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Sam Allardyce says he is ready to return to football after two years out of the game, saying he is waiting on a "great project".

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• Allardyce eyeing return to football
• Ex-England boss clubs can 'ring him up'
• Absent from the game for two years

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The ex-England manager spent four matches in charge of Leeds in a failed attempt to keep them in the Premier League at the end of the 2022-23 season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The ex-Newcastle, West Ham and Everton boss is eager to find a way back after a lengthy absence, though he distanced himself from a return to one former team, League One promotion hopefuls Bolton.

• WHAT ALLARDYCE SAID

  "I would help anybody. Whether as a manager, or in another role, I don't know," the 70-year-old told . "But it would have to be a great project. Where we're all pulling in the same direction. You may think that always happens at a football club, but believe me it does not!"

  Asked if he sees himself back at Bolton, he said: "I don't think I do. If they wanted my help they can ring me up anytime they want. I live in the town."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Allardyce is taking part in the nationwide Sky Bet and British Heart Foundation's Every Minute Matters Relay to inspire the public to learn CPR. The event sees participants walk, cycle or run each leg. Allardyce will walk 13km from Bolton to Wigan.

  "I have had three stents fitted in my lifetime and fortunately I have not been a casualty of cardiac arrest because I managed to get myself sorted out before it escalated to that level," he told . "I’m the sort of person who prefers an ounce of prevention to a pound of cure, and I get myself checked up. At the first sign of a problem, I’m straight on to the doctor. This campaign is about making people aware of heart disease and how we can save lives."

The German side has regularly gone toe-to-toe with the game's elite, which is a reason for optimism this summer

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For years, Borussia Dortmund has been America's team, thanks to the team's part in developing U.S. men's national team stars Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna. However, as the German giants prepare for a big summer tournament in the United States, there's a very real possibility they head across the pond without their current U.S. men's national team regular.

Reyna's future is uncertain, and reports indicate that he might be on the move this summer. Those rumors come as Dortmund look ahead to the Club World Cup, this summer's big opportunity to win a trophy on American soil. There's no guarantee Reyna will be involved, and, at the moment, given his lack of minutes, it seems he wouldn't have a big part to play even if he did end up staying at the club.

Reyna isn't the only American in the team, though. Could this summer be a chance for rising star Cole Campbell, who has been right on the fringes of Dortmund's first team all year long? Campbell looks like the next American to play a role at Dortmund, but it remains to be seen when that big leap will come from him.

While American fans will be hoping to see Reyna and Campbell on the pitch, Dortmund, as a club, will be eyeing silverware. Despite some struggles this season, the club has proven it can go toe-to-toe with the game's elite for some time now, and this current group is no different. They have the pieces to threaten any team in the competition, but it will be a tough task considering the other teams in the competition.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.

Next up is Borussia Dortmund with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the German side at the tournament.

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  The Basics

  DOMESTIC LEAGUE: German Bundesliga

  CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: First appearance

  GROUP: F (Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ulsan HD, Borussia Dortmund)

  OPENING MATCH: Fluminense – June 17, noon. ET, East Rutherford

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  How they got here

  Dortmund have regularly gone punch-for-punch with the world's very best in the Champions League, and it's that continental consistency that booked their ticket to this summer's Club World Cup.

  Despite falling in the finale against Real Madrid last season, Dortmund earned one of the nine spots handed to the best teams in UEFA's four-year ranking, finishing just behind rivals Bayern Munich and French giants PSG as the third-best team in that ranking.

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  The player to watch

  All Americans will have eyes on Reyna and Campbell if either is involved, but the real star man in this team is striker Serhou Guirassy.

  Signed for big money after breaking out at Stuttgart, which saw him hit the 30-goal mark in all competitions, Guirassy has been worth every penny, having scored 28 goals across 40 matches so far this season. That includes 13 in the Champions League, making him the competition's leading scorer this season. He's been a man for the big games, too, netting a hat-trick in Dortmund's near-comeback against Barcelona. You can tack on four assists to that, too.

  All of that leads to one conclusion: Guirassy is one of the best attackers in Europe and, if Dortmund are to win the Club World Cup this summer, it'll almost certainly come behind a boatload of goals from their star striker.

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  Realistic expectations

  This season hasn't gone to plan for Dortmund. They currently sit seventh in the Bundesliga with a real fight ahead of them if they want a return to the Champions League. Their continental journey ended with that Barcelona heartbreak and their DFB-Pokal run ended all the way back in October, which means all they can do now is push for that top-four spot.

  None of that will really matter this summer, though, as Dortmund will be right there among the more dangerous teams in the Club World Cup field. Their group is relatively straightforward to start. Fluminense may give them a game, but the other two should be cannon fodder for them on their way to the knockout rounds. Once there, they'll face a member of Group E, which includes Inter Milan, Monterrey, River Plate, and Urawa Red Diamonds.

  With that path, Dortmund have a very real road to the quarterfinal round and, once there, it's anyone's ballgame. Recent results have proven that the German side doesn't have to fear anyone, and they won't as they look to make another deep run in a top competition this summer.

Sunderland have made one huge signing already this month with the addition of Enzo Le Fee, and the Black Cats are considering adding to that with the addition of a promising young forward, according to one journalist.

Sunderland transfer news

It has been a great first season so far for Regis Le Bris in charge of the Black Cats, as they are firmly in the fight not just for a play-off spot but automatic promotion. But despite the excellent season, the Sunderland boss will likely be looking at ways he can improve his side, and adding some fresh faces may be his solution in the coming weeks.

Sunderland racing to sign "outstanding" Isidor upgrade

Regis Le Bris will hope this in-demand attacker joins Sunderland this January.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 14, 2025

It’s been reported that the Championship side are interested in signing Ben Brereton Diaz from Southampton this month. The Chile international has struggled since joining the Premier League side, as his form has now seen him fall down the pecking order. The Black Cats are not the only side eyeing the forward, though, as Blackburn Rovers have also joined the race to re-sign their former player, and Brereton Diaz is said to prefer either a loan move to Sheffield United or to remain at Southampton.

The good news for Sunderland supporters is that he is not the only striker that the club are looking at, as Stoke City’s Tom Cannon is also on their radar. Cannon is on loan at the Potters from Leicester City, and there is a chance he could be recalled and then sent out on loan to a different team, with the Black Cats and Sheffield United keen on snapping the striker up.

Sunderland seriously interested in signing 21 y/o forward

The news of a potential new striker doesn’t stop there for the Championship side, as journalist Michael Graham reports that Sunderland are taking a serious look at striker Matija Frigan.

Frigan currently plays for Belgian side KVC Westerlo and has done so since July 2023, when he arrived from Croatian side HNK Rijeka. The 21-year-old came through the academy at Rijeka, playing over 30 times for them and scoring 15 goals in the process.

That form earned him his move to Belgium, and he hasn’t looked back, continuing to score goals for KVC Westerlo. Frigan has now emerged on Sunderland’s radar once again, as they look to add to their forward line. Before he moved to Belgium, Sunderland were very keen on signing Frigan, seeing a £3.4 million bid rejected for his services.

The Black Cats obviously missed out on his signing, and they are now looking into a possible deal in this transfer window. Frigan, who is under contract until 2028, joining Sunderland would see him compete alongside Eliezer Mayenda, Ahmed Abdullahi, Nazariy Rusyn and Wilson Isidor, who has become a fan favourite at the Stadium of Light. But given Isidor is on loan from Zenit St Petersburg, Le Bris may see Frigan as the player to replace him in the long term if a deal cannot be done.

Sunderland have agreed personal terms with a £13m striker, who could be set to join on an initial loan deal this month, according to a report.

Black Cats vying for promotion

The Black Cats will feel very disappointed to have not taken all three points from their trip to Turf Moor on Friday night, with Wilson Isidor twice being denied from the penalty spot by Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford.

However, Regis Le Bris’ side remain in a strong position to gain promotion from the Championship, as they are still within touching distance of the automatic promotion places, with the manager looking to bolster his squad even further this month.

Central midfielder Enzo Le Fee was put straight into the starting XI after arriving on an initial loan from Roma, with an obligation to buy if Le Bris’ side secure promotion.

Long-term £4m+ Sunderland target now ready to leave current club this month

He could become a viable alternative amid increasing competition for Cannon’s signature.

By
Ben Browning

Jan 17, 2025

Now, the manager is looking to orchestrate a similar type of deal to bring in a new striker, with talks being held over a deal to sign Westerlo’s Matija Frigan, who is likely to set Sunderland back around £13m if they are promoted to the Premier League.

Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad has now offered a further update on the Black Cats’ pursuit of Frigan (via Walfoot), detailing that personal terms have been agreed over a move to the Stadium of Light.

Signing the striker is said to be a priority for Sunderland, and it appears as though they could have a strong chance of getting a deal done, given that the player himself is clearly interested in the move.

Sunderland need a striker

Wilson Isidor has found the back of the net twice in his last three games, but the Frenchman’s two missed penalties against Burnley could have huge implications in the Championship promotion race.

As such, it is evident the Black Cats need to bring in additional reinforcements up top, and Frigan may be their best option, given that their other targets are about to be snapped up by their promotion rivals.

Chris Wilder has confirmed that Ben Brereton Diaz is now close to completing a move to former club Sheffield United, and it looks like Leicester City’s Tom Cannon may also be on his way to Bramall Lane.

Although the Westerlo forward is unproven in a major league, he has shown some promising signs in Belgium this season, picking up six goals and three assists in 20 league outings.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described the Croatian as a “complete forward”, while also praising him for his pace and finishing, indicating he could be a solid signing for Sunderland as they look to make a push for the automatic promotion places.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney has dropped the trailer for Season Four of Welcome to Wrexham, which will cover the club's Championship promotion.

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• Wrexham won promotion last weekend
• New season to drop on Disney+
• Features Ryan Reynolds and Channing Tatum

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham were promoted on Saturday as they beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 at SToK Cae Ras, completing their third successive promotion, and capping a remarkable rise from the National League. The entirety of Reynolds' and McElhenney's ownership has been tracked by Welcome to Wrexham, and McElhenney has now revealed the trailer for season four.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham have already been linked with a number of potential new signings, one of whom is Jamie Vardy, who is poised to leave Leicester City at the end of the season. The 38-year-old is, of course, a veteran, and is experienced in the second-tier, having scored 38 goals in 98 games in the Championship.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham wrap up their season against Lincoln City. Welcome to Wrexham Season Four will drop on May 15.

The Blues host Arne Slot's unexpected champions on Sunday and will be desperate to close the gap to the Reds, or even emulate them, next season

You couldn't begrudge Chelsea's players feeling a tinge of jealousy when they line up against Liverpool on Sunday. The Blues will give the newly-crowned Premier League champions a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge, and they will be wondering what could have been.

It feels like a lifetime ago now that Enzo Maresca's men were considered Liverpool's nearest title rivals, but the west Londoners have gone from two to points adrift since early December as their challenge disintegrated.

Chelsea have fallen so far away that their focus is now on clinging onto a Champions League place in a testing run-in, but the clash against the league winners will also be a litmus test and offers the chance to examine how the Blues can close the gap to Arne Slot's side, or perhaps even emulate them, next season.

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  Find their Van Dijk

  Easier said than done, of course, but Chelsea have sorely lacked a defensive leader this season following Thiago Silva's exit. Wesley Fofana's injuries have resulted in a churn at centre-back, with Maresca rotating between Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile alongside Levi Colwill.

  Summer free signing Adarabioyo is now their most senior figure at the back at 27, but if we're being brutally honest he doesn't exactly boast the glittering CV to give any serious weight to his voice in the dressing room.

  Finding a player with Virgil van Dijk's quality when the transfer window opens will of course be nigh on impossible, but Chelsea's aim should be finding a player who can that defensive lynchpin in the future. The reported pursuit of Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen is a good start – a player who has demonstrated elite potential in the Premier League this season.

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  Sign a goal-scorer

  Liverpool have demonstrated exactly how you can survive and even thrive without a prolific striker in recent years and especially this season; their main No.9s Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have just 11 league goals between them, although the Reds are a clear anomaly with the indomitable Mohamed Salah in their ranks.

  Just about everyone knows Chelsea need a reliable and consistent goal-scorer as Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer struggle to carry the burden, and the Blues have been strongly linked with Ipswich Town centre-forward Liam Delap, as well as Bundesliga hitmen Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike.

  While a prolific striker is the obvious answer, Salah is an example of why it's worth looking outside the box – both figuratively and literally; could the incoming Estevao be the answer? Or is there someone on the market like Real Madrid's Rodrygo who could become the man to plunder goals from other attacking areas? It's a decision Chelsea must finally get right.

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  Midfield balance

  Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez have been two of Chelsea's most consistent performers this season, but their good work has been somewhat undermined by the lack of a third centre-midfielder to offer balance and free them to play to their strengths.

  Romeo Lavia has looked the part when fit, acting as more of a box-to-box option who progresses play with his passing and ability to beat the press, enabling Fernandez to play further up the pitch and Caicedo to invert from right-back and focus on being a pure midfield destroyer. However, there are murmurs that the club could cut its losses on the injury-plagued Belgian.

  Everyone expected Liverpool to spend big on a new No.6 last season but instead Slot shrewdly looked inward (although their pursuit of Martin Zubimendi did collapse), and Ryan Gravenberch has unexpectedly shone at the base of their midfield behind Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in a three-man set-up that has a bit of everything, with the Dutchman the perfect foil to the attack-minded former and creative latter.

  Chelsea have tended to look far more fluid with Lavia in the team despite the fact he has only managed 12 league appearances all season, with their best spell coming when he was available between late September and early December as Maresca's men soared to second, before their form notably took a nosedive following his latest hamstring injury.

  Still just 21, Lavia can be a long-term solution, but the challenge will be keeping him fit and on the pitch.

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  Trim the fat

  Liverpool's data-driven recruitment approach under renowned chief executive Michael Edwards – which is the envy of many clubs including Chelsea, who want to follow suit – has left them with a streamlined, well-balanced squad and very little deadwood, enabling Slot to use a trusted core of players.

  By contrast, Chelsea's bewildering recent transfer strategy, or lack thereof, has left them with a bloated, unbalanced and disjointed group of players, despite – or perhaps as a result of – the huge clear-out they had in the summer of 2023.

  While the Reds have one or two players who are either surplus to requirements or might be unhappy with their lack of minutes, the Blues have multiple individuals who serve no purpose. They could feasibly sell as many as 15 first-team players in the summer, including costly recent signings Christopher Nkunku, Joao Felix and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

  If Chelsea want to close the gap to Liverpool or even emulate them, they must trim the fat and instead target players that will provide functional depth, like Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones and Conor Bradley do at Anfield. The early signing of highly-rated midfielder Dario Essugo from Sporting CP suggests the penny might have dropped.

Arsenal have made their opening concrete bid for a player, according to one high-ranking former club chief, with the side’s former vice president lifting the lid on this January offer and providing further details about the Gunners’ approach.

Arsenal attempting to seal January signings before deadline day

Throughout the January window, manager Mikel Arteta has repeatedly stated that an arrival or two is possible at the Emirates before deadline day on February 3rd, and the Spaniard particularly wants a new forward.

Arsenal prepared to pay January release clause for £200k-per-week forward

The Gunners are still chasing a fresh attacking option.

7

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 28, 2025

Arsenal remain in advancing talks for Sverre Nypan, but the Norwegian wonderkid has his pick of other interested sides, as the City Football Group also look to snap him up for Girona and Premier League rivals Aston Villa lurk in the background as well.

While the 18-year-old carries a growing reputation, Arsenal’s much bigger priority arguably lies further forward, with Arteta publicly expressing his desire to bring in a new attacking option after injuries to both Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal are firm contenders to sign Matheus Cunha, amid claims he’s keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium, while it is believed that RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko is also a serious target for interim sporting director Jason Ayto.

That being said, club officials have also been laying the groundwork to sign future talents for Arteta’s squad, with teenage Adana Demirspor goalkeeper Deniz Dönmezer at the centre of an alleged approach from Arsenal.

Arsenal make "official offer" for Adana Demirspor goalkeeper Deniz Donmezer

Speaking in an interview with Milliyet, via Sport Witness, Demirspor’s former vice-president, Metin Korkmaz, reveals that Arsenal have made an “official offer” for Dönmezer, totalling around £2.5 million.

The 16-year-old Turkey youth international, who’s emerged as a fully-fledged starter for Demirspor’s senior side this season, is also attracting interest from numerous Süper Lig sides. However, every club has fallen short in their attempt to sign him so far – including Arsenal.

“All the big clubs in the Super Lig are interested in his transfer. We talked to Galatasaray about Deniz,” said Korkmaz.

“They are keen on this transfer, they have a priority in the transfer, after which they can make a bid for Deniz and Maestro. Arsenal have sent an official offer. They offered €3m. According to this offer, they will pay the money, but Deniz will play with us on loan for a year and a half. Then he will join Arsenal.

“Fenerbahce, on the other hand, offered €3m for Maestro and Deniz. They also said, ‘Let Deniz play on loan for one and a half years and then come to us’. Unfortunately, we had to reject the offer of both clubs. We will never give Deniz for the proposed figures.”

It is quite the claim from Korkmaz, but he doesn’t share whether Arsenal will come back in with another bid.

Phil Parkinson admits that “players could go” at Wrexham this summer, with Paul Mullin among those to have generated exit talk.

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• Three successive promotions
• Hollywood co-owners to spend
• Comings and goings expected

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons are preparing for another busy transfer window after making history with a third successive promotion. Having enjoyed a meteoric rise since stepping out of the National League, the Welsh outfit are now heading to the Championship.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There is acceptance at SToK Racecourse that reinforcements are required in order to remain competitive in the second tier of English football. In order to free up funds and squad space, sales will be sanctioned alongside more marquee purchases.

• WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

  Parkinson admits as much, telling reporters of his squad building plans in 2025: “We will try and keep the players we've got, recruit the best players we can within our budget and we will see towards the end of pre-season whether we've pieced together the squad we believe will be competitive. It's hard to say that now because let's assess the market and have a look but it's so exciting, the grounds our supporters will have so many great days.

  “Players could go – I don't want to speak about it just after the last game – but when you go up automatically you have time to review everything. We've got a nice bit of time and it's about making the right decisions and we've done that pretty well over the last few years and the job now is can we do it again.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Parkinson has already entered into talks with his board regarding recruitment plans. He added on the back of a 2-0 victory at Lincoln on the final day of the 2024-25 campaign: “We've got a lot of thinking to do. We had a brief chat last night with (chief executive) Mike Williamson, (director) Humphrey Ker and (director) Shaun Harvey.

  “But it was brief and in the next couple of days we will have to sit down again and go through numbers and look at what we have got to do to make us strong and competitive next season. We've got a lot under contract, the key is to look at the numbers; the 25 is more than League One but includes keepers, so we'll navigate our way around that.”

Away from the one loss next to their name this season in the Premier League, Liverpool have been near faultless in the top-flight under Arne Slot.

Indeed, the high-flying Reds sit at the very top of the division with a hefty 56 points accumulated from 23 games as both Arsenal and Nottingham Forest desperately attempt to catch up on 47 points each.

If all goes to plan from this point onwards, Slot’s men should cruise to a title success during their new manager’s very successful first campaign, with the Dutchman now looking ahead to the future – away from any silverware to come – with a new transfer target.

Liverpool submit offer for teenage star

As per the Daily Express, Liverpool have now submitted an offer to sign Red Star Belgrade starlet Andrija Maksimovic.

Aston Villa are also named as another interested party looking at the Serbian teenager, with Maksimovic’s agent Zoran Stojadinovic further elaborating that the attacking midfielder could go for a fee around the £17m mark.

Whilst this wouldn’t be a purchase for the here and now, this would still be an exciting pick up for the Reds to get done, with the 17-year-old a gung-ho style attacking midfielder that would slot into the free-flowing Liverpool side nicely alongside both Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.

What Maksimovic could offer Liverpool

Already capped four times at a senior level for his nation, Maksimovic could well make this next big step in his career look effortless as well.

After all, the teen has played in seven Champions League clashes this season and not look fazed whatsoever by the glitz and glamour, with plenty of goals and assists coming his way in both the youth set-up at Red Star and in the first-team fold.

Amazingly, a sublime free-kick effort earlier in the campaign was Maksimovic’s first-ever senior strike for Red Star, with the promising Reds target now up to three goals and four assists overall for his Serbian employers from 23 clashes.

Maksimovic’s youth numbers for Red Star further reinforce why his price tag stands at such a steep £17m, with the 6-foot gem helping himself to a ridiculous 31 goals from 33 appearances, before then becoming a consistent starter up an age bracket.

Therefore, he could fit in superbly alongside both Salah and Diaz. The pair of them have been exceptional this term but this move could gift Slot’s men even more firepower, as the table-toppers are somewhat reliant on the dazzling magic of the Egyptian or Diaz as a lone striker.

Staggeringly, Salah has a combined goal and assist haul in the Premier League alone of 34, whilst Diaz also comes in at double digits at ten.

Looking at the table above, the goals and assists are spread out across the squad quite evenly, but there is a slight lack of contributions coming from the middle of the park with the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai only on five for the campaign.

The Hungarian midfielder played in the number ten role last time out versus AFC Bournemouth, despite often being launched into clashes in a far deeper spot, with there a need perhaps for Slot to have more personnel to throw into games behind the lone striker.

That’s where Maksimovic could come in handy to help out Salah and Diaz, with Liverpool also gaining another top youngster in the process who could be used as an impact face like Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones.

After all, Liverpool don’t need whole host of instant improvements this January, with this signing one that could go on to be an inspired purchase if everything goes to plan down the line.

The next Van Dijk: Liverpool pursuing move for future "world-class CB"

Liverpool are eyeing up a swoop for a talented South American.

By
Ross Kilvington

Feb 2, 2025

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny backed compatriot Robert Lewandowski to win the La Liga Golden Boot award ahead of Kylian Mbappe.

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• Szczesny backed Lewandowski to win La Liga Golden Boot
• Mbappe has 28 goals, three more than Lewandowski
• Barca face Villarreal and Athletic Club in their final two matches

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona reclaimed the La Liga title from Real Madrid earlier this week after beating rivals Espanyol 2-0. Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez were on target as the Catalan giants completed a domestic treble of Spanish Super Cup, Copa del Rey and La Liga titles. Following their triumph, the Blaugrana arranged a massive trophy parade to celebrate with their fans.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  During the parade, in an interaction with , Szczesny claimed that Lewandowski could still win the La Liga Golden Boot award, beating Kylian Mbappe in the race. The Polish forward currently has 25 goals to his name, three fewer than the Madrid star.

• WHAT WOJCIECH SZCZESNY SAID

  The former Poland custodian said: "All that’s left is for Robert to win the Pichichi. Don’t worry, there’s two games left for Lewy to overtake Mbappe."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  Hansi Flick's side will next face Villarreal on Sunday before meeting Athletic Club on the final matchday of the 2024-25 campaign on May 25.