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Liverpool are the current favourites to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Is Mount leaving Chelsea this summer?

The 24-year-old has had a disappointing season by his high standards, losing his place in the team at times and currently being sidelined for the rest of the campaign. He has only started 20 of the Blues' Premier League games and his future has been a big talking point.

Mount's current Chelsea deal expires at the end of next season, and with no extension at Stamford Bridge coming close to being agreed yet, a move away has looked likely. Liverpool have been constantly linked with a move for the £80,000-a-week Englishman, with Jurgen Klopp seeing him as a key addition to his midfield.

It seems nailed on that the Reds are at least going to be in the mix, should Mount decide to leave Chelsea, and a new claim has now emerged.

Will Liverpool snap up Mount?

According to The Mirror's John Richardson, Liverpool are the "favourites" to sign the England international in the summer window, in a deal that could cost "around £50m". The report does state that the transfer "depends on the green light being given by incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino", with the Argentine potentially wanting to keep hold of him when he arrives.

It does appear as though the Reds really do see Mount as a primary transfer target, and someone who can help take them up a gear next season. As mentioned, he has struggled to reach his previous heights in 2022/23, but he has been part of a struggling Blues team, and ultimately, footballers can simply have a bad run of form now and again.

The positives easily outweigh the negatives with Mount, and he could slot into Liverpool's midfield with ease, taking up a No.8 role and looking to add a combination of end product and energy. He has been described as "unbelievable" by former Reds player Joe Cole in the past, while a tally of 33 goals and 37 assists for Chelsea shows the quality that he can provide in the final third.

He is still a fairly young player, too, and his injury record was strong until his current layoff, and while he is player who can be divisive, with some arguably failing to notice his subtle qualities, he has all the attributes to thrive in a Liverpool shirt.

Shakib Al Hasan is set to appear for Abahani Limited for the first time in six years on Saturday in their Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match against Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club at the BKSP-3 ground.He arrived in Dhaka on Friday afternoon, having completed his IPL stint with Kolkata Knight Riders. But Shakib didn’t say much about the prospect of Saturday’s match, only confirming that he will be playing.Abahani, who have lost four out of eight games and are in seventh place on the points table – will welcome Shakib’s return.Shakib’s last appearance for Abahani, in the finale of the 2009-10 Dhaka Premier League, created a flutter. Shakib was blamed for losing a last-ball thriller to arch-rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club, with club officials and fans hounding him inside the Mirpur dressing room. Top Abahani officials, who had vowed never include Shakib again, signed him up at the players’ draft in April despite knowing about his prior commitment with Knight Riders.Shakib did not have a particularly fruitful IPL season this year, finishing with 114 runs at an average of 22.80 and a strike rate of 107.54. His five wickets cost 48.60 apiece, with an economy rate of 7.83. He wasn’t picked in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad.”The team did well but from an individual point of view, I should have done better,” Shakib said. “My performance wasn’t to my satisfaction. I would have given my best if I had been picked for the last game, but it was the team’s decision and they took it in their best interests. So there’s no room to feel anything else.”This will also be the first time since the 2012-13 season when Shakib and Tamim Iqbal, Abahani’s captain, will play for the same club. The two are known to be good friends, and to have both in the same playing XI represents something of a coup in Bangladesh’s domestic cricket scene.

West Ham battered Arsenal 5-1 in the FA Youth Cup Final on Tuesday evening to win the trophy for the first time since 1999.

That side over 20 years ago featured the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, but this new crop of supremely talented youngsters made history at the Emirates Stadium in front of 8,000 rapturous away fans.

Incredibly, it was the Gunners who went ahead after seven minutes, but the Irons produced a stirring and sensational comeback in the form of five unanswered goals.

Kevin Keen, the Hammers coach, was immensely proud of his squad and said: “This is my 40th year in football and that’s the proudest I’ve ever been. The crowd were like an extra man for us. It’s a massive moment for a club that is very well known for our academy and hopefully some of them can go on to have really strong careers for the club.”

This academy side possesses abundant raw, intoxicating, and captivating talent as it has just been crowned as the Premier League U18 South champions too.

Their demolition of Jack Wilshere’s academy products will serve as another pivotal indication of the host of spritely gifts that the East London outfit has at its disposal.

Gideon Kodua, the captain and scorer of the third goal, was one of the standout performers and is beginning to forge a massive future for himself.

Who is Gideon Kodua?

The forward has been with the Irons since 2017 after being scouted playing for Newham District and made his U18s debut in a 4-1 thrashing over Reading in April 2021.

In the 2021/22 season, his first full campaign as a regular starter in the U18s he scored 13 goals in 28 appearances, operating as either a right-winger or central striker.

The following season, he was in even more potent form, as the attacker netted ten goals in 16 U18 Premier League games, playing a key role in the title victory.

The Englishman was also a pivotal figure in the FA Youth Cup as his side secured the domestic double.

Just before half-time, Arsenal defender Josh Robinson miscontrolled a pass in the centre circle and Kudoa ruthlessly punished the mistake with an awe-inspiring 35-yard chip to put the Hammers 3-1 ahead.

The teenager has an impressive crop to follow in the footsteps of with the aforementioned Carrick and Cole bursting through to become England regulars.

The same can be said of Declan Rice. Although he never tasted Youth Cup success like Kodua, he was the pride and joy of the youth set-up after moving away from Chelsea.

The midfielder is now an £80m player in waiting and one of the first names on the teamsheet for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.

So “special” is Kodua – as per non-league manager Kiernan Hughes-Mason – that he could well live up to the same raw potential in the coming years.

Indeed, he has emerged as a mind-blowing blend of power, technique, and dynamism akin to that of Rice. We have been told to “remember the name” and this exciting starlet brimming with limitless potential will certainly be a prospect to closely monitor moving forward.

Everton have struggled to comfortably compete in the Premier League once again this season and Sean Dyche has been working hard to save the club from relegation.

The Toffees have just ten games left to secure survival and are currently just two points clear of the bottom three going into their clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night and after going unbeaten in their last three league games will be hoping they can continue to pick up crucial points.

Indeed, Everton have suffered a number of troubling injury concerns this season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin again unable to retain his fitness which has weakened the forward line considerably over the campaign so far.

Not only that, Richarlison's summer exit and Anthony Gordon's shock move to Newcastle United in January have both heavily contributed to the lack of options and depth Dyche has in his attacking threat, which has left Everton with the joint-worst goal tally (22) in the entire Premier League season.

As a result, should the former Burnley boss keep his team up this season the club must focus on finding new additions who can properly replace those departed forwards and significantly increase the goal contributions in the team.

One player who has long been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres, a goal-scoring machine who could be exactly what Everton needs next season to avoid another relegation scrap and dominate games more frequently.

Will Everton sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer?

There is no doubt that big changes need to be made and reinforcements need to be signed this summer if Everton maintain their Premier League status.

The club has been waiting for 18 months to see Calvert-Lewin get back to his best without success, and they are now in a position where they cannot afford to wait any longer or rely on the England striker to regain his form.

That is why the signing of Gyokeres could be monumental for the Merseysiders this summer as the presence of a prolific goalscorer has been sorely missed over the last two seasons.

Over 38 Championship appearances, the Swedish striker – who Jamie Mackie claimed is the "full package" – has scored 18 goals, registered eight assists and created nine big chances, as well as averaging 3.1 shots on goal and 1.6 key passes per game, which has led to the 24-year-old becoming the second-highest scoring player in the entire second tier so far.

It is clear that the Coventry star is a hard-working and creative contributor, something that would be massively valuable to Dyche if he could continue his incredible form on the blue side of Merseyside next season.

Despite Everton's serious financial concerns, the reported £20m fee set on Gyokeres should be an achievable price to meet due to the £45m sale of Gordon and the €28m (£25m) agreement in place with Juventus for Moise Kean.

With that being said, Dyche could get Goodison Park rocking again next season if the club can complete the signing of Gyokeres and ultimately improve the performances to get the Toffees back to competing comfortably.

Liverpool will hope to pick up from where they left off in the Premier League this afternoon, with a trip to the Vitality Stadium to contest against relegation-threatened AFC Bournemouth preceded by an incredible evening at Anfield last Sunday, Jurgen Klopp’s outfit mauling Manchester United 7-0.

The resounding, record-breaking result has left optimism emanating around Merseyside once more, but the Reds will know that there is plenty of work still to be done in order to rectify the woeful campaign that has left the club fighting to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

Against the Cherries, Klopp will be unlikely to make wide-scale changes after such a fluid and cohesive win, but with one eye on overturning a three-goal deficit against Real Madrid in midweek, a couple of alterations might be made.

Thiago Alcantara and Joe Gomez are still sidelined, while reports that Luis Diaz could be included are wide of the mark; the Colombian winger will return after the international break, with Liverpool not in action next week due to the FA Cup quarter-finals.

What will Liverpool’s starting XI be vs Bournemouth?

Considering this, here is how Football FanCast expects Liverpool to line up at the Vitality Stadium this afternoon, looking to build upon the magnificent victory over the Red Devils.

We predict there to be as many as three changes from the team that left Liverpool in joyous rapture last time out; the Reds’ German manager will be wary of damaging the balance of the outfit, but will consider a few fresh faces with Los Blancos indeed looming.

In goal, Alisson will retain his position between the sticks, while left-back Andy Robertson might be handed a rest in the stead of Kostas Tsimikas, who has been a fine stand-in for the distinguished Scottish marauder since his £12m arrival from Olympiakos.

The midfield looked far more robust against Erik ten Hag’s United, but the “outstanding” – as lauded by Jamie Carragher – teenager Stefan Bajcetic might return in place of Fabinho, who has looked more like himself over the past few weeks after struggling for much of the term.

Mohamed Salah will be joined on the wings by Diogo Jota, who will provide a rest for the “chance magnet” – as dubbed by Mark Goldbridge – Darwin Nunez, 23, after his imposing offensive display last week, while Cody Gakpo will be offered the chance to continue to grow his burgeoning talismanic aura up front.

An update has emerged on Liverpool and their interest in signing central defender Levi Colwill in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Levi Colwill to Liverpool?

According to Football Insider, the Reds are tracking the Brighton centre-back, who is on loan from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Liverpool coaches have been seriously impressed with the England youth international’s performances in the top flight this term.

Arsenal are also said to be plotting a move for the defender, who the Blues are not actively looking to sell at this time. Jurgen Klopp is also monitoring his situation with the defender valued at around £25m as recently as last summer.

Could Colwill be Virgil van Dijk’s heir?

Liverpool could land the long-term heir to their current first-choice left-sided centre-back Virgil van Dijk by convincing their Premier League rivals to part ways with Colwill in the summer.

The 20-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires in the summer of 2025 but Chelsea have signed Wesley Fofana, 22, and Benoit Badiashile, 22, in his position this season with their presence potentially set to block his pathway to the first-team in Graham Potter’s side.

This could, therefore, open the door for the Reds to swoop in for the England U21 international if the defender decides that he needs to move on from the Blues.

Van Dijk, who turns 32 this year, has been a reliable performer yet again for Liverpool this season – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across 22 league matches – and predominantly plays on the left side of the centre-back pairing, despite being right-footed.

Colwill, who was once hailed as “outrageous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also lines up on the left of the defence as a naturally left-footed player and the youngster could well be the long-term heir to the Dutchman’s place in the team.

Both players rank in the top 15% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for passes attempted and pass completion rate. Van Dijk (4.77) and Colwill (5.06) also excel at progressing the ball via carries and passes per 90 with these statistics showing that they are both ball-playing defenders who can start attacks for their sides on a regular basis.

They are also both in the top 14% of players in their positions for aerial duels won per 90 over the last 365 days – managing 2.82 or more – an indication that they are aerially dominant and can tower over attackers to win the ball.

Stylistically, the Chelsea man could be a like-for-like replacement for Van Dijk if the English defender can develop his game and perform to a high level consistently over the course of a campaign – instead of in just seven Premier League matches so far.

At the age of 20, the enforcer has plenty of time left ahead of him to grow and improve and Klopp’s coaching could help him to become the long-term successor to the club’s current Dutch star.

Tottenham Hotspur have always had mixed success in the transfer window under the stewardship of chairman Daniel Levy.

The Spurs supremo has given up some control of footballing matters in recent years, having appointed former Juventus chief Fabio Paratici as his sporting director back in the summer of 2021, but a lot of his past decisions are still being felt today.

Levy hasn’t been afraid to splash the cash in the market, though it’s rarely paid off with former club-record signings Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso already out the door at Hotspur Way, despite costing a combined £110m in 2020.

Colombian centre-back Davinson Sanchez is one record acquisition that remains in north London, however. But how has he gotten on since his £42m move (as per The Guardian) from Ajax in August 2017?

How much is Davinson Sanchez worth?

Having cost a record fee at the time, the then-21-year-old was a key target for ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino, who waxed lyrical about his quality and potential upon his arrival.

“It’s a massive opportunity because we believe he will be one of the best centre-backs in the world in the future. That is why we made the effort to try to sign him,” he claimed.

Sanchez initially settled in pretty quickly, leading to further praise from the Argentine, having lauded his young colossus as “a beast” following a win over London rivals West Ham United.

But in more recent times, the now 26-year-old has struggled to cement his place in the starting lineup, with the Lilywhites going through the motions in the dugout, ever since the sacking of Pochettino.

Sanchez struggled to maintain a spot under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and now Antonio Conte, even despite the latter deploying a favourable back-three system, meaning more places are up for grabs.

Even full-back Ben Davies has often gotten the nod over him.

Spurs’ no.6 has started only 40 top-flight matches since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, which is just two more appearances than a full Premier League calendar, which only goes to show how little he has been trusted.

The 6 foot 2 titan, who earns a reported £65k-per-week in north London, certainly has question marks over his ability at this level now, having been lambasted as a “liability” and as “reckless” by numerous pundits in the last 18 months alone.

His lack of game time and dubious form – when played – has led to an adverse effect on his overall transfer value, which is a worrying sign because he is supposed to be entering his prime as a central defender

According to FootballTransfers, the Colombian is now worth just €25.9m (£23m) – a 45% decrease on what Pochettino and Levy paid five-and-a-half years ago.

If anything, that price should have soared exponentially, considering the Argentine’s glowing endorsement, his touted potential and the trust from the chairman that such an amount would pay off.

It means that the £42m fee has been nothing short of a transfer disasterclass for the club, with Ndombele and Lo Celso further examples since then of past mistakes.

AND in other news, Not just Emerson: Spurs’ 72-touch “machine” was Stellini’s shining star vs West Ham…

Fabrizio Romano has said that Marseille won’t engage in talks with Aston Villa today over a deal for midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.

The Lowdown: Midfield speculation

Villa have been linked with a move for Guendouzi for a number of weeks, with reports in recent days even suggesting a ‘very good’ contract offer was made to the 23-year-old.

Guendouzi previously worked with Unai Emery at Arsenal and has been aware of the interest from the Midlands. Emery appears to be keen on adding to his midfield ranks, with Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher another player of interest late in the window, but it looks like this one is going to fizzle out.

The Latest: Villa update

Romano took to Twitter on deadline day to share an update on Guendouzi, who was described as a ‘great player’ by former Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich.

He said that ‘Marseille have no intention to let Guendouzi leave today’, adding that there are ‘no talks’ taking place with Aston Villa.

The Verdict: Blow for Emery

Emery was apparently personally driving a move for Guendouzi and even made contact with the player, so this news will more than likely come as a blow to the Villa boss.

There is still time for the club to bolster the midfield ranks at Villa Park, something which could come in handy after deals for defender Alex Moreno and forward Jhon Duran.

Someone like Gallagher could now be a smart alternative to Guendouzi, with the England international capable of playing in a variety of midfield roles. He has also starred in the Premier League for a mid-table team with Crystal Palace last season, winning their Player of the Season award, so it wouldn’t come as a shock if Villa firmed up their interest in the England international.

Manchester United have been unable to yield the comprehensive might of their usual transfer activity this winter, with the uncertainty engulfing the ownership situation leaving Erik ten Hag opting for the shrewder route.

What’s the word?

And according to 90min, the Red Devils have one eye firmly fixed on the contractual situation regarding Borussia Dortmund stalwart Marco Reus.

The report continues that while the Yellow Wall are attempting to complete a renewal for one of their most distinguished current crop, Reus’ agent is attempting to drum up interest from elsewhere as the player approaches the twilight stage of his career, with United indeed interested.

While 90min relay news from Sky Sports Germany stating that Dortmund director Sebastien Kehl expects the ace to remain with the club he has plied his trade for the past decade, an enticing package from Old Trafford could prompt a switch in colours.

Ten Hag’s Tadic repeat?

With the loan signing of Wout Weghorst already completed to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who terminated his contract with his two-time stomping ground of Old Trafford, United’s cohesive and free-flowing outfit is finely balanced, but another well-placed transfer this month could prove worthwhile.

And while Reus isn’t getting any younger, acquiring his signature for the next couple of years could be a major steal for Ten Hag.

Having made 368 appearances for Dortmund since his £14.5m move from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012, the “crazy” talented veteran – as one hailed by former teammate Axel Witsel – German has scored 156 goals and served 117 assists, winning the German Bundesliga player of the Year on three occasions.

There is, however, the matter of his dreadful injury record, with the player having consistently missed periods of football throughout the majority of his career.

Despite this, he is still a capable pro with an abundance of talent and offensive impetus at his feet, with his performances last season chalking up 13 goals and 18 assists across all competitions.

With a transfer, Ten Hag could emulate his signing of Dusan Tadic for Ajax Amsterdam, which played out to resounding success.

The £187k-per-week Reus is currently 33-year-old, and while Tadic was only 29 when he arrived in Amsterdam in 2018, the latter has gone on to become one of the distinguished outfit’s most integral cogs; a conduit through which all flows for his relentless outfit.

Having made 219 appearances across all competitions since his £10m arrival from Southampton, the Serbian has scored 96 goals and 103 assists, including 61 direct contributions from 56 outings during his debut campaign, when Ajax narrowly missed out on the Champions League final after Tottenham Hotspur pulled off a miraculous comeback in the semi-final.

As such, while making a lunge for a veteran with a shoddy injury record might appear a daft addition on surface value for a robust, burgeoning Premier League squad, the Red Devils could only benefit from his leadership and wealth of experience.

Should Ten Hag prove successful in his pursuit, he might just replicate the crafting of Tadic’s resounding success at Ajax.

Tottenham Hotspur have won just three of their last nine in the Premier League and now face second-placed Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this evening.

Antonio Conte will be looking to see his side bounce back from Sunday’s comprehensive north London derby defeat to Arsenal, whilst the same goes for Pep Guardiola and his men, having also lost in their recent clash with arch-rivals United.

It’ll be no easy feat with pressure and uncertainty starting to mount over the future of the Italian head coach, though he could do himself some favours by axing his underperforming stars.

One of which should be Heung-min Son, who has been woefully out-of-sorts for the majority of the campaign and against the Gunners, with whom he usually has a good record, his influence waned once more.

Indeed, the South Korean dynamo has scored just one Premier League goal this season, besides a hat-trick versus Leicester City, with both of his assists also coming before mid-October. It means he has provided only a solitary goal contribution across his last eight top-flight outings, per Transfermarkt.

He has misfired in some of the biggest games of the season too, notably in both fixtures against the Gunners, as well as Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham United, which makes his prospects of hurting the defending champions a lot bleaker.

It was only last season that Son emerged as one of the most prolific and exciting forwards on the planet, taking a share of the Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah.

Fast forward to now and his goals-per-shot ratio (0.08) is the lowest since his move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. In fact, it’s been double that in all but one campaign and it’s not because of a lack of service as he’s averaging the most shots on target per 90 in the same time frame, via FBref.

His own creative influence has regressed from last season as well, seeing a lower average of progressive passes, key passes and shot-creating actions per 90 in the English top-flight.

All of the above is clearly contributing to Spurs’ lacklustre time in the final third, so with Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison back fit from injury, and Bryan Gil catching the eye in his last few appearances, it would make sense for Conte to make the bold and arguably brutal decision to drop Son from the starting XI.

The £36m-rated whiz was once dubbed an “absolute beast” by rapper and renowned Lilywhites supporter AJ Tracey but he is some way off that level right now, given the evidence above. If Conte keeps the faith in him, then he’ll only be contributing towards his own immediate downfall at Tottenham.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bentancur: Conte can form “incredible” Spurs duo with £30m-rated “beast”…