Chelsea have now made an approach to sign a “powerful” striker as a replacement for Nicolas Jackson, who could still exit Stamford Bridge this summer, despite a late twist.
Blues make approach for new striker as Jackson saga takes twist
All the indications were that Jackson was set to complete a loan move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, but the Blues cancelled the deal before the Senagelese forward was able to complete a medical, given the recent injury to Liam Delap.
Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Delap could be set for a relatively lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, saying: “Hopefully it’s not long, but this kind of case, this kind of injury, it always can be six, eight weeks.”
Understandably, Jackson is frustrated with the move not going through, having fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and there have even been recent reports suggesting the 24-year-old is now refusing to fly back to London from Munich.
Chelsea working tirelessly to sign star with £433m exit clause after Buonanotte
Enzo Maresca’s side are surprisingly not done with their incomings.
By
Emilio Galantini
Aug 30, 2025
As such, in a new update, David Ornstein has revealed that Chelsea would be willing to sanction a permanent departure before the transfer window closes, and they have now started running the rule over potential replacements.
Given a lack of loan options, permanent deals are being explored, with Ornstein revealing the Blues have now made an approach to sign Sporting CP striker Conrad Harder, having lodged an enquiry.
Harder is attracting widespread interest from across Europe, with RB Leipzig and AC Milan recently being named as potential suitors, and the Italian club reportedly even agreed a deal worth €27m (£23m) earlier this week.
However, it seems as though a move could be contingent on getting Jackson off the books, which could be difficult, given that Chelsea are only willing to sanction a permanent exit at this stage.
Harder would be risky signing for Chelsea
The 20-year-old is yet to prove himself in a major European league, having started his career at Nordsjaelland, before moving to Sporting, where he chipped in with a solid, if not spectacular, number of goals during the 2024-25 campaign.
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5
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As such, the youngster could be a risky addition to Maresca’s squad, and the manager already has Delap on the books as an up-and-coming young striker, so there may be issues surrounding a lack of game time for one of the forwards at a later stage this season.
That’s not to say the Sporting starlet isn’t an exciting young striker, with scout Jacek Kulig praising him for his “powerful finishing”, while also claiming the Dane is a “counter-attacking threat”, who has a very good work-rate.
However, it would perhaps make more sense to hold onto the more established Jackson until the January transfer window, at which point Delap should have returned from his hamstring injury.
Liverpool’s excellent start to the season will have the Anfield faithful dreaming of more silverware as Jurgen Klopp has certainly proved that the 2022/23 campaign was a mere blip.
The Reds finished fifth in the Premier League, but it was only a late revival which saw them come close to qualifying for the Champions League, while they failed to defend either the FA Cup or League Cup in what was a season of regression.
It was evident that Klopp’s side needed a makeover, especially with regard to his midfield area. Out went five midfielders as the German lowered the average age of his squad by signing players such as Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, and it has been a success so far.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds currently sit in fourth place in the league table, just three points off leaders Tottenham Hotspur, and they have lost just one match throughout the whole season.
There is no reason why the Merseyside outfit can't challenge for another league title during Klopp’s leadership and much could depend on whether he adds any more players to his squad during the January transfer window.
Liverpool transfer news – Kylian Mbappe
Although the midfield area needed rejuvenised during the summer, Klopp failed to sign either a defender or attacker in the window, placing trust in the players he already had at his disposal.
Could this change in the coming months, however?
An update has revealed that Liverpool are hoping they can secure a stunning move for Kylian Mbappe once his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires at the end of the current season.
According to French news outlet L’Equipe, the Reds have never broken contact with the PSG sensation since trying to sign him in 2017 – the same year he moved to the capital from AS Monaco.
Mbappe’s future looked uncertain during the summer as he was made to train with the B side after a fallout with the club, while Saudi side Al-Hilal reportedly made a world record £257m bid to secure his services, yet he remained at PSG for the 2023/24 season.
It would be an incredible signing to lure the former Monaco starlet to Liverpool, especially with Real Madrid looking like they are favourites to land the wonderkid when he eventually does leave Paris.
The 24-year-old is currently valued at €136m (£118m) according to Football Transfers and while the Reds could technically secure him for nothing if he doesn’t extend his contract at PSG, that looks highly unlikely.
Klopp may need to splash the cash in order to sign one of the best players in the world, but it would be worth it.
The stats that show why Kylian Mbappe would be a good signing for Liverpool
Since enjoying a wonderful breakthrough season at Monaco during 2016/17, where he scored 26 goals across all competitions, the Frenchman has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the very top of the game.
A move to PSG was the natural choice for him six years ago, and he has become the poster boy for the capital side, winning six Ligue 1 titles during his stint with the club so far while netting 224 goals, all before he has turned 25.
Remarkable numbers from the generational talent, while his impact on the world stage has been incredible, becoming the first teenager since Pele in 1958 to score in a World Cup final five years ago as France won their second-ever world title.
He came so close to securing back-to-back titles in Qatar last year, but Lionel Messi and his Argentina side were always destined to end their 36-year drought.
His displays for club and country have drawn endless praise and during PSG’s win over Real Madrid in 2022, Carlo Ancelotti lauded him, saying: “Mbappe is the best player in European football.
“Mbappe is unstoppable, we have tried to control him. [Eder] Militao has done very well, but he is a player who always invents something.”
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Having already scored 251 club career goals and grabbing a further 115 assists across just 332 matches, there is no doubt he could significantly bolster Liverpool’s attacking options.
Indeed, if Mbappe did make the move to Merseyside, he would be an upgrade on Darwin Nunez, as the Uruguayan would have to make do with a spot out wide or drop to the bench in order for Klopp to utilise the Frenchman in his favoured role.
How Kylian Mbappe compares to Darwin Núñez
The former Benfica forward struggled for consistency last season, yet he has hit the ground running in 2023/24, scoring seven times and grabbing five assists in just 14 matches as he looks to finally showcase his true talents.
As good as this is, Mbappe is still outshining him during the current campaign. The Frenchman has 12 goals and one assist across 13 games thus far, while he has also registered more key passes per game (1.9 vs 0.6), more shots on target per game (2.1 vs 1.1) and completed more successful dribbles per game (2.1 vs 0.3), highlighting how impressive he has been in Ligue 1.
When compared to positional peers, the PSG maestro currently ranks in the top 3% for shot-creating actions (4.72), the top 1% for progressive carries (4.89) and the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area (9.02) per 90, indicating how much of an attacking threat he really is.
In contrast, Nunez ranks in just the top 18% for shot-creating actions (2.97) while ranking in the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area (7.86) and the top 4% for progressive carries (3.19) per 90 when compared to his peers, demonstrating that Mbappe has the edge over him across all three metrics.
Nunez has certainly come out of his shell this season, yet Mbappe would be a major upgrade on the 24-year-old and would surely take Liverpool to the next level.
It would be a dream signing for Klopp and his side and would signify that the club are among the elite, yet luring Mbappe to the north-west of England could prove to be a challenge.
The former Borussia Dortmund manager loves a challenge however and if there is a chance of signing the French superstar, then he will give it a go.
Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez said compatriot Darwin Nunez is one of the best strikers in the world after his winner against Nottingham Forest.
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Nunez scores winner for LiverpoolHelps Reds stay top of Premier LeagueInter Miami's Suarez lauds compatriotGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
The Reds striker scored a 99th-minute winner against Forest on Saturday to earn a vital three points and maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League. And after the victory, fellow Uruguayan Suarez, who played at Anfield between 2011 and 2014, sung the praises of Nunez.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT LUIS SUAREZ SAID
Following his brace for Inter Miami in their 5-0 win over Orlando City on Saturday, Suarez said: "Yes I saw [the goal]. I am so happy for Liverpool and I am so happy for Darwin. He is one of the best strikers in the world today."
Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Nunez has been criticised for his performances and profligacy in front of goal during his time at Liverpool but he has still scored 14 times this season and bagged 11 assists. He has proven to be an important player in the Reds' bid to win an historic quadruple.
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WHAT NEXT?
Suarez's Miami take on Nashville in a round of 16 first-leg tie in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Friday, whereas Nunez's Liverpool are back in Europa League action away to Sparta Praha in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday.
The Slovakian national football team, or The Falcons as they are sometimes called, are an interesting side to talk about, as there have been some brilliant Slovakian footballers over the years, and yet, the country has only made it to one World Cup since the dissolution of the Czechoslovakian football team.
Czechoslovakia made it to eight World Cups – coming second in two of them – and three European Championships – coming third twice and winning one. And so, when creating a list of the ten greatest Slovakian footballers, we had to include a few Slovakian stars who reached the pinnacle of their careers under the banner of Czechoslovakia – you’ve got to love geopolitics, right?
With that, here’s our list of arguably the ten greatest Slovakian footballers!
10 Martin Dubravka
Kicking off the list is Slovakia’s current number one goalkeeper, Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka. Now, it could’ve been Fulham’s Marek Rodak in here instead, as he was, for a while, claiming the number one spot in the national side, but since he lost the gloves at Fulham to Bernd Leno, Dubravka has become Slovakia’s number one.
In all, the Zilina-born shot-stopper has played for seven clubs – including a loan stint with the Magpies – with his most successful spell coming with the Magpies, where he has made 179 appearances. He was named Player of the Year at Newcastle for his contributions in the 2019/20 season.
At the international level, he has won 52 caps and looks to have – for now, anyway – cemented his place as the team’s number one.
9 Peter Pakarik
The second name on our list might be one unfamiliar to those who don’t watch much of the Bundesliga: Peter Pakarik. 38-year-old has had an incredibly long and successful career in the German top flight.
He made his way to the league via Wolfsburg in 2009 and played every game in the second half of the season, bar one, as the club won the first league title in their history. After another couple of years with the club, he would eventually join fellow Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin, where he remained until his exit in 2024, 231 appearances and a second-division title later.
He has won 134 caps for the national side, playing in the 2010 World Cup and the European Championships in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
8 Martin Skrtel
Up next is someone many consider to be something of a Premier League cult hero, Martin Skrtel. The often intimidating centre-back has played for seven clubs across six countries in his career, but he will always be best remembered for his eight-year stint on Merseyside for Liverpool.
Skrtel joined the team in 2008 from Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg and ended up making 320 appearances for the Reds, scoring 18 goals and providing six assists in the process. His time with the club saw him win three Slovakian Footballer of the Year awards, one Liverpool Player of the Year award and one League Cup in 2012.
On the international scene, he was a vital member of the team that played at the 2010 World Cup and the one that made it to the 2016 European Championships. In all, he won 104 caps for his country and scored six goals.
7 Stanislav Lobotka
Slovakia'sStanislavLobotkareacts
Another player who’s still playing, and if anything, is still firmly in his prime years at the age of 30, Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotka. Before the club’s remarkable league title in 2022/23, Lobotka might’ve been a name relatively unfamiliar to many fans outside of Napoli, but not anymore.
The 5 foot 6 midfielder was a central pillar to the team’s hardworking and tenacious midfield, well and truly establishing himself as one of Europe’s premier central midfielders and following in the footsteps of national icon Marek Hamsik.
He has also won 67 caps for the national side, having made his debut just a few months after the country’s involvement at Euro 2016.
6 Milan Skriniar
The next name on the list has been one of the best defenders in Europe for over half a decade now and is showing no signs of slowing down, Milan Skriniar. Despite playing for three clubs beforehand, it was his time with Italian giants Inter Milan that truly caught Europe’s attention.
In total, he made 246 appearances for I Nerazzurri, scored 11 goals, provided five assists, and never once got a straight red card. During his time with the club, he won one Scudetto, two Italian Cups, two Italian Super Cups, and was voted Slovakian Footballer of the Year four times.
On the international scene, Skriniar has won 79 caps since his debut in 2016, while featuring at three major tournaments.
5 Marián Masný
Born on the 13th of August 1950 in the Slovakian village of Rybany, Marián Masný has to go down as one the country’s greatest ever footballers for both his exploits at international level and club level.
In all, he earned 81 caps for Czechoslovakia between 1974 and 1982, scoring 20 goals and playing a vital role in helping the side emerge from the 1976 European Championships as champions.
The team beat West Germany on penalties in the final after the match ended 2-2, with Masný stepping up first and scoring to set the tone.
Masný would spend the majority of his club career in his home country, ending up with two league titles and two national cups. He may have been at his best before a lot of fans were even watching the game, but he is still certainly deserving of a place on this list.
4 Peter Dubovsky
Peter Dubovsky was a player who could’ve gone on to further cement himself as one of Slovakia’s all-time greats were it not for his unfortunate death in 2000, aged just 28. The Bratislava-born forward was a real talent during his early years playing for Slovan Bratislava, and Real Madrid must’ve thought the same.
Los Blancos signed Dubovsky in 1993 off the back of his 59 goals in 94 appearances for the Slovakian side. However, while he wasn’t a flop in Madrid, nor was he a runaway success, after two years, he moved on to fellow La Liga side Real Oviedo, where he would make 120 appearances before his untimely death.
Alongside a club career many dream of, he was also excellent for the national team, earning 14 caps for Czechoslovakia and 33 for Slovakia. He was the country’s top scorer with 14 at the time of his passing and would remain so until it was broken in 2003 by Szilard Nemeth.
3 Jozef Adamec
Another of Slovakia’s greats from the past, Jozef Adamec, enjoyed an incredibly successful domestic career in his home country and shone for Czechoslovakia whenever he was called upon.
In all, Adamec won 44 caps for his homeland, scored 14 goals, and was part of the legendary side that finished as runners-up in the 1962 edition of the World Cup. Another of his greatest moments for the national side came in a friendly against Brazil in 1968, a friendly Czechoslovakia won 3-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Adamec.
On a domestic front, the Vrbove-born forward never left his homeland, moving between four clubs over a 22 year spell, winning seven league titles, three cups and one Mitropa Cup.
He may not be a name all that well known outside of Czechia or Slovakia, but Adamec was a genuine great of football in his time.
2 Jan Popluhar
The last of our old-school picks here and certainly one of the very best. Jan Popluhar was an extremely talented Slovak defender with a career spanning three decades from 1955 to 1979. While he spent the majority of that career in his homeland with sides like Slovan Bratislava, Ruda Hvezda Brno, and Zbrojovka Brno, he also enjoyed a fruitful two-season spell with French giants Lyon from 1969 to 1970.
He was also a vital member of the national side that made it to the 1958 and 1962 World Cups – finishing as runners-up on both occasions – and the 1960 European Championships, where they placed third.
He was named the UEFA Slovak Golden Player in 2003 and was named in the World Soccer World XI on three occasions: 1962, 1963, and 1968.
1 Marek Hamsik
Come on, who else was it really going to be in top spot? When you ask the modern football fan to name a Slovakian footballer, we would be willing to bet that the vast majority answer with the same name: Marek Hamsik.
Hamsik was undoubtedly one of Europe’s greatest cult heroes in the 2010s for how much he gave to Napoli, becoming both talisman and captain for the side during his 12-year stint with the Italians.
In all, he made 520 appearances for I Partenopei, scored 121 goals, provided 103 assists and even earned himself two red cards for good measure. He might’ve left Naples without a league title to his name, but he did help the club win two Italian Cups, an Italian Super Cup, and he played in the Champions League 36 times.
So intertwined is Hamsik with the Napoli of the 2000s and 2010s that former teammate and Chelsea player Dalla Bona likened the situation to Steven Gerrard and Liverpool, saying:
“He is a legend for Napoli. He is a big legend. He is like Steven Gerrard in Liverpool. He is parallel to Gerrard, he is a top player and a leader. I played against Gerrard and with Hamsik.
“He had offers but he never wanted to change clubs. Napoli became a very big team with him.”
It wasn’t just about club football for Hamsik, though, as he also holds the record for most caps for Slovakia – 138 – and the most goals – 26. He also played a crucial role in getting the national side to the 2010 World Cup, where he would be captain, and the 2016 and 2020 Euros, where he would remain captain.
Ultimately, Hamsik will go down as not just one of the greatest Slovakian footballers of all time but one of Europe’s best footballers of all time.
And there you have it, Slovakia’s top ten footballers of all time.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s painstaking 216-minute 65 provided the platform as Lancashire recovered in style after losing early wickets against Surrey
Paul Edwards at Old Trafford28-Apr-2018 ScorecardHunger is so often the best sauce. Having lost the first day of this game to seven hours’ rain, spectators at Emirates Old Trafford gave themselves to Saturday’s cricket with fresh intensity. The fewer balls, the greater share of scrutiny perhaps, and few batsmen devote themselves to their craft more assiduously than Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose ability to bat long has been valued by every county he has represented.By the tall-shadowed end of a long day, Chanderpaul’s painstaking 216-minute 65 might have faded from the memory and been replaced by the more obviously spectacular fifties struck by both Steven Croft and Jordan Clark. For their part, Surrey supporters could with justice pointed to the early breakthroughs made by Jade Dernbach or to the three wickets taken by Amar Virdi on a pitch which eased as the sun elbowed the early clouds aside.Yet it was still Chanderpaul who did the groundwork for a home recovery which was completed in evening sunshine and in an atmosphere of unfamiliar affluence by Clark. Whatever folk may say about the appearance of a 43- year-old in the modern game, Lancashire have particular need of Chanderpaul at a time when their top four batsmen, all of them hopeful of Test selection, have made one half-century in 20 individual attempts this infant season. Thus, the Guyanan will hardly have been too surprised to find himself walking out to bat inside the first hour of play with the scoreboard reading a sickly 23 for 3.By the time Chanderpaul departed, over four hours later and with those 65 runs against his name, Lancashire’s fortunes had been restored to the extent suggested by 206 for 6. He had added 88 for the fourth wicket with Liam Livingstone and a further 78 for the sixth with Croft. Surrey’s bowlers had failed to press home their early advantage and the final session was Lancashire’s.Indeed it could have been even better for Livingstone’s team had not Ben Foakes anticipated Croft’s sweep and taken a superb leg-side catch; and better still had not Ollie Pope dived at square leg – when still wearing his fielding helmet, if you please – to dismiss Clark for a 101-ball 78. Both those wickets were taken by Virdi, who had earlier persuaded Chanderpaul to forget the watchwords of his career and frolic down the wicket only to sky a catch to Scott Borthwick at mid-off.Shivnarine Chanderpaul helped dig Lancashire out of a hole•Getty Images
Those three dismissals may have taken a little glister off the Lancastrian day but they could not diminish its fundamental worth. Having collected their first batting point of the season just before Chanderpaul’s dismissal, the home side had added three more by the close. Most of those runs were scored by Croft, who reached his fifty with a six off a Virdi full toss, and Clark, who punished Sam Curran when Surrey took the new ball.The temper of the day had certainly been transformed from the morning session when Surrey carried themselves as though they expected to take wickets. And before long the bearing of the cricketers was translated into achievement as Lancashire lost three wickets for eight runs in the space of 15 balls. Haseeb Hameed was first to go when he pushed forward defensively to Dernbach but only edged a catch to Dean Elgar at slip. The departure of the England opener for 4 was followed exactly two overs later by that of Alex Davies, Lancashire’s No. 3 driving Dernbach to shortish mid-on where Matt Dunn dived to his left to take a fine catch.Two balls later Keaton Jennings was leg before to Curran to leave the home side in a familiar cart but that marked the lowest point in Lancashire’s fortunes. By mid-afternoon Surrey bowlers were fighting hard to restrict the batsmen, efforts that were assisted when second slip Borthwick dived full length to his right and grabbed a one-handed catch off the bowling of Curran to remove Dane Vilas.The fielder then milked the moment and posed motionless with arm and ball aloft, looking rather like the Statue of Liberty. But a couple of hours later it was the huddled masses in the Old Trafford pavilion who were celebrating unaccustomed prosperity. They probably thought it their Manifest Destiny.
It's no real secret that Arsenal are chasing a new striker at present, with it yet to be seen whether Mikel Arteta and co will act decisively this month, or patiently wait until the summer in order to get their man.
Either way, the addition of a leading number nine has become a necessity in 2024 for the Gunners, with both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah having failed to convince as the starting option through the middle this season – the pair scoring just eight league goals between them.
Having also allowed Folarin Balogun – who has eight goals and assists in just 14 Ligue 1 outings this term – to depart for Monaco on a permanent deal over the summer, the north Londoners will have to look elsewhere in order to find a prolific solution to ease their goalscoring woes.
With the transfer rumour mill currently churning, the name on everybody's lips is Brentford talisman, Ivan Toney, albeit with reports indicating that the Bees are likely to demand around £100m for the 27-year-old, despite the fact that he is yet to feature this season.
While many supporters will be hoping that the Emirates outfit are able to stump up the required cash to get that deal done regardless – with rivals Chelsea also sniffing around – it would be wise to also consider possible alternatives to the Englishman.
serhou-guirassy-ivan-toney-tottenham-opinion
That hunt for other options has seemingly led the Gunners toward the Serie A market, with Arteta appearing to have taken notice of one sparkling young talent who is arguably "one of the most interesting strikers in Italy" – as hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Latest on Arsenal's striker search
As per a report from the Telegraph's Sam Dean earlier this week, the Premier League side are believed to be "admirers" of Bologna sensation, Joshua Zirkzee and are currently keeping a "close eye" on the 22-year-old marksman.
Said to be valued at around half that of Toney – with a £50m price tag noted – the former Bayern Munich man is still "unlikely" to be making a move to England this month, though he would certainly represent a far more affordable option than the Brentford man.
The Gunners may also want to act quickly amid claims that Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the Dutchman amid their search to find a competitor to Rasmus Hojlund, with suitors circling for the in-form talent.
While splashing out £50m on a player who scored just two league goals last season could look like a significant gamble, Zirkzee's heroics this term are certainly a cause for excitement.
Joshua Zirkzee's style of play
It is fair to say that Zirkzee's previous stint at a truly elite club didn't exactly go to plan, having begun his professional career on the books at Bayern, only to then make just 17 first-team appearances for the Bundesliga giants, scoring only four goals.
As history will tell us, that lack of success at the Allianz Arena should not dissuade the Gunners from making a move, with Thierry Henry, for instance, having been happily moved on by Juventus prior to exploding at Highbury, while Dennis Bergkamp was also shipped off by Inter Milan after just two years at San Siro, only to then enjoy a glittering decade in north London.
While it may be a bold comparison to make, it is the latter whom Zirkzee may be looking to emulate, with the former Netherlands U21 international – who would also be moving from Italy to England – having shown shades of Bergkamp in recent times.
That was evident back in August as the £50m-rated hotshot produced a "stunning Bergkamp-like turn" in Bologna's Coppa Italia win over Cesena – in the words of writer Stephen Kasiewicz – expertly sending the opposition defender for the proverbial hot dog, before duly prodding home.
Such a moment of genius, as Kasiewicz hinted at, was akin to his compatriot's delightful turn and finish for the Gunners against Newcastle United back in 2002, suggesting that Zirkzee could be the next Dutch star to dazzle for the north Londoners.
In a similar vein the now-retired icon – who Paul Merson described as the "greatest Arsenal player of all time" – the emerging superstar has that silky quality to his game to also get involved in the build-up, having been hailed as a "creator" and "one of the most complete" strikers by data analyst, Ben Mattinson.
Of course, Arsenal may be looking for an out-and-out finisher rather than a Bergkamp-esque second striker, yet – as Mattinson has suggested – the former Anderlecht ace could "reach new heights" at the Emirates with regard to his "goal output", if supported by the likes Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.
Zirkzee's season by numbers
On the face of it, the £19k-per-week gem's goal return this season has not been overly eye-catching, having scored eight goals and contributed four assists in all competitions, including bagging seven goals and two assists in 19 Serie A outings.
19 games (18 starts)
7 goals
2 assists
8 'big chances' created
1.3 key passes per game
1 'big chance' missed
4 left foot goals
3 right foot goals
7.14 avg. match rating
Stats via Sofascore
As mentioned previously, however, that return in the league, in particular, is far beyond the record of both Jesus and Nketiah, with the current Arsenal duo contributing just two assists between them in the Premier League.
Equally, Zirkzee has prior experience with regard to enjoying a particularly clinical campaign in front of goal, having scored 18 times – and chipped in with 13 assists – across all fronts while on loan in Belgium back in 2021/22.
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Again, the desire for those at the Emirates will be to add a 20-goal-a-season striker to improve upon their current options, yet as Mattinson noted, being blessed with the service of the likes of Odegaard and Saka should allow Zirkzee to thrive in an Arsenal shirt and vastly improve upon his previous goal returns.
That may not be a risk that Arteta is willing to take, yet with the club having seen one Dutch star thrive after making the move to the Premier League from Serie A, what's stopping history from repeating itself in 2024?
Manchester United went into Anfield as heavy underdogs, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of last season that was the catalyst behind the side's decline, eventually limping over the line and finishing third in the previous campaign.
However, Erik ten Hag managed to guide his side to an important point in the Premier League, keeping a clean sheet in the process to become the first team to shut Liverpool out at their own ground in all competitions this season.
United battled hard to earn a goalless draw and will certainly be the happier of the two sides, with several players putting a shift in, particularly at the back and in midfield.
Kobbie Mainoo's performance in numbers
Manchester United were injury-riddled when travelling to Merseyside, with 11 first-team players absent through injury and suspension, including club captain Bruno Fernandes.
In recent weeks, ten Hag has opted to use Scott McTominay in a midfield two with Sofyan Amrabat, but with Fernandes unavailable, the Dutchman threw McTominay in as the number '10'. As a result, ten Hag made the gutsy decision to throw 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in alongside Amrabat. to see if he'd sink or swim.
Kobe Mainoo
Mainoo became the youngest player in Man United's history to start against Liverpool at Anfield and looked unfazed throughout.
Speaking after the game, ten Hag admitted that "when you are good enough, you are old enough. He proved that". Furthermore, football agent Liam Canning described the academy product as a "special talent", claiming his performance was "spectacular".
Despite the visitors having merely 31% of the ball throughout the match, the youngster had 30 touches in total, ending the game with an 89% passing accuracy. Additionally, Mainoo made three passes into the final third and won 50% of his tackles and 67% of his ground duels before being replaced with eight minutes of normal time remaining.
It was an outstanding performance from the midfielder with a bright future, but there was one player at the back who was even better than Mainoo.
Raphael Varane's performance in numbers
Manchester United were under the cosh for long periods of the game as Liverpool peppered 34 shots at the visiting team's goal, including 15 from outside the penalty area. However, partnering the experienced Jonny Evans at the back, Raphael Varane put in a superb shift to shut the hosts out.
The World Cup winner, who has reportedly been placed up for sale by ten Hag ahead of the winter transfer window, made 15 clearances, two blocks, three interceptions, and two ball recoveries throughout the match.
In addition, the 30-year-old was monstrous in the air, winning 100% of his duels (4/4) as Liverpool bombarded balls into the box in the hopes of forcing a winning goal, according to FotMob.
Passing Accuracy %
79
Passes To Final 1/3
3
Aerial Duels Won %
100
Duels Won %
100
Clearances
15
Interceptions
3
Blocks
2
Defensive Actions
20
Ball Recoveries
2
Stats via FotMob
This was just Varane's second start for the Red Devils since the end of October and the Frenchman certainly didn't let his team down, showing great composure at the back against one of the most potent forward lines in England's top-flight.
After the game, respected Man United journalist Andy Mitten even claimed that Varane and Evans as a partnership were better than The Beatles' infamous Liverpudlian duo John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Varane was one of the main reasons why United managed to pick up a point against their great rivals and has certainly made himself undroppable ahead of the side's visit to West Ham United on Saturday, with Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News handing him an 8/10 match rating.
Up and down the English Football League, younger managers are taking their chance to show what they’re made of.
Kieran McKenna is just 37 and has Ipswich Town flying high in the Championship, whilst the team that beat them to the League One title last season, Plymouth Argyle, are also led by someone under 40 in the form of Steven Schumacher.
In the Premier League, Mikel Arteta, currently the fourth-youngest boss in the English top flight, threatened to usurp former colleague Pep Guardiola in the table last season. On the flip side, the Manchester City boss features among the older bosses in the country's top four divisions.
Football FanCast takes you through the 15 oldest permanent managers in the Football League right now.
15 Pep Guardiola – Manchester City (52)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
The Premier League is where we start, with a sizeable amount of the older managers being in charge of top-flight clubs.
Pep Guardiola features on a lot of lists, but being on one for the oldest managers may come as something of a surprise.
His trophy cabinet as a player and manager is made even more remarkable by the fact he's been in the managerial game at the top level for 15 years. With Barcelona alone, he won nine La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues when combining his exploits on and off of the field.
This dominance of the sport has continued into his time in Manchester and he finally got over the line in Europe’s elite competition last season, beating Simone Inzaghi’s Inter in the final.
14 Erik ten Hag – Manchester United (53)
Manchester United manager EriktenHag
Remaining in the same city, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is in his second season at Old Trafford.
United are definitely struggling on all fronts currently, although the external noise and negativity seems to be louder than that within the organisation.
Ten Hag led the Red Devils to EFL Cup success in 2022/23, making light work of Nottingham Forest at the semi-final stage before beating Newcastle United under the Wembley arch, while he nearly made it a cup double only for United to lose to neighbours City in the FA Cup.
Prior to taking over in Manchester, Ten Hag impressed in his home country at the helm of Ajax, winning three Eredivisie titles and leading them to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
13 Mark Robins – Coventry City (53)
Mark Robins first managed Coventry City in 2012 before quickly being snapped up by Huddersfield Town.
A decade later, the former Manchester United man is in his seventh full season at the helm of the Sky Blues in his second stint with the club.
He quickly endeared himself further to the Coventry faithful upon his return by winning the EFL Trophy in 2016/17, and was then the man to guide them up the football pyramid.
Robins led them to victory in the League Two play-offs in 2018 which saw them reach League One, and a couple of years later won the title in the third tier.
In spite of the stadium issues that Coventry have endured, they remain a very capable Championship team that only just missed out on promotion to the Premier League on penalty kicks at Wembley last year, losing to Luton Town.
12 Phil Parkinson – Wrexham (55)
Phil Parkinson has one of the most exciting jobs in the EFL currently as manager of Wrexham.
He took over in Wales in 2021 having left his previous role with Sunderland the year prior and was the man to drive Wrexham into League Two last term.
Parkinson’s team won the National League title last season ahead of Notts County thanks to a remarkable tally of 111 points. It was one of the highest-quality title races that English football has ever seen, certainly at that level.
Parkinson also previously managed the likes of Colchester United, Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers.
11 Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool (56)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Returning to the Premier League now with Liverpool’s boss Jurgen Klopp, who is now in his mid-50s.
The Reds missed out on Champions League qualification for the first time since the German boss first campaign at Anfield, with many onlookers questioning his ability to continue on Merseyside as a result.
Looking across his wider tenure, he has title wins in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League to show for it.
In Germany, he is a club legend at Mainz having played over 300 times for them and getting the club promoted to the Bundesliga as manager. With Borussia Dortmund, he got to a Champions League final and was able to overcome the juggernaut that is Bayern Munich twice in the battle for the league title, with this success putting him firmly in the shop window for the Liverpool job.
10 Paul Simpson – Carlisle United (57)
Simpson saw out his playing days as player-manager of Carlisle United, where some of his first steps in the dugout saw him achieve remarkable success.
He led the Spireites out of the Conference and won the League Two title in his initial spell, before returning to the club 16 years later to take them out of the fourth tier once again, gaining promotion into League One via the play-offs last summer.
They may be struggling this term thus far, but the Cumbrian club remain all the better for having crossed paths with Simpson.
9 Nigel Clough – Mansfield Town (57)
The Clough name is infamous in English football due to the brilliance of Brian during his time in charge of Nottingham Forest.
Nigel has continued his father's legacy in the world of management, while playing over 300 times for Forest as a player himself.
The 57-year-old’s first job came with Burton Albion, before leaving for Derby County. A spell at Sheffield United followed, where he led them to the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2014.
He returned to the Pirelli in 2015 before they parting ways again in 2020. Clough wasn’t out of work for long as he moved on to Mansfield Town, where he is currently doing a very good job in 2023/24 as they push for promotion out of League Two.
8 Ange Postecoglou – Tottenham Hotspur (58)
Ange Postecoglou has had a very positive impact on and off of the field in the Premier League since joining Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Spurs fans are particularly content with the man they now have in charge, and his journey in this sport is an interesting one.
He previously managed a number of Australian teams as well as the national team at youth and senior level.
After his tenure with Australia ended in 2017, he moved on to Japan before arriving at Celtic, where he won two SPFL titles in as many seasons.
7 Nigel Adkins – Tranmere Rovers (58)
Nigel Adkins is perhaps best known in the EFL landscape for his time in charge of Southampton and Hull City.
He also had a brief stint with Reading in the Premier League, but that didn’t go particularly well for either party as he led them back into the Championship, and lasted little over 18 months.
In 2021, he was with Charlton Athletic for a short period of time and now finds himself at Prenton Park with Tranmere Rovers.
Adkins joined the club as technical director but became manager in September of this year following the sacking of Ian Dawes.
6 Tony Mowbray – Sunderland (59)
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray.
Tony Mowbray played for three teams in his career, all of whom he has gone on to manage.
The trio in question are Middlesbrough, Celtic and Ipswich Town – with most games both as a player and as a manager coming for Boro.
He never played for Sunderland, but that hasn’t prevented him from excelling whilst at the helm of the Black Cats.
Last year, his Sunderland team lost in the Championship play-off semi-finals to eventual winners Luton Town, and will be looking to go one step further this time around.
Thomas Frank was pleased with Brentford's performance against Chelsea as he claimed his side "battered" the Blues in the second half.
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Frank responds to Brentford fans' jeering
Claimed they 'battered' Chelsea
Brentford and Chelsea played out a 2-2 draw
WHAT HAPPENED?
Brentford held Chelsea to an exciting 2-2 draw on Saturday in a Premier League clash at Gtech Community Stadium. Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring for the Blues but the Bees responded strongly in the second thanks to goals from Mads Roerslev and Yoane Wissa. Axel Disasi then netted the equaliser to secure a point for the visitors.
Frank was left impressed by his team's performance, especially in the second half as he claimed that they "battered" giants Chelsea and could have sealed all three points from the game.
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WHAT THOMAS FRANK SAID
Speaking to reporters after the match, Frank said, "I would have loved three points. It was a relatively even game in terms of chances. I’m very pleased with the response from the players. I asked about a bounce-back mentality. Especially after a bad performance against West Ham. That was not us. It’s very rare we don’t put a performance in.
"Today I must say, impressive. When we got promoted, Chelsea won the Champions League (on the same day). They have done quite well in terms of renewing their squad. We played a game where we had seven of our key players out and it was a strong side they put out. The way I think the way we battered them second half was fantastic and extremely impressive. I’m a very proud head coach today because I think the players have been fantastic this week."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite an impressive result against a team like Chelsea, Frank and his men were jeered by a section of the home fans which left the manager perplexed as he said, "You know what, I thought I heard that as well. Is that true? I would like to personally speak to the ones who boo. Is that support? We are talking about Brentford against Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, 1-0 down. I know I can’t swear but what the…"
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WHAT NEXT?
The Bees will be next seen in action against Arsenal on March 9 in the Premier League while two days later, Mauricio Pochettino's side take on Newcastle United.
San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos made Oracle Park history during Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres after he unleashed a solo home run that reached the water in the famous McCovey Cove.
It was a monumental home run in that no right-handed batter had ever previously hit a home run directly into the water outside the stadium, a feat typically reserved for left-handed sluggers.
For all the countless times Barry Bonds and other great left-handed hitters have deposited home runs into the cove, no batter from the right side had ever hit an opposite field blast that splashed down in the water.
Until Sunday.
Ramos's home run couldn't have come at a better time, either. He tied the ball game at 2–2 in the bottom of the ninth inning with his solo blast, and now stands alone in Oracle Park lore, having achieved a home run previously thought to be impossible.
The stadium first opened in 2000 and it only took 24 years for a right-handed hitter to send one out of the ballpark and into the water.