Arsenal begin their hunt for a record-extending 15th FA Cup victory as they prepare to face Liverpool this evening.

Mikel Arteta won't be resting on his laurels as he aims to secure his second trophy as manager of the club – four years after winning the same competition against Chelsea.

Over the previous few weeks, however, the Gunners have suffered two defeats in the Premier League, and they have only won one fixture since a 4-3 victory over Luton Town at the start of December.

This signifies that despite the club sitting fourth in the table and just five points behind the Anfield side, Arteta needs to bolster his squad in the January transfer window.

small

They have naturally been linked with a few names so far, yet it is a potential swoop for a current Premier League midfielder which could be one of his most important moves.

Arsenal transfer news – Amadou Onana

It is no secret that Arteta is after some midfield reinforcements – either this month or in the summer – and according to a report from TEAMtalk earlier this week, Arsenal have shown interest in Everton gem Amadou Onana ahead of making a swoop for the player.

Indeed, the report indicates that the Gunners have in fact made an approach for the Belgian as they look to add some more talent into their midfield area.

The club have been linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz in recent months following his impressive start to the season for the Midlands outfit, scoring seven times as Unai Emery’s side have lit up the top flight.

It appears as though Arteta is looking to move on to other targets, with Onana now being targeted.

Any prospective move could come at a huge cost, however, as the Goodison Park outfit are reportedly valuing the midfielder between £70m-£90m and this could prove to be a big stumbling block for Arsenal.

2023

2023

2023

2022

2021

During the summer, the Spaniard splashed out a club record £105m transfer fee to lure Declan Rice from West Ham United and despite the lavish sum, he is certainly shown his worth.

This suggests that a move for Onana could perhaps allow Arteta to replicate his Rice masterclass and sign another midfielder from a fellow Premier League side and give them a platform to continue their development.

Declan Rice’s Arsenal statistics

The Englishman swiftly emerged as one of the most gifted midfielders in the country during his spell at West Ham, progressing from the academy to club captain within just a few years.

He eventually made 245 appearances for the Irons since making his debut during the 2016/17 campaign, and he departed as a hero, leading the club to their first major trophy since the 1980 FA Cup by winning the Europa Conference League in June 2023.

He had been admired by a host of clubs, yet it was a move across London to Arsenal which was the logical option, and he hasn’t disappointed during his first six months at the Emirates.

Indeed, the midfielder currently ranks second among the squad for accurate passes per game in the top flight (62.8) along with ranking second for tackles (2.1) and first for interceptions (1.5), indicating that he has been a positive influence in the Arsenal side, especially from a defensive viewpoint.

The 24-year-old can also contribute in an attacking sense too, as he has scored some vital goals this season.

His first goal for the Gunners came against Manchester United in a thrilling 3-1 victory in September, while the former West Ham starlet netted a wonderful last-minute header against Luton to claim all three points, and he has adapted well to Arteta’s methods and demands.

Onana is in a similar mould to the Arsenal midfielder and there is no doubt he could settle in well at the club should he make a move to the Gunners in the near future.

Amadou Onana’s season in numbers

Frank Lampard may have struggled in his role as Everton manager, but his signing of Onana was among one of his finest pieces of transfer business.

The 22-year-old cost the club £33m from French side Lille in August 2022 and he enjoyed a decent first season for the Toffees, making 35 appearances across all competitions and scoring once.

This has given him a platform to become one of Everton’s best performers this season under Sean Dyche.

His displays this term have seen him garner praise from a wide range of sources. Under 23 scout Antonio Mango was one such admirer, saying: “He’s such a physical specimen, he has all attributes to become a real Midfield Powerhouse.”

Talent scout Jacek Kulig went even further in his praise for the talented Belgian, claiming he was a “complete package” following another excellent performance for the Toffees last month.

Across the whole Everton squad in the top flight this season, Onana ranks first for accurate passes per game (32.7) while also ranking third for big chances created (four) and third for tackles per game (2.6) which demonstrates how effective he is in various performance metrics.

He is without doubt, one of Dyche’s most important players this season, and he could thrive at the heart of the Arsenal midfield, enabling the likes of Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz to utilise their attacking abilities.

The Belgian’s defensive acumen sees him rank in the top 5% in Europe’s big five leagues for aerial duels won per 90 (2.47) along with ranking in the top 25% for tackles won per 90 (2.47) and if there is one player Arteta should target this month, it must be Onana.

Much will depend on how much the Spaniard has to spend in the current transfer window, and he may have to move on some deadwood in order to raise the required funds to sign the Everton gem.

Rice has proved that £105m can go a long way and with the Toffees wanting around £90m for their star man, Arteta could repeat his stroke of genius by luring Onana to the Emirates in the summer.

After conceding the initiative in the Scottish Premiership title race in their disappointing defeat against Old Firm rivals Celtic, January could prove to be a crucial month for Rangers if they are to swing the tide back in their favour. The Gers were of course unbeaten under Philippe Clement before the Celtic game and have since got back on track with a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock.

Their derby defeat proves that they could still do with some reinforcements in the hope of bridging the gap at the top of Scotland's top flight, however, and that could see them land a surprise move to sign a Premier League winner this month.

Rangers transfer news

Rangers have already turned to one player with Premier League calibre this month, signing Fabio Silva on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and it's clear that Clement wants to focus on reinforcing his Ibrox attack this month.

It could be argued that the Gers are still yet to find a replacement for Alfredo Morelos, who left last summer. Both Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers have struggled to live up to expectations at times, opening the door to further offensive arrivals during the January transfer window.

Clement could ditch Roofe with Rangers swoop for £14k-p/w whiz

The Gers are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the English centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Jan 9, 2024

According to The Sun, Rangers are leading the race to sign Michy Batshuayi in a "shock move". The former Chelsea striker has struggled at Fenerbahce this season and Clement has personally scheduled talks to offer him a lifeline, meaning the Gers could now "pull off a major transfer coup".

Those crucial talks are reportedly expected in the coming days, with Rangers keen to get any deal done before they fly out to their La Manga training camp this week. It remains to be seen whether Rangers can convince the Belgian over a move, especially amid interest from Everton, but the fact that his contract is set to expire this summer makes Fenerbahce simple negotiators this month.

Batshuayi would instantly be Rangers' best forward

If Rangers did secure a deal to sign Batshuayi on a short-term transfer, the Belgian would undoubtedly become their best attacking option in an instant. Sam Lammers' goal tally has reached just two all season, whilst Dessers' stats haven't exactly been impressive either, given that he's found the back of the net just six times in the Scottish Premiership.

Batshuayi's numbers meanwhile are quite impressive on limited game time – he has managed eight goals from just nine starts with several cameos in all competitions this season, which begs the question of where his tally would be as a consistent starter.

The Premier League winner earned plenty of praise during his time at Chelsea, including from Frank Lampard, who said via the club's official website: "It was interesting to see not just the player – I kind of knew the quality Michy had and it’s always good to see that up close – but also the personality,’ Lampard explained. Since early season, how he’s trained, his demeanour, his positivity, and quality when he’s come on, which is obviously the most important thing, have been top class.

"When Tammy is scoring regular goals and getting a firm foot in the team, that’s not easy. It’s the same for Oli [Giroud]. Michy has shown all the right ways of handling that. He has been very good for us so far, and that positive spirit when you’re not playing regularly is not just important for him, cause that’s tough sometimes, but it’s important for the group. He deserves extra praise for that."

MatériaMais Notícias

Vitor Mendes deve reforçar o time de Marquinhos Santos na estreia do Campeonato Gaúcho, diante do Internacional. O jogo será no Beira-Rio, às 20h, e já não terá mais Abel Braga no comando técnico Colorado.

+ União Flamengo e Corinthians rende memes na internet; veja os melhores

A caminhada do Ju no estadual começa com o atual vice-campeão brasileiro. Não é tarefa fácil, mas o zagueiro entende que o tempo de descanso e também de preparo jogam a favor do time de Caxias do Sul.

‘Espero que a gente possa estrear com o pé direito, mas sabemos que vamos enfrentar um adversário muito difícil. O tamanho desse jogo exige mais da gente desde o treinamento. Eu encaro assim. A gente tem que treinar mais forte para rivalizar com o bom time do Inter. A gente sabe que esses três pontos podem fazer muita diferença lá no final’, contou o atleta.

+ Confira o ranking dos clubes brasileiros com mais participações na Libertadores

A última vitória do Juventude sobre o Internacional aconteceu em 2017, na 23° rodada da Série B. De lá para cá, são 3 vitórias coloradas, todas no Campeonato Gaúcho. Vitor, porém, não se apega a isso e acredita que o bom momento do Ju pode equilibrar o confronto.

‘Claro que não é legal ficar tanto tempo sem ganhar de um rival, mas no vestiário a gente não se apega a isso. A gente entra focado na vitória. O Juventude terminou a Série B em alta e vai jogar o Brasileirão. Se o momento deles é bom, o nosso também é. A gente entra ciente da nossa qualidade e prontos para brigar pela vitória’, completou o atleta de 22 anos.

RelacionadasFutebol InternacionalManchester City x West Ham: onde assistir e as prováveis escalaçõesFutebol Internacional26/02/2021FlamengoCampeão pelo Flamengo, Ceni diz não entender são-paulinos bravos: ‘Tenho direito de trabalhar em outro clube’Flamengo26/02/2021SantosMarinho, do Santos, ganha bola de prata pelo Brasileirão 2020Santos26/02/2021

Somerset 74 for 3 (Abell 22*, Broad 2-12) trail Nottinghamshire 263 (Nash 58, Wood 52; Gregory 6-68) by 189 runs
The bookies give each of these sides a similar chance of dethroning Surrey as county champions, on which basis you would expect this to be a close contest. Yet Somerset have beaten Nottinghamshire in each of their last six meetings in the Championship, often by handsome margins. What odds they extend the streak here?On the balance of the opening day, they may have their work cut out. Nottinghamshire fell short of the kind of first-innings score they would consider to be par on this ground, even in April, yet Somerset were relieved to be only three down overnight, having lost both openers in a terrific opening spell by Stuart Broad. It promises to be a good contest.Broad’s availability for Nottinghamshire this year could extend deep into their Championship programme provided he stays fit, which gives him an opportunity to contribute in a more sustained way than circumstances have permitted so far in his 11 years at Trent Bridge, during which time five matches is the most for which he has been available in a single summer.At almost 33, he may be running out of ambitions, but to exceed his previous best tally of 19 wickets in a season might be one, and a fitting one in his testimonial year. He does not lack for either enthusiasm or effort, while both Azhar Ali and Marcus Trescothick, leg before and caught behind respectively as he charged in from the pavilion end, will testify that his skills remain venomously intact.After James Hildreth perished trying to steal a legside boundary off Luke Fletcher’s first ball, leaving them 36 for three, Somerset were relieved to reach the close with no more damage done.All day it was an engaging battle between bat and ball. The boundary on the Fox Road side is short and the outfield quick, yet Somerset made the right choice in foregoing the toss and opting to bowl first. Indeed, they were rewarded in the second over of the match when Ben Duckett, with more than 400 runs to his name already, played back to a full delivery from Jack Brooks and was gone without scoring. The pitch had the colour of a sporting one and so it proved to be.Lewis Gregory, whose eight wickets were an important factor in Somerset’s win over Kent at Taunton in the opening round, arrived with confidence high and bowled superbly, finishing with 6 for 68, his best figures since 2015. Nottinghamshire know him well – too well, they might say. Against no county has he taken more first-class wickets – 32 in 10 matches so far. Yet they were unable to deny him another good day in their company.He had a bit of luck – or perhaps not – when Chris Nash took an ill-advised liberty just before lunch, the batter pulling to Jack Leach at midwicket, but dispatched Joe Clarke, Steven Mullaney and Samit Patel with three terrific deliveries. Clarke, after the 112 and 97 not out that made for such an impressive Nottinghamshire debut last week, made only two this time before Gregory found some late movement and drew the nick, Steve Davies collecting the catch low to his right.Nash had been hitting freely, keen to profit from the quick outfield, and maybe Gregory sensed a cheap wicket. You sense that the former Sussex batsman, whose first season here was wrecked by a shoulder injury sustained in midsummer, will make his mark. More of a worry for Nottinghamshire is Patel.The former England batsman had a poor time of it in 2018, his worst season in statistical terms since 2012. He made two double centuries in June 2017 but does not have a first-class hundred since and has not really gone close. Gregory had a jaffa for him here, sending two stumps flying in opposite directions, for which you could hardly blame him. But the longer the wait for a score goes on the more you fear for his confidence.He was not the only frustrated figure among the home batsmen. Fifty partnerships for the second, fourth and sixth wickets failed to go any further, two of them broken by Gregory. Craig Overton denied Tom Moores an individual half-century as Trescothick just about clung on to a catch at second slip.The left-arm seamer Luke Wood, recalled from his loan at Northamptonshire after Paul Coughlin was ruled out with an injured finger, did complete his – an assured innings containing 11 fours – but would have been thwarted too had George Bartlett not put down a straightforward catch at midwicket.”It’s a weird pitch, really,” Nottinghamshire’s Nash said. “It kind of goes to sleep for a bit and then there is a ball in it.”Gregory bowled brilliantly, but I was annoyed with myself. We just needed to get through to lunch and if me and Samit had been able to build afterwards we could have been looking at 320. So I felt I let the lads down a bit there.”

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino shared a massive update on Reece James' injury status and availability ahead of Nottingham Forest test.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• James out injured since December
• Recovering from hamstring surgery
• Will return to the matchday squad against Forest

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  James has been sidelined since December due to a recurring hamstring injury that required surgery. The 22-year-old last featured for Chelsea in the 3-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, where he was substituted after just 26 minutes. His absence has been felt keenly by Chelsea, especially given his pivotal role in the team's defensive setup, as they are now struggling in seventh spot in the Premier League table.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  James' prolonged absence has also impacted his chances of representing England at Euro 2024, with Gareth Southgate keeping a close eye on his recovery progress. However, with just nine appearances so far this season, the full-back's chances of getting a ticket to the flight to Munich appear to be slim.

• WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

  However, there is positive news on the horizon for James and Chelsea, as Pochettino confirmed that the defender has returned to training and may be available for selection in the upcoming fixture against Forest.

  “We need to assess some players. We need to see, maybe he can be available to be in the squad,” Pochettino said.

  "The most important thing is he will be there with us. It's a massive boost for any team. Then, we have an amazing relationship, he's an amazing player. It’s not easy, coming from a long-term injury, the most important thing is he can be available and in the squad, five, 10, 15 minutes… half an hour. It’s unlucky that it's only the last week, but it's important to finish with good feelings. And for him, it’ll be amazing to be involved.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Although James has been cleared from the treatment room, several others are unavailable for selection due to injury. Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Enzo Fernandez, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Robert Sanchez are yet to get fit and are undergoing their respective rehabilitation programmes.

استقر فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي بقيادة المدرب السويسري مارسيل كولر على قائمة لاعبيه لخوض منافسات دوري أبطال إفريقيا 2025-2024.

وكان موسم الانتقالات الصيفية المنقضي للنادي الأهلي، قد شهد تغييرات عديدة، بعد إجراء العديد من الصفقات بضم يحيى عطية الله وأشرف داري ويوسف أيمن وعمر الساعي.

رمضان السيد: لا أحد يُناقش كولر حتى لو تجاوز.. ولاعب الأهلي “مظلوم”

وشهدت القائمة غياب الثنائي علي معلول وكريم فؤاد لعدم تعافيهما من الإصابة التي ضربتهما مؤخرًا وخضعا على إثرها لعمليات جراحية، فيما تم انضمام الثلاث صفقات الجديدة الباقية يوسف أيمن وداري وعطية الله.

وفي الوقت ذاته رفض نظام الاتحاد الافريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” الالكتروني قبول اسم عمر الساعي لعدم اكتمال بياناته، ليستبعد اللاعب عن مباراتي جورماهيا الكيني، فيما يمكن تعديل بياناته حتى يوم 12 سبتمبر، الموعد الاستثنائي للأهلي والزمالك لغلق القيد من قبل “كاف”.

ومن المقرر أن يستهل الأهلي مشواره القاري بمواجهة جورماهيا الكيني في ذهاب دور الـ32 ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، يوم 15 سبتمبر الجاري.

وينتظر الأهلي مباراة قوية ومرتقبة في السوبر الإفريقي أمام الزمالك يوم 27 سبتمبر الجاري، والمقرر إقامتها على ملعب المملكة أرينا في المملكة العربية السعودية. قائمة الأهلي الإفريقية موسم 2024-2025

حراسة المرمى: محمد الشناوي – مصطفى شوبير – حمزة علاء – مصطفى مخلوف.

خط الدفاع: محمد هاني – خالد عبد الفتاح – ياسر إبراهيم – رامي ربيعة – أشرف داري – يوسف أيمن – كريم الدبيس – عمر كمال – يحيى عطية الله.

“بطولات” يكشف كواليس آخر 48 ساعة “المصيرية” في صفقة بن رمضان مع الأهلي

خط الوسط: أكرم توفيق – عمرو السولية – أحمد نبيل كوكا – مروان عطية – محمد مجدي أفشة – إمام عاشور – كريم وليد – محمد عبد الله .

خط الهجوم: حسين الشحات – بيرسي تاو – محمود كهربا – طاهر محمد طاهر – رضا سليم – وسام أبو علي.

A bowling fightback and a solid chase from Bangladesh’s top-order led them to an eight-wicket win over West Indies in the second match of the tri-series in Ireland. Mashrafe Mortaza had led a fine bowling effort to engineer West Indies’ batting collapse at the death, where they went from 205 for 2 in 40.4 overs to 261 for 9 in 50 overs. After that, Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar set up the chase with a 144-run opening stand. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim completed the job with five overs to spare.Shakib completed the win with a beautiful straight drive, which took him to an unbeaten run-a-ball 61 that included three fours and two sixes. He added 68 runs for the unbroken third wicket stand with Mushfiqur, having already put on 52 with Tamim for the second wicket.Tamim, who top scored with 80 off 116 balls with seven fours, and Soumya added 144 runs, Bangladesh’s highest opening stand against West Indies in ODIs. But it started with a bit of luck when Roston Chase dropped Tamim’s uppish drive at cover, when he was on 1. The pair had put on only 38 runs in the first ten overs, with Soumya hitting three gorgeous boundaries and Tamim, after patiently waiting for the right opportunity, slamming Kemar Roach for successive fours in the tenth over.It set them for the next ten overs, in which they added 69 runs. Soumya blasted Jason Holder for a straight six, and then played the upper-cut off the same bowler a few overs later. Soumya and Tamim were looking ominous in the next six overs, hitting boundaries and picking up singles quite easily.But a moment of brilliance in the field separated the openers, when Darren Bravo caught Soumya at the deep midwicket boundary. He held the ball at first, was overbalancing, so he threw it up in the air, then stepped over the boundary and came back inside to complete the catch. It was against the run of play, and gave West Indies a lifeline. Soumya had made 73 off 68 balls with a six and nine fours, but where West Indies should have tightened their bowling and fielding, they did the opposite.Their fielders kept missing regulation balls, while their bowlers couldn’t string together a tight spell. Tamim and Shakib added 52 for the second wicket before Mushfiqur and Shakib kept hitting the gaps, and waiting for the West Indies bowlers to err in length, or for the fielders to mess up.Sunil Ambris couldn’t judge a Mushfiqur slap towards deep point, and the wicketkeeper then slammed a pull to reduce the target down to four runs.While Bangladesh accelerated as the innings progressed, West Indies went in the opposite direction as they lost their last seven wickets for 56 runs in 9.2 overs. The collapse split their innings into two parts, but one didn’t complement the other as it should have. West Indies started off well, with Hope and Sunil Ambris putting on 89 runs for the opening wicket. Mashrafe bowled a mean spell during the Powerplay but control only came when he introduced spin in the 14th over. Shakib started with a tight couple of overs before Mehidy Hasan Miraz removed Ambris, with Mahmudullah taking a smart catch at cover.Bravo fell in the next over, but Hope and Roston Chase put together 115 runs for the third wicket, seemingly setting up a final flourish. Shakib and Mehidy applied pressure in the middle overs to cut down the scoring, with Mashrafe utilising his bowlers splendidly.Chase fell in the 41st over when he top edged Mashrafe to short fine-leg, having made 51 off 62 balls. The Bangladesh captain also removed Hope and Jason Holder in the space of three balls. Shakib then took a brilliant catch, diving to his left at long-on, to send back Jonathan Carter. Mohammad Saifuddin and Mustafizur Rahman conceded 50 runs in the last seven overs, and didn’t concede a single boundary in the last 2.4 overs.More runs in the last 16 balls perhaps could have helped West Indies, as would have more consistent bowling and better fielding. Bangladesh would also have liked to see Mustafizur bowl better, but that is why theseteams are playing the tri-nation series: so that they can iron out the gaps that exist before the World Cup comes around.

Moises Caicedo showed his quality with a stunning 50-yard strike to help the Blues secure sixth spot in Thiago Silva's final game as a Blue.

Chelsea finished their season on a high with a fifth-straight Premier League win as they saw off Bournemouth in a 2-1 home victory.

Caicedo scored from a smidge over 50 yards in the 17th minute for his first goal for the club, before Raheem Sterling doubled their advantage three minutes after the break.

The visitors reduced the arrears one minute later when Enes Unal's shot deflected off Benoit Badiashile and into the net. The Cherries gave a good account of themselves but the Blues held on to qualify for Europe and will be in the Europa League, should Manchester City win the FA Cup on May 25.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

• Getty Images
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Djordje Petrovic (7/10):

  Made some important saves, especially late on, but if Chelsea want to reach the next level, they may need to buy an elite goalkeeper and the Serbia international isn't quite that.

  Trevoh Chalobah (8/10):

  The Blues academy product looks comfortable at right-back, just as he has in the heart of his team's defence in recent weeks. It would, perhaps, be wise to keep onto the 24-year-old for next season, particularly as he is very sound defensively.

  Thiago Silva (8/10):

  In his last game for Chelsea, the veteran defender led by example with an all-round, competent display in the Blues backline. The 39-year-old will be missed.

  Benoit Badiashile (6/10):

  Was a bit unlucky for Bournemouth's goal, which deflected off him and past the helpless Petrovic, but he still doesn't look completely comfortable at the back.

  Marc Cucurella (6/10):

  For the majority of the contest, he seemed to be inching closer to the form he showed at former team Brighton. The Spaniard drove forward on plenty of occasions and was neat and tidy on the ball but from 65 minutes or so, he was a bit sloppy in possession and played his team into trouble.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield

  Moises Caicedo (9/10):

  Perhaps his best performance in a Chelsea shirt. While that may not be saying much, he was a force to be reckoned with in midfield; won his duels, was a physical presence, and scored one of the goals of the season. Limped off in the second half but displays like these are why Chelsea forked out £115 million ($145m) on him last year.

  Conor Gallagher (7/10):

  Has been one of Chelsea's best players this season but the marauding captain seemed to be somewhat low on energy at times in this clash. Still, he has plenty of credit in the bank and the fans sang his name in appreciation of his efforts.

  Cole Palmer (7/10):

  Played in a more central role and while his movement and distribution to his team-mates was excellent at times, his decision-making in the final third was not as good as usual. But, he has still had a stunning breakout season.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Noni Madueke (7/10):

  This is one player who is not short of confidence. Like many of his team-mates, he has come into his own of late, which his trickery and elusiveness proving a handful for teams.

  Nicolas Jackson (8/10):

  Deserved a goal for his industrious endeavours at Stamford Bridge. He made plenty of threatening runs and had a couple of decent efforts on goal. A much-derided player but one that has 17 goals to his name in all competitions.

  Raheem Sterling (7/10):

  Came in for the injured Mykhailo Mudryk and proved his worth with an enterprising, direct performance that yielded a welcome goal, too. The winger still has more to give for this side.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Subs & Manager

  Christopher Nkunku (6/10):

  Could, and perhaps should, have done better when set up well by Jackson in the game's dying embers. Was quite quiet in his cameo.

  Malo Gusto (7/10):

  Looked sharp when he came on and nearly scored late on with a fierce drive at goalkeeper Neto.

  Lesley Ugochukwu (6/10):

  The youngster's arrival, in place of Caicedo, gave Bournemouth more of an upper hand in midfield.

  Cesare Casadei (7/10):

  Made a couple of good tackles when introduced late on.

  Mauricio Pochettino (7/10):

  He has got Chelsea playing some good, attacking football these days. There is more cohesion about a side that has looked dysfunctional for long periods. His substitutions in this match were somewhat mixed, however.

Liverpool are considering a move to bring a new defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report.

FSG's summer signings

The Reds recruited four fresh faces during the previous transfer window in the form of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, with the midfield being the obvious position that needed to be strengthened.

With that mission having successfully been accomplished, Jurgen Klopp is now turning his attention towards bolstering his defensive ranks – in particular, a new centre-back – and the manager has highlighted a potential candidate from overseas.

Fluminense’s Nino permanently joined his club almost four years ago following a successful loan spell, and having made 239 appearances since then, he’s gone on to become the captain of his side in the Brazilian Serie A (Transfermarkt – Nino statistics).

Nino's Transfer History
Date:	Left:	Joined:
Jan 13, 2020	Criciuma EC	Fluminense
Dec 31, 2019	Fluminense	Criciuma EC
Feb 25, 2019	Criciuma EC	Fluminense
Jul 1, 2016	Criciuma U20	Criciuma EC

However, the Brazil international will have reached the expiration of his deal in December 2024 (Fluminense contracts), so should Fernando Diniz not want to lose his skipper for free, the 26-year-old will have to be sold in the coming weeks if he doesn’t sign an extension.

Liverpool eyeing Nino

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool are interested in Nino ahead of January. The Anfield outfit have been alerted to his impressive performances since the start of the season, and it’s claimed that Klopp views next month as the ideal time to bring his target to Merseyside.

Fluminense’s prized asset has a €7m (£6m) release clause included in his current terms, and with this being a price that you would imagine is more than affordable for FSG, this could be one to keep a close eye on in the near future.

Nino could be a "talented" addition

Being 6 foot 1, Nino is constantly able to provide a physical presence in his own box, while he’s not afraid to get stuck into his individual battles both on and off the ground – he’s averaging 3.6 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per game in the league (WhoScored – Nino statistics).

The Recife native is also extremely calm and composed in possession, as he has posted a 91.4% pass success rate as it stands, which is, albeit in a different competition, higher than the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah (WhoScored – Liverpool statistics).

Sponsored by Adidas, Klopp’s target will even know what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level as he’s recently been crowned a Copa Libertadores winner with Fluminense, alongside receiving a medal for representing his country at the Olympics, so he will possess an excellent winning mentality.

As hailed by sports journalist Konstantinos Lianos, Nino is a “talented” centre-back, and with the likes of Joel Matip potentially set to leave the club at the end of the season, the former could prove to be an ideal long-term replacement for the veteran, whose time on Merseyside looks to be coming to an end.

After opening talks to sign Club Brugge sensation Antonio Nusa, Tottenham are also working to finalise a player's exit, with a medical now scheduled.

Busy transfer window at Spurs

Ange Postecoglou will be absolutely thrilled by Spurs' real conviction this January window, after previously urging the club to make early signings in an attempt to bolster his squad.

Related All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

Posts ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

The Australian publicly cried out for new arrivals and indirectly told Tottenham chiefs to get them through the door in quick fashion, something which chairman Daniel Levy and the recruitment team have pulled off.

Spurs confirmed the signing of Timo Werner on a six-month loan deal from RB Leipzig last week, which is rumoured to include an option to buy, while defender Radu Dragusin also signed permanently from Genoa to the tune of £25 million.

Alongside these quick-fire moves, the Lilywhites have quickly and efficiently trimmed Postecoglou's squad – with Ashley Phillips, Djed Spence, Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga and Sergio Reguilon all leaving the club on loan.

Reports suggest Spurs could make a move for Chelsea star Conor Gallagher on top of this, while widespread transfer sources state that the north Londoners are now in talks with Brugge to sign Nusa on a buy-to-loan-back deal.

So far, Tottenham have been extremely active in the market, and they now look set to be even more so with the possible sale of Ivan Perisic.

The Croatia international legend may have played his last game for the club after suffering a complex ACL injury earlier in the campaign, with Hadjuk Split now attempting to seal an emotional return for him.

Perisic exit imminent with Hadjuk medical scheduled

According to reporter Ryan Taylor of The Daily Mirror, a medical is scheduled for Perisic to leave Spurs in the coming days, with the north Londoners now finalising his exit.

It is believed the move is expected to be an initial loan with Hadjuk set to hand Perisic a one-year contract when he becomes a free agent in the summer.

Levy and technical director Johan Lange are wasting no time, with Perisic now expected to be the next departure after Tanganga joined Millwall on a temporary deal earlier this week.