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Peterborough stars brutally trolled Ryan Reynolds & Co with "Bye Bye Bye" Deadpool song after ousting them from the Football League Trophy at Wembley.

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• Red Dragons took a 2-0 lead in the semi-final
• Peterborough staged a late comeback
• Wrexham knocked out of Football League Trophy

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham appeared to be heading to the final of the EFL Trophy, boasting a comfortable 2-0 lead against Peterborough. However, their advantage slipped away in the dying moments of the match when they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser, forcing the game into penalties. Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee both missed from the spot, handing Peterborough a spot in the final and the opportunity to defend their EFL Trophy crown.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In the wake of Peterborough’s penalty win, Bradley Ihionvien took to Instagram to deliver a playful jab at Reynolds and the Wrexham team. He posted a video of himself dancing to NSYNC’s hit song “Bye Bye Bye” – a tune that famously featured in Reynolds’ recent Deadpool movie – and also inserted an image of Reynolds' Deadpool character in the corner to have fun at the expense of their Hollywood counterparts.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be disappointed with Wrexham's exit from the cup competition but they have plenty to look forward to with their promotion ambitions intact. Currently sitting third in the League One standings, Wrexham are targeting history by becoming the first EFL team to secure three consecutive promotions. They will be back in action on Saturday as they host Bolton Wanderers in their next league encounter.

It’s been a wild Premier League season for Manchester United this year, and we are only 11 games in.

Erik ten Hag was finally given the sack after another dreadful start to the campaign, and Sporting CP’s highly rated Ruben Amorim was hired to replace him.

The 39-year-old has built quite a reputation for himself in a relatively short time thanks to his progressive and effective tactical setup, which saw him guide the Lisbon-based outfit to their first league title in 19 years a couple of seasons ago.

One of the key aspects of his tactical setup is the 3-4-3 formation, and while he’ll likely find a way to make it work with players he has at Old Trafford, he might be annoyed by Ten Hag’s decision to sell someone who would have made an ideal wing-back under him, a player whose valuation has exploded this season.

Man Utd's 2024 departures

Before we get to the player in question, let’s look at some other sales United made over the summer, starting with someone having an incredible season: Scott McTominay.

The Scottish international joined Serie A giants Napoli for around £25m in August and has immediately become one of their most important players, scoring three goals and providing two assists in just ten appearances.

Moreover, he’s playing a significant role in the club’s surprise title push, as it was his equalising goal against Inter Milan at the San Siro last week that kept the Partenopei atop the table heading into the international break.

A player who has had a more mixed season since leaving is Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who joined West Ham United for £15m in the same month.

Now, it’s not been plain sailing for the full-back in East London, as the Hammers are currently sitting 14th, but he has at least been getting plenty of game time and has ten starts and one substitute appearance to his name so far.

However, while his valuation hasn’t increased much this year, the valuation of one of his former teammates sold in the same month has.

The former United ace whose valuation has skyrocketed

The player in question, who could have been an ideal wing-back for Amorim, is Facundo Pellistri.

The 30-capped Uruguayan international was sold to Greek Super League outfit Panathinaikos for an estimated £6.8m in late August, following four years at United in which he made just 25 first-team appearances and was sent out on loan three times, twice to Alaves and once to Granada.

Now, you may expect a player who’s been on so many loans in a short space of time to fade into relative obscurity after being sold by a team like United, but instead, the 22-year-old gem, who was once dubbed a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been having an excellent campaign in Greece.

He’s made 15 appearances so far, in which he’s scored twice and provided one assist, and has clearly shown that he’s still a serious talent, as the CIES Football Observatory now value him at up to €19m, which is about £15.8m, or a 132% increase on the fee he cost in the summer.

With that said, why would he make an excellent wing-back for Amorim?

The primary reason is that, in the manager’s system, he unsurprisingly uses his wing-backs as primarily attacking players, and the Montevideo-born gem has spent much of his career playing out on the wing, both on the left and right.

Moreover, he’s also got some experience playing at right-back, as Ten Hag played him there in the Community Shield this season, and he’s also played in that position for Uruguay.

Therefore, he’d have the attacking experience to make an impact at the sharp end of the pitch and know what to do when the team revert to a five at the back shape.

Ultimately, none of that matters anymore, as Pellistri’s focus is squarely on helping Panathinaikos this season, and while Amorim may begrudge Ten Hag’s decision to sell him, we would be surprised to see the club activate their buyback clause.

Amorim could unleash a "world-class" £90m star in the making at Man Utd

Manchester United fans will be desperate to see him play under Ruben Amorim.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 15, 2024

Bayern boss Vincent Kompany thinks Harry Kane is becoming "better with age" after seeing his striker play a starring role in the win over Leverkusen.

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• Kane in top form in the Champions League
• Scores and assists as Bayern knock out Leverkusen
• Kompany praises Kane's hard work

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane scored and grabbed an assist as Bayern Munich dumped Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen out of the Champions League on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory. The Bavarians ran out comfortable 5-0 winners on aggregate and progressed to a quarter-final tie with Serie A side Inter.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kompany singled Kane out for special praise after the game for his performance. The 31-year-old actually made history as the first Englishman to score 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign with his latest effort, and his manager believes he is only getting better with age.

• WHAT KOMPANY SAID

  Former Manchester City defender Kompany told reporters: "It helps when you have a top player who wants to run and fight for the team like a youth player. I played against him as an opponent and he has become better with age. He has a way to work towards his performances. I trust his consistency and how he works towards his game and with that quality you always get your moments."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE

  Kane is also starring in the Bundesliga and is the division's top scorer with 21 goals in 23 games. The England captain will be hoping to add to his tally on Saturday when Bayern take on Union Berlin.

The Reds' talisman went AWOL as the runaway Premier League leaders suffered a dismal defeat to Eddie Howe's side on Sunday

The international break clearly can't come soon enough for Liverpool, who suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final – just five days after being dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.

The hope was that Arne Slot's side would be able to quickly put their painful European elimination behind them by winning at Wembley on Sunday, but the Reds looked even more jaded than they had in midweek, with Mohamed Salah once again going missing in action.

The Egyptian had zero impact on the game and Newcastle were full value for their victory, even if they were made to sweat in the final minutes after Federico Chiesa pulled a goal back for Liverpool. In the end, though, Dan Burn's towering first-half header and a neat finish from Alexander Isak deservedly proved sufficient to end the Magpies' agonising trophy drought.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Reds on show as the runaway Premier League leaders were outfought and out-thought by an inspired Newcastle side…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Caoimhin Kelleher (6/10):

  His inclusion ahead of Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, raised some eyebrows, but not even the brilliant Brazilian would have been able to keep out Newcastle's goals. The Irishman also made a couple of great saves to deny Isak.

  Jarell Quansah (4/10):

  Started at right-back in the absence of Alexander-Arnold and just never looked comfortable going forward, while he was also caused plenty of problems by Barnes. A rough afternoon for the stand-in and Slot will be hoping Alexander-Arnold will be fit to return after the international break.

  Ibrahima Konate (4/10):

  A very mixed bag from the Frenchman before being hooked early in the second half. Made a great recovery tackle after a Quansah effort, but was also too easily muscled off the ball on occasion. Sacrificed early in the second half as Liverpool tried desperately to turn the game around.

  Virgil van Dijk (5.5/10):

  Despite Liverpool's struggles, the Dutchman was very dominant in the first half, particularly in the air, but he completely lost Isak for the Swede's goal. Quite the contrast to his heroics in last year's final.

  Andy Robertson (5/10):

  Undeniably a better outlet than Quansah from an offensive perspective, but the Scot was far from flawless and he was beaten far too easily in the air by Murphy before Newcastle's second goal. As has been said several times already this season, Liverpool need a new left-back.

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  Midfield

  Ryan Gravenberch (4/10):

  Another worryingly ineffective display from the Dutch defensive midfielder, who has looked exhausted in recent games. No longer breaking the lines with his passing or dribbling. No surprise at all to see him subbed early.

  Alexis Mac Allister (4.5/10):

  Played with his usual aggression and tried desperately to make things happen, but his passing let him down while he was also caught ball-watching as Burn powered home the opener. Looked shattered after coming off.

  Dominik Szoboszlai (5/10):

  Full of running, as per usual, but the Hungarian failed to have any real influence on the game. Another Red that appears to be running on empty.

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  Attack

  Mohamed Salah (4/10):

  After his no-show against PSG, the Egyptian was once again anonymous when Liverpool needed their talisman to stand up and be counted. His lethargy summed up a lame performance.

  Diogo Jota (4/10):

  The Portuguese continues to struggle after his latest return from injury. Barely got a look-in during the first half and, when a good chance did come his way in injury time, he hooked the ball horribly wide.

  Luis Diaz (4.5/10):

  Arguably Liverpool's liveliest attacker – but that's not saying much at all. The Colombian threatened to get in behind a couple of times while he also teed up Jota with a neat knockdown but, overall, Diaz continues to flatter to deceive.

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  Subs & Manager

  Curtis Jones (5.5/10):

  Immediately added some much-needed energy to Liverpool's game and very nearly scored shortly after coming on for Konate shortly after the restart.

  Darwin Nunez (5/10):

  Took over up front from Jota but failed to make an impact.

  Cody Gakpo (5/10):

  Replaced Mac Allister midway through the second half but still doesn't look match-fit.

  Federico Chiesa (7.5/10):

  A very rare outing for the Italian, who was introduced with 17 minutes remaining, and he pulled a goal back with a well-timed run and good finish.

  Harvey Elliott (7/10):

  Part of a double-substitution with Chiesa and did wonderfully well to create a goal for Chiesa by winning the ball in midfield and then playing a lovely through-ball.

  Arne Slot (4/10):

  The former Feyenoord coach has done a great job since taking over Liverpool last summer, but questions will rightly be asked of Slot after his lame loss, chief among them: why was Mac Allister tasked with marking Burn on corners?! The decisions to start Jota up front, and Jones on the bench, will also be queried…

Arne Slot could be praised for many things, but his uncanny ability to identify the richest vein of fluency and grasp and sustain it at Liverpool has worked wonders.

Rotation is not enforced freely this season. While Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo regularly jockey for stardom on the left wing, and Kostas Tsimikas is enjoying minutes at left-back, the Dutch tactician has refrained from making sweeping changes thus far – despite the congested nature of Liverpool’s fixture list.

On the opening day of the season, Jarell Quansah was handed a significant show of faith when placed alongside Virgil van Dijk at Ipswich Town, but he was replaced by Ibrahima Konate at half-time, with Slot frustrated by a (collective) lack of success in the duel. Someone had to go. Konate has started every Premier League outing since.

Now, against Southampton, who Liverpool meet in the top flight on Sunday after the November international break, the Reds might be forced to ring a number of changes, for injuries, while not severe, are starting to slide wintry tendrils into the squad.

The biggest concern would probably be Trent Alexander-Arnold, who pulled out of England duty after injuring his hamstring against Aston Villa two weeks ago. Slot has confirmed that he will be absent, and may miss the midweek Champions League clash against Real Madrid too.

Who then should replace the one-of-a-kind defender on the South Coast tomorrow?

1

The Obvious Choice

Conor Bradley

Maybe we got a bit carried away. When Conor Bradley burst onto the scene last year, it felt for all the world that Liverpool had plucked a prodigy capable of dominating at right-back from the offing.

The thing is though, Alexander-Arnold is a generational talent and Bradley, though exciting and sparkling with potential, would be hard done by if expected to play that role with regularity, to the same degree, should the Reds’ vice-captain leave next summer.

Still, though, Bradley’s not exactly a bad prospect. He’s endowed with a balanced skill set but has an “eye-catching” attacking approach, as The Athletic’s James Pearce noted, that lends itself to success in Slot’s system.

He’s not like Alexander-Arnold, though. While both are creative and high-level attacking outlets, Bradley’s pace and dribbling serves as the nuts and bolts of his style; he drives forward, penetrating lines and fizzing balls inward to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez.

Alexander-Arnold, conversely, has probably the best range of passing of any full-back in history. Quite a claim, but not without substance: Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even remarked that “it’s like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back” when waxing lyrical about the 26-year-old’s strengths.

Bradley’s the most obvious replacement, but Slot is blessed with a few alternative options that he may want to consider.

2

The Senior Option

Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez has been used sparingly under Slot’s wing, and perhaps he resents the missed opportunity to end his storied Anfield career this summer, having been tipped for a transfer away in August.

It didn’t happen, and in fairness, Gomez is Liverpool’s longest-serving first-team player with a deep love for the club. Sure, he’ll have wanted more than the three substitute appearances he has been afforded in the Premier League this season, and now might be his chance.

Gomez is a highly versatile defender who has even been entrusted with a deep-sitting midfield role on occasion in the past, operating industriously and selflessly.

He’s certainly a different kind of player than Alexander-Arnold, but Gomez could be the perfect option to sit behind Salah and provide him with stability as the talismanic attacker looks to continue his incredible start to the campaign, with ten goals and ten assists apiece across 17 matches.

Should Slot decide against this option as well, Liverpool’s options would be slim. However, there could be a rogue shout to start an up-and-coming talent in a new role, having plied his trade exclusively at centre-back since breaking into the Liverpool first team.

3

The Wildcard Pick

Jarell Quansah

The wildcard. Quansah is a centre-back but played at right-back prominently throughout his youth career, with his physicality and robust athleticism lending itself to moonlit success in the role.

He’s got attacking qualities that could see him, in part, compensate for Alexander-Arnold’s absence. FBref record that the 21-year-old ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs for goal scored per 90 over the past year. He’s also been described as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Moreover, he racked up three assists across five Carabao Cup matches en route to the title last season, so clearly has a creative spark that Liverpool could benefit from at right-back, albeit to a lesser degree than the likes of Alexander-Arnold and Bradley.

Slot may not go for this one. It’s definitely left-field. But it’s food for thought in any case. Quansah will be desperate to prove himself worthy of a prominent role in the Merseysiders’ team, and alongside Konate, might prove to become a weirdly workable right-sided partnership.

Well, one thing’s for certain: whatever happens at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Liverpool are going to be weakened by Alexander-Arnold’s injury absence. How will they ensure that victory is still secured?

Liverpool thought they had the next Alonso, but then he left for £0

Before Bajcetic, Liverpool sold a flop who was supposed to be the next Xabi Alonso.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 23, 2024

Pumas will host Sergio Ramos and Rayados this Sunday in Matchday 12 of the Clausura 2025

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• Efraín Juárez has a record of two wins and one draw as Pumas' head coach.

• Sergio Ramos has three goals in three games with Monterrey

• are on an eight-match winless streak against Rayados.

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pumas will host Rayados this Sunday in Matchday 12 of the Clausura 2025, a game with added buzz as former Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos visits Mexico City.

  Wherever Ramos plays, fans turn out in droves, and Mexican supporters are eager to see one of football's most decorated defenders in action.

  Pumas' second captain, Pablo Bennevendo, welcomed the challenge of facing the Spanish legend.

  "It's a beautiful experience to go up against players of that level," Bennevendo said. "We know his quality and the history he has. I'd put him in my top five defenders. It's amazing – you see him on TV one day, and the next, you're facing him. But beyond that, I see him as a rival and an opponent. I will give my all to come out on top in this match."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This will be the second time Ramos visits the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The Spanish defender was present in the match where Rayados and Cruz Azul drew 1-1, even scoring his team's goal. Martín Demichelis' squad is coming off an elimination in the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup at the hands of Whitecaps, so they will be looking to get back on the winning track against Pumas.

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  WHAT PABLO BENNEVENDO SAID

  "I don't know if we will arrive as favorites or not, but we go with the intention of winning the match, as we always have," Pablo Bennevendo said. "As I mentioned before, Monterrey has a good squad and quality players. We expect a Monterrey that is coming for everything."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Pumas is on a negative streak of eight matches without defeating in all competitions. The last time the managed to beat Monterrey was in the Clausura 2022 with a 2-0 victory.

Leeds United return from the international break as they prepare to travel to Wales to take on Swansea City in the Championship this afternoon.

The Whites have had to wait until the majority of the other teams in the league played on Friday and Saturday, and now know that they can move into the automatic promotion places with a win over the Swans.

Daniel Farke’s side secured a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road in their last match before the break, and will be looking to build on that with another three points.

However, there were still some underwhelming performances from Leeds players in that victory over Marti Cifuentes’ team, with Manor Solomon potentially in danger of losing his place in the XI.

Manor Solomon's performance against QPR

The Tottenham Hotspur loanee was selected to start on the left flank against QPR and failed to make the most of his opportunity to impress.

In his 72 minutes on the pitch for Leeds, the Israel international missed a ‘big chance’ and failed to create any chances for his teammates, with that miss coming in the second half after his shot from close range was smothered by Paul Nardi.

Solomon failed with both of his attempted dribbles and lost five of his eight duels throughout the game, which shows that QPR’s players found it far too easy to get the better of him.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The 25-year-old flop has now gone seven Championship games without a goal or an assist, since recording an assist against Hull on his debut, and Farke must ruthlessly drop him to the bench after another match without an attacking contribution.

The player who should replace Manor Solomon for Leeds

Dan James was on the bench against QPR and bringing him back in from the start would allow the German head coach to drop Solomon out of the starting line-up.

The Wales international had started the three league games prior to the last match and should be brought straight back into the XI for this afternoon’s clash with Swansea.

James, who was once hailed as “different class” by Ally McCoist, has begun this season with a return of two goals and three ‘big chances’ created in six Championship starts, which shows that he has been far more involved at the top end of the pitch than Solomon has been.

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh speedster also proved his worth in the second tier during the 2023/24 campaign, with regular quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

The former Manchester United winger has the ability to provide a regular threat as a scorer and can break down opposition defences to create chances for his teammates on a regular basis, which is why he is such a key player for the Whites.

Better than Joseph: Leeds missed out on a "world-class" star in the making

Leeds United were once interested in a deal to sign the teenage sensation.

1

By
Dan Emery

Nov 20, 2024

With this in mind, Solomon must be ruthlessly dropped to the bench after his poor showing last time out in order for James to be unleashed from the start, with Wilfried Gnonto moving over to the left wing with the Welshman on the right.

Everything you need to know about Lorenzo insigne's salary at Toronto FC

Italy's Lorenzo Insigne is often hailed as one of the best attackers to have played at Napoli, but after spending over a decade with his boyhood club, the winger finally decided to embark on a new venture as he joined MLS side Toronto FC.

Given his experience in both Serie A and the Italian national team, Insigne became one of the highest-paid players in the team, but exactly how much does the Italian maestro earn playing in Toronto?

GOAL delved into the numbers with the MLS salary guide and found out!

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• Lorenzo Insigne's wages at Toronto FC in numbers

  Insigne earns$296,153 (£228,042) per week under the terms of his current contract at Toronto.

  His annual salary scales up to $15.4 million (£11.8m), making him the top earner at the club by quite some distance, while he is also one of the top earners across the league.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in USD	Weekly wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP
  Lorenzo Insigne	Italian	$296,153	£228,042	$15,400,000	£11,858,194

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  Top earners at Toronto FC

  Lorenzo Insigne sits comfortably at the top of Toronto's wage bill, earning more than double that of second-placed Federico Bernardeschi, another former Serie A midfielder who played for Juventus.

  Following the former Serie A stars are Canadian internationals Richie Laryea and Jonathan Osorio, occupying the third and fourth spots, respectively.

  Meanwhile, rounding off the top five at number five is Norwegian center-back Sigurd Rosted.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in USD	Weekly wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP
  Lorenzo Insigne	Italian	$296,153	£228,042	$15,400,000	£11,858,194
  Federico Bernardeschi	Italian	$121,065	£93,221	$6,295,381	£4,847,522
  Richie Laryea	Canadian	$25,566	£19,686	$1,329,438	£1,023,684
  Jonathan Osorio	Canadian	$16,084	£12,384	$836,369	£644,014
  Sigurd Rosted	Norwegian	$14,519	£11,179	$755,000	£581,359

• Top 5 earners in MLS

  Currently, former Barcelona icon Lionel Messi leads the charts in terms of salary in MLS.

  Meanwhile, Insigne follows in second place, followed by another former Barcelona star in Sergio Busquets.

  Federico Bernardeschi and Emil Forsberg round off the list in fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in USD	Weekly wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP
  Lionel Messi	Inter Miami	$393,205	£302,772	$20,446,667	£15,744,191
  Lorenzo Insigne	Toronto FC	$296,153	£228,042	$15,400,000	£11,858,194
  Sergio Busquets	Inter Miami	$168,749	£129,938	$8,774,996	£6,756,857
  Federico Bernardeschi	Toronto FC	$121,065	£93,221	$6,295,381	£4,847,522
  Emil Forsberg	New York Red Bulls	$116,070	£89,540	$6,035,625	£4,660,000

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  Highest paid players in the world

  Although MLS players earn substantial wages, their salaries appear modest compared to the world's top earners, with no MLS stars making the top-five list globally.

  At the top is the ageless Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr. In second place is Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema, while Riyad Mahrez of Al Ahli secures the third spot.

  Meanwhile, Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly round off the list at third and fourth position, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages USD	Weekly wages GBP	Annual wages USD	Annual wages GBP
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	$4,166,513	£3,224,935	$215,658,680	£167,696,622
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	$2,083,257	£1,612,468	$108,329,340	£83,848,311
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	$1,087,460	£841,708	$56,547,915	£43,768,818
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	$833,033	£644,987	$43,331,736	£33,539,324
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	$722,890	£559,526	$37,590,281	£29,095,364

Nottingham Forest are plotting a move in January to sign an in-demand new midfielder worth just shy of £30m. The Reds will be hoping their impressive form in this campaign can continue right until the end, as they could make a surprise challenge for a European spot.

Marinakis planning Nottingham Forest January swoop for £60m striker

Forest are looking to beat a host of Premier League teams to the signing of a young star.

By
Brett Worthington

Dec 4, 2024

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Nuno Espirito Santo has so far defied all odds and got Forest away from any threat of relegation and instead competing near the top end of the Premier League table. They have Chris Wood to thank for a lot of this season, but Nuno will not want to keep relying on one player.

Indeed, Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on Forest’s radar ahead of January, as the striker is still yet to sign a new deal at Goodison Park, which means he will enter the New Year with only six months on his deal remaining, and this could force the Toffees into selling their forward.

Brighton’s Evan Ferguson has also emerged on the Reds’ radar, as they are looking to make a permanent move for the Irish striker in January. There are several Premier League teams looking into a possible loan deal, but Forest are ready to test Brighton’s resolve by offering a permanent deal. Their January business may not stop there, as Forest are also among the teams keeping a watchful eye on an Italian midfielder.

Nottingham Forest plotting move for Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli

According to TBR Football, Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Nicolo Fagioli from Juventus in January. The Italian international looks set to leave the Serie A giants in the New Year, as he’s fallen out of favour under manager Thiago Motta.

The 23-year-old has featured in 15 games in all competitions this season, with only six coming as starts, as he’s found himself behind Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram in the pecking order.

The report states Fagioli, who is a similar player to Bernardo Silva according to FBref’s comparison metrics, is available for a loan or a permanent switch in January. Teams such as Forest, Man City, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Crystal Palace are interested in signing the midfielder.

However, these teams face competition from European sides such as Atalanta, Napoli, Marseille and RB Leipzig. Juventus are open to selling Fagioli as long as they receive a fee of €35 million (£29 million), but a loan with a buy option looks more likely to happen.

Antony took charge of Real Betis celebrations after playing a key role in the comeback derby victory over Sevilla, but Manuel Pellegrini demands more.

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• Real Betis edged out Sevilla 2-1
• Antony was once again impressive
• Was ecstatic after inspiring Betis to sixth consecutive league win

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a turbulent spell at Manchester United, Brazilian winger Antony appears to have rediscovered his form in La Liga with Betis. Since arriving on loan, the 25-year-old has made a significant impact, scoring four goals and providing four assists in just 12 matches. His revival continued on Sunday night as he played a crucial role in Betis’ 2-1 comeback victory over Sevilla, ensuring his side emerged victorious in the fiercely contested Seville derby.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following the final whistle, as Betis supporters stayed behind at the Estadio Benito Villamarin to celebrate their team’s sixth consecutive La Liga victory, Antony took center stage in the festivities. The winger, visibly energized by the win, waved the club’s flag enthusiastically, having removed his shirt in the midst of the celebrations. The former Ajax star further embraced the moment when goalkeeper Adrian, who joined Betis on a free transfer last summer after leaving Liverpool, lifted him into the air in front of the euphoric crowd. Antony’s passionate reaction to the win underlined how much the club's supporters have already welcomed him into their ranks.

• WATCH THE CLIP

• WHAT PELLEGRINI SAID ABOUT ANTONY

  While Antony's performances have earned praise, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini insists that there is still room for growth and urged him to reach even greater heights.

  He told reporters: “I'm very happy for him, because he has a lot of potential and was going through a rough patch. The way we're playing is really good for him. He needs to improve because he can be more influential.”