Arsenal have added Viktor Gyokeres to their list of striking options, talkSPORT understands.
The Gunners are prioritising a deal for a new attacker in the summer transfer window.
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Gyokeres is a target for Arsenal in the summer transfer window
It’s understood that Sporting are willing to sell Gyokeres for around £58.5million – around £25million below his release clause.
The Portuguese side are planning for a sale and have agreed to sanction a deal that is below the amount stated in his contract.
It means that a deal to sign Gyokeres would be significantly cheaper than a move for their other target, Alexander Isak.
Arsenal are known admirers of the Newcastle forward as they look to strengthen their front line.
However Eddie Howe’s side do not want to sell and would command a fee in excess of £100million as a result with some suggesting they could ask for £150m.
Arsenal are also interested in Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig, but could be deterred by the amount of interest in his services.
It means that a deal for Gyokeres could prove to be an attractive option.
The 26-year-old attacker has become one of Europe’s most lethal attackers since joining Sporting in the summer of 2023.
In that time, Gyokeres has recorded scored 85 goals in 92 games.
This included a hat-trick against Manchester City in this season’s Champions League league phase earlier this season
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The striker has scored 85 goals in 92 matches for the Portuguese sideCredit: Getty
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Isak is understood to be the preferred option for Arsenal but with three years left on his Newcastle contract a deal will be very difficult to doCredit: Getty
He’s also contributed 26 assists for the Portuguese side.
Arsenal are desperate for attacking reinforcements with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffering long-term injuries this season.
Gyokeres would certain add a certain goal threat to Mikel Arteta’s side.
As well as scoring 42 goals in 42 matches this term and 85 in total for Sporting, the Swedish star boasted a stunning strike rate at his previous club.
Joining Coventry City from Brighton, Gyokeres scored 43 goals in two seasons with the Sky Blues.
That included 22 goals and 12 assists in the 2022/23 campaign as he spearheaded Coventry’s surprise push for promotion where they made it all the way to the play-off final.
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Arteta is desperate to sign a top-tier strikerCredit: Getty
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Gyokeres would add a lethal touch to Arsenal’s attackCredit: AFP
Beaten on penalties by Luton at Wembley, it proved to be Gyokeres’ last match for the club before joining Sporting for a fee worth in the region of £16.7million.
With Sporting commanding a fee of almost four times that amount, it’ll represent a huge profit for the Portuguese side.
“Viktor has gone crazy in terms of how he has performed,” Coventry owner Doug King told talkSPORT in November. “That was a tough negotiation with Sporting Lisbon and if he does move on to somewhere else in his career then we will benefit.
“I’m not holding my breath. We are not running the club on that basis, but we will take it.
“A large part of that will go to his original club Brighton, everyone seems to think it will go straight in the coffers but it will go down the chain.”
Martin Keown recognises a Premier League title is within Arsenal’s grasp, but their brilliance will be forgotten if they remain the perennial bridesmaid.
The Gunners are on track for a third consecutive season in which they have finished second in the Premier League as they remain 12 points behind Liverpool with nine games remaining.
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Arteta and Arsenal have fallen agonisingly short in the title race for the last two yearsCredit: Getty
The first of Arsenal’s runners-up placings saw Mikel Arteta‘s side finish five points behind Manchester City despite sitting first up until late April.
The gap narrowed to two points between the clubs in the 2023/24 season as City pipped the Gunners to the post via a sensational 23-game unbeaten stretch.
City’s underwhelming performance this campaign presented a prime opportunity for Arsenal to finally break the mould and land their first Premier League crown since the Invincibles season of 03/04.
Instead, it’s been Liverpool who seized the moment under first-year coach Arne Slot.
With Slot’s side storming to the title instead of Arsenal, who have steadily built in recent seasons, Arteta must wonder if his time will ever come.
But, as Keown pointed out, the road to success can sometimes be a ‘long and winding’ one, as he found to be the case during his playing days at Highbury.
Most importantly, the Gunners great believes all the building blocks are in place for Arteta’s side to end the 20-year title drought – it just needs that ‘X-factor’ to provide the ‘icing on the cake’.
“Some people are lucky and the road to success is a straight line,” Keown told talkSPORT.com.
“Not for this Arsenal group.
“I’ve been in a similar situation. Three years on the bounce we finished behind Manchester United and you have to ask yourself the questions. You have to have a strong group and I think Arsenal have got that. The foundations are there.
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Keown believes Arsenal are only a few players away from winning the Premier LeagueCredit: talkSPORT
“And then of course it’s the calibre of the players. There will be purchases in the summer. But it’s been tricky for the back-end of the season where you’ve had four or five strikers that are not available. Then it looks like you should have bought one, which is kind of a hindsight situation.
“But looking back to last year, Arsenal were scoring buckets full of goals. So that seems to be the obvious areas, in the creative wide positions and down the middle, I’m sure that’s where Arsenal will invest in the summer.
“There’s a lot of good about Arsenal. A lot of teams would look at Arsenal and say, ‘I wish we had their defence, their goalkeeper and their midfield’.
“It’s just the icing on the cake now is getting those special players, that X-factor player to finish things off and win titles.”
Arteta came under fire for not purchasing an extra forward during January as season-ending injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left the Gunners light on attacking reinforcements.
Star winger and key goalscorer Bukayo Saka‘s long-term injury has also proved damaging while Arsenal lost twice in the league during Martin Odegaard‘s seven-game absence following an ankle issue picked up while on international duty in September.
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Gabriel Jesus tore his ACL during Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat against Manchester UnitedCredit: PA
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a big-money move for Newcastle superstar Alexander Isak, with many supporters hopeful he is the answer to their striker woes.
Benjamin Sesko is another who has been mooted with a move to the Emirates as Arsenal re-ignited their interest in the Slovenian in January, although a mid-season move proved complicated given RB Leipzig were reluctant to sell.
talkSPORT also revealed Arsenal are one of multiple Premier League teams interested in Lille’s Jonathan David, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.
At the very least, the Gunners can dangle the carrot of playing in the Champions League for a prospective new signing thanks to what is looming as a third-straight second place finish.
However, as Keown rightly pointed out, history only remembers the victors.
Martin Keown calls William Saliba a ‘Rolls Royce’ as key stat proves why Arsenal star is ‘top of the tree’
But it is in those near-misses that the team develops its mental resolve to go one better, something they must do sooner than later given their rivals are only going to strengthen across the board.
“You get nothing for second,” Keown said.
“No-one even remembers but the person who comes second. You compare it to other sports, say you get a silver medal in the Olympics, but in football, in the Premier League, you get nothing.
“Nobody really wants to be second place. In a cup final, you get a runners-up medal.
“We were four or five times in second place, but you don’t feel like you’re second-best, and that’s the thing. You need strong characters.
“And this is where you develop that kind of veneer to say, ‘No, I’ve had enough of this, I want to go the next step and we can do it, we’re capable’. You have to retain that belief.
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The Gunners have been one of the league’s best but could have nothing to show for itCredit: Getty
“It’s not an easy road because everybody else will strengthen now and get even better. City will come back.
“So Arsenal need to make sure now that the next two or three signings are key for their future success.”
Arteta knows he cannot afford to whiff on any new signings in the summer window.
If he does, it could mean Arsenal’s best window of opportunity for Premier League titles has closed.
Michael Owen has told talkSPORT that he believes Darwin Nunez will not be at Liverpool next season.
He also boldy suggested a swap deal with the Reds forward for one of the Premier League’s most in-form talents in Alexander Isak.
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Nunez has faced a difficult third season at LiverpoolCredit: Getty
Nunez impressed for Liverpool last season having scored 18 goals and assisted another 13, but has struggled in the current campaign.
The Uruguayan has netted just seven times in 40 appearances and also missed his penalty in their Champions League shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.
talkSPORT understands Liverpool are ready to consider offers for Nunez, and Reds legend Owen believes he will leave Anfield.
“I can’t see Darwin Nunez in a Liverpool shirt next season, personally,” he told talkSPORT. “I think there’s interest in him as well.
“I think one or two Premier League teams are interested. Of course, there is foreign interest as well.
“So I can’t see Darwin Nunez being a Liverpool player next season.”
Should Liverpool sell the 25-year-old this summer, then Newcastle striker Isak could certainly emerge as a top target.
But when asked if the Swede would be a ‘perfect fit’ for the Reds, Owen suggested a player exchange with Nunez, saying: “Even a swap deal.”
He later added: “If Isak was available, I think Liverpool would do everything in their power to get somebody like that, of course.
“But so would Arsenal, Arsenal are absolutely desperate for a player like that. Who wouldn’t be desperate for a player like that?
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Liverpool could entertain offers for Nunez this summerCredit: Getty
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Owen doesn’t believe the forward will be at Anfield next seasonCredit: talkSPORT
“But from Newcastle’s point of view, they simply can’t let him go. I hear what you’re saying about balancing the books… In credit let’s say, with the financial rules, that would put them massively in credit.
“But what? Then they can get £150million for him and then go and spend £100million, or £120million on four £30million players.
“You prefer Isak, he’s the one that’s going to absolutely bounce you into that elite level. Just getting three or four decent players is not going to, you need special players.
“Look at these teams that are winning the leagues all the time, look at Liverpool this year, they’ve got the best centre-half in the world [Virgil van Dijk].
“They’ve got one of the best attackers in the world in Mo Salah, they’ve got the best goalkeeper in the world [Alisson].
“You have to have the very, very elite, at least two, three, four of them in certain positions, and then you can muddle through with other players.
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Owen bodly suggested a potential swap deal that would see Isak sign for LiverpoolCredit: Getty
“But he is one that you’ve just got to build your team around. They’ve already got a really strong midfield and with Isak up front, you’ve got half a chance there.”
Liverpool are very familiar with Isak and his quality in front of goal as he scored against them in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final win on March 16.
It was his 23rd goal of the season in all competitions, with the 25-year-old likely to be a highly sought after player in the summer.
The window could shut before the start of the new season on August 14 though, with Premier League clubs set to discuss the idea.
Liverpool could be set for a summer of upheaval as three of their key players’ futures remain up in the air.
The Reds are in pole position to lift the Premier League title, but they may well have to start planning for life without Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold heading into next season.
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Liverpool could be without their three most influential players next termCredit: Getty
There have been growing fears that all three stars could leave Anfield in the summer, when their current contracts set to expire.
As yet, little progress appears to have been made on new deals for the trio, and club legend Robbie Fowler believes it is highly unlikely that each of the iconic figures will stay at Liverpool.
Appearing on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan the day after the Reds’ Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle, the former striker hinted at a busy summer ahead on Merseyside.
“From a Liverpool fan point of view, you’re mega disappointed if any of them don’t sign,” Fowler said.
“I don’t think the three of them will, if I’m being totally honest. But it’s going to be one of those things with Liverpool now.
“Certainly after the performance yesterday from some of the players when they’d see him, I think Arne Slot knows that he’s maybe going to have a big summer planned because he’ll probably want to bring his own players in.
“So regardless of those players staying or going, you know that there’s going to be a few incomings anyway. So if it’s those players, so be it.”
With some huge departures potentially on the cards in the coming months, here is how Liverpool could line up next campaign without Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk.
Goalkeeper Alisson is almost certain to remain first choice between the sticks, having established himself as one of the world’s best in his position.
Milos Kerkez has started all of Bournemouth’s Premier League games this seasonCredit: Getty
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Marc Guehi’s form at Crystal Palace has seen him become a regular in the England squadCredit: Getty
Left-back is the first position where fans could see movement, with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez heavily linked with a move to Anfield.
talkSPORT previously confirmed the Hungarian is on Liverpool’s radar, with a transfer meaning that mainstay full-back Andy Robertson would have to make way for him.
With captain Van Dijk’s future hanging in the balance, having admitted he has ‘no idea‘ if he will be staying or leaving, discussions will surely be taking place over who will partner Ibrahima Konate at centre-back next term.
One player who could fill the Dutchman’s shoes is Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
According to the Mirror, the Reds are leading the race to sign the England international, who would prefer a move to the north west ahead of other potential suitors Newcastle and Chelsea.
Meanwhile, should Alexander-Arnold decide on pastures new, with Real Madrid the likely destination, head coach Slot will have to plan for life without the playmaking right-back.
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Alexander-Arnold may have played his last game for Liverpool, with injury potentially ruling him out until the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
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Conor Bradley has made 50 appearances in all competitions for LiverpoolCredit: Getty
But he may already have a ready-made successor here, with Conor Bradley previously proving himself a more than capable replacement.
The Northern Irishman has established himself as an important squad player since his emergence under Jurgen Klopp, including starting in last year’s Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.
But the league leaders may have to bolster their engine room back-up options, with Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo both being highlighted as players who could move on in the summer.
Moving into the front line, the potential departure of talisman Salah will have a huge impact on how the league leaders shape up.
While the ‘Egyptian King’ has starred from the right hand side, the Reds have no shortage of attacking firepower out wide, namely in the shape of regular starters Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.
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Alexander Isak’s goal against Liverpool sealed Newcastle’s recent League Cup winCredit: Getty
This could prompt the Reds to deploy the pair on either wing, and instead look to replace the loss of Salah’s huge goalscoring threat by signing a new striker.
Darwin Nunez has been inconsistent leading the line, while injuries have prevented Diogo Jota from a consistent run in the role.
The Swede has ranked among the Premier League’s top scorers since his move to England in 2022, and currently sits third in the goalscoring charts this term, behind Erling Haaland and Salah.
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Here is how Liverpool could line-up at the beginning of next season
Liverpool should be pursuing Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, regardless of Mohamed Salah’s future at Anfield.
That’s the view of former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler.
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Isak’s goal against Liverpool sealed Newcastle’s League Cup win and got the Wembley party startedCredit: Getty
Uncertainty looms over Salah’s future with his contract expiring in the summer and he has done little to suggest he will be at Anfield next season.
Whether Salah stays or goes, Fowler believes Liverpool should enhance their attacking options.
“It’s not just if Mo Salah leaves the club; even if Mo stays, I think they should be going on and getting players anyway,” Fowler told talkSPORT’s Alex Crook.
“You look at the great Manchester United teams of the past, and when they were winning honors under Sir Alex Ferguson, it was maybe one player who was coming in and just giving everyone that little lift.
“He underscored the essential need to add quality players who can truly elevate the team, rather than simply boosting numbers.”
Fowler identified League Cup final goal scorer Isak as a prime target. “If you look at world football at the minute, certainly strikers, there aren’t many about in all fairness,” he explained.
He suggested given how well Isak has done in the Premier League this season then it won’t be seen as much of a gamble.
“I’m sure Liverpool will be getting linked to Isak; I’m sure Newcastle will want to give him a new contract because of the goals and performances, so it will be an interesting summer.”
Isak has shone brightly for Newcastle, showcasing his remarkable talent with impressive statistics.
This season, he has netted 23 goals across all competitions and provided five assists.
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Fowler won the Football League Cup twice during his time at LiverpoolCredit: getty images
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Salah looked emotional after Liverpool’s Carabou Cup final defeat to NewcastleCredit: Getty
Despite his contract running until 2028, his outstanding performances have sparked interest from top clubs, with reports indicating Newcastle values him at £150 million.
Isak joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022 for a reported club-record fee of £63 million and has now marked his 100th appearance for the club.
Despite Liverpool’s Premier League dominance this season, currently sitting 12 points clear of second-place Arsenal, they have fallen short in other competitions.
They lost out on penalties against PSG, ending their hopes and aspirations for the Champions League quarter-finals.
They also faced an early exit in the FA Cup at the hands of unlikely victors, Plymouth Argyle, who triumphed 1-0 back in February.
Then, to top it all off, Isak helped defeat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, the very club now keen on harnessing his shooting skills.
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The 25-year-old is third in the Premier League Golden Boot race
Defender Virgil van Dijk is now putting all his focus into winning a second title in five years.
Their lead over Arsenal means another five wins will likely be enough to seal the deal.
“If you win five games – obviously that’s a very difficult job – you’re going to be champions of England,” he said.
“I can guarantee there will be so many difficult moments and you have to be prepared to suffer, whether it is 1-0 down, 2-0, whatever, because you can see the end and you work so hard for that each and every day.
“But we all have to realise the job is not done. We have to work our ass (off).”
He will now be looking to Salah and other experienced teammates to dig in and get over the line.
Alexander Isak insists he isn’t thinking about his future at Newcastle ahead of a potential transfer battle this summer.
The Magpies striker is one of the Premier League’s most impressive talents and has scored 22 goals across all competitions this season.
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Isak isn’t thinking about the summer just yetCredit: Getty
Despite his contract at St. James’ Park running until 2028, Isak has been regularly linked with moves to Newcastle’s rivals.
Arsenal have been long-term admirers of the Sweden international and Liverpool’s interest has also been reported.
Newcastle put a £150million price tag on him in January, but Isak isn’t too concerned about his potential whereabouts beyond the summer.
Speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday, which is live on talkSPORT, he said that his future isn’t on his mind.
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“I think I’ve said I’m not really thinking about the summer but yeah, that’ll probably be a talking point once the season is finished,” Isak said via The Times.
“We will really see because no talks have been held yet. About my future, it’s nothing really I think about.
“I’ve said many times during a season, just focus on the job and now is probably the worst time to think about anything else, so all of our focus is just on Sunday.
“As I have said many times, I don’t really look too much or think too much about my future.
“I have said I am happy here and we are contenders for titles, which is what you want to win as a football player. We have been to one final and now we are in another one, so the chances are there.
“This club can achieve great things. I think we should really look at it one season at a time and this season we can achieve winning a trophy which would be amazing for everyone.”
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Isak has been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, but is happy at NewcastleCredit: Getty
Isak signed for Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022 for a reported club record fee of £63m.
He has scored 57 goals for the Magpies over three seasons and will make his 100th appearance on Sunday should he feature at Wembley.
The Toon Army feared they could be without their talisman goalscorer for the final against Liverpool due to a groin injury, but those fears were eased when he played 79 minutes of Monday’s 1-0 victory over West Ham.
The 25-year-old is third in the Premier League Golden Boot race on 19 goals and could help seal Champions League football for Newcastle.
Eddie Howe’s side are sixth and just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with ten league fixtures left to play.
However, the Premier League look set to be given a fifth qualification spot for the Champions League next season.
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Isak could win his first trophy with Newcastle this weekendCredit: Getty
England are currently top of UEFA’s coefficient rankings with a score of 24.250 for the 2024/25 campaign, with Spain second on 21.678.
Two of Europe’s leagues will be rewarded with an extra Champions League spot based on their clubs’ performances this season.
England and Spain, so the Premier League and LaLiga respectively, are set to be the recipients as things stand.
Robin van Perise has conceded four current stars are better finishers than he was – but Newcastle marksman Alexander Isak is not one of them.
Isak is enjoying a stunning season so far – chipping in with 21 goals in all competitions – with 19 coming in the Premier League.
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Van Persie scored 132 goals in 278 appearances for the Gunners
His dazzling displays has seen him valued at £150million by the Magpies, though Van Persie believes he is the superior finisher.
Speaking to ESPN, Van Persie took part in a game where he was given a host of footballers, and then had to decide whether they are better finishers than what he was during his peak.
The ex-Arsenal and Manchester United centre-forward conceded defeat to just four players – with two currently plying their trade in the Premier League.
He then had to pause when thinking about Isak, but ultimately gave himself the nod.
His Dutch compatriot Condy Gakpo was then next to be overlooked, followed by goalscoring sensation Viktor Gyokeres.
That’s despite the Swedish striker finding the back of the net on 35 occasions in all competitions for Sporting Lisbon this campaign.
Antoine Griezmann and Lautaro Martinez were also named in the list, but Van Persie didn’t believe they were better than him.
Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski was the first that Van Persie admitted was better.
And he then admitted that Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah were levels above him.
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Van Persie conceded that Salah is a better finisher than he ever wasCredit: Getty
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The Dutchman also admitted that Haaland is a superior finisherCredit: Getty
Explaining his reasoning over the Reds winger, Van Persie remarked: “Because of the different type of goals, Mo Salah.”
It’s been a terrific campaign so far for Salah, who is on track for his strongest goalscoring season on record.
He has chipped in with an incredible 25 goals and 17 assists in the top-flight so far, with his most in the division coming in the 2017/18 term where he scored 32 league goals.
And he is on course to win his fourth Premier League Golden Boot having scored twice more than Haaland so far.
Lastly, Van Persie named Bayern Munich maestro Harry Kane as a better finisher than himself.
Van Persie, who recently took charge of PSV, is regarded as one of the Premier League’s finest ever strikers.
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Kane and Lewandowski were the other two players Van Persie accepted defeat toCredit: Getty
He played for both Arsenal and United – winning the Premier League with the Red Devils in 2013.
For the Gunners, he made almost 300 appearances, scoring 132 goals and assisting 55 times.
His final season at the Emirates in 2011/12 proved to be his most successful in front of goal as he fired home on 30 occasions.
After moving up north, he scored 58 times for United before enjoying spells at Fenerbahce and Feyenoord.
At international level, he finished his career as the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer having scored 50 goals from 102 caps.
Rio Ferdinand reveals Sir Alex Ferguson hammered Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney for not passing to Robin Van Persie at Manchester United
Ange Postecoglou has made a big call on two of his biggest stars as Tottenham host Manchester City and look to defeat Pep Guardiola’s side for a third time this season.
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The Australian has decided to bench captain Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham’s two most reliable attacking options, in favour of giving them some rest as Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert start.
“It’s something (the opportunity to rest players) we’ve missed, obviously. I think they will benefit,” Postecoglou said pre-match.
“Those three have played a lot of football in recent times.
“It allows guys like Destiny (Udogie), Brennan and now Wilson to get up the match minutes after missing a fair bit of football, but without losing sight of the fact that we have a big challenge (ahead of us) tonight and we want a strong team out there.”
Spurs defeated City 4-0 at the Etihad earlier in the campaign, and also knocked them out of the Carabao Cup at the Round of 16 stage, and a win in the mid-week fixture would lift Tottenham back above Crystal Palace into 12th place on the table.
City were leapfrogged by Chelsea with their 4-0 rout of cellar dwellers Southampton yesterday, and a victory would put them back in the top four.
The chances of picking up a three points have been boosted by confirmation of Erling Haaland’s return to the start XI.
It is a crucial night of matches for the top four race with second-placed Arsenal visiting third-placed Nottingham Forest, while league leaders Liverpool host sixth-placed Newcastle who have been dealt a massive blow prior to the match.
Alexander Isak is behind only Mohamed Salah in the golden boot race but will sit out this clash at Anfield with a groin problem.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah may be producing the greatest individual Premier League season of all-time.
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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher declared on Sky Sports that Salah is “having a Messi and Ronaldo season”.
Salah’s former Reds teammate Daniel Sturridge said “we’re talking Ballon d’Ors now”.
When you dive into the numbers, it is clear to see why the praise is so high.
The Egyptian has chalked up 41 goals and assists so far this season.
With 11 games to go, he is only six shy of Alan Shearer’s Premier League record.
Salah is leading the golden boot race with 25 goals, six clear of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
The 32-year-old is also the first player in a Premier League season to score 25 or more goals, and provide 15 or more assists.
His goal and assist in Liverpool’s 2-0 win at City on Sunday made him the first player in Premier League history to have 40 or more goals and assists in a season twice.
It was the 11th time Salah has scored and been a provider in a game this season, the most by a player in one of Europe’s big five leagues since Lionel Messi also did so 11 times in 2014/15.
Salah is putting the ball into the back of net or setting up a teammate to score every 58 minutes, which is better than the current record of 63 set by Manchester City star Erling Haaland in his record-breaking 36-goal 2022/23 season.
This season, Salah is the first player from a Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga or Serie A club to register 50 goals and assists in all competitions.
It is little wonder that Liverpool are 11 points clear on top of the Premier League table, finished top of the table in the Champions League’s league phase and will face Newcastle at Wembley next month in the final of the Carabao Cup.
“This is going to end up being the greatest season we’ve ever seen from an individual,” Carragher said.
“I have no doubt about that and it’s not whether he finishes above those players in terms of numbers, it’s how far – and he sets the bar so high that in the future nobody can ever get there ever again.
“We are seeing something special. We’ve known that over the last seven or eight years, but this an all-time season.”
Salah has produced his heroics among the back drop of intense speculation about his future considering he is out of contract at season’s end.
So too are fellow Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
But the trio’s status has not proved to be a distraction for Arne Slot’s side.
Salah has seemingly dropped hints about his future throughout interviews this season, and after the City win he said that he and the other experienced players in the team “need another title”.
Saudi Arabian clubs as well as French behemoth PSG and German giants Bayern Munich have been preparing to swoop on Salah, but reports from Spanish football news outlet Fichajes in recent days suggest that Liverpool may be closing in on a new deal for their superstar.
The Reds “worked intensively to avoid his exit without a fee at the end of the season, and everything indicates that the negotiations have progressed positively,” the report said.
“The possibility of him renewing his contract with the club seemed uncertain a few months ago, but now the scenario has changed and everything points to his relationship with the English team continuing for a longer time.”
Liverpool were reportedly hesitant to meet Salah’s wage demands given his age, but his breathtaking season has supposedly altered that view.
His is currently earning £350,000 a week, and Manchester United great Gary Neville revealed earlier this year that the 32-year-old is looking for a deal of around £400,000 a week over three years — which eqautes to a total contract value of about A$125m.
No matter what happens, Salah will undeniably go down as one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players, but Carragher believes a contract extension would cement his standing among the Premier League as a whole.
“I think most people would say, when we talk about the Premier League, we probably always put Thierry Henry on top. For me, Mo Salah is definitely second and if he signs another contract, that’s going to be a fairytale finish,” Carragher said.
It is often forgotten that Salah was once a Chelsea flop.
Thirteen appearances Salah made in a blue shirt for just two goals under Jose Mourinho.
The London club even loaned him out to Italian outfits Fiorentina and Roma, where he shone with 35 goals across 81 appearances for the two club, before joining Liverpool in 2017.
“For a start people try to identify me as the coach that sold Salah. I am the coach that bought Salah. It’s completely the wrong idea,” Mourinho recalled in 2019.
“I pushed the club to buy him and at the time we already had fantastic attacking players—Hazard, Willian, we had top talent there. But I told them to buy that kid.
“He was just a lost kid in London. He was a lost kid in a new world.
“We wanted to work him, to become better and better and better. But he was more of the idea of wanting to play and not wait.
“I think that he doesn’t regret that move because everything went well. Everything went well for him and the progression went well for him but, at that moment, he was just a kid with a huge desire to play every week, every minute and we couldn’t give him it.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 27: Mohamed Salah of Chelsea is tackled by Jon Flanagan of Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield on April 27, 2014 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The move to Anfield has been an incredibly fruitful one.
Salah is a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and two-time League Cup champion with the Reds.
He is the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer in the Premier League with 180 goals, has won the golden boot three times as well as player of the season in his 32-goal 2017-18 campaign.
He also won the Puskas Award for his stunning strike in the Merseyside Derby that season.
Such an impressive resume drew high praise from Manchester United great Roy Keane when speaking on Sky Sports after the Reds’ win at City.
“I think if you’re going to be successful, any big club, you do need that world class player,” Keane said.
You can have brilliant players around you, but you need that one player who is almost ahead of everyone else just to get you over the line. Make the difference in tight games. Salah does that week-in, week-out.”
Liverpool fans will have an abundance of opportunities to watch Salah showcase his world class skills with seven of their remaining 11 Premier League fixtures this season to be played at Anfield.
As they waltz towards the title, Salah may continue to set records along the way.
There remains a lot to play out with his contract and individual accolades, it will be fascinating to witness whether he remains a Red next season, and how he fares in the Ballon d’Or voting in October.
Liverpool took a giant stride towards the Premier League title on Sunday as a 2-0 win over Manchester City opened up an 11-point lead at the top of the table over Arsenal.
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Mohamed Salah was again Liverpool’s star performer as he opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead before half-time.
Just days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders.
So often during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign, Liverpool have come up just short in English football’s great rivalry of recent years.
However, their time to match Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles now appears just months away in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
Arsenal’s shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday had eased the pressure on Liverpool, that had built after dropping points in two of their last three games at Everton and Aston Villa.
Newcastle hold on in SEVEN goal thriller | 01:18
A trip to the Etihad has for so long been the stiffest test of all, but City’s defensive frailties were easily exposed and they also badly missed the presence of the injured Erling Haaland in attack.
Liverpool, by contrast, had their talisman fit and firing as Salah took his staggering tally this season to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 Premier League appearances.
The Egyptian fired the visitors in front on 14 minutes thanks to a brilliantly executed set-piece routine.
Alexis Mac Allister’s corner was flicked by Szoboszlai into Salah’s path and his shot deflected off Nathan Ake past the despairing dive of Ederson.
At the other end, City’s own Egyptian international showed his ability to finish, but Omar Marmoush had strayed off-side before being played in by Phil Foden.
City winger Jeremy Doku was skipping past Trent Alexander-Arnold at will, yet the Belgian consistently failed to deliver a telling cross or shot.
Salah was not so forgiving as he raced onto a long ball over the top and teed up Szoboszlai to wrong-foot Ederson.
The final outcome could have been much more humiliating for City had Liverpool had been as accurate on the counter-attack after the break.
Curtis Jones had a third goal ruled out by a VAR review for off-side after Szoboszlai just failed to time his run through the heart of the City defence.
“We didn’t hit the levels today!” | 01:02
Ederson was forced into a stunning save from Luis Diaz and only a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Abdukodir Khusanov denied Szoboszlai a second.
Marmoush scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Newcastle and remained a lively threat as he flashed another effort across the front of Alisson Becker’s goal.
But City lacked the end product to make nearly 70 per cent possession count. Despite an eighth league defeat of the season, Guardiola’s men remain in fourth and will be confident of securing their place in the Champions League next season with a top-five finish likely to be enough.
However, after an unprecedented run of four consecutive titles, City look like yesterday’s team with Liverpool now champions in waiting.
– ‘We need another title’, says Salah after ‘special’ Man City win –
Mohamed Salah said Liverpool’s veterans need another Premier League title after inspiring a 2-0 win at Manchester City to surge 11 points clear at the top of the table.
Salah was central to a statement win for the Reds as he opened the scoring and then teed up Dominik Szoboszlai to double Liverpool’s lead before half-time.
Arne Slot’s men are in a commanding position to secure a record-equalling 20th English top flight title, although second-placed Arsenal have a game in hand.
City, who have won the last four Premier League titles, are now 20 points behind the leaders down in fourth.
Spurs win 3rd straight – Gunners choke | 03:05
“It is incredible. It is a very hard place to come and play here,” said Salah after Liverpool’s first league win at the Etihad for a decade.
“They are a tough team and they have an incredible manager I am glad in the end we won the game. It is special. Especially when you are in the title race, it is incredible.
“Hopefully we keep calm because sometimes the pressure gets to us.”
Salah took his tally for an incredible season to 30 goals and 21 assists and said he is enjoying his football more than ever despite speculation over his future.
The 32-year-old, captain Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson were all part of the Liverpool side that ended a 30-year wait to win the title in 2020.
And Salah reiterated his belief that they need another Premier League winner’s medal to burnish their legacy.
“Maybe people prefer my first seasons or now but I prefer now because winning the league, helping the young players, it is special,” he added.
“We need another title. Me and the big guys in the team, we need another title.”
– Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid –
Newcastle blew Nottingham Forest away with four goals in 11 minutes as Alexander Isak’s double inspired a vital 4-3 win in the race to finish in the Premier League’s top four.
Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot with a first half goal spree at St James’ Park on Sunday.
Lewis Miley bagged Newcastle’s equaliser, sparking an astonishing spell of dominance as Jacob Murphy put the hosts ahead.
Isak netted twice in less than two minutes to reach 50 Premier League goals and leave Forest in tatters.
The Sweden striker has 19 league goals this season, taking him level with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in second place behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in this season’s scoring chart.
Nikola Milenkovic and Ryan Yates scored for Forest in the second half, but it was too late for an incredible escape act.
After three defeats in their previous four league games, fifth-placed Newcastle are back in the hunt to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.
The Magpies are behind fourth-placed Manchester City on goal difference, with third-placed Forest just three points above them.
“I’m trying to control my thoughts and stay positive. We won the game and that’s what we needed to do,” Howe said.
“It was a great performance in the first half, then a couple of frailties showed in terms of defending set plays.
“We can reflect on that. There are things we can do better. We pride ourselves on getting the details right.”
Leicester lose 6th straight game | 01:21
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo added: “In the first half I didn’t recognise our team. In the second half we were much better.
“We made mistakes. It was two totally different halves. We started well and then they just rolled over us.” Newcastle keeper Nick Pope made his first league start since early December in place of Martin Dubravka.
But Pope was partially at fault as Newcastle gifted Forest the lead in sloppy style after just six minutes Jacob Murphy lost the ball in his own half as Hudson-Odoi pressured the Newcastle midfielder into conceding possession.
Hudson-Odoi wasn’t closed down quickly enough by Dan Burn and the winger unloaded a powerful low drive that caught Pope out of position as it flashed into the net.
Miley ensured Newcastle’s strong response to that early setback was rewarded in the 23rd minute.
– Newcastle hold on –
With Forest’s usually rock-solid defence slow to react, Miley had time to control Lewis Hall’s pass inside the penalty area and drill his shot through a sea of legs past unsighted keeper Matz Sels.
Murphy made amends for his earlier mistake to put Howe’s team ahead two minutes after Miley’s equaliser.
Hall’s driving run was the catalyst as the defender took Isak’s return pass and hit a deflected cross that looped over Sels for Murphy to bundle home from virtually on the goal-line.
Newcastle were firing on all cylinders and they struck again in the 33rd minute. Ola Aina used his arm to block Hall’s cross, conceding a penalty that Isak dispatched past Sels with an audacious lofted effort that left the keeper sprawled on his back as he tried in vain to claw it out.
Forest had no answer to Newcastle’s intensity and it was no surprise when they conceded a fourth just 60 seconds later.
Joe Willock raced unchecked through the Forest midfield and slipped his pass to Isak, whose shot from 12 yards took a deflection on its way past the wrong-footed Sels.
Newcastle eased up in the second half and Milenkovic reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute, flicking Chris Wood’s cross past Pope from close-range.
When Yates steered home in the 90th minute, a nervous hush descended on St James’ Park, but Newcastle held on by their fingernails.
