Man Utd loanee Antony continued to capture hearts at Real Betis by giving a wholesome reaction to a disabled fan's attempt to kiss him.
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Antony capturing hearts in SpainEnjoyed heartwarming moment with Real Betis fanHas scored three goals in five appearancesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Antony was filmed posing for a picture with the fan, who tried to kiss him before the winger planted a peck of his own on her forehead. It comes as the winger gains in popularity in Spain after a fast start to his loan spell.
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Antony has scored three goals in five matches since leaving Man Utd for Real Betis on loan in January. That run includes a superb volley against Real Sociedad last weekend as his form picks up after a disastrous £86m move to Old Trafford.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY AND REAL BETIS?
Real Betis remain in contention to win the UEFA Conference League after knocking out Gent 3-1 in the play-off round to reach the last 16. They also sit eighth in La Liga, travelling to Getafe this weekend before hosting Real Madrid next week.
Glasgow Rangers face a crucial weekend as the Ibrox side travel to Hampden Park for the League Cup semi-final against Motherwell.
For Philippe Clement, it could well be win or bust for the Belgian, especially following the midweek defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Clement led the Light Blues to the League Cup last season – their first win in the competition for 12 years – as it looked to be the catalyst for a Premiership title challenge.
If the Belgian suffers defeat to the Steelmen this weekend, will his position be untenable? A large section of the Ibrox faithful believe he should already be sacked…
Philippe Clement’s future at Rangers isn’t promising
At the turn of the year, Rangers had already won the first trophy of the season, secured the top spot in their Europa League group, and were chasing Celtic down in the league.
While the wheels fell off towards the end of the campaign, there was plenty of credit in the bank. This was boosted further by selling Sam Lammers and Connor Goldson while releasing a few players upon the expiration of their contracts to free up the wage bill.
Date
Competition
Opponent
03/11/2024
League Cup
Motherwell
07/11/2024
Europa League
Olympiacos
10/11/2024
Premiership
Hearts
23/11/2024
Premiership
Dundee United
28/11/2024
Europa League
Nice
Via Transfermarkt
With just six wins in the top flight, trailing Celtic and Aberdeen by nine points, it is clear the club won’t be winning the title. The style of football has been dreadful, with several players underperforming massively.
If Clement is sacked, who can the board get to replace him?
Kjetil Knutsen would be a worthy replacement for Clement
Sooner or later, the rumour mill will start to circle regarding who will take the reins at Ibrox. Before Michael Beale was approached, Knutsen was linked with the managerial role in 2022, but nothing materialised.
Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen.
The same name appeared yet again last year without success. Might it be third time lucky this time if the board decides to go down that route?
The Dane has enjoyed plenty of success at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, leading them to three league titles since 2018, with a fourth potentially on its way.
He has managed to club 296 times, winning 178 games in the process while averaging 2.02 points per game. An impressive spell, no doubt, but it is his attack-minded approach to games that could please the supporters.
Knutsen tends to use a 4-3-3 formation, which is different from what Clement is utilising. His style was once dubbed as “fantastic to watch” by journalist Connor McGilligan, while Bodo/Glimt captain Ulrik Saltnes had previously hailed the style of football as “kamikaze” which could certainly see the team score more goals.
Change is needed, and fast, if the Light Blues are to salvage anything from the 2024/25 campaign. Knutsen has worked wonders in Norway, and he could be a popular choice to take over at Ibrox when Clement departs.
It would be an interesting gamble, no doubt about that, but it could pay dividends, given his proven track record of winning league titles and his exciting style of play.
Major update on Clement's immediate Rangers future from sources in Belgium
Glasgow Rangers have a chance to immediately bounce back from their Europa League woes as they prepare to host St Johnstone at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership this evening.
The Light Blues head into this game off the back of a 4-1 defeat to French side Lyon in Glasgow on Thursday night, thanks to braces from Malick Fofana and Alexandre Lacazette.
Philippe Clement’s side had won their last four matches in all competitions and had beaten Malmo 2-0 in their first match of the league phase in the Europa League, but were unable to build on that strong form against the Ligue 1 outfit.
Rangers vs Lyon
The Gers found themselves 3-1 down by half-time and often played themselves into trouble, as much as the likes of Fofana, Rayan Cherki, and Lacazette showed their quality.
After Tom Lawrence made it 1-1 in the 14th minute, Connor Barron played a poor ball back to John Souttar that sent Fofana away to tee up Lacazette for an easy finish in the 19th minute, and it was all downhill after that.
Clement could look to make some changes from the starting XI that was easily beaten by Lyon and one player who should be dropped is winger Vaclav Cerny.
Why Vaclav Cerny should be dropped
The Wolfsburg loanee, once again, failed to justify his position in the line-up. It was another disappointing performance from the Czechia international, who did not make any positive impact in the final third.
Cerny had a huge chance to find the back of the net with the score at 0-0 inside the opening ten minutes. Tom Lawrence’s shot was parried straight to the left-footed forward on his favoured foot and he blazed his effort over the bar, with an open goal in front of him, from six yards out.
The 26-year-old dud has now gone five matches without a single goal or an assist for the Light Blues, and has only made two key passes in that time.
Starts
2
Goals
0
Big chances missed
2
Key passes
1
Big chances created
0
Duel success rate
33%
As you can see in the table above, Cerny has struggled badly in the two Europa League games so far, missing two ‘big chances’ and losing 67% of his duels.
The former Eredivisie star has scored one goal and provided one assist in five Premiership matches and needs to do a lot more in the final third to prove that he should be starting week-in-week-out for the Gers, which is why Clement must ditch him from the XI for this match.
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Alongside Cerny, the Belgian head coach should switch up the whole right-hand side for Rangers and boldly drop captain James Tavernier from the line-up tonight.
Why James Tavernier should be dropped
The Rangers skipper was withdrawn from the clash with Lyon in the 61st minute, after a difficult hour at Ibrox, and should now be placed on the bench against St Johnstone.
Tavernier, who was handed a dismal player rating of 3/10 by Glasgow World, struggled in and out of possession against the French outfit on Thursday.
On the ball, the Englishman lost possession 12 times and only completed 70% of his attempted passes, which shows that he gave it back to the away side too often.
The experienced defender also won just two duels in 61 minutes, also losing two, and was caught out for the fourth goal for Lyon as he failed to deal with a ball to the back post and allowed Fofana to sneak in and score from close range.
Tavernier, who is yet to score in six appearances in the Premiership this season, has recorded two assists in the league but should not be immune to being dropped, particularly after a poor showing against Lyon.
His defensive capabilities have been questioned in the past. Former Rangers right-back Steven Whittaker claimed that it is an area of his game that he “has to look at” last year.
Dropping Tavernier from the side, as the captain, could be seen as a big statement by Clement but it would also show all of the players that no one is immune to being taken out of the side. Poor performances should have consequences and that is why the Belgian boss must ruthlessly ditch him from the XI for this clash with St Johnstone.
The player who should replace James Tavernier
Neraysho Kasanwirjo came off the bench against Lyon and caught the eye with a strong display in his 29 minutes on the pitch, in which time Rangers did not concede a goal.
The Feyenoord loanee made one clearance, one block, one interception, one tackle, and one clearance off the line in his short time against the French side. Whereas, Tavernier only made one interception and was dribbled past once in his 61 minutes, with zero clearances, zero tackles, and zero blocks.
These defensive statistics, and the respective scores with each of them on the pitch, suggest that the Dutch youngster outperformed the captain at right-back at Ibrox on Thursday night.
Of course, Kasanwirjo came on with Lyon already 4-1 up and, perhaps, not as motivated to go and score more goals, but he still got stuck in to make vital interventions, which is something that Tavernier did not do during his performance.
The 22-year-old ace, who joined on loan from Feyenoord in the summer transfer window, is yet to start a Premiership match but was in the XI at left-back against Malmo last week.
Minutes played
90
Duels won
2/3
Dribbled past
0x
Pass accuracy
89%
Key passes
1
As you can see in the table above, Kasanwirjo won the majority of his duels and was not dribbled past a single time against the Swedish outfit, whilst he was also composed in possession with a pass success rate of 89%.
The 22-year-old starlet, who made 20 appearances in the Eredivisie during the 2023/24 campaign, should now be handed an opportunity to shine from the start for the first time in the Premiership this evening.
A strong performance from the Dutch ace could keep Tavernier on his toes moving forward, and motivate the skipper to bounce back after the international break.
5/10 Rangers man who lost possession 20x was just as bad as Barron
The Light Blues defender endured a frustrating evening in the Europa League.
Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy by extension are plotting a January bid to sign one prolific forward for manager Ange Postecoglou, coming as his club now consider selling mid-season, regardless of his star player status.
Spurs planning January transfers amid mixed start to season
Postecoglou promised supporters that he “always” wins trophies in his second season in charge, but so far, the chinks in Tottenham’s armour have been exposed in a few Premier League matches this season.
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Indeed, this was most apparent in their most recent top-flight encounter – a 3-2 defeat away to Brighton. Goals from Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck cemented a dramatic 3-2 comeback for the Seagulls, who were originally two down at half-time thanks to strikes from the in-form Brennan Johnson and playmaker James Maddison.
This ended Spurs’ previous winning run of five games on the trot in all competitions, giving Postecoglou and club chiefs things to seriously think about after what the Australian called his “worst” defeat as Lilywhites boss so far.
Tottenham’s next five Premier League games
Date
Tottenham vs West Ham
October 19
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
October 27
Tottenham vs Aston Villa
November 3
Tottenham vs Ipswich Town
November 10
Man City vs Tottenham
November 23
“It was disappointing and I’m absolutely gutted with that,” said Postecoglou.
“It’s an unacceptable second half – we were nowhere near where we should be. Maybe we got carried away with how we were going. We kind of accepted our fate and it’s hard to understand as we’ve not done that while I’ve been here. We usually fight for everything, and when you don’t you pay a price.
“Maybe things were travelling on too smoothly. Football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself and that’s what it looked like in the second half. It’s a terrible loss for us, as bad as it gets, and there’s only one way to fix it and that’s my responsibility.”
Tottenham take on West Ham United in a crunch London derby clash, their first game back after the international break, and Postecoglou will need to rally his side to a much more convincing performance than their trip to the Amex.
January represents a golden opportunity to strengthen Postecoglou’s ranks as well, and they’ve already been linked with a few forwards. Spurs have their eyes on Espanyol winger Javi Puado, and an update has just come out of Spain on the matter.
Tottenham could make January bid for Puado
As per La Razon, Tottenham could make a January bid for Puado, as his contract is ticking towards expiry, and he may even be available for a cheap fee as a result.
Espanyol are considering a sale of the Spaniard, despite his star player status and the fact he scored 17 goals in all competitions for them last season. Puado boasts a further three goals from their opening eight La Liga games this campaign, starting the season off in fine fashion and attracting interest from England.
حقق فريق الأهلي فوزًا كبيرًا على حساب الغرافة بنتيجة 4-2، في اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما في إطار لقاءات بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا.
والتقى الأهلي أمام الغرافة القطري، على أرضية ملعب استاد مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة لمرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال آسيا.
طالع | ترتيب دوري أبطال آسيا بعد تعادل النصر وفوز الأهلي
وتقدم خوسيلو بالهدف الأول أمام الغرافة في الدقيقة 6 من ضربة جزاء احتسبها الحكم لصالح فريقه، بينما سجل إيفان توني هدف التعادل لصالح الأهلي بالدقيقة 21، بعد تلقيه تمريرة عرضية حولها مباشرة في المرمى.
وأضاف فيرمينو الهدف الثاني للأهلي في الدقيقة 34 بعد تحويله التمريرة العرضية داخل منطقة الجزاء إلى الشباك مباشرة.
وأحرز جالينو الهدف الثالث للأهلي بالدقيقة 44، بعد خطأ من حارس الغرافة الذي أهمل السيطرة على الكرة بعد تصويبة مهاجم الفريق السعودي.
واختتم رياض محرز الرباعية لصالح الأهلي من ضربة جزاء بعد عرقلة لـ توني زميله، ونفذ المهاجم الجزائري الكرة بنجاح في الدقيقة 59 من عمر اللقاء.
وقلص ياسين براهيمي الفارق بتسجيله هدف ثاني لصالح الغرافة في الدقيقة 80، من ضربة جزاء. أهداف فوز الأهلي أمام الغرافة في دوري أبطال آسيا
وبعد الفوز في مباراة اليوم وصل رصيد الأهلي إلى 22 نقطة في المركز الأول في ترتيب الدوري، بعد الفوز بـ7 انتصارات وتعادل وحيد دون تلقي أي هزائم.
أما فريق الغرافة فيحتل المركز التاسع برصيد 7 نقاط حصدهم من انتصارين وتعادل فيما نال 5 هزائم، ليخرج من منافسات التأهل إلى دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال آسيا.
Nottingham Forest are interested in signing a forward who Virgil van Dijk says "has everything", seeing him as an alternative to Santiago Gimenez.
Nottingham Forest miss out on Gimenez
The Reds have suffered a setback with one high-profile transfer target, with a move for Feyenoord striker Gimenez possibly not materialising after plenty of interest emerged in him from the Premier League side.
The Mexican looked like a hugely exciting option for Forest, considering what a key performer he was for his current club last season, scoring 23 goals in just 29 starts in the Eredivisie, as well as netting twice in four appearances in the Champions League.
Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez
With Gimenez potentially no longer a target for Nuno Espirito Santo's side between now and the end of the summer transfer window this week, having rejected a switch to the City Ground, they could do with finding an alternative target.
It looks as though they may have found that player, with a new report suggesting as much, as Forest look to give themselves the best possible chance of enjoying a solid Premier League campaign.
Nottingham Forest eyeing attacker who "has everything"
According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest are now "ready to turn their attention" to signing Ajax striker Brian Brobbey this summer, looking to acquire his signature before the window closes on Friday.
The Reds have "set their sights" on the Feyenoord ace, seeing him as an ideal option in place of Gimenez, but with his contract not expiring until 2027, the report does state that "it would take a big fee to try and prise him away from Amsterdam".
Brobbey stands out as a shrewd option for Forest in the coming days, and if they were able to entice him to the club, it could make up for the blow of missing out on the prolific Gimenez.
The Ajax ace is a top-quality player in his own right, and still only 22 years of age, scoring 49 goals and registering 19 assists for Ajax to date, as well as winning three caps for the Netherlands. His international captain Van Dijk has spoken highly about his compatriot's qualities, too, saying:
"I think he’s a great boy. He is a great talent and basically has everything. He is fast, strong and can finish well. He had said in an interview that he would score against us, but luckily, we were able to prevent that. He can be a very good weapon [for the World Cup], but it’s up to the national coach."
Forest signing Brobbey may feel like a real coup, given his international pedigree and the praise he has received from such a huge player in Van Dijk, and he scored a combined 31 league goals in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons combined.
Brian Brobbey's career stats
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Ajax
124
49
19
Ajax Under-19s
41
37
7
Ajax Under-21s
34
17
5
Ajax Under-17s
25
26
6
RB Leipzig
14
0
3
The £48,000-a-week Dutchman may only improve, too, given his tender years, so the idea of him in a Reds shirt for many years to come is an exciting prospect for Reds supporters.
Arsenal would sign a £200,000-per-week forward before deadline day if they could, and it is claimed he'd be open to joining them.
Arsenal looking at last-minute chance to sign forward after Merino
As per reliable media sources like journalist Fabrizio Romano, there is a belief that Arsenal are looking at "last-minute" opportunities to sign a new forward as we fast approach the transfer window cut-off.
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Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has been heavily linked with a late switch to Arsenal in the last week, with GiveMeSport even writing that the Frenchman was offered out to the Gunners at some point recently.
While Mikel Arteta has the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka at his disposal, who are all capable of playing out wide, the Gunners and sporting director Edu Gaspar could enter the market for an alternative Saka.
“I think it’s not going to be a super big name. I don’t expect Arsenal to go for a central striker," said Romano on Men in Blazers (via TBR).
"There was some fear around the injury of Gabriel Jesus, but I’m told it’s quite positive. The idea of Arsenal is to sign a winger rather than a number nine, looking at a last-minute opportunity on the market."
This comes amid their attempts to bring in a new second-choice keeper to replace the departing Aaron Ramsdale after Southampton agreed a deal worth up to £25 million for the England international (BBC).
Arsenal have submitted a bid for Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia to fill the role, but the La Liga side want his full £26 million release clause to be paid in full, so it remains to be seen just how much the north Londoners will be able to splash out on a new winger as well.
It's been a very busy week at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal also announcing their capture of Mikel Merino, who will don the number 23 shirt and could make his Premier League debut this weekend.
Mikel Merino's all-time stats for Real Sociedad in all competitions
Appearances
242
Goals
27
Assists
30
Yellow cards
56
Red cards
2
Minutes played
19,449
via Transfermarkt
Arsenal would sign Nico Williams before deadline day if they could
Speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast, journalist Dean Jones says Arsenal are still very fond of Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, even if he doesn't look likely to be leaving any time soon.
Jones says that, if it were up to them, Arsenal would sign Williams "tomorrow", and he wouldn't say no to joining despite preferring Barcelona as a destination.
“Nico Williams, they still love up to right now. I think they would sign Nico Williams tomorrow if they could. There are problems more around his wages than an actual transfer fee that would be needed,” Jones said (via TBR).
“There’s also the desire of the player. I don’t think he doesn’t want to join Arsenal, I just think he’d prefer to join Barcelona. I’m waiting to see if that can crop up again for Arsenal.”
The £200,000-per-week player starred for Spain at the Euros, and there is a very serious case to be made that he's one of Europe's brightest talents right now.
With just days left until the summer transfer window comes to a close, West Ham United could be in for a late flurry of arrivals, having been linked to a defensive reinforcement alongside Carlos Soler.
West Ham transfer news
The Hammers are undoubtedly among the transfer window's winners this summer, having welcomed several fresh faces who are all ready to make an impact under new manager Julen Lopetegui. They've signed the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Niklas Fullkrug and others in an incredibly impressive window at the London Stadium.
Even after those arrivals, however, West Ham are seemingly not done there. Recent reports have linked those in London with a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler in a move that could be worth £20m in the remaining days of the window. Whilst that rumour continues though, the Hammers are also reportedly eyeing up a defensive reinforcement.
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According to Will Unwin of The Guardian, West Ham and Lopetegui are also eyeing a move to sign Victor Nelsson alongside Soler in a deal that could reportedly be worth just £12m this summer.
Nelsson would likely arrive to replace Kurt Zouma, who looked set to leave earlier in the summer before his move to Shabab Al-Ahli collapsed. With the Frenchman's future still in doubt, however, they could swoop for Nelsson to replace the veteran defender before the end of the month.
That said, they're not the only side supposedly interested in the 25-year-old's signature, with Sevilla, Lille and Bologna also eyeing moves to sign the Galatasaray man.
"Superb" Nelsson could complete Lopetegui's options
With both Kilman and Todibo to choose from already, it's unlikely that Nelsson would instantly emerge as a starter in Lopetegui's star-studded side this season. But squad depth is key and the Dane would undoubtedly add that.
Now 25 years old and potentially on course to seal his biggest move yet, Nelsson's rise is one that Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig saw coming, dubbing the Galatasaray man a "superb centre-back" back in 2020.
There could be plenty more to come from Nelsson too, especially if he completes a move to the Premier League. Potentially replacing Zouma at West Ham for just £12m, the Dane may become another shrewd summer signing at the London Stadium.
As time runs out in the summer transfer window, however, the Hammers may need to make their move sooner rather than later to sign the central defender.
Celtic are believed to be considering a move for an "outstanding" young forward during the summer transfer window, according to a new update from journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Celtic transfer news
The Hoops have made a flying start to the defence of their Scottish Premiership crown, winning their opening two matches, but supporters will still be dreaming of more new signings coming in this month.
Liverpool youngster Bobby Clark has been linked with a move to Celtic a number of times this summer, with the Scottish giants believed to have been tracking him for as long as "four or five months".
Speaking about the situation, journalist Mark Guidi said: "From what I know, that is a genuine interest. It’s (a) real interest. It’s something that’s been on the radar for four or five months, from what I can gather. Again, from what I can gather, the boy is certainly interested to learn more if Liverpool are willing to let him go."
Another report has claimed that the Hoops have made contact with Crystal Palace midfielder Jeffrey Schlupp over a move to Parkhead before the end of August. The 31-year-old is out of contract at Selhurst Park next summer, meaning this is the last chance for the Eagles to receive a fee for him.
Celtic are still fighting to keep hold of Matt O'Riley this summer, with four separate bids rejected from Europa League winners Atalanta. It sounds as though the Serie A side aren't done yet, though, with a fifth offer expected to arrive in the near future.
Celtic considering move for "outstanding" player
Taking to X, O'Rourke claimed that Celtic are showing an interest in signing Norwich City youngster Abu Kamara this summer, with the Hoops "monitoring" the England Under-20 forward.
Kamara has the potential to be an exciting young addition for the Hoops this season, having caught the eye on loan at Portsmouth last season, winning the League One title and sealing promotion to the Championship.
The 21-year-old scored eight goals and registered 10 assists in the league, starting 37 matches and appearing in every single game in the competition, while Pompey assistant manager Jon Harley heaped praise on him.
"Abs’ form recently has been outstanding, he’s such a great lad, he wants to learn and is really humble. The way we play, we want to try to isolate him one-v-one because, as a full-back myself, I would hate to play against him. I am sure every full-back would do in that position."
Abu Kamara's 2023/24 League One stats for Portsmouth
Total
Appearances
46
Starts
37
Goals
8
Assists
10
Shots per game
1.3
Dribbles per game
1.2
Key passes per game
0.9
Man of the Match awards
3
Whether Norwich are willing to sell Kamara permanently or on loan this summer remains to be seen, but if Celtic were able to bring him in for good, he could mature into a fantastic attacking prospect as the years pass, capable of impressing on both attacking flanks and down the middle.
With less than two weeks to go until Southampton's return to the Premier League is marked by a trip to Newcastle United, the higher ups at St Mary's are still looking to add to Russell Martin's squad.
Saints continue their search for new signings
The latest news out of St Mary's has suggested that Southampton's summer spending spree is anything but over. Having already brought the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz, Flynn Downes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to the club this summer, the Saints are still looking to open their chequebook and bring some big names to the South Coast.
Southampton ready formal bid to sign "excellent" England U-20 international
The Saints are still on the lookout for new signings.
ByTom Coates Aug 1, 2024
The name that has been inescapable around St Mary's as of recent has been that of Matt O'Riley. Celtic's midfield star has been linked with a move to Southampton for some time now with the two parties struggling to agree on a fee for the Dane. Whilst the Saints are yet to give up on the deal, the Scottish giant's stubbornness may push them in the direction of other targets.
Whilst the saga around O'Riley's next move continues to unfold, Saints look like they have found themselves in another tough transfer battle as they make a new bid to sign a highly-rated attacking midfielder.
Southampton making new bid for Carvalho
As first reported by Football Insider's Wayne Veysey, Southampton are preparing a new and improved bid for Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho. This news comes after the Saints saw their initial £15million offer for the Portuguese midfielder rejected by the Anfield outfit.
This latest development from Football Insider suggests that Southampton have upped their bid to around £20million with the potential for additional add-ons. The higher ups at St Mary's are hoping that this improved offer will be enough to tempt the 21-year-old to the South Coast.
Carvalho spent the previous campaign on two seperate loan spells with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Championship side Hull City. Whilst the midfielder's time in Germany did not go to plan, Carvalho excelled during his latter spell at the MKM Stadium.
Under the tutelage of former Tigers' boss Liam Rosenior, Carvalho hit the ground running, scoring nine times during his twenty appearances in black and amber. Some of the Saints' faithful may have unhappy memories of the 21-year-old's time at Hull after the player found the back of the net during Southampton's 2-1 loss to the Tigers back in February.
Speaking shortly after Carvalho's arrival in East Yorkshire, Rosenior spoke on the midfielder's obvious talents: “He brings a level of quality and consistency, his game intelligence is outstanding and coupled with his technical ability, his ability to see passes and finish actions, he is unselfish, he likes to link with players, he is what a perfect No 10 is for me as a manager.”
With the Saints still looking to add to Martin's squad before the August 30th deadline, bringing Carvalho to the South Coast could end up being their best bit of business this summer.