Liverpool could finally solve their midfield dilemma, according to reports, as Jurgen Klopp potentially welcomes a new defensive midfielder.

The Reds missed out on Moises Caicedo in incredibly public fashion after initially reportedly reaching an agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion, before the new Chelsea man rejected them.

What's the latest on Wataru Endo to Liverpool?

As per Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are set to sign Stuttgart captain Wataru Endo for €18m (£15m) after a fast breakthrough in negotiations, with the midfielder's medical even booked already for this coming Thursday.

Endo's arrival follows the Premier League giants' failed pursuit of Caicedo, and potentially Romeo Lavia, who is also reportedly set to complete a move to Chelsea this summer, with the Japan star agreeing personal terms in a matter of hours.

Whether or not Endo is available for Jurgen Klopp's side in their clash against Bournemouth on Saturday remains to be seen, but they have, at least, got themselves an option in defensive midfield going forward.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Last time out against Chelsea, of course, it was Alexis Mac Allister who covered the role, playing out of position in the process. With Endo arriving, however, the Argentine can return to his far more natural advanced position.

Should Liverpool sign Wataru Endo?

On paper, going from Caicedo, a 21-year-old defensive midfielder who helped Brighton into the Europa League last season, to Endo, Stuttgart's 30-year-old captain, can seem a tad underwhelming. But, the Japan international is potentially one to keep an eye on.

Following the news of his reportedly imminent Reds move, Bundesliga experts were quick to praise the midfielder, including The Athletic's Seb Stafford-Boor, who said: "Endo is a good player. Great competitor and professional, too. He might not be the player Liverpool fans want, but he’s worth a chance. I’d actually be excited to see what he can achieve among that group of players."

Going onto describe the Stuttgart captain's strengths, Stafford-Boor said: "He is a ball-winner, but he’ll do a fine job protecting the defence. He can play too, though."

Meanwhile, Romano was also quick to have a positive opinion, saying after reporting the news: "And he’s an extremely underrated player, ask Stuttgart fans."

So, everything is pointing in a positive direction when it comes to the Japan midfielder, giving Liverpool fans plenty of hope that this arrival will play a major part in fixing their issues in the middle of the park.

The statistics only make for more encouraging reading, too. When compared to former Liverpool defensive midfielder Fabinho last season, according to FBref, Endo made more progressive carries, more blocks, and more clearances, whilst also making just 0.16 fewer progressive passes. For a reported €18m (£15m), numbers like that are a bargain.

Even better news for Klopp is the fact that the Stuttgart star can also play centre-back, therefore providing cover in that area of the German's squad, as well as in midfield.

After the difficulties of their Caicedo pursuit, Liverpool have emerged to sign an unlikely, but perhaps suitable, midfield option. The Reds will hope to get the deal wrapped up in time for the Bournemouth game, where Anfield could see its first glimpse of Endo in a Liverpool shirt.

India may have to rethink their six-bowler plan, and perhaps also the role of MS Dhoni, while New Zealand will hope they can deal with the heat and humidity of Thiruvananthapuram

The Preview by Shashank Kishore06-Nov-20171:43

Agarkar: India should pick Kuldeep Yadav

Big pictureRavi Shastri captained India the last time international cricket came to Thiruvananthapuram. It was a forgettable evening for India fans in football country as Phil Simmons and Gordon Greenidge orchestrated a nine-wicket West Indies win. Virat Kohli, who turned 29 on Sunday, wasn’t even born then. Now the Shastri-Kohli combine will have to plot hard, particularly on the batting front, to prevent New Zealand from winning their first-ever proper series, across formats, on Indian shores.New Zealand could claim the 2012 T20I series was theirs, but that was reduced to a one-off contest in Chennai because a cyclonic depression washed out the first game in Visakhapatnam. Now, there’s the small matter of hoping the receding monsoons, which have caused intermittent showers around Kerala, don’t cast a spell on Tuesday evening.In that 2012 Chennai game, MS Dhoni, faced with having to get 13 off the last over, couldn’t pull India past the mark. He was at his peak then. Perhaps not so now, as his struggle to bring out the big shots on demand has opened up debate over his batting position, and even his place in the side. Does he belong, or is it time to make way? A definitive answer is elusive just yet, but could be in the making, maybe even as early as Tuesday provided there’s a full game.In Delhi, New Zealand dropped three catches. It cost them the match and their No. 1 ranking. In Rajkot, India were the generous hosts, reprieving Colin Munro four times and watching him wallop his second T20I century of the year, which set the game up for spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner. In Thiruvananthapuram, where the weather is entirely different to the dry heat of Rajkot or the early winter chill of Delhi, New Zealand’s fitness will be tested by near-100% humidity. Are they hydrated enough to go one better after failing in successive deciders in India?Form guideIndia: LWLWW (completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: WLLWWIn the spotlightMS Dhoni scored 49 off 37 balls in Rajkot, and while the bare numbers look impressive, they don’t tell the whole story. Coming in at No. 6 with India needing 130 off 65 balls, he pushed and prodded his way to 26 off 26 before heaving a couple of big blows when the match was out of bounds. VVS Laxman, for one, believes it is time to look beyond Dhoni and groom a younger wicketkeeper-batsman in the shortest format. While his position isn’t under immediate threat yet, it remains to be seen if he will continue to bat at No. 6.Colin de Grandhomme came to India with the reputation of being a useful medium-pacer who can provide plenty of lower-order muscle. On this tour, save for one game in Pune where he made 41, he hasn’t managed to showcase his talent in either area. In the first T20I, he was out for a golden duck and conceded 34 off three wicketless overs. In Rajkot, Williamson preferred Munro’s medium-pace to de Grandhomme’s, which meant he only got the one over.BCCI

Team newsMohammed Siraj’s international initiation didn’t quite go to plan in Rajkot, where he conceded 53 in his four overs. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah conceding only 52 off their eight overs and with Hardik Pandya as a third seam option, India could look at replacing Siraj with Kuldeep Yadav, who hasn’t featured since the first ODI in Mumbai.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalTom Latham was left out of the Rajkot game despite having been one of New Zealand’s finds of the tour, despite having been given a new role in the middle order. While there may not be a reason to make a change to a winning XI, barring injury, they could consider bringing Latham back.New Zealand (probable): 1 Colin Munro, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Tom Bruce, 5 Glenn Phillips (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Adam MilnePitch and conditionsA brand-new venue and a brand-new surface. The organisers claim scores of 180-plus were made in both innings of a warm-up game a fortnight ago. What teams will be mindful of, though, is the sapping heat and humidity, and the possibility of rain and a truncated game. The Kerala Cricket Association has invested in a modern drainage system and has three Super Soppers should it get to that.Stats and trivia New Zealand haven’t lost a bilateral T20I series of two or more matches in their last eight series. Sodhi has an economy of 5.66 against India, the best ever in T20Is among spinners who have bowled at least 10 overs against them. Three of India’s four failed T20I chases at home have come against New Zealand Greenfield Stadium becomes the 19th venue to host a T20I in IndiaQuotes”I never felt that kind of a pressure that we play five batsmen and Hardik Pandya. Whatever the situation or combination we are given, we have to go according to that.”
“It’s one exciting thing for us that we’ve taken them to the decider for the last two series now. They played well in Kanpur under a little bit of pressure as well so we still have to turn up tomorrow and play the best we can and perform our roles.”

West Indies coach Stuart Law admitted that the peculiar nature of Neil Wagner’s short ball shook up West Indies, but refused to use that as an excuse after their batting collapse

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2017West Indies coach Stuart Law admitted that the peculiar nature of Neil Wagner’s short ball shook up West Indies, but refused to use that as an excuse after their batting collapse on the opening day of the Wellington Test. Wagner ripped through West Indies for career-best returns of 7 for 39 and sent them hurtling to 134 all out. Six of his wickets came with the short ball.”Wagner’s a funny character. He’s not very tall, he’s not super-quick, but his bumper skids and it doesn’t really bounce. And as a batsman, it can be off-putting,” Law said. “Some can go over your head, some just skid into your throat. So, yeah, fair play to him; he bowled well and bowled aggressively. I think we helped him out with a few freebies, but all in all, New Zealand bowled well.”Our boys generally bounce back better after they know what they’re up against, and know the plans of the opposition. I don’t think their plans will change too much. You just got to go out there and make sure you tire him out and get him to bowl multiple spells. That was the plan for each of their bowlers: get them to bowl a lot of spells, keep them out there as long as we could.”West Indies’ bowlers did their bit to bring the team back, running in hard on a surface bereft of lateral movement. They were rewarded with two wickets; first, their captain Jason Holder ended a strong opening stand when Tom Latham mistimed a hook to mid-on, and then Kemar Roach sent back Kane Williamson cheaply. Even so, New Zealand had slashed the deficit down to 49 by stumps.”Our batsmen are bitterly disappointed with their effort. I know we’re a lot better than how we performed today. We tend to have a habit of not starting a series very well, but it’s only day one out of five, the weather looks like it’s set fair for another four days, so anything’s possible in the second innings for our batters.”But I still think we showed tremendous fight with the ball this afternoon. We bowled some good spells; Miguel Cummins playing his first Test in a while bowled exceptionally well I thought. We just need to hang on to our catches tomorrow and make sure we don’t give them too much of a lead.”With New Zealand’s pacers already laying out a hostile welcome, West Indies needed to keep their disciplines. But Hope perished to an ill-advised pull, Chase glanced a short ball straight into the hands of leg slip, and Dowrich was run out, paying the price for shoddy communication. Then there was Sunil Ambris, the debutant. In trying to negotiate Wagner’s steep bounce, he shuffled back too far and his back heel thudded into the stumps.”He showed no emotion. He walked back into the dressing room, shrugged his shoulders and I said, ‘well, bad luck,’ and that’s it,” Law said. “Hopefully, it’s the only time he’s got out like that. There are a few guys who’ve got out in the first ball of their Test debut and they’ve gone on to be pretty good. Sunil is a class player. We picked him for this game on form. He got a couple of hundreds against Sri Lanka back in the Caribbean in the A team and he got 150 the other day against a pretty good attack at Lincoln University, so he’s disappointed. It’s probably a freak dismissal and one hopes he doesn’t step on them again at any time in his career.”

Chelsea are still "pushing" for a "10/10" talent and someone tipped to be a "future midfield leader" after completing the record-breaking deal to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea transfer news – what is the latest?

The transfer window is already one of the most entertaining periods in the football calendar, one filled with twists, turns, and drama everywhere you look, but perhaps no club does it better than Chelsea.

Ever since their takeover by the Russian Billionaire Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich in 2004, the West Londoners have consistently splashed unimaginable amounts of cash on a seemingly yearly basis, and they've done it again.

After the dramatic developments on Thursday night that saw Brighton accept Liverpool's offer of £111m for their Ecuadorian dynamo Caicedo it looked like Mauricio Pochettino's side had quite embarrassingly lost out on their number one transfer target after spending months trying to get a deal over the line.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

And yet, in another twist nobody saw coming, the 21-year-old turned down the Reds, preferring instead a move to Stamford Bridge following the discussions he had been having with the team.

And according to Fabrizio Romano, a deal has been agreed for a new Premier League record fee of £115m, with the medical already booked and ready to go.

However, with the Pensioners still a little light in midfield, they look set to continue in their pursuit of Southampton wonderkid Romeo Lavia, and just as with Caicedo, they could steal him from under the noses of Liverpool, per Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel and how the Blues are still "pushing" to secure the youngster's signature:

"One of the players in the list of both Liverpool and Chelsea remains Romeo Lavia. Let's see how Chelsea will act after signing Moises. They spent a lot of money, so let's see if they will decide to go also on Romeo Lavia.

"They had the bid in at Southampton, but the same happened also in Liverpool, so both clubs are actively working on Lavia. At the moment, we still have to wait and see how Chelsea will act after closing the Caicedo deal because the focus was on Caicedo in the recent hours and let's see also what Liverpool will decide to do if they want to push for Lavia or maybe go on another Target.

"But I can tell you that Liverpool are already speaking to agents of other players in that position, so there is Lavia but not only Lavia. And Chelsea remain interested in the Lavia deal, so everything is open on that one. Let's see what's going to happen.

"But Chelsea pushing Liverpool still there but Liverpool also speaking to agents of other players for that position so let's see what's going to happen there."

How much will Romeo Lavia cost?

Southampton have been entirely consistent in their appraisal of their youngster so far this year, with the club constantly reaffirming their valuation of the teenager is £50m, following all three of Liverpool's bids that have been slightly below that figure.

However, with demand in the 19-year-old increasing and Chelsea's need for bodies in midfield, Todd Boehly and Co have seemingly increased the asking price, with 90min reporting that they made an offer worth £55m on August 11th.

Not to be outdone and lose another priority target to the same team in under a week, Jurgen Klopp's side have reportedly agreed on a deal worth £60m with the Championship club, per Sky Sports News.

While this is a significant development in this evolving saga, the same publication also reiterates exactly what Romano has said, that regardless of this agreement, Chelsea are 'still pushing to sign Lavia.'

While the fee might be ballooning a far beyond what either team would've thought likely just a week ago, the full Belgium international is an excellent player and an exciting prospect that would help improve both teams' midfield.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig was raving about him only a few months ago, saying:

"Roméo Lavia is a very underrated passer. Born in 2004. Maturity and quality. 10/10 talent. The future midfield leader of Belgium NT and a top Premier League club."

If the West Londoners can sign Caicedo and Lavia in the same week whilst depriving a direct rival of their services, it could go down as one of the greatest transfer coups ever.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to add another option to their attacking arsenal before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon, the Hoops are keeping tabs on Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts ahead of next month's deadline.

The report claims that the Bhoys are monitoring his situation alongside Championship side Southampton, who were relegated from the Premier League earlier this year.

It states that the English magician is now in the final 12 months of his contract at the Stadium of Light and the Black Cats may lose him for nothing if they do not cash in now.

How good is Patrick Roberts?

The 26-year-old whiz is an excellent left-footed right winger who could be a perfect alternative to reported transfer target Tete, who has since joined Galatasaray on a free transfer instead of moving to Parkhead.

Brendan Rodgers signed on loan Tete from Shakhtar Donetsk for Leicester and described him as "exactly" what he was looking for in a right-sided attacker due to his ability to pass, move, and retain possession.

Like the Brazilian ace, Roberts is an excellent creative passer who can also retain possession fairly well for his side on the flank.

The former Manchester City prospect, who played 65 matches under Rodgers on loan at Celtic earlier in his career, enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign for Sunderland as he showcased his ability on the ball.

Roberts started 29 Championship matches for the Black Cats and caught the eye with ten 'big chances' created and seven assists, as per Sofascore.

Jota, who has since departed to join Al-Itthad, was the only Celtic winger who managed more than five Scottish Premiership assists last term.

Tete, on the other hand, created seven 'big chances' and assisted seven goals across 21 Ligue 1 starts for Lyon during spells in France between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

The now-Galatasaray ace completed between 82 and 83% of his attempted passes between those seasons and Roberts recorded a pass success rate of 82% for Sunderland last term, which suggests that they retain possession at a similar level of efficiency.

These statistics suggest that Roberts has the creative ability to be an outstanding threat for Celtic on the right wing by cutting inside onto his favoured left foot to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

Roberts, who journalist Josh Bunting hailed as "magic" on the ball, could also open up space down the right for Anthony Ralston or Alistair Johnston to bomb forward from right-back as him moving into central positions on his left foot could draw defenders inside, which would free up the full-back to push on.

The 5 foot 6 maestro's aforementioned history with Rodgers and Celtic also suggests that he would be able to hit the ground running due to him already knowing how the manager likes to play, as well as having knowledge of the club and level of football.

Therefore, Roberts could be a perfect alternative to Tete, who has no prior experience in Scotland, as a left-footed right winger to slot into the team this season.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond brought Brendan Rodgers back to Celtic for a second spell at Parkhead this summer and has backed the manager in the summer transfer window.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

Norwegian central midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and Melbourne City attacker Marco Tilio came in as the Northern Irish tactician's first two signings.

Since then, South Korean duo Hyun-jun Yang and Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki have also come through the door on permanent deals.

There could be more signings on the way for the Hoops before the window slams shut at the start of next month as they were recently touted with an interest in Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle.

However, they are said to be facing competition from a number of clubs in England; including Wolves, Southampton, and Sheffield United.

How good is Tommy Doyle?

The 21-year-old maestro is an exciting young gem who has the potential to be a throwback to one of the stars from Rodgers' first stint at Parkhead – Tom Rogic.

Doyle spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and caught the eye with his impressive performances in central midfield as he racked up four goals alongside seven assists in 38 appearances in all competitions.

The England U21 international played 33 Championship matches for the Blades as they won promotion up to the Premier League and the Hoops could now bank on that experience helping him to take his game to the next level this time around.

Prior to loan spells with Cardiff City and Hamburg before his year at Bramall Lane, Doyle was an outstanding performer for Manchester City's U21 side with nine goals and 15 assists across 50 outings.

This suggests that the talented number eight has the quality to provide goals and assists from a midfield position, which is something that Rogic excelled at under Rodgers.

The Australian magician, who played in the middle of the park, produced 24 goals and 20 assists in 105 competitive games for the ex-Liverpool boss during their time together at Celtic between 2016 and 2019.

This means that the mercurial technician averaged a direct goal contribution once every 2.39 matches, which shows that he was able to make an impact at the top end of the pitch on a semi-regular basis to supplement the attacking work done by the wingers and forwards.

Doyle could fulfil a similar role if he is able to translate his form from youth level over to senior football. He averaged a goal involvement every 2.09 outings for City's U21 team and showed signs of getting near that with one every 3.45 clashes for Sheffield United last term.

The 5 foot 8 talent, who has been described as "exceptional" and a "playmaker" by scout Jacek Kulig, managed four goals and ten assists in 18 Premier League 2 appearances for City during the 2020/21 campaign.

Matt O'Riley (12) was the only current Hoops player who managed more than eight Scottish Premiership assists last term, which suggests that Doyle has the potential to be one of the club's outstanding creators if he can have a breakthrough year in Scotland.

Therefore, the Citizens prospect could be Rogic 2.0 for Rodgers as a central midfielder who could provide goals and assists to influence games in the final third.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo, provavelmente, contará com uma estreia neste domingo. E com dois titulares que eram dúvidas até ontem. Isso porque, Mauricio Isla, Gabigol e Rodrigo Caio estão presentes na lista de relacionados para a partida diante do Santos, neste domingo, na Vila Belmiro. O confronto será realizado às 16h e será válido pela sexta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

RelacionadasOddsApostas: Atualização nas cotações dos favoritos para o BrasileirãoOdds29/08/2020FlamengoRecuperado, Gabigol reencontra a primeira ‘casa’ no dia de seu aniversárioFlamengo28/08/2020FlamengoNome de Isla sai no BID e lateral está liberado para estrear pelo FlamengoFlamengo28/08/2020

O lateral-direito teve o nome publicado no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) na última sexta-feira e, por isso, está apto para realizar o seu primeiro jogo com a camisa do Flamengo. Cabe destacar que o chileno, que chega para suprir a saída de Rafinha, não atua oficialmente desde março deste ano.

E Isla deve ser titular, assim como Rodrigo Caio e Gabigol, que, embora tenham tido lesões musculares na coxa detectadas na última segunda-feira (saiba mais aqui), se recuperaram a tempo para o duelo deste fim de semana.

Na lista, consta 24 relacionados. Ou seja, um jogador será cortado do banco de reservas por Domènec Torrent. Por falar no catalão, que teve uma “semana limpa” para treinar pela primeira vez no Flamengo, a sua equipe titular deve ser formada por:Diego Alves, Isla (Matheuzinho), Rodrigo Caio (Thuler), Léo Pereira e Filipe Luis; Willian Arão (Thiago Maia), Gerson, Everton Ribeiro e Arrascaeta; Bruno Henrique e Gabigol (Pedro).

Confira a lista de relacionados:

ظهر الألماني يورجن كلوب مدرب ليفربول في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الجمعة، للحديث قبل مباراة الفريق أمام أستون فيلا المقرر خوضها يوم الإثنين في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وسُئل كلوب عن رأيه في قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العام بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وشهدت القائمة تواجد لاعب واحد فقط من ليفربول وهو قائد الفريق فيرجيل فان دايك، فيما يغيب النجم المصري محمد صلاح، والذي أحرز 18 هدفًا بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم حتى الآن.

اقرأ أيضًا | جلوب سوكر تعلن المرشحين لأفضل لاعب في أوروبا لعام 2024.. موقف محمد صلاح

وقال كلوب حين سُئل عن غياب محمد صلاح عن قائمة المرشحين للجائزة، بحسب “بي بي سي”: “لا أعرف القائمة المختصرة لأفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ما مدى قصر القائمة؟ أنا مندهش (من عدم تواجد محمد صلاح)”.

وسُئل عن مستقبل مهاجم الفريق داروين نونيز بعد انتشار أنباء باهتمام برشلونة بالتعاقد معه، وأجاب: “ليست هناك تكهنات، لم أعد مسؤولاً عن ذلك بعد الآن، هذا هو الوضع الذي نحن فيه”.

وتابع: “بالتأكيد لم يكن سعيدًا بضياع هذه الفرصة (في مباراة لليفربول)، كان سيئ الحظ في العديد من المواقف لأنه يفعل كل شيء بشكل صحيح والكرة لا تدخل المرمى”.

وشدد: “إنه يعرف التوقعات، لديه توقعات كبيرة من نفسه، ليس لديه بديل سوى المرور بهذاـ سنحاول مساعدته بقدر ما نستطيع ولكن في النهاية عليك أن تمر بهذا، كان على الجميع أن يمروا بهذا الأمر، وهذا جزء من مسيرة لاعب كرة القدم.

Liverpool have to look forward.

This window has been extremely damaging to the Reds’ reputation. The scattered approaches for Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo have been damning indictments of the club’s unsuccessful transfer strategy, which has left the club scrambling for options.

The focus on the midfield misgivings has directed attention away from a lack of defensive depth, with is another pivotal issue that must be resolved.

As a result, Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing someone to sort that very problem.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Football Insider, Torino star Perr Schuurs is set to reappear on Liverpool’s radar as Jurgen Klopp searches for defensive reinforcements.

After losing pursuit of other targets – with Micky van de Ven joining Tottenham Hotspur and Goncalo Inacio penning a new deal with Sporting CP.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Meanwhile, Schuurs, who could cost up to £30m, is viewed as a ‘realistically priced option’ for the Merseysiders.

Moreover, a well-placed source told Football Insider that Liverpool captain and compatriot Virgil van Dijk is ‘well aware’ of his quality and is a ‘big fan’ of the 23-year-old.

What is Perr Schuurs' strengths

The Dutchman has been at Torino since 2022 and made 30 Serie appearances for the Italians last season. In that time, Schuurs averaged 3.2 clearances per game, 1.7 tackles per game, only dribbled past 0.4 times per game, won 55% of his duels, completed 77% of his dribbles, and didn’t make any errors leading to an opposition shot or goal.

Schuurs’ commendable numbers mean he also ranks impressively across the continent as he sits within the top 18% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for successful take-ons per 90, as well as the highest 22% for tackles per 90.

The centre-back has previously been hailed as a “great Dutch Talent” by former Premier League winner Marc Overmars after the youngster spent four years at Ajax.

A player of this profile and potential is a sensible upgrade for Joe Gomez, who after eight years at Anfield, has struggled for form and consistency.

Some of this has been out of the 26-year-old’s control, as due to persistent injury issues, he has missed a mammoth 233 games through injury, which has seen him fluctuate within the pecking order.

Prior to the current season, in the last three Premier League campaigns, the former Charlton Athletic prodigy has featured just 36 times, but when he played has looked shaky and unconvincing.

Alan Shearer has reinforced this perspective, saying: “Joe Gomez makes too many mistakes. Virgil van Dijk does not look comfortable when he’s alongside him. You always feel [they] are going to give something away when Gomez is playing.”

With Liverpool aiming to retake their rightful place back in the top four, whilst also juggling Europa League football, Klopp must be afforded the most dependable players, and Gomez, unfortunately, doesn’t fall into this category.

Whilst Van Dijk and Ibrahim Konate are likely to remain as the German’s first-choice defensive pairing, the "mountain" that is Schuurs – as dubbed by reporter Josh Bunting – can provide an impeccable piece of depth in a more reliable manner than Gomez.

Brathwaite and Kyle Hope’s unbroken 63-run second-wicket stand leave Zimbabwe chasing the game on a 11-wicket day

The Report by Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo22-Oct-2017Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDevendra Bishoo’s fourth five-for gave West Indies a handy lead•WICB Media/Brooks LaTouche Photography Ltd

In a Test match being played in fast-forward mode, 11 wickets fell on the second day at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo as West Indies surged into the ascendancy. Legspinner Devendra Bishoo was the catalyst for the turnaround, scything through Zimbabwe’s top order to finish with 5 for 79.His first ball of the morning was hit for six, but Bishoo soon found his rhythm. In an unbroken 23-over spell on either side of lunch, he undid all of the hard work done by Zimbabwe’s bowlers, with spin, bounce and accuracy. The hosts were bowled out for 159 during the extended post-lunch session, and by the close West Indies had stretched their lead to 148, with Kraigg Brathwaite and Kyle Hope adding an unbeaten 63 for the second wicket.For a while, it appeared that Zimbabwe might continue to chug along gamely despite the early loss of Solomon Mire. But once Bishoo settled, West Indies made regular inroads as Zimbabwe lost 9 for 68 from a comfortable 91 for 1.Hamilton Masakadza, who had muscled Bishoo’s opening delivery over long on for six, could not smother the turn of a fizzing legbreak and feathered an edge through to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich for 42 – the highest score of Zimbabwe’s innings. Brendan Taylor’s second coming then lasted all of seven deliveries before he reverse swept Bishoo into Jermaine Blackwood’s hands at slip, the fielder having moved in anticipation of the stroke.With his dismissal Zimbabwe slipped to 93 for 3, and Sean Williams endured a working-over against the pace of Shannon Gabriel as the hosts went into the lunch interval without further loss. At that point, the innings – and the match – was still in the balance, but the afternoon belonged entirely to West Indies.Bishoo’s effort was well backed up by the pace attack, who utilized the dryness of the surface to extract significant reverse swing. Kemar Roach had a flat-footed Sean Williams caught behind wafting lazily at one that left him off the track, while Jason Holder, hiding the shiny side of the ball in his hands during his run-up, castled Malcolm Waller with one that hooped in from outside off to beat a loose defensive poke. Between times, Bishoo bowled unchanged and found regular success against an increasingly jittery middle order.Sikandar Raza looked a little ungainly against the quicks, and positively frenetic against spin. He might have been stumped very early on, had the ball not deviated off his elbow and away from Dowrich, but kept using his feet and eventually swiped underneath a flighted delivery to top-edge a catch to Gabriel at long off.That gave Bishoo his third, with Zimbabwe still 96 in arrears. Straight after the afternoon drinks break, he had his fourth, finally getting the better of Craig Ervine with one that went straight on with the arm to beat the left-hander’s sweep and strike him right in front of middle stump. With Bishoo ragging it square from one end and the pace attack reversing the ball from the other end, full capitulation from Zimbabwe seemed only a matter of time.Regis Chakabva flapped a half-hearted cut tamely to backward point to give Bishoo his fourth five-wicket haul in Test cricket – and his third away from home. When Graeme Cremer inside-edged a drive off Holder Zimbabwe were 147 for 9. The last pair of Chris Mpofu and Kyle Jarvis added just 12 more before Mpofu nicked off to a length delivery from Gabriel.Brathwaite and Powell strode out to open the batting a second time inside two days with the opportunity to bat Zimbabwe out of a match. They weathered steady new-ball spells from Kyle Jarvis and Christopher Mpofu, but when spin was introduced Powell fell almost immediately, playing inside a delivery from Cremer to see his off stump disturbed.West Indies were 25 for 1 then, and with both Cremer and Williams gaining alarming turn and bounce, Zimbabwe were not yet out of the match. Hope was offered an early reprieve when a tough chance went down at short leg, but soon got his feet moving and repeatedly shovelled the spinners into the leg side. Brathwaite, similarly legside in his technique, was also unafraid to loft the ball and cracked Cremer over long on for six early in his innings.Neither he nor Hope gave Zimbabwe much of a sniff thereafter, and though there was still turn on offer in the afternoon it seemed some of the bite had gone out of the track. But there is still an awful lot of time left in a match during which 21 wickets have already fallen – and all but seven of those to spin. With a little more hard work, West Indies are one or two sessions from closing out the first Test.