قرر الإيطالي روبرتو مانشيني، المدير الفني لمنتخب السعودية، استبعاد 3 لاعبين من قائمة الأخضر لبطولة كأس أمم آسيا 2023، وضم ثلاثة آخرين، رغم انطلاق المسابقة القارية، أمس السبت.
وانطلقت بطولة كأس أمم آسيا، أمس السبت، بحفل افتتاح رائع، على ملعب استاد “لوسيل”، والذي شهد المباراة الأولى بين قطر (البلد المستضيف) ولبنان، وانتهت بفوز العنابي بثلاثية دون رد.
طالع | مدرب قطر: دفنا الوصول إلى نهائي كأس آسيا.. واللاعبون اكتسبوا خبرات من كأس العالم
وقرر مانشيني استبعاد الثلاثي، أيمن يحيى وعباس الحسن ونواف العقيدي، من قائمة المنتخب السعودي، وضم الثلاثي محمد البريك، طلال حاجي، ومحمد اليامي.
ويتواجد منتخب السعودية في المجموعة السادسة ببطولة كأس آسيا التي تضم إلى جواره عمان وتايلاند وقيرغيزيا.
ومن المقرر أن يفتتح المنتخب السعودي مبارياته في بطولة كأس أمم آسيا 2023، أمام نظيره عمان، يوم الثلاثاء المُقبل، في الجولة الأولى من مرحلة المجموعات.
— المدير الفني روبرتو مانشيني يضم الثلاثي " محمد البريك ، طلال حاجي ، محمد اليامي " لقائمة الأخضر النهائية لكأس آسيا 2023 📝⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ZZlR9aKJ1z
Journalist Dean Jones has claimed it is "pretty significant" Tottenham Hotspur remain in the hunt for Luis Enrique amid recent links.
What's the latest Luis Enrique on and Spurs?
Things are going pretty badly for Spurs this season and even the exit of former boss Antonio Conte hasn't helped ease any problems on the field.
After all, Talksport pundit Jamie O'Hara slammed interim boss Cristian Stellini recently after the Premier League loss
to Bournemouth on the weekend at home, claiming the Italian "hasn't got a clue".
With that being the case, fans will be desperate for Daniel Levy to get his next managerial appointment spot on. And the club have been linked with Luis Enrique with reports in the media claiming suggesting Tottenham are keen on the 52-year-old.
Now, the former Barcelona boss has been touted in the media as a possible option even before Conte left and insider Jones believes it is "significant" that the rumours have not died down yet.
When talking on Chasing Green Arrows, the journalist said (10:29): “Spurs and Chelsea both want Luis Enrique as manager at the moment, they're both looking into that.
"It's pretty significant that Tottenham [are] still showing interest in him here.”
Does Luis Enrique want to work in the Premier League?
The 52-year-old Spaniard has actually been on the record about hoping to come to England and manage in the Premier League one day.
Indeed, he told Cadena Ser radio (via FourFourTwo): "I follow above all the Premier [League] because I would like to go to England to work.
"I wouldn't go to any team but to one that could do important things, which greatly reduces the number. I don't put my hopes up, really, because there are many candidates.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Round of 16 – Morocco v Spain – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar – December 6, 2022 Spain coach Luis Enrique REUTERS/Matthew Childs
"I am lucky because my personal life fills me up. That it takes longer, that no offers arrive, well, it is what it is. I would go to a team with possibilities. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't work in Spain."
The only concern for Spurs there is the fact that he says he only wants to go to a team that can do "important things".
With that in mind, he may have looked at how serial winners Conte, Jose Mourinho and others have all failed to lift a trophy during their spells in north London.
However, seeing as the rumours remain, Luis Enrique clearly hasn't ruled himself out of the Tottenham job just yet. And so, it certainly could be significant that he remains a candidate at this stage.
Liverpool have conducted a scouting mission to assess Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson, according to a recent report.
Will Liverpool sign a striker this summer?
The Reds may need to bring in a new striker in the summer transfer window, given that Roberto Firmino has decided to call time on his stay at Anfield, informing Jurgen Klopp that he is uninterested in extending his contract. According to French outlet L'Equipe (via the Metro) Randal Kolo Muani could be targeted by Klopp, however the Frankfurt forward would not come cheap, given that the Bundesliga club are set to demand €100m (£88m) to sanction his departure.
Liverpool have also been linked with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, but they would have to break the bank to sign the Nigerian, as his current club are said to value him at £100m, an amount Chelsea are willing to match.
Now, according to a report from 90min, the Reds are also interested in making a move for Ferguson, having conducted a scouting mission to assess the Brighton forward, a player they have been aware of since he was 16-years-old. However, there is likely to be a great deal of competition for the Irishman's signature, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Napoli headlining the interest from abroad, while he also has plenty of potential suitors in the Premier League.
That said, the 18-year-old could still commit his long-term future to Brighton, as he is believed to be happy at the Amex Stadium, and is in line for a new, much-improved contract.
Would Evan Ferguson be a good signing for Liverpool?
The starlet has been very impressive in the most recent international break, scoring his first goal for his national side in a 3-2 victory against Latvia, adding to the eight senior goals he has scored for Brighton so far this season.
Before Ireland's most recent match, a narrow 1-0 loss at home to France, the £3k-per-week youngster was hailed by none other than Kylian Mbappe, who described him as a 'very good striker', adding onto praise he's already received from the media this season, with journalist Andy Naylor dubbing him a 'beast'.
Republic of Ireland's Evan Ferguson celebrates scoring their second goal.
Firmino has been a fantastic servant to Liverpool, managing to pick up 15 goal contributions this season despite game time becoming more limited, and Klopp will definitely need to replace him in the summer. Ferguson looks to be a fantastic young prospect, and his form with Brighton indicates he's already not far off first-team level.
Crystal Palace are interested in a deal to bring Middlesbrough forward Isaiah Jones to the Premier League, according to reports.
What's the latest on Jones to Palace?
The Championship winger’s contract at the Riverside Stadium isn’t set to expire until 2025, but having fallen out of favour since the arrival of Michael Carrick – featuring in just 14 of his 22 league outings – he has been linked with an exit this summer.
The Sun first credited the Eagles with an initial interest in the 23-year-old back in October as the hierarchy were plotting to make a move in January, but they were soon dealt a blow in their pursuit of the starlet.
Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer expert Graeme Bailey revealed that the north-east outfit weren’t willing to sell their prized asset at the start of the year due to wanting to keep their best talents in the building to help their push for promotion, but it seems that they have since had a change of heart regarding a sale during the upcoming window.
According to Football League World, Middlesbrough will “allow” Jones to leave this summer, with Carrick nor the board set to “stand in his way” should he want to move on.
Palace, West Ham and Bournemouth are all “keen” to secure his services, whilst there is also “interest” from the second tier in the form of Millwall, Norwich and Sunderland. The Lambeth-born talent is “likely” expected to move back down south having been brought up in London before joining Boro, which could be a potential advantage for Roy Hodgson's side.
Middlesbrough forward Isaiah Jones.
Should Palace make a move for Jones?
Middlesbrough may not want to keep Jones beyond the summer, but having been dubbed a "full-back's nightmare" by journalist Josh Bunting, he could be an excellent acquisition for the boss should the board be successful in bringing him to Palace.
The £3.1k-p/w talent has recorded 12 assists and scored four goals in 78 senior appearances for Middlesbrough, while showcasing his desire to burst down the flank and whip crosses into the box – with 75 to his name this season.
The 37 Sport client also ranks in the 99th percentile for most touches in the attacking penalty area and the 98th for progressive carries among players in his position and level of competition over the past year (via FBref), so he's always looking to dribble past his marker and make the magic happen in the opposition's box.
Finally, Jones would add plenty of versatility to Hodgson's squad having operated in the midfield and on either wing, as well as at centre-forward, which would allow the manager to be more flexible in his team selection, making this deal even more of a no-brainer to complete.
Ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s arrival at Wolves in November, Nelson Semedo didn’t look to have much of a future at Molineux.
How has Semedo played for Wolves?
The Portuguese right-back joined Wolves from Barcelona in a £28m deal back in 2020 but has struggled to justify his transfer fee in his three years in the Midlands.
In total, the 29-year-old has made 92 appearances for the Old Gold, contributing two goals and four assists, arguably failing to live up to his reputation as an attacking right-back, having notched double figures for assists in his time with Benfica and Barcelona.
The former Portugal international has struggled most with defending, with the Athletic’s Tim Spiers labelling him a “liability at the back” in 2021, which has certainly proven to be the case on a number of occasions.
Semedo’s performance against Brighton and Hove Albion earlier in the season, ahead of Lopetegui’s arrival, perhaps summed up his time in a Wolves shirt best, as he was tormented by Kaoru Mitoma throughout the game and received a first-half red card.
However, Lopetegui has clearly worked on Wolves’ defensive set-up as a whole and Semedo has clearly benefitted, with the defender’s vast improvement one of the key reasons that the Old Gold are now looking up the table rather than over their shoulder at the relegation battle.
The right-back was also nominated for the February player of the month award and earned plenty of praise from Lopetegui for his recent upturn in form.
The Spanish manager said: “He’s showing that he is a good player, above all. He loves football and works very hard every day. He is very focused now.
“I can only talk about my experience with him here and we are happy with him.”
Despite him averaging a disappointing 6.53 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League this season, Semedo has earned above a 7/10 rating in recent wins against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as a strong display in the 1-1 draw against high-flying Fulham.
Although his current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, it was reported recently that Wolves would activate the extension in his deal to ensure that he remains at Molineux for the 2023/24 campaign.
After his impressive displays under Lopetegui, fans will no doubt be looking forward to seeing how the Portuguese defender continues to improve under the Spanish manager next season, in what represents a huge turnaround for the right-back in the opinion of the fans.
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount’s future at the club has further been thrown into doubt with the news that his father is eyeing up a move for his son.
The Lowdown: Mount on the move?
The future of the 24-year-old has been a major talking of late, with contract talks at an impasse and neither party looking likely to budge at this point.
Mount has been linked with a move away numerous times in recent months, with Liverpool arguably emerging as the front-runners to snap him up at this point.
The midfielder’s current Chelsea deal expires at the end of next season, so realistically, this summer will be the best time to sell if he doesn’t agree an extension at Stamford Bridge.
A new update regarding the situation has now emerged – one that further suggests that Mount could be moving on to pastures new in the near future.
The Latest: Key update emerges
According to Football Insider, Mount has ‘dropped the biggest signal yet’ regarding his potential exit this summer, with his father mandating an agent to ‘sound out interest in his services’.
It is stated that a price tag of £60-70million has been slapped on the England international’s shoulders, which if met, will be enough to prise him away from west London.
The Verdict: Feels increasingly likely
For a long time, the idea of Mount leaving Chelsea seemed unthinkable, given his lifelong affiliation with the club and the fact that he has always appeared happy there.
Things have clearly changed, however, and it could simply be that he feels under-appreciated in terms of his contract, as he looks to earn more than his current £80,000 per week.
Mount has certainly not had his best season for Chelsea overall, scoring just three times in 23 Premier League appearances, and he hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes since the 1-0 victory at home to Crystal Palace back in January.
The hope is that the 36-cap England international can end up agreeing an extension with the Blues – he has been described as an ‘unbelievable’ footballer by Joe Cole – but it does feel increasingly likely that he could end up plying his trade at a rival club next season, which will be a strange sight for supporters.
His love for Chelsea does mean that a sudden change in the current situation is possible but this latest update is further proof that an exit arguably now feels like the most likely outcome during the summer transfer window.
Aston Villa landed a coup earlier this season when they convinced Unai Emery to part ways with Spanish side Villarreal to replace Steven Gerrard at the helm.
The ex-Arsenal head coach has won seven of his 12 Premier League matches in charge of the club and averaged 1.83 points per game in the division, which comes after the English boss won two of his first 11 clashes and averaged 0.82 points per outing.
Emery has clearly made a significant impact on the side and could continue to do so in the years to come, with his wealth of experience at the top level likely to stand him in good stead moving forward.
The Spaniard has worked with some of the best players in the world throughout his career and could use his knowledge to improve the players he currently has at his disposal.
Who is Unai Emery’s next Dani Alves?
One player who has the potential to thrive under his management is Poland international Matty Cash, who has caught the eye in recent matches after a spell out of the side.
The £80k-per-week full-back won 22 of his 28 duels and completed 11 tackles in the wins over Everton and Crystal Palace combined, whilst assisting a goal in the defeat to Arsenal and forcing an own goal to beat the Eagles.
Emery could turn the defender into his new Dani Alves after working with the 126-cap Brazil international, who has racked up 178 club assists in his career, at Paris Saint-Germain.
The ex-Barcelona star was a threat from right-back as he scored five goals and provided nine assists in 41 competitive matches under the Spaniard’s management, which shows that the Brazilian was able to provide consistent quality in his delivery from the back.
Cash could benefit from the head coach’s experience of working with such a talent by developing his game and becoming a reliable forward threat in the coming months and years.
Illustrating this point, the ex-Nottingham Forest man heaped praise on his manager for helping the attacking side of his performances to thrive.
He said: “I love doing it (attacking). As a modern day FB, a lot of us like to attack. This manager is so tactically good that he tells me when I can go and when not to go. Today I chose the right time to go, I got fed in and we scored from it. That’s exactly what he is on about. He shows he’s a tactical master.”
Cash, who was once described as “consistent” and a “real threat” by Alex McLeish, showcased his potential to offer quality in the final third with four goals and three assists in the Premier League last season.
At the age of 25, the dynamo also has plenty of time left to develop and grow but Emery’s coaching could help him to reach the next level – potentially even making him the manager’s next Alves in the process.
West Bromwich Albion fans have had plenty to smile about this season, with Carlos Corberan having masterminded a sensational turnaround in form that has seen them become genuine promotion candidates.
It is a far cry from the Steve Bruce regime, where relegation seemed the more likely conclusion to the season.
One of the few benefits of his tenure was the emergence of Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who truly cemented himself as a fine first-team option for the Baggies.
The young midfielder offered a glowing recommendation for their academy, which is currently brimming with talent all vying for a spot in the first team. One such star is hulking striker Jovan Malcolm.
Can Malcolm be West Brom’s next Lukaku?
The 20-year-old marksman has been excelling this season for the U21s, with his lethal nature and physique likely to draw comparisons to former loanee Romelu Lukaku.
Although the Belgian only spent a season at the Hawthorns, his impact was monumental. He would score 17 times and assist a further seven, using his pace and strength to terrorise defences during the 2012/13 campaign.
This would be translated into long-term Premier League success, as his exploits at Everton led to him becoming their all-time top scorer in the division.
Now, in Malcolm, they have a youngster who boasts all the attributes to emulate the goalscoring machine. He even admitted the need to “bully” defenders when the occasion demands, as he recounted the goal on his senior debut from last month.
It marked one of six he has scored this season for the ‘powerful, lively and pacy attacker’ – as dubbed by West Brom’s official channels – with the bulk of them coming in the Premier League 2. There, he has six goal contributions in just ten games.
Although Lukaku may have struggled upon his fairytale return to Chelsea, Reece James’s admission of his immense presence could draw further similarities between himself and Malcolm. The English defender noted: “I can’t really think of any other players like him in the world. How strong he is and how powerful, everyone he just comes up against he bullies.”
With both strikers having been noted as physical anomalies who know how to utilise their size, perhaps the young West Brom hopeful could look to the legendary Belgian as someone to emulate.
With Daryl Dike also thriving, the future of striking is bright in this part of the Midlands, who all seem to fit that stellar Lukaku mould.
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa face the unenviable task of travelling away from home to face reigning Premier League champions Manchester City later this afternoon.
The Villans have already beaten Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United during the Spaniard’s time in charge of the club and, therefore, have proven that they can go to the leading teams in the division and pick up results.
However, Villa head into the match off the back of a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Leicester City on their own turf last time out in the top-flight.
Will Lucas Digne be dropped against Manchester City?
Ahead of their clash with the Foxes, journalist Ashley Preece described the left-back competition between Alex Moreno and Lucas Digne as a nice “problem” for the manager to have.
Emery selected the latter from the start against Brendan Rodgers’ side and was let down by the French international as the former Everton man put in a woeful first-half performance.
As per Sofascore, Digne lost 100% of his individual duels and failed to make a single tackle, block or interception, whilst being dribbled past once. This shows that the full-back was bullied by the opposition and did not compete well enough in physical battles to gain an advantage for his side.
He was also caught out for Leicester’s second and third goals as the defender allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to run past him in the six-yard box to head past Emi Martinez before allowing Tete to get a free run at Tyrone Mings for the third.
Will Alex Moreno start against Manchester City?
Moreno came on to replace him at half-time and put up more of a fight by winning two of his three individual battles, whilst also completing 100% of his attempted dribbles.
The Spaniard was caught out in behind for Leicester’s fourth goal, after attempting to sweep up behind Mings, but the ex-Real Betis battler showed more signs of quality than Digne did in his time on the pitch.
Moreno, who has won 67% of his aerial duels in the Premier League since arriving at the club, was once dubbed “tough” by journalist Josh Bunting and Emery could need the 5 foot 9 gem’s strong defending to keep the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Kevin de Bruyne quiet today.
Digne’s disappointing performance against the Foxes suggests that the dud would be ripped to shreds and bullied by Pep Guardiola’s side and that is why the head coach must solve his left-back problem by unleashing the January signing from the start.
Liverpool could be set to refresh their stale squad this summer following a difficult season so far for Jurgen Klopp, and a new potential transfer target has been identified.
What’s the latest?
According to The Daily Mail, the Reds are eyeing a summer swoop for Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, who is currently on loan with PSV Eindhoven.
As per the report, Liverpool, Manchester United and Roma will all be sending scouts to watch the 20-year-old next week, as he has been attracting attention due to his fine form in the Eredivisie.
He’s a Gomez upgrade
There is no doubt that Klopp will be assessing his options all over the pitch after the performances that his Liverpool squad have turned in over the past few weeks and months.
The Reds are currently tenth in the Premier League table and 11 points adrift from a Champions League qualifying place inside the top four, whilst also being knocked out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup already.
However, while the midfield arguably remains the most pressing concern on Merseyside, the opportunity to strengthen their defensive presence by snapping up the services of Branthwaite is not one to be missed.
The 20-year-old Everton academy graduate has been given the chance to prove his worth on a season-long loan with PSV, and in turn he has begun to attract interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world due to his impressive performances.
Across 14 Eredivisie appearances, Branthwaite – hailed as a “great talent” by his current manager Ruud van Nistlerooy – has scored one goal and tallied an 88% pass completion rate, averaging 42.3 accurate passes, 3.4 clearances and 2.9 successful duels per game.
In fact, Klopp could land an upgrade on Joe Gomez, as the on-loan youngster has already outperformed the Liverpool defender this season in several important attributes, including pass completion (88.5% v 84.5%), percentage of dribblers tackled (63.6% v 62.5%), clearances (48 v 39) and fewer errors leading to shots on goal (0 v 2).
The 20-year-old also comes out on top over Gomez in terms of average Sofascore rating for the current campaign, with Branthwaite earning 6.96 in league action in comparison to the 25-year-old’s 6.86.
Furthermore, both Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk are into their 30s at this point and showing signs of slowing down, with the pair both picking up injury problems more regularly, so Branthwaite could offer Klopp a young, energetic and high-quality option at the back.
With that in mind, signing the 20-year-old would be a great piece of business for Liverpool in their pursuit to build the next generation of success at Anfield, although convincing their Merseyside rivals to part ways with their young talent won’t be easy.