Mauricio Pochettino has already seen four players arrive at Chelsea during this transfer window, and with a move for Axel Disasi close to completion, it will be another solid signing that the club requires ahead of the season.

Could the Argentinian perhaps make one of the signings of the summer however? As the Blues have been linked with a move for Kylian Mbappe.

Could Chelsea sign Kylian Mbappe?

According to The Daily Record, The Stamford Bridge side are looking to ‘negotiate a cash-plus-player deal’ in order to sign the Frenchman this summer.

PSG accepted a record £257m offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, however, Mbappe declined to discuss a move and his future continues to look uncertain.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

It’s widely believed that Real Madrid will make an offer for the forward before the end of the transfer window, yet Chelsea may have other ideas.

The 24-year-old is valued at €126.4m (£109m) and it’s likely Pochettino would have to offer a fee around this mark, if not higher, should he try and lure the mercurial forward to the Premier League.

What could Kylian Mbappe offer Chelsea?

Last summer, Manchester City brought Erling Haaland to Manchester City, and the striker went from prolific marksman to global superstar as he helped his side win the treble.

The Norwegian netted a staggering 52 goals in 53 matches, and he was clearly the final piece of the jigsaw that Pep Guardiola needed to take his team to the next level.

Alongside Haaland, Mbappe is arguably one of the biggest commodities in global football, and the Frenchman could improve any team that he joins, especially Chelsea.

Writer Musa Okwonga earmarked him for future success back in 2017, saying: “Mbappé is the best player I have seen at that age since Ronaldo. There is no other footballer of this era who has been so complete so young.”

Since then, he has gone from yet another French talent to megastar, becoming the first teenager since Pele in 1958 to score a World Cup Final goal as France defeated Croatia in 2018 while winning six Ligue 1 titles throughout his career so far.

The Blues scored just 38 Premier League goals last term, and the need for goals is imperative if they are to challenge for honours next season. Mbappe’s 36 goals from 42 appearances across the league and Champions League suggests he could be the answer.

It isn’t just his goal-scoring abilities which could improve Chelsea, as the Frenchman ranks in the top 1% for progressive carries and touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 compared to positional peers while also ranking in the top 3% for successful take ons per 90.

This clearly suggests that he is a menace in the opposition box, taking on defenders with apparent ease, and he could create plenty of opportunities for others to score.

Signing Mbappe would signal a massive statement of intent for Pochettino, especially considering they don’t have Champions League football next season.

If he could pull it off, the Argentinian would bolster his team significantly and sign his own Haaland in the process.

Birmingham went top of North Group as Aaron Thomason held his nerve in the final over at Wantage Road

ECB Reporters Network01-Aug-2017Aaron Thomason held his nerve to defend 13 from the final over as Birmingham beat Northamptonshire by just two runs at Wantage Road to go top of the North Group of the NatWest T20 Blast.20-year-old Thomason, playing just his 13th T20 match, was trusted with the final two overs of the game from the Wilson End when 27 were needed from 18 balls. He conceded only 7 and then Jeetan Patel presented the youngster with 13 to defend from the final six. Alex Wakely struck the second ball of the over for six down the ground but despite reducing the equation to 4 from 2 balls, Thomason held the game for the Bears.Aaron Thomason completes a last-ball run-out•Getty Images

Ian Bell, Warwickshire’s captain, said: “It was a great win to get over the line when we didn’t play our best, to come to Northampton is tough. Aaron didn’t shy away he wanted that last over so I’m really happy. He’s someone who works hard at his slower balls and yorkers and listens to the guys who have played around the world.”It was a chase that Northamptonshire were always well in touch with – and Wakely’s 52 from 34 balls appeared to be steering them home – but they could never kill the game and missed the chance to move to the top of the group themselves.Adam Rossington and Richard Levi took 78 from their previous Powerplay and here again got their side off to a flier with 51 from the first four overs. Rossington struck boundaries from the first three balls of the second over, two of them slapped wide of midwicket.Levi then flicked Colin de Grandhomme over square leg for the innings’ first six and drove four more past cover point. But having smashed Thomason for a huge six into a mobile bar over midwicket, the bowler exacted his revenge with a decent yorker.Patel then picked up Rossington, caught at deep midwicket for 43 from 30 balls, and Ben Duckett for 9 in successive balls to get Birmingham back into the innings. The wicket of Duckett was a beauty from round the wicket that turned and took the top of off stump.Richard Levi is at full stretch for Northants•Getty Images

The wicket of Duckett gave way to four cheap overs that left 64 needed from 42 balls only for Wakely to flick two fours off Boyd Rankin and cut another to ease the tension and when he skipped down the pitch to flick the first ball of Patel’s third over over midwicket for another boundaries, the hosts were back in charge of the chase.But de Grandhomme found a yorker to remove Rob Keogh for a run-a-ball 18 and Steven Crook holed out to mid-off second ball to leave 27 needed from 18 balls. Thomason and Patel then finished the game off.Birmingham’s 172 for 9 was a stop-start effort where they lost wickets regularly and four set batsman fell when set to cause greater damage.Having been sent in, they made 40 for 1 in a Powerplay that featured some seam movement on a fresh wicket and following afternoon rain. Ed Pollock played a remarkable flick over deep square for the night’s first six but, hurried by a Rory Kleinveldt back-of-a-length ball, was caught behind off a big top edge. Sam Hain slog swept Richard Gleeson for six over long leg and both he and Ian Bell, got inside edges for four to fine leg.Bell was notably scratchy, beaten outside off several times, and fell for 16 from 18 balls trying to reverse-sweep Keogh’s second ball and losing his off stump.Adam Hose, after 76 on his county debut on Sunday, shimmed down the wicket to slap Nathan Buck for four and then struck a might six that found the roof of the Lynn Wilson centre off Keogh. But when he clipped a low full-toss from Keogh to midwicket and Sam Hain was run out after a calamitous mix up with de Grandhomme, Birmingham had lose both set men and were 82 for 4 after 11 overs.De Grandhomme atoned for his part in the mix up by striking three fours and a six from the 14th over bowled by Sanderson that conceded 21 and an over later, Birmingham were well placed at 128 for 4 after 15 overs. But again, Northants picked up a useful wicket with de Grandhomme, after going dangerously to 37 from just 15 balls, picked out deep square. Patel struck a six in the final over to nudge his side to a score that proved enough.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWe’ve seen this somewhere before. England’s vulnerable top order exposed, steadied by their captain and rescued further by someone in the middle order. Ben Stokes’ sixth Test hundred was a bristling display, albeit not without fortune, but England’s recovery was far from total as Kemar Roach and the recalled Shannon Gabriel took four wickets apiece to keep them to 258.West Indies’ bowling, especially from the quicks, was in a different league to what had been witnessed at Edgbaston; Gabriel’s return injected some pace, Roach was dangerous from a full length and Jason Holder chipped out a useful wicket. However, the fielding again let them down: Joe Root, who went on to equal the world record of at least a fifty in 12 consecutive Tests, was dropped on 8, a shocker at first slip by Kieran Powell, and even more significantly Stokes was missed on 9 by Kraigg Brathwaite at second.Powell’s day did not get much better when he edged James Anderson to first slip, but on a gloomy evening with the lights on, the loss of just one wicket in a 45-minute period before the close was acceptable. Anderson, who began needing eight wickets for 500, was on the mark but Stuart Broad was too wide in his first spell.The England innings ended in somewhat chaotic scenes with further embarrassing lapses in the field. Stokes was dropped at mid-on when on 98, one ball before he went to his century, while Shane Dowrich, the wicketkeeper, inexplicably shelled an edge off Broad. However, the sum total of those chances was two runs. Gabriel, the man who dropped the simple chance off Stokes, had him caught behind pulling and then, having glared at his keeper, did the job himself by ripping through Broad with a yorker to complete a successful comeback (and he didn’t even bowl a no-ball).Stokes came in at 71 for 4 – a not-entirely-unknown situation for him, as can be said for the scoreline of 26 for 2 which greeted Root – and regularly threaded the off side with some powerful driving having initially flirted with the cordon. Two overs after being dropped, he sent a thick edge through where third slip had been stood a few balls previously.His fifty came off 67 balls and it was the second half of his innings, after tea, in which he was especially eye-catching as he toyed with Holder’s tactics of trying to pack the off-side field, at one point operating with an 8-1 field. Three times Stokes went to the off side and whipped full deliveries wide of mid-on. He rarely mistimed a stroke in his second fifty, barring the one he clubbed to mid-on on 98, and two runs from his next ball took him past Andrew Flintoff’s tally of five Test hundreds, another landmark in the history of England’s finest allrounders.Stokes’ dismissal, which was followed by a few words from Gabriel, brought a final collapse of 3 for 0 as England were prevented from pushing towards 300. Chris Woakes, on his return to the Test side, had eased to 23 with five boundaries before being the last man out to give Roach a deserved fourth wicket.West Indies had managed a decent start with the ball at Edgbaston – England were 39 for 2 – but couldn’t get past the Cook-Root partnership until the damage was done. This time they had a third wicket, and a foothold, shortly after the hour mark. It was Gabriel who made the first mark when he found Alastair Cook’s outside edge for Kyle Hope to take a sharp, low catch at third slip.It meant two of England’s new recruits, Mark Stoneman and Tom Westley, joined forces in the middle – but not for long. Westley is quickly finding out how a technique that has served you well at county level can be unpicked in the Test game and for the second time in two innings was lbw missing a full, straight delivery.Stoneman received the best ball West Indies bowled at Edgbaston but here was more culpable in his demise. He had looked solid during much of his stay, lining the ball up well from over and round the wicket, but was lured into a drive at Roach and got an inside-edge to Dowrich. England were 37 for 3 with West Indies offering very few moments of release, except for Powell’s blunder, and the morning session brought just seven boundaries (in the first session at Edgbaston they had conceded 22) with two of those from Root off Roston Chase’s early exploratory overs.They managed to keep control after the interval with Holder, now in the role of third seamer in the re-jigged attack, rewarded straightaway for switching to around the wicket against Dawid Malan who dragged a drive into his stumps. It meant England’s three vulnerable batting positions had made 30 between them.Root and Stokes have bailed England out before, most memorably against New Zealand at Lord’s in 2015, and this time combined to add 69 in 15 overs as the bat dominated for the first time in the day. Root took advantage of an inconsistent start from Bishoo as he skipped to a 74-ball fifty to equal AB de Villiers’ record but then top edged a sweep to slip.Root’s conversation rate from fifties to hundreds has been much remarked on, and rightly so for someone aspiring to greatness, but he’d managed to quieten the chatter somewhat with his century at Edgbaston. However, this was an occasion of one that would remain unfulfilled although his consistency – as highlighted by the record-equalling milestone – remains laudable.There was no initial homeground success for Jonny Bairstow, who scored 140 here against Sri Lanka last year. This time, he was well held low down at second slip by Holder. The catch was upheld by the third umpire after much rocking and rolling of replays, the key factor being the soft signal of out from the onfield umpires, and it did appear Holder’s long fingers were under the ball whatever the Yorkshire faithful may have thought.At 152 for 6 talk for some sides would often be of scrapping to 200, but such is the strength of England’s lower order that it felt another stand would develop. At the start of the final session, Moeen Ali accompanied Stokes in a freewheeling partnership of 68 in 13 overs as the day threatened to run away from West Indies. Chase was given a surprisingly long bowl ahead of Bishoo but, in the nick of time, Roach returned and struck second ball when Moeen drove to point. Despite the fielding mishaps there was limited damage to come. West Indies’ bowlers have lifted their game, now the batsmen have to do the same.

Kylian Mbappe most likely will not be joining the Premier League and Arsenal this summer according to Paul Brown.

The Frenchman has told Paris Saint Germain that he intends to leave following the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2024.

What is the situation with Kylian Mbappe and PSG?

It is just another year of the Mbappe circus at PSG.

Last summer the Frenchman signed a new deal with the Parisians that was suggested to be a three-year deal, with the player holding up a shirt reading 2025. However, in reality, the deal wasn't a full three-year contract, but rather two guaranteed years with the option of a third that could only be activated by Mbappe himself by July 31st 2023.

Recently, the French international released a letter, detailing that he would not be taking up the option to extend his contract, with many believing that the forward had already set plans in motion for a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was reportedly furious with the decision and sent a letter back to Mbappe, informing him that should he decide to not take up the option to extend his deal until 2025, he will be sold to the highest bidder in August as the French club do not want to lose their star man for free.

The most recent development has been the news that both Mbappe and Al-Khelaifi are set for a meeting this week, with the hope being that more clarity is shed on the situation and an agreement can be reached between all parties.

Reports have stated recently that Arsenal may be interested in bringing the 24-year-old to the Premier League, with the Independent stating that Mikel Arteta's side would be the strikers preference for an English club should he make the move.

However, speaking exclusively to FootballFanCast, journalist Brown revealed that he doesn't believe Mbappe will make the move to North London, with his heart set on Los Blancos.

What did Paul Brown say on the matter?

When asked about the rumours, Brown stated: "Whether Arsenal would be Mbappe's first choice port of call in the Premier League, I really couldn't say. What I do know is that ever since he was a boy, he's grown up wanting to play for Real Madrid. And as far as I'm aware, everyone in France thinks that he will end up at Real Madrid at some point.

It looks unlikely that he's going to leave PSG this summer. I think a lot of people suspect that he may already be, you know, in the process of agreeing to sign for Real Madrid next summer, so we'll have to see but I genuinely can't see Mbappe ending up in the Premier League either this summer or next to be quite honest. I think he's his heart and his mind are probably elsewhere."

Will Mbappe leave join Arsenal this summer?

Like Brown said, it is hard to see a world where Mbappe leaves PSG this summer.

Even if the Frenchman decides to not take up his option to extend his contract and PSG try to sell him, the club reportedly value the striker at £150m, which might price the Gunners out of a move for the striker.

Should the club find a potential suitor however, the forward may well just turn down any contract offers that aren't from Real Madrid if the idea that he already has his heart set on a move to Madrid are true, and should Arsenal manage to convince Mbappe to swap Paris for London, it's hard to see the 24-year-old wanting to take a pay cut from his €1m per week (£857k per week) salary, which Arsenal definitely won't be able to match after their business this summer.

It is a messy situation, like it has been the past couple of summers now, and this one may not get the clean conclusion the other sagas have had.

Mohammad Amir’s five-for and an unbeaten half-century from Ryan ten Doeschate helped Essex take charge at North Marine Road

David Hopps at North Marine Road06-Aug-20171:14

County Championship round-up: Yorkshire crumble against Essex

Roll up, roll up, for the greatest Seaside Extravaganza in the Land. The start of the 131st Scarborough Festival saw Yorkshire fall quicker at Scarborough than the 10p pieces in the Penny Falls machines that after all these years occasionally tempt holidaymakers into the amusement arcades. Eighteen in the day and, at the end of it all, Essex holding the advantage.If you shove a round of Championship cricket into an otherwise non-stop programme of T20 cricket, don’t be surprised at the outcome.As Yorkshire tumbled to 74 for 9 before lunch, Adam Lyth was the coin that would not drop. He was last out for 68, scoring 63.5% of Yorkshire’s runs off the bat as they scrambled a pitiful 113 in 35.2 overs against the swinging ball. The only other batsman to look secure was Ryan Sidebottom, who helped add 39 for the last wicket in little bother, the most meaningful 8 not out of the season. You can signify a lot with a silent defensive push.Considering their disastrous first session against Mohammad Amir and Jamie Porter, Yorkshire would be relatively content with the position at the close of the first day. Essex’s lead with two wickets remaining was 75, still within range, and even that owed a lot to Ryan ten Doeschate’s unbeaten 61 from 83 balls.Yorkshire lack three England batsmen in Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance (lest his detractors forget, not yet dropped by England but injured, although the difference might be nit-picking) and have no overseas batsman on hand. Essex are without two batting rocks in Alastair Cook and Tom Westley. The bowlers could remain on top until the end.Lyth narrowly failed to carry his bat, although the distinction does not particularly interest him. Not like Geoffrey Boycott or the Great Stonewaller of days of yore, Louis Hall. He has managed it a couple of times and at the time didn’t really see what the fuss was about. “I always have to carry it,” he said. But he played late and within himself and drove judiciously. His cover drive against Mohammad Amir to reach 50 was as good as it got for Yorkshire.Twice, he might have fallen. On 28, a T20-style uppercut against Paul Walter was tipped over the bar by Varun Chopa at slip. Walter also surprised him with a languid bouncer on 63 but it fell safely at leg slip.When the ninth Yorkshire wicket fell, a spectator stood in front of the Tea Room, so identified by whitewashed capitals on its tiled roof so large they could be seen from the moon, observed the sun shining on the North York Moors and uttered: “Summat’s up.” Summat was up indeed. This match was billed as Yorkshire’s chance to launch a Championship challenge, but they have lost two of their last three matches and should they lose here, and Somerset start winning, they will start looking at the other end of the table.Mohammad Amir claimed his first five-wicket haul for Essex•Getty ImagesIt possible to discover a couple of contented Yorkshiremen in a 6000-plus crowd at North Marine Road, but as they were Chris Silverwood and Anthony McGrath, coaches of an Essex side standing proudly at the top of Division One, that did not noticeably lift the holiday mood.Yorkshire’s chief tormenter was Amir, a mid-season replacement for Neil Wagner and playing only his second Championship match of the season. The last three wickets rewarded 11 graceful overs with 5 for 18. As the last of them, Lyth, succumbed at first slip eight balls into the afternoon, Amir’s strangled cry of celebration cut through an air of stony silence.Amir struck twice in his new-ball spell. Alex Lees departed to the pavilion with an aggrieved look after an 11-ball duck, but as he could conceivably have been given out lbw or caught at fourth slip off an inside edge, the details didn’t really matter. Tom Kohler-Cadmore was bowled, undone by inswing.But the incursions with the new ball were not just about Amir. Jamie Porter made excellent use of helpful conditions as Yorkshire fell to 25 for 5 by the time bags had been unpacked and requisite layers of clothing decided. Harry Brook, released by England U-19s, pushed hard at one, Jack Leaning edged one that bounced and left him just enough and Tim Bresnan fell lbw second ball.As wickets continued to fall, though, there was something to engage the crowd. With Yorkshire nine down, lunch was delayed for half an hour, as per regulations, in a search for the last wicket. But when the umpires trooped off at 1.30pm, they were curtly instructed on their headsets by the Yorkshire scorer, John Potter, that they were one short of the statutory eight overs and should remain where they were.By the time they retraced their steps, in an atmosphere of confusion, the groundstaff had already pushed their wheelbarrows onto the wicket, and impromptu games of cricket were well under way on the outfield, so much so that one young lad had already scored more than every Yorkshire batsman but Lyth. They were ushered off, at which point a further over of utter inconsequence took place.Silverwood went to chat in the crowd as Essex batted, but as relaxed as he looked, the loss of three wickets before tea underlined Essex would not find things easy. Ravi Bopara pulled the second ball of the evening from Jack Brooks for six, just out of Sidebottom’s reach at long leg, but then pulled a long hop to square leg.Yorkshire hit back again midway through the evening session with three wickets in eight balls. Ben Coad, the most insistent of Yorkshire’s attack, is one fast bowler who will have welcomed the mid-season switch to T20 after an arduous debut season. He ended Adam Wheater’s useful resistance and had James Foster caught at second slip in the 42nd over before Sidebottom removed Paul Walter in the next over.As so often, Essex looked to ten Doeschate. Playing with selective aggression, he did not disappoint.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in West Ham United defender Aaron Cresswell, as Julen Lopetegui aims to bolster his squad this summer.

The Spaniard has focused solely on departures this window, however, is now turning his attention to recruiting reinforcements ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The signing of Matt Doherty added experience and skill to his back line, which he could further in capturing the West Ham veteran.

Could Wolves sign Aaron Cresswell?

As reported by The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas earlier this week, the Midlands outfit are eyeing Cresswell in a deal believed to be in the region of £5m.

Thomas added that the 33-year-old is ‘keen’ on the transfer, with him having just one year remaining on his contract with the Hammers.

The Englishman’s nine-year stint in east London could be nearing a close, with The Athletic relaying that he did not feature in the Irons’ pre-season match against Tottenham ‘amid the transfer speculation’.

How good is Aaron Cresswell?

A true servant to the Hammers, the 33-year-old has made a total of 331 competitive appearances for the club, netting 10 goals and recording 37 assists from left-back over the years.

Having been lauded as “reliable” by renowned journalist Henry Winter, the Liverpool-born dynamo has become part of the furniture in the Premier League, making positive contributions every year when called upon.

Despite the perception that he's fast approacjing a mature age in footballing career terms, Cresswell’s suitability to David Moyes’ set-up has not dried up, with him making 28 appearances for the Hammers in the league last season.

For Wolves, signing the Englishman could be a positive acquisition, considering the potential exit of Rayan Ait-Nouri who is expected to leave Molineux this summer.

The Athletic mentioned the Algerian alongside the links to Cresswell, claiming that the club are ‘exploring options’ for the 22-year-old who ‘may be loaned out’.

The 22-year-old made 21 appearances for Wolves last season, however fell out of favour to the likes of Toti Gomes and Hugo Bueno, sparking rumours of his departure this summer.

Cresswell could be a strong acquisition for Lopetegui to obtain to cover the depth potentially lost in Ait-Nouri’s absence.

As per FBref, the 33-year-old bettered the Algerian in terms of his progressive play, averaging 5.84 progressive passes per 90 to his 3.60, and defensively, with an average of 1.09 interceptions per 90 to the 22-year-old’s 0.75.

An area of Cresswell’s game that could bolster the left-flank at Molineux is his eye for a pass, registering an impressive 1.61 key passes per 90 in the Premier League last term to showcase his versatility as a full-back.

Also lauded as an “unsung hero” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino, Lopetegui could add experience and quality to his side in place of Ait-Nouri, in a move that could add some stability to the defence at Molineux.

The Spaniard has already replenished his back line with the experience of Doherty, which could be mirrored to the left through the expertise of Cresswell, who could pose as a strong figure in the depth of the position to allow the talents of Bueno and Gomes to flourish.

Northants are well on top in Cardiff and, if results fall their way, they might just be heading for a pivotal clash with leaders Nottinghamshire next week

ECB Reporters Network13-Sep-20171:36

The latest shifts of fortune encapsulated in our Specsavers Championship round-up

Richard Levi completed an important century on the second day in Cardiff to keep Northamptonshire on course for the win they need to maintain hopes of promotion in the Specsavers County Championship.But Glamorgan fought back in the second half of the day, taking seven wickets for 69 then reducing their deficit to 40 for the loss of a single second-innings wicket.Levi’s 101 from 97 balls included 15 fours and a six and was his first in the Championship in a season in which he missed several weeks because of concussion. He received useful support from Rob Newton and Rob Keogh.After 16 overs were lost to rain in the morning, Newton and Levi made rapid progress against a Glamorgan attack, Michael Hogan apart, that lacked direction and bowled far too many “four balls”.It was no surprise that Robert Croft, the Glamorgan head coach, had his bowlers out on the outfield practising for 10 minutes during the lunch interval, and they did improve as Hogan trapped Newton leg before for 67, made from 119 balls with eight fours.The third wicket pair had added 104 in 21 overs, and with Levi ready to play an attacking role, the South African reached his century from only 95 deliveries. He was then out in the following over when he chased a wide ball from Lukas Carey and was comfortably caught by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke.Richard Levi kept Northants’ ambitions high•Getty Images

Keogh made 45 from 98 balls although he had one escape when he was athletically caught by Craig Meschede off Andrew Salter’s off spin, but the umpire had called no ball for a delivery that was over waist high.Levi and Keogh had put on 88 for the fourth wicket, but Northants then lost four wickets for 19 runs on either side of the tea interval. After Keogh was leg before to Marchant De Lange, Alex Wakeley, the Northants captain, who batted at No. 7 after aggravating a finger injury, was bowled by Hogan without scoring.Rory Kleinveldt struck a breezy 23 before he was caught at cover, then Simon Kerrigan edged De Lange to Chris Cooke, and the innings ended when Richard Gleeson was bowled by Meschede. Hogan ended with four for 58 for Glamorgan, and de Lange three for 85.Glamorgan had 15 overs to face at the end of the day, and soon lost Nick Selman who was bowled by Gleeson’s ninth delivery – a sixth wicket in the match for the bowler. But Jacques Rudolph and Jack Murphy played out the remaining overs without any further alarms.

Liverpool have made a "juicy offer" to sign highly-rated Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga but now could loan him back to his current club, according to a report from Spain.

How much does Gabri Veiga earn?

The £3,000 per-week Celta Vigo ace enjoyed an excellent 2022/23 season for his current club, scoring 11 goals and chipping in with four assists in La Liga, and he has been compared to former Chelsea and Manchester World Cup winner Juan Mata, boasting a clever and creative style of play with a wand of a left foot.

Meanwhile, the Reds' midfield has completely changed this summer, with a combination of incomings and outgoings giving it a very new look.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have arrived to bolster their options, but Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have departed recently for Saudi Arabia, while James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left when their contracts expired back in June.

While Mac Allister and Szoboszlai represent exciting young additions at Anfield, it would be criminal if they are the only two midfielders to arrive in the current transfer window, with more depth and quality needed in that area before deadline day arrives.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It looks as though Romeo Lavia and Andre, from Southampton and Fluminense respectively, are Liverpool's two biggest midfield targets currently, but Veiga is another player who has been linked with a move to Anfield before the new Premier League seasons gets underway.

What's the latest on Gabri Veiga to Liverpool?

According to reports in Spain, via Estadio Deportivo, Liverpool have put a "juicy offer" on the table for Veiga this summer, with the Reds among his biggest admirers currently.

News of the 22-year-old leaving Celta is "beginning to pick up", although the Reds' rumoured €25m (£21.5m) offer is a long way short of his €40m (£34.4m) release clause.

Liverpool may though try to sweeten the deal by offering to loan Veiga back to Celta for a season, a bizarre decision considering the Reds' need for immediate reinforcements.

Veiga is clearly a fantastic young talent with a big future in the game, but it would be a surprise if Liverpool moved for him now for one key reason. The Spaniard is an attacking midfielder who can create in the final third, but in Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, the Reds have already filled those positions, with Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott also representing good options there.

What Liverpool now desperately need is at least one defensive midfielder, but preferably two, with Fabinho and Henderson's exit leaving the Merseysiders extremely threadbare in that area. Lavia and Andre both fit the bit when it comes to that position, so it makes far more sense for them to be putting their efforts into signings both of those two.

Should Veiga move to Anfield, it certainly wouldn't be sniffed at by supporters, given his quality, but Liverpool need a defensive midfielder and they need it now.

This is a massive few weeks in the transfer window for the Reds, and if the club don't get it right, in terms of bolstering the No.6 position and also bringing in a new left-sided centre-back, there is the risk that they could again fall short in 2023/24 – something that would unacceptable, considering funds are available to be spent.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to continue their summer spending spree by making a move for Nottingham Forest forward, Brennan Johnson, albeit with the Lilywhites like to face competition for the youngster's signature.

How much would Brennan Johnson cost?

According to the Daily Mail, the north Londoners are seemingly considering whether to make a move for the 22-year-old if they are to lose talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, with the Wales international among those list of potential targets who could replace the England skipper.

The report suggests that the Forest ace would suit the needs of what Ange Postecoglou and co are looking for as he qualifies as a homegrown talent and already has Premier League experience under his belt, having helped his current side to stave off relegation last season.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

As per the piece, the City Ground outfit are likely to demand as much as £50m if they are to sanction a sale this summer, although Spurs will seemingly be hoping to find a 'middle ground' rather than meeting that sizeable asking price.

Those at N17 aren't alone in their interest in the versatile forward, however, with Brentford having only recently seen a £35m bid rejected.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

There may be those scratching their head at the prospect of replacing Kane – who scored 30 league goals last season – with a player who has only played in the top flight for a solitary campaign thus far, although Johnson may help to form part of a fluid forward line alongside the likes of Heung-min Son, rather than directly filling the shoes of the Bayern target as a central striker.

That is the view of the Independent's Miguel Delaney, who previously shared the alterations that could be made if Tottenham's record scorer is to depart: 'Should Spurs sell Kane, the idea would be more to reshape the attack amid Ange Postecoglou’s fluid new style, rather than directly replace the forward. That is seen as virtually impossible.'

Johnson, therefore, could prove to be a dream option for that new-look attack as a player who can feature out wide or through the middle, with the emerging talent having proven himself to be a real "livewire" of late, as per journalist Ciaran Kelly.

In his debut season in the Premier League last time out, the one-time Lincoln City loanee scored eight goals and provided three assists in Forest's battle for survival, having previously been crucial in the club's promotion push after contributing 26 goals and assists in the Championship in the 2021/22 campaign.

That time in the second tier showcased the forward's ability to provide quality service to his teammates as he created 15 big chances in 2021/22, ensuring he could well help to tee up the aforementioned Son where possible next season – with Kane, for reference, creating 14 big chances in the top flight last term.

The latter man did endure something of a dip by his own standards after scoring 'just' ten league goals last season, although the 31-year-old remains an undoubted goal threat having scored 23 top-flight goals the year prior to claim the Golden Boot.

With the South Korean star likely hoping to get back to his best under Postecoglou in the upcoming campaign, having another attacking weapon alongside him to help carry the goalscoring burden could be crucial, hence why Johnson could emerge as a wise investment for those in north London.

كشف اللاعب المصري السابق ومحلل شبكة “beIN SPORTS”، محمد أبو تريكة، عن أسباب تفوق توماس توخيل أمام أنشيلوتي في الشوط الثاني في مباراة ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ بدوري أبطال أوروبا.

والتقى بايرن ميونخ وريال مدريد على ملعب “آليانز أرينا” لخوض ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث انتهت المباراة بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدفين لكل فريق.

مواجهة الإياب بين الفريقين، ستقام على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”، الأربعاء القادم، في تمام العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

اقرأ ايضاً.. هاري كين: علينا التخلص من تفاصيل صغيرة إذا أردنا ألا نُعاقب أمام ريال مدريد

وقال محمد أبوتريكة خلال الأستوديو التحليلي بشبكة قنوات “بي إن سبورتس”: “أنشيلوتي نجح في الخروج بنتيجة مميزة أمام بايرن ميونخ”.

وعن سبب عدم ظهور بيلينجهام بشكل مميز في المبارة أوضح أبوتريكة: “لاعبو ريال مدريد يبحثون دائمًا عن اللاعبين الأكثر سرعة مثل فينيسيوس جونيور ورودريجو، في محاولة لاستغلال بطء دفاع بايرن ميونخ”.

وأضاف: “الثنائي البرازيلي يمتلكان ذكاءً شديدًا، خصوصًا بالاقتراب من كيم من جاي والابتعاد عن إريك داير، والهدفين جاءا نتيجة لأخطاء كيم مين جاي”.

وأكد: “رودريجو وفينيسيوس يعرفان نقاط الضعف الخاصة بـ بايرن ميونخ جيدًا، من خلال التركيز على البطء الشديد من كيم مين جاي”.

وأشار: “توماس توخيل قدم مباراة جيدة للغاية، حيث لعب على نقاط قوة فريقه، وكان موفقًا في التبديلات”.

وواصل: “تغييرات توخيل أحدثت فارقًا كبيرًا في مستوي بايرن ميونخ في الشوط الثاني من خلال الدفع بـ جوريرو وتعديل أدوار ساني وموسيالا”.

وأوضح: “يجب على توخيل أن يحاول إخفاء نقاط ضعف فريقه في مباراة الإياب، بعدم مشاركة كيم مين جاي والدفع بـ دي ليخت أو أوباميكانو”.

وأردف: “استبدال ناتشو وعودة تشواميني إلى قلب الدفاع كانت رؤية مميزة من أنشيلوتي، حيث كانت توجد ثغرات كثيرة في الشوط الثاني نجح هاري كين في استغلالها”.

واختتم: “المدربان قاما بعمل جيد للغاية، وبالرغم من أن ريال مدريد خرج مستفيدًا من اللقاء، ألا أنه قد يواجه صعوبات في مباراة الإياب”. حديث ابو تريكه عن مباراة ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ