not a fan of cricket? That’s okay! We’re not that bothered about it ourselves. Look, we’ve got fireworks and a band! Plus a DJ… We’re all about the choons!” If you turn up during the afternoon, it’s basically just a kids’ party with some human billboards promoting snack foods in the background. Of course, it then descends into something more like a kegger once the grown-ups have indulged on their fruit juice for a few hours…Still, are we not entertained? (Don’t answer that unless you’re a nine-year-old with a guileless smile.) The take-no-prisoners approach has been most evident on the TV broadcasts, which tries to sex up and dumb down at the same time – and remember this is still cricket we’re talking about, a sport which is both too clever by half and about as sexy as a librarian in galoshes. (It’s fine if that’s your thing, we’re not here to judge.)Related

New and weird, but a strangely satisfying experience

Want the truth about the Hundred? It's smoke, mirrors and gimmickry

The Hundred is tearing English cricket apart

Did we really need the Hundred?

Obviously a bit of flannel for a new enterprise is to be expected – in the early days of the Light Roller, we liked to describe ourselves as “like the Briefing, but funny” – but some of the Hundred’s coverage would make the editor of wince. Kass Naidoo, brought in to anchor Sky’s coverage, seems a very personable sort, but her habit of standing in front of an empty stand while hailing the “great crowd today” is bold, to say the least. You suspect even Prof Pangloss might recommend toning it down.Meanwhile, a cavalcade of former players have picked out choice spots on the bandwagon – and some are noticeably more objective than others. The astonishment with which Andrew Flintoff greeted a decent crowd for Old Trafford’s first fixture would suggest he’d never even been to a T20 Blast game, never mind played in several (including bringing out the Freddie-as-Jesus pose to rapturous applause at Finals Day a few years back). Kevin Pietersen, too, seems ready to lose the run of himself every time he steps into the pod. But maybe he’s just excited at being back in the ECB’s good books.And the product itself? Well, if you think of it as 20 five-ball overs with one or two quirky playing conditions and a real fetish for timekeeping, it all looks suspiciously like T20. Which, you may have noticed, was already quite successful. But then some clever folk thought New Coke was a good idea too.

****

To Bangladesh. Which is not a phrase you hear Australians utter very often. And perhaps that’s understandable, what with the gulf between the sides, the inevitable mismatches, lop-sided scorelines, and so on. Anyway, after the conclusion of Bangladesh’s 4-1 win in the T20Is, reports emerged that Justin Langer was involved in a “heated confrontation” with a staffer from cricket.com.au, after Cricket Australia’s media arm posted a video showing the home team celebrating enthusiastically, while being politely applauded by the visitors. But what was it that got Langer in such a stew? Was Australia’s coach perhaps hoping that, with the series not being broadcast back home, people might not find out about the result? Maybe he felt the humility being displayed by the Australians fell short of “elite”? Either way, as the wags on Twitter have pointed out, if you don’t want people to laugh at the fact you got thrashed by Bangladesh, you should try not getting thrashed by Bangladesh in the first place.

****

To Bangladesh… at some unspecified date in the future. That is what’s been agreed between the ECB and the BCB, after they announced that England’s limited-overs tour scheduled for later in the year was postponed. Is it a coincidence that this removes a clash with the IPL, meaning England’s players will now be able to participate in the rearranged second half of the tournament? Or maybe someone at the ECB simply spotted the aforementioned footage on cricket.com.au? We’ll let you be the judge.

Chelsea find themselves in the hunt for a striker this summer and could now have landed a boost after one target has agreed to leave his current club.

Chelsea looking to sign a striker

Nicolas Jackson’s red card against Flamengo last week at the Club World Cup has raised conversations over whether the Blues should look for another striker despite Liam Delap arriving earlier in the window from Ipswich Town.

The Senegalese attacker was also sent off against Newcastle towards the end of the Premier League season, missing some crucial games during the run-in, but he did contribute with an effort in the Blues’ Europa Conference League final victory over Real Betis upon his return.

While Jackson continues to divide opinion, Chelsea have opened talks to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain as his loan spell at Juventus draws towards a close.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is also mentioned. Nevertheless, Liverpool have emerged as rivals for his signature amid their recent mission to get things done swiftly after claiming the Premier League title.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens is a key priority for Chelsea and Mohammed Kudus could move to Stamford Bridge from West Ham United, with the latter capable of stepping in through the middle when needed.

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Whether it be finding the creative foil behind the main man or securing another option to provide competition up top, Enzo Maresca is clearly in the hunt for goalscoring prowess at Stamford Bridge.

Now, he could possibly have landed a boost on that front after recent developments involving a star operating in Europe’s top-five leagues that is open to a move elsewhere.

Chelsea's long-standing Dusan Vlahovic interest could take a twist

According to Sky reporter Sacha Tavolieri, Chelsea are attentive to Dusan Vlahovic’s situation at Juventus and could now have an advantage in their hunt for a striker after it was revealed both he and the Old Lady have found agreement that he will be allowed to leave this summer.

Currently, he is on Club World Duty and won a penalty in the dying stages against Wydad Casablanca before stepping up to slot home his 16th goal of the season in 43 appearances across all competitions.

Five similar players to Dusan Vlahovic (FBRef)

Ermedin Demirovic

Stuttgart

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

Valentin Castellanos

Lazio

Artem Dovbyk

Roma

Patrick Cutrone

Como

Vlahovic earns roughly £369,000 per week at Juventus and appears primed for a move, given he has one year left on his contract. He has recently turned down two big proposals from Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.

It feels like the Belgrade-born man has been someone in line to move to the Premier League for a number of years. However, that dream could finally be realised if Chelsea firm up their interest in his services over the next few months, which they could now do ‘under certain conditions’, per the outlet.

da 888casino： Celtic are now likely to complete the signing of an “amazing” attacking player soon, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Attackers the order of the day for Celtic

da brwin： Brendan Rodgers will know the importance of adding to his squad and making his team even more of a force next season, in order to prevent Rangers from closing the gap in the Scottish Premiership, and perhaps more excitingly for the Hoops to improve in the Champions League.

Celtic appear to be prioritising attacking signings this summer, with Benjamin Nygren strongly linked with sealing a move from Nordsjaelland to Parkhead.

Meanwhile, Evan Ferguson has emerged as an audacious transfer target for the Hoops ahead of next season, with the Brighton striker’s stock falling over the past 12 months, following a tough spell out on loan at West Ham.

That’s not to say that the Republic of Ireland international couldn’t be a fantastic acquisition for Celtic, however, with Gary Lineker calling him a “born goalscorer” and once tipping him to replace Harry Kane at Tottenham.

Now, it looks as though the Scottish champions could be edging towards another attacking signing.

O'Rourke: Celtic set to finalise deal for Balikwisha

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke claimed Celtic have a good chance of signing Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha this summer.

“There’s real potential that Celtic could finally get a deal done for Balikwisha. He’s been a long-term target for them, they tried to sign him in the summer transfer window last year but an injury and failing to agree a price stopped their hopes. Their interest has never gone away, they’ve continued to keep tabs on him. He has got back to full fitness after a bad injury and finished the season strongly.

“Celtic will be in the market for a new winger and Balikwisha has remained on the radar. They’ve been given a boost in their pursuit as well, reports are suggesting in Belgium that Royal Antwerp are experiencing some financial problems. They may have to cash in on some of their players, and with the 24-year-old in the final year of his contract Celtic could land him for a bargain fee of £5million.”

Balikwisha has been linked with Celtic for some time, with talks mooted recently, and he could be a brilliant signing this summer, with the 24-year-old possessing so much quality.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s international stats

Caps

Goals

Belgium Under-21s

10

1

Belgium Under-19s

3

0

Belgium Under-18s

1

0

Belgium Under-17s

5

1

Belgium Under-16s

4

1

The attacker already has 46 goal involvements in 141 appearances for Antwerp, and at international level he has been capped for Belgium across five different youth age groups, also being called “amazing” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

While primarily a left winger, Balikwisha can also shine on the opposite flank and as a striker, so Rodgers would be signing a player who can add so much depth to his attack.

Konstas made 73 not out and Beau Webster made an unbeaten 46 as Australia A chased down 168 with six wickets to spare

Alex Malcolm09-Nov-2024Sam Konstas signalled he is a player for the future, even if he might not be ready for the first Test, making an outstanding unbeaten half-century to guide Australia A home in a tricky run chase at the MCG after Dhruv Jurel and Prasidh Krishna gave India A hope while putting their hand up to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Konstas, batting at No. 4 in this match for the first time in his short career after appearing to be removed from the Test opening calculations, made a composed 73 not out alongside Beau Webster, who made an unbeaten 46, to guide Australia A to a 2-0 series win after slumping to 73 for 4 chasing 168 in the fourth innings.Earlier, Jurel made his second half-century of the match while Prasidh made 29 as India’s tail wagged with contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Tanush Kotian ensuring Australia A had a tricky chase after the game threatened to finish early on day three.Prasidh then struck twice in the opening over of the fourth innings with Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft falling for ducks in consecutive deliveries. Nathan McSweeney only made 25 as Australia A slumped to 48 for 3 and 73 for 4 before Konstas and Webster combined for an unbeaten 96-run stand to win the game.Australia’s A chase got off to a disastrous start and Australia’s selectors did not get the final pieces of information they were hoping for from Harris and McSweeney. Harris played a half-committed drive to a very full ball and was given out caught behind off the inside edge. His luck from day two might have evened out as it was not entirely clear whether he hit it. Bancroft’s horror run of form continued when he was hit on the toe by a cracking yorker and given lbw. It was tight to leg but probably hitting. Bancroft has scored 29 runs in eight first-class innings so far this season, including four ducks, with any hopes of a Test recall completely dashed for the time being.McSweeney looked organised in his last bid to convince selectors he is worthy of opening the batting in the Perth Test. He hardly made an error in his 69-ball 25. But he was undone by a cracking delivery from Mukesh Kumar that angled into off and nipped away to catch the edge.Konstas, 19, then showed the composure and the batting craft that has so many astute judges in Australian cricket cooing. He weathered the storm with resolute defence and then began to expand as the ball got softer and Kotian came into the attack. He unfurled a cracking pull shot off Prasidh and then skipped out to Kotian several times to bang him over the top down the ground. He also sat back and punched him through the off side. He didn’t get sucked into playing at balls outside his leg stump when a short leg and leg gully were set for him.He lost Ollie Davies for a brisk 21 when his New South Wales team-mate misjudged the length from Kotian completely and was bowled attempting an ambitious cut shot.Webster settled after a nervy start and hit the ball with trademark power to help ease the pressure of the chase. The pair rattled along, striking 13 boundaries and a six between them. They scored fast enough for the umpires to extend play with an extra half-hour to win the game on the third night. Konstas only gave one life, with substitute Abishek Porel dropping him at deep square with 15 runs to win.Dhruv Jurel made 68 in the second innings•AFP

Earlier in the day, Jurel was once again the fulcrum that held India A’s batting together with another outstanding knock. There have been three 50-plus scores in the match and he has two of them. His 68 was the key to giving the visitors a total to defend in spite of four wickets to Corey Rocchiccioli and three to Webster.Unlike the first innings though, he did need a large stroke of luck. Early in the morning, on 25, he uppercut Scott Boland to deep third absentmindedly with a fielder placed there for that exact shot. Ollie Davies had to run forward and dive but he spilled the difficult chance offered despite getting two hands to it. Had that been held, India A would have been 85 for 6, leading by just 23 and in danger of losing before lunch.Thereafter, the momentum swung in India A’s favour. Jurel and Reddy shared a pivotal 94-run stand to give their side a chance. Jurel’s class shone through again. He pounced on anything short or overpitched and was rock solid in defence. While his team-mates have looked all at sea against the extra bounce at the MCG, Jurel has looked right at home with a game tailormade for Australian conditions.Reddy played his best innings of the tour to-date, striking five fours and a six in a key supporting role. Australia A struggled to penetrate given they were a bowler down after the loss of Michael Neser on day one.But just as Jurel got a stranglehold on the game, he holed out to deep square off Rocchiccioli to open the door to the tail. Three overs later, Reddy fell to Webster for the third time in four innings. It was also the third time he was bounced out, gloving one to the keeper trying to hook to fine leg.That left India A 162 for 7 with a lead of just 100. But the last three wickets added 67 to ensure Australia would have a tricky chase. Kotian and Prasidh frustrated the bowlers with an entertaining and vital 49-run stand. They struck nine fours and a six between them. Kotian posted the fourth-highest score of the match, making 44. Prasidh’s innings was bewildering. He consistently backed away but slapped the ball with power both sides of the wicket in a breezy 29. He eventually fell to a sensational diving catch at deep midwicket by Konstas.Kotian added 28 with Mukesh Kumar who scored just 1 before miscuing one to mid-off. Rocchiccioli wrapped up the innings with his fourth wicket, pinning Mukesh plumb lbw.

A familiar tale played itself out as defensive frailties and poor shot selection hastened the visitors’ slide to defeat

Mohammad Isam in Indore16-Nov-2019Big gaps between bat and pad, bats coming down at odd angles against seaming deliveries, indecision outside the off stump, and the general lack of long-format temperament. Saturday was the same old story for the Bangladesh batting line-up in an overseas Test match, and the flaws were further exposed by arguably the best bowling attack in the world.It was only thanks to Mushfiqur Rahim, who faced one-third of all the balls faced by Bangladesh’s batsmen in the entire Test, that the game went on until 3.30pm on the third day. He hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, but among a group of batsmen who hardly showed any patience, his 43 and 64 stood out like a beacon.Openers Shadman Islam and Imrul Kayes looked susceptible against both the incoming and outgoing deliveries. Both got out to balls leaving them on the first day, and on the third day both were bowled by balls that came back in, and not terribly sharply. They were undone by subtle movement.Mahmudullah was undone by his lack of patience in both innings, exposing all three stumps and missing a sweep in the first and poking at numerous deliveries from the quicks in the second. Mohammad Mithun survived 36 and 26 balls, and could be considered unlucky to get out to a brilliant delivery in the first innings, but in the second dig, his bat coming down at an angle got him into trouble against a Mohammed Shami bouncer.Liton Das may have fewer technical issues to sort out, but his impatience is eating into his international career. In the second innings, he put on 63 with Mushfiqur before giving it away by playing one shot too many.Mushfiqur Rahim flicks one on the leg side•BCCIThrough this Test match, Bangladesh’s batsmen were not in control of 20% of the balls they faced, as against India’s 5%. While this was reflective of the disparity in quality between the two attacks the respective teams faced, it was also indicative of the issues of technique and shot selection that continue to bog down Bangladesh in Test cricket.Even Mushfiqur isn’t without flaws. Teams have been trying to target him with the big inswinger homing in on his off and middle stumps, in the hope that he’ll leave a gap between bat and pad. West Indies have tasted notable success with this tactic recently, and Shami did so too in the first innings, finding the gap between bat and pad. There were a couple of close calls of this nature on day three too.Mushfiqur will no doubt busy himself practising against the incoming ball over the next five days, trying his best to iron out his weakness. At least he knows exactly what his issue is. And at least it’s just one issue. The problems are a lot more complicated when it comes to his colleagues. In overseas conditions in the last two years, they have been exposed in multiple ways, technically and mentally.It calls into question Bangladesh’s preparation for these challenges.Apart from the lead-up to the 2015 World Cup – when their then coach Chandika Hathurusingha installed a granite slab at the Shere Bangla National Stadium to simulate the bounce of Australian pitches – there haven’t been too many recent instances of Bangladesh coming up with specific training methods to combat specific challenges. That kind of preparation is essential for batsmen to develop the habits that will serve them well when their techniques are examined relentlessly for long periods.Bangladesh’s recent struggles against New Zealand, West Indies and India have suggested that this isn’t happening.It isn’t that Bangladesh’s batsmen lack the pedigree to play at the top level. The current lot is much better against pace and bounce, for instance, than previous generations were. But when it comes to dealing with a full arsenal of bowlers asking them questions ball after ball, they are still quite some way behind most batting line-ups.

Simon Harmer claimed his second four-wicket haul of the Vitality County Championship match as Essex wrapped up an innings victory over Nottinghamshire before lunch on the final day.The South African off-spinner finished with 4 for 93 as Nottinghamshire’s batting collapsed for a second time in double-quick time to lose by an innings and 83 runs.The relegation-threatened visitors folded from their overnight 180 for 2, still needing 184 to make Essex bat again, losing their remaining eight wickets in 38 overs while adding 101 runs in an extended morning session. They had conceded a 364-run deficit on first innings when bowled out for just 93.Harmer, who added two wickets in the morning, was ably supported by Sam Cook and Paul Walter, who took two wickets apiece to condemn Nottinghamshire to their fourth defeat of the season.Needing to take eight wickets to claim their first win in five games, Essex made early inroads. Cook sent back the two overnight batsmen, Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke, inside the first 20 minutes to end their 137-run third-wicket stand. Hameed shaped to play the ball down to third man and was lbw after advancing his score by five to 105 from 166 balls.Clarke followed, chasing a delivery outside off-stump for Harmer to take the catch high to his right at second slip.Jack Haynes and Kyle Verreynne weighed anchor, scoring at two an over for a dozen overs before Walter struck twice in the space of three balls. Haynes departed for eight from 48 balls, aiming to play to leg but getting a leading edge back to the bowler. Lyndon James then fell to a spectacular flying catch at cover by Shane Snater.The new ball accounted for Liam Patterson-White slashing at the third delivery from Jamie Porter with Michael Pepper moving across the claim in front of first slip.The new Kookaburra was only six overs old when Harmer returned and with his fourth delivery had Rob Lord lobbing the ball into bat-pad’s hands. Two balls later Luke Fletcher fell for a three-ball pair when he was bowled.With one wicket standing, Essex claimed the extra half-hour but found Verreynne in obdurate mood for his unbeaten 38. Sixteen-year-old Farhan Ahmed was learning on the job before he nicked behind Snater’s second ball of the seventh extra over.

Birmingham have shared footage from their new documentary that sees Tom Brady mocking Rob McElhenney’s name and calling out Ryan Reynolds.

NFL legend is involved with the ambitious BluesAttended League One clash with Red DragonsIndulged in pre-game banter with Hollywood starsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

NFL legend Brady owns a minority stake in the Blues and has enjoyed an eventful association with the West Midlands outfit. His debut campaign – which saw Wayne Rooney appointed as manager at one stage – ended in relegation out of the Championship being suffered.

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Birmingham bounced back from that disappointment in style, with the 2024-25 League One title being captured in record-breaking style with 111 points. Wrexham and their Hollywood co-chairmen were fended off en route to being crowned third tier champions.

Amazon Prime VideoWHAT BRADY SAID

Brady made a point of jetting over to the UK for a meeting with the Red Dragons at St Andrew’s, with David Beckham also being invited along for that fixture. Birmingham went on to prevail 3-1, with McElhenney and Reynolds being left to lick their wounds.

Before a ball was kicked, Brady was caught on camera saying: “Let’s go get a f*cking win against Wrexham. We’re coming for your ass. Ryan Reynolds, McElry, whatever the f*ck your name is.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da betsul： O meia argentino Roberto Pereyra está próximo de acertar seu retorno à Udinese, da Itália, após recusar propostas de Santos e Palmeiras. O desejo de permanecer na Europa pesou para não aceitar as ofertas das equipes brasileiras. O Botafogo foi outro clube que fez uma investida pelo jogador.

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De todos os contatos formais, a proposta mais vantajosa financeiramente foi a do Peixe, que ofereceu um contrato de três anos, pagando 8 milhões de euros (R$ 42,7 mi, na cotação atual) no período. Desta forma, o salário mensal de Pereyra, caso aceitasse jogar no Alvinegro Praiano, seria de 216 mil euros por mês (R$ 1,15 milhão). O atleta manteria o padrão salarial que ele tinha atuando no futebol europeu.

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A proposta palmeirense, por sua vez, não foi tão alta, seja em termos financeiros ou em relação ao período de contrato. O Verdão ofereceu um vínculo de 16 meses – até o fim de 2024 – pagando 2 milhões de euros (R$ 10,7 milhões). Mensalmente, o salário de Roberto Pereyra seria de 125 mil euros (R$ 667,7 mil).

Mesmo com valores menores em comparação com a oferta do Santos, a investida do Palmeiras agradou mais a Pereyra. Isso porque Luis Pomes, novo empresário do jogador, é argentino e sabe que na equipe alviverde seu agenciado estaria em um time que tem brigado constantemente por títulos na América do Sul.

Ainda assim, o meio-campista entende que tem condições de jogar por, pelo menos, mais dois anos na elite do futebol europeu. O interesse, ainda que distante, que a Inter de Milão teve durante a janela de transferências, que fechou no último dia 1º de setembro, foi fundamental para o jogador pensar assim.

Com a saída do croata Marcelo Brozovic para o futebol árabe, a Internazionale passou todo o período de mercado em busca de um meia, tendo Roberto Pereyra na lista, mas longe de ser o plano A. No fim, o escolhido foi o holandês Davy Klaassen, que estava no Ajax. A contratação do jogador foi concretizada nos últimos momentos da janela.

+ Palmeiras fica longe de Roberto Pereyra, que já tem destino definido

A não ida para a Internazionale frustrou Roberto Pereyra. Esse foi um dos motivos para que ele trocasse de empresário nas últimas semanas. Ele deixou de ser agenciado pelo italiano Federico Pastorello e passou a ter a carreira cuidada por Luis Pomes.

Pereyra estava na Udinese, onde teve o contrato finalizado em junho. Ele não quis renovar com a equipe italiana, muito por conta da possibilidade de jogar na Inter. Porém, como a situação não evoluiu, ele aguardou para ouvir novas propostas no Velho Continente. As únicas foram do Besiktas, da Turquia, que não evoluiu, e da Sampdoria, da Itália, que foi recusada devido ao recente rebaixamento à segunda divisão.

O desejo da família do jogador em permanecer na Europa também pesou na decisão final de não aceitar as propostas dos times brasileiros.

When Liverpool renewed Virgil van Dijk’s contract, they did more than just tie their star defender down to a new two-year deal.

Van Dijk is more than a world-class centre-back; he’s more, even, than a peerless skipper. The Netherlands icon has transcended his post as one of Liverpool’s star players, immortalising his name in Liverpool lore, right up there alongside Alan Hansen.

Yes, yes, he turns 34 next month. And, well, yes, Liverpool will need to be more careful in managing their captain’s minutes as he reaches the autumn days of his illustrious Premier League career.

But Van Dijk leads by example, and that’s on and off the field. He’s more than a defender; he’s a leader and rousing force. Tune in to Liverpool on the television, and you’ll hear the 6 foot 4 star baying at his teammates before heading out of the tunnel, switching them into gear.

Let’s enjoy him while we can, because FSG’s transfer chief, Richard Hughes, is already hard at work trying to secure a long-term heir.

Liverpool's efforts to sign the next Van Dijk

Dean Huijsen was written in the stars to succeed Van Dijk at Anfield. After a stunning breakout campaign at Bournemouth last year, the 20-year-old became one of the most sought-after young players in Europe, hailed for his incredible potential.

Van Dijk left Southampton to sign for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, and Huijsen could have followed a similar path, each proving a cut above. Moreover, Huijsen, while a Spanish international, was born and reared in Amsterdam to Dutch parents before relocating to Spain when he was five.

It felt like the perfect move for the player, moving to Liverpool, emulating one of the greatest defenders of his generation – and technically a countryman at that.

Well, Real Madrid clearly turned a blind eye to such a poetic story, for they brushed Premier League competition aside to activate the prodigy’s £50m release clause and bring him home.

Arne Slot still needs a new central defender, and while Huijsen is a one-of-a-kind talent, there might just be an alternative option waiting across the continent, having been of a vested interest to Liverpool in the past.

Liverpool enter race for new centre-back

Huijsen’s off the cards, yada yada, but he’s not the only talented centre-back looking to take the next step in his career.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Liverpool are interested in Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio, 23, once again, having been routinely linked with the dynamic defender across the past couple of years.

The left-footed defender has a €60m (£50m) release clause in his contract, but suitors are optimistic that they can engineer a more agreeable figure.

However, with Manchester United and Newcastle United thought to be interested too, FSG will need to up the ante if they wish to find a fitting long-term Van Dijk heir.

What Goncalo Inacio would bring to Liverpool

Inacio has yet to compete away from his Portuguese homeland, but he hasn’t exactly done that badly in Portugal, appearing 213 times for Sporting after graduating from their academy.

Journalist Antonio Mango has drawn attention to Inacio’s “insane” range of passing, and that’s corroborated by the data, for Inacio has completed an average of 89% of his passes across his senior career, as recorded by WhoScored.

Moreover, Inacio’s aerial ability suggests he could offer a similar level of ability in that regard as Huijsen, whose rangy frame and composure, leading to expert timing, is something that would have seen him exceed expectations when stepping into Van Dijk’s boots at Liverpool.

His modern-tailored style is exactly what Liverpool are looking for, and he’s a left-sided centre-back besides. To add further substance to the argument, this is a player who has been tracked by Liverpool for a number of years, and he’s only got better and better.

Having been an influential member of a two-time Liga Portugal-winning backline in recent years, Inacio has fostered the perfect mentality for a place in Liverpool’s first team, and he’s also blessed with a technical level that most other central defenders across Europe can only dream of.

Most, but not all. Huijsen can certainly throw down with the Portuguese ace on that front, and when racking up the respective players’ skills against each other, you can see that both offer similar qualities.

Goals + assists

0.20

0.19

Touches

91.48

74.94

Pass completion

89.7%

83.4%

Passes attempted

83.61

60.26

Progressive passes

7.34

4.89

Progressive carries

1.28

1.52

Shot-creating actions

1.72

1.59

Ball recoveries

4.67

3.89

Tackles + interceptions

2.75

3.23

Clearances

2.91

7.34

Blocks

1.08

1.48

Aeriel duels won

2.04

2.52

Huijsen is a strong defender, but his range of passing and creativity, his ability to play through the lines, are the facets which define him as a future superstar.

Inacio perhaps outperforms him in that regard, and if placed in Slot’s high-flying Liverpool system, you can only imagine the progress he could make, following the likes of Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch in making remarkable progress under the Dutchman’s wing.

Further to the point, Inacio made only one defensive error across his 28 top-flight appearances last term, whereas Huijsen made four playing for Bournemouth in the Premier League, albeit playing at what is considered a higher level, in more intense and rigorous conditions.

He’s not perfect, but the Portugal international has the making of an elite-level defender, and he could prove the dream Huijsen alternative if signed this summer, learning from Van Dijk over the next couple of years before breaking away from the Reds legend’s shadow and becoming a sensation in his own right down the line.

The dream XI Liverpool could build: Wirtz signs & "the next Mbappe" arrives

Liverpool are making sweeping changes in the transfer market as Slot prepares to defend his PL title.

3 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 3, 2025

da luck： Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly opened talks with another target, as technical director Johan Lange begins work on their potential third summer signing after Mathys Tel and Kota Takai.

Related Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining

The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

da 888casino： Spurs look ready to back new manager Thomas Frank with fresh squad upgrades ahead of his first full season in charge, and Tel’s £30 million permanent switch from Bayern Munich was reportedly approved by the Dane himself.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Frank will also soon welcome J League sensation Takai after chairman Daniel Levy green-lit a £5 million deal to sign the 20-year-old defender from Kawasaki Frontale, which stands as a record fee for any Japanese player from that division.

Tottenham signed Takai to compete as a first-team player, hoping that he’s set to follow a similar trajectory to the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr (Alasdair Gold), so supporters can expect to see him in and around the senior matchday squads next term.

Frank has a proven track record of developing young players into major talents, and the 51-year-old is excited to work with his “very talented” new roster.

“It’s a very talented squad, a very good squad and I’m very excited to start working with them,” said Frank in his first interview with the club.

“Of course, when you follow the Premier League, you see the other teams, you see Tottenham – you’ve seen some fantastic performances from the team over the last years. So, I think there’s big potential.

“But, of course, I’m looking from the outside, so I’m looking forward to getting to know them, to be around them, to feel them, understand them, work with them on the training pitch. That’s where you really get the big understanding, understand the relationships between players and how you can get the best out of them.

“I’ve got an idea already, my head is spinning [with] how can we play, how do I put them together, but I’m looking forward to that.”

Tottenham in talks with Kyle Walker-Peters

In the last week, Spurs have been repeatedly linked with a swoop for ex-defender Kyle Walker-Peters, who’s now officially leaving Southampton as a free agent at the end of this month.

The 28-year-old has made over 200 appearances for Southampton since leaving Spurs for St. Mary’s in 2020, and he’d bring some much-needed experience to Frank’s otherwise very youthful squad.

Tottenham also need more club-trained players to fill their Champions League quota, and Walker-Peters fits the bill considering he came through the Hotspur Way academy.

Now, as per Graeme Bailey in a piece for TBR Football, Lange has personally “started work” on bringing the Englishman back to N17.

It is believed Tottenham have opened talks with Walker-Peters over re-joining on a free, with the full-back keen on potentially making a return to his boyhood club as he looks to secure a move back to the Premier League, following his relegation on the south coast last season.

Interestingly, Walker-Peters employs the same agency as a host of current Spurs players – including James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Richarlison, Son Heung-min, Djed Spence and Sarr – so this could perhaps help to facilitate a deal given CAA Base’s already-productive relationship with the Lilywhites.