Tag Futebol

da dobrowin： Liverpool are believed to be planning talks with an “extraordinary” player over a move to Anfield at the end of the season, according to a new transfer claim.

Liverpool win historic 20th league title

da pixbet： The Reds clinched a 20th league title on Sunday afternoon, being crowned Premier League champions after an unforgettable 5-1 win at home to Tottenham. Despite falling behind to a goal from former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke, Arne Slot’s side turned things around in style, putting on a show in front of a euphoric Anfield and celebrating in emotional fashion after the final whistle.

It is a stunning achievement by Slot in his first season in charge of the Reds, with the Dutchman not allowing himself to feel the pressure of replacing Jurgen Klopp last summer, guiding his team to glory in the process.

Once the dust has settled on a memorable season, however, Liverpool will be well aware that a busy summer transfer window is required. The newly-crowned champions may be an excellent side, but there are still areas of focus ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with reinforcements required to help them defend their title.

Liverpool planning talks to sign Ademola Lookman

According to an update from Caught Offside, Liverpool are “planning to hold talks” with Atalanta attacker Ademola Lookman over a summer switch to Anfield. They are not alone, however, with Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle and Arsenal all mentioned in the update, too. The 27-year-old’s club will be demanding up to £55m for his services.

Lookman has been mentioned as a target for Liverpool in the past, and it is easy to see why Slot and Richard Hughes could view him as a strong addition this summer. The former Everton attacker has excelled in an Atalanta shirt, most notably scoring a hat-trick in their 3-0 win against Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in last season’s Europa League final.

The Nigerian has scored 50 goals in just 115 appearances for the Serie A side, as well as registering 24 assists, and his current manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, has lauded his ability in the past.

‘He’s [Lookman] a top player. In terms of character, there are perhaps players who have more continuity and are more solid, but that’s normal. Even his role is difficult. He always has to be very fit, but he has become a truly extraordinary player, among the best in Europe and the world. Because he has improved his consistency and in some ways he has started to be an important Atalanta player.”

Lookman has generally operated as a centre forward for Atalanta, even though he can also shine out wide, and if Liverpool’s recruitment team believe he is an upgrade on the likes of Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez to lead the line next season, they need to be trusted.

Related Slot has found a "monster" who's Liverpool's new Gerrard & it's not Salah

Liverpool thrashed Tottenham to win the Premier League.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Apr 28, 2025

He would be a cheaper option than Newcastle star Alexander Isak, for example, and the fact that he already knows the Premier League well would be an added bonus.

Manchester City have clearly been struggling this campaign to hit the same levels they have done in the previous four Premier League campaigns, currently sitting fifth with 48 points, a whopping 22 points away from first-place Liverpool.

Despite their poor form, Pep Guardiola’s side are still topping plenty of the league’s metrics, however.

They are averaging the most possession per game in the division with 60.8% and have the highest successful pass percentage with 89.9%. They also sit second for shots per game, averaging 16.1 shots per match, with only Liverpool averaging more with 17.

Clearly, City have identified their need to invest, spending big money in the January transfer window to bring Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez to the club.

But, who has been underperforming this season, which has led to such heavy investment?

The biggest losers from Man City's awful season

One man who has underperformed since returning to play for Guardiola’s side this season is İlkay Gündoğan. The German has made 39 appearances for the Citizens so far, scoring two goals and providing three assists. It’s a far cry from that 2021/22 season where he was involved in 16 goals across all competitions.

18 of his appearances have come from the base of midfield, a byproduct of Rodri being missing through injury, which has led to an underwhelming return for the 34-year-old midfielder, not having the same effect on the ball for his side, whilst not solving their out-of-possession issues either.

Another key figure who was a huge part of Manchester City’s infamous treble campaign, but now finds himself lower in the pecking order, is Jack Grealish.

The 29-year-old has made 26 appearances this season, netting two goals, providing five assists and totaling 1,319 minutes played.

The English winger, who has struggled with a few injuries in the past two seasons, now finds himself behind the likes of Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Marmoush and even Phil Foden, who himself has had a very poor season thus far, underwhelming for both club and country.

The Englishman, who was criticised by Thomas Tuchel during the international break, has struggled to replicate the dazzling numbers of 2023/24 when he won the PFA Player of the Year award.

He has scored just ten times, down from the ridiculous 27-goal haul of last term. So, perhaps they may regret losing another academy star…

Better than Foden: Man City's lost "wonderkid"

Spending two years in the City academy system from 2018-2020 was a highly promising individual, a “wonderkid” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig.

That player was Jamie Gittens. Remarkably, he never played for City’s U21s but did feature in two U18 Premier League games. Then, in a puff of smoke, rather like Jadon Sancho, he headed for Borussia Dortmund.

Well, at BVB, it’s safe to say he’s starring. Gittens, who was in Lee Carsley’s latest England U21 made, has made 40 appearances for Dortmund so far this season, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists in 2,535 minutes played.

Boasting “electric pace” in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, the English winger is certainly starting to turn heads in Europe, with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United linked with the young winger.

So, how does he compare to that man Foden? Certainly favourably in the goalscoring department.

Jamie Gittens vs Phil Foden comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)	Gittens	Foden
Goals	0.39	0.34
Assists	0.11	0.17
xG	0.18	0.26
xAG	0.13	0.23
Progressive Carries	5.78	2.72
Progressive Passes	2.09	5.49
Shots Total	2.57	3.02
Key Passes	1.10	2.33
Shot-Creating Actions	3.80	4.67
Successful Take-Ons	3.84	0.93
Stats taken from FBref

When comparing Foden and Gittens’ underlying metrics this season, you can see how their playstyles differ, with the former being more creation heavy, looking to drop into pockets of space, play progressive passes and create for others, whilst the latter has a direct manner, looking to attack the box with carries and score goals.

Whilst Foden isn’t a natural winger, he has seen 18 of his 38 appearances come from wide areas, due to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and now Marmoush, who can both play as that central attacking midfielder in close vicinity to Erling Haaland.

On the other hand, Gittens would have provided City with something they have lacked in wide areas this season, and that’s goals, with both Doku and Savinho excelling in the creation department, as opposed to the direct, high-shot-volume playstyle of their former academy star.

Man City offloaded their own Bellingham for £0, now Man Utd want him

Man City could see yet another of their former academy graduates end up back in the Premier League

By
Robbie Walls

Mar 27, 2025

Crystal Palace are now keen on signing a “phenomenon” forward, and he could be seen as a potential replacement for Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to a recent report.

Parish looking to secure off-field appointments

The Eagles booked their place in the last four of the FA Cup over the weekend, and while matters on the pitch are going well for the South Londoners, Steve Parish is busy off it, looking to secure some key agreements.

What Steve Parish is doing to stop Oliver Glasner from joining RB Leipzig

Parish is hoping a key Crystal Palace figure will commit his future to the club.

1 ByBrett Worthington Mar 26, 2025

Palace are still continuing their search to find a replacement for Dougie Freedman, with Kieran Scott, Lee Dykes, and Iain Moody all being linked with the vacant role in recent weeks. Former West Ham sporting director Tim Steidten has also joined the race, with the German believed to be in pole position to join the Premier League side after Oliver Glasner gave his approval.

As well as looking for a new sporting director, Parish is also working hard behind the scenes to agree a new contract with Glasner. Football Insider reports that Palace are progressing in finding an agreement with the Austrian, but Glasner still wants some assurances around the future of some of his key players before committing to a new contract.

The 50-year-old will be in the final year of his deal this summer, and it is reported that he is happy at Selhurst Park despite interest from a Jurgen Klopp-led Red Bull project in Leipzig.

Crystal Palace looking to sign "phenomenon" ahead of West Ham

Another way Palace can confirm their desire to support Glasner is by backing him in the transfer market, and it looks as though they are willing to do just that. According to Caught Offside, Crystal Palace are interested in signing striker Georges Mikautadze from Lyon this summer.

The report states that the Eagles are looking at signing the 24-year-old, as he is believed to be open to a move to the Premier League. However, they are not the only team chasing the striker, as West Ham and Wolves are also keen on securing a deal, with the Hammers making Mikautadze a top target ahead of the summer transfer window.

Apps

38

Starts

17

Goals

14

Assists

8

Mikautadze, who has been dubbed a “phenomenon” by his former manager Emilio Ferrera, joined Lyon last summer and has scored eight goals in Ligue 1. The forward has also netted four times in the Europa League, and the French side will be turning to his aid next week when they come up against Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Mikautadze may also be remembered for his Euro 2024 contribution, as he scored three goals in four games, one coming in the 2-0 win over Portugal in their final group match.

Palace have their eye on the Georgia international as a possible replacement for Mateta, who has been linked with a move to United in recent weeks, with Palace believed to be looking to get £40 million for his services.

It has been reported that Glasner wants Palace to agree to new terms with the striker, but if that can’t happen then a sale could happen this summer, given his deal expires in 2026. Mikautadze could be someone the Eagles turn to, and he is likely to cost less than what Palace sell Mateta for.