footballtopstar

Tag: Joel Matip

Four Liverpool players have three months to save their careers or risk being kicked out of the team.

Liverpool released most of their fringe stars over the summer, although the restructuring could continue into January.

Liverpool spent a lot of money over the summer as part of their rebuild and there is no reason to believe that the restructuring will not continue in the January transfer window.
The Reds have started the Premier League season unbeaten and could require further investment if they are able to challenge for the title.

Jürgen Klopp fundamentally overhauled his midfield this summer, signing Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo.

As a result, several experienced stars were allowed to leave – such as James Milner – and the departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson were also made easier.

Liverpool were expected to strengthen their defense before the end of the transfer window and this target could be achieved in the January transfer window.

Other new arrivals cannot be ruled out, but could be recruited to replace those allowed to leave the club.

Express Sport looks at four stars who have three months to prove their worth to Klopp or risk being moved…

Thiago Alcántara

Despite interest from Saudi clubs and Turkish teams, Liverpool decided to retain Thiago’s services. The Spaniard has not played for the club so far this season due to injury problems and needs to stay fit if he is to have a future at Anfield.
The ex-Bayern Munich star’s contract expires at the end of the season and the Reds could be tempted to pay a transfer fee for his services in January if they decide not to give him a new contract.

Joel Matip

Liverpool were expected to sign a left-sided defender this summer, and with Matip in the final year of his contract, the writing is on the wall for the 32-year-old.

With Joe Gomez signing a long-term contract with the club last year, the England international remains part of Klopp’s long-term plans and so Matip must prove he has something to offer if he is to avoid being released for a fee minimum in January.

Ben Doak

Teenage star Doak had no shortage of interest over the summer and a loan move looked likely, but ultimately the striker has remained on Merseyside and is gaining valuable experience working alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah and Darwin on a daily basis Nunez. Opportunities will be difficult to come by for the 17-year-old and if he fails to demonstrate that he is ready, a short-term loan in January could be an option for Liverpool to ensure their number 50 gains valuable experience. that he must continue to make progress

Caoimhin Kelleher

Ireland international Kelleher attracted interest from Celtic and Wolves this summer, but it was ultimately decided that he would remain at his boyhood club.

However, it remains to be seen how long Klopp can convince “the number two best goalkeeper in the world” to continue working with him.
Kelleher is likely to feature in cup competitions for the Reds and could push to start some league games if he impresses on those occasions.
Otherwise, Liverpool may have no choice but to grant the 24-year-old goalkeeper’s transfer wish.

More news…….

Liverpool selects its Europa League team.

A 23-man roster has been announced by Liverpool for the UEFA Europa League.

The Reds’ ‘A list’ comprises teenagers Bobby Clark and Ben Doak in addition to summer additions Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The ‘B list’ will include players like Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott as well as any others who were born on or after January 1, 2002 and have spent two years at the club.

Goalkeepers

Caoimhin Kelleher, Alisson Becker, and Vitezslav Jaros.

Defenders

Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate, and Kostas Tsimikas.

Midfielders

Bobby Clark, Thiago Alcantara, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, and Wataru Endo.

Forwards

Darwin, Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Ben Doak.

September 16, 2023
Jurgen Klopp is considering local options in order to replace Joel Matip at Liverpool

Since joining West Ham on a high-profile transfer from Rennes last summer, Nayef Aguerd has excelled, and Liverpool and Manchester City are taking notice of his performance.

Nayef Aguerd of West Ham is being watched by Liverpool as they consider a possible summer transfer.

Joel Matip’s contract expires next summer, so Jurgen Klopp will soon be planning a defensive rebuild, and he appears destined to be the first to leave.
The Reds overhauled their midfield over the summer, and a similar pattern might be seen at the back in 2024.

As Klopp looks to improve his defensive options at the end of the season, The Sun reports that Liverpool is considering a move for Hammers center-back Aguerd. The 27-year-old, who cost £30 million to bring from Rennes to the London Stadium last summer, is also attracting interest from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Aguerd has played in three Premier League games so far this year, but he was unavailable for his team’s 3-1 victory at Brighton after scoring and receiving a red card in West Ham’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea.

Prior to the international break, he was back in the lineup against Luton, and he performed well as the Hammers defeated them 2-1.

But as West Ham ultimately won the competition, it was his performance in the Europa Conference League last year that stood out.

Aguerd played a crucial part in helping Morocco advance to the World Cup semifinals after missing until November because of an ankle injury. Aguerd made a successful recovery just before the tournament.

Aguerd started all four of Morocco’s opening contests, including the victory over Spain on penalties.

However, due to a thigh injury, he was sidelined for the quarterfinal victory over France. Aguerd was a constant in the starting lineup for West Ham in the second half of the season after his return.

The former Rennes defender started 17 more Premier League games and took part in five of West Ham’s six European games on the way to the Conference League championship in 2023.
The Hammers won their first major trophy in 43 years when Aguerd started against Fiorentina in Prague.

Although Aguerd recently told his representatives that he was content at West Ham, his impressive form has since raised the ire of both Liverpool and Man City. This came after Aguerd received offers this summer from two unidentified European suitors as well as a Saudi Pro League club.

Al-Ittihad, a latecomer to the Aguerd market, expressed interest but did not make a bid.
Although it is unknown if Liverpool or City are willing to make a bid for Aguerd, if he keeps up his strong play for the Hammers in the Premier League and in Europe, there will undoubtedly be interest in him.

September 11, 2023
Liverpool may receive a £37.7 million boost transfers as five potential deals surface.

Income dominates Liverpool’s landscape, but five could be used to shore up the transfer budget

Earnings are key at Anfield as Liverpool look for new faces to join Alexis Mac Allister.

Four senior players have departed, with Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all leaving Merseyside. Goals have been outlined by the Reds and multiple names continue to be associated with a move.

Khephren Thuram is one of them, as are Gabri Veiga and Ryan Gravenberch. But if one of these tied players arrives, you may need to make room with additional spending.

Last season, Sadio Mane made a high profile departure from Merseyside when he decided to move to Bayern Munich. It doesn’t look like we’ll see any shocks when it comes to an Anfield exit, but some could be introduced on the fringes.

Caoimhin Kelleher – £10 million

The Republic of Ireland striker has been reduced to minutes in the League Cup and a few FA Cup games in recent seasons after establishing himself as Liverpool’s second-choice goalkeeper behind Alisson. Although he enjoyed success with the Reds during the 2021/22 season, his international place was under threat.

Southampton signed Gavin Bazunu from Manchester City last summer in search of stable goalkeepers, with the Irishman impressing during a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday. Aside from how Saints finished in the Premier League last season, he’s been pushing for Kelleher.

The battle for the number one shirt has prompted manager Stephen Kenny to speak out, urging the Reds keeper to steer first-team football away from the L4 after settling for Liverpool with just four appearances in all competitions .

Now the above £10m is just his market value, as reported by transfermarkt.co.uk, but he is attracting interest from Premier League clubs. Namely Brentford, who are currently contemplating a life without Spain goalkeeper David Raya.

He openly declared his desire to play for the title and there was much speculation that he would join Tottenham Hotspur. Even though this trace apparently no longer exists, information is still circulating about Manchester United as well.

If Liverpool sell him, it would mean looking for a reliable option to replace the Brazilian, who has won the player of the season award.

Nat Phillips – £3 million

Nat Phillips has established himself as a cult hero at Anfield after his defensive stability helped the Reds overcome their injury woes.

Like his defensive partner Rhys Williams, they have stepped up at key moments to overcome the selection problems faced by Jurgen Klopp.

He made five appearances in all competitions for the Reds, but questions remained over his L4 future.

Phillips would not be pushed towards a departure from Liverpool following his services to the club, but he has been in the spotlight in recent months.

In January, a hamstring injury suffered by Ibrahima Konate thwarted a potential Phillips move as he was seen as a cover option for Joel Matip and Joe Gomez if Virgil van Dijk is out.

Turkish giants Galatasaray have reportedly been interested, while the defender has attracted interest from Premier League clubs in recent seasons. However, speculation over his future remained quiet this summer.

Rhys Williams – £1.7m

Williams created some of the defensive options that took Liverpool across the line behind closed doors during the season. He is also another defender whose playing time is limited as he is lower in the pecking order.

He found some minutes while on loan at Blackpool in the Championship, but those were cut short when he was recalled in January. The 22-year-old has three years left on his contract with the Reds and reports towards the end of last season suggest he has attracted interest from the second tier of English football.

There were indications that Liverpool were ready to accept an approach for the Preston-born defender. As with Phillips, there have been no concrete reports of a departure he could postpone this summer, but he could be an option after Liverpool U21 team-mate Leighton Clarkson moved to Aberdeen on a permanent basis.

Joel Matip – £10m

Joel Matip has proven to be one of the smartest deals in Liverpool’s recent history after signing Schalke on a free transfer. The Cameroon defender has won every piece of silverware at his disposal, making 187 appearances for the Reds since arriving seven years ago.

Liverpool and injury concerns have been a regular occurrence in recent years, with the 31-year-old himself suffering greatly. He resigned himself to just 17 Premier League appearances this season as he moved down the pecking order behind Ibrahima Konate.

The Reds need defensive options, but they also need to be healthy as often as possible – with this in mind, the new centre-backs have not yet been completely wiped out, even if midfield is a priority.

Matip still has a year left on his contract at Anfield, but the Reds could risk losing the then 32-year-old on a free transfer next summer. It means that this summer could be the right time to cash in on the centre-back

Fabio Carvalho – 13 million pounds

It was a difficult debut season for Fabio Carvalho. Having signed from Fulham, he has come with a promise and while the roof remains there and is untouched by the youngster, he has faced questions about his future.

His playing time was reduced following the post-World Cup restart as Liverpool pushed for European qualification. Even before the curtain fell on the season, Carvalho faced interest from the likes of RB Leipzig, who saw an offer rejected by Liverpool.

“I would like to make all these decisions with the guys before I talk about it (publicly),” Klopp said in late April. “There is no decision yet in any direction.
“What I can say is he’s been exceptional again this week in training.

He’s really exceptional. So, yeah, we’ll talk and then we’ll see what we’re going to do – what he’s going to do. wants, what I think, but there is no decision yet.”

The club are unwilling to part ways with the 20-year-old but the German boss has hinted the midfielder, who was voted into the Championship team of the season before joining the Reds, could be loaned out.

“I think there could be a possibility that Fabio could be loaned out, but the fact is that it wasn’t Fabio’s best year of his career, of course, but it could have been his most important.” “No player has impressed me as much as Fabio, that’s the truth.

This talented boy came here with big dreams and big expectations and it didn’t work out – it was okay at first but it didn’t market at the end. But his work ethic will allow him to have a fantastic career because he trained and got nothing.

June 24, 2023
Liverpool’s plan to steal Tottenham’s move for £60m Bundesliga player; Man Utd, Newcastle are also interested

Liverpool have reportedly “asked to be kept informed” about the future of Tottenham-linked Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba.

The 24-year-old striker has been linked for two years with a move to the Premier League. Now it seems that he can finally move.

It’s no secret that Jurgen Klopp wants to strengthen his defense next season. Indeed, the recent performances of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez have caused the manager to scan the market for defenders. For example, Liverpool have been “in talks” with Bayern Munich star Benjamin Pavard.

The French international can play at right-back or centre-back and is keen to join a Premier League club this summer.
However, the Reds have yet to make a concrete offer for Pavard. Then they could potentially turn their attention to Tapsoba.

As mentioned, Tottenham Hotspur also have the Burkina Faso national team on their radar. Ange Postecoglou wants to sign two centre-backs this summer, with Tapsoba believed to be his main target.
However, he won’t come cheap as Bayer Leverkusen have reportedly given him a valuation of £60million.

Tottenham ‘cautious’ about Liverpool interest in Tapsoba

According to 90Min, Tottenham are ‘cautious’ ahead of their move as Tapsoba could be kidnapped.
The report claims that one of the clubs who could potentially opt for the defender is Liverpool. Manchester United and Newcastle have also been “informed of Tapsoba’s situation”.

With that in mind, Tapsoba’s move to Tottenham is far from over, although he is ‘ready’ to join them this summer. Clement Lenglet is unlikely to be brought back on board at Spurs after a mixed spell on loan from Barcelona. Elsewhere, Postecoglou will reportedly be hearing offers for Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and Ben Davies.

Tapsoba made 47 appearances in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen last season. In doing so, he helped his team to 13 clean sheets and scored two goals.

He is a versatile player and can play as both a defensive midfielder and central defender. This allows him to provide coverage in multiple positions.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Liverpool make a concrete offer for Tapsoba. If they do, Tottenham will only fear more that their deal could fall through.

Read also……….

Liverpool was ordered to spend £15 million to acquire a “world-class” wonderkid before Real Madrid.

In spite of Real Madrid’s current interest, Liverpool has reportedly been told they can sign Fenerbahce wonderkid Arda Guler if they activate his €17.5 million (£15.9 million) release clause.

As reported by AS, the young talent will only be permitted to leave Turkey this summer if a club exercises his £15 million exit clause. Liverpool is just one of many teams interested in signing Guler, who has exploded onto the European scene this season.

Target Scouting has praised Guler as a “world-class” prospect, and Liverpool are now keeping an eye on the 18-year-old winger after he recently scored for Turkey against Wales in Euro 2024 qualifying. Guler has garnered a lot of praise this season for his impressive performances for Fenerbahce.

Given his youth, Guler is undoubtedly on the path to becoming one of the best players in Europe with six goals and seven assists for Fener last season across all competitions. And with the release clause set at £15 million, Liverpool may now find themselves in a position to sign the young player.

However, if Los Blancos push hard enough to bring the 18-year-old wonderkid to Spain in the upcoming weeks, Liverpool may find it extremely difficult to lure the Turkish winger to Anfield due to Madrid’s interest in him.

If Madrid makes an offer, Liverpool might have trouble acquiring Guler.

Guler’s talent seems to have no limits; at this rate, the winger will soon rank among the most thrilling athletes in all of Europe. Liverpool, however, may be unable to sign the Fenerbahce star if Madrid initiates contact with the player too soon.

Indeed, Madrid is not averse to making significant financial investments in young athletes whom the team believes are deserving of playing for the first team. And if Liverpool goes through with a move, the La Liga team might significantly outmuscle them given how impressive Guler has been over the past 12 months.

June 23, 2023
For £10 million, according to Jamie Carragher, he would sell the 31-year-old Liverpool player.

If this summer there is a decent offer, Jamie Carragher has urged Liverpool to trade Joel Matip.

Matip has struggled this season, falling behind Ibrahima Konate in the Reds’ center-back hierarchy. The 31-year-old has just one year left on his contract, and Carragher told Redmen TV that Jurgen Klopp should consider offers of about £10 million for him.

“When I look at the defense, I believe Joel Matip has one more year.” The Liverpool great advised moving on if you received £10 million, regardless of the cost.

Carragher stated it’s imperative that Klopp sign a left-sided center-back when asked about any defense-related work the manager would look to undertake in the coming months.

The 45-year-old asserted, “I do believe we need a left-sided defender, a center-back with left foot.” We lack them, although many teams do. A player on the left side would offer something. If we’re going to keep playing in this system right now, they ought to be purchasing someone in that position rather than a left-back because I don’t believe we will. a center defender with full-back capabilities. There should be a left-sided center defender who can play left back, in my opinion.

Joel Matip faces summer transfer decisions.

This opinion of Carra is not very contentious. It would surprise Liverpool if someone offered anything close to £10 million for Matip in the upcoming months.

First and foremost, it is entirely logical from a business perspective. The Cameroonian joined Liverpool for free and has essentially achieved every goal possible. They would amazingly still be generating a sizable profit on Matip.

If they manage to hang onto him for another year, they will lose him for nothing, since they paid nothing for him in the first place.

It also looks like the proper time to let Matip go from a footballing perspective. He has served the club admirably and will be remembered as one of the best center backs in recent Liverpool history.

His impressive talents, however, have begun to fade during the past 12 months. Injury has undoubtedly taken a toll, but Liverpool already has a definite upgrade in Konate.

The time seems ripe for the Reds to go after a player that fits into their new playing style a little bit better than Joel as they try to revolutionize their approach to the game. On the other hand, if no offers come in, we’ll be content to have him for another year.

Read also………….

Due to Tottenham links, the manager anticipates the Liverpool player to depart this summer.

In recent weeks, Caoimhin Kelleher, a goalkeeper for Liverpool, has been linked to Tottenham Hotspur.

According to a recent report from The Irish Independent, Spurs is one of the teams interested in the Anfield goalkeeper.

In addition to Tottenham, teams like Brighton and Brentford are also interested in the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Kelleher has performed admirably for the Reds when needed. That hasn’t happened all that frequently, though.

After his performance in the League Cup final of the previous year, the 24-year-old was the talk of the red half of Merseyside.

He converted his penalty kick against Chelsea before blocking Kepa Arrizabalaga’s attempt to give his team the championship.

However, Kelleher has struggled to find chances. He has only made four appearances so far this year.

Hugo Lloris’ future at Tottenham is unknown, thus the club urgently needs a long-term replacement.

Now, Kelleher’s departure from Liverpool is anticipated, according to Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny.

He actually wishes for this to happen because it would likely benefit Tottenham and other potential suitors.

According to BBC Sport, Kenny predicted that the player would move this summer.

And he needs to play games, therefore it can only be advantageous to him.

He hasn’t played as much this year, which has been a concern for him.

Our point

Tottenham has to start pursuing Kelleher as soon as possible.

He has demonstrated his abilities at the top level, and at only 24 years old, he still has a long career ahead of him.

Better yet, Kelleher is reportedly priced at £20 million. A young, “top-level” keeper would consider that a great deal.

Emiliano Martinez was infamously transferred from Arsenal to Aston Villa a number of years ago, and since then, he has flourished.

With a fantastic goalie who is currently being wasted at Liverpool, Tottenham might very easily achieve the same results.

June 2, 2023
Liverpool received a crushing blow in their pursuit of the 24-year-old sensation when he said, “I will stay at Barcelona, of course.”

Jules Kounde wants to stay at Barcelona amid interest from Liverpool

Barcelona and France defender Jules Kounde has confirmed he will remain with the La Liga champions despite interest from Liverpool.

A few days ago, the Daily Mail revealed that Liverpool are keen to bring Kounde to Anfield because Jurgen Klopp wants the player.

We all know the Reds are in the market for midfielders and defenders. Given that the Frenchman is a flexible player in defense, the possible offer to sign him made sense

, the 24-year-old squashed those rumors before they even started making noise. Here’s what he had to say (h/t Bein Sports, via Mirror):

“So that it remains clear… my future? Of course, I will stay in Barcelona.

While anything can happen in football, especially during transfer windows, this statement tells us that Kounde is highly unlikely to join Anfield this summer.

If we look at Liverpool’s current centre-back options, they could use a centre-back who could fill the role that Joel Matip once played. The latter could well be sold this summer.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold moving into midfield on the ball, it is appropriate to bring in a right-back or centre-back on the right flank to help Ibrahima Konate, either sharing minutes or playing at right-back.

As Koundé could do both, not having him would be a bit disappointing. But it’s very early summer. There are other goals the club can focus on before pre-season kicks off next month.

Ideally, Klopp, Jorg Schmadtke and the backroom staff should finalize all player deals before the start of July, so that new players to the team participate in the pre-season from day one. It would help their integration and understanding of the tactical side of the game under the coach.

Read also………..

Jürgen Klopp: ‘It was a pleasure to work with Ox – I love him’

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was “a pleasure to work with” during a Liverpool career hampered by injury but still winning six major trophies, explains Jürgen Klopp.

Since joining from Arsenal in the summer of 2017, Oxlade-Chamberlain made 146 appearances for the Reds, helping the club to the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, Emirates FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Carabao Cup.

His six-year spell at Merseyside has sadly included spells on the sidelines with injury, most notably when he was ruled out for around 12 months following a serious knee problem during the Champions League semi-final win against Roma in April 2018.

Indeed, it’s that moment that comes to mind when Klopp looks back on the 29-year-old’s days at Anfield.

“Ox is a super boy, definitely a super boy. Now that’s a shame with Ox as is sometimes the case with players – he’s had a great time here and in the end I’m pretty sure he’s not 100% happy and I can certainly understand that,” the manager told Liverpoolfc.com.

“But the only moment that comes to mind that kinda describes the time here but also how good it is is the situation in the semi-finals of Roma, the home game, when it’s was injured. At that point, honestly, I had no idea how to replace him – Ox was so good.

“That was it: he came here, played full back at Arsenal once in a while, winger definitely and he became a real number 8 here, the way we wanted to play – super energetic, technical.”

“I remember how early we had our first final sessions and I watched and thought, ‘He hasn’t scored so many goals in the past. If I could shoot like you, I would start at 7am and finish at 9am.’” 10am because it’s amazing!’

“Then he started scoring these wonderful goals against [Manchester] City and in other important games. It was always a real pleasure to work with him, but of course an injury or two too many caused some problems.

“I love him. I once said that if I had to choose a player to go on vacation with, my first choice would probably be Ox because I’m pretty sure he’s good enough to organize things, he knows all over the world. Together with his wife, he could probably organize tickets for any event in England, maybe in Europe, and it would be absolutely fun.

“He’s a good talker and I’m pretty sure he’ll be all over TV after his career ends – which I hope will last a long time. Otherwise, the TV made a big mistake!

When asked to name his favorite moment of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Liverpool career, Klopp replied: “There are a lot but I only remember the goal against City at home.” Falling between two players, recovering the ball and then throwing a powerful punch, and Ederson was not even close to the ball.

“It was my greatest moment in football and there have been many more.

Ox has won everything here at Liverpool FC which is amazing so he will continue to be a legend when he comes back and things like that and I’m pretty sure he brings a lot of fantastic memories with him and we’ll keep a lot of them, they will be fantastic memories with him, 100 percent.

June 2, 2023