All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United have reportedly suffered a huge blow in their pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Flynn Downes this summer, as they look to build a squad capable of promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

So far this summer, Daniel Farke has welcomed four reinforcements at Elland Road.

What's the latest on Flynn Downes to Leeds United?

As per Football Insider, Leeds were among the clubs interested in making a move for Downes this summer, but now face the prospect of losing out on the midfielder, with Southampton in pole position.

This comes with West Ham in ongoing deal to sign Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse. Football Insider reports that a fresh twist in the deal could see Downes head in the opposite direction.

Leeds, of course, are unable to offer the Hammers such a deal, leaving them unlikely to land the former Swansea City man this summer.

The Yorkshire club won't be the only side to miss out, however, with Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace also among the clubs interested in securing the 24-year-old's signature.

Losing out on Downes to a potential promotion rival in the form of Southampton will be a particular blow for Leeds, who need all the help they can get if they are to earn back their top flight status in the coming year.

How good is Flynn Downes?

Of course, with a deal yet to be agreed between West Ham and Southampton, those at Elland Road could still swoop in. Signing Downes would represent solid business from a Leeds perspective, too.

This is a player with plenty of Championship experience due to his time at Swansea, whilst also possessing the quality to play in the Premier League, as proved by his move to West Ham last summer.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

At his best, the Englishman can outperform the current options under Farke, as shown by the numbers. According to FBref, whilst at Swansea in the Championship, Downes made more progressive carries per 90 than current Leeds midfielder Ethan Ampadu managed last season, while also producing more goals and assists per 90, painting the picture of a midfielder who contributes at both ends.

It's the type of statistics that have earned the midfielder some significant praise in the past, including from former Swansea manager Russell Martin, who said, via the official club website: "Flynn was incredible, it’s difficult to single people out, but he does the dirty work perfectly well.

“He enables other people to do their roles brilliantly, he knows exactly what his role in the team is.

“Kyle Naughton and the guys at the back appreciate him a lot, I know I would have if I had him playing in front of me. He has an excellent willingness to learn, his attitude, his attention to detail and how quickly he learns is outstanding.

“He’s playing in a completely different role to what he used to play at his previous club, as most of the guys are. His desire to win and athleticism, with his increasing and improving technical ability, shows how much he wants to work.

“That’s the point of playing him in this way, it’s the best way to improve players, it really is.”

Morne Morkel produced a searing opening burst to carve up Bangladesh’s top order and severely dent their chances of saving the first Test in Potchefstroom

The Report by Mohammad Isam01-Oct-2017
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAFPMorne Morkel produced a searing opening burst to carve up Bangladesh’s top order and severely dent their chances of saving the first Test in Potchefstroom. By tea on the fourth day, Bangladesh had been reduced to 49 for 3, leaving them still requiring an improbable 375 runs to get with four sessions left in the Test. They were saved from batting out some of that time, with the light deteriorating and rain forcing the covers to come on shortly after the break. It refused to let up, washing out the final session and forcing an early stumps.Morkel, however, walked off the field towards the end of the session, and it was later confirmed that he had suffered a side strain which could leave him unlikely to bowl further in the innings. He will be sent for scans on Monday morning.For as long as he was on the field, though, Morkel troubled Bangladesh, getting the new ball to prodigiously swing around. In his first over, he flattened Tamim Iqbal’s off stump by angling one in from wide of the crease. Two balls later, he found movement in the air and pinged the pad of Mominul Haque, who chose not to review the decision despite replays later showing that the ball would have comfortably missed leg stump.Bangladesh’s only consolation is that they still have Mushfiqur Rahim, one of their most experienced batsmen, at the crease, unbeaten on 16. But even that was down to South Africa’s own undoing: Morkel drew the Bangladesh captain forward and burst through the defences but replays indicated that he had oversteppedThree overs after that, Imrul Kayes was thrown a lifeline when Kagiso Rabada swung one across the left-hander and made him reach out to send an outside edge to Faf du Plessis, who put down a regulation catch at second slip. Kayes continued to stand on shaky ground, taking on short balls and getting away often despite timing his shots poorly. Along with Mushfiqur, the two just seemed to be getting a partnership going, but Maharaj broke through before the association could translate into a meaningful recovery.Maharaj had varied his lengths with the first two deliveries of the over, first getting a length ball to kick up off the rough and then drawing Kayes forward with a fuller one. The follow-up was on an in-between length that left Imrul in two minds as he withdrew his bat late to edge to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.Earlier in the day, South Africa took rapid strides towards establishing a big lead, adding 193 runs to their overnight 54 for 2 in just 241 balls. Du Plessis and Temba Bavuma did the bulk of the scoring, putting together 142 for the fourth wicket. They came together after Hashim Amla edged behind an offcutter from Mustafizur and pushed up the run-rate, punching 149 runs at 5.12 per over in the morning session as Bangladesh’s bowlers created minimal impact.Du Plessis zoomed to a 100-ball 81, while Bavuma benefitted from a reprieve on 8 and ran up 71 off 107 balls. They got out either side of a 48-minute rain break; du Plessis leg-before to Mominul after being beaten on the sweep and Bavuma to a brilliant leg-side catch by Liton Das, who moved before the batsman had even made contact with the ball. Mominul then struck for a third time when he removed Quinton de Kock, courtesy a smart stumping by Liton.

Arsenal have been dealt a sizeable blow in their preparations for the new Premier League season, with manager Mikel Arteta set to have to make do without centre-forward star, Gabriel Jesus in the early knockings of the campaign.

Following what has been a largely positive summer for the Gunners thus far – with the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber having all been brought to the club – the loss of the Brazilian will be an unwanted headache for the former Manchester City assistant.

What's the latest on Gabriel Jesus' injury?

As confirmed by Arteta, the 26-year-old is set to be out of action for "a few weeks" after recently undergoing knee surgery, with the ex-City striker having seemingly been impacted by the same issue which kept him on the sidelines for much of the second half of the season.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

While not a "major" concern – in the words of the Gunners boss – it will be of real frustration to have to make do without the 59-cap international yet again, with Jesus having already missed 15 games during his debut season at the club last time out.

Who will replace Gabriel Jesus?

The question now will be as to just how Arteta will go about dealing with the loss of the 5 foot 9 sensation, with the Emirates outfit forced to fill the void of a player who scored 11 goals and contributed seven assists in just 26 league outings in 2022/23.

The obvious choice for the role would be Jesus' usual understudy, Eddie Nketiah, although the Englishman was hardly prolific when given an extended run in the side, having scored just four goals in 30 league games last season.

Equally, while exciting prospect Folarin Balogun – who scored 21 Ligue 1 goals last season while on loan at Reims – is currently part of the first-team squad, Arteta appeared to hint that the 22-year-old's future won't be impacted by the injury to Jesus, with a move away from the club looking likely.

Suitors appear to be lining up to land the United States international – who has been valued at around £50m by the Arsenal hierarchy – hence ensuring that the club may need to look elsewhere to find someone else to lead the line in Jesus' absence.

One perhaps left-field option could well be that of 19-year-old academy star, Khayon Edwards, with the teenage marksman having proven rather prolific in the youth set-up of late.

Who is Khayon Edwards?

The £5k-per-week starlet is yet to make a competitive senior appearance for the Gunners to date, although he was previously drafted into the first-team squad by Arteta last season after being named on the bench for two Europa League group stage ties.

That promotion had no doubt been deserved as the Hale End gem boasts a tally of 23 goals and nine assists in just 41 games for the U18s, while also making a promising start to life at a higher age group with five goals in 21 games for the U21 side.

Described as "deadly" in front of goal in the past by football.london's Kaya Kaynak, Arsenal's official website also states that the local lad is 'a hard-working, natural goalscorer with pace to burn'.

That work ethic could well make Edwards a dream replacement for Jesus through the middle, with the one-time Palmeiras ace also rather relentless when leading the line, ranking in the top 3% for tackles and the top 9% for interceptions made per 90 among his European peers.

Equally, much like the latter man is able to bring others into play – as he ranks in the top 6% for assists – Edwards also seems to possess that creative prowess, with the club's official website writing that: 'Khayon also showed he was able to play deeper as a No. 10, impressing with his link-up play.'

Those shared traits between the Englishman and the Brazilian would indicate that if handed the chance, young Edwards could certainly have a good crack at filling the shoes of the stricken Jesus.

One of Australia’s most familiar cricket curators, Kevin Mitchell Jr, will retire after this year’s Ashes Test in November.

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2017One of Australia’s most familiar cricket curators, Kevin Mitchell Jr, will retire after this year’s Ashes Test in November.Mitchell’s departure marks the second retirement of an Australian Test curator this winter, after Tom Parker announced in June that he was stepping down after 20 years of preparing the SCG’s pitches.Mitchell has been in charge of the Gabba playing surface for 27 years, having started as assistant curator under his father and predecessor, Kevin Mitchell Sr, in 1984.”In the ’80s we had the really good West Indies teams touring with the likes of Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and the big four fast bowlers and that was an eye-opener for me, I thought what a great place to work,” Mitchell told the . “Then in 1995 we won our first Sheffield Shield final and that was really game-changing for Queensland cricket.”The Gabba pitch has typically been regarded as one of the best in Australia, offering seam movement and spin, but also opportunities for big totals. The ground has been nicknamed the “Gabbatoir” for Australia’s dominance in Test cricket at the venue in recent decades: the last team to beat Australia in a Gabba Test was West Indies in 1988. Only two of the past 13 Tests at the ground have been drawn.”Kevvie Mitchell has meant so much to the Gabba and his work on the playing surface has really been instrumental in a lot of our success as a venue,” Gabba manager Blair Conaghan said.”It’s been a fantastic journey for him, from the days when it included the old greyhound track to its transformation into the more modern facility it is today and to consistently deliver over such a long period of time is an incredible achievement.”

Aston Villa aren’t giving up their pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Brennan Johnson, as Unai Emery bids to bolster his side ahead of the 2023/34 campaign.

Following his arrival in October, the Spaniard has transformed the outlook at Villa Park, taking the Midlands club to the next level alongside president of football operations, Monchi.

The former Sevilla business marvel could be on course to complete another coup in securing the signing of Johnson.

Who wants to buy Brennan Johnson?

The 22-year-old frontman has been rumoured to have been of interest to a number of Premier League clubs, with Villa and Brentford credited most recently, via the Daily Mail.

This week, an update from the Telegraph mentioned Forest’s ongoing battle regarding the Welshman’s future, who is ‘likely’ to be sold if a club can offer a fee in the region of £50m.

Whilst the Reds are reluctant to allow their star player to depart, the potential sale of the forward would relieve the financial pressures lingering over the City Ground at present.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

Following a season-long loan at Lincoln City in League One, the versatile forward has become at the forefront of everything threatening in the final third for Forest.

That year, the Nottingham-born gem scored 10 goals and registered 12 assists for the Imps, adding to his Football League tally the year after on his return to his birthplace.

During the 2021/22 Championship, the tenacious Wales international scored 16 goals along with nine assists to fire the Reds to promotion to the Premier League, where he has continued to rise in the top-flight.

Last season, the 22-year-old netted eight goals and provided three assists in his debut in the first division, attracting interest from elsewhere in the league this transfer window.

For Villa, the youngster could provide Emery’s side with an updated version of a former hero in the Midlands, with the Forest man posing similarities to academy graduate Jack Grealish.

The treble-winner, like Johnson, is deployable across the front line behind the striker, with the versatility to play on the flank as well as in central attacking midfield.

Having once been lauded as a “real handful” by scout Antonio Mango, the Welshman could replicate the threat of the treble winner at Villa Park.

As per analyst VisualGame on Twitter, the 22-year-old gem ranked higher than the 27-year-old in terms of take-ons completed at the beginning of last season, showcasing the way that he could give the Midlands a refreshed aura of their former star.

Identifiable as two strong carriers of the ball, Grealish averaged 1.97 successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League last season, with Johnson following behind with 1.01 successful take-ons per 90 at Forest, via FBref.

The City Ground sensation averaged a higher percentage of shots on target per 90 compared to the Englishman, averaging 46.2% shots on target to the former Villa man’s 36.6% per 90, highlighting the level of threat he could provide in the Midlands.

If equipped in a much stronger side, the Welsh sensation could elevate his game in a way similar to Grealish, given Villa’s rise up the table and change in direction with reference to the Reds pottering on the relegation line.

Sri Lanka managed only 300 for 6 after looking to post in excess of 350 at one stage. That Zimbabwe have only 301 to chase, in a bid to save the series, was courtesy a strong bowling effort in the death overs that included regular wickets

The Report by Shashank Kishore08-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsCraig Ervine hit eight fours and one six in his unbeaten 55-ball 69•AFPCraig Ervine’s experience and Malcolm Waller’s composure blended well as Zimbabwe overcame rain, pressure and fading light to clinch a steep chase and take the series into the decider. The four-wicket win (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method) in Hambantota was as much a result of their good work with the ball in the last 15 overs – they conceded only 92 to restrict Sri Lanka to 300 for 6 – as it was with the bat. This after Sri Lanka looked set for 350 at one stage, given the platform Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka set with an opening partnership of 209. They became the first pair in ODI history to score back-to-back double-century stands.Zimbabwe lost two quick wickets in their chase, but not before the openers had added 67 in nearly 10 overs, helped along by Solomon Mire’s 30-ball 43. When rain stopped play after the 21st over, Zimbabwe were 139 for 3, nine runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score.There was a brief scare when the rains arrived too, with Zimbabwe needing to bat out one over to constitute a game. Sensing the possibility of going off, Angelo Mathews reintroduced Lasith Malinga. The first two balls took three minutes even as the drizzle picked up, leaving umpire Nigel Llong to have a chat with Mathews to speed up proceedings. Malinga eventually finished the over and a relieved Zimbabwe played out one more over from Gunathilaka before they went off.One hour and 36 minutes later, Zimbabwe’s target was a much steeper 219 off 31 overs. Eight balls after resumption, they lost Sean Williams as he waltzed down the pitch to swing through, only to be stumped. Then, Wanindu Hasaranga, the 19-year old legspinner, picked up his third wicket with a sensational return catch to dismiss Sikandar Raza. Zimbabwe were trembling, the ball was suddenly keeping low. The equation read 47 off 34.Zimbabwe penalized for slow over rate

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer has been fined 20% of his match fee, while his team-mates have been fined 10%, for maintaining a slow over rate during the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe were found to be one over short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. No formal hearing was held, as Cremer pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction. Another minor over-rate breach as Zimbabwe captain in the next 12 months by Cremer could lead to a suspension.

But Ervine stood firm, sweeping and reverse-sweeping his way to a half-century to keep Zimbabwe alive. Waller did his bit with three fours in a 13-ball 20, and the pair added 43 off 23 balls. When Waller was dismissed, Zimbabwe needed 4 off 11 deliveries and it was Ervine, who fittingly polished the match off with a delicate reverse paddle. Ervine’s solidity was key before the rain interruption, too, helping Zimbabwe ride out a wobble after Hasaranga had got rid of Mire and Hamilton Masakadza in consecutive overs. Prior to this series, Zimbabwe had never won an ODI in Sri Lanka. On this tour alone, they have two wins, both emphatic.The win meant that Sri Lanka’s solid opening partnership and Dickwella’s second consecutive ODI hundred were in vain. Dickwella’s 116 made him the eighth Sri Lanka batsman to score successive ODI centuries while Gunathilaka, who curbed his aggressive style of play for a large part of the innings, contributed 87. Sri Lanka’s total may have seemed enough on most days, but not against a young and unheralded batting line-up that came out and attacked with intent, seemingly unperturbed by the spin threat or the big boundaries.That Sri Lanka found themselves behind in the second innings was because of a slowdown in their end overs. The inability of the middle order to come in and strike right from the outset gave Zimbabwe an outside chance, which they converted. The openers started cautiously before Dickwella signaled a change of intent by hitting Chris Mpofu for successive boundaries in the fifth over. Sri Lanka motored to 54 without loss in eight overs when captain Graeme Cremer introduced spin, bringing on Sikandar Raza. The move pushed both Sri Lanka batsmen into a slightly cautious approach, but their degree of control stood out. Dickwella brought up his half-century off 48 deliveries.Gunathilaka also had some luck when Cremer put down a tough return catch with the batsman on 44. However, Gunathilaka accelerated soon after bringing up his half-century, even as Zimbabwe’s bowlers persisted with the plan to contain the opposition. With 18 overs left, Sri Lanka were cruising at 193 without loss. Zimbabwe compounded their problems by reprieving both batsmen after they had crossed the 200-run mark but those errors did not turn out to be too costly as Waller accounted for both with his whippy offspin. Waller eventually finished with 2 for 44. While Mathews made a 40-ball 42, the lower order failed to kick on and Sri Lanka managed only 37 off the last five overs.

Newcastle United defied expectations and cleaved their way into European contention last term with a fourth-placed Premier League finish, and could now consolidate their newfound stature by signing Southampton's Tino Livramento.

Are Newcastle going to sign Tino Livramento?

According to talkSPORT, the relegated Saints have touted the 20-year-old at £50m after Newcastle lodged a recent offer of £30m for Livramento, who made just two appearances last term due to a long-term injury sustained in April 2022.

This might seem exorbitant, but Southampton's stance is seemingly that the precocious talent played no part in such a dismal year and as such should not see a deprecation in value.

The south coast club signed the emerging ace from Chelsea for just £5m but inserted a £25m buyback clause into the contract, and the Saints hierarchy evidently believes that for Newcastle to find fruit in their pursuit they must stretch closer towards that ballpark figure of £50m.

What position is Tino Livramento?

Having signed Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid for £12m in January 2022, Newcastle unearthed a new focal point from the right-back position to spearhead an ascent that has carried the club away from relegation worries at the bottom of the Premier League and toward Champions League football just 18 months on.

The England international has made 53 displays for the Tyneside outfit, scoring three goals and supplying ten assists to date; he also played an important role in securing the division's joint-best defensive record of 33 goals conceded – alongside champions Manchester City.

Once hailed as a "revelation" by pundit Simon Jordan, Trippier has been immense, but at 32-years-old his influence will not last forever and targetting a worthy successor is paramount to ensure the robustness of the outfit continues.

Livramento played next to no part in Southampton's 2022/23 travails but did impress across the previous campaign, earning an average Sofascore rating of 6.85 after making 28 appearances, making 1.9 tackles and 1.7 clearances and interceptions per game, earning praise as a "future star" by former teammate Theo Walcott, who also called him "fantastic".

One player who could benefit from his arrival at St. James's Park is Anthony Gordon, with the 22-year-old Englishman not quite hitting the ground running since completing a £45m transfer from Everton last January, scoring just one goal from 16 appearances.

Gordon is a nimble and progressive winger and has been called "fearless" by Newcastle icon Alan Shearer, and with both the Liverpudlian and the Southampton starlet in the maiden phase of exciting careers, they could form an innate partnership down the right flank.

Livramento's aforementioned defensive metrics highlight his prowess at protecting the base of his team, which could allow Gordon to thrive as he grows into his skin and harnesses his end product over the next several seasons.

Trippier is a dynamic option and can help Gordon at present with his masterful ball-playing skills, but indeed, several years down the line his presence will have waned and the changing of the guard could reap rewards across several facets of the pitch with Livramento the heir.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has already signed a total of nine players since taking over the Ibrox side last November.

The seven summer arrivals have yet to truly display their talents due to the season not yet underway, but if they are as impressive as his two January signings, then the club could be in the perfect position to claim back the Premiership crown.

Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell were the first two players to arrive under the Beale revolution and while Raskin gave the club some much-needed steel in the heart of the midfield, evident by averaging 1.8 tackles per game which ranked him third in the squad, it was the Englishman who was particularly inspiring.

How good was Todd Cantwell last season?

Having registered zero goals or assists for Norwich City during the first half of the season, the 25-year-old looked like a man reborn under Beale, scoring six times and grabbing five assists, including a first Old Firm goal.

Given he played just 16 league matches, he remarkably finished third in the squad in terms of overall Sofascore rating and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.5), showing how easily he settled into life at the Gers.

The former Canaries starlet will be hoping to continue this stunning run of form once the Premiership season kicks off in a couple of weeks and Beale could even be planning a repeat of his Cantwell masterclass with a move for Charlie Cresswell.

Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?

Rangers had an opening offer rejected by Leeds United for the youngster last month, according to Football League World, and it remains to be seen whether Beale will go back in for the defender, though given the evidence below, it is certainly something the Teddy Bears boss should do.

Like Cantwell, the “unbelievable” titan – as hailed by Leeds presenter Joe Wainman last year – was playing in the Championship last season.

He featured in 30 matches for Millwall across all competitions and even added an unlikely goal threat, scoring five times overall.

The 20-year-old was impressive for the Lions, winning 60% of his total duels in the second tier, displaying his physical presence and this would certainly stand him in good stead should he make the move to Scotland, with the physicality tending to be a problem for players arriving from England.

Not only that, the youngster showed great maturity by ranking second across the whole squad for his overall Sofascore rating (7.13), accurate passes per game (28.1) and clearances per game (3.1) as he turned into one of their finest players during a season where they finished eighth, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot.

Cantwell saw the chance to join Rangers and rejuvenate his game and although Cresswell is playing well, moving north of the border could give him opportunities which wouldn’t be on offer at Leeds.

Playing in the Champions League is a key example.

Creswell may have the chance to showcase his abilities on the grandest club stage of all and the 6 foot 3 titan would certainly have the physical presence to mix it with the best.

By signing the young talent, Beale could well repeat his Cantwell transfer masterclass, and it could pay off for the Ibrox outfit handsomely in the future.

Jake Ball has been ruled out of the Lord’s Test against South Africa with a knee strain

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2017Jake Ball will not be available for England’s first Test against South Africa due to a knee strain. He has also been ruled out of Nottinghamshire’s Royal London Cup final at Lord’s on Saturday, head coach Peter Moores has confirmed.The seamer felt pain in his knee when bowling during the second innings of Nottinghamshire’s Specsavers County Championship game against Kent on Tuesday. He went for a scan on Wednesday to assess the damage and was unable to take to the field when the third day of the day-night match resumed after a rain delay.Ball is set to miss the next two weeks of action, which puts him out of contention for the start of the Investec Test series against South Africa, which begins on 6 July at Lord’s. England are already set to be without Chris Woakes and have worries over the fitness of Stuart Broad, Ball’s Notts team-mate, after he suffered a recurrence of his heel problem last week.Nottinghamshire hope Broad will be able to play in the Royal London Cup final, having sat out the pink-ball match at Trent Bridge.”Jake is naturally very, very disappointed to miss out on the final, having previously been made available to play by the ECB, particularly after missing out on selection when Notts beat Glamorgan at Lord’s in 2013,” Moores said. “He’s given his all in this competition when he’s been available to us, and we’ll miss him for what will be a really tough game against Surrey.”Jake is a very strong character and I’m sure he’ll bounce back from this. I know he’ll be wanting us to beat Surrey as much as anybody.”

When the transfer window opens, and football fanatics take up their summer internship as detectives, nothing gets past them. Flights are tracked, quotes followed, and social media activity is monitored like it's 24-hour CCTV. Where there is a transfer clue, there will be a supporter on the case.

The latest discovery has been about the future of Liverpool midfielder Fabinho. According to David Ornstein, the Brazilian is set to be the subject of a £40m bid from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad this summer.

Supporters were quick to get on the case to find any clues about his potential transfer decision, too, leading them to what could be a major indication as to where Fabinho will be plying his trade next season.

Liverpool fans spot potential Fabinho transfer clue

Amid the rumours linking him with a move away, Liverpool fans took to Fabinho's social media, and Rebeca Tavares' – the midfielder's wife – in an attempt to spot any clues.

On her personal Instagram account – as shared on Reddit – it was discovered that Tavares is following an Instagram account called 'welcomesaudi', amid reports linking her husband with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer.

It's safe to say this looks fairly suspicious to say the least…

Considering the recent Instagram activity of his partner, fans hoping for the 29-year-old to stay put in the current transfer window may just have to prepare themselves for the worst.

What's the latest on Liverpool and Fabinho?

Liverpool looked set to enter pre-season without any major recent departures just yet – although Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left at the start of the summer – and with some much-needed midfield reinforcements too following the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

An unexpected twist means that they could be set to lose both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabia this summer, however.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Henderson has accepted a contract proposal from Al-Ettifaq, who recently hired Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. It will now be down to the negotiations between the Reds and the Saudi Arabia club as to whether the move takes place for the 33-year-old.

Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad are reportedly set to bid for Fabinho, with a deal likely to progress quickly whether it is a swift rejection or completion of the transfer.

Suddenly, Klopp would find himself short on options in the middle of the park, perhaps forced to turn to the transfer market again. And that's where Romeo Lavia could come in.

As per Ornstein, the Southampton midfielder is among their list of targets if Fabinho departs this summer. Romano previously reported that the Saints value the teenager at £50m, but it remains to be seen what Liverpool would actually be willing to pay.

So, with that said, if the Brazilian did decide to leave in the coming weeks, it would start quite the domino effect of transfers.

A new-look midfield of Lavia, Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai may lack experience when compared with what Klopp had in midfield before, but what it lacks in that department, it makes up for in excitement.

With the new Premier League season approaching, how Liverpool line-up on the opening day of the season against Chelsea will certainly be an interesting one, to say the least.