footballtopstar

Blog

Just now, Chelsea held negotiations to bring in a “special” £50 million attacker.

Recently, Chelsea and Arsenal discussed a potential summer transfer for Folarin Balogun.

According to a report from The Daily Mail, that is the case.

They assert that talks between Chelsea and Arsenal regarding the acquisition of attacker Folarin Balogun took place on Friday.

In the race to sign the 22-year-old striker, who the Gunners value at £50 million, the Blues are reportedly up against Fulham and Monaco.

The article also states that Fulham will not offer more than £35 million for the American international.

Balogun may have met with Chelsea yesterday, but rumors of a potential transfer out of the Emirates Stadium have been circulating all transfer window.

Balogun has publicly stated his desire to leave Arsenal before the summer transfer window closes in a few weeks, according to a recent report from Sky Sports. They added that other prospective buyers for him include Monaco and Inter Milan.

He appears to be blocked at Arsenal from breaking into the Gunners lineup, so he is desperate for a long-term move elsewhere to play regularly.

Balogun is such a promising young talent, and Gunners manager Mikel Arteta called him “something special” (Arsenal’s official website).

Last year, he spent the entire season on loan at French top-flight club Reims, where he scored 22 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions.

However, we’re not sure Chelsea should spend £50 million on another promising young player.

Two young and ambitious No. 9s who want to lead the line are currently on the Blues’ roster: Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja. We would prefer a well-known striker with a long history of scoring frequently if Mauricio Pochettino insisted on using another striker.

More news…….

Opinion: After being ignored for years, Chelsea have a midfield to be reckoned with

Once Chelsea confirm the signing of Romeo Lavia, they will have assembled one of the best midfielders in world football in two transfer windows.

This area of the pitch has been neglected by the club for years. Chelsea haven’t had a proper defensive midfielder since Nemanja Matic and he left our club in 2017.

Since then we’ve had some decent midfielders (some very good), but overall our midfield was nowhere near good enough, unbalanced and lacking the right profiles to compete in the Premier League.

If you want to win consistently and be a consistent force in world football, you have to make sure you have the perfect team engine, which is the midfield. And this starts from the base, with a defensive midfielder.

Chelsea now with Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia on standby, they have absolutely everything in midfield now and it’s a fantastic moment and a fantastic feeling for us Blues fans.

Enzo single-handedly led our midfield and team last season when we had a horrible year in football, but now he finally has the help he needs and deserves.

Caicedo and Lavia will provide the defensive stability and awareness we’ve needed for so long, as well as the athleticism and physicality. Both players know how to defend, close the distance, intercept and tackle: all things that we have lacked a lot. Then Enzo will be free for them to do what he does best and that is to create and shoot.

Enzo actually has a really good shot with him and knows how to find the net, but last season he was so blocked we never saw him. He also has great vision and an eye for passing, and he’s now being given the freedom to do all of that.

It’s literally a dream come true for Chelsea fans and it still feels like that, a big dream! But it’s not a dream, Chelsea now have a VERY good and capable midfield with the perfect complementary profiles for each other. What a future they have, and they’re all young, so it’s a future we should see thrive and improve and have for many years to come!

August 19, 2023
Dream next Liverpool transfers as “everything can happen” with Cheick Doucouré’s addition and the $27 million Klopp deal.

Wataru Endo has officially been acquired by Liverpool, but more deals are needed. Two areas still need to be addressed, as Jürgen Klopp has acknowledged.

In his press conference, Jürgen Klopp used a reasonable voice. Wataru Endo could actually play a significant role in the upcoming season, so the Liverpool manager didn’t want to downplay his acquisition, but he also didn’t want to rule out additional transfer activity.

While Klopp admitted he had already been surprised more than once this summer, he effectively dismissed the idea of additional outgoings and was very receptive to incoming business. In the final two weeks before the deadline, he said, “everything can happen,” with Liverpool continuing to “look.”.

That ought to be fairly obvious in many ways. After all, FSG had just recently proposed paying Moisés Caicedo $140 million (£110 million/€127 million). Although it was obviously a failure, there seemed to be an implied recognition of a critical area of need. It’s hard to imagine why that wasn’t the original plan if it could be adequately met for the better part of $120m less.

Liverpool hasn’t, however, ever just thrown money around for the sake of it. Endo is deserving of a great deal of respect, and Klopp seems genuinely willing to continue the season with the Japan captain at the position of starting number six. Any opportunity must be the right one.

But regardless of whether they fall short of the ideal standard, Liverpool must ultimately work to close the best deals possible during the remaining time in the window. There is obviously money available to spend, but more business is necessary to give Klopp a legitimate chance to compete.

Even though midfielders have been the only players transferred so far, that is still a position that needs improvement. In a perfect world, Liverpool would bring in an additional six players as partners as well as a rotational option for Endo.

Even though Liverpool undoubtedly took inspiration from the “inversions” at Manchester City and Arsenal, the strategy is actually quite different. Trent Alexander-Arnold is not Oleksandr Zinchenko or John Stones, so despite the fact that he might appear to form a double pivot with the number six on paper, in practice he is tucking into a role that is much more akin to the number eight or even number 10 in order to make use of his generational creative skills.

Playing two genuine defensive midfielders would be a viable option, especially if Liverpool’s defense continues to be a weakness in their game. Alexander-Arnold would have real freedom to play a role that was very loosely defined, drifting around in the spaces next to Dominik Szoboszlai or Alexis Mac Allister, with Endo playing alongside someone like Cheick Doucouré.

The Evening Standard identified Doucouré as Liverpool’s top target in the midfield, and he does appear to be the best option among the rest. He could be developed under Klopp as the long-term Fabinho replacement while sharing the load with Endo for at least the next couple of years. He is already at a high Premier League standard and has plenty of room to improve.

That would essentially organize the midfield for Liverpool. An additional number eight would be ideal if I were really greedy, but that seems unlikely at this point, especially since the search for a new center-back should take priority.

Having spent the majority of his career playing in the defense, Endo has once more possibly lessened the urgency of the search. However, Liverpool needs to find a left-sided specialist who can take Andy Robertson’s place in some games immediately and who also has the potential to replace Virgil van Dijk in the future.

That is a very difficult request. However, Arthur Theate, a name that has only recently gained notoriety (via L’Équipe), checks a lot of the right boxes. At 23, he is another who Liverpool could develop while immediately adding depth.

Football Transfers estimates Theate’s value at $27 million (£21 million/€25 million) using its proprietary “expected transfer value” tool. Liverpool might anticipate Rennes to demand more given the state of the market. But any deal in that area would be a wise business move.

It’s important to remember that adding Theate and Doucouré to the roster would push Liverpool over the limit in terms of foreign players, which is an issue that cannot be entirely avoided. However, there is always the option of not registering someone, for instance Adrián, if the ideal homegrown solution does not emerge.

Anything can happen, as Klopp points out. But those two transactions would cap off a wholly satisfying transfer window for Liverpool, positioning the team for the present and the future.

August 19, 2023
Chelsea starting lineup vs. West Ham: Caicedo and Lavia make their debuts – confirmed lineup, team news, and injury updates.

To make their Chelsea debuts against West Ham on Sunday, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia are available.

Caicedo, who cost £115 million, and Lavia, who cost £58 million, will be included or excluded from Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for the trip to the London Stadium.

Caicedo’s involvement against West Ham appears more likely given that he just joined Chelsea on Monday. Lavia just moved to Stamford Bridge on Friday.

When asked if he would start them right away on Friday, Pochettino responded, “It has been a very stressful week for Moises and Romeo. We have one more day to assess them.

“It’s simple to say they’ll be involved in the game on Sunday, but I believe the most crucial thing is to take no chances and move slowly with them.

“They will be involved if they are prepared by tomorrow. If not, we’ll hold off on joining the squad entirely for a couple more days.
“.

Axel Disasi and Malo Gusto, two recent additions, are candidates to take Reece James’ place at right-back now that he has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

James will probably be sidelined for “a few weeks,” according to Pochettino.

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli is currently sidelined due to injury, but Noni Madueke could make a comeback.

Romelu Lukaku and Callum Hudson-Odoi are not included in the group because they are training separately from the first-team team at Cobham as they work to finalize their transfers before the deadline. Hakim Ziyech is about to sign with Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray, while Lewis Hall is moving on to Newcastle.

Chelsea predicted XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Thiago Silva, Chilwell; Fernandez, Colwill Gallagher; Sterling, Jackson, Mudryk, Caicedo.

Injured: James, Fofana, Chalobah, Badiashile, Broja, Nkunku, Bettinelli

Suspended: None

Time and date: 4:30pm BST on Sunday August 20, 2023

Venue: London Stadium

More news…….

Chelsea have just made a £43million move after losing Olise, idolizing Aubameyang

Chelsea have just stepped up talks with Lyon over a deal for Bradley Barcola after losing Michael Olise.

So, what about Chelsea and Bradley Barcola?

What’s the story?

Well that makes a lot of sense for Chelsea. Like Olise, Barcola usually operates on the right flank, where he slices inside and wreaks havoc, while like Crystal Palace No7, he is also a France Under-21 international.

Foot Mercato understands that Chelsea have now stepped up their hunt for the 20-year-old after Olise signed a new contract at Selhurst Park and talks between Lyon and the Blues are ongoing.

The French side have entertaining talks with Chelsea and presented Barcola with a €50m (£43m) prize money.

That’s just £8m more than Chelsea were willing to spend on Olise after his £35m release clause kicked in. So, all things considered, it looks like Lyon No.26 have always been the desired alternative to the Crystal Palace wonderkid.

Already a regular under Laurent Blanc at Lyon despite his age, Barcola played all 90 minutes of the Ligue 1 opener as Todd Boehly’s Strasbourg recorded a 2-1 victory. Chelsea would sign a huge talent in Bradley Barcola

If Chelsea can get this deal done, we’re sure many fans will forget the Olise drama very quickly.

The Lyon-born prodigy is a remarkable striker who, despite his somewhat lanky and massive build, is incredibly capable of controlling the ball and flying over his opponents.

In terms of style of play, Barcola admitted to loving Cristiano Ronaldo as well as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has just left Chelsea for Marseille.

The French prodigy told Onze Mondial: “My examples are Cristiano Ronaldo and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. I have almost the same game as him and above all the same style. I love watching Aubameyang videos. Its burst of speed and the quality of the finish impress me.

Keep an eye on this situation as Chelsea are looking to sign another French Under-21 international after Olise turned down the Blues.

August 19, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of Chelsea, was prevented from obstructing a fourth Liverpool agreement.

Chelsea may have done Liverpool a big favor.

Chelsea may have diverted Liverpool’s moves for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in defensive midfield, but the Blues could have given Jürgen Klopp’s side a hand in chasing down Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure. The Eagles don’t want to lose too many key players this summer, but having signed Michael Olise to another lucrative deal following a turbulent negotiation process with Chelsea, they may be forced to sell Doucoure for a reasonable price to recoup cash.

Olise looked all but ready to join Chelsea after agreeing personal terms earlier this month and triggering the winger’s £35m release clause. However, Palace stepped in and re-signed Olise to a new four-year contract worth £100,000 a week, more than double the £45,000 a week salary he earned under his previous contract. The Eagles are said to be furious at the way the Blues have handled matters and are considering taking their rivals to court over an “illegal approach”. It is thought that the threat of legal action may have forced Chelsea to withdraw from the deal.

“It’s the best possible news we could have. I was worried – it’s always worrying when a club of Chelsea’s stature shows interest in a player and people will suggest that moving to them might be the best solution,” said manager Roy Hodgson .

“I always hoped it wouldn’t be like this and that Michael realizes that the future for him here at such a young age is very bright and that we can help him move to another level very quickly. “I am delighted for the club and have to congratulate Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman on the fantastic job they have done in convincing them that, even if there was pressure from outside, this is your place and this is where we think you will progress the way right and you will develop in the right way.’”

While they have managed to keep Olise, the same cannot be said for Doucoure, who tops Liverpool’s shortlist. Liverpool are reportedly preparing a bid for the 23-year-old and will have no problem meeting Palace’s £60m valuation of the player who showed the hand of him in their dazzling pursuit of Caicedo.

The Eagles understand Liverpool’s interest in the Mali international is genuine, but have yet to receive an official offer from the Merseyside side. The Crystal Palace is open to the sale of the Doucoure, but only at the right price.

Liverpool need a new defender in the center of the park following the exits of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner this summer. The Reds recently brought in Wataru Endo from Stuttgart for £16m to fill the void, but are also looking for another defensive midfielder to add even more depth to the position.

More news……..

Liverpool ‘won’t use money as excuse’ – despite influence of Chelsea and Saudi Arabian transfer

Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool will not use the money as an “excuse” in the transfer window, despite growing influence and cash flow from Chelsea and Saudi Arabia.

The big stories this week centered on Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea in deals for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who have both opted to join the London club.

The Reds have responded by signing Wataru Endo, but this has only fueled the fire in many quarters when it comes to the club’s appeal, something Klopp has rejected.

Klopp often provides glowing answers to questions at his press conferences and Friday was no different after being asked if the club is having trouble signing players this summer.

“I’m not sure if it has anything to do with Liverpool, to be honest. More difficult to dress? No,” Klopp insisted.

“Everything is more difficult, everything. There are reasons, you all know them. You’ve probably written about this before, these stories aren’t what I have to say about them. “But it’s really difficult, there are a lot of things that have changed since last year.”

Alluding to Chelsea’s never-ending transfer cases, Klopp continued: “Some clubs do it differently and nobody understands 100 per cent how it works.”

“As a normal club it’s really difficult to follow them. We just watch what they do and that’s fine, not my problem. I don’t blame anyone for what it is.”

Klopp also cited Saudi Arabia’s growing power to throw “infinite sums of money” at players making life “more difficult”, but that played no part in convincing a target to move to Anfield.

“Also, Saudi Arabia is not making it easy. Our window ends on August 31st [note: it’s September 1st] and their window is still open, so for players who aren’t happy, they will come back.

“It’s okay if there’s another league that’s growing, it’s football, that’s fine. We don’t have the right to say it’s not allowed, China has tried, the United States could still try. No problem.

“But infinite money creates problems, that’s how it is. We sit here and [think] ‘what can we do now’. It would be nice if someone could come up with a solution, some rules – I don’t know.

“Yes, it has become more difficult, but not to convince players to go to Liverpool,” he continued.

“One hundred percent, if you called a million players, they would come right away. We just have to make sure you pick the right one, our timing is different from others. “We can’t just spend and watch later, that’s the way things are.
It is good.

“I’m here and I’m very happy with the transfer window right now, our transfer window.

“I know what happened last week, I know what football fans are like and I know they would rather bring in a £110m or £150m player, and your club can do it.

“This is quite nice, but in the end the pitch is the same size, the player doesn’t grow with the money he costs, it’s quite the opposite. “I’m really happy for the moment. We keep looking, we keep looking.

“We will do everything we can to make the best decisions for this club and we won’t use a second of money or anything as an excuse. We just do it with everything we have. That’s the idea. “We do it our way, we are here and we are ready to fight.”

August 19, 2023
“Very enthusiastic about the deal” – The Bundesliga star wants to follow Endo to Liverpool

Liverpool have received support to replace Ryan Gravenberch in the time remaining in the summer transfer window.

It is now clear from the Dutchman that playing opportunities will be limited in Bavaria, despite initial awareness that the player was keen to prove his worth in Germany’s top flight.

“I think something will happen between Gravenberch and Liverpool; they will go for him as it is clear he will not have the best chance under Tuchel for minutes,” Christian Falk wrote in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“He is also very excited about the deal and now, after Caicedo’s move didn’t work out, he has a great opportunity.

“Gladbach wants money for Kone, so there are interesting opportunities for Liverpool.”

This could follow the Reds’ pursuit of Stuttgart’s Wataru Endo, with a deal that would take the Japanese international to Anfield believed to be close to finalisation. However, there is still an urgent need for Jurgen Klopp’s men to secure the signing of a genuine young No6 to fill the void following Fabinho’s departure.

Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure is a name that won’t be going away for the foreseeable future, although it’s entirely possible that Gravenberch will take another step towards strengthening the midfield department in the right way.

However, that’s a tough question to answer. Especially if the signing of a tenacious midfielder brings Liverpool £60-70million.

More news……..

‘HE DOESN’T WANT TO PLAY THERE’: LIVERPOOL informed £35M STAR DOESN’T WANT TO PLAY DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD

Darren Bent says Alexis Mac Allister “doesn’t want to fill” the role of defensive midfielder for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

When Liverpool drew 1-1 with Chelsea on Sunday, the away team played the most attacking midfield they have fielded in a long time.

Both summer signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have started, with Bent sharing that, of either team, it’s the Reds who “can do the most with a defensive midfielder,” he told Premier League Productions (14/ 08/23 at 14.05 o’clock).

His name was now Fabinho, but unexpectedly Saudi Arabia’s ever-expanding Pro League knocked on his door and he walked away.

And although the Brazilian international’s form fell off a cliff last season, it has left a hole in the middle of the park. Mac Allister, who has been signed for £35m (Guardian), has the aggression, ball-winning ability and energy to play that deeper role, but like Brighton he needs Moises Caicedo at his side , but is now at Chelsea after snubbing Liverpool.

“This seems to be the trendy part of camp now,” Bent said. “If you look at Caicedo. 100 million pounds, he’s crazy.

“If you watch the match (Chelsea v Liverpool). Both teams could use a defensive midfielder. Maybe Liverpool because I don’t think Alexis Mac Allister wants to play there.”

Read also…..

He’s not happy, says a BBC pundit, so the £35 million Liverpool player may leave now

Even though Mohamed Salah didn’t score for Liverpool this past weekend, he still grabbed the majority of the attention following Liverpool’s draw with Chelsea.

When Jurgen Klopp replaced Salah at Stamford Bridge, the Egyptian player did not do a good job of concealing his rage, and it appeared that things between Salah and his coach were not going well.

After the game, as usual, this entire incident was dissected and discussed to the nth degree. Now, speaking on the BBC Radio Five Live Football Daily Podcast, Nigel Reo-Coker has suggested that Salah might leave for Saudi Arabia as a result of this incident.

Salah could go

Reo-Coker spoke with Adam Crafton of The Athletic about the £35 million player.

“I don’t think this is something that goes beyond this game. Crafton questioned, “You have a little strop and then move on, no?”.

“No, Adam, not unless he receives a call from the Saudi Pro League; you never know. He might receive another call right now because of his reaction to that. Never rule anything out when it comes to footballers, Reo-Coker advised.

Don’t be ridiculous

This suggestion is completely absurd, so Reo-Coker must have made these remarks with his tongue firmly in cheek.

Salah is a pillar of Liverpool and one of Klopp’s most dependable players; he won’t desert the club over one substitution.

Salah may be a little irritated, but he won’t leave the club he loves so much because of such a minor incident.

After rejoining the team the following week, Salah will soon be scoring goals once more.

August 18, 2023
Wataru Endo’s jersey number has been confirmed – and why he chose it

Wataru Endo’s transfer to Liverpool is official after swapping Stuttgart for Anfield and his new shirt number has been confirmed.

Endo has been announced as the Reds’ third signing this summer, following the additions of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The 30-year-old arrives to bring experience to the squad after James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho left for other projects.

The deal is valued at around £16.24million and the move marks a dream come true for Endo in a career that has seen him hone his craft in Japan, Belgium and Germany.

He can now add England to the list and adopted the number 3 shirt worn by Fabinho when he arrived at Liverpool. “Number three is my number because I played as number 3 in Stuttgart,” he explained. “And also when I played in Japan. I love this song! I can’t wait to play this song here.”

Others who have worn the shirt in the Premier League era include Steve Finnan, Paul Konchesky and Bjorn Tore Kvarme.

Endo arrives not too dissimilar to Szoboszlai, with little time between news of the breakdown of Liverpool’s chase and the official announcement.

The Japan captain arrives with a significantly lower profile than the Reds’ first two signings this summer, but he is highly regarded in Germany having made 133 appearances for Stuttgart. Despite being a defensive midfielder by trade, Endo can play at centre-back and has even had a chance at right-back, fitting into the form left behind by Milner earlier this summer.

It could prove a wise move for Liverpool, although that will only be the case if they also add a younger, more prominent No6 to their ranks before the September 1 deadline.

August 18, 2023
Liverpool suffer from ‘new injury’ as four midfielders could miss AFC Bournemouth fixture

Liverpool squad news as Curtis Jones is injured.

Curtis Jones looks set to miss Liverpool’s match against AFC Bournemouth. The midfielder suffered a twisted ankle in training earlier this week, according to The Athletic, which ruled him out of action ahead of Saturday’s fixture with the Cherries at Anfield (3pm BST).

Jones came off the bench in the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the 2023/24 Premier League curtain-opener last week. The 22-year-old was not photographed with the rest of his teammates at the AXA Training Center on Wednesday, with his injury likely explaining his absence. It is hoped that Jones’ problem is not too serious and that he will be back for the trip to Newcastle United next week, but it is a blow for Jurgen Klopp who is already lacking opportunities in midfield.

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Thiago Alcantara is back in training but still not ready to join him as he underwent hip surgery in April. Stefan Bajcetic underwent adductor surgery in March and is not yet considered fit to play.

Meanwhile, there is uncertainty whether newcomer Wataru Endo will get a work permit in time for his performance. The 30-year-old joined Liverpool from Stuttgart for a fee of £16m, it was announced on Friday. Klopp confirmed the player is physically ready, having already started the season at Stuttgart, but said: “We’ll see.”

As things stand, Klopp’s suitable midfield options for Bournemouth are summer signings Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, who both made their Chelsea debuts. Cody Gakpo was dropped off in the engine room at Stamford Bridge while Harvey Elliott impressed coming off the bench. Youngster James McConnell was given a place among the substitutes.

More news………

Liverpool ‘won’t use money as excuse’ – despite influence of Chelsea and Saudi Arabian transfer

Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool will not use the money as an “excuse” in the transfer window, despite growing influence and cash flow from Chelsea and Saudi Arabia.

The big stories this week centered on Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea in deals for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who have both opted to join the London club.

The Reds have responded by signing Wataru Endo, but this has only fueled the fire in many quarters when it comes to the club’s appeal, something Klopp has rejected.

Klopp often provides glowing answers to questions at his press conferences and Friday was no different after being asked if the club is having trouble signing players this summer.

“I’m not sure if it has anything to do with Liverpool, to be honest. More difficult to dress? No,” Klopp insisted.

“Everything is more difficult, everything. There are reasons, you all know them. You’ve probably written about this before, these stories aren’t what I have to say about them. “But it’s really difficult, there are a lot of things that have changed since last year.”

Alluding to Chelsea’s never-ending transfer cases, Klopp continued: “Some clubs do it differently and nobody understands 100 per cent how it works.”

“As a normal club it’s really difficult to follow them. We just watch what they do and that’s fine, not my problem. I don’t blame anyone for what it is.”

Klopp also cited Saudi Arabia’s growing power to throw “infinite sums of money” at players making life “more difficult”, but that played no part in convincing a target to move to Anfield.

“Also, Saudi Arabia is not making it easy. Our window ends on August 31st [note: it’s September 1st] and their window is still open, so for players who aren’t happy, they will come back.

“It’s okay if there’s another league that’s growing, it’s football, that’s fine. We don’t have the right to say it’s not allowed, China has tried, the United States could still try. No problem.

“But infinite money creates problems, that’s how it is. We sit here and [think] ‘what can we do now’. It would be nice if someone could come up with a solution, some rules – I don’t know.

“Yes, it has become more difficult, but not to convince players to go to Liverpool,” he continued.

“One hundred percent, if you called a million players, they would come right away. We just have to make sure you pick the right one, our timing is different from others. “We can’t just spend and watch later, that’s the way things are.
It is good.

“I’m here and I’m very happy with the transfer window right now, our transfer window.

“I know what happened last week, I know what football fans are like and I know they would rather bring in a £110m or £150m player, and your club can do it.

“This is quite nice, but in the end the pitch is the same size, the player doesn’t grow with the money he costs, it’s quite the opposite. “I’m really happy for the moment. We keep looking, we keep looking.

“We will do everything we can to make the best decisions for this club and we won’t use a second of money or anything as an excuse. We just do it with everything we have. That’s the idea. “We do it our way, we are here and we are ready to fight.”

August 18, 2023
Jurgen Klopp has quietly disclosed who Wataru Endo is replacing at Liverpool

Wataru Endo is set to be Liverpool’s third signing this summer and could play an important role in the squad

It is undeniable that this summer at Anfield has been marked by great upheavals.

After Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita initially said goodbye on their own terms in late May, the same cannot be said for the purge in Saudi Arabia that led to Jordan’s shock Liverpool departure Henderson and Fabinho just a few weeks later.

As a result, Jurgen Klopp started the new Premier League season at Stamford Bridge with a side lacking Moises Caicedo or Romeo Lavia, and was instead forced to use summer signing Alexis Mac Allister in a deeper midfield role. .

But despite a brilliant start against the Londoners, the Reds were unable to keep their pressing high and soon found themselves at the mercy of Mauricio Pochettino’s side just after Axel Disasi equalized Luis’ Díaz opener.

However, now ahead of Anfield’s second leg this weekend against AFC Bournemouth, they have moved quickly to finalize a deal for VfB Stuttgart and Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo. ECHO understands the 30-year-old defensive midfielder will cost Liverpool around £16m, with the Bundesliga outfit allowing Endo to speak to Liverpool about a proposed move to Anfield.

After the botched chases of Caicedo and Lavia earlier this month, coupled with interim sporting director Jorg Schmadtke’s close ties to his home country, news of Endo’s arrival was initially met with understandable skepticism.

But a deeper look into the veteran midfielder’s background should familiarize KOptions with what exactly they will welcome at Anfield. It is clear that, after a summer full of surprises, Liverpool are looking for ways to replace the wealth of knowledge that was taken from them following the summer outings of Henderson, Milner and Fabinho.

Together they totaled more than 5,600 minutes of action in the Premier League last season. And while Henderson and Fabinho were two of Liverpool’s first-choice midfielders in their final season as Reds, Milner was limited to just seven Premier League starting positions. As the oldest statesman in the dressing room, the 37-year-old was taken off the bench 24 times last season, 17 of which came after the 70th minute.

Also in a menial and supportive role, Klopp was keen to offer Milner another year’s extension at the club in hopes of kick-starting his career at Anfield in his eighth season. But after the 37-year-old turned down an offer to sign for Brighton & Hove Albion in June, the Reds boss was quick to reveal his desire to fill the void left by his former number 7.

“The way we finished games, it was always James Milner coming in, that kind of thing, and he kind of finished the game for us super professionally,” Klopp said during last month’s pre-season tour of Singapore . “Eventually – in the last few weeks and months – he may have finished more games. We have players for this role, younger players, and that opens doors and that’s what we need. Yes, as a group we want to remedy that.”

And judging by Endo’s CV, Liverpool could have found their man.

August 18, 2023
Chelsea hijack £51.3m Man City’s bid for excellence Michael Olise replacement, compared to Eden Hazard

Chelsea are looking for a right-winger who can also play as an attacking midfielder but has less than two weeks to sign a contract

Chelsea still appear to be looking for a right winger who could also play as an attacking midfielder after Michael Olise turned down a move to Stamford Bridge. The 21-year-old playmaker has already been heavily linked with a move to west London and, at the height of interest from the Blues, decided to sign a new long-term contract at Crystal Palace.

football.london understand that Chelsea were once confident of securing Olise’s signature. After talks with those close to the France Under-21 international, the two sides verbally agreed on personal terms before paying his release clause.

Joe Shields is understood to have played a leading role in the negotiations, having recently played a key role in bringing Romeo Lavia to the Cobham training ground. However, despite the Blues’ best efforts, Palace capitalized on interest in Olise and tied him up in extra time at Selhurst Park.

Chelsea now have less than two weeks to sign an alternative and Mauricio Pochettino has a few names in his shortlist. football.london understands the club remain interested in Mohammed Kudus and Rayan Cherki, with Brennan Johnson a late goal.

However, according to French outlet L’Équipe, Chelsea are interested in Rennes’ Jeremy Doku. According to the report, Manchester City are currently leading the race for the 21-year-old winger, who has been identified by Pep Guardiola as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez. L’Équipe add that Rennes are reportedly ready to sell Doku this summer for around €60m (£51.4m). The Belgium international, whose contract at Roazhon Park expires in 2025, made 29 appearances for the French side in Ligue 1 last season, contributing directly to eight goals.

Doku started the new season in excellent form, scoring a goal against Metz on the opening weekend. His impressive performances and low center of gravity have earned him comparisons to Eden Hazard.

In a Facebook Live video with La Tribune for RTBF, former Premier League star Phillipe Albert explained why he would be a great addition to the English top flight. He said: “He has incredible qualities which were discovered at Anderlecht, but he has been injured a lot in the last two or three seasons.”

“He’s a young talent who left for over €20m (£17m), so Rennes would accept an offer of €60m (£51m). I think the walk is not too far away, he has the qualities to win.” Premier League or any World Cup.

“If he is 100% physically, he will assert himself and repel opponents. It’s a bit like Eden Hazard at the start of his career with his double, triple accelerations which can hurt a lot.” “In England some teams are still a little naive at this level so it would hurt. He can play both sides, but I always believe that a player has to play on the right foot, so I would put him on the right foot. The role. The job of a winger is also to take care of the striker. So if you have the right player, there is no better player at this level.”

August 18, 2023
“His quality”: Mauricio Pochettino says he is so enthusiastic to work with the 19-year-old Chelsea player

Mauricio Pochettino has pronounced his joy about Romeo Lavia, who completed his move to Chelsea on Friday.

The blues announced this morning that Romeo Lavia, 19, joined the club from Southampton.

Despite the fact that last season was in the first team football last season, Lavia showed enough during the Premier League relegation of Southampton to earn a controversial transfer.

He has arrived in Stamford Bridge as a combative defensive midfielder who offers even more steel and endurance in the middle of the park.

In a press conference prior to the Premier League match with West Ham, Pochettino responded with enormous joy to the earlier news about the signing of Lavia. It is very interesting to consider the Blues head coach

Pochettino said how Chelsea’s YouTube channel quotes: “I think we all know him, his quality, his profile. He is the perfect player for this project. We are excited and are so happy to add it to the team. “”

With Lavia, we suspect Pochettino to buzz with this group of very young and talented players in Chelsea.

We understand the hesitation of a lack of leadership in the spine of the blues, but they cannot help but be enthusiastic about the rising stars which are signed and to pass.

Lavia showed real quality in the Premier League last year to shine in a combat team. I hope he is now able to fit into a Chelsea squad, play good football and get results.

More news………

Chelsea signs Lavia, raising midfielder expenditure for the week to £173 million.

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Roméo Lavia from Southampton. The 19-year-old is the second defensive midfielder the club have bought this week, after Moisés Caicedo, and the deals mean Mauricio Pochettino have two players Liverpool have been looking for.

The transfer fee for Lavia could be £58m after paying a British record £115m including extras to sign Caicedo from Brighton. It continues the huge investments under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Pochettino was keen to create more depth in midfield. Chelsea dropped Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this year. They started Sunday with a midfield featuring Enzo Fernández, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. The money could be raised by selling Gallagher after the arrival of Lavia, who has signed a seven-year contract.

Chelsea are looking to expand their attacking options, with Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson one of their targets after Michael Olise rejected a move to sign a new contract with Crystal Palace.

Newcastle have agreed to loan sign Chelsea’s Lewis Hall on an obligation to make the deal permanent for £28m plus £7m add-ons. Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali reportedly negotiated the deal to sell the 18-year-old weeks after being offered a new six-year contract. Hall made 12 appearances last season and his departure means 14 players have departed this summer.

Hall, who can also play in midfield, would initially leave for Crystal Palace on loan. However, that deal fell through and he emerged as a target for Newcastle, who can provide Champions League football. His way into the Chelsea first team was blocked by Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen. There will be some turmoil over Chelsea’s decision to sell one of their best academy products. However, the club has to raise funds due to their outrageous spending and the money received for the academy players goes into the accounts as pure financial fair play profit.

August 18, 2023