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Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool last month but he wasn't the only stalwart to have departed. Joel Matip, Klopp's first signing as Anfield manager, left at the end of his contract, as did £200k-per-week veteran Thiago Alcantara.

Thiago played just five minutes of football this season as injuries superseded his world-class ability, while Matip has been ruled out since December with an ACL injury, but new head coach Arne Slot will know that his squad is somewhat on the thin side and signings will be targetted across several departments.

According to The Athletic, FSG's priority is landing a centre-back and a wide forward, but despite last summer's vigorous reshuffling in the centre of the park, it seems like Slot could move to bolster the midfield further.

Liverpool eyeing new midfielder

As per BILD – via Sport Witness – Liverpool are set to tussle against Premier League arch-rivals for the signing of prodigious teenager Assan Ouedraogo – who is likely to leave Schalke this summer – having already made 'enquiries' regarding the in-demand ace.

FSG are hoping to exploit Schalke's imperilled situation following their failure to escape from Bundesliga 2., with BILD revealing that English clubs would only need to pay €10m (£8m) to sign the 18-year-old.

Bayern Munich have been long-time admirers of the young German but have pulled out of the race following Vincent Kompany's managerial anointment. The door is open for Liverpool to swoop.

Why Liverpool are interested in Assan Ouedraogo

Described as a "talented" young midfielder by scout Jacek Kulig, Ouedraogo has showcased his skills in testing conditions this season but has had a lid placed on his development by unfortunate injuries that restricted him to just 17 league appearances, starting nine times, scoring three goals and supplying one assist.

As per FBref, Ouedraogo ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Bundesliga 2. for goals scored and successful take-ons and the top 12% for shot-creating actions and progressive carries per 90.

Despite meagre opportunity on the pitch when fully fit, Ouedraogo has still successfully showcased his skills, fostering an innate predatory instinct in front of goal with the wheels and technical skill to boot.

Transfermarkt analyst Manuel Veth has even remarked that the versatile midfielder bears similarities to Real Madrid phenomenon Jude Bellingham, who has enjoyed an extraordinary rise to the fore over the past four years.

Indeed, Bellingham signed for Carlo Ancelotti's all-conquering side last summer in a deal which could rise to £115m, with his recent outing against former outfit Borussia Dortmund capping an almighty debut campaign with the Champions League trophy, having already triumphed in La Liga.

He's a remarkable player vis-a-vis his goalscoring instinct and sharp creative edge, but Bellingham's all-round skill set is what differentiates him from the droves of talented youngsters.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, the 6 foot 1 Bellingham demonstrated his ball-playing expertise by completing a 90% pass success rate in La Liga, averaging 1.7 key passes and 73 touches per game, in the thick of the action and highly effective while at it.

Moreover, he's invariably seeking to advance the play, chalking up 1.8 dribbles per game from his attack-minded role. Bellingham also made 1.5 tackles, 6.7 successful duels and 4.2 ball recoveries per fixture.

He's combative, creative, crafty and committed. Full of vim and vigour and endowed with supreme athletic qualities. He's also intelligent and one of the very best in one-on-one situations. Which brings us back to Ouedraogo.

How Ouedraogo compares to Bellingham

The Schalke starlet, first and foremost, carries many similar skills to that of Bellingham and this is evidenced through his seasonal metrics, limited though they are, in the German second division, succeeding with 1.8 dribbles per match and 4.3 duels.

Development is not linear, and thus Ouedraogo must not stress. To be honest, one could probably count the players on one hand who have enjoyed a faster start to the summit of the game than Bellingham, such is his precocity.

Nonetheless, those who have observed the 6 foot 3 Ouedraogo in action throughout his fledgling phase know of his potential, lofty and looming. Analyst Ben Mattinson, for example, has even remarked that the teenager is "destined for elite football".

Ouedraogo has already proven himself a natural-born winner too, instrumental in winning the U17 FIFA World Cup with Germany in 2023, starting in the quarter-final, semi-final (scoring against Poland) and final, where he helped his side triumph on penalties over France.

Slot must be licking his lips at the possibility of landing such an exciting young player, who would add to a talented Liverpool team to provide depth and dynamism without finding too heavy a burden placed on his shoulders.

Instead, he can channel his skills over the coming years and serve as the understudy to the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott.

But in a few years, Ouedraogo may well be performing at the top of the European game; he has the talent to do so. Slot and FSG must ensure he is plying his trade at Anfield.

Liverpool call off move to sign "outstanding" £40m star who Arne Slot wanted

The Reds were early frontrunners.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 6, 2024

Manchester City have been told it's a “brave” call to expand their stadium despite the threat of being thrown out of the Premier League.

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• Champions fighting FFP case
• Maintain their innocence
• Plan to expand Etihad Stadium

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The reigning champions of England continue to fight a Financial Fair Play (FFP) case that has seen at least 115 charges brought against them. The hearing is now open, with City waiting to discover what the final outcome will be.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There has been talk of expulsion from the Premier League, or the EFL as a whole, while points deductions and transfer embargoes have also been speculated on. City maintain their innocence, though, and continue to draw up long-term plans.

• WHAT FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE CHIEF SAID

  It has been revealed that the North Stand at the Etihad Stadium will be renovated, taking the venue’s capacity above 60,000 from the 2025-26 campaign. Former Everton chief Keith Wyness has told of City making that decision against the backdrop of uncertainty on the FFP front: “Man City have been brave throughout the 115 charges situation. They’ve looked everyone in the eye, maintained their innocence – and only time will tell us what comes out of the hearing. It’s a big sign, to increase the Etihad’s capacity to that level. But they’ve got to do it to stay competitive in the Premier League.

  “If they do get a punishment and they are out of the league for a season or two, that’s about the time it will take to finish this construction. They will plead their innocence to the last day and this is just another part of that. Attendances and ticket prices have been a big question at City, but that could just be because they have so many high-level games continually. But they’ll be able to pick up the tourism factor as well and fill those seats – they’ll have no problems with a 60,000-seat stadium.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  City can welcome just over 53,000 spectators through their doors at present, with the plan being to generate even more revenue from the matchday experience. They may, however, struggle to fill such a vast arena if they are dumped out of the Premier League and forced to climb back up the Football League ladder.

Well, here we are. The end of Ange Postecoglou's first season at the helm of Tottenham Hotspur. How will it be defined?

A blistering start to post-Antonio Conte life reinvigorated the north London club and hinted at the success that could be on the cards, with Postecoglou winning a hat-trick of Premier League Manager of the Month awards to start his English career.

Injuries, setbacks and dismal drops in form have pulled Spurs into fifth place with one fixture left to play, but travelling to relegated Sheffield United, Tottenham need just one point to stave off the advance of resurgent Chelsea, who are three points behind and host Bournemouth.

Postecoglou will be confident that his team can close the campaign on a high but will do so nursing a host of injuries. Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Timo Werner and Destiny Udogie remain sidelined, with further fringe players also ruled out.

Still, Postecoglou could enforce two changes to the team that lost to the champions-elect on Tuesday evening.

1

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario has been one of the most consistent performers in Tottenham's squad this season but he was unable to stop Erling Haaland from clinching a double last time out, thwarted after some impressive early saves.

Still, the Italian hasn't missed a minute in the Premier League this season and holds down one position that the Lilywhites need not worry about in the market this summer.

2

RB – Pedro Porro

Despite a few setbacks, Pedro Porro has been fantastic under Postecoglou and will be in with a shout for the club's Player of the Season. Rarely substituted, he's likely to make his 35th starting display at Bramall Lane.

3

CB – Cristian Romero

One of the most aggressive, tenacious and fear-inducing defenders in the Premier League, Cristian Romero has been immense this season (red cards notwithstanding).

The Argentine 2022 World Cup winner is sure to be on the shopping lists of some high-profile outfits this summer but Spurs will fight desperately to ensure he's still down N17 come September.

4

CB – Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin enjoyed an impressive performance against Manchester City, dispossessing Haaland early on and being handed an 8/10 match rating by football.london's Alasdair Gold.

He's been used infrequently since signing from Genoa for £27m in January but with Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies out injured, he's found a great opportunity to showcase his skills at the season's late stage.

5

LB – Micky van de Ven

Having cut his teeth as a full-back with FC Volendam in the Netherlands as a youth, Micky van de Ven has covered for Tottenham's injured left-backs superbly, lively and coming out on top in four duels during the recent defeat.

The 23-year-old's qualities are best served in central defence but his ability to impress and maintain fluency in a makeshift role speaks of his high-level ability.

6

CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

Rodrigo Bentancur cut an incensed figure after being substituted after 55 minutes against the Premier League's foremost force. But he caught the eye against City and will hope to end the season on a high after venting his anger on a defenceless chair.

The Uruguayan has endured a protracted period of frustration after spending most of 2023 out injured and failing to recapture his one-time form.

But with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's error-strewn display leaving much to be desired, the Danish "monster" – as he was once hailed by countryman Morten Bisgaard – must be benched and Bentancur handed the keys as the holding midfielder.

7

CM – Pape Matar Sarr

Pape Matar Sarr played further forward than usual against City but is probably going to move back into deeper, more familiar territory against the Blades.

An extremely talented but still unrefined midfielder, the 21-year-old Sarr ranks among the top 19% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and progressive passes, the top 20% for pass completion, the top 15% for assists and the top 17% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

8

RW – Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham have enjoyed the best and the worst of Dejan Kulusevski's attributes in 2023/24, who, after an excellent start to the season, has lost his footing and has started 11 of his past 16 games.

The Sweden international has only posted one goal and one assist apiece in 2024 but impressed off the bench earlier in the week, causing 'plenty of problems for City' – as Gold put it.

9

AM – James Maddison

James Maddison has started to find his feet again after struggling to replicate his pre-injury form in recent months, and now he must prove to Gareth Southgate that he's fit and firing ahead of this summer's European Championship.

As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old completed 90% of his passes, placed four key passes, succeeded with his one attempted dribble and won seven of his eight duels during the defeat against Manchester City.

More of the same, please.

10

LW – Brennan Johnson

With Kulusevski likely to be back in the starting line-up, Brennan Johnson's position-hopping finish to his first year as a Lilywhite will continue, with the Welshman back on the left.

He earned an assist during his last foray on that side of the frontline at Anfield and will cause a host of problems to the beleaguered Blades.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has confirmed midfielder George Evans will undergo ankle surgery, forcing him out for "months".

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• Evans suffers ankle injury
• Wrexham ace set for surgery
• Midfielder will be out for "months"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 29-year-old suffered the injury in Wrexham's 1-0 loss to Stevenage Town on Tuesday, with manager Parkinson describing the setback as a "huge" injury blow. The former Millwall man is now set for an extended period on the sidelines.

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  WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

  He said, via : "All we can do is get the operation done as quickly as possible and give him the best rehab going forward. What we’ve been told is the surgeon, when he has a look inside, will understand the extent of the damage more so they don’t want to put a timescale on it until the operation. But it will be months with George."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While this is a blow for the Red Dragons, Evans has not been a regular in Parkinson's side this season – with just one of his five League One appearances being as a starter. Moreover, they are still second in the table and are in an excellent position after nine matches. Despite that, losing a player to injury is never a good thing.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham will look to return to winning ways in League One on Saturday afternoon when they host lowly Northampton Town at Stok Cae Ras, before taking on Wolves' Under-21s in the EFL Trophy three days later.

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has revealed his crazy penalty proposal that would revolutionise Premier League football.

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• Pundits discuss improving the game
• Neville comes up with crazy penalty proposal
• Man Utd legend not convinced it would work

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Neville and fellow pundits Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Jamie Carragher have been discussing potential changes that could be put in place to improve football and "make it 100 per cent better forever." Carragher's idea was to "get rid of extra time," Roy Keane joked about using "bigger goals," while Neville came up with an idea to add more excitement and help decide games that ended all square.

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• WHAT NEVILLE SAID

  He said on : "I'll go that radical. I’ve got the end of [drawn] league games, penalties for an extra point, so you get two points [if you win the shoot-out]. Make it exciting, every game, for a fan that comes. A kid goes to a game for the first time, it might be their only game of the season, sees a nil-nil draw or a 1-1. [If it goes to penalties] there's a winner. At least there's penalties. Kids love penalties. My girls love penalties at the end."

  Yet Neville's idea didn't go down too well with his fellow pundits who described it as "very American isn't it?" Neville eventually conceded: "Yeah, not sure it works actually, but it's an idea that could be tweaked."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Penalties obviously are not used in the Premier League but do feature in cup competitions. Indeed the Carabao Cup has recently seen changes made so that games before the semi-final stage go straight to spot-kicks rather than extra-time in case of a draw.

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• DID YOU KNOW

  Fulham and Preston were the latest two teams to be involved in penalty drama, with the Championship side stunning their Premier League opposition 16-15 in the longest penalty shootout in Carabao Cup history.

After a season that started with plenty of play-off promise ended with a disappointing 16th-place finish, Sunderland are reportedly set to suffer transfer consequences in the coming months.

Sunderland transfer news

If those at the Stadium of Light could go back in time, then it would be interesting to see whether they would have parted ways with Tony Mowbray in favour of appointing Michael Beale. When the former left, the Black Cats were battling well for a top six place, but by the time his successor departed, their play-off chances were left looking more like a pipe dream than anything else.

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By
Kelan Sarson

May 7, 2024

Mike Dodds' interim spell in charge didn't help improve things either, resulting in a season to forget on Wearside. Now, Sunderland have been left searching for their next manager in a decision they must get right. The likes of Paul Heckingbottom and Steve Cooper have been linked, but it remains to be seen just who will be stepping into the hot seat.

Whoever it is though, they will reportedly face an instant transfer problem as a result of a frustrating campaign at the Stadium of Light. According to Graeme Bailey, Sunderland will lose Trai Hume this summer as a consequence of their struggles.

Bailey told Sunderland AFC News: ”I think you’re going to lose Hume at right-back too. Well, they were looking to sell the lad you got from PSG [Pembele], but I think one of the right-backs will go. They had originally signed the PSG boy to succeed Hume, but he hasn’t got much of a look in, has he?”

It's quite the blow for Sunderland, who could lose not one, but two right-backs to leave them with no choice other than to turn towards the transfer market for reinforcements. Hume would be a particularly frustrating exit, given his starting role and high praise from Mowbray, who said: "I told him to be patient, that there would be injuries and therefore opportunities, and to make sure that he was ready to grab it.

"Make me think, 'wow'. That's what happened, Lynden has moved on, Luke is at centre back, and Trai has made that position his own."

Hume departure would sum Sunderland's season up

As much as Sunderland will want to look towards positives and starting a new era at the Stadium of Light, Hume's exit would deal them a huge blow, even if the right offer comes in to clear his reported £3k-a-week salary from their wage bill.

His exit would act as a warning sign of just how important at least competing for a place in the Championship's top six is and then, of course, promotion to the Premier League. With or without Sunderland, however, Dodds believes that Hume has top-flight quality, having praised the right-back via Chronicle Live back in March.

Dodds said: “If he carries on the path he is going to, Trai is going to the Premier League. That’s how good I think he is. When you think of full-backs in this league, Trai would definitely be one of the best if not the best full-backs in the league and I don't think there will be many arguments over that."

If he is to exit as predicted by Bailey, then perhaps the Premier League is where Hume is heading this summer. At 22 years old, he's certainly got the time and potential to thrive at the top level.

Arne Slot provided an update on Federico Chiesa's potential Liverpool debut against Nottingham Forest.

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• Chiesa signed from Juventus on deadline day
• Had been working on his match fitness since the transfer
• Joined team training on Thursday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus during the summer transfer window in a deal that could rise to £12.5 million. However, the Italian star did not have a full pre-season with Juventus, having only played sparingly since Italy’s elimination from the European Championship at the end of June.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  During the international break, Chiesa had been training with Liverpool's U21 squad at the AXA Training Centre. This period has been crucial for him to build up his fitness and sharpness, allowing him to integrate with his new teammates and since Thursday he has been training in full swing with the senior team.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Slot provided an encouraging yet cautious update regarding Chiesa’s potential inclusion in the squad for the Nottingham Forest game. He said: "Chiesa has trained three or four times with the team, so let's see how he does today because we have more than 20 players to choose from."

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• SLOT REACTS TO ELLIOTT'S INJURY

  Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott has a fractured foot and could be on the sidelines until late October. He impressed Slot with robust performances during pre-season and the latest setback is a "big disappointment" for the Dutch manager.

  "Harvey it's a big disappointment for him and us," he said. "Not played a lot but did in pre-season and did really well. If he stayed fit he would've played a lot but now he isn't and it's a chance for someone else. It's a blow for him and us because availability is important at this stage of the season. He will work hard to come back in the best way."

How to define Tottenham Hotspur's infuriating defeat against arch-rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon? How to define Ange Postecoglou's first campaign at the helm after replacing Antonio Conte at the struggling London club last summer?

Tottenham's narrative is complex and multi-layered, with more depth required than a perfunctory glance at the slide from the fantastic early-season, table-topping form and subsequent inconsistency that has left Champions League qualification dangling by a thread in the final phase of the campaign.

Without question, there is much scope for growth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but there is also a vast stretch of land between the current crop and the coveted location at the forefront of domestic and continental football.

Maybe Tottenham will fail in their bid for a place among Europe's elite next year, maybe that's okay. Of course, there's still every chance that Spurs will prevail against Chelsea, against Liverpool, against Manchester City, it's just a tough run to close the campaign.

One of the chief reasons behind the dip in form, or rather the failure to emulate that early-stage brilliance, has been the struggles of James Maddison, who was so influential in his creative performances early on, transferring from relegated Leicester City for a £40m fee last summer.

James Maddison's season in numbers

What better way to start off your journey at a new club than by earning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August? Thus Maddison had set the tone under Postecoglou, emphatic in lifting the north London side after a terrible 2022/23 campaign that culminated in the sale of Harry Kane.

But an ankle injury suffered against Chelsea in November has kept the 27-year-old away from his finest football ever since, slashing a detrimental blow through the verve that had left Lilywhites supporters giddy.

As per FBref, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 6% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90 – evidence, surely, of an elite-level playmaker.

But there's no denying that Maddison has failed to reclaim that blistering pre-injury form that had left the Premier League in a frenzy, with his 3/10 match rating – by football.london – in Spurs' recent loss against the Gunners emblematic of the bitter lapse that sent Spurs' season into a spin.

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Arsenal took on Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

By
Matt Dawson

Apr 28, 2024

While Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and co have strengths in their wide play, Gareth Bale would have been the ultimate partner for Maddison to fire himself back into his finest form, even more so than had Kane remained at the outfit last summer.

Why Spurs signed Gareth Bale

After a promising start to life on the professional scene with Southampton, scoring five goals and supplying 12 assists across 45 matches as a teenage full-back in the Championship, Bale captured the attention of Premier League heavy-hitters Manchester United and Tottenham, with the latter winning the race and signing the 17-year-old for an initial £5m in May 2007.

Incredibly, Bale proved to have something of a penchant for disaster and failed to win any of his opening 24 matches for Spurs, though he put this ill-fortuned reputation behind him and forged a pathway to the top of the game, shifting to a forward-placed role after his supreme athletic ability and blooming deadliness in front of goal become clear.

Across 237 appearances over two spells with Tottenham, the Wales phenomenon posted 72 goals and 57 assists and established himself as one of the finest forwards in Europe, with his final campaign during his first spell – in 2012/13 – securing a return of 26 goals and 14 assists from 41 matches in all competitions.

The 34-year-old, now retired, improved with each passing campaign and won the PFA Player of the Year during that last, pre-Spain season in London.

Hailed as "unbelievable" and a "super talent" by Andre Villas-Boas back in 2013, the 111-cap international indeed went from strength to strength at Tottenham and dazzled, through his incredible Champions League performances against reigning champions Inter Milan in 2010/11, his ridiculous rate of prolific form, his frightening pace and power.

Bale has etched his name into Tottenham's halls eternally and while he left when a certain Spanish club came calling, he is remembered as a modern legend down at N17, where he cut his teeth and became one of the standout stars of his generation.

Why Spurs sold Gareth Bale

Tottenham sold Bale to Real Madrid in 2013 for a world-record £85m fee, eclipsing the previous record that saw Los Blancos bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish capital from Manchester United in 2009, making a jaw-dropping 750% profit on the one-time outlay that Daniel Levy granted to bring the teenage talent to the side.

It was a staggering transfer but not without full merit, with the Welshman proving his worth as one of Europe's best with his performances at Tottenham and fully deserving a shot at Real, one of the most prestigious and illustrious outfits in the world.

Reports suggested that Manchester United were hellbent on signing Bale after that initial failure to land their man, way back when, though Spurs supporters' pains were spared when he headed overseas, a move that proved auspicious for him.

Having retired at a relatively early age, Bale can rest with a stunning trophy cabinet at Real Madrid that saw him plunder five Champions League titles, three La Liga trophies and one Copa del Rey, among a host of other honours.

European football expert Zach Lowy outlined the facets that have left this wonderful star a true sensation of his time, saying: "Gareth Bale took Wales to the Euros semifinals, took Real Madrid from zero Champions Leagues in 11 years to five Champions Leagues in 8 years, and has just taken Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years. Legend of the game."

While Tottenham's erstwhile maverick didn't enjoy his trophy-laden days at the club, he is truly one of the greatest to play the game, and would be the standout among the current crop, enhancing the games of his peers considerably.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has dismissed any concerns regarding Federico Chiesa’s fitness, after seeing him endure injury struggles at Juventus.

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• Italian taking on English adventure
• Questions asked of injury record
• Reds will not rush winger into action

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italy international winger has completed an £11 million ($15m) transfer to Anfield, with the 26-year-old snapped up in a cut-price deal after entering the final year of his contract in Turin. Chiesa sat out games in all four of his seasons at Juve, with a cruciate ligament tear keeping him sidelined for nine months in 2022.

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• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Liverpool believe that the Euro 2020 winner has merely been unfortunate when it comes to picking up knocks, with Slot expecting the Italian to be available on a regular basis as he takes on a Premier League adventure. The Reds’ Dutch coach has said of Chiesa: “It's true he had an ACL issue but the rest he didn't have big injuries, just minor like other players maybe. I trust my performance staff, he is not the only winger we have, we have others, so if he is not available at certain moments we have others and there are enough players to choose.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Chiesa’s injury record is mixed at best, there is no questioning his quality. Liverpool are delighted to have him on board and expect a debut to be made after the September international break. Slot added on his newest recruit: “I'm excited, if we sign someone who can help us and improve the squad, of course you're excited to get him in. One of the best things of working here is the culture of this team; they work so hard to achieve their goals and I think it is important the first player you bring in has the same culture. He works really hard on and off the pitch, he can score goals and is aggressive off the ball and he can play so many positions, an interesting signing. We will take care of him because he hasn't trained much but we have good performance staff to build him in the right way and we can see his quality in the near future.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Liverpool have confirmed that Chiesa will train alongside his new team-mates on Friday, but he is unlikely to be included in the Reds’ matchday squad for a meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday. His Premier League bow could be made against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on September 14.

It was one of those days that had supporters waking with a gnawing sense of unease. Even the most sanguine of Liverpool fans would have feared a fifth slip in as many matches to close Jurgen Klopp's tenure with a whimper.

But, alas, the ship has been steadied and Liverpool dispatched Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League to leapfrog Manchester City (who have a game in hand) into second place, behind table-toppers Arsenal only on goal difference.

Whether Liverpool complete a staggering title triumph in the weeks to come is unknown, such hopes hang in the balance after some damaging recent results, but the fact remains that Liverpool rebuilt last summer to create a team of great promise and quality once again, and Klopp leaves his legacy in good hands.

Of course, such hands are undetermined right now, with The Athletic's David Ornstein revealing that Ruben Amorim is West Ham United's top target and that a move to Liverpool is unlikely, with the all-knowing journalist quashing widespread belief that he was the frontrunner.

Who the Reds will seek to anoint as helmsman is anyone's guess now, but FSG's new CEO of Football, Michael Edwards, appears to be identifying possible signings to strengthen the squad at the dawn of a new era.

Liverpool eyeing La Liga star

According to prominent French publication L'Equipe, Liverpool are in the hunt for new defenders and have earmarked Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy for transfer.

L'Equipe reveal that France international Mendy has already been in contact with the Merseysiders concerning a possible transfer this summer, with Arsenal also keen and the player is understood to have rejected interest from Newcastle United.

Los Blancos welcomed Mendy, who is 28 years old, to the ranks in 2019 after completing a £47m deal with Lyon, and it appears that the different parties feel his journey in Madrid has reached a natural conclusion.

Ferland Mendy's style of play

With rumours mounting surrounding Real Madrid's interest in Bayern Munich speedster Alphonso Davies, it makes sense that Mendy might be on the way out, with his game time sure to diminish upon the Canadian's prospective arrival.

Throughout the duration of his Real Madrid career, Mendy has completed 165 matches, scoring six goals and supplying ten assists, having been described in the past as a "very balanced FB" and an "offensive machine" by Real Madrid content creator Ardit Loconte.

As per Sofascore, Mendy has chalked up 21 appearances in the Spanish top flight this season, completing 94% of his passes, taking 62 touches per fixture, averaging 0.5 key passes and 4.2 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 56% of his dribbles.

He's not very creative but that's not really his role, instead focusing on his dribbling ability – analyst Raj Chohan has even heralded him as a "1v1 beast" after one performance when pitted against France superstar Kylian Mbappe.

His complete style of play aligns with the attributes of some of the Premier League's finest wide defenders, and while he is considered a similar player to Trent Alexander-Arnold, his playing style is far more similar to that of Andy Robertson, who he may well succeed on Merseyside.

Why Liverpool are interested in Ferland Mendy

Mendy is not one of the galactico-level names at Santiago Bernabeu but he is a shrewd and steady operator at left-back and has been a key component for a side that has picked up the Champions League, two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey trophy since his arrival.

While there may be similarities to be drawn between Mendy's style of play and Robertson's, he's unquestionably more conservative and crisp in his distribution, ranking among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past. year for pass completion and the top 18% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref.

Still, the £172k-per-week defender has excelled in the Spanish capital and would bring a welcome layer of protection to the Anfield backline, perhaps even taking Robertson's place as the starting star in his position.

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Robertson is an elite defender and has been heralded as the "best left-back in the Premier League" by former Everton ace Kevin Kilbane, scoring nine goals and supplying 65 assists across 293 appearances, singing under Klopp in a shrewd £10m deal from Hull City in 2017, right at the start of the club's illustrious chapter.

While he has been afflicted by injuries this season, the 29-year-old has still produced some comparatively successful displays in the Premier League, scoring one goal and adding two assists across 14 starting roles, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 2.6 key passes and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.

Mendy's steely defensive security and secure ball control make him the perfect player to succeed the Scotland international at Liverpool – or perhaps even just serve as a foil to open up a valuable extra dimension for the new manager, whoever that may be.

The 5 foot 10 ace has a wealth of trophy-winning experience from numerous years at Real Madrid and given that he is 28 years old, the time might feel apt to make a change and try his hand in the Premier League.

With electricity in his gait and high-class quality in his work – at both ends of the pitch – Liverpool might be wise to maintain contact with Mendy ahead of a possible summer swoop.

He might just be the perfect new player to ensure that Liverpool keep their place at the forefront of the Premier League next season.