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Liverpool may have gone three points clear at the top of the Premier League table by beating Newcastle 4-2 on Monday night, but the Reds are still looking a little light at the back as they head into the remainder of January.

Last month, they lost Joel Matip to a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, and Joe Gomez, another of Jurgen Klopp's centre-back options, has been required at left-back after injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. Robertson is expected to be back available next month, but until then Liverpool will be looking stretched.

To add to Klopp's concerns, Ibrahima Konate has already had two spells on the sidelines this season, raising questions about his ability to stay fit. 20-year-old Jarell Quansah has logged 15 appearances this year, but Klopp may be wary of relying too heavily on him in his first season of top-flight football.

Liverpool submit Inacio bid – Portuguese media

With that in mind, Liverpool have reportedly made a £25.8m (€30m) offer for Sporting centre-back Goncalo Inacio, as per Jorge das Transferencias. As it stands, they're the club "most interested" in signing him, and they've now tested the resolve of the Primeira Liga side with an offical offer according to the outlet.

Inacio, 22, is a product of Sporting's academy and now an established member of their first team. This season, he's started 13 of the 14 league games for which he's been available, as well as five out of six Europa League fixtures.

During the summer transfer window, Inacio penned a new contract in Lisbon that included a £51.8m/€60m release clause (Fabrizio Romano), but Liverpool have made a bold attempt to sign him for just half of that figure. It remains to be seen whether Sporting are willing to negotiate a lower fee, or whether they insist that the clause is paid in full.

Arsenal battle may be looming

When you look at Inacio's numbers, you can quickly see why he holds an appeal for Klopp – he places at or near the top for a whole host of ball-playing metrics (FBRef). He's 10th in the division for progressive passing distance (6,754 yards), fifth for progressive passes (96) and first outright for passes into the final third (104), touches (1,206) and progressive carrying distance (2,737 yards).

This emphasises just how heavily involved he is in his team's build-up play, and paints him as a priceless offensive instigator. He can launch attacks with either ambitious passing through the opposition defensive lines or driving runs upfield, the kind that can unsettle the other team's structure.

One particularly intriguing aspect of the pursuit of Inacio is the reported interest from Premier League competitor Arsenal. Last month, A Bola claimed that it is in fact the Gunners who are at the front of the queue to sign Inacio, potentially setting up a transfer battle between two of the sides in the title race.

Arsenal have of course fallen five points behind Liverpool with their consecutive defeats against West Ham and Fulham between Christmas and New Year, but they certainly be can't counted out just yet, with just under half the season still to go. Indeed, the right January addition could help to give Mikel Arteta's side the momentum they sorely need, and close up the gap to Liverpool.

Aston Villa are now believed to be keeping close tabs on a player after it emerged that he is likely to leave his current employers in January, according to reports.

Aston Villa's impressive season so far…

Following a meteoric rise from relegation contention to securing Europa Conference League football last term, many wondered how Unai Emery would go about improving on an exceptional debut campaign in charge at Villa Park. Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pau Torres, Clement Lenglet and Moussa Diaby were brought in with the help of NSWE and their ambition in the market looks to have paid off on the field, as Aston Villa sit fifth in the Premier League table with 25 points from their opening 12 matches.

Depending on certain factors, the English top flight could be awarded an extra Champions League place this term as the competition transitions towards an expanded "Swiss league" format, which will allocate an additional position to two nations who collectively performed the best in comparison to other countries in the season previous, which is a carrot Emery and company will have an eye on at Villa Park.

Nevertheless, consistent performances will be needed on a weekly basis to achieve this dream, which may be complicated further if Aston Villa embark on an extended run in the Europa Conference League, which they are one of the favourites to win.

Despite fanfare and excitement surrounding Aston Villa's potential league finish in 2023/24, former Villans midfielder Lee Hendrie isn't getting carried away when forecasting where his old side may end up, as he stated via BBC Sport when asked about their hopes of finishing in the top six: "I'd take a top-half finish. I don't think we'll finish in the top six. I really think that's a big ask. Again, if they finished seventh, eighth, I think it'd be a really good season."

With the January window fast approaching, it looks as if NSWE and Emery have set their sights on another highly-rated player that could help Aston Villa's push for continental qualification.

Aston Villa plotting Samuel Iling-Junior bid

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are "primed" to make an approach for Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior in the January window as Emery looks to add some variety in the final third, with the Turin outfit open to selling.

Samuel Iling-Junior at Juventus – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

22

Goals

1

Assists

3

Nevertheless, they will have to fend off competition from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Fulham to sign the England Under-21 international, who is under contract at Serie A giants Juventus until the summer of 2025. His interested suitors will send scouts to watch Iling-Junior in action for the young Three Lions in their upcoming double-header against Serbia and Northern Ireland.

Labelled "superb" by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig, the 20-year-old winger has excellent positional awareness and ranks favourably in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues in the art of progressive passes received in the opposition's penalty area, taking in around 8.38 per 90 minutes, putting him in the 97th percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

Showing an impressive ability to pop up in dangerous attacking areas and just needing to sharpen up his end product, he is seemingly primed for a move, and Villa Park could be an ideal environment for Iling-Junior to continue his development as his stock continues to rise.

With Christmas approaching, there are still two winless teams in Europe's 'Big 5' leagues. That one of them is Wolves is arguably unsurprising. The Fosun International-owned Premier League club sold two of their best players during the summer and squandered the proceeds on sub-standard signings. However, the fact that Fiorentina have yet to win a single game in Serie A is shocking.

Even if we ignore the fact that the Viola were one of the seven sisters of Italian football during the club's heyday, they finished sixth last season – above current table-toppers AC Milan. The expectation was that Fiorentina would be even more competitive in Raffaele Palladino's second year at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Palladino, though, quit at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, his replacement, Stefano Pioli, has already been sacked and results have yet to improve under new coach Paolo Vanoli. Consequently, the situation in Florence has turned toxic, with some players and their families being subjected to death threats.

So, what on earth is going on at Fiorentina? And do they have any hope of avoiding relegation to Serie B? GOAL breaks it all down below…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  From an extension to sacked in three weeks

  On May 7, Fiorentina revealed that Palladino's contract with the club had been extended for an extra year until 2027. The news did not come as a surprise. Fiorentina were in the semi-finals of the Conference League and on course to qualify for the same competition via Serie A.

  Less than three weeks later, though, Palladino was gone, having parted company with the club by "mutual consent" – despite leading the Viola to their best league finish for nine years.

  While it was true that not all of the supporters had been convinced by the 41-year-old and his style of football, an alleged falling-out with sporting director Daniele Prade was believed to be the real reason for his unexpected exit.

  "I see football as a puzzle; all the pieces have to fit together to work," Palladino explained in an interview with the in September. "I'm proud of the work we did in Florence, but the conditions for moving forward together were no longer there. The ideas and visions were too different."

  Although he refused to get into specifics, it was abundantly obvious that Palladino had not wanted to walk away. Doing so clearly hurt him. But his departure also hit the players hard too.

  Palladino had formed a strong bond with his team and his appointment had proven a godsend for the likes of Moise Kean, who had hit a career-high 25 goals in all competitions across the 2024-25 season, while Manchester United outcast David de Gea had also got back to his brilliant best during a remarkable run of form in Florence that sparked giddy talk of a title challenge this time last year.

  As a result, the squad was stunned by Palladino's dramatic U-turn. "I have to say, the video calls and messages from the guys made me cry," the Neapolitan admitted. "I've experienced some great moments with them, and some very difficult ones, so something special was created. In fact, we still keep in touch today."

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• 'Get the f*ck out!'

  By time of Palladino's interview, it was already clear that Pioli didn't have anything like the same rapport with the players, with Fiorentina having picked up just two points from his first four games in charge.

  Europe provided some relief, with the Viola winning their first two matches in the Conference League, against Sigma Olomouc and Rapid Wien, but they continued to struggle horribly in Serie A.

  The  majority of the fans' fury focused on Daniele Prade rather than Pioli and his ever-changing system, with stickers being placed in and around the Artemio Franchi featuring images of the sporting director's face on the body of a pig, accompanied by the word 'Vattene' ('Leave').

  The club's ultras had wanted him out for a long time, too, as they saw him as "the symbol of a sporting failure that has gone on for years".

  Enraged by the sale of top players (most painfully to hated rivals Juventus), a controversial logo change and an alleged lack of engagement with the club's staunchest supporters, The had actually called for Prade to follow Palladino out of the club back in June.

  "Prade: All roads lead to Rome… Take one and get the f*ck out!" read one banner hung outside the club's training ground.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Prade & Pioli pay price for rotten results

  In Prade's defence, he repeatedly insisted that he – and not Pioli – was responsible for Fiorentina's worst start to a Serie A season for more than 50 years, not least because relatively expensive signings such as Roberto Piccoli hadn't worked out at all.

  "If there is anyone who can get us out of this situation, it is Stefano Pioli," Prade told after the 2-1 defeat at AC Milan on October 19. "The rest is my fault, the protests from the fans are against me, and it is because the club put the strategy in my hands.

  "There were also other elements that haven’t helped: our stadium is a building site and we cannot have all our fans there, while we have three tournaments to play in. I feel bad for the fans, for the President (Rocco Commisso), and the coach. If there is anyone who should be fired or resign, it is me."

  There was an air of inevitability, then, about Prade's decision to step down on November 1 – the day before a vital relegation battle with fellow strugglers Lecce. However, his exit didn't alleviate any of the tension at the Artemio Franchi. On the contrary, it only intensified after a 1-0 loss that prompted a media blackout from the club before Pioli was eventually put out of his misery two days later with Fiorentina bottom of the league with just four points to their name.

  Despite initial reports that the Viola considered re-hiring Palladino – that weren't denied by director Alessandro Ferrari – they ultimately turned to former Torino coach Paolo Vanoli to try to save their season.

  "I'm proud to be back in Florence," the ex-Italy international said, "a city where I've already played and know what it means to win here." Unfortunately for Fiorentina, he seems to have forgotten how to win there – at least in Serie A.

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• Dzeko calls out fans on lack of support

  Vanoli has already become the first Fiorentina coach since Ottavio Bianchi 23 years ago to fail to win any of their first four league games. Things had actually started reasonably well, with back-to-back draws away to Genoa and at home to Juve. However, after a dismal 1-0 loss to AEK Athens in the Conference League, veteran striker Edin Dzeko took aim at the negative atmosphere inside the Artemio Franchi.

  "You can say that we suck, that we don’t deserve to wear the shirt, that’s all fine, no problem," the Bosnian summer signing told . "However, if we are playing at home, then we need the fans to help us, not jeer at every misplaced pass.

  "We’ve got to get out of this situation together, this is not right. If you need to jeer, do it after the final whistle, but during the match we need your support. It’s all true, we are not playing well, but we still need your help.

  "We can’t seem to string two or three passes together, and that is not normal for a team like ours. The moment a player makes a mistake, the jeers start coming down, so then the next time he will feel anxious and perhaps not try to risk the pass, or he doesn’t want the ball at his feet. It all becomes more difficult.

  "We need more support from the stands. I understand it’s difficult at the moment, and the stadium situation is a bit strange (certain sections of the Artemio Franchi remain closed due to ongoing construction work), but we've got to have more support when we are playing at home. Otherwise, the negative energy just keeps spiralling."

  Dzeko's impassioned plea upset some supporters and led to the extraordinary sight of the striker grabbing a megaphone after the 2-0 loss to Atalanta three days later to address the away end at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo.

The inaugural elections of the new board, initially slated for May 18, has gone through a series of delays

Peter Della Penna13-Jul-2018The inaugural USA Cricket elections, which were originally announced to be held on May 18, will now begin on July 20 according to an announcement from the board. The elections have gone through a series of delays, including being postponed indefinitely after a series of challenges were made during a peer-review process regarding the legitimacy of voting members.Full list of candidates

League director: Mark Demos, Shuja Khan, Sushil Nadkarni, Atul Rai
Club director: John Aaron, Ajith Bhaskar, Jag Poosarla, Maq Qureshi, Aziz Savul
Individual director (3 positions): Avinash Gaje, Ramesh Immadi, Ajay Jhamb, Jatin Patel, Venu Pisike, Shantha Suraweera, Suraj Viswanathan, Brian Walters
Female player: Nadia Gruny, Erica Rendler
Male player: Usman Shuja

Five of the original 25 candidates have also dropped out of the elections for the seven constituent board-member positions. Lesly Lowe, president of the Commonwealth Cricket League in New York – the largest league in the country with 81 clubs – has withdrawn from the race for the league director position. Biju Nair and Masaood Yunus have officially withdrawn their names as candidates for club director. Both roles are to be voted on by eligible leagues and clubs respectively.The other two candidates to drop out came from the individual director pool. Kiran Manchikanti and Ramu Parupalli are no longer in the running. The remaining eight candidates will be voted on by the approximately 5000 eligible USA Cricket members who registered by the April 24 voting-registration deadline. Three individual directors will be voted in through the electronic voting process, which will remain open until July 29.The other two candidates to be voted in will be the male and female elite athlete representatives on the board. There are no changes to the originally announced candidates in each category: Usman Shuja, who is running uncontested in the male elite athlete category, and a two-player race for the female representative between Nadia Gruny and Erica Rendler.After the seven constituent members have been elected, USA Cricket has announced that the final three independent director positions on the board will be appointed by the nomination and governance committee by mid-September. It is then expected that the full 10-person board will be presented to the ICC at the next board meeting in October.The delayed elections timeline also means that the current ICC Americas caretaker administration, known as Project USA, will remain in charge of the administrative process of organising and selecting USA squad for the World T20 Regional Qualifier to be hosted by USA from September 16-24, as well as a squad for ICC WCL Division Three, which is expected to be held in October or November of 2018.

Mayhem erupted after Liverpool's late win against Nottingham Forest, with the home team's owner seen on the field and a coach given a red card.

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• Liverpool scored controversial winner
• Forest furious with referee at full-time
• Owner reacted angrily towards officials

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Darwin Nunez scored a 99th minute goal to secure a vital 1-0 win for the visitors at the City Ground on Saturday. The home team were not happy about the manner of the goal and confronted the referee after the final whistle. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis stormed onto the pitch while first-team coach Steven Reid was shown a red card for remonstrating with the officials.

  It has been reported that Marinakis had to be held back as he chased referee Paul Tierney down the tunnel.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Forest were angry at the officials' decision to let Liverpool's goal stand. The referee had stopped the game when Ibrahima Konate sustained a knock to the head in the Liverpool box. When the game was ready to resume, the official gave the ball to the visitors to start play again, beginning the attack that resulted in the goal. Forest felt there should have been a contested dropped ball instead.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Many at Forest may face sanctions for their treatment of the referee after the final whistle. In the meantime, Forest will hope to boost their hopes of Premier League survival when they meet Brighton on March 10. Liverpool, meanwhile, will turn their attention to their Europa League clash against Sparta Prague on Thursday.

Sussex have strengthened their middle order for the Vitality T20 Blast by securing New Zealand batsman Tom Bruce for the entire tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2018

Tom Bruce pulls the ball away•AFP

Sussex have signed New Zealand international batsman Tom Bruce for the duration of their 2018 Vitality T20 Blast campaign.Bruce, a T20 specialist with 14 caps, will be available for all 14 of the team’s matches in the South Group, as well as the knockout stages should the Sharks progress.Sussex supporters will have a sneak preview of Bruce in a Sussex shirt on Friday when he forms part of the men’s side that takes on a touring Aboriginal XI at Hove.Sussex’s move for Bruce has come because of a knee injury for their South African batsman, Stiaan van Zyl, which is expected to rule him out of much of the tournament.Sussex head coach Jason Gillespie said: “The injury to Stiaan forced us to reassess our squad for the Vitality Blast and we’ve decided that we need to bring in a quality overseas batsman for the duration of the tournament.”Tom has experience on the biggest stage with New Zealand and is exactly the type of dynamic middle order strokemaker we’re looking for.”To have him available for the entirety of the competition will offer us continuity, which is very important in tournament cricket.”The extent of Van Zyl’s absence is not yet known but Sussex have suggested that he needs “an extended period of rest and rehabilitation”.Bruce’s most recent international appearance came during the tri-series between New Zealand, Australia and England earlier this year.He burst onto the New Zealand domestic T20 scene in the 2015-16 season when he finished that year’s competition as his side’s second leading run-scorer behind the Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene.In his 41 career T20s so far, he has scored 958 runs at an average of 28.17. His career strike rate of 150.39 puts him in 26th place on the all-time list.Sussex begin their Vitality Blast campaign on July 4 against Essex at Chelmsford.

ESPNcricinfo writers pick their favourite white-ball India-Pakistan moments from the 21st century

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2022The perfect Tendulkar stroke•Getty ImagesTendulkar’s punch
2003 World Cup, Centurion
Say the words Sachin and Centurion, and iconic slash off Shoaib Akhtar for six over third man is what people (Indian fans?) remember most vividly. Largely because it was so utterly unexpected so early in the chase.For me – watching in a packed, raucous college common room – the best memory of that Sachin Tendulkar innings was his strokeplay through the off side against India’s old tormentors, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.Among the many cuts and drives that pierced Pakistan’s infield with precision, one shot stood out. It was soon after Tendulkar had been dropped at mid-off by Abdul Razzaq off Akram. The delivery wasn’t too different from the one that had nearly got him – on a good length from over the wicket, angling across the right-hander, just outside off stump. This time, Tendulkar moved across his crease with perfect balance, transferred weight on to his back foot, and brought down that famously heavy bat to punch the ball and send it screaming along the ground through extra cover.It was the perfect Tendulkar stroke, and the sound off the bat was nearly as memorable as his pull off Andrew Caddick a few days before.Shadab Khan’s assuredness in the 2017 Champions Trophy Final stood out•Getty ImagesYuvraj Singh lbw Shadab Khan
2017 Champions Trophy final, The Oval
In many ways, Yuvraj Singh defined the ascendancy of Indian white-ball cricket in the 21st century: the audacious all-round skill, the athleticism and, above all, the strut. For a period in the mid-aughts, no side felt it more than Pakistan.Yuvraj was pretty much done by the time he came to the crease at The Oval in the Champions Trophy final – he would only play three more ODIs after this game – but Pakistan would not have known that. Only two weeks earlier, he’d reminded them of what he was, with a 32-ball 53 in the group-stage thumping. So, when Shadab Khan trapped him with a lovely, sharp-turning legbreak in the 13th over, it wasn’t just that the delivery was good – it was. But it was the confidence with which he pointed to the pad and convinced his captain to review it: “,” because he was 150% sure of what had happened, 150% sure of his skills, 150% sure of himself even as an 18-year-old.That assuredness stood in stark contrast to the cricket Pakistan usually played against India on these occasions, where they visibly shrunk. Yet here was Shadab, the audacious all-round skill, the athleticism and, above all, the strut, who grew. An ending and a beginning, all in one.A chaotic end to an old-fashioned ODI•Getty ImagesSaqlain runs home
1999-2000 Carlton and United series, Gabba
Last ball of the match, one to win. Seven fielders on the single. Venkatesh Prasad runs in, doesn’t leap into his stride, tries to run the non-striker out, but Waqar Younis – ready to sprint – has his bat in the crease and eyes firmly on the bowler.**Prasad bowls a slower ball, Saqlain Mushtaq misses wildly, and despite not stealing ground Waqar is in the middle of the pitch by the time the debutant wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe – back in his usual position – collects and underarms the throw.**Eleven players in one frame. Nine Indians hoping to make a play at the stumps. Waqar home. Saqlain in the middle of the pitch with his head turned back, about to realise his is the danger end now that Dighe has missed.**You can imagine Sachin Tendulkar, India’s captain and now beside Saqlain, is willing the ball to hurry up, but it arrives too slowly. Tendulkar misses anyway. Saqlain, having completed the run needed to win, keeps running with his bat in the air.**Chaotic end to an old-fashioned ODI on a seaming pitch in Brisbane. Shoaib Akhtar, with figures of 8-3-19-1, then pushes a young fan out of the path of a speeding taxi as he rushes across the street for an autograph.The review that would be talked about for years to come•Getty ImagesThe review that lives on
2011 World Cup semi-final, Mohali
You can see why Ian Gould gave it out: the ball turned past the inside edge, smacked the front pad in front of middle stump, and the batter hadn’t taken a particularly long stride forward. You can see why Hawk-Eye suggested it would have missed leg stump: the bowler had released from fairly wide on the crease, creating a significant initial inward angle, and the ball turned and still had a fair distance to travel.A reasonable on-field decision, legitimately overturned. That both those things are possible is one of the many reasons cricket is so confoundingly beautiful.But this was Saeed Ajmal to Sachin Tendulkar in an India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final, so it wasn’t just another confoundingly beautiful moment. It became the stuff of conspiracy theories, charged by history and geography. And destiny.Tendulkar was on 23, and batting fluently, serenely. Then this ball happened, and the rest of his innings was a struggle. He kept offering chances, and Pakistan kept shelling them. He made 85. India won.Tendulkar had a World Cup to win. Everything would align to make it happen.In full flow, Mohammad Asif was an artist with the ball•Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty ImagesMohammad Asif in full swing
2007 World T20 group game, Durban
The final almost consigns this game to history’s scrapheap, but the India-Pakistan group stage game provided fans of Mohammad Asif (and who isn’t?) the wistfully nostalgic hit only he can provide. Bowling first, Asif, whose gifts in the shortest format hadn’t yet been as obvious, had India on toast in a scintillating opening spell.There’s no love lost between Gautam Gambhir and Pakistan, and it was just three balls in that Asif sent him back for a duck with a superb catch off his own bowling. It was the next three dismissals that were trademark Asif, though – Test match balls on a T20 surface. They all swung in wickedly almost in defiance of the laws of physics, and Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik had no defence against them.He was given the full four overs, and he had made them count. The arrogance and swagger in full flow by the end, he waved Karthik off to the pavilion. The Pakistan supporters were on their feet, and India on their knees at 36 for four. If a first Pakistan World Cup win was to come, Asif had made it possible.And it would surely come now, wouldn’t it?

Tottenham Hotspur are a side that have fallen below the expectations set for them in the Premier League in recent years, as seen by their standings last campaign.

The Lilywhites ended the year in a measly 17th position, only one place above the relegation zone and becoming the first side to survive in the division after losing 22 matches.

As a result, Ange Postecoglou lost his job, with Thomas Frank the man tasked with building on their European triumph and transforming their league form.

The Dane has already wasted no time in the role in North London, targeting countless players who could help improve the current situation at the club.

Whilst no first team additions have yet been agreed, work has been conducted behind the scenes, in an attempt to catapult the side to added success in 2025/26.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Mohammed Kudus has been a player firmly on their radar in recent days, even making a £50m offer for the West Ham United star, but the offer was swiftly rejected.

The Ghanaian was said to be wanting a move to join Frank’s men this window and The Athletic’s David Ornstein has since revealed that a £55m total agreement has now been struck for the 24-year-old.

However, despite the interest in the former Ajax star, moves have been made elsewhere, with Southampton star Tyler Dibling once again in their sights, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

He claims that the Lilywhites have made an approach for the 19-year-old star, despite suffering relegation back to the Championship with the Saints last season.

He also claims that Nottingham Forest and West Ham are other teams keeping tabs on the teenage star, who could be available for around £55m this summer.

Why Spurs’ £55m target could be a bigger talent than Kudus

Over the last couple of months, Spurs have showcased the attacking threat they possess, registering 64 goals in their 38 league outings last season.

Brennan Johnson ended the year as the club’s top scorer, notching 18 goals across all competitions, including in the Europa League final, subsequently ending the club’s 17-year drought.

Other players such as Dominic Solanke and James Maddison also managed to achieve double figures, highlighting the strength in depth currently at Frank’s disposal.

However, such depth clearly isn’t enough, especially considering the rumours around moves for Kudus and Dibling over the last couple of weeks.

Both would represent impressive options for the Dane, but given the nature of the fees touted for each player’s signature, it is crucial they land the right one during the off-season.

When comparing their respective stats from the Premier League last time out, the Saints’ youngster managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, despite the relegation – highlighting why he’d be a better addition.

Dibling, who’s been labelled “incredible” by former boss Ivan Juric, managed to register a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, whilst matching the Hammers star for goals per shot on target – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses.

Games played

33

32

Goals & assists

2

8

Shot on target accuracy

32%

28%

Goal per shot on target

0.2

0.2

Progressive passes

3.1

2.7

Passes into final third

1.9

1.6

Carries into final third

2.4

2

Fouls won

2.4

2.2

He also managed to register more progressive passes per 90, and more passes into the final third, subsequently having the tools to provide some of the aforementioned talents with added opportunities in front of goal.

The teenager’s dominance doesn’t end there, producing a higher tally of carries into the final third, whilst also drawing more fouls – showcasing the threat he poses to the opposition at any given time.

Whilst £55m may appear to be a huge risk for such a young talent, he’s already showcased he can thrive despite featuring for a side who fell well below the expectations set in 2024/25.

There’s no denying that Kudus would also represent an excellent pickup, but ultimately, Dibling has already outperformed him and has the tools to rapidly develop further, given his tender age.

Spurs eyeing "immense" £40m Kudus alternative who'd be their own Rodrygo

Spurs are looking at a £40m alternative to Kudus.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2025

West Bromwich Albion are struggling for consistency during this gruelling winter period. The side's narrow 1-0 win at home to Norwich City on Boxing Day was just their second in five Championship matches, having also lost twice and drawn once.

Additionally, the only goal of the game came through Brandon Thomas-Asante, who found the net for the eighth time this campaign and is leading the Baggies' goalscoring charts.

West Brom could sign £1m-rated "huge talent" to improve Thomas-Asante's fortunes

West Brom could get the best out of Thomas-Asante this winter by signing this £1m-rated “huge talent”.

ByAdam Scully Dec 20, 2023

The Midlands club have been quite reliant on the former Salford City man's goals this season but with the January transfer window quickly approaching, head coach Carlos Corberan could look to sign one player that West Brom have been previously linked with to bolster his side's attacking department.

West Bromwich Albion transfer news – Ben Brereton Diaz

One player that West Brom have been linked to in recent months is Ben Brereton Diaz, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Baggies are keeping tabs on his situation at Villarreal. The outlet are claiming that both Leicester City and Southampton are also eyeing up the Chile international ahead of the January transfer window.

Brereton Diaz spent the last few seasons at Ewood Park with Blackburn Rovers, scoring 47 goals and registering 16 assists in all competitions for the Lancashire club. However, 38 of these goals came in his final two campaigns with the Riversiders, with journalist Alan Nixon describing him as a "goal machine".

During the summer, the attacker moved to La Liga side Villarreal on a free transfer but has struggled for game-time since joining The Yellow Submarine on a £29k-per-week deal.

The Chilean has seen just 544 minutes of action for the Spanish outfit since the beginning of the campaign which has been spread across 19 appearances in total and he has failed to bag a single goal or assist in his time at the club. Now, a move back to England looks to be on the cards and West Brom should try to shove themselves to the front of the queue for his signature.

How Ben Brereton Diaz compares to Romelu Lukaku

West Brom have been starved of a consistent goalscorer for some time now. In fact, last season, Thomas Asante finished level with Daryl Dike on seven goals in the Championship as the duo shared the club's top goalscorer award.

This term, Thomas Asante is leading West Brom's charts once more for the club and has already beaten his tally from his debut season. However, Corberan's second-most prolific player has been midfielder John Swift.

West Brom's last prolific goalscorer, in truth, was Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgian titan found the net 17 times in 35 appearances on a season-long loan at the Hawthorns during the 2012/13 campaign before eventually returning to Chelsea, having had a great career since. Nonetheless, Brereton Diaz's most potent season in English football was even better than Lukaku's record with West Brom, having converted 22 times from 37 league appearances throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

Additionally, that season, the ex-Nottingham Forest attacker massively outperformed Thomas Asante's numbers from this current term.

Goals

0.61

0.38

Expected Goals

0.36

0.59

Assists

0.11

0.08

Expected Assists

0.07

0.04

Shots

2.91

2.30

Shots On Target

1.25

1.04

Goals Per Shot

0.14

0.17

Progressive Passes Received

5.81

4.30

Key Passes

0.67

0.45

Stats via FBref

Corberan could also play the pair together. In his career, Brereton Diaz has been deployed all along the frontline, including from the flanks. In a wide position, he has bagged 27 goals and registered 13 assists in 122 appearances. The Spanish coach can potentially use Brereton Diaz off the left in the absence of Matt Phillips, who is out until near the end of the season, while keeping Thomas Asante up top.

This is a move that could revolutionise West Brom's forward line ahead of what will be a gruelling second half of the campaign and should certainly be considered by the coaching and recruitment staff.

Having been without a reliable presence through the middle over an extended period – stretching back to the days of Lukaku – snapping up the former Rovers man could prove a real statement signing for those at the Hawthorns.

Leeds United have had their fair share of impressive number nines over the years and current head coach Daniel Farke has two superb forward options at his disposal.

Georgino Rutter and Joel Piroe have combined for nine goals and six assists in the Championship so far this season as part of the club's dynamic front two.

The likes of Patrick Bamford and Chris Wood in relatively recent second division campaigns gone by have also been superb goalscorers for the Whites.

One excellent marksman who supporters may not immediately think of when they look back on the club's best strikers at this level is towering centre-forward Matt Smith.

Matt Smith's goal record at Leeds

The 6 foot 5 titan was signed from League One side Oldham ahead of the 2013/14 campaign after a return of six goals in 34 games in the third tier.

Leeds snapped him up and it turned out to be a fantastic piece of business as the giant finisher enjoyed a fantastic season in front of goal at Elland Road.

Smith racked up 12 goals and six assists in 39 Championship appearances as a star for the Whites, to go along with one goal and one assist in four cup matches.

His impressive performances for the Yorkshire-based side led to a £500k move to Fulham, who had just been relegated from the Premier League.

They loaned him straight out to Bristol City and the ex-Leeds man went on to score 13 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for the Robins before a return of five goals and two assists in 15 games for the Cottagers during the second half of the season.

Matt Smith's goal record this season

After spells with Queens Park Rangers and Millwall at Championship level, Smith secured a transfer to Salford in January 2021 and he has gone on to be consistent scorer for his current club in recent years.

Appearances

102

102

Goals

23

21

Assists

12

Nine

The 34-year-old marksman has plundered an eye-catching 34 goals and five assists in 91 games for the League Two outfit, having dropped down from the second tier.

This season, Smith is enjoying a career-year as his 14-goal haul in just 18 league matches is already the best tally he has ever managed in a single league season at first-team level. His previous high was a return of 13 goals in 41 Championship outings for Millwall during the 2019/20 campaign.

The veteran striker, who Salford journalist Lewis Gray claimed is in "red hot" form, has also registered two assists and chipped in with one goal in two EFL Cup clashes.

This means that Smith has racked up 15 goals and two assists in all competitions this season, whilst no Leeds player has managed more than Crysencio Summerville and Piroe's respective tally of six goals each.

It is good to see that the experience centre-forward has been able to forge a strong career for himself, with respectable spells in the Championship at QPR and Millwall after his time with Bristol City and Fulham, following his exit from Leeds in 2014.