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It wasn't pretty at times, but Liverpool got the job done against a spirited Burnley side that will look back wistfully at chances squandered in this Premier League clash at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp's side had fallen to defeat against title rivals Arsenal in London last weekend but reclaimed top spot from Manchester City, who have a game in hand, with a 3-1 victory.

Burnley's inability to take their chances came back to haunt Vincent Kompany; as Liverpool have proved on numerous occasions, their relentless attack will just keep on plugging and probing.

Mohamed Salah remains in a period of convalescence following a muscular injury sustained at AFCON but all three of Klopp's starting forwards were on the score sheet today.

Liverpool's efficient attack prevails

Diogo Jota opened the scoring in the first half after finding space in the ruck and notching onto Trent Alexander-Arnold's delivery from a corner, bagging his 14th goal from only 17 starting appearances in all competitions this term.

Burnley had their opportunities for sure and Caoimhin Kelleher – standing in for Alisson after Klopp revealed there had been a flu outbreak in the squad this week – made three saves, notably preventing David Fofana after the break.

Dara O'Shea's thumping header from a corner had handed the visitors parity before half-time but Luis Diaz touched home from close range after 52 minutes to restore Liverpool's lead, before the mercurial Darwin Nunez headed in from Harvey Elliott's cross to seal three points for a record-attendance Anfield crowd.

Dominik Szobozlai was among the absentees once more for Liverpool but the loss of his creativity was attenuated by Elliott's performance, replacing the injured Alexander-Arnold during the interval to turn the tide.

Harvey Elliott "made the difference"

Elliott, aged 20, has only completed four starts in the Premier League this season but after supplying Nunez's 12th goal of the campaign, his own tally rises to one strike and three assists in the top-flight.

Not bad. Liverpool correspondent Neil Jones even noted that Elliott “made the difference” for his lacklustre peers, who might not have found their shooting boots without his spark.

As per Sofascore, the England U21 international was in fine showing across his 45 minutes on the pitch, taking 41 touches, completing 85% of his passes, creating one key pass, integral in both of his team's goals after the break and completing three of his four attempted long passes.

There remain questions around Elliott's defensive application – he won just one ground duel and made only one tackle – but should the young buck continue to make incremental gains to his craft then he will soon be earning opportunities from the outset with regularity.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Passing

Tackling

Key passes

Aerial duels

Through balls

Long shots

Source: WhoScored

He certainly looks like he's on the way to achieving this, with the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle handing the talent a stunning 9/10 match rating and writing: 'Made instant impact with his energy and care in possession, and put in inviting crosses for the second and third goals. Helped change the game.'

As per FBref, the 5 foot 7 dynamo ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, emphasising the qualities that Klopp simply cannot ignore.

A prodigious skill set now shaping into something fit for purpose at the heart of Klopp's intricately woven system, Elliott saved the day for the Reds and was the real reason behind the second-half success.

Squad seeking clean sweep in T20s to salvage share of series, after surrendering Ashes in drawn Test

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2019

Mady Villiers in action for England Academy•Getty Images

Essex’s Mady Villiers has earned her first call-up to the England Women’s squad for the T20Is against Australia, as they look to save face after surrendering the Ashes in last week’s drawn Test in Taunton.Villiers, 20, made an unbeaten half-century for England’s Academy in the Australians’ Test warm-up match, and impressed with her resolve after coming in at No.9 to a scoreline of 89 for 8 at Marlborough.She is the only new face in a 15-player squad, as England – currently 8-2 down in the multi-format Ashes – seek the 3-0 clean sweep in the T20s that would allow them to claim a share of the series.Captain Heather Knight said: “It’s almost like a one-off IT20 series and we need to give it everything across these last three matches.”We came back strongly in Australia in 2017 and it would feel very different if we ended up at 8-8. That has to be our aim now and we want to finish strongly.”The first of the three T20Is takes place in Chelmsford on Friday.England squad Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt

Liverpool turn their attention away from the Premier League this weekend as they prepare to travel to The Emirates to face Arsenal in the FA Cup.

The Reds may not have wanted to face one of their direct rivals in the top-flight in the third round of the competition but that is the size of the task they now face this evening.

Jurgen Klopp's side head into this game off the back of an impressive 4-2 victory over Newcastle United last time out in the Premier League at Anfield.

The German tactician may now want to make some alterations to his XI from that game to provide some of the players on the fringes of the squad with a rare opportunity to start.

With that in mind, Klopp must now unleash Harvey Elliott from the start against the Gunners to produce an exciting link-up with Luis Diaz.

Luis Diaz's season in numbers

The Colombia international could start out on the wing with the England U21 international as part of the midfield three on his side of the pitch behind him.

Diaz has not been a consistent contributor at the top end of the pitch for the Reds this season with a lack of goals and assists in the top-flight.

22/23 Premier League	Luis Diaz (via Sofascore)
Appearances	17
Starts	11
Goals	Four
Assists	Two
Big chances created	Two

The 26-year-old forward has produced three goals and one assist in 19 top-flight appearances and 14 starts, which is one goal contribution every 4.75 games on average.

However, the exciting attacker has won a penalty, in the win over Newcastle, and provided an assist, against Burnley, in his last two matches.

He will now be hoping to contribute to a goal for the third game in a row this evening and starting Elliott just behind him in midfield could help with that.

The statistics that show why Elliott should start

The 20-year-old whiz has only started two matches in the Premier League so far this season but his form in the cup competitions has been particularly impressive.

Elliott has started all six of the club's Europa League games and showcased his progressive talent from a midfield or wide position for Liverpool.

The £40k-per-week dynamo currently ranks within the top 14% of midfielders within the competition for progressive passes (7.16) and the top 6% for progressive carries (3.33) per 90.

This shows that he has the quality to progress his side up the pitch on a regular basis, through passes or carries, and this is why the young gem could be perfect behind Diaz.

The "elite talent" – as he was once dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – can constantly provide the forward with the ball in advanced positions by progressing possession forward to the attacking players from deep areas of the pitch.

Elliott also made nine key passes and created three 'big chances' in three EFL Cup appearances earlier this season, which shows that the former Fulham prodigy can also provide excellent creativity from midfield to link up with Diaz.

Therefore, Klopp must now unleash the Reds youngster from the start against Arsenal this evening, and it would be an opportunity for him to stake a claim for more starts in the Premier League.

A year ago, Manchester United were busy in the transfer window, striking three loan deals to fill out Erik ten Hag's squad. Striker Wout Weghorst joined from Burnley, midfielder Marcel Sabitzer came in from Bayern Munich and Jack Butland moved north from Crystal Palace.

In 2023, United were acting from a position of strength as they battled for a Premier League top-four place, but this year, they're in danger of missing out on European football altogether as they languish in seventh.

It remains to be seen to what extent players returning from injury can solve United's problems – centre-back Lisandro Martinez played his first game since mid-September as a substitute in the 2-2 draw with Spurs last time out, while midfielder Casemiro also returned to the bench in that fixture. In addition, centre-backs Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof could be back available for the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Newport County.

Ten Hag hasn't been furnished with any external reinforcements just yet, but it seems there could be some significant activity before the month is out.

"Huge" Man Utd deal teased

According to Football Insider, which shared some Man Utd transfer news, the Red Devils could strike a "huge" big-money deal before the end of the month. One or two loan moves are more likely, but depending on departures, there may be room for a more high-profile addition. With United reliant on shifting further players, it's likely that any "marquee" permanent signing would be "last-gasp" – and centre-back will be the primary area of focus.

The report notes that United have trimmed their wage bill already by sending Jadon Sancho on loan to Borussia Dortmund, with the Bundesliga club set to cover 40% of his £250k-per-week salary. Hannibal Mejbri and Facundo Pellistri's temporary moves to Sevilla and Granada respectively have freed up extra funds, too.

United should focus on striker instead

United's defensive record this season isn't where Ten Hag would want it to be. They've conceded 29 goals in their 21 matches, and while that's the sixth-lowest amount in the division, it's still an excessive average of 1.38 per match. The Red Devils have actually been let off the hook by wasteful finishing at times as well, with their opponents amassing 33.7 expected goals up to this point (the eight-highest in the league).

From that standpoint, you can see why he might want a new centre-back, but Ten Hag should also recognise the extent of the upheaval in that department. Even before Christmas, he used ten different partnerships at the heart of defence in the midst of repeated injuries, but things should settle down now with Martinez back and Maguire and Lindelof both closing in on returns.

There's a strong argument, then, that Ten Hag should place faith in his fit-again defenders to shore United up, and instead address their glaring issues at the other end. They urgently need to take the load off Rasmus Hojlund, who's only scored two Premier League goals so far, and inject some life into an attack that's scored fewer goals (24) than five teams in the bottom half.

يستأنف فريق برشلونة مشواره في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2024-2025، تحت قيادة الألماني هانز فليك، بمواجهة جيرونا.

ويعود برشلونة للمشاركة بعد فترة التوقف الدولي، ويسعى لفوز جديد لإحكام سيطرته على الصدارة.

ويسعى برشلونة للثأر بعد هزيمته في الموسم الماضي ذهابًا وإيابًا بنفس النتيجة (4-2) على يد جيرونا.

برشلونة سيحل ضيفًا على جيرونا بملعب “مونتليفي” في مباراة بالجولة الخامسة للدوري الإسباني.

وحقق برشلونة الفوز في الجولات الأربعة الماضية ويتصدر ترتيب الدوري الإسباني برصيد 12 نقطة. موعد مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة الخامسة والربع مساءً (5.15) بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports HD 3. معلق مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم

يعلق على المباراة، علي سعيد الكعبي.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson revealed that the club will try their best to make Arthur Okonkwo's move permanent.

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Wrexham determined to keep OkonkwoGoalkeeper's Arsenal contract expires in the summerWas the Red Dragons' standout performerWHAT HAPPENED?

The English goalkeeper, who is on loan from Arsenal, has enjoyed a rich vein of form this season playing for the Red Dragons. He has been named in the League Two team of the season having kept 14 clean sheets in 36 appearances and conceded just 30 goals.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With the 22-year-old custodian's contract at the Emirates ending this summer, he is expected to attract interest from several clubs in England. However, the Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney-owned side are determined to hold on to the services of their star performer.

WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

Speaking to , the 56-year-old manager said, "Obviously we’re keen to keep Arthur and we’re working on that. It could take time but there’s one thing for sure, we’ll give it everything that we’ve got to keep Arthur at the club."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

The Welsh outfit are set to visit the US for pre-season in July where they will face Premier League clubs like Bournemouth and Chelsea.

Melbourne Renegades completed a defence of 152 to defeat the Sydney Thunder – one of their nearest rivals on the competition table – by 12 runs in Sydney

The Report by Daniel Brettig22-Jan-2019

Aaron Finch plays one off the back foot•Getty Images

Melbourne Renegades solidified their place in the Big Bash League top four with a stout defence of 152 to defeat the Sydney Thunder – one of their nearest rivals on the competition table – by 12 runs in a defensive affair at the Sydney Showground Stadium.The visiting captain, Aaron Finch, made a vital half-century, not only for the Renegades but his own peace of mind after a difficult summer, and with assistance from Cameron White was able to lift the Melbourne side to a defensible total on a somewhat sluggish pitch.In the chase, Callum Ferguson appeared to have given the Thunder a strong chance to chase down their target, but his dismissal amid an admirably tight spell by Cameron Boyce – who had been unsuccessfully promoted to open with Finch – left the young batsman Jason Sangha unable to summon the big hits required to finish off the job.Finch begins finding himselfOver a summer in which he graduated into, then flunked out of, the Australian Test team, Finch has seemed to get increasingly frazzled by the array of formats and tasks confronting him, to the point that his role as the national limited-overs captain in a World Cup year has become in danger of being affected. At the conclusion of the ODI series against India, the Australian coach Justin Langer expressed hope that Finch would regain some equilibrium via the BBL.A halting stay worth only 14 in the Melbourne Derby was not exactly promising, but against the Thunder Finch was able to get himself going in the sort of manner he will hope to make a habit of over the next six months or more. Though the Renegades started off with the experimental presence of Cameron Boyce at the top of the order alongside Finch, the captain was able to build into an innings of confidence and some heavy hitting that reaped four sixes while not giving a chance until he fell to Sandhu. It’s a long way from the World Cup final, but it’s a start.Sams, Sandhu keep Renegades in checkAt 3 for 116 in the 16th over, the Renegades had successfully absorbed the loss of early wickets and also a parsimonious spell by Fawad Ahmed to appear set for a late ransacking of runs. However, Sandhu’s fooling of Finch with a slower ball was to set the scene for a twist in the innings, as Sandhu and Sams put the clamps on by claiming regular wickets.White’s innings of 40, featuring 14 cuffed from one over from Chris Jordan, ensured the Renegades did not lose all momentum, but three wickets apiece for Sandhu and Sams had the Thunder looking confident at the innings break.Ferguson sets things upDuring a long career that might have featured more international cricket but for a terribly timed knee injury in 2009, Ferguson has proven himself to be an expert at the sorts of modulated, balanced innings critical to white-ball success. Coming in at the fall of Anton Devcich in the very first over, pouched at third man, Ferguson shrugged off the loss of the powerful Shane Watson shortly after to appear to set up the Thunder for a fruitful chase.His stand with Jason Sangha relied upon Ferguson finding the boundary with some regularity, and when Sangha advanced to dispatch Boyce inside-out over cover in the 13th over, the partnership appeared set to enter another gear. That, though, was to reckon without Boyce.Boyce holds the Renegades centreDiscarded by Tasmania and unwanted by Queensland after the Bulls chose to move on to the younger Mitchell Swepson, Boyce has proven an excellent acquisition by the Renegades as a willing wristspinner who has found an artful balance between defence and attack. His spell to the Thunder rather summed this up, as he conceded only a single boundary in four overs.At the same time he was able to coax Ferguson into a blow that fell fractionally short of the long-on boundary and into the hands of a jumping Dan Christian, leaving Sangha to fight an ultimately losing battle with his own timing and boundary-scoring as the Renegades squeaked their way to victory.

Arsenal's unbeaten Premier League season in 2003/04 gave that team the nickname, 'The Invincibles'. It's a feat that will likely never be matched again – at least in England, anyway.

In order to achieve something so remarkable, every single member of that squad must have been at their absolute best. Of course, goals and assists aren't everything, but they are pretty damn important.

Football FanCast breaks the squad down (of those with a minimum of ten appearances) in order of their goal contributions across the historic Premier League campaign.

Related Top 10 best games from Arsenal's Invincibles season

Football FanCast takes a look at the best games from their Invincible season.

Posts ByAlex Roberts Dec 7, 2023 20 Jeremie Aliadiere 0 goals, 0 assists

Arsenal's other French forward, Jeremie Aliadiere mostly played in the FA Cup and League Cup during their Invincibles season. He only managed 10 Premier League appearances and didn't score once or get an assist, but to be fair to him, only three of those appearances were starts. If he had been given more of a chance, he would likely have contributed more.

Invincibles highlight: Starting as the Gunners came from behind to see off Liverpool at Anfield in early October, playing a part in Robert Pires' winner.

19 Martin Keown 0 goals, 0 assists

By the time the 2003/04 season came around, Martin Keown was very much in the twilight of his career. The old centre-back had been a loyal servant to the Gunners since 1993 when they re-signed the Hale End graduate from Everton. Just because he didn't feature much on the pitch, doesn't mean he didn't make a major contribution to the Invincibles season. His wealth of experience and leadership was likely invaluable for Wenger as the season went on.

Invincibles highlight: Begging Arsene Wenger to bring him on during the final game to earn a Premier League medal (or jumping over Ruud van Nistelrooy).

18 Gael Clichy 0 goals, 0 assists

French left-back Gael Clichy was signed that season, with Ashley Cole, one of the best in that position the Premier League had ever seen, ahead of him in the pecking order. The youngster was therefore not going to be given the chance to make much of an impact. Still, when called upon, Clichy proved he was more than capable of filling in for Cole after making 12 appearances throughout the campaign, and would make the position his own when his predecessor left for Chelsea.

Invincibles highlight: Becoming the youngest-ever Premier League medallist at 18.

17 Pascal Cygan 0 goals, 0 assists

Another member of Arsenal's French contingent, Pascal Cygan was only ever going to be a squad player for Wenger. With an incredibly solid defensive partnership of Kolo Toure and Sol Campbell ahead of him, it was going to take a miracle for Cygan to displace them. But, much like Clichy above, he was an incredibly reliable option who definitely played his part (18 times, to be exact) in this amazing season.

Invincibles highlight: Providing solid cover as Arsene Wenger was forced to shuffle his pack over the winter months.

16 Ray Parlour 0 goals, 0 assists

Arsenal legend Ray Parlour was another member of the squad who was approaching the end of an impressive career. Parlour's role was to do the dirty work that many of his counterparts avoided. In his 25 appearances, he got eight yellow cards. Like Keown, Wenger would have loved having such an experienced player at his disposal when needed, particularly when injuries bit.

Invincibles highlight: Captaining the side during Patrick Vieira's absence, including during the Gunners' derby victory over Spurs.

15 Jens Lehmann

It's obviously very harsh to judge a goalkeeper by goals and assists, but it has happened before. Jens Lehmann – a rare goalscorer himself – is without a doubt one of the best goalkeepers the Premier League has ever seen. The big angry German only conceded 26 goals during the 2003/04 Premier League campaign, keeping 15 clean sheets. Not only was he remarkable between the sticks, his never-say-die attitude rubbed off on his teammates as they chased records.

Invincibles highlight: Superbly denying Craig Bellamy during a tense 0-0 draw at Champions League-chasing Newcastle.

14 Lauren 0 goals, 1 assist

The first player on this list to get a goal or assist, Invincibles right-back Lauren played a pivotal role for Arsenal at the other end of the pitch. The Cameroonian is something of a forgotten man; he may not have had many overly explosive performances, but he was very consistent. Wenger knew exactly what he was going to get from Lauren, and he was the type of player needed to win titles.

Invincibles highlight: For a player as understated as Lauren, it has to be his one assist – a cross put away by Thierry Henry after the Newcastle defence failed to deal with it.

13 Sol Campbell 1 goal, 1 assist

Tottenham Hotspur fans may hate him, but Arsenal fans love him. When Sol Campbell swapped White Hart Lane for Highbury, he immediately became the lynchpin of the Gunners' defence. He was a rock at the back throughout his 35 appearances, but he also popped up with the odd goal, evidenced by the fact he got one in the 2003/04 season. His only goal was the opener against Aston Villa in their 2-0 victory in August.

Invincibles highlight: It has to be his consistency. Only ever missing through injury or suspension, Campbell played the full 90 whenever possible. It is hard to imagine the Invincibles achieving what they did without him.

12 Kolo Toure 1 goal, 1 assist

Kolo Toure may have made a massive two more appearances than defensive partner Campbell, but he didn't get any more goals or assists. Just like Campbell though, he was a man mountain at the back, playing a huge role in Arsenal's season. If it weren't for the Ivorian's calm defensive play, it's unlikely they'd have won the title, never mind gone the season undefeated. He also dropped into midfield when required.

Invincibles highlight: Just take a look at his highlights reel. Enough said.

11 Ashley Cole 0 goals, 3 assists

Ashley Cole may have tarnished his Arsenal legacy by leaving to join London rivals Chelsea two years later, but in 2003/04, he was as good as they got at left-back. The position has evolved since then, and while Cole was more than capable of evolving with it, this campaign shows exactly what he could do defensively. Back then, three assists was a very healthy goal-contribution tally for a full-back.

Invincibles highlight: Dramatic late header in the Champions League aside, his best moment in the league arguably came on the final day, when he won the penalty that drew Arsenal level in their historic comeback win over Leicester City.

Arsenal 2003/04 top goalscorers (all competitions)

Player

Goals

Thierry Henry

39

Robert Pires

19

Freddie Ljungberg

10

Edu

7

Dennis Bergkamp

5

Jose Antonio Reyes

5

Gilberto Silva

4

Sylvain Wiltord

4

Jeremie Aliadiere

4

Kolo Toure

3

Patrick Vieira

3

Nwankwo Kanu

3

Sol Campbell

1

Ashley Cole

1

David Bentley

1

Cesc Fabregas

1

أعلن اتحاد الكرة المصري، موعد مباراة الأهلي وفاركو، في إطار مواجهات بطولة كأس مصر، الموسم الجاري 2023-2024.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع فاركو، في إطار منافسات دور الـ 16 من عمر بطولة كأس مصر.

طالع | قائمة الأهلي لمباراة المقاولون العرب في الدوري.. غياب الشناوي وعبد المنعم

وكان الأهلي تأهل إلى دور الـ16 بعد الفوز على الألومنيوم بهدف نظيف، فيما جاء صعود فاركو بعد الانتصار على الوسطي بثلاثة أهداف دون رد. موعد مباراة الأهلي وفاركو في دور الـ16 لـ كأس مصر

تقام مباراة الأهلي وفاركو من منافسات دور الـ16 لـ كأس مصر، يوم الثلاثاء 20 أغسطس الجاري، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

وتنطلق مباراة الأهلي وفاركو، في تمام الساعة 9 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

يذكر أن الأهلي صاحب آخر لقب لبطولة كأس مصر بالفوز على الزمالك في المباراة النهائية التي أقيمت لأول مرة خارج مصر، وتحديدا في السعودية.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة المقاولون العرب، مساء اليوم الأحد، في المباراة المؤجلة بينهما من الأسبوع الـ 23 لبطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

There is change afoot at Manchester United and it could finally bring some stability to the club which has been tormented by off-the-field issues recently.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is edging closer to taking sporting control once his 25% stake is ratified by the Glazers and with chief executive Richard Arnold set to depart the club after a period of 16 years, along with director of football John Murtough, who is also expected to leave in the near future.

These changes in the United hierarchy could give Erik ten Hag some respite following a poor start to the season which has seen the Red Devils crash out of the EFL Cup while winning just one of their opening four Champions League matches.

Their form in the Premier League has hardly been much better, as the club currently occupy sixth place in the table after winning just seven of their first 12 matches.

The international break arrived at precisely the right time for the Dutchman to regroup and focus ahead of a gruelling schedule up to the festive season and this could make or break their campaign.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, Ten Hag may look to bolster his squad with one or two arrivals, as several areas of his team need improvement, and fast.

Man United transfer news – centre-back hunt ramps up

Having endured somewhat of an underwhelming summer transfer window, the former Ajax boss will be hoping January will be more productive.

According to Italian outlet Il Romanista, the Old Trafford side are currently eyeing a move for AS Roma centre-back Gianluca Mancini in a bid to improve their faltering defence.

The Serie A side could potentially demand a transfer fee of around €35m (£31m) for the 27-year-old and this is a fee which is certainly affordable for the club.

He is at the peak of his career and Ten Hag may splash the cash to lure the defender to Manchester in the new year, especially as his side have conceded 30 goals across just 18 matches this term.

Man Utd's last ten January signings

Year

Wout Weghorst

2023

Jack Butland

2023

Marcel Sabitzer

2023

Amad Diallo

2021

Bruno Ferandes

2020

Odion Ighalo

2020

Alexis Sanchez

2018

Victor Valdes

2015

Juan Mata

2014

Wilfried Zaha

2013

Via Transfermarkt

With Ratcliffe looking to make some big changes around the club in the near future, he could even move on some of the current players at the club in order to make way for more reliable options.

Raphael Varane could be one of these players, especially as the Frenchman is attracting attention from foreign shores.

Why Varane could leave Man Utd

The 30-year-old has started just six of United’s 18 matches this season, scoring once in the process, and with the defender turning 31 next April, he isn’t exactly going to get much better.

While he brings a winning mentality to the current squad, having won the Champions League four times along with the World Cup in 2018, he simply can't be relied on anymore.

Since joining the Old Trafford side in 2021, he has missed 38 matches due to injury, and these niggling issues seem to be catching up with him.

The former Real Madrid defender has 18 months left on his current contract and January could be the final time that Ten Hag will be able to properly cash in on him and this could be a tempting proposition.

Indeed, there are some clubs from Saudi Arabia who are keen on signing the defender according to TEAMtalk, and they could offer a fee which is too good to turn down.

Receiving a bumper fee for the player could allow Ten Hag the opportunity to use this in the transfer window and make a concrete offer for Mancini.

Gianluca Mancini’s statistics this season

Whilst Roma are currently struggling in Serie A this season, occupying seventh place having won just five of their opening 12 matches, Mancini ranks highly across the squad in various performance indicators.

The defender currently ranks third in the squad for accurate passes per game (46.8) along with ranking first for accurate long passes (3.3), third for interceptions (1.1) and fourth for clearances (1.5) per game, indicating that he has been one of their better performers this term.

He was also recently called up to the Italian national squad following an injury to Alessandro Bastoni suffered an injury, and he could add to his 11 caps.

He was hailed as a “leader” by writer Wayne Girard earlier this year, and he has become a mainstay at the heart of the Roma defence and his recent performances have obviously stood out and attracted attention from elsewhere.

Gianluca Mancini’s style of play

According to WhoScored, Mancini’s greatest strength is his concentration and while tackling is deemed a weakness, his style of play could allow him to link up well with Lisandro Martínez when the Argentinian returns to the first team after his injury woes.

Indeed, the 27-year-old is adept with the ball at his feet as he likes to dribble on a regular basis and his passing statistics for Roma this term that were mentioned previously suggest he could fit right into Ten Hag’s tactical system.

His physicality could also be a big advantage to the Dutchman too, as Mancino has won 1.7 aerial duels in the Italian top flight this term – a success rate of 63% – while he has also demonstrated his strength on the floor, winning 3.9 ground duels during the current season.

Alongside Martinez, Mancini could form a solid partnership as both are equally strong in one-on-one encounters, while their passing abilities are wonderful. This could allow the pair to move the ball forward as often as possible, starting attacks from the back.

There is no doubt that the Dutchman needs to vastly improve his defensive options. Jonny Evans was the only centre-back he signed during the summer, and it shows just how poor the club were in the summer transfer window.

With this new takeover news involving Ratcliffe, it could mean that January will be a different story entirely, and he may allow Ten Hag to pursue players who will make an instant impression in the first team squad.

Mancini may not be a promising youngster, but he is a solid professional who has showcased his ability in Serie A, and he would be a welcome addition to the team.