The outgoing Pakistan batting coach speaks candidly about which players need improvement, his favourite and not-so-favourite memories

Interview by Danyal Rasool15-Aug-2019In 5 years in Pakistan, what did you like best about living here?The friendliness of the people.What was the most frustrating thing about living in Pakistan?The security aspect and the lack of freedom.Proudest personal achievement?Winning the Champions Trophy.Most frustrating day with the Pakistan team?Well, there were quite a few! Getting hammered by the West Indies in the first game of the World Cup that proved to be the nail in the coffin for our semi-final chances.What will you miss the most about working in Pakistan?The passion of the players and the natural flair and their love of the game. It was such a nice thing to see because they’ve got so much to gain by playing for Pakistan and so much to lose by not playing. It’s such a big thing for them and their families.What won’t you miss about working in Pakistan?Some of the backstabbing by ex-players. And a lot of the politics that happens within the TV channels, the journalists and some of the politics in the PCB itself. I won’t miss those, certainly.Where do you rank Babar Azam among the players you have personally coached?He’s probably the best bloke I’ve ever coached – certainly the best Pakistani I’ve ever coached.Which Pakistan batsman doesn’t get the credit he deserves?I think Haris Sohail is probably an underachiever – I think a lot of people haven’t seen the best of him yet.Where do you see Pakistan’s top three in five years? Will it be the same three?I’m not sure about Fakhar (Zaman); he’s got to get his technique a bit tighter, but the other two will definitely be there, no question about that.What can the PCB do to ensure players maximise their potential and Pakistan isn’t left with unfulfilled talents?Getting a stronger domestic structure in place. That will help massively.Waqar Younis or Mickey Arthur?Mickey Arthur.What do you want to do in future?Get another coaching job somewhere. Hopefully improve in some areas I wasn’t as proficient in. Maybe I’ve got to look at myself. Either become a batting coach or head coach elsewhere.Asad Shafiq has a chat with Grant Flower•AFPDid you think you could have taken a firmer line with some of the players who kept making the same mistakes?It depends on your relationship with the players or how you get the best out of them. I think a lot of batting coaching is about confidence. Players having confidence in the batting coach and vice versa. And if you lose that confidence then the players aren’t going to believe in you and talk to you about the problems they’re having. So I think that’s one of the biggest things in coaching, having that relationship with the players.I did do one strong interview after which a couple of players approached me and discussed what they thought of that. I did come hard at them at times, but you don’t want to break that trust, because you’re never going to repair it.Which player improved the most in the five years you were there?Babar Azam’s the obvious one. But also Imam-ul-Haq, I think he’s really improved. You’re going to see a lot more of him because he’s very driven. As long as he doesn’t get too far ahead of himself, I think he’s going to have a really good career.Which player do you think hasn’t kicked on as much as you wanted him to?I suppose I’d have to go for Fakhar Zaman. I’ve worked quite a lot with him, but he’s got such a different technique to others. He’s quite hard to work with, even though he’s a lovely guy. There’s a lot of rawness about him, but his results have been very inconsistent. But I think he’s good enough to make something of it, but he’s got a lot of work to do.What would you like to say to Pakistan’s fans?I just want to wish them all the best for the future and being supportive and passionate, which they already are. And have faith. Have faith in the players and stick behind them. Look for the positives as opposed to the negatives.

Pace dominates our team of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2019Two in-form openers, two steady No. 3s, three allrounders, one keeper-batsman, and four fast bowlers. That sums up the composite XI picked by ESPNcricinfo staff.ESPNcricinfo LtdFinalists England and New Zealand contribute three players each, with two apiece from semi-finalists Australia and India. Shakib Al Hasan was the only unanimous choice among the teams picked by 46 of our staff members (and the only front-line spin-bowling option), while Rohit Sharma, Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson and Jasprit Bumrah featured in over 90% of the teams. While ten spots in the XI were clear cut, the 11th was a close contest: Jimmy Neesham pipped the likes of David Warner, Babar Azam and Jos Buttler.Vote for your XI here.

Jason Roy

Inns 7 Runs 443 Average 63.28 Strike Rate 115.36 100s/50s 1/4
Roy was the aggressor in England’s successful opening pairing. He and Bairstow had the best average and strike rate among opening pairs with at least 200 runs in the tournament – no surprise given they top those stats for any ODI opening pair with over 1000 partnership runs. Roy missed three matches due to injury; England lost two of those. His only single-digit score came in the loss to Pakistan. His 85 in the semi-final hastened Australia’s exit after the bowlers restricted them to 223.

Rohit Sharma

Inns 9 Runs 648 Ave 81.00 SR 98.33 100s/50s 5/1
A record five hundreds made Rohit the leading run scorer of the tournament, and such was his form that his captain, Virat Kohli – the only one ahead of him in the ODI batting rankings now – called him the “best one-day player”. With regular opening partner Shikhar Dhawan ruled out, Rohit took on the onus of ensuring the team got off to good starts. Unfortunately for India, his run of three consecutive hundreds ended in the semi-final.

Shakib Al Hasan

Matches 8 Runs 606 Ave 86.57 SR 96.03 Wickets 11 Ave 36.27 ER 5.39
Bangladesh’s management accepted his request to bat at No. 3, and Shakib, currently the world’s best ODI allrounder, repaid the faith with seven 50-plus scores in eight innings. His bowling was steady in a tournament where spinners struggled, but he managed to take a vital five-for against Afghanistan, becoming the first Bangladesh player to take a five-wicket haul at the World Cup, and the second to complete the double of a fifty and a five-for in a World Cup match. No wonder many felt he deserved the Player-of-the-Tournament award.

Kane Williamson (capt)

Inns 9 Runs 578 Ave 82.57 SR 74.96 100s/50s 2/2
As captain, Williamson would know best whether he should bat at No. 3 or not. He was New Zealand’s rock – with the bat in a fragile batting line-up and in the field in tense situations. He scored in tough conditions, and he all but led his team to the title after three straight defeats to end the league stage. He was voted the Player of the Tournament, and his composure after the cruel loss in the final will be an abiding memory of this World Cup.

Ben Stokes

Matches 11 Runs 465 Ave 66.42 SR 93.18 Wickets 7 Ave 35.14 ER 4.83
The most runs for a batsman at No. 4 or lower in the tournament. Stokes scored five fifties in his ten innings, and remained unbeaten in the final, in which he was the Player of the Match, took a stunning catch against South Africa, and chipped in with the ball all through.

Alex Carey (wk)

Matches 10 Runs 375 Ave 62.50 SR 104.16 Dismissals 20
Not many would have tipped him to make this XI at the start of the tournament. Carey came up with crucial runs in close wins for Australia; Steve Waugh called him a “hybrid of Michael Hussey and Michael Bevan”. If he remains in the same league as those names, watch out for Australia in 2023.

James Neesham

Matches 10 Runs 232 Ave 33.14 SR 78.91 Wickets 15 Ave 19.46 ER 5.35
Neesham was thinking of retirement a couple of years ago. Three allrounders might seem too many, but it’s hard to ignore Neesham’s all-round heroics. Can score runs, can take wickets, can pull off diving catches and have us in splits with his tweets (the last one wasn’t a selection criterion). He nearly took New Zealand over the line in that Super Over.

Mitchell Starc

Inns 10 Wickets 27 Ave 18.59 ER 5.43 4s/5s 2/2
Like in 2015, Starc finished with the most wickets. His 27 broke Glenn McGrath’s record for a single World Cup. One could argue he wasn’t as supremely good as he was in 2015 – when he took 22 wickets at 10.18 apiece – but that would be just nitpicking. Also the only one from our 2015 World Cup XI in the 2019 team.

Jofra Archer

Inns 11 Wickets 20 Ave 23.05 ER 4.57 4s/5s 0/0
Would England have been champions had they not drafted Archer into their final squad? Playing only his 14th ODI, he was entrusted with bowling the Super Over in the final, given how he had performed in the death overs. He kept New Zealand to exactly 15 runs – two off the final two balls – to clinch their first World Cup title. His 20 wickets are the best for an England player in a World Cup.

Lockie Ferguson

Inns 9 Wickets 21 Ave 19.47 ER 4.88 4s/5s 1/0
New Zealand’s strike bowler brought real pace into the middle overs at this World Cup. Always in the wickets, Ferguson was only behind Starc on the wicket-takers’ list in the tournament.

Jasprit Bumrah

Inns 9 Wickets 18 Average 20.61 ER 4.41 4s/5s 1/0
It was business as usual for the top ODI bowler in the world. Bumrah was India’s Mr Reliable, and even when those at the other end got more wickets, it was his control and frugality that stood out.Vote for your XI here.

Mumbai posted a huge total but their 22-run victory against Punjab in the end was little more than a scant consolation

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2019Jharkhand v Tamil NaduWashington Sundar and M Siddharth helped Tamil Nadu book a semi-final berth by setting up an easy win against Jharkhand. The spin duo shared seven wickets between them, flattening Jharkhand’s batting line-up and helping bowl them out for 85, which Tamil Nadu’s top-order then mowed down in 13.5 overs. Washington also top-scored with a 22-ball 38.Jharkhand captain Saurabh Tiwary was the only batsman to reach 20, after he had opted to bat. Washington accounted for the first three wickets to fall, following which Tiwary and Sumit Kumar batted it out for 4.1 overs to put up a 17-run stand – the highest in Jharkhand’s innings – before M Ashwin dismissed the former. Left-arm spinner Siddharth then ran riot, picking up three wickets in the space of 12 balls, including a double-strike in the 12th over. R Sai Kishore, the tournament’s top wicket-taker, then made Sonu Singh his 19th victim of the season. Siddharth had Sumit pinned in front in the next over to bag his second four-for this season, to move to 11 wickets in just three games. Vivekanand Tiwari’s run-out in the 19th over ended Jharkhand’s innings, with Washington finishing with figures of 3 for 10 and Siddharth with 4 for 18.Tamil Nadu lost openers C Hari Nishant for 7 and M Shahrukh Khan for 24, before a steady 51-run stand between Washington and Dinesh Karthik ensured a comfortable victory. Tamil Nadu will face Rajasthan in their semi-final in Surat on Friday. R Ashwin will join the squad ahead of the semi-final.Mumbai v PunjabFifties from Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav fired Mumbai to a big total and had the team briefly dreaming of a semi-final spot, but their bowlers were unable to follow through and complete the job. This meant their 22-run victory over Punjab was little more than a consolation.Mumbai began their Group B game in third place, four points behind Karnataka and needing a massive victory to boost their net run rate (NRR) and stand any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.Their batsmen gave them that chance, as Mumbai compiled 243 for 3 from their 20 overs, thanks to Shaw’s rapid start (53 off 27 balls) and later a 140-run third-wicket stand between Iyer (80*) and the captain Yadav (80).Mumbai would have leapfrogged Karnataka had they kept Punjab to 150 or fewer, but those hopes quickly faded as Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma began the chase by racing to 84 inside eight overs. By the time Gill was dismissed for a 38-ball 78, in the 16th over, Punjab had motored to 175, mathematically ending Mumbai’s pursuit of a semi-final spot.Shreyas Iyer bunts one away off the back foot•BCCIPunjab, however, failed to regain momentum after Gill’s wicket, as a double-strike from Tushar Deshpande hampered their chase. They were left needing 47 off the last two overs, and Anmolpreet Singh’s late cameo (20 off 8 balls) was not enough to stave off defeat.Rajasthan v DelhiRajasthan prevailed in a close finish against Delhi to gain the net run-rate advantage over Maharashtra and qualify for the semi-final. Rajasthan, Baroda and Maharashtra all finished with eight points in Super League Group B, but Rajasthan’s superior net run-rate of -0.254 was enough to send them through.Rajasthan rode on Deepak Chahar’s half-century, after being reduced to 50 for 5, to get to a competitive total. Chahar made 53 off 42 balls, slamming seven sixes to help his team post 133 for 7. In reply, Delhi collapsed around Rishabh Pant’s 27-ball 50, with Rahul Chahar and Arjit Gupta polishing off the middle order and reducing them to 61 for 6.A brief resistance between Lalit Singh and Varun Sood kept Delhi’s hopes alive but Khaleel Ahmed and Aniket Choudhary struck to dent them further, as Rajasthan held their nerve to win by two runs.Maharashtra v HaryanaMaharashtra held on for a two-run win against Haryana, but the small margin of victory wasn’t enough to book their passage into the semi-finals. Haryana will meet Karnataka in the 2nd semi-final on Friday.Batting first, Maharashtra made a bright start as their opener Ruturaj Gaikwad razed 27 off 15 balls. Haryana fought back with two quick wickets, but a 77-run stand between Vijay Zol and Rahul Tripathi rebuilt the Maharashtra innings. Tripathi top-scored with a 37-ball 61, as Maharashtra eventually made 167 from their 20 overs.Haryana were dealt an early blow in their chase as Chaitanya Bishnoi was bowled by Samad Fallah off the very first ball. Harshal Patel (22) and Shivam Rishipal Chauhan (33) then steadied the innings, before a 13-ball 28 from Rahul Tewatia left Haryana needing just 43 from the last 37 balls.However, Tewatia’s run-out in the 14th over swung the advantage Maharashtra’s way, as Haryana started to lose wickets at quick intervals. It left the eighth-wicket pair of Amit Mishra and Jayant Yadav requiring 11 from the final over, but they could muster just eight runs.

Bob Willis’ passing was mourned around the cricketing world and beyond, with everyone having a story to share from their time with him

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2019Legendary England pace bowler Bob Willis’ passing at the age of 70 had the cricketing world in mourning.

Incredibly sad to hear the news about Bob Willis. He was a true great, generous in sharing his knowledge about the game and a lovely man. RIP Bob x pic.twitter.com/HYJbLlQJRZ

— James Anderson (@jimmy9) December 4, 2019

Gutted to hear the news of Bob Willis passing. A lovely person with a great humour who was so proud of England cricket. Legend.pic.twitter.com/g4AQcnRK4n

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) December 4, 2019

Willis’ magnum opus, his 8 for 43 in the 1981 Headingley Test, was recalled with great fondness.

Such sad news regarding the legend Bob Willis
An icon of the game I love,growing up as an 11 year old watching big Bob running down the hill 8/43 at the home of cricket Headingley
I’ll miss you Bob
A glass of red will be raised tonight

— Darren Gough (@DGoughie) December 4, 2019

Rivals and mates alike joined in in paying tribute.

Such a sad time for cricket fans all around the world. Rest In Peace Bob.

You shall be remembered forever for what you have done on the pitch! #BobWillis pic.twitter.com/kpv5BsCyyL

— Sir Vivian Richards (@ivivianrichards) December 4, 2019

Just saw the news on Bob Willis and very sad indeed. Had the pleasure of working with him for @SkyCricket and off air I just loved listening to his great stories on how they played the game back in the day. RIP Great man#onceabearalwaysabear

— Allan Donald (@AllanDonald33) December 4, 2019

Waking to the sad news of the passing of the great Bob Willis. Red wine and story time Smithy’s will never be forgotten Bob. Wonderful man to work with and one champion of a bowler. RIP #BobWillis Thoughts with Lauren and the family..

— Simon Doull (@Sdoull) December 4, 2019

View this post on Instagram

Such sad news. Bob was an English legend, inspired a generation of fast bowlers around the world & was a good bloke. RIP mate #bobwillis #RIPBob #englandcricket #FBC

A post shared by Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11) on Dec 4, 2019 at 1:29pm PST

“A remarkable human being.” Bob, you were truly one of the greats of this beautiful game. R.I.P. #BobWillis pic.twitter.com/Or6WE1qxa8

— Brian Lara (@BrianLara) December 5, 2019

One of the great characters of the game with a wicked sense of humour. He was Mr Verdict. God bless his soul #RIPBobWillis pic.twitter.com/p1dkLK0lpR

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) December 5, 2019

Had the absolute pleasure of spending time with Bob Willis over the years. A lovely man.
A very sad day. Deepest sympathies to all his family and friends.
RIP.

— Jason Gillespie (@dizzy259) December 4, 2019

Bloody sad day to hear of the passing of Bob Willis! My heart goes out to his family and Team mates! #headingley81 @BeefyBotham

— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) December 4, 2019

And it wasn’t just cricketers, nor just sportspersons. Everyone had a Bob Willis memory to share.

Oh no, not Bob Willis… what joy he gave, and what a marvellous man. That 8 for 43. Used to lunch with him occasionally to talk cricket, Wagner and Bob Dylan, his three great passions.

— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) December 4, 2019

RIP Bob Willis never imagined when I was growing up watching him destroy the Aussies in 1981 that many years later he’d teach me how to play bridge in a Spanish golf clubhouse after torrential rain had cancelled our round! Absolute gent and thoughts with his family

— Matt Le Tissier (@mattletiss7) December 4, 2019

Having bounced back from a recent wobble with a handy win over Everton in the Merseyside derby, Liverpool are one step closer to lifting the Premier League trophy.

At this point, it’s inevitable that Arne Slot will bow his head to receive a winners’ medal by May, maybe even sooner. What a season. What a triumph. No one saw it coming. No one, perhaps, except a prescient German, lopsided smile and all, who recognised he’d done all he could.

But back to the here and now. Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage this afternoon to take on Fulham, looking to add another hard-fought win to the collection and preserve their undefeated record on the road this term.

Winning at Anfield on Wednesday evening restored Liverpool’s 12-point lead at the summit, but it’s important to snuff out even the smallest flickers of hope from title rivals Arsenal by claiming another three points here.

So then, team news.

24/25

Premier League (H)

2-2 draw

23/24

Premier League (A)

3-1 win

23/24

Carabao Cup (A)

1-1 draw

23/24

Carabao Cup (H)

2-1 win

23/24

Premier League (H)

4-3 win

Liverpool team news

Slot has confirmed that Alisson Becker and Conor Bradley face late tests ahead of the trip to the capital.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez also sidelined, it looks like Curtis Jones is going to reprise his role at right-back, having performed so well in a new position in midweek.

Alexis Mac Allister avoided injury following a dreadful challenge from Everton’s James Tarkowski, however, fringe midfielder Tyler Morton remains out.

Slot hasn’t been one to chop and change all too frequently this season but Liverpool have dipped over the past few weeks, seemingly sapped and drained after an incredible start to the campaign.

Moreover, the frontline have been frustratingly profligate of late, but Diogo Jota broke his 11-game duck against Everton last time out and Luis Diaz claimed a third assist in as many Premier League matches.

Diogo Jota's return to form

You could very well argue that the international break came at the perfect time for Liverpool, allowing the squad to recalibrate after a series of blows and restore some of their wonderful fluency.

Jota has suffered a frustrating campaign on an individual level, only 11 times in the Premier League and struggling to harness his usual deadliness in front of goal.

However, his skip-and-finish moment against the Toffees reminded Merseyside of the 28-year-old’s prowess, and he’ll now be looking to end the season on the crest of a wave.

You’d perhaps think that Slot would want to keep his Portuguese striker at the bow of the ship for the clash against Fulham, but he might actually be inclined to make the bold move to drop the derby hero and instead shuffle the pack up top.

Slot could boldly drop Jota

The obvious name to draw here would be Darwin Nunez, but Liverpool are gearing up to sell the Uruguayan striker and he has only started eight Premier League games all season despite avoiding any significant injury blows.

Federico Chiesa is another to consider. The 27-year-old is the sole signing of the Slot era so far, but he’s been on the margins amid injury and selection frustrations, albeit he scored a well-taken consolation goal at Wembley last month to get fans chatting online about his potential as a centre-forward.

However, having yet to start in the top-flight this year, Liverpool may be better off parking that one and instead unleashing Cody Gakpo from the outset following his recent fitness issues.

Gakpo spent the 2023/24 campaign wandering around the park, with Klopp utilising his dynamism by fielding him in a number of different roles, principally at number nine but even on occasion in a central midfield position.

However, Slot seemingly recognised his compatriot’s strength on the attacking left flank, where he has played all season, scoring 16 goals and supplying six assists across 41 fixtures, matching last year’s haul but doing so in about 800 fewer minutes.

The numbers don’t tell the full story, either, with the Netherlands star now looking far more confident and effective in his performances. ESPN’s Beth Lindop has hailed the 25-year-old as a “special player,” drawing attention to his “elegant” style.

The left winger’s ball-striking ability is something that Liverpool could do with right now, bringing him back into form after Jota, something that could further ease Mohamed Salah’s burden and bring Liverpool into a more balanced attacking state ahead of the final weeks of the season.

Gakpo, moreover, has played six times against Fulham in his Liverpool career but has only featured twice on the left. Those appearances arrived in his past two league meetings with the Cottagers and he hit goal involvements in both, assisting during last season’s 3-1 win at Craven Cottage before scoring during December’s 2-2 draw on Merseyside.

The latter of those games was an anxiety-inducing watch, for Andy Robertson was sent off in the opening half. Gakpo was instrumental in helping his team avoid defeat at Anfield, scoring, hitting the target three times, creating one big chance, and winning five duels.

Gakpo’s finishing is a thing to behold, and while Jota scored against Everton, you could argue that the goal’s creator, Diaz, enjoyed the superior performance, so electric and intimidating as he made six key passes and won eight duels, as per Sofascore.

The Colombian might not be the most prolific, but it’s such qualities that make him such an important part of this soon-to-be title-winning side. Centrally, he can cause chaos and pick at Fulham’s defenders, opening up space for Gakpo and Salah to arc inwards and strike on goal.

Jota did well in returning to the scoresheet, but Slot needs to latch onto that energy and direct it toward his side’s other forwards. Sparking purple patches across the frontline will be a sure-fire way to maintain high levels over the closing weeks of the campaign.

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Chelsea have made an offer to sign a Real Madrid sensation in the last few days, with Los Blancos also replying to the proposal from Enzo Maresca’s side.

Chelsea win London derby with 1-0 victory over Tottenham

Enzo Fernández scored the only goal to pile more pressure on Ange Postecoglou as Chelsea sealed a 1-0 London derby victory over Spurs at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

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Chelsea dominated the early stages, but failed to take advantage of some truly questionable defending from the visitors until Fernandez finally broke the deadlock with a free header inside the penalty area.

Moises Caicedo also had a screamer ruled out for offside, but Maresca was nearly made to pay for only having a one-goal advantage late in the game. Pape Matar Sarr’s excellent equaliser was chalked off for a foul in the build-up, and it took an excellent save from Robert Sanchez to deny Son Heung-min.

Brentford (away)

April 6th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

“I just said to the players, since day one we don’t work every day to win the game in the way we win and play in the last 10 minutes,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s nervy end to the contest.

“In terms of waiting for them and give the ball to them. But if you want to become a team, I think you need also to learn and to play in the way we played in the last 10 minutes. Win a game in a dirty way. Because I think for 90 minutes until extra time we were in control, we created enough chances to win the game. We created enough chances in the first half.

“And then to be honest, that’s been my mistake [bringing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo on for Cole Palmer and Fernandez] because I did the change before I saw the extra time. And when I saw 12 minutes, I saw that probably it was too early to make that kind of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy.”

The result will go a long way in Chelsea’s race for Champions League qualification, which in turn will help them attract Europe’s best players.

Chelsea make £59m offer to Real Madrid for Endrick

On their transfer activity, quite a big claim has emerged from the Spanish media, involving Real Madrid striker Endrick.

The Brazilian hasn’t exactly been a mainstay for Carlo Ancelotti, but did play a role in their thrilling 4-4 Copa del Rey semi-final draw with Real Sociedad earlier this week, a result which booked their place in the final. Endrick has also been called a “special” young striker by pundits from his native Brazil.

“The boy is special, no doubt about it,” said ex-Manchester City star Elano to FourFourTwo.

“He belongs to that group of super-talented players that Brazil has produced in the past: Neymar, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and others. He’s another rare case of a youngster who convinces everyone they’re special; youngsters born with incredible talent.”

Now, Spanish media report that Chelsea made a £59 million offer to Real for Endrick right after the Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday.

Maresca’s side believe he’s the ideal candidate to lead their forward line, prompting them to swoop in with a proposal before the summer window. However, they’re set to be left disappointed, as the La Liga heavyweights have no intention of accepting this bid.

While Chelsea would also offer Endrick a good salary, and the South American is dissatisfied with his game time right now, he’s also showing no desire to leave and Real are just as reluctant.

It is unclear whether Chelsea will return with a counteroffer, but it appears they may have to move on to alternative striker targets. Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is among the other centre-forwards on Maresca’s transfer list.

Everton are free to build for next season due to David Moyes’ rescue mission since returning to Merseyside, and his side are now said to be lining up a move for a talented star from the continent, per reports.

Everton set to embark on new era that could produce big changes

The Toffees are in a position to call on a better sense of financial stability under the Friedkin Group’s ownership, which could pave the way for some exciting arrivals to make their way into the fold at Bramley Moore Dock.

Seemingly, Everton aren’t afraid to ruffle feathers and Ben Doak is a surprise target despite his obvious links with Liverpool. Internal talks have been held over a shock move that may cost £25 million to £30 million to complete, albeit Crystal Palace and Bournemouth also want to sign the Scotland international.

On the flip side, the Blues could be set to lose Dominic Calvert-Lewin to Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer amid his contract standoff. Now, a departure for the Three Lions international is moving closer, as Ange Postecoglou’s side have already made advances to bring him to North London.

Moyes has done an incredible job at Goodison Park after coming into an environment where Everton weren’t safe from relegation by a long shot. Since his arrival, two losses in 11 matches have alleviated fears of the drop, and the Scot deserves plaudits for getting results with a group of players who may be cast aside this summer to make way for new reinforcements.

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Now, Everton are said to have made an approach for a talented defender that could be set to embark on a new challenge once the window opens.

Everton make approach for Feyenoord defender David Hancko

According to journalist Santi Auona on X, Everton have made an approach to sign Feyenoord defender David Hancko, who is also attracting interest from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and Serie A giants Juventus ahead of the summer.

Equating to an asking price of £29.7 million, Hancko has proved his worth this campaign across all competitions, registering four goals and four assists in 41 appearances.

Labelled “impressive” by Ben Mattinson, the Slovakia international has been a constant for Feyenoord on Eredivisie duty this term, winning 103 duels and making 117 recoveries in total.

Capable of featuring on the left-hand side in addition, Hancko could be a solid signing if Everton can manage to push a deal for his signature over the line, making this one to keep an eye on.

Liverpool have confirmed a new contract for Virgil van Dijk, fending off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich to keep the captain on Merseyside for two more years.

Liverpool seal new contracts for key stars

The Reds could officially win the Premier League this weekend in what has been a brilliant first campaign under Arne Slot. Should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon, Liverpool could seal the title with a win at Leicester City shortly after.

However, away from the pitch, a hot topic of conversation has been on the futures of star trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk. Salah, as we know, has officially signed a new two-year contract at Anfield, whereas Alexander-Arnold looks set to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano had recently said that Van Dijk is set to join Salah in signing a new Liverpool contract through until 2027, and talking recently, the skipper was asked about his pending new deal: “I think first, all the focus should be going to the Hillsborough anniversary. I think that’s the main thing and then we’ll see. The focus will still be on Leicester, but maybe there’s some news. I know … but I don’t know.

“I love the club, that’s pretty obvious. I think you can see that in the way I speak about the club, the way I work for the club in terms of what I do on the pitch on and off the pitch, and that will always be the same.”

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Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham Apr 16, 2025 Van Dijk signs new Liverpool deal worth over £40m

Bayern Munich were keen to sign Van Dijk on a free transfer, seeing the centre-back as a ‘unique opportunity to strengthen its defence with experience, leadership and proven quality’, but it has now been confirmed by Liverpool that Van Dijk has signed a new contract at Anfield.

Rumoured to be on £220,000-a-week beforehand, Van Dijk has become a Liverpool legend since joining from Southampton back in 2017, winning numerous trophies, and David Ornstein reports the new two-year deal is now worth £400,000-a-week.

Ornstein confirms there are no pay cut or break clauses, which will guarantee the Netherlands star is paid £41,600,000 through to the summer of 2027, by which time he’ll be 35. This is even more than the fee Liverpool paid to Brighton for star midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (£35m), but Reds fans will feel their captain deserves every penny.

Van Dijk’s stats at Liverpool

Games

314

Goals

27

Assists

13

Yellow cards

25

Red cards

1

Minutes played

27,925

Trophies won

8

Talking after penning terms, Van Dijk said: “I’m very happy, very proud. There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it. “It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.”

Van Dijk is now the highest paid defender in the top flight and will be the second-highest paid player in any position once Kevin De Bruyne departs Man City this summer, behind only Erling Haaland who sits on £500,000-a-week at the Etihad.

Many Liverpool fans will likely be hoping that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak will be playing Premier League football in red next season, but it doesn’t look likely.

The Magpies are third in the standings with five games to play, two points ahead of sixth-place Aston Villa, who sit just outside the Champions League-qualifying zone.

26/04/25

Ipswich Town (H)

18th

04/05/25

Brighton (A)

10th

10/05/25

Chelsea (H)

7th

18/05/25

Arsenal (A)

2nd

25/05/25

Everton (H)

13th

Having beaten Arne Slot’s side in the Carabao Cup final and set to restore their place at Europe’s elite table, Newcastle hold all the cards, and they aren’t willing to sell, even listing Isak north of £150m.

FSG, quite rightly, won’t entertain such talk and are gearing up to turn their attention elsewhere.

After all, Liverpool will bring in a new number nine this summer, with Darwin Nunez all but confirmed to have entered the final weeks of his Merseyside career.

Liverpool set to sell Darwin Nunez

It’s been clear for several months, Liverpool having rejected winter approaches from Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League due to the importance of keeping the title-challenging squad together.

Fabrizio Romano has now updated the situation, claiming that Liverpool’s plan is to sell their club-record signing, Nunez having scored just seven goals across 42 matches for Slot’s Reds.

Nunez has only started once in the Premier League since Boxing Day, scoring in a win over bottom club Southampton last month.

Having missed 53 big chances in the Premier League since his 2022 arrival, Nunez hasn’t responded to Klopp and Slot’s tactics and can’t shake the erraticness from his final play, thus consigning him to a bittersweet exit, leaving disappointed but with a winner’s medal around his neck.

Isak may well be out of reach, but Liverpool are open to looking elsewhere. Now, news has emerged that FSG are in for a somewhat left-field forward.

Liverpool lining up Nunez replacement

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing Brentford’s star man, Bryan Mbeumo, this summer.

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In fact, the Champions Elect have received a boost in their pursuit, with Brentford – who are believed to be open to offers – willing to discuss Mbeumo’s sale for the right price this summer.

Mbeumo, 25, has been one of the Premier League’s standout forwards this season and is also being tracked by Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

The Cameroon international supposedly has a £50m price tag, something that has caused Newcastle United to pull out of the race.

Why Liverpool should sign Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo has proved over a number of years his capacity for goals and success in the Premier League, having been involved in 68 goals across 131 divisional outings.

This year alone, the versatile forward has netted 18 goals and laid on six assists across 32 top-flight appearances, a haul bettered only by Salah, Isak, Erling Haaland and Chris Wood.

Right winger

28

14

6

Centre-forward

6

4

1

Attacking midfield

1

0

0

Though he’s principally a right-sided forward, Mbeumo has been known to play as the focal frontman and has done so to a prolific effect.

We’ve seen throughout the campaign Slot’s willingness to reshape typical widemen – like Luis Diaz – into central attackers, and who’s to say it hasn’t worked out? Liverpool are on the cusp of the title, after all.

Affectionately described as a “mini-Salah” by talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy, Mbeumo carries the air of a goalscoring forward who brings much more to the table.

As per FBref, Mbeumo ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals scored and the top 12% for crosses made per 90.

This takes a step toward underscoring Mbeumo’s dynamism, chiefly a goalscorer but also willing to hang wide and whip crisp deliveries in.

The 32-year-old Salah might be staying put for the next couple of years, but he won’t be around forever. The Bees forward could eventually take the veteran’s berth in the years to come.

But for now, he’s more than capable of taking Nunez’s place as Liverpool’s centre-forward, perhaps sharing the berth with Diaz and Diogo Jota.

Given that Mbeumo has only missed eight big chances in the Premier League this term, having scored a whopping 18 times, fans won’t need to worry about Nunez-esque profligacy to hinder Liverpool in their efforts to retain their expected title.

But like all great forwards, those capable of starring for a top-performing outfit such as Slot’s Liverpool, Mbeumo isn’t a one-trick pony either.

He’s averaged 1.8 key passes per top-flight fixture and has created 16 big chances. He might take his share of set-pieces, but this denotes a ranged approach to his play that very much aligns with the role Salah performs with such matchless aplomb.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has recently dubbed Mbeumo as “one of the most deadly players in transition in the Prem,” further evidence – if you needed it – that he’s perfect for this Reds team.

Slot arrived in the Premier League with a reputation for being more ball-focused than his Anfield predecessor, but title-surging Liverpool only rank third in those standings with a 58% average.

This is, of course, not counter-attacking football, but Slot commands one of the deadliest teams in world football when on the break, making that final statement on the myriad reasons behind why this would be a good deal to end Nunez’s frustrating stay and sign the perfect Salah heir at the same time.

Firmino 2.0: Liverpool make "one of the best STs out there" a top target

FSG are going to reward Arne Slot’s Liverpool with a new centre-forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 19, 2025

Leeds United could look to replace two of their players they don’t believe are good enough to be playing in the Premier League this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds take huge step towards Championship promotion

Leeds took a huge step towards automatic promotion from the Championship over the weekend as they beat Preston North End 2-1 at Elland Road. All three goals on the day were scored within a frenetic first 13 minutes, with Manor Solomon opening the scoring within just four minutes.

Preston then leveled just two minutes later through Kaine Kesler-Hayden, before Jayden Bogle completed the scoring when he bundled Solomon’s cross into the net.

The win ensured Leeds stay top of the Championship, ahead of second-placed Burnley on goal difference, and with just four games to go, within nine points of a guaranteed return to the Premier League.

Speaking after the win over Preston, Leeds boss Daniel Farke said: “Pretty good after an exhausting week. A priceless three points for us. Could have made our life easier. Must have been our highest xG this season – should have scored six or seven.”

“We were on it today, the fire was burning. We kept going and started really well and scored a really good second goal. It’s crucial we returned to good defensive behaviour. We were spirited but cool in the head.”

Leeds could soon replace Bamford and Piroe

According to a new report from Football Insider, Leeds are already looking ahead to next season, and more specifically the summer transfer market.

The publication reports that the Whites are “prioritising signing a striker this summer” because they don’t believe their current options, Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford, are of Premier League-quality.

Piroe has 15 goals in 42 Championship games this season, while Bamford has failed to find the net at all in 13 games.

Championship Top Scorers 2024/25

Player

Club

Goals

Borja Sainz

Norwich City

17

Joel Piroe

Leeds United

15

Josh Sargent

Norwich City

14

Josh Brownhill

Burnley

13

Dan James

Leeds United

12

Josh Maja

West Bromwich Albion

12

Football Insider claims that – despite him being the Championship’s second-top scorer this season – Leeds doubt whether Piroe can make the step-up to Premier League, while Bamford can’t be relied upon by Farke due to his injury history, with the pair on a combined £85,000-a-week at Elland Road.

Youngster Mateo Joseph, meanwhile, has bagged just three goals all term. As a result, Leeds and the 49ers Enterprises’ top priority this summer will be to sign a top-class striker.

As a potential replacement for Piroe and Bamford, former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson, speaking to Football Insider, recently urged Leeds to go out and buy former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham from AS Roma.

“Somebody like him who can lead the line, play as an out-and-out striker and gets you the goals,” Robinson said. “He’s proven in Serie A and proven in the Premier League, he’s a player that understands the league and has done well previously there.”