Liverpool are prepared to splash the cash to bring in Nicolo Barella it seems, with Italian journalist Marco Barzaghi, via Caught Offside, reporting that the Reds could offer up to £77m to bring the player in this summer.

Has Nicolo Barella been good this season?

The midfielder has been with Inter for four seasons now and has been able to help them to a Serie A title and a Champions League final along the way. This year, they almost conquered Europe but their league campaign led to only a third place finish.

The 26-year-old was once more an important part of the side and featured in 35 Serie A outings for the club over the course of the 2022/23 campaign. Even though he plays in the middle of the field, he was also able to chip in with six goals and six assists – his second-best goal contribution rate over the course of his career with 12.

A look at his FBRef scouting report also proves that the player is one of the best in his position in Europe. When you look at how he compares to others in midfield across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, there is a lot to like about Barella. He has a 0.22 non-penalty goal rate per 90, which puts him in the top eight percent in that category, and he also has 3.65 shot-creating actions per 90 too (88th percentile).

It means that not only is he hitting the net a lot more often than other midfielders he is excellent at creating goalscoring opportunities too, both for himself and his teammates.

Are Liverpool signing Barella?

Now, according to a report from Marco Barzaghi, via Caught Offside, the Italian may have earned himself a big money move to England.

That is because Liverpool are could be willing to stump up a lot of cash to bring him to the Premier League. It's believed that the side are preparing to offer a huge amount of £77m to lure him to Anfield and whilst there is no official bid on the table yet, FSG are finally willing to spend big.

Barella is certainly an exciting asset to have in any team, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that the midfielder is a "difference maker" and can play "beautiful" football with a "winner's mentality" to boot.

He has a lot of positive attributes then and could bring that to a Liverpool midfield in desperate need of rejuvenation. Even if the fee is relatively steep, it could be a price worth paying for the Italy star.

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to confirm Brendan Rodgers as the club's replacement for the recently-departed Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops lost their Australian manager earlier this month as he opted to move down south to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is now in advanced talks to land his heir.

Rodgers is poised for a second spell at Parkhead after almost three years in charge of the Scottish giants before his switch to Leicester in 2019. He won seven trophies in that time and enjoyed great success that the Northern Irish tactician will now be hoping to replicate this time around.

The 50-year-old tinkerer will have the summer transfer window to bolster his side and one player he must swoop for is FC Utrecht star Anastasios Douvikas.

Who is Anastasios Douvikas?

The 23-year-old striker is a reported transfer target for the Hoops and the talented Greek marksman could come in and be the manager's next Moussa Dembele.

During Rodgers' first spell at Celtic, the French centre-forward was a prolific scorer who was able to provide a reliable source of goals over the course of two seasons.

He racked up 51 goals and 25 assists in 94 appearances in all competitions for the former Liverpool coach and these statistics show that the experienced boss was able to rely upon the ex-Fulham dynamo at the top end of the pitch.

Douvikas, who is reportedly available for a fee of £6.9m, could be Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers as his form for Utrecht in the Eredivisie suggests that the young ace has the potential to be a lethal scorer for Celtic next season.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Greek international, who journalist Josh Bunting once hailed as "sharp", plundered 19 goals in 32 appearances.

He started 24 of those matches and his exceptional return in front of goal in the Netherlands indicates that he has the quality to replicate the former Hoops star's impressive strike rate of more than one goal every other game.

The 6 foot 1 frontman also showcased his creative ability as a centre-forward.

In the Eredivisie, Douvikas registered four assists and created seven 'big chances' for his teammates, which shows that the prolific scorer has the awareness and passing ability to open up defences for his fellow attackers to go along with his own goalscoring threat.

Therefore, Rodgers must push for the club to go through with a deal to sign the Greek ace as his statistics indicate that the Utrecht centre-forward could be the manager's new star striker.

Newcastle United are interested in bringing a new centre-back to the club this summer, with rumours circulating over a £50m transfer.

Are Newcastle going to sign a centre-back?

Given their newfound wealth, the Magpies are expected to spend big again this summer, bolstering a squad that finished in the Champions League positions last season and reached the Carabao Cup final.

According to journalist Dean Jones, Newcastle are keen to sign a central defender and are already looking at a host of names at different price points.

Speaking on The Football Terrace YouTube Channel, Jones claimed: "The profile of the centre-back is going to be interesting to see who they actually go for. I'm hearing some of the centre-backs they're linked with and were briefed about are like £10m-£15m. Then I'm suddenly told about another centre-back that's like £50m. So I don't know where they're going to land on that one."

Despite stating that Newcastle are in the hunt for a new defender, and a potentially expensive one at that, Jones didn't give the name of the mystery £50m centre-back.

However, the fact that Eddie Howe wants to strengthen his defensive unit is unsurprising given that Ciaran Clark has already left the club and Jamaal Lascelles is on the radar of Premier League newcomers Luton Town.

Newcastle did boast the equal-best defensive record (level with champions Manchester City) in the league last season, conceding just 33 goals in 38 games, but the extra workload that comes with European football means that regulars Fabian Schar and Sven Botman will need support.

Which defenders might Newcastle sign?

One defender that is set to make a move this summer is Napoli star Kim Min-jae and Newcastle have been linked with the South Korea international in recent weeks. The reported price of a transfer is roughly £42m which would approximately correspond with Jones's £50m statement.

However, it is thought that Bayern Munich are streets ahead in the race for the 26-year-old and have almost snapped up the defender's signature.

Manchester United's Harry Maguire has been touted with a move away from Old Trafford this summer, with the Magpies keen on making a move for the England international according to some sources. Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have also been linked with the 30-year-old who remains the most expensive defender in world football.

Someone who will help out the defence next season is holding midfielder Sandro Tonali. The Italian is set to sign from AC Milan after talks have quickly accelerated over recent days.

Watch more of The Football Terrace HERE!

دافع المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، عن الثنائي فينيسيوس جونيور، جود بيلينجهام، ورد على مطالبات طرد البرازيلي وانتقاد الإنجليزي بسبب الحكام.

وكانت هناك سخرية من قبل الصحافة الألمانية في الأيام الماضية خاصة بعد مباراة لايبزيج، حيث وصفت صحيفة “بيلد” عدم طرد فينيسيوس بعد مسكه بيديه رقبة لاعب الخصم، ويلي أوربان، بالفضيحة.

بينما حصل بيلينجهام على إيقاف لمدة مباراتين بعد الطرد عقب صافرة الحكم، خيل مانزانو، بعد مباراة فالنسيا الماضية بسبب الاعتراض على إنهاء اللقاء قبل اكتمال الهجمة الأخيرة.

ويستعد ريال مدريد لمباراة سيلتا فيجو يوم غد الأحد، في تمام الساعة السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ريال مدريد يتوصل إلى اتفاق مع ألفونسو ديفيز.. وبايرن ميونخ يحدد سعره

وعلق أنشيلوتي على حالة فينيسيوس في مؤتمره الصحفي قبل قليل، وقال: “عندما أنظر إلى الماضي، لا أجد لاعبًا مضطهدًا أكثر منه، يستفزونه بشكل متكرر”.

وأضاف: “ما الذي يجب عليه فعله، الجميع عليه أن يغير موقفه تجاه فينيسيوس، لم يحدث أبدًا أن يعاني لاعب موهوب مثله من تلك الاستفزازات، أمام رايو فاييكانو تعرض لضربة على رأسه ولم يتم معاقبة من فعل ذلك بإنذار، والآن يطالب الجميع بطرده أمام لايبزيج”.

وعن بيلينجهام: “لقد استأنفنا ضد عقوبته لأن القرار كان مبالغًا فيه، لقد طالبوا بإيقافه لأنه اقترب من الحكم، آمل أنه لم يسحبوا منه رخصة قيادته (ساخرًا)، الجميع يحتج وأحيانًا أكثر من بيلينجهام”.

وغياب الإنجليزي: “نحن نفتقد لاعبًا مميزًا في الخط الهجومي، لقد صنع الفارق معنا في الدوري”.

ومباراة سيلتا فيجو: “مواجهة مهمة من الموسم، علينا أن نظهر قوتنا، نريد أن نفوز لأن هناك انخفاض في المستوى منذ مباراة جيرونا”.

وعن الأخطاء الدفاعية: “الأمر نفسي فقط، هناك إرهاق، لكننا كنا أقوياء دفاعيًا وهو ما جعلنا نفوز بالمباريات، أمام لايبزيج لم نكن في خطر لأن لدينا أفضلية الفوز في الذهاب”.

وعن موعد عودة كورتوا وميليتاو: “سيكون ذلك بعد نهاية فترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة”.

وإمكانية انضمام إبراهيم دياز إلى منتخب المغرب: “لم نتحدث عن الأمر، فهذه مسألة شخصية له، إنه يفكر في الأمر، لكنني لم أتحدث معه حول الموضوع”.

ورودريجو: “لقد نجح مع ريال مدريد، ساعدنا قبل موسمين في الفوز ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، في الموسم الحالي لا يسجل كثيرًا ولكن أداءه مميز”.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has roped in former West Indies coach Phil Simmons as consultant for the next three series, against Zimbabwe, Ireland and West Indies

Umar Farooq03-Feb-2017The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has roped in former West Indies coach Phil Simmons as consultant for the next three series, against Zimbabwe, Ireland and West Indies. According to the ACB, he will assist head coach Lalchand Rajput on technical issues.Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe starts on February 16 in Harare and includes five ODIs, before they host Ireland in Greater Noida, India, in March. Afghanistan are scheduled to visit the Caribbean in June.”He will be working with the team as a consulting coach,” ACB chief executive officer Shafiq Stanikzai told ESPNcricinfo. “His expertise will greatly favour us, as he has coached all three teams we are playing against. His appointment is a valuable step in our players’ road to development.”Simmons, 53, was removed last September by the WICB, just six months after coaching West Indies to the World T20 title, due to “differences in culture and strategic approach”. He had a successful stint with Ireland before that; in his eight years in charge of the team, they won 11 trophies and qualified for every major ICC event. In the mid-2000s, he had worked with Zimbabwe. An allrounder, Simmons had played 26 Tests and 143 ODIs for West Indies between 1987 and 1999.After he was relieved of the West Indies coaching job, Simmons was appointed head coach of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots for the 2017 edition of the Caribbean Premier League. He was recently in the UAE for the duration of the Desert T20 Challenge, which Afghanistan won after defeating Ireland by 10 wickets in the final. It is understood that Simmons was attending the tournament on behalf of the ICC Development Programme, offering his services as a coaching consultant to each of the eight Associate teams present.

India fast bowler Sreesanth had been trying to play league cricket in Scotland this year but the BCCI, which had imposed a life ban on him following his alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013, has refused to give him the necessary permission.Sreesanth had been hoping to play for Glenrothes CC and had asked the BCCI for a no-objection certificate, however a board official confirmed that they had not obliged his request. Sreesanth, though, claimed he has not received any word from the BCCI. “I don’t know… I still haven’t got any letter from BCCI,” he told ESPNcricinfo in a text message and revealed a similar request last year had gone unanswered.In May 2013, Sreesanth and two other Rajasthan Royals bowlers – Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila – were arrested for alleged fulfilling of promises made to bookmakers. All three players were later banned for life by the BCCI.In 2015, Sreesanth was cleared of spot-fixing charges by a Delhi trial court due to insufficient evidence under the MCOCA act, a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism.”I will try to start training properly as soon as possible,” Sreesanth had said then. “I wasn’t allowed anything… Hopefully I can get permission from BCCI to use their facilities so that I can get fit and come into the selection process.”But the BCCI’s investigation in 2013, handled by the board’s then anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani, only needed to focus on the conduct of the players and not their alleged connections to organised crime syndicates. The BCCI’s decisions were therefore “independent to any criminal proceeding” and “based on its independent disciplinary action, shall remain unaltered.”Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila were found guilty of match-fixing, seeking or offering a bribe as a reward for match-fixing, underperforming for a reward, ensuring the occurrence of an event during a match, knowing it is the subject of a bet, receiving payment or gift for the possibility of bringing cricket into disrepute, failing to report an approach by bookmakers to fix a match to the BCCI anti-corruption unit.

Burnley are interested in the services of promising centre-half Soumaila Coulibaly, per reports.

Burenly transfer news – Soumaila Coulibaly

According to Football Insider, the Clarets have submitted a loan offer for Borussia Dortmund's exciting central defensive prospect Soumaila Coulibaly as a potential replacement for the departing Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Turf Moor.

The publication reports that Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is a 'big admirer' of the 19-year-old, and the Lancashire club are 'in talks' with BVB over what would be best for the youngster's development.

The former Paris Saint-Germain gem is held in high regard at the Westfalenstadion following a successful spell with the club's reserve team.

However, a disastrous debut for the senior side in the Bundesliga has hurt his image somewhat, and so with three years left on his deal with the famous Black and Yellow, a loan could be a great option for all sides.

Would Soumaila Coulibaly be a good replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

The departure of Harwood-Bellis back to his parent club Manchester City is a real problem for Kompany's team.

He made 32 appearances in the Championship last season and, according to WhoScored, averaged an impressive rating of 7.07.

The Belgian is clearly one of his biggest fans, telling Lancashire Live:

"He really has an outstanding attitude, and he's got good habits of high-level professionals. His level is for everyone to see. I had him when he was at Anderlecht, and he's a better player now.

"The player he is now today, give him another year or two, he's going to be a much-improved player again because he has the right attitude. We're excited to be a part of his development."

That said, Coulibaly looks to have the attributes required to replace the returning City loanee well.

For a start, both players share a physical profile, with the Englishman coming in at 6 foot 2 and his potential replacement at 6 foot 3; their weights are also only 1kg apart at 82kg and 81kg, respectively, per Eurosport.

It's this 'imposing' build that has led to comparisons with the immensely talented Dayot Upamecano, and if that is the calibre of player he is already being likened to at just 19 years old, he could have a massive future ahead of him.

It's not just his physique that has led to that comparison however, he has also shown himself to be a good ball-playing centre-half, despite his limited minutes.

According to FBref, the Dortmund man produced 12.9 progressive passes per 90 last year, more than any Burnley player in the Championship.

The Championship winners also look to have already secured the perfect partner for Coulibaly with the permanent signing of Jordan Beyer, another promising youngster from the German topflight who spent the season on loan with the club last year.

With Beyer favouring his right foot and Coulibaly favouring his left, the club could have an incredibly balanced and exciting defence going into their Premier League campaign.

The only problem could come from the German runners-up not wanting to let him go on a permanent should he have a good season, as they described him as 'one of the most promising players.'

His manager at the Signal Iduna Park, Edin Terzic, also looks to be a fan, claiming: "He's been getting better and better and finding consistency."

There is a small element of risk in bringing in Coulibaly as a replacement for the consistent Harwood-Bellis, but based on what people have said about the player and his profile, there seems to be so much more upside to this deal.

Harry Kane finds the idea of a transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich appealing, David Ornstein has claimed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane?

The England striker has one year remaining on his contract at Spurs, who are still reluctant to see him depart the club this summer.

Bayern Munich have already seen a bid rejected for the 29-year-old, as chairman Daniel Levy is adamant that he can eventually tie Kane down to a new contract.

There were question marks about whether Kane would want to leave the Premier League, but Ornstein has now revealed on TalkSPORT that the Englishman would be open to moving to the German champions.

"Bayern Munich registered an offer of €70m (£60m) plus add-ons a couple of mornings ago, and that was rejected out of hand by Daniel Levy, but it showed the interest of one of the biggest clubs in world football," he stated.

"We understand that a move there would appeal to Kane if it came to fruition. I think the expectation is that Bayern will probably go again, there have been reports suggesting that.

"Whether they'll be successful, I don't know because I've always been led to believe that Daniel Levy doesn't want to lose him and so isn't putting a price on it or countenancing his sale."

Should Kane go to Bayern Munich?

Kane has had yet another outstanding individual season, scoring 30 league goals, but Spurs disappointed throughout, finishing in eighth place and failing to qualify for European competition.

The striker is yet to win a major trophy in his career, and a move to a European giant like Bayern Munich would give him a strong chance of winning league titles and competing for Champions League glory.

Spurs could cash in on their talisman, sending him abroad rather than to a Premier League rival, and can use the money from what could be a big sale to reinvest into the squad.

New manager Ange Postecoglou has already added James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario to his ranks, and whilst selling Kane would initially be a big blow, it could allow him to completely rebuild the Spurs squad, which has steadily declined in quality over the last few years.

Kane could compete for major honours without tainting his Spurs legacy by joining a rival, and Spurs can aim to build a competitive side which is no longer reliant on their star striker.

أعلن المدير الفني لفريق آينتراخت فرانكفورت، دينو توبمولر، تشكيل اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون مباراة بوروسيا دورتموند في الجولة الـ26 من الدوري الألماني.

وتنطلق مباراة فرانكفورت وبوروسيا دورتموند في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك”.

اقرأ ايضاً.. نانت الفرنسي يستهدف التعاقد مع “عدو الصيام” لتدريب الفريق

وشهد تشكيل آينتراخت فرانكفورت تواجد جناح منتخب مصر، عمر مرموش، في التشكيل الأساسي في مواجهة اليوم. تشكيل آينتراخت فرانكفورت اليوم أمام بوروسيا دورتموند في الدوري الألماني

حراسة المرمى: كيفين تراب.

خط الدفاع: روبين كوخ ، لوكاس ميلو ، ويليام تينوريو.

وسط الملعب: نكونكو ، لارسون ، إلياس سخيري ، إريك إبيمبي.

خط الهجوم: عمر مرموش، ماريو جوتزة ، أنسجار كنوف.

الاحتياط: غرال ، هاسيبي ، بوتا ، فيليب ماكس ، كولينس ، تشاندلر ، فان دي بيك ، فارس شعيبي ، إكيتيكي.

So werden wir heute in Dortmund starten! 🗞️🦅#BVBSGE | #SGE pic.twitter.com/XIcNbFZfos — Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht) March 17, 2024

Leeds United and AS Roma are finalising a new agreement over the transfer of defender Diego Llorente.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news involving Llorente?

The Whites, now under new ownership in the 49ers Enterprises, have plenty to sort out this summer ahead of the 2023/24 Championship season.

A new manager is yet to be brought in, and a number of incomings and outgoings also need to materialise in what is set to be a frantic few months.

One player who looks on course to leave once again is Llorente. The 29-year-old was sent out on loan to Roma during the January transfer window and made 12 appearances under Jose Mourinho.

Hailed as “brilliant” in the media against Lazio, there was an option set in place to make a move permanent this summer, but after some negotiations, Roma appear to be attempting to lower that agreement, which was set at aroumd £15.3m.

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from Italian outlet Il Romanista regarding Llorente and Roma in the last 48 hours. They claimed that Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto is now "finalising" a new agreement with Leeds chiefs to sign the defender, which could be worth just £8.5m, with relegation harming their negotiating power.

Who else could leave Leeds this summer?

Llorente fell out of favour at Leeds during the 2022/23 season, making just seven Premier League starts. His Transfermarkt valuation dropped from €20m to €12m during his time at Elland Road, so possibly bringing in £8.5m and getting his £56,000-a-week wage off the books may be viewed as good business by the new Leeds owners.

However, he isn’t the only player who is expected to leave Yorkshire following the club’s relegation. Phil Hay previously claimed Leeds exits for the likes of Illan Meslier, Robin Koch, Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra, Marc Roca and Rodrigo are all expected.

Leeds had a total of 10 players out on loan last season as well, one of which was Tyler Roberts, who looks set to move to fellow Championship side Birmingham City after the Whites accepted an offer.

Therefore, Llorente and Roberts could well be the first of many to leave Elland Road, and when a new manager is appointed, we could see a number of players brought in as the 49ers look to take the club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.