Liverpool have identified Ryan Gravenberch as a potential midfield option in the summer following their recent blow in the race for Jude Bellingham.

Have Liverpool pulled out of the Bellingham race?

The pursuit for the signature of Bellingham in the summer took a major twist over recent days with Liverpool believed to be one f the three main sides eyeing the midfielder.

Alongside the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid, it is believed Liverpool were seriously interested in potentially signing the 19-year-old.

However, reports have now suggested the Reds have pulled out of the race as a result of the finances expected to be involved in the possible sale of the England midfielder.

Now, it appears the Merseyside are weighing up their options for potential alternatives as they look to plan for the new campaign at Anfield.

It has been a largely underwhelming campaign for Liverpool this season and one they will be hoping some reinforcements over the summer could turn around.

One name which has been floated around as a possible alternative for Bellingham is the £155k-per-week Bayern Munich midfielder, Gravnberch.

Indeed, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has suggested the 20-year-old is a player who Jurgen Klopp's side are said to be keen on:

(23:50) "A very interesting name to keep an eye on and I suspect he'll be very strongly talked about with Liverpool. They like him, as you say. So I think he'd be very much under consideration for them. Could be a very good pickup for a Premier League team."

Could Gravenberch be a good Bellingham alternative?

It has to be noted potentially missing out on Bellingham will naturally feel like a huge blow given the high praise that the youngster has received over the early stages of his career.

However, the Dutchman, Gravenberch, is a player who landed at Bayern in the summer from Ajax with huge expectations following his time in the Eredivisie.

Under his previous manager, Julian Nagelsmann, the 20-year-old was hailed despite the lack of game time he was receiving from the starting XI: “It’s not easy for Ryan but he’s gonna be one of the best midfielders in the world," he said.

The midfielder has made 17 appearances in the Bundesliga and only one of those have come from the starting XI with a total of 323 minutes of league action (via Transfermarkt).

Gravenberch has been described as "special" by talkSPORT's Mark Goldbridge and last season he certainly showed that having provided more shot-creating actions than Bellingham did last season (via Fbref).

Of course, this has to be caveated by the fact he was playing in a different league to Bellingham last season, however, the Dutchman (67.4%) also provided more successful take-ons than Bellingham (55.1%).

Missing out on the statement signing of Bellingham will hurt for Liverpool fans, but it seems there are other players who could bolster Klopp's options in the middle.

Leeds United have been offered the chance to bring Boca Juniors striker Mateo Retegui to the Premier League, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

What's the latest on Retegui to Leeds?

The Argentinian is currently out on a season-long loan at Club Atletico Tigre where they have the option to buy included as part of that deal having fallen out of favour under Hugo Ibarra, despite his contract at his parent side not expiring until the end of next year, as per Transfermarkt.

The Whites are one of several clubs to have recently been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old as Javi Gracia looks to revamp his attacking department ahead of the new term, and his target has already given him a potential boost that a deal can be done.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the forward admitted that he’ll be on the move at the end of the season and is ideally looking to secure a switch to Europe. As quoted by 90min, he said “Melarana [Tigre's president] said that in July it could be likely that I'll be sold. I really like the idea, it is a dream for everyone who plays football, the greatest teams are in Europe. In Italy there are great clubs, I like them all.”

According to 90min, Retegui has been “offered” to Premier League clubs including Leeds, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Everton and Leicester. The Whites, alongside the other named potential suitors, have been “made aware” of his availability as well as newly-promoted Burnley. AC Milan, Inter Milan, Lazio and Udinese are also “keen” to secure his services, whilst Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Berlin are “weighing up” an approach.

Would Retegui be a good signing for Leeds?

Leeds veteran Patrick Bamford has already been heavily linked with an exit this summer, so should he depart, Retegui would be the perfect replacement and definitely a good signing at Elland Road.

The Adidas-sponsored star has posted 33 goal contributions (30 goals and three assists) in 53 appearances for Tigre where he’s currently averaging 3.9 shots per game, highlighting his prolific edge and desire to find the back of the net.

Standing at 6 foot 1, the colossus is also recording 2.7 aerial wins every 90 minutes so is the ideal target man up top with his height and physical presence, an attribute that has seen him lauded a “complete” striker by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should the opportunity to land him arise, this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Rangers are reportedly confident that they could pip a number of Premier League clubs to the signing of Burnley youngster Jack McEvilly.

How good is McEvilly?

The Gers will hopefully embark on a busy summer transfer window later this year, as they look to make significant reinforcements in the market. Once again, they look set to fall short in the Scottish Premiership title race and more quality is ultimately required, in order to close the gap on Celtic.

One player who has been linked with a move to Ibrox is McEvilly, who is making a name for himself at Burnley, standing out as one of their most exciting youth team products. The centre-back is even touted as one of the best young players in his position in England, with many clubs likely to eye up a move for him at the end of the season.

It doesn't look as though Rangers' interest is going away any time soon, following a fresh update, as they look to seal the signing of the 16-year-old.

Could teenager join Rangers?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are "confident they have an advantage over Premier League clubs" in the battle to acquire McEvilly's signature. They and Celtic are both thought to have "registered their interest in a potential deal this summer" and they have an advantage because "Scottish clubs only have to pay a maximum £300,000 compensation for out-of-contract players."

In comparison, Premier League teams could have to spend millions on someone like McEvilly, due to there being "no cap on development costs and what they have to pay."

Newcastle, Manchester United, Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton are all mentioned as potential suitors in the report, but it looks as though the talented Burnley defender could be Ibrox-bound.

While McEvilly clearly wouldn't come in as a key first-team signing by Michael Beale, it is essential that Rangers continue to plan for the future and don't simply focus on the here and now. They need to be in a position where they are a force for many years to come and the centre-back could be exactly what they are looking for, in that respect.

He could come in as a youth team player to begin with, or even be loaned out at some point, before maturing over time and eventually becoming a key figure at the heart of the Gers' defence, as he looks to match the hype.

Tottenham Hotspur dud Davinson Sanchez was booed off as Cristian Stellini's side were defeated 3-2 by relegation candidates AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

It was another miserable day for the Lilywhites as their season continues to peter out into nothingness and this moment, which is merely another slight of toxicity that the north London outfit have grown accustomed to, may well be the lowest ebb – if not the saddest, according to club captain Hugo Lloris.

There is no denying that Sanchez is part of the problem, rather than the sole villain for their woes and the fans' reaction over the weekend was somewhat harsh, though it is merely a culmination of the negativity that has been brewing throughout the current demise.

They have their right to vent such anger, however, and unfortunately for the Colombian international, his form for the club in recent seasons hasn't been good enough and it all came to a head against the Cherries, with Spurs losing their footing in the race for a top-four finish.

Should Spurs sell Davinson Sanchez?

Spurs parted with a then club-record fee of £42m for Sanchez back in 2017; earmarked as a centre-back for the ages for the club.

"We believe he will be one of the best centre-backs in the world in the future. That is why we made the effort to try to sign him," former manager Mauricio Pochettino claimed upon the defender's arrival from Ajax.

Now nearly six years later and aged 26, the 6 foot 2 flop has struggled to cement his place in the starting XI, even despite the constant change in manager. When as many as four different coaches can't trust you, then something is clearly up.

The £65k-per-week "liability" – as once lambasted by Daily Express reporter Joe Krishnan – hasn't started more than 17 top-flight matches in any of the last three seasons, with the current campaign being on track for his lowest output yet, per WhoScored.

Sanchez was introduced in the 35th minute as Clement Lenglet had to be withdrawn due to an injury and by the hour mark, the substitute got replaced himself, leading to the crowd's jeers.

It wasn't just the Lilywhites' faithful that was left disappointed by the 26-year-old's shocking 23-minute outing as former midfielder Jamie O'Hara slammed him on talkSPORT. "We spent a lot of money on him and he is absolutely awful," he said.

This was backed up by another ex-Spurs star as Jermaine Jenas claimed he was "sloppy" and that his passing was "just embarrassing" on BBC Match of the Day.

With 14 months left to run on his contract, the summer window represents one final chance to recoup a tiny bit of the eye-watering £42m the club paid for him.

He's human after all and does not deserve abuse. However, he is just not good enough for this level of football and must be offloaded under the new manager, as soon as possible.

Presenter and YouTuber Conor McGilligan has suggested that Wilfried Gnonto has not been playing as he may have fallen out with Leeds United manager Javi Gracia, as opposed to an apparent injury.

What's the latest injury news for Leeds and Wilfried Gnonto?

The talented winger has not been able to secure regular minutes since the Spaniard took charge and hasn't started any of the club's last four league matches.

In part, that has been due to injury, but in that run, Gnonto only missed the trip to Arsenal – and has been in the matchday squad for the three games since, playing just 33 minutes in that time.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Premier League trip to Fulham, Gracia explained why the 19-year-old hasn't been playing much, telling LeedsLive: "Gnonto is ready. He had a little issue, he had some problem, now he's ready. He's training from the last few weeks and in the beginning when he came back, it's true that I tried to protect him a little bit, but now he's ready and available."

It's certainly interesting to hear the 52-year-old admit he has been deliberately not playing Gnonto to "protect him", though this seems to have left McGilligan suspicious.

Indeed, while talking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, the podcaster claimed that there may be an issue between the player and the manager.

He said: "I am maybe a little bit more dubious as to whether or not Willy Gnonto has this injury that has kept him out.

"Maybe that's me being a little bit curious and a little bit hypothetical a bit about the scenario. Hopefully I'm wrong and it is just down to an injury, but I do feel that maybe a little bit more has gone on there between Willy and Gracia."

Have Gracia and Gnonto fallen out?

Earlier in the season, Gnonto – who earns £20k per week – had established himself as a regular under former boss Jesse Marsch and actually started the American's last seven games before he was sacked.

He also earned plenty of praise in this period, too. For instance, after a loss to Aston Villa, Gary Neville told Sky Sports (via Mail Online): "To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.

"Sometimes you see potential and talent, but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good, honestly."

With that being the case, it does seem odd that Gracia would arrive at Leeds and not rate Gnonto. And after admitting that the player's injury hasn't been that bad, perhaps he might be benching the Italian for non-footballing reasons.

After all, in the midst of a relegation battle, you'd hardly be worried about protecting one of your best players. You'd probably be desperate to get them back on the pitch the moment they were fit again, so we are also curious about this situation and will be keen to see whether he gets the nod this weekend.

West Ham United will be looking to build on Sunday's 1-0 win over Southampton when they take on Champions League hopefuls Newcastle United at the London Stadium this evening.

David Moyes' side were less than convincing against the Premier League's bottom side but picked up a vital three points, with another positive result needed if the Hammers want to distance themselves from the relegation places on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, they are coming up against a Newcastle side that look at the peak of their powers after moving into third position with a 2-0 triumph over Manchester United last time out.

How will West Ham line up against Newcastle?

Here is how Football FanCast expects Moyes to line his side up against the Toon, with two changes from the side that beat Southampton over the weekend.

(4-3-3) Fabianski (GK); Kehrer (RB), Zouma (CB), Aguerd (CB), Emerson (LB); Rice (CM), Soucek (CM), Paqueta (CM); Cornet (RW), Benrahma (LW), Antonio (ST).

After keeping a clean sheet on his return from injury, it seems likely that 37-year-old Lukasz Fabianski will start again in between the sticks against Eddie Howe's side.

Moyes was also boosted by the return of Vladimir Coufal after the international break but opted to go for Thilo Kehrer at right-back on Sunday and was justified after the Germany international registered an assist and a clean sheet, so he should keep his place for Wednesday's game.

Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma will have to be at their best against a Newcastle side that are potent from set-pieces, with eight goals coming from dead-ball situations so far this campaign, while Emerson also keeps his place at left-back.

It would be strange to see Moyes deviate from his preferred midfield three of Declan Rice, Lucas Paqueta and Tomas Soucek, with that trio rated as three of the best four players in the Hammers' squad according to WhoScored this season.

One man who has failed to live up to his expectations from last season is Jarrod Bowen, as he boasts just four top-flight goals, so Moyes could hand a rare start to Maxwel Cornet on the wing tonight, with Said Benrahma on the opposite flank.

Finally, after another anonymous display against his former side which saw him manage just seven passes, Danny Ings could drop out of the starting side this evening, with Michail Antonio replacing him.

There is no doubt that the 32-year-old, who earns £85k-per-week at the London Stadium, is starting to look past his best, but he adds a "chaos factor" – in the words of Jack Rosser – which could just unhinge a rock-solid Newcastle defence, so Moyes should hand him a rare start this evening.

Liverpool will travel to west London this evening for their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his squad can quickly recover from their 4-1 defeat against Manchester City.

The Reds are now eight points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four and a win over a managerless Chelsea will be integral to their chances of closing that gap between themselves and Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

Something needs to change as the side put in another uninspiring shift at the Etihad and Klopp hinted in his pre-match press conference that the side could look different to the one he lined up on Saturday:

"We need a reaction badly. It was a super strange game (v City). Second half was not acceptable, but it happened anyway."

"Short turnaround means I have no clue who I can line up. We give the boys as much time as possible to recover but there will be changes, definitely."

As a result, it could be a great opportunity for the German coach to give starts to players who haven't had many opportunities to prove themselves this season with Curtis Jones available for selection.

Will Curtis Jones start vs Chelsea?

It is no secret that the midfield has suffered this season with multiple injuries hindering Klopp's opportunity to select his very best options in the centre of the pitch, alongside a lack of quality and pace, as many opponents have outrun Liverpool in the Premier League this term.

Naby Keita, Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara remain unavailable for selection due to injury issues, which means that the Liverpool boss will have his options limited when trying to add fresh perspectives and fresh legs into the midfield this evening.

Jones has made just 13 appearances this season as the academy graduate has struggled with injury issues himself.

However, he will be an option for the starting XI against Chelsea and could replace Harvey Elliott after he was 'caught up in the City whirlwind' – as per journalist Ian Doyle – having failed to offer 'enough defensively' in the words of Matt Addison during that encounter.

Jones is a variable alternative as a result of his efforts at both ends of the pitch, but it's in attack where he could make the biggest difference against a beleaguered Chelsea.

The £15k-per-week "massive talent" – as dubbed by Klopp – has tallied up eight goals and ten assists over his 86 senior appearances so far and, like Elliott, is a player who is keen to break the lines to become part of the attacking threat.

That could be incredibly valuable to his team against Chelsea in the pursuit of gaining an early lead.

With that being said, the Liverpool boss must unleash Jones against Chelsea. After such a restricted season, he has a point to prove and could inject some life back into the midfield three, giving the team something different to improve upon the uninspiring display seen just a few days ago.

Liverpool view Cody Gakpo as their long-term successor for Roberto Firmino who is set to leave the club at the end of the season.

Why is Firmino leaving Liverpool?

The 31-year-old will not be renewing his contract ahead of the final weeks of the season and will, therefore, seek opportunities elsewhere over the summer.

Jurgen Klopp is believed to have hoped the Brazilian would have chosen to stay at Anfield beyond this season, however, it seems as if the Reds will have to face life without him.

Firmino has made 359 appearances for Liverpool over the years and has been able to return 109 goals and 79 assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

Liverpool have spent fairly significantly over recent months on their forward options and it seems as if their potential Firmino successor could already be in the building.

Indeed, speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O'Rourke has claimed the Reds view their January addition, Gakpo, as a possible successor for the 31-year-old:

"He's going to be a tough player to replace in that Liverpool side because it's not just his goals, it's his all round game that he offers to Jurgen Klopp's side.

"So yeah, and obviously he will be a loss to Liverpool and it'll be up to them [to replace him]. Maybe they see Cody Gakpo as being somebody who can maybe come in, as he has done and become a long-term replacement for Firmino."

Is Gakpo good enough to succeed Firmino?

Firmino's brilliance at Liverpool will be remembered for his ability to create as well as find the back of the net with the Brazilian offering an impressive 79 assists.

And that is certainly something which Gakpo has shown during the early stages of his career in the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven.

During his time in the Netherlands, the 23-year-old returned a seriously impressive 55 goals and 50 assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

However, what is an interesting takeaway from his time at PSV is the majority of his games came from the left-wing position.

In comparison, only a small fraction of Firmino's games for the Reds have been played out wide with the majority of his appearances coming from the centre-forward position (via Transfermarkt).

So far for Liverpool, Gakpo has been able to offer a return of four goals in the Premier League but he is still waiting to provide his first assist.

Journalist Leanne Prescott has already hailed Gakpo as "sensational" upon his arrival at Anfield and he has certainly brought an all-round game to Merseyside as he ranks inside the top four percentile for interceptions (via Fbref).

It is still early days in Gakpo's career at Liverpool, however, there are positive signs with the Dutchman having returned a higher number of shot-creating actions (5.73) this season than Firmino (4.33) did in the 2017/18 campaign (via Fbref) – albeit across two different leagues.

"His defending is outstanding. Now you will say we bought a striker and talk about defending, but the defending in this position is outstanding," Klopp said about Gakpo in January.

With Luis Diaz set to return to the fold soon on the back of his injury issues, it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for Gakpo's role in the Liverpool side.

كشف محمد أبو تريكة، اللاعب السابق لمنتخب مصر وأحد محللي شبكة قنوات “بي إن سبورتس” القطرية، عن رأيه تجاه إلغاء هدف ليفربول الذي سجله هارفي إليوت ضد بيرنلي، وذلك بسبب محمد صلاح نجم الفريق.

كان ليفربول قد حقق فوزًا ضد بيرنلي، على ملعب “تيرف مور” بهدف دون رد في الجولة التاسعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي.

وألغت تقنية الفيديو هدفًا لصالح ليفربول، في الدقيقة 56، سجله هارفي إليوت وذلك بداعِ وجود حالة تسلل على محمد صلاح، الذي كان حاجب الرؤية في الوقت نفسه عن حارس بيرنلي جيمس ترافورد.

وقال محمد أبو تريكة: “أنا أتفق مع قرار إلغاء هدف هارفي إليوت أمام بيرنلي لأن محمد صلاح حجب الرؤية عن حارس بيرنلي، ومن ثم كان مشاركًا في اللعبة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي تعلن عن أفضل لاعب في مباراة ليفربول وبيرنلي

وأضاف: “يُعتبر هذا تدخلًا من محمد صلاح، كان قرارًا جيدًا من قِبل تقنية الفيديو”.

ولكن أبو تريكة لم يتفق مع قرار إلغاء هدف جاكبو، في الشوط الأول، والذي ألغاه الحكم بداعِ وجود تدخل من داروين نونيز.

وعن ذلك، قال أبو تريكة: “أنا ضد قرار إلغاء هدف جاكبو لأن نونيز لم يعق مدافع بيرنلي، المدافع هو من فقد توازنه ثم سقط”.

أشاد معتمد جمال المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، بالفوز الذي حققه الفريق وديًا على عثماثون طنطا، بثمانية أهداف دون رد.

وفاز الزمالك بثمانية أهداف نظيفة، سجلها كل من عمر جابر وناصر منسي وإبراهيما نداي ثلاثة أهداف “هاتريك” وسامسون أكينيولا ثلاثة أهداف “هاتريك”.

وقال معتمد جمال عقب المباراة في تصريحات رسمية: “الجهاز الفني سعيد بهذا الفوز، الذي ترجم ما كنا نهدف له، وهو تحسين إنهاء الهجمات بالشكل الأمثل، ما أسفر عن ثمانية أهداف وهو أمر إيجابي”.

اقرأ أيضًا..2 هاتريك.. الزمالك يسحق عثماثون طنطا بثمانية أهداف وديًا

وتابع مدرب الزمالك: “الجهاز الفني كان يُركز خلال التدريبات الأخيرة على أهمية استغلال الفرص وترجمتها إلى أهداف، وهو ما حدث في مباراة اليوم، ونحاول الاستفادة من كل مباراة ودية بعدة أمور فنية”.

وأشار معتمد جمال إلى أن ظهور محمود حمدي “الونش” ومصطفى شلبي بشكل جيد أمر مهم للجهاز الفني، للاطمئنان عليهما بشكل أكبر، بجانب تجهيز كل عناصر الفريق والحفاظ على مستوياتهم الفنية والبدنية في ظل فترة التوقف الدولي.