All posts by z3u9t.icu

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Mauricio Pochettino has made a grievous error.

The Tottenham Hotspur manager went to bat for Christian Eriksen on Tuesday, insisting that he remains fully committed to the club and that his performances are the same as they were five years ago, per The London Evening Standard.

Now, first of all, it has to be said that it was unlikely Pochettino was going to throw the Denmark international under the bus in public.

But, at the same time, the continued selection of Eriksen suggests that the former Southampton boss actually believes what he is saying, that he thinks this is the same attacking midfielder that was at the club previously.

Football FanCast has already broken down that assertion, with the player on a statistical downswing.

And one has to ask what has happened to the manager who was previously so ruthless.

Pochettino joined Spurs in 2014 and, in his first transfer window as manager, he oversaw the acquisition of six players – Ben Davies, Michel Vorm, Eric Dier, DeAndre Yedlin, Federico Fazio and Benjamin Stambouli. The likes of Heurelho Gomes, Jake Livermore, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Michael Dawson and Sandro were all moved on. Dele Alli was signed in January and loaned back to MK Dons.

In terms of departures, it was a similar story the following summer, as Paulinho, Lewis Holtby, Etienne Capoue, Younes Kaboul, Stambouli, Vlad Chiriches and Roberto Soldado were sold.

They didn’t fit the Pochettino mould, so out they went as players like Son Heung-Min and Toby Alderweireld arrived. Think too of Andros Townsend, Emmanuel Adebayor, Aaron Lennon, Ryan Mason, Nabil Bentaleb and Fazio. Once it became clear they either weren’t good enough or didn’t fit, they were told to leave.

Kyle Walker was a prominent example of a player who reportedly suggested he wanted to leave and was told to do just that, joining Manchester City.

Why, then, is Pochettino suddenly showing loyalty to a player who has both admitted his desire to leave and then subsequently underperformed?

Eriksen has scored two goals and registered one assist all season. Against Everton and Liverpool, he failed to complete a single dribble or make a single tackle, per WhoScored.

One feels that, if we were five years in the past, this Eriksen would have been moved on and sold to the first bidder that came knocking, with Pochettino given the chance to replace him.

Instead, he remains. Every weekend, there he is, on the teamsheet, struggling for form.

It is a misjudgement from Pochettino and his defence of the player is entirely out-of-keep with the rest of his reign. That ruthlessness which once defined the Spurs boss, especially in terms of parting with big names for players who better fitted his philosophy, appears to be disappearing.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Kenny Cunningham has told Off The Ball that he would rather see Jordan Henderson in the holding role than Fabinho against Manchester City on Sunday.

What did he say?

Liverpool will face the Citizens at the Etihad this weekend in a clash that will have huge implications for the title race. The Reds currently lead the Premier League table by six points from Pep Guardiola’s side.

Ahead of the fixture, former Republic of Ireland defender Cunningham has been talking about how Jurgen Klopp and co can best combat the attacking threat the current champions have. He said: “I’m not totally convinced about him in that holding midfield position.

“We’re not arguing here if he’s a very good player or not, he is a very good player, but, as a purely defensive midfield player, going into this game against Manchester City you need a very specific skill set to deal with what David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are going to bring.

“For me, the first name on the teamsheet would be Jordan Henderson in that holding role. He has the best defensive mindset in that Liverpool midfield and it’s going to be needed.”

Reversal of roles

So far this campaign, the former AS Monaco man has made 16 appearances, including 13 starts, and all of them have come in defensive midfield. Meanwhile, Henderson has made 14 appearances, 12 of which have been in the first XI, in a slightly more advanced role just ahead of the Brazil international according to Transfermarkt.

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Therefore, it seems their positions are confirmed in Klopp’s mind, but Cunningham may be on to something. The 26-year-old has 2.5 tackles per game in the top tier this season, more than any of his teammates, but Henderson is second with 1.9, and is a player who has regularly averaged more than two in league football down the years.

What is interesting to note about Fabinho, though, is the offensive ability he possesses. Even though he plays deeper than his captain, he has averaged 1.3 key passes per match this campaign in the league compared to 0.5, whilst he is also slightly ahead in terms of dribbles with 0.6 to 0.4.

History also tells us he has a better goal return as well. His highest tally in league football is nine, whilst Henderson’s is just six.

In a more attacking role, Fabinho may be able to contribute more than the 55-time England international. Even if that does not come in this game against City, it could be something for the former Borussia Dortmund manager to contemplate moving forward as he looks to get as much as possible out of all of his midfielders.

Leicester City are interested in completing the signing of an "outstanding" Premier League attacker before the summer transfer window ends, according to reliable journalist John Percy.

Leicester transfer news

It has been a solid summer in the transfer market for the Foxes, who knew the importance of strengthening their squad after trading the Championship for the Premier League. That being said, they have also had to spend wisely amid the threat of a potential points deduction due to breaches of profit and sustainability rules.

In terms of Leicester's most significant additions of the summer to date, midfielder Oliver Skipp represents a strong addition with plenty of experience to his name at one of the biggest clubs in the country, having been at Tottenham since his youth team days.

Meanwhile, Bilal El Khannouss represents an eye-catching addition for Belgian side Genk, providing more competition in attacking areas, and the same applies to Jordan Adew, who has come in from Crystal Palace. At the other end of the pitch, Caleb Okoli could be a strong signing from reigning Europa League winners Atalanta.

There will be some Leicester supporters who will be hoping to see the club strike some late transfer business on Friday, and it looks as though that may be happening.

Leicester "exploring" move for "outstanding" forward

According to the reliable Percy on X, Leicester are keen on signing Crystal Palace striker Odsonne Edouard before deadline day reaches its conclusion. The former Celtic man cost the Eagles an initial £14m when he joined in a loan-to-buy deal from Glasgow, but has never quite found his feet at Selhurst Park.

Additional firepower is sure to be something that Steve Cooper craves in his attack, given the difficulty of finding the net in the Premier League for newly-promoted sides, and Edouard could be a shrewd addition at the King Power Stadium.

The 26-year-old has 18 goals to his name in the Premier League, showing that he knows how to be a success in the division, and during his Celtic days, Neil Lennon had this to say about him: "What we have with Odsonne is an outstanding, talented player."

In fact, Edouard's record in a Hoops shirt further outlines his ability, with 87 goals scored in 179 matches, and he also has an incredible record at youth team level for France, scoring 43 times in just 51 caps.

France Under-21s

14

17

France Under-19s

13

5

France Under-18s

9

4

France Under-17s

15

17

At 26, the Frenchman is still young enough to improve further as a player, so there don't feel like many negatives to Leicester snapping him up, offering him a route out of Palace at the same time, where he isn't a regular starter.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: summer transfer window 2024

Find every incoming and outgoing for each 2024/25 Premier League club here.

ByStephan Georgiou Sep 18, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a tricky summer transfer window, with the emphasis on moving players on before making any new additions.

Gary O’Neil’s side have sold centre-back Max Kilman and attacker Pedro Neto, to West Ham United and Chelsea respectively, raising £90m with those two departures alone.

The club have endured a tricky start to the new Premier League campaign, suffering back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Chelsea – with additions needed if they are to be competitive in 2024/25.

However, in recent days, they’ve moved closer to making new additions, with Sam Johnstone moving from Crystal Palace, whilst a deal for Brazilian midfielder Andre appears to be edging ever closer to completion.

They could also add another attacker to the side before tonight’s 11pm deadline, with a deal for one talent expected to be completed in the hours ahead.

Wolves edge closer to sign Portuguese talent

According to David Ornstein, Wolves are set to sign Carlos Forbs from Ajax.

Lyon have also been in the race to land the 20-year-old, placing a €15m (£12.6m) offer for the youngster in recent days.

He would be an excellent addition for the club, potentially following in the footsteps of one other Portuguese forward who starred at Molineux.

Why Forbs would be Neto 2.0 for Wolves

After leaving Wolves this summer, 24-year-old Neto made the club a huge chunk of money, leaving in a £54m deal, just five years after his £18m move from Lazio.

He went on to make over 100 appearances for the club, scoring 14 times – catching the eye with his dribbling ability and creativity in the final third.

His surprising departure from Molineux will undoubtedly have been disappointing for the fanbase, but Ajax man Forbs could allow them to forget about his compatriot – potentially following in his footsteps in the West Midlands.

Forbs may have been featuring in a lower-quality division last season, but managed to produce a plethora of impressive stats last season – many of which were better than Neto could muster during his final campaign at the club.

Games played

23

20

Goals + assists

6

11

Progressive passes

3.6

3.2

Shot-on-target accuracy

41%

33%

Take-on success

45%

42%

Carries into 18-yard box

2.6

2.5

Goals per shot-on-target

0.33

0.17

The “phenomenal” talent, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but managed to achieve a higher goal per shot-on-target rate than Neto – demonstrating the quality he possesses in the final third.

He also managed to put more of his efforts on target during 2023/24, whilst also completing more take-ons, showcasing the talents that he is capable of producing if given an opportunity in the Premier League.

Given their recent financial troubles, additions have been hard to come by for O’Neil’s side, with various teams around them in the Premier League strengthening in similar areas.

However, the addition of Forbs would inject added quality to the Wolves side, potentially making him the perfect replacement for Neto after his big-money move away from Molineux earlier this summer.

He's available: Wolves targeting "superstar" Dawson & Kilman hybrid

He could join them on loan

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 30, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the busier clubs in the transfer market this summer, bringing in talented youngsters like Archie Gray, Yang Min-Hyeok and Wilson Odobert, while also going big on former Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

However, with just under two weeks left until the window slams shut, Daniel Levy and Co look prepared to dip back into the market to ensure that Ange Postecoglou has the best tools available to achieve his goals this season.

In fact, one of the latest stars touted for a move to N17 is already Premier League-proven and would help solve the club's Yves Bissouma problem.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have 'set their sights' on signing Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes.

The report claims that the Brazilian international has recently 'worked his way firmly onto the capital club's radar', in part due to Rodrigo Bentancur's injury against Leicester City on Monday night, but also because they see him as an ideal fit for Postecoglou's high energy system.

However, if the Lilywhites want to get this deal done, it'll cost them, with previous reports from GIVEMEPSPORT revealing that the Old Gold wouldn't entertain offers below £50m for the 23-year-old.

It could be an expensive transfer to get over the line, but given Gomes' quality and the problems around Bissouma at the moment, it is one well worth fighting for.

How Gomes compares to Bissouma

So, before we compare the two midfielders from a statistical perspective, it's essential to recognise that one of the most significant issues with Bissouma at present is that his actions off the field have led to his suspension from the squad.

Regardless of how talented a player is, their judgment and actions away from football can detrimentally impact the club itself.

With that said, one of the reasons Gomes could be an ideal replacement is that, like the Mali international, he is a relatively versatile player who can play in either central or defensive midfield, meaning that from a positional point of view, there shouldn't be any issues with Postecoglou's tactics.

However, in order to get a better understanding of how the Wolves ace actually stacks up to the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace, we need to compare their underlying numbers, as looking at their goal involvements wouldn't really tell us much about how they operate in the central and defensive midfield.

So, who comes out on top then? Well, rather unsurprisingly, given the discussion around the Tottenham ace's performances for two-thirds of last season, it's Wolves' £50m "box-crasher", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, who comes out on top in this match-up, and unfortunately for the Lilywhites star, it's not even close.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.10

0.06

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.10

0.00

Progressive Passes

3.44

5.54

Progressive Carries

0.95

1.25

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

90.9%

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.78

0.45

Shot-Creating Actions

2.21

2.58

Goal-Creating Actions

0.14

0.09

Successful Take-Ons

0.88

0.63

Tackles Won

2.52

1.16

Blocks

1.73

1.34

Clearances

0.99

0.89

Ball Recoveries

6.22

6.07

Aerial Duels Won

0.61

0.54

For example, in most relevant metrics for a six, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace comes out on top, including, but not limited to, tackles won, blocks, clearances, ball recoveries and aerial duels won, all per 90.

He even comes out ahead in several offensive metrics as well, showing that he can do a bit of everything, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, passes into the penalty area, goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, also all per 90.

Spurs struck gold on "frightening" ace worth millions more than Skipp

The promising youngster has a very bright future ahead of him.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 21, 2024

Ultimately, considering the trouble that Bissouma has caused Spurs off the pitch this season and the fact his underlying numbers were notably worse than Gomes' last season, signing the Brazilian to replace him before the window slams shut next week sounds like a brilliant idea.

Arsenal are reportedly keen on acquiring Leicester City and England's Harvey Barnes, with Spurs and West Ham also interested in the attacker, according to The Daily Mail's Simon Jones.

How much will Harvey Barnes cost?

Barnes has consistently had good seasons since his introduction to the Leicester first-team. Coming through the academy, Barnes really established himself in the 2019-20 campaign, scoring six and assisting eight in his first season as a first choice player.

The Foxes' winger has since then directly contributed to 15, 16 and 14 goals through assists and strikes of his own up until the 2022-23 term.

Perhaps most impressively given the side's struggles as a whole, Barnes scored a valiant 13 goals last season, but was unable to save his boyhood side despite his best efforts. Barnes also boasts a singular international cap for England, featuring from the bench in a 3-0 win over Wales back in 2020.

This must all be taken into account when considering the fee The Foxes could ask for, though he was part of a side relegated last season, which severely weakens the selling club's position. The fee is reported by Leicester Mercury to be in the region on £30m, a steal in this market for a player Jurgen Klopp once referred to as an "unbelievable player".

Would Barnes be a good signing for Arsenal?

Barnes is a player who seems to have an incredibly high ceiling, over performing in a sorry Leicester side as their standout star alongside James Maddison. Barnes is also a player who seems to be adored by all of his coaches, likely for his high work rate mixed with technical ability.

Former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was a keen fan of the 25-year-old, once saying:

“Harvey I thought was incredible. His finish looked easy but it wasn’t. When you’re a young player it’s about adjusting and adapting.

"His confidence and finishing is much better. He looks like he’s going to score in every game he plays. He’s a great learner and a big talent.”

Clearly he has the talent, and Mikel Arteta is known for making young players better, so this move could be a match made in heaven for both Barnes and Arsenal – he could thrive in a competitive environment with world-class players all around him.

The young speedster however could prefer a move to a club with an easier path to the starting XI, given the impending European Championships next summer, which he will likely be eager to play in.

Arsenal will have to accept taking a "major hit" financially on winger Nicolas Pepe as he becomes open to a Saudi Arabia move this summer, according to reports.

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

After missing out on a first Premier League title in nearly 20 years, it is the task of manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu to revamp the squad as this transfer window officially opens.

Of the players who could come in, the likes of West Ham star Declan Rice and Brighton's Moises Caicedo have been heavily linked, with the Gunners also searching for a new right-back.

However, to make room for these potential additions, certain fringe players must be offloaded as Arsenal look to operate within their means and abide by FFP regulations.

There are a few nominations for the exit door, perhaps most notably Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga, Folarin Balogun and long-serving star Granit Xhaka (Goal).

January signing Jorginho has also been linked with a return to Italy, just six months after Arsenal signed him from Chelsea, and this could be the last summer for club-record signing Pepe.

According to reliable journalist Chris Wheatley, writing for 3 Added Minutes, the Ivory Coast international is "open" to leaving Arsenal and moving to Saudi Arabia – coming as the north Londoners deem him surplus-to-requirements alongside Cedric Soares.

The full sentence was: "Pepe in particular is open minded to moving to Saudi Arabia, where a flurry of marquee names have arrived in recent weeks."

However, given Pepe has just one year remaining on his contract, Arsenal will have to take a "major hit" financially on the £72.5 million they paid for his services in 2019.

Who is Nicolas Pepe?

Scoring six goals in 19 Ligue 1 appearances on loan at Nice last season, Pepe actually impressed in parts going by his attacking statistics.

According to WhoScored, the winger averaged more completed take-ons per 90 than any other player in the Nice squad, all while ranking in their top two for attempts at goal and key passes completed in the final third.

The £140,000-per-week player was even praised by Arteta for his attitude in 2022.

"Obviously he’s not responsible for the price a club paid for him," said Arsenal's manager to the media.

"He’s tried everything. His attitude has been just phenomenal. I think you have to meet the person because you have to love him for the way he is."

Despite this, though, it appears Pepe's time in north London could well be coming to an end – and it's perhaps a regrettable signing overall for the Arsenal board.

Sheffield United are expected to face some competition should they reignite their interest in Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara, according to Sheffield Star journalist James Shield.

Which clubs want to sign Glen Kamara?

The Finland international is set to leave Rangers this summer, after falling out of favour with under new manager Micheal Beale, who recently suggested that the midfielder has "been around here too long" and that the club "will probably sell him this summer".

Kamara has received a lot of interest from Ligue 1 sides in the past 12 months, with a proposed £10m move to OGC Nice on the September deadline last season falling through, whilst Nantes have registered interest in the 27-year-old ahead of this summer window.

Sheffield United were interested in the midfielder during their last Premier League campaign under former manager Chris Wilder, however, budgetary restrictions prevented a move from materializing, however with the player's value falling to just €6m (£5.1m) interest could be reignited ahead of their return to the top-flight.

The former Finland 'Player of the Year' has also been identified as a target for Turkish giants Besiktas and Super Lig champions Galatasaray, according to reports, who will be competing in next year's edition of the Champions League.

Would Glen Kamara be a good signing for Sheffield United?

As previously mentioned, Kamara was a player that the Blades considered signing during the 2020/21 campaign, and with the majority of the same recruitment staff in place at the club, it is very much a possibility that the midfielder, who has been lauded as an "aggressive" player in the past by journalist Josh Bunting, could be considered by the club again.

The Gers no.18 produced the worst season of his career in the past campaign according to WhoScored, with an average rating of 6.46 across 22 appearances in the league making him the lowest-ranking player in the squad which started over ten games this season.

The 5 foot 11 central midfielder suffered an injury-ridden season by his standards this campaign, missing just under a month's worth of football due to first a knee injury and then an ankle problem a month and a half later. That issue occurred around the time Beale was appointed and stopped the Finland international from breaking into the new manager's team.

The 27-year-old dynamo had enjoyed two stellar campaigns before this season, averaging a 6.90 rating in the 2020/21 campaign before recording a 6.96 average rating in the 2021/22 season, showcasing that the midfielder has the quality, but wasn't able to showcase it this year for a variety of factors.

As Sheffield United prepare for their first campaign back, the signing of Kamara could prove to be a very shrewd piece of business by manager Paul Heckingbottom.

Christian Pulisic is set to depart Chelsea this summer, and is attracting strong interest from Juventus, journalist Mark Ogden has revealed.

What's the latest on Pulisic and Chelsea?

The USA international has just one year remaining on his contract, and having lost his place in the starting XI, he is ready to depart Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old has made 30 appearances across all competitions this season, but has managed just one goal in what has been a hugely disappointing campaign.

Ogden claims Chelsea have offered him out to a number of clubs, and it now seems that Italian giants Juventus are the front-runners for his signature.

Speaking on ESPN FC, Ogden revealed the interest from the Old Lady, and claimed that the £150k-per-week star has been touted around Europe as Chelsea seek to push him out the door.

"I think Pulisic needs to move now, and what I was told is that he's been offered around quite a few clubs," he stated.

"Man United have been contacted, Newcastle, AC Milan, Galatasaray. Napoli. I've been told Juventus are more interested than most, and I think that they can do the deal.

"They're losing [Juan] Cuadrado and [Angel] Di Maria is out of contract this summer. So Pulisic would come in and bolster their attacking line. I think £20m nowadays is not that much of a fee for a player that's got Champions League experience and Premier League experience.

"His wages might be an issue, but I think Pulisic to Juventus is a good move."

Should Chelsea sell Pulisic?

Chelsea have signed Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk in the last two transfer windows, meaning that both wing spots are occupied to the extent that Pulisic will struggle for game-time.

The Blues may need to recover some funds after a year of heavy spending, and receiving £20m for an underperformer who could leave for free at the end of next season could be excellent business.

Pulisic could help Juventus replace Di Maria, and he was described as "fantastic" by Giorgio Chiellini when linked with a move to Turin a year ago.

The American was highly rated when he joined Chelsea for around £57.6m in 2019, but never found consistency beyond a few flashes of quality in that time, and will likely depart having scored 26 times in 145 appearances.

Pulisic's best spell came under Frank Lampard in his first season at the club, scoring 11 and assisting 10 times across all competitions, which included a goal in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal, but he has failed to replicate that form since, and a move away could be beneficial for all parties.

Liverpool are set for some major changes to their playing staff in the summer as they gear up for a period of transition next term that will see them take to the Anfield turf without many of the old guard who have been mainstays in Jurgen Klopp's side for several years.

Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are already on their way out in the off-season and more could be set to follow as the Merseyside giants plan ahead for 2023/24.

Transfer incomings and outgoings are likely to be at the forefront of Klopp's thinking with the summer window now almost upon us.

As per Sky Sports, one potential arrival at Anfield in the forthcoming transfer window may be RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, who is attracting interest from Liverpool alongside Chelsea and Manchester City.

What's the latest news involving Josko Gvardiol and who could he displace at Anfield?

BILD report that RB Leipzig have reportedly set Gvardiol's price tag at €100 million (£87 million) amid significant attraction towards his services heading into the summer.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Red TV pundit Paul Machin thinks that any prospective arrival of Gvardiol at Anfield could pose a problem to Liverpool defender Andy Robertson, who has featured at times as part of a back three in recent matches to accommodate for Trent Alexander-Arnold's new advanced role.

Machin told FFC when asked about Gvardiol: "That's either as a long-term replacement for Virgil Van Dijk, who plays the left side of a centre-back pairing or more interestingly, is he going to challenge with Andy Robertson, who in this new system effectively plays more like a left of a back three."

Intriguingly, £100k-a-week earner Robertson has actually been linked with a shock move to Real Madrid, who are said to have the Scotland captain on a 'list of potential summer reinforcements' to replace Ferland Mendy, according to The Daily Mail.

Gvardiol, who has been labelled as "fearless" by former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand arriving at Liverpool would likely add further competition for his place in the side, especially in a back three, given his potential to develop into a star.

In 2022/23, the Croatia international has made 41 appearances in all competitions for RB Leipzig and netted three goals in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite it not being the most obvious player comparison to make due to evident positional differences, WhoScored notes that Gvardiol this season trumps Robertson on completed clearances, pass success rate and aerial duels won per game. In order, Gvardiol has managed 2.3 clearances, 89.3% pass efficiency and 1.4 aerial bouts won. On the other hand, Robertson comes in at 1.3 clearances, 84.2% pass success and 0.6 successful aerial duels per fixture.

If Alexander-Arnold is going to feature in a central role more often next term, it may be an idea to bring in an elite-level central defender to combat counter attacks and also to provide quality distribution to break the lines, something Gvardiol evidently has the capacity to do.

As per BT Sport quoted by The Daily Express, pundit Owen Hargreaves tipped Gvardiol to go on to become the best central defender in the world, stating: "I think the boys said it, three centre backs in the studio before, all top players. He [Gvardiol], I think, is an absolute top one. I think he’ll be the best centre-back in the world one day."

In a summer of upheaval at Anfield, Gvardiol joining Liverpool would be a coup and he could go on to be a Premier League star for years to come.