Former Germany midfielder Didi Hamann criticised the match officials after Luis Diaz was wrongly deemed onside before scoring the equaliser, which proved to be the turning point in Bayern Munich’s 4-1 win over Koln. Hamann argued that the absence of VAR until the third round of the DFB-Pokal is unfair to teams that have been eliminated due to refereeing errors.
Diaz and Bayern benefit from lack of VAR in Koln win
Koln took the lead through Ragnar Ache after making a strong start to the game, testing Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig on multiple occasions. The turning point came in the 36th minute when Diaz scored the equaliser in controversial fashion. Konrad Laimer drove forward into Koln’s half and laid the ball off for Josip Stanisic, whose shot was saved by goalkeeper Ron Robert Zieler. However, Zieler could only parry the ball into the path of Diaz, who tapped it into an empty net. Replays later showed that Diaz was in an offside position before scoring, but with VAR only available to referees from the third round of the DFB Pokal, the error went uncorrected and the goal stood. Bayern went on to win the match 4-1.
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Hamann argues Koln could have won
Former Germany and Liverpool midfielder Hamann, in his column for , criticised the officials for failing to spot Diaz’s offside goal, which he believed was the decisive moment of the match, saying: “To beat them [Bayern], everything has to fall into place. But if the 1-1 hadn't counted, then perhaps the second goal wouldn't have been scored either and Cologne would have gone into the break with a lead.”
He added: “It's all hypothetical, but when you concede a goal like that, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to beat Bayern. That's not to detract from the winners' achievements. Bayern played a great game in Koln.”
Bayern take charge with Harry Kane double
The officials’ mistake proved costly, as just two minutes after Diaz’s equaliser, Harry Kane showcased his trademark off-the-ball persistence by dispossessing a Koln defender inside the box before turning and firing home to give Bayern a 2-1 lead. The England captain doubled his tally in the 62nd minute, rising highest to head in Joshua Kimmich’s corner and make it 3-1.
With Koln chasing the game, they pushed players forward, leaving gaps at the back. In the 72nd minute, Michael Olise sparked a swift counterattack, finding Aleksandar Pavlovic, who carried the ball the length of the pitch before switching it to Diaz on the opposite flank. Diaz then squared the ball back to Olise, who calmly slotted it past Zieler to seal a 4-1 victory for Bayern. The victory marked Bayern’s 14th win in 14 games across all competitions, surpassing a record set by AC Milan in the 1992-93 season. Koln coach Lukas Kwasniok praised Bayern’s relentless form, saying he sees a strong sense of determination within Vincent Kompany’s side to chase another treble, a feat the Bavarians last achieved in the 2020-21 season.
However, Hamann argued that their treble hopes may have been dashed this week had VAR been in effect, instead of only being implemented from the third round of the DFB-Pokal. The ex-Liverpool player said the system’s partial use is unfair to teams like Koln, who have been eliminated in earlier rounds due to refereeing errors.
“The crazy thing is that teams have advanced in the DFB-Pokal due to the absence of VAR, but may benefit from it in the next rounds. That's hard for the eliminated clubs to accept,” Hamann said.
“How do you intend to explain to Koln, now that they have been eliminated, that VAR will be used from now on? That won't do them any good.
“It is not acceptable to only use the technology from the third round onwards. Either you play the entire competition with VAR, or you play the entire competition without it.”
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Bayern out to dismantle Bundesliga rivals this weekend
Bayern will aim to make it 15 wins in 15 games when they face Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, as Vincent Kompany’s men look to build on their strong momentum from recent victories.
Cole Palmer is set to miss the next six weeks for Chelsea with head coach Enzo Maresca warning that the club’s medical staff are “not magicians”.
The 23-year-old has been struggling with a groin injury for much of the season and has not played since being taken off 20 minutes into the 2-1 defeat by Manchester United on September 20.
Maresca shares Chelsea injury blow on Palmer
Prior to the international break Maresca said he had hoped to have Palmer back for Saturday’s game at Nottingham Forest but, when asked about the progress of the injury, he admitted:
The injury, which first presented when he was forced to withdraw from the line-up minutes before kick-off in the 5-1 win over West Ham in August, will not require surgery.
“He looks relaxed,” said Maresca. “He’s doing all the therapy that he needs to do. He looks good.”
Caicedo, Fernandez and Neto also Chelsea injury concerns
There was mixed injury news elsewhere in the squad with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto, who featured against Liverpool, all doubts for the trip to the City Ground.
However Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana are set to return to ease Maresca’s selection issues in defence while Andrey Santos is also back.
Manchester United is a club currently surrounded by question marks. Almost a year of poor performances in the Premier League under Ruben Amorim has led to speculation about his job security and Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’s capability to turn the club around.
Amorim is yet to record back-to-back wins in the Premier League, and with fixtures like Liverpool and Tottenham coming up, it seems unlikely that he will win two in a row before the next international break.
While their managerial recruitment is in question, the new minority owners’ on-field recruitment has been a source of praise. In the senior team, players like Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have added a spark to United’s attack that hasn’t been seen in recent years, and youngsters like Sekou Kone and of course the more experienced Amad Diallo give fans hope for the future.
Despite the transfer window not being open for several months, United are looking to continue their impressive recent recruitment and have already agreed a deal to bring in their next young talent.
United agree deal for Orozco
Earlier in the week, it was revealed that Manchester United were putting in early plans to bring in “very technical” 17-year-old Colombian midfielder Cristian Orozco. On Thursday morning, Fabrizio Romano revealed that contracts have been “sealed and signed”, and he concluded his X post with his “here we go” confirmation.
“Manchester United have now sealed and signed deal to bring in 17 year old Colombian talent Cristian Orozco,” the journalist said. “$1m transfer fee from Fortaleza in deal valid from summer 2026. MUFC lawyers approved all the contracts, deal coordinated by lead scout Antonaccio. Here we go.”
The Colombian League runs on a different schedule to the Premier League, played from January to December. This means that Orozco will leave halfway through their 2026 campaign to join United ahead of the Premier League’s 2026/27 season.
The defensive midfielder has impressed in both his club and National Youth setups. His first Colombia under-17 appearance came in January, and he has represented the side on nine occasions since then. This move is still a gamble for United as the youngster still hasn’t made his senior debut for Fortaleza, but their willingness to take the risk with Orozco is down to their faith in a United figure whose recent recruitment has been impressive.
INEOS putting faith in South America scouts
In his post, Romano specifically highlighted United lead scout Giuseppe Antonaccio as a crucial player in the deal. Antonaccio has been at the club since 2016 and focuses on scouting the South American market.
And his importance in recruiting young talent seems to be increasing. Along with the Orozco deal, he was also cited as being an important figure in bringing in United’s newest left back, Diego Leon. Leon has already made an impression at United and was kept with the first team despite initial plans to loan him out.
United have a history of being linked with talented youngsters from South America, but they have missed some major opportunities in recent years. The most notable of these was Moises Caicedo, who they reportedly could have signed for £5 million. Caicedo was eventually signed by Brighton and later moved to Chelsea for a then British transfer record of £115 million.
While it’s unlikely that Orozco, Leon or any other young talent they look to sign will surpass the £100 million mark, they could still provide some major benefits for the club. If they develop well, they could turn into important first-team players, and if we don’t hit the standards that United want, then their cheap price will make it easy for the club to sell them on for a profit at a time when they desperately need cash.
With the frantic transfer window now over and done with, and the opening set of Premier League fixtures finished, Sunderland will appreciate this downtime for the international break.
Indeed, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have headed into this mini break with a promising two top-flight victories already picked up, as the whole host of new signings gifted to the Frenchman over a lengthy summer largely impressed.
Therefore, a moment of rest could do the Wearside outfit the world of good, ahead of the fixtures coming thick and fast again, with a trip to Crystal Palace awaiting them next weekend.
Brian Brobbey will no doubt be clamouring for some action at Selhurst Park, having sealed a deadline day move from Ajax to the Stadium of Light to bolster the Black Cats up top, and steal the limelight momentarily as another statement buy at the £21.6m mark.
In a window that saw Sunderland regularly splash cash excessively, deadline day was no exception for the ambitious Premier League new boys.
Brobbey would go down as the Black Cats’ second most costly purchase of the summer, with pressure now on the Dutchman’s shoulders to live up to the hype that once saw him be dubbed a “goal machine” by scout Jacek Kulig.
From 284 career appearances both in the senior side at the Johan Cruyff Arena and on the youth pitches, the lively 23-year-old has a ridiculous 141 strikes next to his name, with Marc Guiu’s surprise return to Chelsea in the final few days of the window not hurting so much after the late capture of Brobbey was unveiled.
He wasn’t the most expensive capture, however, with that crown being handed to Habib Diarra far earlier in the summer, when he broke Sunderland’s transfer record at the £30m region.
The ex-RC Strasbourg ace has since featured in all four of Sunderland’s competitive games so far this season, with a calm 83% pass accuracy averaged in the Premier League.
Diarra will be hoping he can pick up goals and assists for fun soon, as he grows more used to the testing environment of the English top-flight.
On top of that, one of the Senegal international’s new teammates in the middle will also be praying for more first-team opportunities to come his way, as he staggeringly boasts an even heftier price tag than both the expensive 21-year-old and Brobbey.
Sunderland star looking to outshine Brobbey & Diarra
Le Bris will have plenty of selection headaches to contend with over the course of the season, off the back of a mammoth 15 fresh signings entering the swollen Sunderland ranks this summer.
With the arrival of the £30m-rated Diarra to the building, it has seen the likes of Chris Rigg struggle for gametime early on this campaign, despite the 18-year-old being heralded as a presence that will “obviously play in the Premier League” by commentator Ian Darke last year, after consistently shining bright for Le Bris and Co in their hunt for promotion glory.
Having made his senior debut at just 15, the wide-eyed Rigg has always punched above his weight and shown that he belongs in the taxing environments sprung onto him, with four goals and one assist coming his way last season to help his side achieve promotion.
Unfortunately, with the wide array of talent at Le Bris’ disposal now, the teenage sensation has only been limited to one meagre minute of Premier League action to date.
Sunderland'sChrisRigg
However, Sunderland will still be very aware of how much a prized asset Rigg is, having tied him down to a new contract until 2030 recently, amid previous interest in his services from the likes of Manchester United.
Even Real Madrid are allegedly keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old, with the big bucks needing to be splashed to obtain such a “phenomenal” talent, as he has been lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson.
Rigg at Sunderland
Games played
106
Goals scored
10
Assists
5
Positions played
7
Value
£40m
Sourced by Transfermarkt
While Black Cats fans far and wide will no doubt bask in the number of standout signings their side has made this summer, they will gain even more joy from Rigg’s sharp rise from academy prospect to first-team regular, with the England U19 international now rumoured to be valued around the £40m mark.
That’s amazingly more than Brobbey’s £21.6m valuation, on top of trumping Diarra’s much-talked-about £30m price by £10m.
Sunderland'sChrisRiggin action with Middlesbrough's Aidan Morris
For the Wearside outfit’s sake, they will hope they don’t fall victim to another Jobe Bellingham-style sale anytime soon, though, with Rigg surely only getting better at his hometown club if more minutes are afforded to him across the 35-game league marathon to follow.
Two spectators ejected from venue after reportedly chanting anti-Pakistan slogans
Danyal Rasool05-Apr-2025
Khushdil Shah had to be restrained from getting into an altercation with some spectators in Mount Maunganui•AFP via Getty Images
An altercation between Pakistan cricketer Khushdil Shah and spectators during the third ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan in Mount Maunganui led to the ejection of two spectators from the venue.According to a statement released by the PCB, the spectators were Afghanistan nationals shouting anti-Pakistan slogans. The incident came to light with a photograph that showed Khushdil – who wasn’t playing the game – trying to go over the boundary rope after the end of the game to confront someone who wasn’t pictured in the frame. He looked agitated, while security held him back, purportedly avoiding a more direct confrontation.Related
Pakistan penalised for slow over-rate for fourth time in five ODIs
A statement from the PCB management said it condemned “the abusive language of foreign fans”. It said two Afghan spectators attempted to fight Khushdil after swearing at him in Pushto, a language spoken by people of Pakhtun heritage in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The PCB said it had made a complaint, following which the spectators were ejected. The incident comes amid heightened political tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose recent cricketing contests have been laced with acrimony and spectator trouble.A statement from New Zealand Cricket confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that two spectators had been ejected “following an altercation” with Khushdil. “The incident, which occurred after the game had finished, involved alleged abuse of Pakistan players in a foreign language, thought to be Pushto, and an angry reaction from Khushdil – who responded by confronting the pair,” the statement said. “Ground security prevented the incident escalating further and removed the offending spectators from the premises.”Pakistan did not have a much happier time on-field, either, losing the third ODI by 43 runs to succumb to a 3-0 series defeat. It was Pakistan’s sixth consecutive ODI defeat to New Zealand over the last two months, and caps a miserable tour of New Zealand following a disastrous Champions Trophy at home. New Zealand also won the preceding T20I series 4-1.
Graham Potter admitted that his recent face-swap meme trend "made my son laugh" amid pressure to turn around West Ham fortunes. Potter's reign is hanging by the thinnest of threads, and fans have already decided his fate; through 'ridicule'. After last weekend's bruising home defeat to Crystal Palace, the Hammers faithful unleashed their trademark gallows humour, flooding social media with pictures of his face swapped onto others.
Hammers fans showing no mercy
The Palace defeat lit the fuse. From then on, Potter’s face has been plastered onto everything from sitcom icons Del Boy and Rodney to the Chuckle Brothers. In one of the cruellest edits, supporters even swapped him onto the body of co-owner David Sullivan’s fiancee, Ampika Pickston, herself embroiled in a messy spat with fans online.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportPotter reacts to viral trend
Potter has admitted that he’s seen the memes and even revealed his teenage son found them hilarious.
"It made my 15-year-old son laugh a lot," he told reporters. "You have to accept what comes with it. In part it's criticism, it's at times ridicule, but that's the environment we're in…I've got a few more things to think about than that."
Owners dithering on the axe
Despite the humiliation, the board have so far resisted pulling the trigger. A gap of nine days before the Hammers’ next clash, a daunting away trip to David Moyes’ Everton, seemed the perfect time for change. But club insiders suggest the hierarchy is reluctant to hand a new boss two nightmare fixtures right off the bat, with Everton and Arsenal looming before the October international break. That might just buy Potter a stay of execution, but few believe it will stretch beyond those two games.
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Big names circling the job
Nuno Espirito Santo, recently dismissed by Nottingham Forest, is already being touted as the frontrunner. Slaven Bilic, Kieran McKenna, Scott Parker, Sean Dyche and Gary O’Neil have all been linked as well. The shortlist is a clear sign West Ham’s owners are bracing for life after Potter, and it’s simply a question of when, not if.
Whilst it has been a frustrating summer for all involved at Aston Villa, those in the Midlands have now reportedly been handed a golden opportunity to sign an impressive Leon Bailey upgrade.
Morgan Rogers wins Young Player of the Year
Although many at Villa Park will be frustrated by their inability to welcome a number of new additions as well as Jacob Ramsey’s sale coming as a consequence of their PSR shortcomings, Morgan Rogers represents a reminder of just how talented Unai Emery’s squad still is. The former Middlesbrough midfielder officially picked up the PFA Young Player of the Year award in deserved fashion earlier this week.
After winning the award, Rogers told reporters: “Later down the line, I want to be one of those incredible players people speak about, so to do that I have to do what they did and what they followed after. It’s a nice recognition, but there’s more to win and I can’t wait.”
It’s hard to argue that it wasn’t deserved. The 23-year-old enjoyed an excellent season and, like the rest of his Aston Villa teammates, only missed out on a place in the Champions League on the final day after a controversial refereeing decision against Manchester United.
Appearances
37
Goals
8
Assists
11
Having returned to full fitness just in time to face Newcastle United in an opening day draw last time out, Rogers will now be hoping to leave his mark for the first time this season against Brentford.
Aston Villa eyeing fresh PSR bypass to sign "confident" Premier League star
Emery is a huge admirer…
ByTom Cunningham Aug 19, 2025
Meanwhile, away from the pitch, Aston Villa could yet take hold of a golden opportunity to secure their signing of the summer. The sale of Ramsey has given them some breathing room on the PSR front and that could yet see one star man arrive.
Aston Villa handed chance to sign Lookman
According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Aston Villa have been handed a golden opportunity to sign Ademola Lookman after receiving contact from his representatives. The Atalanta winger has been desperate to leave the club all summer long and after seeing a move to Inter Milan break down, has now set his sights on a Premier League return.
Atalanta's AdemolaLookmanin action
Aston Villa, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have all reportedly held conversations with Lookman in recent days to potentially ignite a late race to secure an excellent coup.
With 20 goals and seven assists to his name last season, Lookman would be a major upgrade on the departing Bailey at Villa Park and could even be enough to take Emery’s side back into the Champions League places. Simply put, Villa should be going all out for his signature this month.
De olho no próximo compromisso, o Santos enfrenta o Botafogo-SP pelo jogo de volta da Copa do Brasil. Por conta da invasão e da tentativa de agressão ao goleiro Cássio na eliminação para o Corinthians no ano passado, o Peixe teria que cumprir o jogo de portões fechados.
Entretanto, o Santos solicitou a presença de Mulheres, crianças até 12 anos e pessoas com deficiência para o Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) e o pedido foi acatado.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSantosApesar de ter tomado apenas um gol nos últimos cinco jogos, Santos demonstra problemas com o ataqueSantos24/04/2023SantosJogadores do Santos sentem incômodos musculares, e Odair comenta possibilidade de poupar peçasSantos24/04/2023SantosPreços: Santos abre nesta segunda a venda de ingressos para jogo contra o Botafogo-SPSantos23/04/2023
+ATUAÇÕES: Santos tem atuação irregular, e Ângelo sai vaiado em empate com o Atlético-MG
Graças à conversão da punição, o Alvinegro conseguirá arrecadar com bilheteria no duelo. Vale lembrar que essas especificações também valem para a torcida do Pantera. Além disso, adereços de torcidas organizadas não terão entrada autorizada.
Com vantagem de 2 a 0, o Santosduela contra o Botafogo-SP nesta quarta-feira, em jogo válido pela 3ª fase da Copa do Brasil. A bola começa a rolar às 19h, na Vila Belmiro.
Liverpool are the champions of the Premier League once again. And what’s more, Arne Slot has been backed by FSG this summer as they prepare to do it all over again.
While the bulk of transfer activity has been dealt with already on Merseyside, there’s more to come, with Darwin Nunez the centre of ongoing talks between Liverpool and Napoli after an opening €55m (£48m) bid was rejected.
Many would hope that FSG are gearing up to splash out the cash on Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, but the “world-class” goalscorer, as he has been described by pundit Alan Shearer, will likely prove too expensive.
And anyway, Slot has proven his ability to grow exciting talents into superstars. See the 22-year-old Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo for Liverpool
Now, the Dutch coach is hoping to sign his next version of the former, whose meteoric rise last season led to him being crowned the Premier League Young Player of the Season.
Liverpool's next top transfer targets
After missing out on Dean Huijsen, who swapped Bournemouth for Real Madrid after his £50m release clause was met, it was clear from the early stages of the transfer window that Liverpool are interested in signing a centre-back.
Marc Guehi is the man at the top of the shopping list, and while developments appear to be minimal at the moment, expect FSG to try their luck before the summer window slams shut.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehi
Liverpool need a new central defender, to be sure, but Slot knows that the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah will need greater attacking support than he received last term, practically engineering the incredible Premier League success of 2023/24.
And indeed, Nunez’s forthcoming sale will demand that sporting director Richard Hughes signs a successor, one who is fit to serve as Liverpool’s out-and-out frontman over the coming years.
Richard Hughes and Arne Slot
Well, the Reds have just the player in mind, and their interest is beginning to get stronger and stronger.
Liverpool with growing interest in new striker
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool’s interest in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike is indeed getting more intense as Nunez edges closer to a transfer to Napoli.
The Premier League champions have been among the frontrunners for the 23-year-old in recent months, with Chelsea and Manchester United also keen on bagging his signature.
However, the sticking point is that Frankfurt are happy to play hardball, seemingly unwilling to budge on their €100m (£85m) valuation.
What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Liverpool
In 2022, Paris Saint-Germain signed a teenage Ekitike from Ligue 1 rivals Reims for a fee in the region of £30m. Newcastle had come close to a deal but failed to close it.
The Frenchman might not have brought it all together for PSG, only scoring four times across 33 senior matches, but he’s certainly built himself back up in Germany, with analyst Ben Mattinson hailing him as “one of the best strikers out there” after his 2024/25 term with Frankfurt.
Notching 36 goal involvements across all competitions for Frankfurt last season, Ekitike is clearly a “special talent”, as has been noted by journalist Bence Bocsak.
But it’s his dynamism and fluency that makes him such an attractive option for a club like Liverpool, finishing the 2024/25 season ranked among the top 6% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 20% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.
The fact that he’s more complete than Gravenberch was when he joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich in August 2023 bodes well for his potential at the highest level of the European game.
As you will see in the table below, Gravenberch bloomed into a midfielder of remarkable quality and confidence last term, sitting deep in the centre of the park in spite of early career criticisms that he lacked the temperament and composure for such a role.
Looking at the Dutchman’s gains under Slot’s wing last season, as opposed to his less defined role when a part of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, it’s very easy to see that Slot’s tactical grasp brought out the best in his young compatriot.
Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League
Stats (* per game)
23/24
24/25
Matches (starts)
26 (12)
37 (37)
Goals
1
0
Assists
0
4
Touches*
28.8
66.5
Pass completion
83%
89%
Key passes*
0.6
0.9
Dribbles*
0.9
1.0
Ball recoveries*
2.8
5.2
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
3.5
Total duels (won)*
2.8 (47%)
5.0 (57%)
Stats via Sofascore
The same could be said for Gakpo, of course, but given that Ekitike is an exciting young player from the Bundesliga who has previously struggled to bring it together after a big-money move to a European superpower, he could emulate the silky holding midfielder.
And without a doubt, Ekitike has the technical ability to become the kind of all-encompassing centre-forward that Slot wants to connect his frontline.
Given the high regard Ekitike is held in already, it’s frightening to consider what Slot might manage to achieve in elevating the weaker points of his game and polishing any blemishes which a rising talent is naturally going to bear.
Gravenberch, certainly, has improved, having been branded a “passenger out of possession” by journalist Danny Corcoran during his maiden term in English football.
He’s now a player of smooth ability, one of the finest in Europe. Slot has earned his flowers, all right, and he’ll receive a whole bouquet if allowed to tinker away at Ekitike’s mechanics, shaping him into a world-beater.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed that the Die Adler star “could reach world-class striker levels” after his excellent campaign, and if he moves to Liverpool, his chances of this happening will increase tenfold.
Slot's new Diaz: Hughes plotting Liverpool bid to sign £100m "nightmare"
Liverpool may have to sell their versatile Colombian forward this summer.
Liverpool came into their pre-season clash with Milan full of optimism.
They’ve arguably had the best transfer window of any team this summer, namely signing Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike.
Jeremy Frimpong and Arne Slot
Arne Slot’s team looks set to pack a firmer punch even than they did during their Premier League-winning campaign and things could get even better.
Indeed, the Reds are favourites to land Alexander Isak after the Swede made the hierarchy at Newcastle know that he’d like to explore an exit this summer.
That positivity, however, was not enough to carry them to a win over Milan who defeated Slot’s side 4-2.
Work to do then, largely at the back where options look sparse centrally for Liverpool. Still, they seem intent to taking steps to add more to the forward line.
Who could replace Nunez and Diaz at Liverpool
Any moves Liverpool complete between now and the end of the summer are likely to depend on what happens to Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz.
It’s largely been expected that the former takes his leave but where he ends up feels a little uncertain right now. As for Diaz, his future will be in Munich with Bayern having agreed to sign the Colombian winger for a fee of around £65m.
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz
Should Nunez leave alongside Diaz, then the Reds could turn their attention to a record-breaking bid for Isak.
Yet, with Ekitike already through the door, signing an out-and-out replacement for Diaz would make a great deal more sense.
That’s where Liverpool’s wide options come into the equation. Another Toon star in the form of Anthony Gordon has been linked but that feels unlikely.
What’s more likely is concluding a deal for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo. That’s according to reports in Spain.
Reports a few weeks ago noted that Liverpool had begun talks to sign the Brazilian and now they are said to be leading the race to sign him.
Rodrygo stats
It’s alleged that Arsenal are now out of the race for the Madrid star, making the Reds firm favourites. That being said, they will have to sell in order to find a move for a player being valued at around £87m.
That’s certainly a lot of money, but for a player compared to Wirtz, it’s easy to see why they’ve cast their eyes in the direction of the 24-year-old.
How Rodrygo compares to Florian Wirtz
Described as the “best midfielder in the world” by former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes, it was some coup to get Wirtz to Anfield this summer.
Many think the classic number 10 has died out but in Wirtz, you sense Liverpool have signed the heir to Kevin De Bruyne’s throne.
He’s a creative machine, having assisted 15 goals last season, but he’s also more than competent in front of goal, netting 16 times in all competitions.
Not just capable of playing through the middle, Wirtz has also found a home in wide areas, just like Rodrygo.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo
The Brazilian isn’t much of a number 10, however, like Wirtz, he’s played as a false 9 and out wide. His statistical data is also very similar.
Indeed, according to FBref, the German is the seventh-most similar attacking midfielder and winger to Rodrygo in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year. Here’s why.
Goals
0.28
0.38
Assists
0.23
0.46
Shots
2.52
2.84
Pass success %
85.9%
78.3%
Shot-creating actions
4.95
5.66
Key passes
2.29
2.18
Progressive passes
5.05
6.74
Successful take-ons
2.29
3.14
Progressive carries
5.28
5.02
Progressive passes received
11.8
11.8
While Wirtz’s output is supremely better – Rodrygo scored 14 and assisted 11 in all completions – their data was comparable in other areas.
Looking at the numbers, it was actually the Real winger who bettered Wirtz for key passes per 90 minutes, although only marginally.
In the dribbling department, their ability to manipulate the ball in tight areas and advance beyond the defence is uncanny.
They’re dazzling with possession at their feet, something that’s backed up by the fact that they both average over five progressive carries per 90.
Teammates clearly recognise that too, as they receive an identical number of progressive passes, underlining their ability to be given the ball between the lines where they can impact proceedings in the final third.
While Rodrygo did go 17 games without a goal at one stage in 2024/25, his ability is obvious and if you’re a player earning comparisons to Wirtz, it’s clear you’re a very talented footballer. After all, he is a “world-class superstar” in the words of Luka Modric.
For Liverpool, this would be a great move if Diaz departs.
New Fabinho: Liverpool prepare bid for "one of the best DMs on the planet"
Liverpool are looking at signing a new defensive midfielder this summer.