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Leeds United have a rich history of bringing talented young prospects through their academy system over the years; including the likes of David Seaman, James Milner, and the late Gary Speed.

The Whites also have a number of graduates from their youth side who are currently competing in Daniel Farke's first-team squad during the 2023/24 campaign.

Sam Byram, Crysencio Summerville, and Pascal Struijk are just three of the former academy players who are now stars for the team in the Championship.

Leeds current most-valuable former academy players:

Two of those three players are in the table above as some of the most valuable players to come through the youth set-up but Farke may wish that he had another one of the gems on that list – Jack Clarke.

The ex-Leeds talent would have been a dream for the German head coach and a better option than Wilfried Gnonto as he has gone on to prove himself to be an exceptional talent at this level.

How much did Leeds sell Jack Clarke for?

Former Whites sporting director Victor Orta, unfortunately, cashed in on the young gem in the summer of 2019 as Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur swooped in to sign him for an initial fee of £8.5m.

That move came after the teenage winger had scored two goals and provided two assists in 22 Championship matches for Marcelo Bielsa throughout the 2018/19 campaign, which was his breakthrough year at senior level.

However, the English forward failed to make an impact in north London as he only made four first-team appearances for Spurs before his move to Sunderland, initially on loan, in January 2022.

How many goals has Clarke scored for Sunderland?

Clarke has racked up 17 goals in 79 senior matches for the Black Cats in all competitions over the last 18 months or so, and has established himself as a start for Tony Mowbray's side.

He played a role in their promotion to the Championship during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign as the exciting winger scored one goal and provided three assists in 20 League One outings during his loan spell from Tottenham.

Sunderland then opted to sign him on a permanent basis from the Premier League club in the summer of 2022 and he has gone on to prove himself at Championship level with some outstanding performances.

The Black Cats made the play-offs during the 2022/23 season and Clarke played a significant part in their success as he delivered goals and assists from out wide.

He produced nine goals and 12 assists across 47 appearances for the club on the left flank, which showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis.

Only Ross Stewart (ten) and Amad Diallo (14) scored more goals for Sunderland than Clarke, and no other player for his side managed more than seven assists. This shows that he was the outstanding creative threat for Mowbray last term and one of the manager's most lethal scorers.

How many goals has Clarke scored this season?

The 22-year-old wizard has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the 2023/24 campaign with sevengoals in nine Championship matches for the Black Cats.

He is the current top scorer in the division and is showing off his ability to be a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch when it comes to scoring goals, as well as creating them.

Clarke has averaged a fantastic Sofascore rating of 7.83 across those eight games and caught the eye with 2.3 key passes per game and three 'big chances' created in total.

Only Norwich City's Gabriel Sara (8.05) and Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (7.88) have averaged higher Sofascore ratings within the division, which shows that the Sunderland star has been one of the best performers in the Championship so far this season.

Clarke, whose dribbling ability was hailed as "effortless" by former Leeds forward Noel Whelan, is also exceptional at carrying his team up the pitch.

Over the last 365 days, the young whiz ranks within the top 3% of players among the Men's Next 14 Competitions for progressive carries per 90 (5.55), which shows that he is outstanding at driving forward with the ball to get closer to the opposition's goal.

His performances for Sunderland in the Championship over the last 12 months or so suggest that he would be a far better option than current Leeds left winger Gnonto for Farke.

How many goals has Gnonto scored this season?

The Italy international has scored one goal in five league appearances for Leeds so far this season for the German head coach and is yet to prove himself to be a reliable scorer at this level.

Gnonto has also failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates and has made 0.6 key passes per game for the Whites, as per Sofascore, which is a tally that ten other players within the squad have beaten thus far.

The 19-year-old whiz has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90, which is the 17th-highest score at the club, and this comes off the back of his debut campaign in English football last term.

He scored two goals and assisted four in 24 Premier League outings for Leeds throughout the 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated to the Championship.

These statistics suggest that Gnonto is not a better option than Clarke for several reasons. The English ace, based on the current evidence that is available, offers a greater goal threat, provides more creativity for the team, and has a higher average performance level on the left wing.

This indicates that Leeds' team would have improved considerably at the top end of the pitch if they had Clarke available for selection instead of the Italian teen.

Therefore, the current Sunderland star would have been a dream for Farke with his dynamic and lethal attacking displays down the left flank, as he has proven himself to be an upgrade on Gnonto.

Orta raked in a significant fee for the teenager in 2019, of £8.5m, but it is a shame that the Whites were never able to see the best of his abilities at Elland Road, as he has gone on to be a star on Wearside.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been watching British television illegally, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher joked this week.

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• Kane thanked Henry for singing his praise
• Striker admitted to watching Sky Sports
• Accused of having 'dodgy box' in Germany

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane appeared on to discuss his team's 3-0 win against Lazio on Tuesday as the German giants secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The Englishman took a moment to thank Thierry Henry for praising him on Sky Sports' show Monday Night Football, but was quizzed on how he was able to watch the programme while in Germany.

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  WHAT KANE AND CARRAGHER SAID

  When Kane thanked Henry for the kind comments, fellow pundit Micah Richards asked him: "How do you get that in Germany, by the way?"

  "Don't worry," Kane replied, sending the pundits into a laugh as Carragher shouted: "Harry's got a dodgy box!"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was not the only funny moment between Kane and the pundits after Tuesday's encounter. The striker broke Carragher's heart when he admitted that the pair had not spoken over the phone the night before the home game against Lazio, despite the ex-England hero's claim that they were friends.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  After his double helped fire Bayern into the last-eight of the Champions League, Kane and his co-stars will turn their attention to Saturday's game against Mainz in the Bundesliga. The Bavarian giants are currently 10 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

The Reds completely rolled over their opponents to go through with a 11-2 aggregate win

Liverpool ran riot against Sparta Prague as Jurgen Klopp's side strolled to a 6-1 win against the Czech side in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday. Despite holding a 5-1 lead from the first leg and with an FA Cup clash against Manchester United coming up, Jurgen Klopp opted to use his heavy artillery, starting Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai as the Reds pulverised their already down-and-out opponents.

The floodgates opened after just seven minutes when Szoboszlai found Nunez in plenty of space in the Sparta Prague box for the Uruguayan to smash into the net. Rather than learn a lesson from such lax defending, it got worse for Sparta as, just seconds later, some sloppy play gave away another goal as Bobby Clark was there to roll it into the net.

It was 3-0 inside just 10 minutes, with even more dodgy passing at the back once again presenting Salah with the golden chance to make club history and the Egyptian sensation did not pass it up, netting his 20th goal of the season. Sparta's self-destruction continued as Cody Gakpo made it 4-0 after just 14 minutes, getting onto the end of a pass from Salah to add more misery for the visitors and turning all neutral spectators into a real life Simpsons meme.

Amazingly, Sparta managed to pull a goal back near the end of the first-half as Veljko Birmancevic outmuscled Wataru Endo and rolled it beyond Caoimhin Kelleher. The goal and half-time break hardly disrupted Liverpool's momentum, as Szoboszlai got a goal of his own early in the second half before Gakpo flicked into the net to deprive substitute Harvey Elliott of a goal, making it 6-1 after 55 minutes. That's how it finished, with the Reds romping their way to the last eight.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Caoimhin Kelleher (6/10):

  A quiet night for the goalkeeper who only had one save to make.

  Conor Bradley (7/10):

  Drifted forward and into midfield when Liverpool were in possession and offered a decent amount of protection out of it.

  Joe Gomez (6/10):

  Barely troubled as Sparta crumbled under the pressure and failed to threaten more than once.

  Jarell Quansah (7/10):

  Another comfortable display at centre-back, putting his sound reading of the game on show.

  Andy Robertson (7/10):

  Saw plenty of the ball and was always safe and smart with his passing.

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  Midfield

  Bobby Clark (8/10):

  A really tidy performance. Was involved in the first goal and got a simple one of his own seconds later. Had a lot of fun cutting through Sparta to threaten their goal.

  Wataru Endo (5/10):

  Didn't look good for Sparta's goal and was taken off at half-time.

  Dominik Szoboszlai (8/10):

  Got things up and running with a perfectly-placed pass to Nunez and got on the scoresheet early in the second half.

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  Attack

  Mohamed Salah (9/10):

  Tore Sparta apart at times and got three assists as well as a goal.

  Darwin Nunez (7/10):

  A huge danger throughout the game with his pace, passing and positioning. Took his goal well but, as is customary from the Uruguayan, he missed a few great chances. Went off at half-time.

  Cody Gakpo (8/10):

  Joined in the fun as Sparta collapsed and got two goals. Thought he had a hat-trick but the flag was up.

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  Subs & Manager

  Kostas Tsimikas (6/10):

  One of three half-time changes and settled in well in the backline.

  James McConnell (6/10):

  A good fit for the midfield with some sound passing.

  Harvey Elliott (7/10):

  Covered a lot of ground in yet another determined display and almost got rewarded with a goal but Gakpo got the final touch.

  Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

  Surprisingly brought on for the last 25 minutes but wasn't really needed.

  Mateusz Musialowski (5/10):

  Didn't have much time to impress after replacing Clark.

  Jurgen Klopp (9/10):

  An awesome performance from his side as they dominated and were hardly troubled. Made some surprising calls to start so many stars and bring on Van Dijk despite the lead, even before kick-off. But his players will take great confidence into the FA Cup clash against Manchester United at the weekend.

This season has felt like a slog for Arsenal.

It’s the third year on the bounce that Mikel Arteta’s side have fought for the Premier League, but instead of Manchester City, it’s Liverpool who, as things stand, look set to pip them to the crown.

The North Londoners haven’t been at their scintillating best for much of the campaign, but they have also been incredibly unlucky with injuries, with their two best attackers, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, out injured.

Worse still, a player the club released as a youngster continues to thrive at the very highest level and has already scored more goals than Saka and Havertz combined.

Havertz and Saka's seasons

So, it would be fair to say that since he moved to Arsenal for £65m in June 2023, Havterz has been a player who has split opinions among fans and pundits alike.

The German international initially joined the club as a midfield option, but halfway through last season, when he was struggling to adapt, Arteta opted to move him up and make him the team’s starting number nine, which was a decision that more than paid off.

By the end of the campaign, the former Chelsea ace had scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 games, but eight of those goals and seven of those assists came in just 18 appearances up top, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.2 games.

He hasn’t been quite as clinical this season and has received flak for it, but we’d argue that the Aachen-born marksman has been more effective than people have given him credit for, as in 34 appearances, he’s scored 15 goals and provided five assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.7 games, and also makes him the club’s top scorer.

From one player who sometimes has as many critics as fans to one who was in simply sensational form prior to his unfortunate hamstring injury: Saka.

In just 24 appearances, totalling 1828 minutes, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.09 games, or every 83.09 minutes.

In short, Arsenal are in for a serious uphill battle if they are going to overtake Liverpool without these two in the team, which makes the club’s distant decision to release a prolific goalscorer, who has more goals than he pair combined this season, as a child even harder to take today.

The former Arsenal prospect outscoring Saka and Havertz

With a club the size of Arsenal, there will always be incredible youngsters who slip through the gaps, such as Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Donyell Malen.

However, we aren’t sure many teams have made the decision to release a player who would end up being as unbelievably talented as Harry Kane.

The England captain was a part of Hale End until he was around 12 years old, when then-academy manager Roy Massey decided to release him, as he didn’t believe the youngster had what was needed to make it in the game.

Now, while the club have since come to regret that decision in a big, big way, it did take about three years for Tottenham Hotspur to swoop in and pick him up after he spent a few weeks on trial with Watford, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Following a number of loans around the Football League, the Walthamstow-born star finally made it into the Lilywhites’ first team and went on to become their all-time top goalscorer, racking up an incredible haul of 280 goals and 61 assists in 435 games before securing a mega-money move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

The “world-class” centre forward, as dubbed by Harry Maguire, has been just as devastating in Germany, and this season, he has already scored 29 goals and provided ten assists in just 31 appearances, totalling 2459 minutes.

That means he is not only outscoring Havertz and Saka combined, but he’s also averaging 1.25 goal involvements every game, or one every 63.05 minutes, which is utterly outrageous and the sort of output that would surely fire Arteta’s men to the title.

Ultimately, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Arsenal are blessed with a plethora of incredibly talented players of their own, but a world in which they kept hold of Kane is one that might’ve seen them win a lot more silverware.

An £85m superstar in the making: Arsenal struck gold on "incredible" dynamo

The sensational talent is already a game-changer for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 21, 2025

Rangers are believed to be willing to offer a 47-year-old manager the opportunity to replace Philippe Clement until the end of the season, according to a new update.

Rangers searching for Clement successor

There was an inevitability about Clement’s time in charge at Ibrox coming to an end, following a consistently disappointing run of results this season, especially in the Scottish Premiership. While they are still in the Europa League, it was hard to see things turning around positively enough in the coming weeks and months.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to St Mirren was too much for Rangers’ board to ignore, in a result that means they are still trailing Celtic by 13 points, with the Hoops also losing away to Hibernian over the weekend.

The search is now on to find Clement’s replacement at Ibrox, with Fabrizio Romano providing an update on a potential reunion with Steven Gerrard, saying: “At the moment nothing has been decided, so let’s keep all options open. The club is assessing options to replace Clement but nothing direct yet with Gerrard or his camp.”

It looks as though an interim boss will be brought in for the time being, however, potentially until the summer, and an intriguing update has dropped regarding who could come in.

47 y/o handed chance to manage Rangers

According to The Daily Record, Rangers are keen on making former player Barry Ferguson their next manager until the end of this season. The report says that the 47-year-old “will be given the chance to lead the club” leading up until the summer, prior to a permanent long-term boss coming in. In fact, a “whirlwind deal could be completed within 24 hours”, with “talks ongoing” with the popular ex-Gers captain.

Ferguson being named interim boss could be a decision that goes down well at Rangers, considering what a well-liked figure he was during his playing days, winning six Scottish Premiership titles and being named Player of the Year on three separate occasions.

Granted, the Scot hasn’t exactly had a memorable managerial career to date, most recently being in charge of Alloa Athletic until February 2022, meaning he hasn’t had a leading manager’s job of note for three years. That said, Rangers need a feel-good factor to return between now and the end of the season, and Ferguson could provide that, with the supporters feeling that they have one of their own in the dugout.

He knows the club inside out, and would no doubt show a huge amount of passion for the job, and if he can work wonders in charge, such as going far in the Europa League, he could even put himself in contention for the permanent job once the summer arrives.

49ers will love him: Rangers must hire "fantastic" manager who knows Wilson

As pressure mounts on Philippe Clement, the new 49ers ownership group at Rangers should look to hire “fantastic” out of work manager as replacement.

By
Ben Gray

Feb 24, 2025

There may be some fans who want to see a more proven manager come in temporarily, but the positives of bringing in Ferguson are clear to see, taking the time to get the permanent successor right this summer.

Lauren James reaped the benefits from a huge mistake from Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger to give Chelsea the lead in their WSL clash on Friday.

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• James fired Chelsea to first-half lead
• Nusken followed up with two goals for Blues
• Home team sit top of WSL with Arsenal third

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England hero received a pass from Sjoeke Nusken and found space to unleash a shot towards goal that was initially saved by Zinsberger, but the goalkeeper still could not keep the ball out of the net as it bounced over the line. Just six minutes later, Nusken was on the scoresheet, too, as she was there to divert Erin Cuthbert's shot past the Gunners goalkeeper. The German then followed it up with her team's third goal just after the half-hour mark.

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• WATCH THE CLIPS

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was a nightmare start for Arsenal, who were forced to wear Chelsea's socks for the game after an odd kit mix-up caused a 30-minute delay to the game. Just 32 minutes into the clash, they were three goals behind as reigning WSL champions Chelsea looked a cut above their London rivals.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Chelsea were top of the WSL heading into the game, sitting ahead of Manchester City on goal difference. Arsenal, meanwhile, sat third in the table and three points adrift of the top two but the Gunners will have to pull off an incredible comeback if they are to stop Emma Hayes from going further ahead at the table's summit.

Barcelona have drawn up a shortlist of three managers to potentially replace Xavi, although they have not given up on the ex-midfielder staying put.

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• Barca not convinced Xavi will leave
• Drawing up shortlist of potential replacements
• Xavi announced intention to depart this summer

• Angel Martinez/Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  reports that Barcelona are currently drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements for Xavi after he announced his intention to leave the club in the summer. Xavi still has a contract until the summer of 2025 and Barcelona remain hopeful of keeping their legendary ex-midfielder at the club, although the report claims that the club would need to either win La Liga or the Champions League to convince him to stay.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona are reported to have shortlisted PSG boss Luis Enrique – who managed the club between 2014 and 2017 before managing Spain – as well as Hansi Flick, who is represented by super-agent Pini Zahavi, with whom Barca have a close relationship, and Rafael Marquez. Marquez is currently the manager of Barcelona Athletic and he is seen as an in-house option, similar to the appointment of Pep Guardiola when he was promoted from managing the youth team.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It remains to be seen if Xavi will be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat and win a major trophy; were he to do so, he could potentially change his mind. The legendary figure guided the club to La Liga success last season, but they have endured a difficult campaign this time around. They sit eight points behind Real Madrid in the league and are paired with Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. When Luis Enrique was in charge, he guided Barcelona to two La Liga titles, Copa del Rey success three times, as well as Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup crowns.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Barcelona are next in action against Las Palmas in La Liga on Saturday before taking on PSG in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. The latter could be vital in deciding the future of manager Xavi.

West Ham United are back in business this season after toiling somewhat last year, finishing 16th in the Premier League though winning the Europa Conference League in June.

This momentous triumph dispelled any concerns over the club's drop in form, with David Moyes and his transfer team since making some impressive summer signings to restore fluidity.

And with the Irons currently seventh in the league and top of their Europa League group, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic for the future, but not everyone in the squad is performing well.

How is Nayef Aguerd playing this season?

Nayef Aguerd was so important after recovering from an ankle injury sustained in July 2022 that lay him on the sidelines for an extended period, making his debut in Premier League debut in November and making 30 total displays.

Praised as a "superstar" by reporter Mohamed Salad last season, the Moroccan played four times during his nation's stunning 2022 World Cup run, keeping clean sheets against Croatia, Belgium and Spain.

But this season, the £50k-per-week titan has left much to be desired, with a notably calamitous game against Liverpool leading The Athletic's Roshane Thomas to state that "defensive errors are holding him back."

The match before, Moyes bemoaned his "bad timing" for Bernardo Silva's equalising goal for Manchester City, shortly after the break, which proved detrimental as the Sky Blues turned the match around.

To compound matters, he was sent off against Chelsea in August and missed the subsequent match against Brighton & Hove Albion – good thing the Irons won both.

He is, of course, a very good centre-back, making 4.1 clearances per game this term and winning 58% of his duels, but he's not hit his stride yet this year and could use a bit of competition.

Who is Kaelan Casey?

Perhaps the time is right for West Ham to unleash their latest academy star, with dynamic central defender Kaelan Casey impressing over the past few years.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut last season, coming off the bench against FCSB in the Europa Conference League, while he has sat on the bench in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur and Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup this season.

Casey penned a long-term contract with the London Stadium side in August, and may only be young, but boasts the talent and the confidence to succeed at the highest level.

A versatile player, he can play across defensive and midfield roles and, as such, would be a tailor-made heir to Declan Rice's position in Moyes' team, with the England star and Irons graduate completing a £105m move to Arsenal in the summer.

Said to be a talent that “other clubs are envious of” by Thomas, Casey is now a distinguished 72-appearance member of West Ham's youth teams, with the hulking 6 foot 3 prodigy – captain of the U21 outfit – looking every bit the future Premier League player.

Aguerd is an immensely talented centre-half and one who will play a major role for West Ham when facing the upcoming obstacles.

But with such an exciting youth prospect in Casey waiting in the wings, it might be wise for Moyes to offer him a route into the first team, adding a dimension, kickstarting his career and providing Aguerd with the incentive to perform at his zenith.

Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with Liverpool's start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, but he will know that there is plenty of work still to be done to ensure that a satisfying conclusion is reached.

Having picked up 20 points from their opening nine league matches, the Reds are looking to keep on the tail of table-toppers Tottenham Hotspur, who have a six-point advantage having played an additional match ahead of Liverpool's upcoming clash with Nottingham Forest.

But at this stage of the campaign, such frivolous matters are yet to truly reach Klopp's concern, who will ensure his team are focussed only on the forthcoming fixture.

The central point at this stage is sustaining the renewed intensity and cohesion that had disappeared last term, when Liverpool trudged to a fifth-placed finish and received a season-long rebuke from journalists and critics for their substandard performances.

The midfield has been restored after an emphatic summer of transfer activity, but such occurred at the expense of defensive reinforcements, despite much discourse surrounding the need for bolstering at the back.

With that being said, 2024 looks to be a year of further action in the market for the Anfield side, with several targets earmarked to strengthen the rearguard.

Liverpool's transfer targets

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool and heated rivals Manchester United have both registered an interest in French side Lille's 17-year-old defender Leny Yoro, with the precocious centre-back considered one of the finest talents in Ligue 1 right now.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are also intrigued, while Chelsea have held a long-time admiration for the France native, but Liverpool's emergence as a suitor highlights Klopp's desire to improve the backline with a prodigious addition.

The competition is thick, however, but given that Liverpool are pursuing the signature of another rising star in Sporting Lisbon's Goncalo Inacio, perhaps priority could be shifted to the touted talent.

As per BILD, Liverpool have received a major boost in their pursuit following Manchester United's alleged withdrawal from the race, citing difficulties in meeting his £52m release clause.

Why Liverpool are interested in Goncalo Inacio

Inacio is a very distinctive defender with attributes that make him a custom-made fit for outfits chasing illustrious success, with analyst Raj Chohan stating: "Gonçalo Inácio is the perfect counter-weight to Konaté. Inacio-VVD-Konaté: Build-up conductor. Leader/aerial dominator/switches of play. Immense recovery speed & coverage of space."

The four-cap Portugal star has made 134 appearances for his homeland outfit, posting 11 goals and eight assists, and has attracted attention from multiple European giants since rising to the fore, with Newcastle United also withdrawing from the race recently.

A left-footed and dynamic centre-back, Inacio, aged 22, fits the bill; Klopp is searching for such a defender to improve the defence and ease the burden on captain Virgil van Dijk, who is right-footed but has long occupied the left side of the central defence in the absence of a natural alternative.

having been described as a "complete" player by knowledgable talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, it's no wonder that the Reds are hoping to land the star, who could be the missing piece of the puzzle to restore the club's stature at the forefront.

An "immense" distributor

With positive similarities to some of Europe's finest ball-playing defenders, Inacio has the world at his feet and could bloom into one of the game's finest in his position over the coming years, with Fabrizio Romano even going as far as to hail his "very rare" qualities.

Indeed, as per FBref, the 6 foot 1 titan ranks among the top 2% of centre-backs across leagues similar to the Portuguese Primeira Liga for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90.

He is one of the most mobile and creative defenders in the game, and with his left-footed inclination aligning with the kind of centre-half Klopp covets to complete his team, it really could be a match made in heaven.

His ball-playing ability is so significant that he even eclipses Trent Alexander-Arnold across several metrics, with the progression of his passing quite simply belying the conventions of the role in the central defence.

The £180k-per-week Liverpool vice-captain has been a prominent figure in European football since breaking into Klopp's first-team as a youngster, and having supplied 74 assists from 282 appearances for the Merseyside outfit, he truly is a "genius" – as was claimed by journalist Neil Jones.

Given his free-roaming placement on the right flank of the pitch, one would assume that Alexander-Arnold would have a license to produce a greater output than a player of Inacio's ilk, but he really is shadowed in some regards by the power of Inacio's creativity.

Despite this, the 25-year-old still ranks among the top 2% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90, emphasising his skill and importance within Klopp's side.

Inacio doesn't create direct chances in the final third with the regularity of Alexander-Arnold, but this is due to his position rather than a failure to pick the apt passes.

Signing the maestro at the back would only be a recipe for success at Anfield, creating a gushing flow of support to cascade down the lanes and into the danger areas, allowing the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister (and Alexander-Arnold), to feed the deadly frontline.

Just imagine the duality of supplementation that could be unlocked across the alternating channels by securing Inacio's signature, with the Sporting sensation exactly what Liverpool needs to continue the budding renaissance and cement a spot at the very top of the European game once again.

Ella Tone celebrated a personal Manchester United milestone thanks to her brace in the Red Devils' 4-1 comeback win over Everton.

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• Manchester United beat Everton 4-1
• Toone bags brace in comeback win
• Brings up milestone goal for the club

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Four second-half goals from Mark Skinner's side cancelled out Katja Snoeijs' opener to lift United up to fourth in the Women's Super League on Sunday. Millie Turner bagged an equaliser in the 57th minute, before a double from Toone put the hosts in control. Leah Galton put some extra gloss on the scoreline in the 90th minute to cap off a day when England star Toone brought up her 50th and 51st goals for the club – becoming the first player to reach that total for the club.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

  Toone initially mishit a left-footed shot before slotting home goal number 50 in Manchester United colours. For her second, the 24-year-old tucked the ball away from close range after an incisive run from team-mate Lisa Naalsund.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This result eases the pressure on manager Skinner, who has received criticism for how his side have performed this season. However, after coming second in the WSL last term, they are still underperforming in 2023/24 and are 15 points behind league leaders Manchester City.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United's players, among others, will now head off for another international break before returning to face Chelsea in the semi-final of the FA Cup on April 14. Their next WSL fixture is against Tottenham a week later.