Manchester City’s spending spree continued.

On deadline day, the four-in-a-row Premier League champions brought in midfielder Nico González from Porto, paying his reported £50m release clause.

This takes the Sky Blues’ January spending to £178m, following on from the signings of Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush and Juma Bah which, as Philip Buckingham of the Athletic notes, means they spent more than all 19 other Premier League clubs combined in this window, as well as four times more than the next highest-spenders, namely Wolves.

Thus, it is clear that the Citizens are seeking to refresh their squad, so could one of the club’s greatest-ever players fall by the wayside after the arrival of Gonzalez?

Manchester City's next big signing

Deadline day signing González joined Barcelona’s fabled La Masia as an 11-year-old, making 37 appearances for Barça’s first team, before being sold to Porto for €8.5m in the summer of 2023.

Still only 23-years-old, the Spaniard has come in for rave reviews, with Anantaajith Raghuraman of the Athletic stating that he “reads space well and dictates the tempo of games”, expecting him to “slot immediately into Man City’s midfield” where there is currently a “gaping hole”.

Meanwhile, Ali Tweedale for the Premier League adds that Nico’s “ball-carrying ability” stands out given that “he regularly drives through midfield with the ball”, while Nick Wright of Sky Sports describes him as a “box-to-box midfielder”, believing he can certainly play alongside compatriot Rodri, once he returns from injury.

In 131 senior appearances, the January arrival has only racked up 12 goals and 12 assists to date, but seven of these goals, as well as six assists, came during the first half of this season, most recently bagging the winner in the Europa League against Maccabi Tel Aviv to keep Porto in the competition.

This shows he has taken a gigantic leap forward in his development, suggesting he is more than ready to perform at a higher level and, potentially, fill the void of one of City’s greatest ever players.

Manchester City to move on from all-time great

As reported by Jeff Rueter of the Athletic, MLS expansion club San Diego FC are “interested” in signing Kevin De Bruyne this summer, with Tom Bogert, also of the Athletic, claiming the Belgian is considering the move stateside.

De Bruyne, who will celebrate his 34th birthday in June, is out of contract in the summer, and his importance at Man City has been on the decline.

During Sunday’s 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal, statistically, the midfielder’s favourite opponents, having scored against them eight times, he only came on for the final 18 minutes, accumulating just 1,326 minutes so far, which equates to 41% of Man City’s total minutes.

So, let’s examine De Bruyne’s statistics from across the last five seasons.

De Bruyne season-by-season
Stats	20/21	21/22	22/23	23/24	24/25
Appearances	40	45	49	26	24
Minutes	3,043	3,338	3,685	1,750	1,326
Goals	10	19	10	6	2
Assists	18	15	29	18	6
Goals – xG	-2.1	+9.5	+2.2	+2.4	-1.3
Pass completion %	75.9%	75.4%	72.2%	74.6%	76%
Shot-creating actions	178	197	218	111	93
Touches per 90	58	63	52	67	68
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As outlined in the table, in his pomp in 2021/22 and 2022/23, De Bruyne’s numbers were off the scale, with former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp amongst those labelling him the “Premier League’s best midfielder ever”.

However, what’s clear now, is that the midfielder is declining, with all of his attacking metrics significantly down this season, although pass completion percentage and touches per-90 are up, suggesting he’s operating a lot further away from goal.

Thus, with De Bruyne seemingly on the way out, he may appear irreplaceable, but have Man City just signed a ready-made superstar ready to fill this enormous void? The box-to-box Gonzalez will certainly hope so.

Forget Gonzalez: Man City must regret letting their next Rodri leave for £0

It could have saved them a fortune on the Gonzalez deal

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Feb 4, 2025

Stephen Parry, the former Lancashire and England left-arm spinner, has been appointed as the Head Coach of Manchester Originals’ women’s team.Parry, who was born and raised in Manchester, played 249 times for Lancashire and is the county’s all-time leading wicket-taker in men’s T20 cricket, with 118 at 24.88 including a best of 5 for 13 against Worcestershire in 2016.He played a total of seven white-ball matches for England – comprising two ODIs and five T20Is, including three appearances at the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh – and since retiring in 2020, Parry has been coaching both with Lancashire’s women team and as an assistant coach to Paul Shaw with the Manchester Originals.”I’m extremely grateful for the role I’ve been given as the new Head Coach for Manchester Originals women’s team,” Parry said. “The growth of the women’s game is revolutionary and, being a proud Mancunian myself, it is an honour to be a part of this team.”I’m very much looking forward to the tournament and all that we can achieve and I’m sure we will have the whole city behind us.”Manchester Originals General Manager Lee Morgan added: “It’s great for Stephen to be given the opportunity and support to step up to be Head Coach after working closely with Paul Shaw for the last two seasons of the Hundred, where he’s shown himself to be creative and flexible with a great cricket brain.”Paul’s decision to step down is leaving a significant void behind but as a young, hungry and aspiring coach, we see Stephen as an exciting appointment. He is very popular with the group and already understands the wider ambitions of the Originals and what we want to achieve both on and off the field.”The Manchester Originals Board and Management consulted at length about this appointment, but despite Parry’s relative inexperience as a coach they decided to give him the opportunity to start to fulfil his undoubted potential. Other determining factors were establishing continuity in the coaching structure, maintaining strong local links with Manchester and what it stands for, and rewarding someone with real drive and ambition to succeed.”Everyone involved with the Originals would like to thank Paul Shaw for all his efforts over the last two years in developing the team along with his wider support in all our initiatives. We wish him well in his continuing work with Lancashire cricket.”Outgoing Originals coach, Shaw, added: “It’s been a great privilege to have worked with such a forward-thinking franchise as the Manchester Originals. I think Stephen Parry is a great appointment and would like to wish him and the team every success in the future. I have no doubt of the impact he will have with the Manchester Originals”.

Last Wednesday night, the Barry Ferguson-era at Rangers got up and running with a winning start, albeit in tough circumstances, as the Gers fought back from 2-0 down to beat Kilmarnock 4-2 at Rugby Park.

However, the feel-good factor surrounding Ibrox did not continue this weekend, losing 2-1 to Motherwell following another mediocre showing, although this time it was not Philippe Clement at the helm.

The Gers, marooned in the second place, now have very little to play for in the Premiership with nine fixtures to go.

However, the Glasgow giants are still involved in the Europa League, preparing to face Fenerbahçe in İstanbul in the first leg of their round of 16 tie next Thursday.

If Ferguson’s side are going to leave Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium victorious, he’ll need one of his current stars, reminiscent of Rangers’ legend of yesteryear, Peter Løvenkrands, to be at his best.

Peter Løvenkrands' Rangers career in numbers

Løvenkrands joined Rangers from Akademisk Boldklub in his native Denmark in the year 2000 for a reported fee of £1.4m, enjoying a very successful six-year spell at Ibrox.

The winger scored 52 goals and provided 23 assists in 173 appearances for the Gers, winning two Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and three League Cups, most notably heading home a 90th minute winner in the 2002 cup final against Celtic.

He also netted during famous Champions League victories over both Stuttgart and Porto at Ibrox, on target home and away as the Gers were defeated on away goals in the competition’s knockout phase by Villarreal during his final season in Govan.

Nevertheless, that winner against Celtic at Hampden in particular earned him ‘cult-hero’ status for eternity, with Jordan Campbell of the Athletic noting that this moment ‘is ingrained in the memory of every Rangers fan’.

Løvenkrands actually made 104 appearances alongside interim boss Ferguson, so does the new manager have his own modern-day version of the Danish winger?

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse Rangers' next Lovenkrands

Speaking on Sky Sports in December, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd praised Václav Černý’s impact, adding “where would Rangers be if it wasn’t for him”?

The Czech international arrived on loan from Wolfsburg in the summer and has been something of a revelation, with his goal at Kilmarnock on Wednesday taking his tally to 15 for the season, on top of seven assists.

So, let’s see how he compares to the Gers’ other forward options.

Rangers’ attackers compared (24/25)

Players

Goals

Assists

G + A

Cyriel Dessers

21

6

26

Václav Černý

15

7

22

Hamza Igamane

13

3

16

Danilo

6

3

9

Mohamed Diomandé

5

6

11

Nedim Bajrami

5

4

9

Tom Lawrence

5

2

7

Ross McCausland

3

1

4

Ianis Hagi

3

7

10

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, only top-scorer Cyriel Dessers has accumulated more goal involvement than Černý’s 22, six of which have come in the Europa League, while that duo, as well as Hamza Igamane, are the only forwards to have more than ten.

Described as “outstanding” by coaches in the international setup, the numbers, particularly in the Europa League, back up why.

Černý – Europa League statistics

Statistics

Černý

Europa League rank

Goals

4

=8th

Goal involvements

6

=5th

Goal involvements per 90

0.99

11th

Goals – xG

+1.4

=17th

Shots

26

4th

Shots per 90

4.31

9th

Shot-creating actions

27

37th

Goal-creating actions

4

=25th

Attempted take-ons

23

=49th

Take-on success % (min 20 attempted)

60.9%

5th

Progressive carries

26

=21st

Note: 888 players have featured in this season’s Europa League

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table underlines, Černý is both a goal threat and a quality dribbler, doing so at a high level in the Europa League, the competition that is Rangers’ sole focus for the remainder of the campaign, making him similar stylistically to Løvenkrands.

Mark Walker of the National reported that Wolfsburg would be willing to sell Černý for as little as £6.75m, following 35,000 job cuts at Volkswagen, and that’s a deal Rangers should absolutely look to complete, irrespective of whom the new manager will be.

Related Ferguson could unleash his very own Kris Boyd in £25m Rangers "superstar"

Barry Ferguson made a winning start to life as Rangers manager at Kilmarnock on Wednesday, but has he also found his own version of Kris Boyd?

Posts ByBen Gray Feb 27, 2025

Leroy Sane has been warned that Bayern Munich will not increase their salary offer following the winger's shock change in agent during negotiations.

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Sane and Bayern were close to agreementWinger made surprise agent changeWarned against raising salary demandsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sane and Bayern have been in talks over a contract extension for the Germany international, who recently suggested progress was being made before suddenly swapping his representative to Pini Zahavi. The 29-year-old will be a free agent come the end of June should he fail to pen a new deal soon.

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The change has derailed the contract talks, as Sane was reportedly close to an agreement with the club over a deal that would see him accept a pay cut. Now, though, his new agent is said to be demanding a massive signing bonus similar to the €20 million (£17m/$23m) they agreed to pay Alphonso Davies for his recent extension.

WHAT EBERL SAID

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl has reiterated the club's desire to reach an agreement, but says it would be wrong of Sane to change the terms of the deal.

"Our wish would be to continue. If [the financial terms] were to be exceeded it would be very difficult," he said. "There's no bad blood on my part, not even with Leroy."

He added: "We thought we were already very far along. [Increasing the demands] would not be right, otherwise it would become fashionable."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR SANE?

The uncertainty around Sane's situation at Bayern could see him leave the club this summer, with Arsenal said to be interested in bringing the former Manchester City player back to the Premier League.

Former New Zealand captain, who has won four IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings, replaces Mahela Jayawardene in the role

Matt Roller10-Dec-2022

Stephen Fleming has won four IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings•BCCI

Stephen Fleming is set to replace Mahela Jayawardene as Southern Brave’s men’s head coach in the Hundred.ESPNcricinfo revealed this week that Jayawardene’s promotion from head coach to head of global performance at Mumbai Indians had prompted him to step down from his position in the Hundred, and Brave have moved quickly to secure a successor.Related

Gary Kirsten leaves Welsh Fire after winless 2022 season

Mahela Jayawardene set to leave Southern Brave after global role with Mumbai Indians franchises

Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, has won four IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings and is widely regarded as one of the leading short-form coaches around the world. He attended the Hundred’s inaugural draft in 2019 and was due to coach Trent Rockets, but stepped down ahead of the first season due to international travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.It’s understood that Fleming has agreed a deal with Brave for the 2023 season, which is likely to be announced next week.New Zealand’s international schedule is clear during the next two seasons of the Hundred and a number of their leading players are expected to be involved in the competition – particularly in 2023, with a white-ball tour of England scheduled immediately after the Hundred’s conclusion in late August.Fleming will have the option to retain Finn Allen, who was contracted by Brave in 2022 but did not play a game due to international commitments, while his compatriots Devon Conway and Colin de Grandhomme both had spells at Brave during their title-winning 2021 season.Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips and Ish Sodhi could all return, having appeared in the tournament’s first two seasons, while the ECB will hope Trent Boult registered for the draft as a potential top-bracket signing.Retention regulations for the 2023 season of the men’s Hundred have not yet been released publicly, but it is understood that teams will have the option to retain a significant proportion of their squads from last season, as they did in 2022.The fixtures for next season have not been announced, but according to a recent draft seen by ESPNcricinfo, Brave are set to play defending men’s champions Rockets at Trent Bridge on the opening night on August 1, with their first home game against Welsh Fire on August 4. The final is due to be played on August 27.Fire finally confirmed Gary Kirsten’s departure as head coach this week and the vacancy has been formally advertised. Applications for the role close next Friday and David Saker, who recently worked with England’s T20I squad in Pakistan and Australia, is expected to be among the contenders.

MatériaMais Notícias

O impacto do retorno de Hulk ao futebol brasileiro foi imediato. E os números mostram o tamanho dele. Desde que chegou ao Atlético Mineiro, no ano passado, o atacante conquistou um Campeonato Brasileiro, uma Copa do Brasil, uma Supercopa e dois Mineiros. Individualmente, já são 58 gols anotados em apenas 97 partidas. O suficiente para alcançar marcas expressivas pelo clube.

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> GALERIA:Cristiano Ronaldo pede para deixar o Manchester United, Reinier tem novo destino encaminhado… O Dia do Mercado!

Neste sábado, na vitória por 2 a 1 sobre o Juventude, em Caxias do Sul, o camisa 7 anotou o seu tento de número 26 em Brasileiros pelo Galo, se tornando o 10º maior artilheiro do Atlético no campeonato desde 1971, empatando com o ex-zagueiro Leonardo Silva. Hulk, porém, soma somente 47 jogos na competição, bem menos que os 238 do defensor.

Com menos de duas edições completas disputadas, o atual goleador atleticano já superou nomes como Lucas Pratto, Fred e Ronaldinho Gaúcho no ranking histórico. Confira o top 10:

MAIORES ARTILHEIROS DO ATLÉTICO NA HISTÓRIA DO BRASILEIRO
– Desde 1971

1º – Reinaldo – 89 gols em 178 jogos
2º – Marques – 63 gols em 192 jogos
3º – Guilherme – 55 gols em 88 jogos
4º – Diego Tardelli – 46 gols em 113 jogos
5º – Valdir – 35 gols em 66 jogos
Renaldo – 35 gols em 84 jogos
7º – Éder – 33 gols em 110 jogos
8º – Dadá Maravilha – 32 gols em 55 jogos
9º – Everton – 28 gols em 68 jogos
10º – Hulk – 26 gols em 47 jogos
Leonardo Silva- 26 gols em 238 jogos

Everton made the last-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park one to remember as they snatched a draw in the dying embers of their clash with Liverpool on Wednesday night in the Premier League.

Portuguese centre-forward Beto, called upon in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, opened the scoring for the Toffees with a terrific run and finish in the first half.

A quick response from Alexis Mac Allister, who provided a deft header, levelled the scores at 1-1 before Mohamed Salah put the visitors 2-1 up.

David Moyes’ side never gave up the fight, however, and eventually secured a point to remember when James Tarkowski hammered in a thumping volley in the 98th minute.

James Tarkowski's heroic performance against Liverpool

The English central defender rescued the result for the Toffees with a sensational strike into the top corner of Alisson’s goal, but his main job throughout the game was to defend his own goal.

Unfortunately, Mac Allister got the better of him for the first Liverpool strike as he timed his run to meet the cross from Salah before the former Burnley star could challenge him to make a clearance.

Tarkowski was also dribbled past once and only won one aerial duel in the 90 minutes, which shows that it was far from a perfect performance from the centre-back from a defensive perspective.

Whilst his slip-ups defensively were not a major issue in the grand scheme of things, as he scored a memorable equaliser, it was his his defensive partner Jarrad Branthwaite who was the real Goodison Park hero because of his sublime defending.

Jarrad Branthwaite's performance against Liverpool

The England international lined up alongside Tarkowski as the left-sided centre-back and if you weren’t sure why he’d previously been labelled with a £100m price tag, Wednesday evening certainly showed why he could be a mega-money player in the making, putting on a defensive clinic with his exceptional work at the back for Moyes’ side.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

There was little that Branthwaite could have done to prevent either of Liverpool’s goals. It was Tarkowski who failed to challenge for the first strike and the left-footed star prevented Curtis Jones from scoring with a brilliant last-ditch block moments before Salah’s strike.

The 22-year-old star also assisted the opening goal for Everton with a terrific quick free-kick that sent Beto through on goal, as he showcased his quality on the ball to go along with his defensive work.

Clearances

16

9

Blocks

2

0

Tackles + interceptions

2

1

Dribbled past

0x

1x

Duel success rate

80%

63%

As you can see in the table above, Branthwaite significantly outperformed Tarkowski from a defensive perspective, as he made almost twice as many clearances and won a much higher percentage of his duels.

The left-footed star dominated the Liverpool attackers with his physicality and made sure that he was in the right place at the right time to make vital clearances and blocks.

Both players had a hand in one of the Everton goals on the night, but it was the former Carlisle man who was the real hero as he was outstanding on and off the ball throughout the night to help his side to a huge result.

A big talent: Moyes may have already found Everton's next Tim Cahill

Everton are beginning to rebuild with David Moyes back in the dugout.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 10, 2025

حقق منتخب مصر الأولمبي لكرة السلة الفوزعلى نظيره الأمريكي، في ثاني مباريات بطولة التحدي الدولية التي تحتضنها الصين خلال الفترة الحالية.

وتمكن الفراعنة من الفوز على المنتخب الأمريكي بنتيجة 91-96، حيث تمكن شباب الفراعنة من العودة في النتيحة بعد التأخر في الشوط الأول من المباراة.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع كل من ألمانيا والصين والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية في بطولة التحدي بالصين لكرة السلة.

طالع.. منتخب مصر الأولمبي يهزم الصين في بطولة التحدي الدولية لكرة السلة

وتضم قائمة اللاعبين 14 لاعبًا وهم، بهاء الدين رمضان، يوسف الغايش، إبراهيم زهران، ياسين شيخو، محمد ياسر، ميدو إبراهيم، مؤمن طارق خيري، محمد وائل بدر، محمد أشرف، محمد أيمن، عمر عماد محيي، إبراهيم محرم، علي عسران، يوسف الحلواني.

يرأس بعثة المنتخب، المستشار محمد محرم عضو مجلس إدارة الاتحاد بينما يتولى أحمد مرعي، مهمة المدير الفني وإمام عبدالبديع مدربًا، ومحمود علاء والدكتور رائف وصفي علاج طبيعي، وليد الخراط إداريًا، محمد عيسى مدلك.

Antony showed up former Manchester United team-mate David de Gea with a stunning set-piece that helped Real Betis reach the Conference League final.

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• Antony scored free-kick in Conference League win
• De Gea couldn't keep former team-mate's strike out
• Betis will face Chelsea in final

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Antony scored a brilliant free-kick as he helped Betis reach the Conference League final by eliminating Fiorentina on Thursday night. The Brazilian winger has been in stunning recent form following his January loan move from United and found the net again with a curling strike that beat De Gea, hit the post and flew in.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Antony and De Gea were team-mates at United and it was the Brazilian who got the better of the Spaniard in the first leg when another screamer from distance secured a 2-1 victory. Fiorentina managed to force extra-time in the return fixture but Abde Ezzalzouli's effort ensured Betis squeezed through with a late strike, assisted by Antony, to set up a Conference League final against Chelsea.

• WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA SAID

  Fans quickly noticed Antony getting the better of the former United goalkeeper.

  "Antony really owned De Gea in both legs my word," @THEREDSMAGIC wrote on X, while @Stretford_Reds posted: "Antony is just Wiping the floor with De Gea. 2 worldies against our former GK."

  Another fan, @chcolatepapi, wrote: "Antony dropped his nuts on De Gea TWICE! That's crazy 2 bangers against him within a week of each other."

  Meanwhile, @imkikosuarez said: "At this point, Manchester United is the common the denominator for all these players being ASS HOW TF IS ANTONY PLAYING THIS WELL?"

  While Chelsea fan @xF_H_C said: "We’re getting dunked on by Antony in the final."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Antony's strike was his eighth in all competitions since joining Betis in January, having bagged just once in the first half of the season for United.

Liverpool feel like they are moving, almost inexorably, toward the Premier League title.

Despite a few recent hitches, the title-chasing pack simply don’t have the resources to close down the big gap that Arne Slot’s side has established over the duration of the season.

But what about the future? So much hinges on the outcome of several off-the-field issues that have plagued Anfield throughout the campaign yet somehow failed to knock the title charge out of kilter.

The Times’ Paul Joyce has revealed in the wake of Liverpool’s crushing victory over Manchester City that talks are ongoing with non-committal superstars Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, though it remains a great concern with all three out of contract in little over four months.

Liverpool appear to be heading to the top-flight title this season and may even hit further goals – into the Carabao Cup final and one of the favourites to lift the Champions League for a seventh time – early days in that one, though.

However, Slot will want to consolidate his reign with sustained success over a number of areas, and that means sorting out the futures of more than just the ‘big three’.

The other players who may leave Liverpool

In Joyce’s article, he touches on the abiding rumours around the futures of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.

Diaz is an important member of the first-team squad but, aged 28 and with two years left on his deal, could find himself sold if a fresh contract cannot be agreed upon.

Nunez, conversely, is a popular figure at Anfield but appears to have regressed this season and will likely be sold to make room for a new and more clinical striker.

24/25

16

4

1.6 (0.6)

3

23/24

36

11

3.0 (1.3)

27

22/23

29

9

2 9 (1.3)

20

With Giorgi Mamardashvili arriving from LaLiga side Valencia in a deal worth £29m, it seems likely that second-choice between the sticks, Caoimhin Kelleher, will be sold, especially since the Irishman has been candid about his desire for regular first-team football.

The unerring correspondent also commented on Harvey Elliott’s situation. The 21-year-old playmaker is immensely talented but will need to have some internal conversations given Slot has scarcely used him this season. Indeed, Elliott hasn’t started in the Premier League this term.

However, that’s not to say Slot isn’t willing to promote Liverpool’s youngsters. With Real Madrid coveting Trent, it looks like Conor Bradley may be playing as Liverpool’s first-choice right-back next year. There’s also Jarell Quansah, who isn’t likely to usurp Van Dijk but could take his baton in a few years.

Let’s have a closer look at the powerful centre-back.

Jarell Quansah is Liverpool's future star

Liverpool’s academy has gone from strength to strength over the past several years. Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and indeed Elliott had graduated throughout Jurgen Klopp’s reign but the depth and potential seems greater today.

There’s a whole host of up-and-coming talent pushing against Slot’s first team now, but it’s indeed Quansah and Bradley who lead the charge.

The significance of Quansah’s breakout campaign last year was accelerated when Joel Matip ruptured his ACL against Fulham in December 2023 in what ultimately proved a career-ending injury.

The English defender was described as “an absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig as he staked his claim for a prominent role in Liverpool’s side, even pipping the out-of-sorts Ibrahima Konate to a regular starting berth in the closing months of the Premier League season. Quansah started this beside Van Dijk term too, albeit was withdrawn in the campaign’s opener at half-time against Ipswich.

He’s suffered something of a slow season under Slot’s wing since but remains one of Merseyside’s biggest jewels, starting 11 of the final 15 fixtures.

And after a momentous cameo as off-colour Liverpool held Wolverhampton Wanderers at bay to claim three invaluable points last weekend, Slot was full of praise for his much-improved young star, saying “he is back to being the same Jarell” after “a bit of a difficult time” at the beginning of 2024/25.

With a strong athletic base and exciting technical qualities, Quansah has all the parts to become a leading centre-back in the years to come.

In fact, such skills have already seen him compared to Tottenham Hotspur titan Cristian Romero and Real Madrid’s Eder Militao via FBRef’s similar players feature. Romero’s availability leaves something to be desired but his footballing ability is a thing to behold.

Goals

0.13

0.12

Assists

0.00

0.00

Touches

92.71

92.18

Pass completion

90.6%

90.9%

Progressive passes

4.43

4.92

Shot-creating actions

0.99

1.21

Progressive carries

0.93

0.81

Ball recoveries

4.89

5.40

Tackles + interceptions

3.44

3.42

Clearances

3.37

2.98

Aerial duels won

2.12

3.26

See the defenders’ statistics collected over the past year. It’s uncanny how similar Quansah and Romero are across a number of areas: both crisp with their passing yet creative too; both mobile players, covering immense stretches of ground and both active and crunching with their challenges.

Quansah hasn’t played all that much Premier League football this season, but last year, he incredibly won 64% of his total duels, as per Sofascore.

To put that into context: the awe-inspiring Van Dijk has won 69% in 2024/25 and Romero, 26, has emerged on top in 61% this season and 68% the year before.

While Tottenham have struggled in Ange Postecoglou’s second term, largely due to ceaseless injury problems, Romero has been part of that fitness problem, last starting against Ipswich Town in November.

He’s a brilliant and dynamic defender, aggressive and tenacious too. Real Madrid have been linked with him over the past year as they prepare to sign a new long-term member for their central rearguard, but Daniel Levy is down to play hardball.

Well, the tight chairman has retorted with £150m demands for the 2022 World Cup winner. That’s quite the exorbitant figure.

We’re not saying that Quansah – or indeed Romero – is worth such an obscene amount of money, but the rising Liverpool sensation is clearly doing something right, and now that he’s found his feet – he must push on, and maybe raise his stock and standing on the continental scene.

Bye-bye: £140k-p/w dud's Liverpool career looks totally finished under Slot

Liverpool might look to part ways with this talented member at the end of the season.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 24, 2025