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In December 2016, Trent Alexander-Arnold made his Premier League debut for Liverpool, coming off the bench against Middlesbrough during a comprehensive 3-0 victory.

The 18-year-old was an undisputed talent and had been recognised for his out-of-the-norm ball-striking ability from young, but the road from academy prospect to first-team star is paved in peril and so many hopefuls fall at this early hurdle.

Alexander-Arnold wasn't the only up-and-comer to make his debut under Jurgen Klopp's wing that year, though, with Kevin Stewart making his debut during Liverpool's 6-0 romping over Aston Villa in February 2016.

Not every rising star is blessed with Alexander-Arnold's elite natural ability and so many get lost in the clammer of youth football, while others break into the first-team fold only to fall by the wayside before cementing a regular spot.

Stewart, unfortunately, falls into that second category.

Xabi Alonso 2.0

Stewart actually signed for Liverpool before Klopp's appointment in 2015, landed on a free transfer in 2014 after Tottenham Hotspur opted not to hand the centre-midfielder a professional contract.

The former Jamaica international, now aged 30, completed 20 appearances for the Reds and looked to be a promising prospect, industrious and crisp, with Liverpool reporter James Pearce remarking that he was a "perfect role model" for up-and-coming academy teammates looking to wedge their way into Klopp's plans. Perhaps Trent took a leaf from his book in that regard?

The ace was even considered to be a distributor of a similar style to Xabi Alonso, playing one delicious threaded ball through to Roberto Firmino against Barcelona during pre-season to earn some comparisons to the now Bayer Leverkusen tactician.

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During the 2016/17 campaign, Stewart featured off the bench across four of the opening five top-flight fixtures of the term but that was the extent of his Premier League career, making an appearance across several cup ties throughout the campaign before being sold in 2017.

Stewart moved to Hull City in July 2017 with full-back Andy Robertson heading in the other direction for an initial £8m fee – Stewart's acquisition was believed to have fallen in a similar ballpark.

Hindsight makes it clear that Klopp engineered something of a masterclass piece of business in this regard, with Robertson, now Scotland captain, integral across the illustrious success on the alternate flank to Alexander-Arnold.

Kevin Stewart's post-Liverpool career

Stewart completed 78 matches for the Tigers across three campaigns, posting two goals and two assists, but he was not handed a contractual renewal in 2020 and he joined Blackpool upon his release.

The former Premier League starlet has been without a club since the 2021/22 season, last featuring for Blackpool in the Championship and racking up two assists from 12 appearances, precluded from performing with greater regularity due to the injury problems that have now severed his hold on professional football.

Stewart's decline has been sad to witness, and it's a shame that injuries and niggling dips in form ruined his chances of building on a promising base at Liverpool, despite being trusted by Klopp to make the breakthrough at first-team level.

The talent was clearly there, with his ball-playing ability earning parallels to Alonso, but ultimately, he failed to achieve the heights that would have been dreamt about throughout those promising early days.

As per his Instagram, Stewart is now a "Worldwide Fitness Coach" – based in Dubai – as his playing career appears to have halted, at least for now.

There's a certain irony in injury-riddled Stewart pausing his professional career prematurely to focus on fitness coaching, but this is a venture he appears to be flourishing in nonetheless.

Now, aged just 30, there is certainly still time for the former Anfield talent to make a return to the game in some regard, but it looks unlikely that he will ever capture the core ability that Klopp recognised way back when.

Derby County were thankful to have new recruit Dwight Gayle at their disposal against Port Vale at the weekend, with the ageing free agent purchase heading home late into the first half to help Paul Warne's men win 3-0 in League One action.

The former Crystal Palace man, who is now very much in the twilight of his career at 34 years of age, could prove to be an ingenious short-term fix to Derby's mounting striker issues with the likes of James Collins and Martyn Waghorn currently in the Pride Park treatment room.

Another centre-forward has also found himself constantly plagued by recurring injury issues for the Rams, with the attacker in question boasting a rather handsome pay packet regardless of his lack of minutes in the past few months.

Conor Washington's time with Derby

Last featuring for his promotion-chasing side all the way back on Halloween against Northampton Town, where he managed to help himself to a goal and an assist, Conor Washington has been injury-stricken since to the dismay of Warne and Co.

Before a serious knee knock recently stopped him in his tracks, Washington was beginning to star for his new employers.

The experienced 31-year-old striker would bag three goals and chip in with two assists from 14 League One contests before disaster struck at Sixfields for the ex-Peterborough United man.

Now, however, with Warne revealing that Washington is likely to be out for the season, the 5 foot 10 forward's high wage should be under scrutiny.

Washington comes in at an extortionate £6.4k per week – according to Salary Sport – which puts him on a bumper wage compared to a number of consistent first-team performers who continue to provide and be impactful for Derby in their ongoing promotion hunt.

Astoundingly, the Northern Irishman earns a heftier pay packet than Nathaniel Mendez-Laing with talk surely having to come up soon over whether Washington should be kept on owing to his wage burning a big hole in the Rams pocket whilst he remains sidelined.

Conor Washington's wage compared to the Derby squad

Mendez-Laing, despite coming in with a staggering 26 goal contributions in all competitions this season, finds himself on a less luxurious wage than his injured counterpart – the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers winger earning just £4.9k in contrast.

Moreover, Washington's wage sees him earn more than standout youngster Eiran Cashin, according to Salary Sport, with the one-time Brighton target picking up a measly £3.3k per week whilst his 31-year-old teammate earns amazingly more than double.

Derby County top earners – 2023/24

1. Conor Hourihane

£12k per week

2. Curtis Nelson

£8.4k per week

3. James Collins

£8.1k per week

4. Louis Sibley

£8k per week

5. Max Bird

£7.9k per week

Sourced by Salary Sport

Although Washington is some way off Conor Hourihane's inflated Rams wage – with the former Aston Villa midfielder way out in front as Derby's highest earner at £12k per week – it still would be a smart bit of business to offload the Northern Irish forward soon especially if he remains a regular fixture in the Pride Park treatment room.

Described as "struggling" behind the scenes by Warne off the back of this injury setback, there could well be a time in the not-so-distant future when the 50-year-old boss has to cut ties with Washington to kindly end his stop-start time in Derbyshire before more money is thrown away.

Manchester City have unveiled a stunning collaboration with wrestling giants WWE featuring Sergio Aguero and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

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Man City ink deal with WWEExclusive merchandise collaborationT-shirts of WWE superstars availableWHAT HAPPENED?

The Premier League champions have teamed up with WWE to launch an exclusive merchandise collection. This collaboration, a first of its kind, combines the star power of football and wrestling, bringing together fans from both worlds.

Shop WWE x Man City at WWE ShopBuy nowAdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The new collection includes six unique T-shirts that blend City and WWE branding. Among the standout items is a T-shirt featuring the slogan “best team in the land and all the world,” inspired by WWE star CM Punk. Other designs pay homage to wrestling legends Becky Lynch, Roman Reigns and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin.

As part of this innovative collaboration, City players will sport a newly designed name and number style during their preseason tour in the United States. This design incorporates the WWE logo within the numbers and features a striking red outline, symbolising the partnership. This unique look is expected to attract considerable attention and set a trend in sports apparel.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Serena Gosling, Director of Integrated Fan Experience and Retail & Licensing at Manchester City, said: “We are excited to announce the launch of our exclusive retail collaboration with WWE today. As a club, we’re always exploring new ways to enhance our retail offering for our fans across the globe and collaborations like this with WWE are part of that ongoing strategy. In addition, today’s announcement offers a further touchpoint for our fans within the US and beyond to engage with the club, ahead of men’s first team visit this summer.”

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DID YOU KNOW?

WWE Women’s Champion Bayley and WWE Superstar Baron Corbin will visit the CityStore on 6th Avenue in New York. Scheduled for Friday, June 28, between 10 AM and 11 AM, the event promises fans an exclusive meet-and-greet opportunity. Adding to the excitement, the Premier League trophy will also be on display at the store throughout the weekend, offering a unique photo opportunity for visitors.

اتخذ ميكيل أرتيتا المدير الفني لفريق آرسنال، قرارًا بشأن حارس المرمى ديفيد رايا، قبل المباراة أمام بولتون.

ويلتقي آرسنال وبولتون مساء اليوم الأربعاء ضمن مباريات كأس رابطة المحترفين الإنجليزية.

ومن المقرر أن يغيب ديفيد رايا عن مباراة كأس كاراباو التي يخوضها آرسنال ضد بولتون، بحسب ما أوضحت صحيفة “ذا أثليتك”.

وقد تشهد المباراة ظهور أول للوافد الجديد، حارس المرمى البالغ من العمر 16 عامًا جاك بورتر.

اقرأ أيضًا | تقارير: تشيلسي وآرسنال يتصارعان على ضم هدف ريال مدريد السابق

وشوهد رايا وهو يعرج في ملعب الاتحاد بعد نهاية مباراة مانشستر سيتي وآرسنال، وارتدى ضمادة فوق ركبته اليمنى.

وبحسب التقرير، أرتيتا لن يخاطر بمشاركة رايا في مباراة الليلة أمام بولتون، حتى يكون جاهزًا لمباراة الفريق القادمة أمام ليستر سيتي بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ومع إصابة الحارس نيتو وإصابة تومي سيتفورد، اضطر آرسنال إلى موقف غير مسبوق تقريبًا، وسيتواجد الحارس الشاب بورتر.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has favoured Pascal Struijk and Spurs loanee Joe Rodon as his centre-back partnership at Elland Road this season, with the duo racking more than 4,000 minutes between them. Club captain Liam Cooper has also played his part, with 637 minutes under his belt, but Charlie Cresswell has effectively been ousted from the first-team picture.

Cresswell hasn't featured at all for Leeds – in any competition – since a late substitute appearance in a 1-0 win over QPR at the start of October, and his last Championship start came in a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham City in August. Speaking earlier this month, Farke said that the Englishman had shown a lack of focus and complained about his position in the defensive hierarchy.

The manager has decided not to pick him unless that stance changes, and there's a possibility that the 21-year-old could move on. Farke is "adamant" that Leeds should have four senior centre-backs in their squad, so that could open the door for a new face, and Ben Godfrey has emerged as a possible candidate.

Leeds rival European giants for Godfrey

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Leeds are interested in Godfrey at Everton, as are Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United. Both teams are said to be "on the trail" of the former Norwich man and could swoop in to steal him from Serie A outfit Atalanta.

They face more competition on the continent too from AC Milan, sitting third-place in Serie A and long-term admirers of Godfrey. Milan ideally want to sign Clement Lenglet, currently on loan at Aston Villa from Barcelona, but his salary could be an insurmountable obstacle.

Intermediaries have now offered them the chance to sign Godfrey, who had been "very close" to joining fellow Italian side Atalanta. That transfer was "agreed in detail" but it's now been "ruined" by "soaring costs". Leeds, Sheffield United and Milan all fancy hijacking the deal.

"Tremendous" Godfrey can rediscover top form at Leeds

After coming through at York City, Godfrey joined Norwich in 2016 and spent four years at Carrow Road before Everton signed him in a £25m deal. He's since played 80 games for the Toffees, but he's hardly had a look-in this year with just one Premier League start (in a 2-0 win over Burnley in mid-December).

Frustratingly, he's been fit and healthy too, making the squad for every single top-flight game but simply failing to earn the faith of manager Sean Dyche. From that standpoint, a loan or indeed a permanent exit would make sense.

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If he does move to Elland Road, Leeds would hope he could rediscover the form he was showing in his final stretch at Norwich, which earned him a £25m move, and his first year at Everton. BBC Sport's Phil McNulty said he'd been a "revelation" after his arrival at Goodison Park, while fellow journalist Jonathan Northcroft hailed him as a "tremendous athlete" and pundit Rio Ferdinand applauded his "great" 1 v 1 abilities.

Indeed, Godfrey was successful 65.9% of the time when he went to tackle a dribbler, the eighth-best record in the league that year. His performances earned him the club's young player of the season award, and perhaps he can get back to that level with a needed move.

Afghanistan kept up with the asking rate as the rains came in after Scotland had posted a challenging 325 for 7

Peter Della Penna at the Grange10-May-2019

Rahmat Shah drives elegantly over mid-off for six•Peter Della Penna

Afghanistan 269 for 3 (Rahmat 113, Hashmatullah 59*, Shahzad 55) beat Scotland 325 for 7 (MacLeod 100, Coetzer 73) by two runs (DLS method)Just over a year ago in Zimbabwe, Scotland’s pursuit of a World Cup berth ended in heartbreak after a flash rain storm curtailed their tense chase against West Indies at Harare, resulting in the Saltires being on the short end of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculation by five runs.On Friday in Edinburgh, one of the two sides that benefited from the intervention of the weather last year in Harare – Afghanistan – wound up on the right side once again as a crucial boundary from Hashmatullah Shahidi to begin the 45th over while rain intensified at the Grange helped them stay ahead on DLS to secure a two-run win over the hosts. The result is another 1-0 series win for Afghanistan in Edinburgh, repeating the same margin from their two-match series in 2016.For Afghanistan it was sweet revenge after the defeat they suffered to Scotland last year at the Qualifier. On that occasion, Calum MacLeod struck a magnificent 157 not out against the vaunted spin triumvirate of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.MacLeod repeated the three-figure feat again at the Grange, making an even 100 for his eighth ODI ton and third in his last eight matches. Scotland’s No. 3 helped plunder 99 off the last 10 overs aided by a blistering cameo from George Munsey in which the left-handed pillaged 21 off new captain Gulbadin Naib in the 42nd with a pair of fours and sixes.It spoiled Naib’s figures after he had been a lone figure helping to somewhat stem the flow of runs in the absence of Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb, making Afghanistan’s ability to squeeze out a win without their three aces all the more remarkable. The allrounder ended a 76-run opening stand getting Matthew Cross for 32 prodding an edge to Mohammad Shahzad just after the drinks break. He then lured his opposite number Kyle Coetzer into slapping a return catch at thigh height for 79, then bowled Richie Berrington for 33 off 20 missing a slog in the 40th.At 296 for 4 after 47, Hamid Hassan did brilliantly at the death to help limit the damage. In his first ODI for nearly three years, Hamid took two wickets in the 49th, teaming with Najibullah Zadran for a sharp pair of takes at deep square leg to claim both MacLeod and the ominous Craig Wallace two balls later for 20. After a fruitless four-over opening spell of 0 for 9 in which he hustled Coetzer and Cross off a newly shortened run-up, it was a just reward for Hamid on his comeback, after grinding through injuries and rehabilitation, and helped ensure Scotland added just 29 in the last three overs on an exceptionally flat pitch.The death bowling made all the difference on a ground where Scotland made 371 last year, albeit with the boundary ropes dragged a bit further in. Whereas Scotland were circumspect in reaching 38 for 0 in their Powerplay after opting to bat first, Afghanistan were far more aggressive in their first ten behind Shahzad, Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmat Shah to reach 58 for 1. It took a sensational catch running back from mid-off by Coetzer to remove Zazai, otherwise wickets never looked likely while Shahzad and Rahmat were together in a 93-run stand.Calum MacLeod grins after reaching his second consecutive ODI century v Afghanistan•Peter Della Penna

Shahzad raised his fifty off 61 balls with a four slashed past the wicketkeeper. Despite Afghanistan being well ahead of the game, he continued taking risks to up the ante until he fell flicking Alasdair Evans to Wallace at deep square leg for 55.Man of the Match Rahmat was a rock at the other end though, repeating his own heroics from Afghanistan’s last visit to the Grange in 2016 when he scored his maiden ODI ton. The classy right-hander, who fell agonisingly short by two runs of what would have been Afghanistan’s maiden Test ton in March against Ireland, would not be denied of his fourth one-day century, bringing up the landmark off 107 balls in the 38th over.At that stage, Afghanistan were 215 for 2, four ahead of the DLS par score as sunny skies quickly turned bleak. Offspinner Tom Sole had been bowling much of his spell with sunglasses on but took them off as the storm clouds drew closer. He struck in the 40th, getting Rahmat to chip loosely to Berrington at midwicket in the ring for a sharp low catch. It brought Scotland nearly even on DLS, but Afghanistan continued finding key boundaries when they needed them.Scotland’s bowlers struggled to finish off an over, conceding a four or a six on the final ball on six occasions, including a crucial moment in the 39th to Rahmat. Every time Scotland threatened to inch ahead on DLS, Hashmatullah and Asghar Afghan found the requisite four to ease the pressure.Afghanistan were level with the DLS par score of 267 after 44.4 overs as the showers progressed into a full-fledged storm. Evans waited at the top of his mark while wicketkeeper Cross held up his arms at the umpires, but Kumar Dharmasena was unmoved. A wicket off the fifth ball would have put Scotland ahead on DLS by three runs. Instead, Afghan clipped an attempted yorker off his pads for two to put Afghanistan in front for good, as Dharmasena could ignore the elements no more and the players were taken off with no chance of play resuming before the 7.30 pm cutoff.Afghanistan move on to Ireland next week, with two ODIs scheduled for May 19 and 21. Scotland have a week to regroup before welcoming Sri Lanka for two ODIs on May 18 and 21 at the Grange.

Six centurions and 1390 runs scored in drawn Cardiff match

ECB Reporters Network14-Apr-2019
Northamptonshire have criticised the Glamorgan pitch which yielded 1390 runs, six centurions and 19 wickets as “shocking” and “poor” following their drawn County Championship match.It might have been shocking to watch, but it did not stop Glamorgan’s Kiran Carlson scoring a century in a session as the home county gained five batting points in the 92nd over.The final day descended into farce with Glamorgan using 10 bowlers, their two spinners – Carlson and Billy Root – bowling medium pace, while Northants’ only objective to was break as many records as they could.They achieved the highest score made at Sophia Gardens of 750 and their highest against Glamorgan, but that would have been of little interest to the handful of spectators left.After resuming on 522 for 4, Rob Keogh and Adam Rossington shared a partnership of 169 for the fifth wicket, but Keogh should have been out on 74, when Lloyd dropped him off Michael Hogan at slip. Rossington made 70, before he swatted a full toss to mid-wicket from Marnus Labuschagne’s leg spin.Keogh went on to score 150 before he too fell to Labuschagne, who was signed by Glamorgan largely as a batsman and ended up taking 3 for 122 from his 44 overs.West Indies captain Jason Holder made just three runs before he was bowled through the gate by Charlie Hemphrey’s off-spin.Nathan Buck then slogged away at the end of the innings, scoring his maiden first-class fifty before he fell lbw to Root.Nick Selman, the Glamorgan opening batsman used as their 10th bowler, captured his first Championship wicket when he had Ben Sanderson out, edging to wicketkeeper Chris Cooke for 18.There were 33 overs remaining at the end of the day, and despite losing Selman to Josh Cobb’s gentle medium pace, Hemphrey and Labuschagne avoided any further alarms, with the umpires mercifully ending the game at 5.00pm with 17 overs left, and Glamorgan 70 for 1.Ricardo Vasconcelos top scored in the run-fest with 184 for Northamptonshire.Northants opener Rob Newton described the pitch as “shocking”, while captain Alex Wakely was also critical of the surface.”I thought it was a very poor pitch and, as you saw, very difficult for the bowlers to take wickets,” Wakely said. “Our bowlers had a long bowl in the last game against Middlesex and in the first innings here, and it did them good to have a rest. It was difficult to score quickly and we weren’t prepared to declare.”Despite Northants’ record total, Glamorgan Head Coach Matthew Maynard was delighted with his team’s efforts and disagreed with the visitors’ assessment of the pitch.”The batsmen batted aggressively on a good pitch, the bowlers were disciplined and had we taken the five chances in the field, then things might have been different,” Maynard said. “We can’t comment on the way Northants played, but had we been in their position, we would have certainly attacked more, declared and had a go at winning the game.”

Liverpool decided to overhaul their midfield options over the course of the summer transfer window as a host of players moved in and out of Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp allowed the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Naby Keita, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson to all depart, either on free transfers or permanent deals.

This opened up space for the Reds to revamp their squad in that area of the pitch and they moved to sign Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo.

Their work in the transfer market has paid off so far as Klopp's side are second in the Premier League after 17 games and are set to play Fulham in the semi-finals of the League Cup next month.

However, this does not appear to be the end of their midfield changes as the Reds are reportedly eyeing up a number of players in that position to bolster their squad in 2024.

Latest Liverpool transfer news

A report from CaughtOffside has revealed that Liverpool have held internal discussions over their plans for next year and that the defence and midfield are their priorities at this moment in time.

The outlet has claimed that they are interested in a deal for Portugal international Joao Palhinha, from Premier League rivals Fulham, and that it would cost the club a fee within the region of £40m to secure his services, whilst Bayern Munich are also in the race for his signature.

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It has also been stated that OGC Nice star Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach prospect Manu Kone are also on the club's shortlist of midfield targets.

However, it does not specify whether Liverpool are looking to bring in another midfielder during the upcoming January transfer window or if they are prepared to wait until the end of the season to swoop in on their targets.

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed in October that Kone will be allowed to move on from Gladbach next month if the right offer comes in.

His current valuation is said to be up to €45m (£39m) and this means that he would be ever so slightly cheaper than Palhinha in January.

Plettenberg stated that the central midfielder would like to take the next step in his career by next summer at the latest and Bayern Munich were named as one of the clubs eyeing him up.

The German journalist reported at the time that there were no talks or discussions over a possible move to Liverpool but this latest article from CaughtOffside suggests that they could be in the race to land the young gem's services.

If Klopp can secure a deal to sign Kone from Gladbach in January then it could go a long way to finally unlocking the best of Szoboszlai in a Liverpool shirt.

The Reds would have a fantastic combative number six who can constantly cut out opposition attacks whilst also being able to progress the ball forward to his teammates.

Manu Kone's style of play

The 21-year-old battler is a ball-winning midfielder who likes to get stuck in to win possession back for his side on a regular basis in the middle of the park.

However, that does not mean that he is not talented on the ball as the French whiz also has the ability to drive his team up the pitch through carries and passes.

Defensively, Kone is an outstanding number six who currently ranks within the top 13% of midfielders in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for tackles (2.80) and the top 24% for blocks (1.44) per 90.

The £39m-rated ace also ranks within the top 35% of his positional peers for interceptions (1.17) per 90 and these statistics show that he is an above-average performer in several key defensive metrics.

Kone is also able to make an impact on the ball as he is within the top 12% of midfielders for both progressive carries (2.53) and successful take-ons (2.43) per 90. He also ranks within the top 22% with his pass success rate of 87.1% over the last 365 days.

The former Toulouse whiz, who has made 5.3 ball recoveries per match in the Bundesliga this season, has the quality to make an impression at both ends of the pitch.

The statistics that show there is more to come from Szoboszlai

Kone's attributes in midfield could help Klopp to finally get the best out of Szoboszlai from an attacking perspective as it would provide Liverpool with a strong defensive midfielder who can also progress the ball to the talented attacking players.

Whereas, Wataru Endo currently ranks below average for progressive carries (0.99), tackles (1.92), and interceptions (0.85) per 90 in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for the Reds and Stuttgart combined.

This suggests that the Gladbach star would offer more in and out of possession to allow the Hungary international to focus more on what he can do in the final third.

Szoboszlai has racked up two goals and two assists in 17 Premier League games – one goal contribution every 4.2 matches – for the Reds this season but his form for Leipzig suggests that there is more to come from him.

In two seasons with the German outfit, the 23-year-old wizard produced 12 goals and 16 assists in 62 Bundesliga outings – one every 2.2 clashes on average.

These statistics show that the impressive midfielder has the quality to produce goals and assists almost twice as frequently as he currently is at Premier League level.

Appearances

31

17

Goals

Six

Two

Assists

Eight

Two

Key passes per game

2.3

1.9

Dribbles completed per game

1.7

0.9

As you can see from the table above, his form in several key attacking metrics has dropped since his move to Anfield from Leipzig over the summer.

Klopp could be looking for ways to unlock the talented gem's goalscoring and creative talents and the signing of Kone could do just that, by taking on the bulk of the defensive work to free up the Hungarian dynamo to do damage in the final third.

A new generation of talent is breaking through at Old Trafford, giving the Red Devils fresh reason for optimism after a nightmare season

Manchester United are now officially fallen giants. They have failed to add to their haul of 13 Premier League titles in the 11 years since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure as head coach, winning just four trophies overall, and have fallen well behind nosy neighbours Manchester City and arch-rivals Liverpool in English football's pecking order.

The 2023-24 season has arguably been United's worst yet, with 17 defeats recorded across all competitions, and Champions League qualification appears to already be out of reach for Erik ten Hag's disjointed team. The Dutchman will probably pay the ultimate price come May, and join the likes of Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal on the club's fast-growing list of failed managers.

But it is not all doom and gloom. Academy graduates Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have earned regular spots in the first team with their outstanding performances this season, often conjuring up moments of magic to save the day for a United side otherwise lacking quality and real leaders.

Mainoo has been compared to club legend Paul Scholes because of his technical brilliance, while Garnacho is doing his best to follow in the footsteps of his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, and both men could have key roles to play during a new era at Old Trafford – which is being helmed by Britain's richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

English winger Omari Forson and French defender Willy Kambwala have also broken into the first team in 2023-24, and there could be plenty more young stars who emerge as the INEOS revolution gets into full swing in the summer. GOAL has the lowdown on the next wave of United academy graduates…

• Shea Lacey

  The United youngster generating the most hype right now is Shea Lacey, who signed his first professional contract at Old Trafford after turning 17 on April 14, despite an injury-plagued 2023-24 season. Ten Hag drafted the teenager into first-team training for the first time in early April as a reward for his stellar performances with the Under-18s, and he is even earning comparisons to England and Manchester City superstar Phil Foden.

  Lacey usually operates on the right flank and is already something of a free-kick specialist, which may not be much of a surprise given he happens to idolise a certain Lionel Messi. Much like the Barcelona legend did in his teens, Lacey has already gone viral for several moments of genius for United's youth teams, wowing fans with his dribbling skills and eye for goal. His best effort yet came in an U18s clash with Wolves in January, as he lashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net from 20 yards out.

  As if his exploits on the pitch were not enough, Lacey also opted to join United's academy ranks instead of Liverpool's, despite growing up on Merseyside, which supporters will be quick to point to if he makes it onto the senior stage at Old Trafford.

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• Harry Amass

  Harry Amass joined United's academy from Watford last summer, which was seen as a big coup as they saw off competition for his signature from Chelsea. The Hornets didn't want to lose the left-back, who has made an instant impression in Manchester, forcing his way into Ten Hag's plans at the tender age of 17.

  The Dutchman named Amass in his matchday squad for the both of the Red Devils' recent draws against Liverpool and Bournemouth, and it is only a matter of time before he is handed his debut. Injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have opened up a spot in defence, which Amass could step up and fill after emerging as a standout performer for United's U18s.

  Amass, who is already an England U17 international, has been fast-tracked because of his versatility and quality on the ball. He is deceptively strong and powerful, despite not being the tallest defender, and has been tipped for a bright future at the highest level.

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  Habeeb Ogunneye

  Nigerian right-back Habeeb Ogunneye was a surprise inclusion in Ten Hag's squad for United's FA Cup fifth-round win at Nottingham Forest in February, and has since been named on the bench for four Premier League games amid the club's ongoing defensive injury crisis.

  The 18-year-old signed professional terms with United back in November 2022, and has since featured in the UEFA Youth League, while also stepping up to U21 level. Ogunneye has been identified as an exciting prospect by England U21 boss Lee Carsley, too, having previously won three caps for the U17s, though he does also qualify to play for Nigeria through his heritage.

  According to the , Ogunneye has struck up a close relationship with Mainoo at Old Trafford, and is using the midfielder's rapid rise as motivation to carve out his own career at the club. The early signs look promising for a player who has plenty to offer at both ends of the pitch, and he could see some minutes for Ten Hag's team before the campaign ends given United have little left to play for in the league.

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  Ethan Wheatley

  United's U18s clinched the Premier League North title on April 16, and 18-year-old striker Ethan Wheatley played a key role in their triumph. The Englishman has hit eight goals in seven appearances in the competition this term, including a stunning hat-trick against Liverpool as United romped to a 9-1 victory over their arch-rivals.

  Wheatley, who has also played for England at youth level, has an imposing physical frame and he's lightning fast, which makes him a nightmare for defenders. He's also comfortable shooting with both feet, while United have lacked a natural centre-forward for some time, and Wheatley falls firmly into that bracket, equally adept with his back to goal as he is facing it.

  Ten Hag included Wheatley among his substitutes at Bournemouth, and has a big summer ahead of him. With several United stars set to travel to Euro 2024, Wheatley will be aiming to make a big impact in pre-season with a view to potentially breaking into the first-team picture for the new campaign.

A restructuring of the club’s cricket operations has left no obvious role for a permanent head coach, and Lewis is understood to have declined the opportunity to apply for a new role

George Dobell07-Dec-2018Jon Lewis has left Durham following a restructuring of the club’s cricket operations.Lewis, who had been head coach, joined the club as a player in 1997 and was appointed captain in 2000. As coach, he led the club to the County Championship title in 2013, the Royal London Cup in 2014 and to T20 Finals Day in 2016. He has also overseen a system that has helped produce the likes of Ben Stokes, Mark Wood, Mark Stoneman, Graham Onions, Scott Borthwick and Keaton Jennings in recent years.The restructure – managed by director of cricket, Marcus North – left no obvious role for a permanent head coach, however, and Lewis is understood to have declined the opportunity to apply for a new role.The new coaching structure will see a coach employed to run the Championship and List A side – a nine month a year role – while another coach – again in a part-time role – will run the T20 side. There will also be a batting consultant – available for around 120 days a year – and two full-time roles as bowling coach (which will be Neil Killeen) and an assistant coach or second XI coach, which will be Alan Walker. Jonathan Trott, who is recently retired as a player but appears to be in demand as a coach, has been linked to the batting consultancy position.The club insist the changes are not forced upon them by budget issues, but instead designed to modernise the system and give themselves a better chance of employing coaches who might also be involved in the BBL or similar leagues.Lewis could be forgiven for feeling a certain level of disgruntlement, though. Over the course of his tenure as coach, he has seen his playing budgetslashed by around 50% and seen his side relegated – and handicapped – following the club’s financial issues. He has had to cut his playing staff often, been unable to hold on to some of his best players (Jennings, Stoneman, Borthwick and Onions have all left) and never breathed a word of complaint about any of it.He has already been linked to a couple of vacant positions at home and abroad – Yorkshire are among those currently recruiting – and leaves the club with a strong track record and good reputation.”We wish Jon all the very best in the future and every success in his next career move,” Durham’s chief executive Tim Bostock said. “Iwould like to thank him for his hard work, dedication and outstanding commitment to Durham. Jon will always be welcome back here at Emirates Riverside.”