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Negociado com o Olympique de Marseille (FRA), Gerson se despede do Flamengo nesta quarta-feira, em confronto contra o Fortaleza, pela sexta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, no Maracanã. E o clube preparou umprograma especial de despedida na “FlaTV”, que foi ao ar na noite desta terça-feira, horas depois da transmissão do último treino do camisa 8.

> GALERIA: Veja 15 jogadores que o Fla poderia tentar para o lugar de Gerson

> GALERIA: Relembre números, títulos e feitos de Gerson pelo Flamengo

> GALERIA: Confira imagens do último treino de Gerson pelo Flamengo

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Em uma roda no estúdio do canal, com Gabriel Batista, Bruno Henrique, Diego Alves, Diego Ribas, Filipe Luís e Hugo Moura,Gerson foi às lágrimas na reta final da gravação, que contou com uma divertida resenha sobre momentos marcantesdele com a camisa do Flamengo, o seu clube de infância e onde conquistou, desde meados de 2019, oito títulos, além de marcar sete gols e realizar 109 partidas contando com a que será realizada nesta quarta.

-Só tenho a agradecer mesmo. Já estou ficando emocionado… Fico lembrando as coisas que já passei na minha vida, não só eu, né, mas como milhares de pessoas que sofrem. Estar escutando palavras que são muito importantes, como as do Diego, Filipe e todos que estão aqui. São referências e ídolos para muitas pessoas. Vou levar tudo isso para o resto da minha vida.

Um momento curioso enquanto Gerson falava, antes de se emocionar, foi quando perguntado a respeito da importância de Jorge Jesus para a sua chegada ao Flamengo. Ele chegou a indicar que se aposentaria do futebol até a insistência do técnico português em sua contratação.

– O Mister fez um esforço muito grande para eu estar aqui. Me ligando diariamente, falando que contava comigo aqui no Flamengo, eu estava um pouco largado na Itália, pensando até em deixar o futebol de lado.

– Só que depois que eu recebi a ligação dele, me passando confiança, me perguntou o que tinha acontecido lá, e eu falei: “Os caras aqui falaram que não contam comigo nesta temporada”. E ele disse: “Beleza, se eles não contam contigo aí, eu conto com você aqui”. Foi uma coisa que me deixou muito feliz. Eu vi que o cara mesmo sem nunca ter trabalhado comigo estava depositando uma confiança muito grande no meu futebol – emendou o Coringa, que ainda revelou um grito que deu com Jesus num momento de estresse, falando que o Mister “só criticava e nunca elogiava”. O grupo riu ao lembrar do episódio.

Cabe lembrar que os títulos de Gerson foram: dois Cariocas, dois Brasileiros, duas Supercopas do Brasil, uma Recopa Sul-Americana e uma Libertadores.

Os valores definitivos de Gerson não foram revelados pelos clubes, mas estima-se que o meio-campista foi vendido ao Olympique de Marselha por 25 milhões de euros, mais bonificações que podem levar o negócio a 30 milhões de euros. O Fla ainda terá direito a 20% do valor de uma eventual transferência futura.

Para Gerson, a ocasião mais marcante de sua passagem pelo Flamengo foi no jogo em que marcou dois gols contra o Independiente Del Valle pela Recopa Sul-Americana de 2020, cujo taça foi levantada no Maracanã lotado.

– Aquele que eu dei o título para vocês contra o Del Valle. Com um a menos (Arão havia sido expulso), pai. Gol de carrinho… o Filipe (Luís) nunca atingiu uma velocidade tão alta como ele atingiu para comemorar o gol comigo (risos).

Gerson falou ainda, em tom de brincadeira, que não imaginava como teria espaço no time ao chegar.

– Te falar a verdade, Diego (Ribas)… No primeiro jogo que eu fui ver no Maraca, aquele 6×1 contra o Goiás, eu estava pensando “como eu vou jogar ali”. O meu pai foi o primeiro até a perguntar isso. Mas pensei: “Agora já estou no bolo, só vamos”. Depois foi desenvolvendo e vi que ia dar bom. Não tem como falar que imaginei que fosse ganhar vários títulos, um mais importante do que o outro.

PALAVRAS DOS COMPANHEIROS

Diego Ribas

– Eu lembro quando ele chegou aqui mais fechado, com cara de bravo. Mas logo no primeiro contato que tivemos em campo, a gente se entendeu bastante. Um cara que sempre se dedicou muito para o grupo, da maneira dele. Sempre respeitou, se dedicou. Ele é divertido, brincalhão, desconfiado (risos).

– Sempre faz aquela cara de desconfiado quando falam algumas coisa para ele. Mas é um garoto nota 10. Desejamos tudo de melhor para ele, que ele continue sendo esse grande jogador. Acho que ele pode alcançar o que ele almejar, não tem limites, porque ele tem muito potencial. Vamos estar aqui na torcida e na zoeira.

Filipe Luís

– Conheci o Gerson quando tive um jogo pelo Atlético de Madrid contra a Roma, e ele tinha acabado de fazer um grande jogo contra o Chelsea. O (Diego) Simeone passou uma semana só de vídeo do Gerson. Entramos em campo preocupados.

Diego Alves

-Chegou da Itália, um pouco cheio de dúvida, aos poucos foi demonstrando quem ele é. Depois, como o Filipe falou, se abriu para todo. Mesmo com ele está mau humorado, que é quase sempre, mas é uma pessoa que todo mundo gosta. Tenho certeza que lá (na França), no primeiro mês, o time todo vai odiar ele, porque não vai conseguir dar bom-dia… Mas é um queridão (risos). Acho que ele ainda não sabe do potencial e do que ele pode atingir na carreira.

Bruno Henrique

– Lembro de quando você completou 100 jogos, a gente entrando no Maracanã, você comentou… E hoje você vai sair, né. Para nós, são poucos jogos. Queríamos mais 100 jogos de você jogando com a gente. Você (Gerson) é um cara sensacional e vai deixar saudade em todos nós e a quem está assistindo.

O HORÁRIO DA DESPEDIDA

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Marcado pela despedida de Gerson, o confronto entre Flamengo e Fortaleza será realizado nesta quarta-feira a partir das 19h. O LANCE! acompanha todos os detalhes da partida em Tempo Real.

ASSISTA AO VÍDEO ESPECIAL ‘VALEU, CORINGA!’ NA ÍNTEGRA

Captain Henriques has lauded a season of growth for his team whatever happens in the Saturday final

Andrew McGlashan07-Feb-2020It is looking increasingly likely that the Sydney Sixers will be crowned BBL champions for the first time since the inaugural competition in 2011-12 without stepping on the field at the SCG on Saturday, but captain Moises Henriques refused to look too far ahead and insisted his team had prepared as normal to face the Melbourne Stars.The forecast of heavy rain, which arrived on cue on Sydney on Friday as the Sixers players gathered at the ground for a pre-match meeting, is expected to last throughout the weekend with over 120mm predicted for the day of the final. The match is due to start at 7.15pm and there is about a four-hour window to get a contest in, which can be reduced to a five-over game to get a result.”At the moment, we’re just the hosts of the final, to already be calling a T20 game off, it only takes 50 minutes to make a game,” Henriques said. “We’ve already seen today, even after 30mm [of rain] in two hours or something like that, the ground just dries off straight away. Considering you need only a five-over game to take place, so you only need a little break in that four-hour window to get a game in.ALSO READ: What happens if the BBL final is washed out?”So we’ve prepared as per usual. We had our team meeting today after finding out who we’re playing, completely expecting at least some sort of game of cricket to happen tomorrow.”Sixers’ route to the final

Scorchers, SCG: won by eight wickets

Hurricanes, Alice Springs: lost by 25 runs

Heat, SCG: lost by 48 runs

Scorchers, Perth: won by 48 runs

Thunder, SCG: won Super Over

Renegades, Docklands: won by six wickets

Strikers, Coffs Harbour: won by seven wickets

Strikers, Adelaide: won by two wickets

Stars, MCG: lost by 44

Hurricanes, SCG: No result

Thunder, Showgrounds: lost by four runs (DL)

Stars, SCG: won by 21 runs

Heat, Gabba: won by eight wickets

Renegades, SCG: won by seven wickets

Stars, MCG: won by 43 runs

Henriques was Player of the Match when the Sixers won their title nine years ago – hitting 70 off 41 balls after being told at the last minute he would open the batting – and they have been in two other finals. Their most recent was a thumping nine-wicket defeat to the Perth Scorchers in 2017, but in 2015 they were involved in a thriller, also against the Scorchers, in Canberra when Brett Lee, playing the final match of his career, claimed two wickets in two balls with the scores level before Henriques fumbled a run-out chance at the stumps off the last ball that would have earned a tie.”Even the fact the scores were tied with three balls to go and even just to take it to the last ball shows a lot about the way we play our cricket,” Henriques recalled. “This year, again, we’ve shown that a lot of those close games now we’re starting to win. We’ve got guys that have experienced those close fixtures, they know what it feels like to both lose and succeed and what emotions play and how to remain calm and make good decisions in those moments.”Whatever happens on Saturday, Henriques is proud of what his team has achieved this season after being unfancied in some quarters before the tournament started – as low as seventh in a couple of betting markets. “We feel like we’ve had a really good season, we’ve played some really good cricket, we’ve had some really good growth with some of our players and all of our players will obviously be trying our best tomorrow going out into the game, but what happens tomorrow doesn’t take away from what our players, our coaches and staff have achieved throughout the team.”The Sixers timed their run to second place perfectly at the end of the regular season with three straight victories but there were times when things weren’t going as smoothly. Two early defeats – a collapse chasing a low score against the Hobart Hurricanes in Alice Springs and feeling the full force of Chris Lynn at the SCG, which has been their only loss at home – tested the squad, as did a mid-season period where they were taken for 147 by Marcus Stoinis and were on the wrong end of some rain.”We’ve bounced back from every single setback or whenever a team’s done well against us the next time we’ve played them we’ve seemed to have bounced back quite well,” Henriques said. “I think that’s a testament to our all players for how they hang in there and how they learn. I think for what other people might have said about our group before the season started that definitely wasn’t the belief within the 18 players and the coaching staff in fact I couldn’t have thought anymore the opposite. I would have had us right there at the top and to be honest I’m not surprised where we are right now.”The key match for ensuring the Sixers didn’t slide down the table to need a tougher run to the final was the home match against the Stars, when they overcame the challenge of having their batting innings reduced by rain after they had started. If there is a window in the weather tomorrow, it’s a useful memory for them to have.”To know that we can win in a rain affected game even though we lost the toss is a really important thing going into tomorrow – stay unemotional about the bat-flip, you could lose some overs, start as a 20-over game then it changes and you have to adjust again,” Henriques said. “The fact we did that last time, the guys we will take confidence out of that.”

Glasgow Rangers are now just eight wins away from securing their first Premiership title since the 2020/21 campaign.

Philippe Clement has overseen a remarkable turnaround from a club who were on the verge of a major crisis, to one that has a realistic chance at winning a domestic treble.

The Belgian has made the Light Blues a better team to watch, made them harder to beat and, more importantly, has inspired confidence among the players that they can overhaul Celtic in the title race.

Another positive aspect of his reign so far has been his impact in the transfer window. Previously, the Gers had struggled to obtain the correct sort of players in the January transfer window. Think back to the likes of Aaron Ramsey or Jack Simpson, players who struggled to make an impact during their spell at the club.

Three new arrivals joined the club, and the trio are all aged 22 or under, which suggests Clement could be going in a totally new direction with regard to future transfer business.

The Gers have trailed Celtic in this regard over the previous few years, as they tend to maximise their player trading model by buying low before selling high, giving them a greater financial reward.

Rangers, on the other hand, have failed to really utilise this model since returning to the Premiership in 2016. Alongside Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey is perhaps the only player to have been sold for a fee which the club should be expecting from developing young talents.

How much Calvin Bassey cost Rangers

The summer of 2020 saw Steven Gerrard bolster his squad ahead of another tilt at winning the league title.

Ianis Hagi joined on a permanent deal, while Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten were signed in order to give the club something extra going forward.

Bassey, a talented left-back who was playing for Leicester City, was another new arrival, costing significantly less than the other three.

Player

Club joined from

Ianis Hagi

Genk

Cedric Itten

FC St. Gallen

Kemar Roofe

Anderlecht

Jon McLaughlin

Sunderland

Calvin Bassey

Leicester City

Jermain Defoe

Bournemouth

Leon Balogun

Wigan Athletic

Bongani Zungu

Amiens SC

Indeed, the Gers only had to pay a compensation fee of around £230k due to cross-border rules, and it was a signing which Gerrard was hoping could play a big part at the club in the coming years.

It didn’t take him long to settle in at the Glasgow side.

Calvin Bassey’s statistics at Rangers

Borna Barisic was firmly established as the number-one choice at left-back when Bassey arrived, but the youngster was expected to provide support and cover whenever necessary.

The defender ended up featuring on 15 occasions throughout his debut season, contributing with one goal, and the future looked bright for Bassey.

The following season began with disappointment as the Gers failed to qualify for the Champions League, yet Bassey failed to see any action during the two matches.

It wasn’t until a defensive injury crisis, ruling out Leon Balogun and Filip Helander, that Bassey firmly established himself in the starting XI.

Over the course of the whole season, the Nigerian international ended up making 50 appearances in all competitions, grabbing six assists, while emerging as one of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s finest players.

He played in all but one of their Europa League clashes as the Ibrox side reached a historic final against Eintracht Frankfurt, suffering defeat on penalties.

His stock had risen considerably throughout the season, showcasing his defensive abilities alongside Connor Goldson, and it was clear there would be potential suitors for his signature in the summer of 2022.

How much Rangers sold Calvin Bassey for

Despite coming so close to European success, Rangers only won the Scottish Cup during the 2021/22 campaign, meaning Van Bronckhorst had to recruit well in the transfer window.

He made several signings, yet the majority of these were funded by the sale of Bassey, who ended up moving to Ajax following his stunning season on a personal note.

The Dutch giants ended up splashing out a transfer fee just under £23m to bring the defender to Amsterdam, with the sale proving to be the club’s record departure.

It appears to have been a stroke of genius by the club, as Bassey’s market value has decreased significantly since moving abroad to join Ajax.

Calvin Bassey’s current market value

On the surface, it was clear that Ajax overpaid to sign the defender two years ago, as his value at the time was a paltry €1.1m (£1m), certainly proving the notion that the Gers struck gold on the player.

According to Football Transfers, Bassey is valued at €14.4m (£12.3m) at the time of writing, which is £10.7m less than the £23m fee which took him to the Netherlands in 2022.

The “explosive” brute – as so dubbed by Steve Beaglehole, his U23 coach at Leicester – did not enjoy the greatest of spells abroad, it's fair to say.

He started just 20 league matches for the Eredivisie side before joining Fulham last summer in a deal worth £18.2m, meaning Ajax recouped nearly their original outlay.

So far this term, the left-back has played 21 Premier League matches, even scoring once, during a wonderful 2-1 win against Manchester United in February.

It looks as though the English top flight suits him more, and it proves his spell at Ajax was just a blip, as the 24-year-old is a wonderful defender, as demonstrated during his two seasons at Rangers.

Clement will be hoping that he can attract young talent similar in stature to Bassey with the intent of selling them on for a major profit further down the line.

Indeed, Mohamed Diomande, a £4.3m capture during the January transfer window, certainly fits the bill with regard to a player trading model.

The 22-year-old has already demonstrated his abilities in Scotland during his short spell so far, and if he continues to improve at a rapid rate, there will be plenty of suitors showing interest.

Rangers struck gold on £9.9m gem who'd be worth more than Silva in 2024

Rangers hit the jackpot on a player Alex McLeish sold in 2002…

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While the club won't want to move on every player who shows promise, the key is to maximise potential profit, which, in turn, will allow the manager the chance to purchase more players.

Selling Bassey enabled Rangers to splurge on a few players, indicating that they hit the jackpot by moving him on for such a big fee.

Manchester United are "planning to sell" a £115,000-a-week player this summer and replace him with a Premier League ace, according to an update from journalist Rudy Galetti.

Man Utd transfer news

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come in and made an instant impact, masterminding changes behind the scenes such as new CEO Omar Berrada, making it clear that his vision is to see his boyhood club return to the top of English football. He is expected to ensure that plenty of funds are available to make new signings during the summer transfer window, and United continue to be linked with a host of players.

Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo is reportedly wanted by United in the summer, having become an important figure for the Cottagers, while AC Milan star winger Rafael Leao is a big-money option whose arrival could even spell the end for Marcus Rashford at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe is also thought to be keen on securing the signing of Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes, who could get the best out of Bruno Fernandes in a United shirt. The Brazilian has shone at Molineux this season, featuring 28 times in the Premier League and averaging 3.8 tackles per game.

Adarabioyo is one centre-back option for the Reds Devils, but Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite could be a more high-profile addition, with an £80m switch to Old Trafford mooted. Meanwhile, Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners is considered a possible upgrade on Scott McTominay, as United look to strike a deal in the summer window.

Man Utd aiming to sell £115,000-a-week ace

According to Galetti on X, Manchester United are keen on selling Antony this summer, replacing him with Crystal Palace star Michael Olise in the process:

This is exactly the type of business that United should be looking to do in the coming months, with Antony offering nowhere enough since arriving for a whopping £85m from Ajax back in 2022, especially as his £6m per year salary means he is earning £115,000 per week.

In that time, he has scored just 10 goals in 77 appearances – only four of those have come in the Premier League – with a disappointing five assists to his name in that time, too.

Olise could represent an upgrade on Antony, with his end product for Palace standing out far more than the man he could replace for the Red Devils. Despite playing in an inferior team, the Frenchman has six goals and three assists in 12 league matches in 2023/24, with injuries preventing him from registering an even more imposing tally.

Appearances

25

12

Starts

12

8

Goals

0

6

Assists

1

3

Shots per game

1.2

2.6

Key passes per game

0.7

2

Dribbles per game

0.9

2.3

At 22, Olise still has most of his career ahead of him, too, and his quality cutting onto his left foot from the right wing could be everything that United hoped Antony would be.

There has been talk about him having to prove himself in domestic cricket to be picked for the Zimbabwe Test

Mohammad Isam04-Feb-2020

AFP

Mushfiqur Rahim has been passed fit by the BCB’s chief physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury, following a hamstring injury. He will be available for the domestic Bangladesh Cricket League match that begins on February 7, as he had opted out of touring Pakistan.Chowdhury also said that Imrul Kayes has recovered from his calf injury. Both Kayes and Rahim undertook fitness tests on Tuesday.”Mushfiqur Rahim and Imrul have been struggling with hamstring and calf muscle. They were undergoing rehab programmes,” Chowdhury said. “Mushfiqur had a grade-one injury, so we had hoped that he would recover by the second week of February. We had anticipated that Imrul would be needing one more week. Today they both passed the tests conducted by our physio and trainer. They are both fit to play.”Rahim’s recovery means that he is also available for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in late February. If he is to play that match, Bangladesh will have to make room for him in the squad that was announced earlier in the week for the Rawalpindi Test, which begins on February 7. Head coach Russell Domingo had indicated earlier that whoever takes Rahim’s place may have to make room for the more experienced campaigner when he’s back.”I am under the impression that this is the squad for this one Test match [against Pakistan]. We will re-evaluate once we get back [from Pakistan],” Domingo had said. “You have to remember that Mushfiq got runs in the last Test, but we also need to consider the fact that it is hard to pick a batting line-up, change it for one Test, and then change it again for the third Test. I want to give guys a run, but we also need to consider that Mushfiq was our best player in India.”There however remains some confusion over Rahim’s selection for the Zimbabwe Test, as chief selector Minhajul Abedin had reportedly said on Sunday, the day after the Rawalpindi Test squad was announced, that Rahim has to prove himself in domestic cricket to get picked.”Mushfiq has an injury. He has to become fit, and then do well in domestic cricket to be considered,” he told the newspaper.Meanwhile Shadman Islam, the left-hand opener, will probably need surgery on his wrist. He may be sent to Australia later this month for the same.”We were struggling to manage the injuries of Shadman and Mrittunjoy [Chowdhury], who had returned from the Under-19 World Cup with a shoulder injury. The board has decided to send them both to Australia for better treatment,” Debashis Chowdhury said. “We are hopeful to send both to hand and shoulder surgeons later this month.”

It was one of those days that had supporters waking with a gnawing sense of unease. Even the most sanguine of Liverpool fans would have feared a fifth slip in as many matches to close Jurgen Klopp's tenure with a whimper.

But, alas, the ship has been steadied and Liverpool dispatched Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League to leapfrog Manchester City (who have a game in hand) into second place, behind table-toppers Arsenal only on goal difference.

Whether Liverpool complete a staggering title triumph in the weeks to come is unknown, such hopes hang in the balance after some damaging recent results, but the fact remains that Liverpool rebuilt last summer to create a team of great promise and quality once again, and Klopp leaves his legacy in good hands.

Of course, such hands are undetermined right now, with The Athletic's David Ornstein revealing that Ruben Amorim is West Ham United's top target and that a move to Liverpool is unlikely, with the all-knowing journalist quashing widespread belief that he was the frontrunner.

Who the Reds will seek to anoint as helmsman is anyone's guess now, but FSG's new CEO of Football, Michael Edwards, appears to be identifying possible signings to strengthen the squad at the dawn of a new era.

Liverpool eyeing La Liga star

According to prominent French publication L'Equipe, Liverpool are in the hunt for new defenders and have earmarked Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy for transfer.

L'Equipe reveal that France international Mendy has already been in contact with the Merseysiders concerning a possible transfer this summer, with Arsenal also keen and the player is understood to have rejected interest from Newcastle United.

Los Blancos welcomed Mendy, who is 28 years old, to the ranks in 2019 after completing a £47m deal with Lyon, and it appears that the different parties feel his journey in Madrid has reached a natural conclusion.

Ferland Mendy's style of play

With rumours mounting surrounding Real Madrid's interest in Bayern Munich speedster Alphonso Davies, it makes sense that Mendy might be on the way out, with his game time sure to diminish upon the Canadian's prospective arrival.

Throughout the duration of his Real Madrid career, Mendy has completed 165 matches, scoring six goals and supplying ten assists, having been described in the past as a "very balanced FB" and an "offensive machine" by Real Madrid content creator Ardit Loconte.

As per Sofascore, Mendy has chalked up 21 appearances in the Spanish top flight this season, completing 94% of his passes, taking 62 touches per fixture, averaging 0.5 key passes and 4.2 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 56% of his dribbles.

He's not very creative but that's not really his role, instead focusing on his dribbling ability – analyst Raj Chohan has even heralded him as a "1v1 beast" after one performance when pitted against France superstar Kylian Mbappe.

Ferland Mendy: Similar PL Players

#

Player

Club

1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool

2.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Arsenal

3.

Andy Robertson

Liverpool

4.

Kyle Walker

Manchester City

5.

Nathan Ake

Manchester City

Sourced via Football Transfers

His complete style of play aligns with the attributes of some of the Premier League's finest wide defenders, and while he is considered a similar player to Trent Alexander-Arnold, his playing style is far more similar to that of Andy Robertson, who he may well succeed on Merseyside.

Why Liverpool are interested in Ferland Mendy

Mendy is not one of the galactico-level names at Santiago Bernabeu but he is a shrewd and steady operator at left-back and has been a key component for a side that has picked up the Champions League, two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey trophy since his arrival.

While there may be similarities to be drawn between Mendy's style of play and Robertson's, he's unquestionably more conservative and crisp in his distribution, ranking among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past. year for pass completion and the top 18% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref.

Still, the £172k-per-week defender has excelled in the Spanish capital and would bring a welcome layer of protection to the Anfield backline, perhaps even taking Robertson's place as the starting star in his position.

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Robertson is an elite defender and has been heralded as the "best left-back in the Premier League" by former Everton ace Kevin Kilbane, scoring nine goals and supplying 65 assists across 293 appearances, singing under Klopp in a shrewd £10m deal from Hull City in 2017, right at the start of the club's illustrious chapter.

While he has been afflicted by injuries this season, the 29-year-old has still produced some comparatively successful displays in the Premier League, scoring one goal and adding two assists across 14 starting roles, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 2.6 key passes and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.

Mendy's steely defensive security and secure ball control make him the perfect player to succeed the Scotland international at Liverpool – or perhaps even just serve as a foil to open up a valuable extra dimension for the new manager, whoever that may be.

The 5 foot 10 ace has a wealth of trophy-winning experience from numerous years at Real Madrid and given that he is 28 years old, the time might feel apt to make a change and try his hand in the Premier League.

With electricity in his gait and high-class quality in his work – at both ends of the pitch – Liverpool might be wise to maintain contact with Mendy ahead of a possible summer swoop.

He might just be the perfect new player to ensure that Liverpool keep their place at the forefront of the Premier League next season.

Chelsea star Reece James has given an encouraging update about his fitness as the full-back continues his recovery from injury.

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Chelsea star James struggling with hamstring injuryCaptain plagued by fitness issues in recent yearsIs back on the training pitch ahead of new seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international suffered a fresh injury issue last week as he was diagnosed with a hamstring problem that he picked up training amid the Blues' preparations for the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Stamford Bridge outfit do not want to rush the 24-year-old back after the latest fitness issue to hit the player. He was limited to just 11 appearances in all competitions last season as he was kept out with a hamstring injury and later needed an operation. The year prior, his game time was also heavily restricted due to knee and hamstring injuries.

WHAT JAMES POSTED

Chelsea fans will take some positivity from the club captain's Instagram post, however, as he shared an image of himself training, writing: "Good to be back on the grass."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

Even if James were fit, he would not have been eligible for his team's first Premier League game of the season against Manchester City as he was shown a red card in their final game of last season. He will, however, hope to be back in contention for Enzo Maresca's team soon.

Will Pucovski will make his return to representative ranks after taking his most recent mental-health break ahead of the Test summer against Pakistan and New Zealand, as captain of a Cricket Australia XI. The side will face the England Lions in a three-match 50-over series to begin their developmental tour of Australia in February.Having been considered extremely close to selection for his first Test in November, Pucovski chose to withdraw himself from contention for the team while playing in a pre-series tour match against the Pakistanis in Perth.After subsequently playing for Victoria, Pucovski has been spending the Big Bash League playing club cricket in Melbourne and also leading the Victorian second XI in a Twenty20 carnival. He will now take the leadership reins of a mix of young fringe players and more experienced types such as Jake Lehmann and Alex Ross. Will Sutherland has also been included in the squad to play three limited-overs matches on the Gold Coast on February 2, 4, and 6.”It is pleasing to see Will Pucovski back in a national squad,” the national selector Trevor Hohns said. “Will has progressed well over the course of the summer and recently captained the Victorian second XI in a Twenty20 tournament in Queensland. These three games are an invaluable opportunity for Will to gain more captaincy experience against quality opposition.”Several members of the squad will be joining the CA XI fresh from the Big Bash League, while others will be arriving from state-based competitions. The matches against the England Lions provide them all with an opportunity to impress national coaches and selectors as we look to plan ahead for the future.”Among the more experienced members of the squad is Cameron Boyce. Cameron thoroughly deserves his opportunity after several good years in domestic 50- and 20-over cricket, most recently with the Melbourne Renegades, for whom he took 14 wickets this BBL season.”The England Lions tour is seen as a pivotal part of the ECB’s preparations for the 2021-22 Ashes series in Australia, with long-form matches also to be played against New South Wales and Australia A. In Pucovski, the tourists may also be seeing a player quite likely to be part of Australia’s Test team by then.CA XI squad: Will Pucovski (capt), Max Bryant, Caleb Jewell, Jake Lehmann, Alex Ross, Brad Hope, Jaron Morgan, Will Sutherland, Xavier Crone, Blake Edwards, Matthew Kuhnemann, Cameron Boyce, Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge

On Sunday, Manchester United's co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe embarked on his journey to complete the famous London Marathon.

He crossed the line in four hours and 30 minutes but somehow that would not have been the most stressful and strenuous task of his day.

Just an hour later he was at Wembley for the club's FA Cup semi-final clash with Coventry, a match that very nearly ended in tears for the Red Devils.

Erik ten Hag's men were cruising. 3-0 up and coasting into a showpiece final with rivals, Manchester City, their Championship opposition staged one of the most amazing comebacks we've seen in football.

Truth be told, United should have lost. The encounter went to extra time and as we ticked into the 121st minute, it looked as though Mark Robins' team had stolen a remarkable place in the final.

Cue VAR. Dreaded VAR. Damn you VAR for robbing us of one of the greatest upsets in this great competition's history. Alas, the goal was ruled out for offside and to penalties we went. Casemiro stepped up first but was his spot-kick saved. Surely not? Thankfully not for those in red. United still made it through, by the skin of their teeth.

It is a second final in as many seasons for Ten Hag who notably lifted the Carabao Cup last term. However, should that save him? Arguably not. This United team looks like a sinking ship under the Dutchman and the new ownership must look to get rid this summer, regardless of whether a trophy is brought home.

Where it's gone wrong for Erik ten Hag

How long is a piece of string? Ten Hag arrived in English football with a fine reputation from his days with Ajax but it's safe to say he is not doing a great job this term.

The 20-time English champions may well be into the final of the FA Cup but they have been miles off for large parts of the campaign. They failed to make it through the Champions League group stages and are now seventh in the Premier League, a whopping 16 points off a place at Europe's top table next season.

Finishing in the top four should be a bare minimum for any manager at United. This is one of football's great institutions and they should be challenging for the title.

Sadly, they are a great distance from even being close to that. There are few signs it'll get better in the future either.

Yes, they have suffered long-term injuries to both Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez but that shouldn't alter the way the entire team plays.

Defensively is where they are sorely lacking, however. The Old Trafford club have staggeringly conceded seven goals in injury time of matches since the beginning of February. That could well be seen as bad luck, but it isn't.

Indeed, Ten Hag's defensive methods leave plenty to be desired. According to Understat, Man United are the fifth worst side in the Premier League as far as expected goals (xGA) are concerned with a haul of 63.61. To put that into context, the only sides worse in that department are Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United – the three teams in the relegation zone – and West Ham.

If you're seeking the best result in the division then look no further than Arsenal whose xGA sits at just 25.89. The disparity between the two figures is incredible.

They're not very good at scoring goals either. United may well have found the net three times at Wembley on Sunday evening but in the league, they rank 12th for expected goals (xG) with 50.36. That's even worse than lowly Everton who have been bravely fighting against relegation.

The stats don't paint a pretty picture, and then there are the substitutions. Just before Coventry's comeback started to gather speed, Ten Hag withdrew Garnacho for the ever-dull Antony. Then, at 3-1, off came Kobbie Mainoo, replaced by the ageing Christian Eriksen.

Yes, they should still have been able to see out of the game but it said a lot that the Dutch manager was willing to sacrifice two of his most vibrant players this season.

Omari Forson and Amad Diallo were both introduced in extra time, but by that point, it was too late.

Ten Hag was already fighting for his job before this remarkable encounter at Wembley, but he should really be feeling the pressure now.

Criticism is mounting; Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News even went as far as to hand him a 1/10 rating for how the semi-final played out. Harsh? Yes. But either way, Ten Hag has to go. They are only falling further and further behind the Premier League's best outfits.

Man Utd lining up a potentially "incredible" Erik ten Hag replacement

He will be available for free this summer.

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2024

Former Liverpool and Rangers manager Graeme Souness has questioned Manchester United's decision to sign 'lightweight' Matthijs de Ligt.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Souness raises questions over De Ligt's ability
• Not the solution to Man Utd's problems
• Joined the Red Devils from Bayern Munich on Tuesday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils officially announced the arrival of the Dutch defender on Tuesday as they paid £38.5m ($49.5m) plus £4.3m ($5.5m) in add-ons to Bayern Munich to secure the signature of the centre-back. De Ligt, 25, has already built an impressive resume, having played for top European clubs such as Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich, however, some experts have raised concerns over his abilities.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  One such expert is ex-Liverpool boss Souness, who tagged the Dutchman as a 'lightweight' defender and questioned whether he will be able to solve United's defensive woes. The club desperately needed a centre-back with experience at the highest level after Raphael Varane left Old Trafford at the end of the 2023-24 season.

• WHAT GRAEME SOUNESS SAID

  Speaking to talkSPORT, the 71-year-old said: "I'm doubtful about De Ligt. He didn't get into the national team during the Euros, he was a squad member. He's been at two enormous football clubs, they normally don't like to sell players. That in itself tells a story. I'm not sure he is what Man United needs at this time. Jonny Evans played 23 times for Man United, they desperately need a centre-half. I look at De Ligt, he's a lightweight centre-half. What you want from a centre-half first and foremost is to defend."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  The Netherlands international could make his debut in the Premier League on Friday as Erik ten Hag's side take on Fulham at Old Trafford in their 2024-25 curtain raiser.