Aston Villa are ready to discuss a summer deal to sign Galatasaray star Nicolo Zaniolo, according to reports.
Where is Nicolo Zaniolo?
Zaniolo was linked with all sorts of clubs before he left AS Roma, but currently plays his football at the Nef Stadium having joined from the Italian capital back in February. He’s since gone on to make 11 appearances for Gala, but his game time has been far from regular.
In the Super Lig last season, the 23-year-old was only handed two starts by Okan Buruk so is significantly out of favour despite being one of his manager’s most recent new signings, meaning that he could be looking to complete a move elsewhere to get more minutes under his belt.
The Italy international has been previously linked with a move to the Premier League after attracting significant interest from Tottenham Hotspur in January, and despite a move failing to come to fruition, it turns out a switch to the top-flight could be on the cards after all.
Are Aston Villa signing Zaniolo?
According to Turkish outlet Takvim (via Sport Witness), who name-check Monchi specifically, Aston Villa are “interested” in signing Zaniolo ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Midlands outfit are one of seven clubs to be “sat at the table” waiting to open talks over a swoop for the midfielder, who has had a €35m (£29m) price tag placed on his head.
Galatasaray “do not consider accepting offers below” the specified fee, though at this stage, the player is “thinking of staying” for one more year due to the fact that his side will be playing in the Champions League.
Italy midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo.
Aston Villa appointed Monchi as their new President of Football Operations earlier this month and he’s clearly wasting no time in getting to work with Unai Emery by identifying transfer targets.
Zaniolo has been dubbed a “monster” by journalist Nick Mercadante, and it’s no surprise that he’s one of the names under consideration given he seems to be somewhat of a mercurial talent who is yet to find a home where he can reach his true potential.
Sponsored by Nike, the attacking midfielder has posted six goal contributions (five goals and one assist) in 11 Galatasaray outings whilst averaging 2.2 shots per league game since joining, showing how much of a prolific impact he can make even on limited opportunities.
Now a Super Lig champion, Zaniolo would also provide the manager with wonderful versatility having operated in six various positions across the pitch since first bursting onto the scene, including everywhere across the frontline, so should the opportunity present itself for a reasonable price, this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane propelled Liverpool to Premier League and Champions League success under Jurgen Klopp, though where do the star duo rank as Football FanCast goes through the Reds’ greatest goalscorers?
15 Ian St John Appearances: 425 Goals: 118
Ian St John netted 118 times for the Reds
The late Ian St John, who passed away in 2021, stands as Liverpool’s 15th-highest goalscorer, having netted 118 times across 425 appearances for the club between 1961 and 1971.
The club’s record signing, he formed a formidable partnership with the great Roger Hunt, spearheading Liverpool’s return to the pinnacle of English football in the 1960s. Indeed, in Liverpool’s title-winning 1963/64 campaign, St John scored 21 goals.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: St John’s most significant moment for Liverpool came in the 1965 FA Cup final, with a diving header securing an extra-time victory over Leeds United, marking the Reds’ first success in the competition.
14 Sadio Mane Appearances: 269 Goals: 120
Mane outperformed his xG in all but one of his seasons at Liverpool between 2017 and 2022, when FBref tracked such data, proving just what a clinical finisher the Reds had on their hands.
Mane’s absence has been felt since he left for Bayern Munich, with the Senegal forward having established himself as one of the Premier League’s best all-round forwards after joining Liverpool from Southampton in 2016. Along with Salah and Roberto Firmino, he formed one of the most formidable attacks in European football.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Mane’s double in a win over Wolves on the final day of the 2018/19 campaign saw him share the Premier League’s Golden Boot award with Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
13 Dick Forshaw Appearances: 288 Goals: 123
Dixie Dean has been in the headlines due to Erling Haaland’s sensational form this season, though the Everton icon was not the only striker thriving on Merseyside in the 1920s.
Dick Forshaw, who also played for Everton (he is the only player to win league titles with both of the biggest Merseyside teams), netted 123 times for the Reds between 1921 and 1927.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Forshaw scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Manchester United during the 1926/27 season, when he netted 29 times in 35 league games.
12 Jack Parkinson Appearances: 219 Goals: 128
Five goals ahead of Forshaw is Jack Parkinson, who played for the Reds from 1903 up until 1914.
Parkinson, a two-cap England international, netted 128 times in 219 games before leaving for Bury, where he spent one season before retiring to become a newsagent.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Parkinson finished as the league’s top goalscorer, with 31 strikes in 30 matches, in the 1909/10 season.
11 Sam Raybould Appearances: 226 Goals: 130
Next on the list is Sam Raybould, who clocked up 20,340 minutes (according to LFCHistory.net) for Liverpool between 1900 and 1907.
A prolific forward, Raybould courted controversy when he was suspended for seven months for agreeing to sign for Portsmouth, who were adjudged to have made an illegal approach. However, his tally of 67 goals in 100 games was a club record until it was broken by Salah in 2020.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Raybould scored 32 goals in 34 games in 1902/03, a league record that stood until 1931.
10 Harry Chambers Appearances: 339 Goals: 151
Nicknamed ‘Smiler’, Harry Chambers was one of the most proficient strikers of the post-First World War era of the 1920s. He helped Liverpool to back-to-back league titles in 1922 and 1923.
Due to the war, in which he served, Chambers had to wait four years for his Liverpool debut, yet went on to etch his name into the club’s history books nevertheless.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: In a 5-1 demolition of rivals Everton in 1922, Chambers scored a hat-trick. Across the 1921/22 and 1922/23 seasons, he scored 41 times in 72 games.
9 Michael Owen Appearances: 297 Goals: 158
Michael Owen burst onto the scene in sensational style in the late 1990s. By 2001, he had a Ballon d’Or to his name.
Owen became Liverpool’s goalscorer on his Premier League debut in May 1997. The following season, he shared the competition’s Golden Boot, and was the Reds’ top goalscorer in every campaign between 1997/98 and 2003/04, when he left for Real Madrid.
A hamstring injury blighted his time at Anfield, and he would go on to suffer more issues across his career, but he truly had it all in his youth, with explosive pace, quick feet and finishing prowess.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Owen’s quickfire double secured Liverpool a superb comeback victory against Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup final as the Reds took home the second of three cups in a memorable campaign.
8 Sir Kenny Dalglish Appearances: 515 Goals: 172
Kenny Dalglish had magnificent success as a player and manager
Sir Kenny Dalglish might be eighth on this list, but not many players are more synonymous with Liverpool than the Scotsman.
Signed to replace another club great – Kevin Keegan – in 1977, Dalglish scored on his league debut and went on to win six First Division titles and three European Cups as a player and then manager, leading Liverpool’s attack during their dominant period decade in the 1980s.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: As player-manager, Dalglish only selected himself for 21 league games in the 1985-86 season. The Reds won the double that campaign, with Dalglish fittingly scoring the winner against Chelsea to secure the title on the final day of the season.
7 Robbie Fowler Appearances: 369 Goals: 183
Robbie Fowler in action for Liverpool
Robbie Fowler had two spells at Liverpool, though his best form came in his first stint between 1993 and 2001.
Fowler holds a record for being the only player to score 30-plus goals in each of his first three Premier League seasons, while he played in every single match of the 1994/95 campaign.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Fowler scored the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history when he netted three times in four minutes and 33 seconds against Arsenal in 1994, before it was broken by future Reds forward Sadio Mane while he was at Southampton.
6 Steven Gerrard Appearances: 710 Goals: 186
One of the Premier League’s greatest midfielders, Steven Gerrard features high on this list despite not playing as a striker – showing just how good he was.
Gerrard spent the vast majority of his playing career at Anfield and won two FA Cups, three League Cups and, of course, the Champions League in 2005.
ANFIELD HIGHLIGHT: Gerrard scored one of Liverpool’s goals as they came from behind to force Milan to penalties in that famous Champions League final in Istanbul. He was named Man of the Match and the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.
Khulna Titans finished the group stages in second position to ensure the first qualifier against the same opponents on December 6. The eliminator will be played between Chittagong Vikings and Rajshahi Kings
The Report by Mohammad Isam04-Dec-2016 Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMahmudullah hit five fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 50•Raton Gomes/BCBKhulna Titans, having to win their last league game to qualify for the playoffs, did so emphatically courtesy Mahmudullah’s half-century. They finished the group stages in second position to ensure the first qualifier against the same opponents on December 6. The eliminator will be played between Chittagong Vikings and Rajshahi Kings.Khulna, having never gone past 157 in the tournament, had to make their highest team total. And against a weakened Dhaka side that rested Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell, they breezed to the target with 12 balls to spare.It didn’t seem a cakewalk when they lost Andre Fletcher early. Mohammad Hasanuzzaman struck three sixes and as many fours in his 18-ball 40 to get them ahead of the asking rate. Mahmudullah then took over after Hasanuzzaman’s dismissal; he hit five fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 50. The trigger boost meant Abdul Mazid’s strike rate of 58.33, the lowest of the season for batsmen who have faced 35 or more deliveries, was negated.Mahmudullah fell with Khulna needing eight, but with no pressure, they cantered home to dash the hopes of Rangpur Riders, who lost to Comilla Victorians earlier in the evening.When Dhaka batted first, Kumar Sangakkara, reprieved on 2, brought up his second half-century of the tournament. The rest of the Dhaka batting line-up threw away starts with, with Mehedi Maruf, Nasir Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan, Seekkuge Prasanna and Ravi Bopara not going past 20. Junaid Khan picked up three wickets.
Newcastle United have opened "talks" regarding a contract extension for Joelinton at St. James' Park, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.
When is Joelinton out of contract at Newcastle?
The Brazil international first arrived in the Premier League from Hoffenheim back in 2019 and has since gone on to become a regular feature in the northeast, clocking up a total of 157 appearances to date.
The Magpies talisman still has another two years remaining on his contract at St. James’ Park, but having established himself last season in a remarkable personal campaign as Eddie Howe’s overall second best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.24, he’s bound to attract interest during the upcoming window.
PIF and the boss will be pleased to learn that the 26-year-old is yet to have any clubs chasing him as far as public knowledge is concerned, but you can never be too careful as we approach this busy time of year and it sounds like the hierarchy are keen to tie him down before any potential suitors start circling.
Have Newcastle offered Joelinton a new contract?
Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that Newcastle have now entered discussions with Joelinton about the possibility of him putting pen to paper and committing his long-term future to the club. He wrote:
"Excl. News #Joelinton: @NUFC wants to extend his contract beyond 2025 now! Talks have started. Early stage. Result open. After a top season the 26 y/o is about to make his debut with Brazil. Key player."
Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton.
Newcastle will know that Joelinton was one of their most standout performers last season, and considering the high standard of quality that he displayed, the attacking midfielder being rewarded with improved terms is nothing less than he deserves.
The ROGON client, who earns £85k-per-week, racked up eight goal contributions (six goals and two assists) in the top-flight during the previous term and ranked in the 97th percentile for number of attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area and the 94th percentile for successful take-ons, as per FBRef.
The Alianca native, who offers wonderful versatility with his ability to operate in seven different positions, is also highly regarded among his fellow players and black and white striped supporters having taken home the Player of the Year award in 2021/22, and this love story will only develop even further should he sign on the dotted line in the weeks ahead of us.
Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill and Adam Voges have been an extended tenure as Australia have opted for the same squad for the second Test, which starts from November 12
Daniel Brettig in Perth06-Nov-2016Australia will not make any changes to the team chosen for the Perth Test against South Africa, irrespective of the result over the final two days at the WACA Ground.The coach Darren Lehmann confirmed an unchanged squad for the Hobart Test, which starts from November 12, meaning guaranteed tenures for Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill and Adam Voges. Australia took a similar approach during the tour of Sri Lanka, making only the injury-enforced change of Jon Holland for Steve O’Keefe for the second Test before introducing more drastic changes in the third.Lehmann reflected on how Australia had let the Perth Test get away, having made such a strong start on the first day and the second morning. He believed that the batsmen had not responded well to South Africa’s loss of Dale Steyn to a shoulder injury, which he had seen as an opportunity to take command of the match.”We spoke about that, probably not playing their natural games at times, especially to the left-arm spinner getting the field back,” Lehmann told . “So we probably were a bit too timid at times and not looking to score and rotate the strike. Having said that they did bowl well, and we didn’t counter it well enough.”They do all the prep, they’re great young men, they’re trying to do as well as they can for Australia each and every time, it’s just a case of little mental lapses at times. Collectively we’re always pretty positive, but stats will show we haven’t batted as well as we would have liked the last few Test matches. There’s no hiding the fact we’ve got to bat better.”There’s always pressure when you’re coaching your country or playing for the country, that’s why the guys have got to where they’ve got to. They’ve been brilliant doing all the work behind the scenes and playing at the level below, now they’ve got to do it at this level. There’s always pressure whether you win or lose, a lot less when you’re winning.”
India have agreed to use DRS for the Test series against England on “trial basis” to “evaluate the improvements made” in the system
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-20164:33
Agarkar: 95% of cricketers will be in favour of DRS
India have agreed to use DRS for the upcoming Test series against England on a “trial basis” to “evaluate the improvements made” in the system. India had played in the first series with umpire reviews, against Sri Lanka in 2008, but this will be their first bilateral contest since then with all the components of the DRS – including ball-tracking technology – in place.”We are happy to note that Hawk-Eye has institutionalised all the recommendations made by BCCI, and we confirm that this improved version of DRS will be used on a trial basis during the forthcoming series against England,” the BCCI president Anurag Thakur said. “Based on the performance of the system and the feedback that we will receive, further continuation in forthcoming series will be decided.”One of India’s biggest concerns with the DRS, the predicted path of the ball after it hits the pad in the case of lbw decisions, will be addressed by the use of ultra-motion cameras. The manual intervention in determining the point of impact will be minimised by the introduction of Ultra Edge, which according to a BCCI release had been approved by Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT]. It will also eliminate the possibility of another touch after the first impact affecting the predicted path or point of impact.”Earlier, there was a possibility that the operator would have missed a delivery and hence an lbw appeal could have been missed,” the BCCI release said. “Now, Hawk-Eye has developed the technology to record and save all images so that in case an operator fails to arm the tracking system, the images can be rewound and replayed.”Since their first experience with the system in its nascent stages, India were the biggest opponents of the DRS. The only times India used it since that 2008 series was in ICC events and in one Test series against England in 2011. In that series, the DRS was not used for lbw decisions.The BCCI’s sustained refusal to use the DRS meant that other countries would not use the system only when playing India. The board rarely articulated its opposition to the system in detail; India’s former Test captain MS Dhoni used to say they would use DRS only when it was 100% accurate.The current India coach Anil Kumble, who is also the head of the ICC cricket committee, had made a visit to MIT before he took over the India job to be apprised of the latest developments in the DRS technology. During the recent series against New Zealand, India’s current Test captain Virat Kohli had said India “definitely wanted to think about DRS”, which was the first significant departure from their previous stance.On October 19, the ICC general manager Geoff Allardice made a presentation in Delhi that was attended by Kumble. Two days later, India confirmed their acceptance of the system albeit on a trial basis.
Everton have joined the race to sign Hamilton Academical striker Ryan One this summer, according to reports.
Who is Ryan One?
One is an academy graduate at the Fountain of Youth Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first-team last summer, where he’s made a total of 28 appearances to date.
However, the 16-year-old was out of contract at the end of last month and he’s not yet been offered the chance to extend his stay with John Rankin’s side, meaning that as it stands, he’s set to depart as a free agent and will be available on the market for absolutely nothing.
The Scottish Championship outfit have also recently been relegated to the third-tier north of the border so the teenager could be hoping to find a new club at a higher level to test himself and progress his career, and it’s fair to say that he’s got plenty of admirers queuing up to secure his services.
Are Everton signing One?
According to TEAMtalk, Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford and Bournemouth are all keen to bring One to the Premier League. The Toffees and Sean Dyche are “checking” on the forward and have been “watching” him for “most of the season”.
Scottish Premiership rivals Celtic and Glasgow Rangers were also “keeping tabs” on the talented prospect, but it’s believed that a move to the top-flight in England would be “hard for him to turn down”.
Everton manager Sean Dyche.
Could One be a good addition for Dyche?
Everton will know that One – having only ever made 28 appearances (855 minutes) throughout his career – is certainly not a player ready to be considered for the first-team, but with the promising signs that he’s showing, he would be an exciting recruit for the long-term future of the club.
The Scotland U17 international, who earns £100-per-week, has scored two goals since being introduced to the senior fold and has already had a taste of success having won the Scottish Challenge Cup during his debut professional campaign in 2022/23, so he will continue to have an eye on securing silverware as he moves into the next stage of his development.
One also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline, including in his natural position as a centre-forward but also out wide on both the left and right flanks, which will no doubt be an attractive attribute to the hierarchy and is a quality that is useful to have in the building if he ever did become a regular under Dyche.
A round-up of the Sunfoil Series matches played from October 5-8, 2016
Firdose Moonda07-Oct-2016It took Dolphins just 11.5 overs on the fourth morning to take the remaining three Warriors wickets and seal victory by an innings and 70 runs in East London. Fittingly, it was left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj who took the winning wicket to rack up career-best match figures of 13 for 157.The win was set up by a solid batting performance from the Dolphins on the first two days. After losing Imraan Khan on the first ball of the match, Dolphins rebounded strongly courtesy good returns from the rest of the top five. While No. 3 Daryn Smit top-scored with 121, he was well supported by Sarel Erwee (59), Vaughn van Jaarsveld (90) and Khaya Zondo (81). But, coming in at No. 9, it was Maharaj who made the difference between a decent first-innings total and a very good one. He struck 72 off 71, sharing a 108-run eighth-wicket partnership with Zondo, to help Dolphins up to a final score of 478.Then came the bowling heroics. In the first innings, Maharaj took 7 for 89 to spark a collapse from 132 for 1 to 230 all out. Edward Moore (62) and Colin Ackermann (68) scored fifties for the Warriors, but the next highest score was 29 by No. 9 Andrew Birch. Dolphins imposed the follow-on and there was no let-up in Warriors’ second innings. Maharaj collected 6 for 68 as the Warriors crumbled to 178 all out, handing the visitors an emphatic victory to start their season.Test opener Stephen Cook struck an unbeaten 97 in Lions’ successful chase of 160•Getty ImagesLions wrapped up a 10-wicket win against Cobras early on the third day in Johannesburg. Chasing a modest 160, Lions romped to victory, with Test opener Stephen Cook top-scoring with an unbeaten 97.On a spicy surface, Cobras, having been embroiled in off-field issues over the future of their coach Paul Adams, chose to bat and were quickly skittled for 102. None of their batsmen made more then 29 runs while wickets were shared between Lions’ four seamers. Debutant Wiaan Mulder, who will begin his final school examinations shortly, enjoyed the best returns with 3 for 10.Cobras then hit back by reducing Lions to 99 for 8. Dane Paterson and Vernon Philander made the early inroads but it was another youngster, former Under-19 World Cup squad member Jason Smith, who claimed the biggest haul – 4 for 24. Temba Bavuma, who made an unbeaten 76, with support from Nono Pongolo, ensured the Lions gained a 52-run first-innings advantage.Cobras were in danger of another embarrassment when they tumbled to 17 for 4 and then 113 for 7, at the hands of Hardus Viljoen and Mulder. Smith showed his value with 95 while Dane Piedt provided some tail wagging and made 41, batting at No.9. Viljoen finished with 6 for 75 as Cobras managed to eke over 200 in their second dig.It was late on day two that Lions’ chase began and they looked to end the match quickly. They faced 18 overs and racked up 117 runs but bad light dragged the match into a third day. None of the Cobras bowlers enjoyed any success as Cook and Rasssie van der Dussen reached the target to give Lions maximum points: 15.08.Marchant De Lange claimed career-best figures of 7 for 23 in Knights’ four-wicket win•Getty ImagesDown the road at SuperSport Park, Mark Boucher’s coaching career did not get off to the start he would have wanted. Titans suffered a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Nicky Boje’s Knights, whose squad had been bolstered by a host of former Titans players.Marchant de Lange’s career-best 7 for 23 gave Knights just 171 to chase. Theunis de Bruyn then stayed unbeaten on 90 and took them to the target.De Lange did not do the early damage, though. That was down to Duanne Olivier and Mbulelo Budaza, who reduced Titans to 97 for 4 on the first morning. Among the early wickets was Dean Elgar, who was making a comeback after an ankle injury. He scored 33 off 71 balls, including five fours. Heinrich Klaasen and David Wiese shared a sixth-wicket stand of 142 to take Titans to a competitive 287, which was made to look even better when they bowled Knights out for 174.This meant Titans gained a first-innings lead of 113 runs, but then they slumped. In 14.2 overs on the second afternoon, de Lange and Olivier ran through them. Titans were bowled out for 57 with just three of their batsmen getting into double-figures. Knights closed the day on 41 for 1, with victory in sight.The third morning brought a thriller as Rowan Richards and Malusi Siboto kept the Knights in check. At 92 for 5, they still needed 79 runs and with a long tail, that was a tough ask. De Bruyn, though, held firm, and found support from Shadley van Schalkwyk, to steer his team home.
Liverpool have 'high confidence' that they can conclude a deal to bring in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the forthcoming transfer window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
What's the latest transfer news involving Alexis Mac Allister?
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently dropped an update on the state of play surrounding Mac Allister's future, stating on Twitter: "Alexis Mac Allister, expected to bid his farewell to Brighton fans after final game after his fantastic experience at the club since 2020. He’s prepared to leave the club in June with Liverpool frontrunners — close to complete the deal, waiting on final details."
Football Insider claim that Brighton's impending capture of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud has increased the likelihood of the Argentina international moving to Anfield in the off-season.
The report states that the Seagulls are 'resigned' to losing their prize asset to Liverpool and plan to use the funds recouped from his sale to bolster their engine room.
One outlet in Argentina has signalled that a deal to take Mac Allister to Merseyside has already been ratified and will cost the Reds £61 million.
Mac Allister earns £50,000 on his current contract at Brighton, which runs until 2025 on the South Coast, according to Capology.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has revealed that there is a 'form of exit clause' in Mac Allister's present terms at Brighton, though they still have some details to thrash out to make the transfer official.
Jacobs told FFC: "Mac Allister also does have a clause in his current deal, which was signed just before the World Cup. It can be referred to as a form of exit clause, but it isn't a traditional release clause and it helps facilitate a move and allows Liverpool to do a lot of legwork on the player side, but they will still have to agree a fee with Brighton. This is one that Liverpool have got high confidence in, they have done for quite some time, but Brighton always do things on their terms and usually at their valuation as well. That club-to-club aspect would still need to be completed, but this is one that Liverpool feel has a high likelihood of coming off."
Would Alexis Mac Allister be a good signing for Liverpool?
Mac Allister, who was hailed as Brighton's "golden boy", has been a joy to watch in the Premier League this campaign and would enrich Liverpool's midfield if he is to complete a switch to Anfield this summer.
In 2022/23, the 24-year-old has made 39 appearances in all competitions for Brighton, registering 12 goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.
Alexis Mac Allister Brighton Argentina
The playmaker has also illustrated his inventiveness on the field for the Seagulls this term, racking up 1.4 key passes per match in the English top flight, according to WhoScored.
FBRef shows that the Argentine has been a prevalent chance provider this campaign, successfully performing 105 shot-creating actions in total.
With Liverpool seemingly in the market for midfield reinforcements in the upcoming window, Mac Allister would be a very intelligent signing by Jurgen Klopp as he looks ahead to 2023/24.
Wolves could have to pay approximately £30m to sign Fiorentina right-back Dodo in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.
Had Dodo had a good season?
Wanderers have an important summer ahead of them, as they look to improve upon what has been a fairly underwhelming Premier League campaign. Granted, Julen Lopetegui has come in and steadied the ship, but it is vital that they both keep hold of the manager and bring in some top-quality signings at the end of the campaign.
One player who is reportedly a target for Wolves is Dodo, with a rumour earlier this week suggesting that they are considering making a move for him. The 24-year-old has been a regular for Fiorentina this season, appearing 28 times in Serie A and making five appearances in the Coppa Italia, but a new challenge could appeal to him in the summer.
The Brazilian's current deal doesn't expire until 2027, however, so it may be that Wolves and other potential suitors are unable to sign him on the cheap. In fact, news of his valuation has now emerged, giving Wanderers an idea of the fee needed to prise him away.
How much could Dodo cost Wolves?
According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], Dodo is "one of the best" full-backs in Serie A currently and would cost Wolves between €30-35m (£26-30m) this summer. While they aren't specifically mentioned in this new report, they are least aware of his price tag now.
The Fiorentina man could be a really astute signing by Wanderers before the start of next season, coming in and adding both quality and squad depth. He could provide competition for Nelson Semedo at right-back, assuming the Portuguese stays put, and at 24, he would be coming in as a younger alternative to him.
Dodo registered 17 assists in 97 appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk during his time there, highlighting his attacking ability from full-back, wile he also a total of 18 caps across three different age groups for Brazil (five for the Under-23s, 11 for the Under-20s and two for the Under-17s).
The price tag mentioned doesn't exactly feel extortionate for someone who is a regular for a Serie A team, so Wolves could be wise to make a move for him, even though Newcastle United's interest could scupper the situation, given their promise of Champions League football next season, making this one to watch.