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Liverpool’s massive summer spend of £163.98 million has been a massive statement of intent which has catapulted the club to become a genuine title contender.

Following last season’s disappointing end which saw the club finish fourth in the league but also come ever so close to beating Real Madrid in the Champions League Final, Liverpool have reinvested heavily this summer.

The club have managed to sign almost every one of their targets with the exception of one, Nabil Fekir.

The World Cup winner has been heavily linked with Liverpool over the last few months and was close to joining the club had he not failed his medical.

Although Fekir didn’t shine at the World Cup, he has still attracted interested from multiple club and according to L’Equipe (h/t Get French Football News) both Chelsea and Man U could make bids before the deadline day.  

The Breakdown

Liverpool have been interested in Fekir for a long time and to lose him to Chelsea or Man U would be a crushing blow to the club.

The Lyon midfielder scored 18 goals to go along with seven assists last season in what was an outstanding season.

However, with Shaqiri now at the club, it seems that Liverpool don’t really need Fekir anymore.

Valued at £54 million by Transfermarkt, it would probably take an astronomical bid from either Chelsea or Man to land him, and with Liverpool having spent over £150 million already, it seems any bid would be well above their budget.

Furthermore, Fekir is really a number 10, a position that doesn’t really exist in Klopp’s high-pressing and energetic 4-3-3.

Liverpool fans – thoughts?

Roy Hodgson, over the last few days, has added significant quality to his midfield and that leaves fans a lot more confident for the season ahead. 

Cheikhou Kouyate and highly-rated German Max Meyer have arrived at Selhurst Park in the hope of getting this club up and away from the relegation zone. 

Whether those midfielders can be successful is yet unknown but it’s certainly a positive move from the owners and Roy Hodgson. 

The Eagles will still be keen to get more players through the door and in order to support Wilfried Zaha up-front, (should the Ivorian stay) Luciano Vietto would be a strong addition to their front-line. 

Crystal Palace are solely reliant on Christian Benteke as their only proper out and out striker so another frontman would be desirable in the hope for a better season to last. 

Vietto spent part of last season on-loan with Valencia, where he went on to score 5 goals and provide one assist in 19 appearances. 

The Argentinian forward has had a mixed path in his football career thus far but with a move to the best league in the world, his true ability or inability can be showcased.  Vietto is only 24-years-old so has time to adapt to life at Selhurst Park along with their three new signings. 

Transfermarkt values him at £5.4 million, a fee very affordable for the Eagles and what an investment it could turn out to be. 

With the future of goal-getters Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and Cristian Benteke all in doubt, Vietto could arrive at Crystal Palace with not only a point to prove but a slot straight into the starting line-up for the new Premier League campaign. 

Djed Spence made his first-team debut for Middlesbrough in their League Cup clash with Notts County at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night.

Spence joined Boro from Fulham earlier this summer, and appeared as a second-half substitute in the 3-3 draw with Notts County earlier this week.

Boro ultimately triumphed on penalties to book their spot in the next round, and the Championship club’s supporters were very encouraged with what they saw from Spence.

The 18-year-old will turn out for Boro’s Under-23 outfit as he looks to build a career at the Riverside Stadium, but the club’s fans feel that he could one day star for the first team.

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Boro boss Tony Pulis has a number of talented youngsters to choose from this season, and another in the shape of Nathan McGinley made a positive impression on Tuesday night.

Spence will now be looking to get his head down in the coming weeks with the view to making more first-team appearances.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Boro fans can be seen below:

Manchester United endured a disappointing end to the summer transfer window but made a winning start to the Premier League season.

Jose Mourinho was desperate to sign a centre-back to bolster his defence but was left disappointed after moves for Toby Alderweireld, Jerome Boateng and Harry Maguire failed to materialise. Regardless of their failed transfer business, the Red Devils made an excellent start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 win over Leicester. Goals from Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw handed United all three points.

With the transfer window now closed until January, Mourinho should focus on tying a number of players down to a new contract. Goalkeeper David de Gea is reportedly set to commit his future to the club, squashing rumours of a move to Real Madrid. United should also offer fresh terms to former Athletic Bilbao midfielder – Ander Herrera.

Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, the Spaniard’s current deal expires next summer, and the club are yet to sit down and discuss new terms. Herrera has made over 160 appearances for the Red Devils since joining from Bilbao in 2014 for £32m. The 29-year-old is currently sidelined with an injury which forced him to miss the Premier League opener against the Foxes. Despite no longer being a regular starter, he remains an important player for the club.

He made 26 appearances in the Premier League last season as United finished second in the standings. Averaging 2.2 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game last season, Herrera provides the United defence with vital protection (WhoScored). An injury to one of United’s star midfielder would see him quickly re-enter the starting eleven.

Herrera always gives his all when wearing the red shirt and United would struggle to find a better squad midfielder. The player himself insisted he is fully committed to the club and wants to reach 200 appearances at Old Trafford. United should make securing his future their top priority.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?

Rangers will complete the signing of Eros Grezda from Osijek today after the winger passed a medical last night, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the word?

Steven Gerrard is not resting on his laurels in the final days of the transfer market as he continues to push for further recruits to add to the 12 players he has already signed this summer – and a new winger is set to arrive.

The Scottish Sun claim a deal bringing Albania international Eros Grezda to Ibrox from Osijek will be completed today after the 23-year-old passed a medical last night, with Rangers activating his £1.8m release clause.

Osijek’s club president Ivan Mestrovic has confirmed that a sale is imminent but negotiations continue regarding a sell on clause, which could see the Croatian side earn as much as 20% from any future fee Rangers receive for the winger.

The club have already moved quickly to sign a replacement for Grezda, drafting in Roger M’Pinda on loan from Juventus.

What was said?

“Osijek will sell the player. Not because we need to, but because he wants it. The ambitions of Osijek obviously remain great, but it is difficult to resist the rich offers of large clubs.”

How will he fit in?

A deal for Grezda has been pushed through following the injury sustained by 29-year-old Scotland international Jamie Murphy, who is tipped to miss the remainder of the season after a knee problem sustained in last week’s cup victory over Kilmarnock.

Grezda has himself only just recovered from injury, missing the Europa League clash with Rangers as a result, but will provide a spark to Gerrard’s attacking ranks as he boasts a record of 19 goals in 85 games in Croatia’s top division.

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Albania boss Christian Panucci has insisted that Rangers have picked up a bargain in the signing, with Grezda potentially facing Scotland next month when the UEFA Nations League begins, and he is expected to develop further under Gerrard.

Not only will Rangers sign a player who can solve an immediate problem in the first-team, they are also landing a recruit who can provide a long-term boost to the Scottish giants.

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Leeds United remain top of the Championship table following a hard-fought draw against second-place Middlesbrough.

Marcelo Bielsa extended his unbeaten run in the division but was forced to settle for a point with both sides unable to break the deadlock. The Whites dominated possession but couldn’t translate their dominance into a goal. The Argentine will be hoping to get back to winning ways against Millwall following the international break.

The transfer window closed with Leeds significantly strengthening their squad with numerous permanent and loan deals. Bielsa’s side look well equipped to mount a challenge for promotion and finally secure a return to the Premier League. The Argentine would be wise to keep tabs on a man who failed to find a move during the summer.

Valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, Lazar Markovic was finally set to end his spell at Liverpool. The Serbian joined the club back in 2014 after impressing for Benfica but failed to impress on Merseyside before being shipped out on loan. He was expected to re-join Anderlecht on deadline day for £2m, but the move collapsed.

Markovic will instead stay at Anfield where he has less than a year left on his contract and Leeds should look for a cut-price January deal. The winger enjoyed his best spell during a short stint at Hull City and moving to the Championship could be just what he needs to revitalise his career. Still only 24-years-old, there is plenty of time for him to turn his career around and become a success in England.

The Reds may be willing to offload him for free when the window reopens, and Leeds shouldn’t miss out on a bargain.

Leeds fans, thoughts?

Aston Villa have undergone a series of changes during the past few months and a fresh appointment behind the scenes was made on Monday.

The Championship promotion hopefuls confirmed that former Chelsea and Liverpool man Christian Purslow had joined the club as the new CEO, bringing a wealth of experience to the club.

Purslow was Managing Director of Chelsea FC from 2014 to 2017 and Chief Executive of Liverpool FC from 2009 to 2010 and, on paper at least, should provide a boost to Villa in their quest to return to the Premier League. However, he was not a popular man during his spell with the Reds.

Villa fans reacted to the news on social media as they gave their insight into the appointment, with opinions split as some were delighted while others questioned the decision given the fact he is not remembered fondly by Liverpool supporters.

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We have gathered some of the best reactions to Purslow’s appointment below.

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Matt Ritchie joined Newcastle United from Bournemouth in the summer of 2016, just after the Magpies had been relegated from the Premier League.

During the subsequent season, the winger played a key part in the North East club’s immediate return to the top flight as Championship title winners. 

The Scotland international notched 12 goals and eight assists in the league as Rafa Benitez’s side triumphed in the second tier. In the Premier League, however, Ritchie couldn’t produce the same level of influence or end product as his side battled for survival.

Last time out, the 28-year-old could only contribute three league goals and six assists in 35 outings. Ritchie remains a regular in the side, having started three of the Magpies’ first four games of the new season. However, he has only completed 90 minutes once so far.

As good as Ritchie was for Newcastle in the Championship, he simply isn’t able to have a big enough impact in the final third at the top level and has a habit of getting caught out defensively, too.

The winger does not represent progress at St James’ Park and is not a player who can take the club further forward. Having handed Ritchie a lengthy five-year-contract on arrival, the Magpies may even have been better off not signing him at all. 

What do you think, Newcastle fans? Was Ritchie worth signing for that one great Championship season or given his struggles in top flight, must he be seen as an unsuccessful addition overall?

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Tottenham have lost three games in a row thanks in no small part to some shocking defending, so is it time to bring Victor Wanyama back into the fold?

Spurs have lost three games in a row for the first time in Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure, and while the attacking play hasn’t exactly been electric, the defending has been truly shambolic.

Watford scored twice off crosses into the box, and both of Liverpool’s goals came from sloppy play from Pochettino’s side.

Mauro Icardi volleyed home wonderfully for Inter Milan on Tuesday, but there was no one within a mile of him, and the winning goal was yet another set-piece failure.

There’s no doubt Pochettino has some of the world’s best centre backs at his disposal, but the midfield is weak, and Wanyama could potentially fix that.

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The 27-year-old Kenyan international missed the start of the season through injury, but was back on the bench at the San Siro.

His physicality, reading of the game and work rate could help plug the leaks in midfield, and avoid this small blip becoming an absolute crisis, and one which could cost Pochettino his job.

So, Tottenham fans, would you start Wanyama at Brighton? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

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Aston Villa have struggled for consistency at the start of the Championship season and a defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday has raised the pressure.

Steve Bruce’s side have now won just one of their last eight matches across all competitions and have kept just one clean sheet in the league so far, which identifies the need for defensive reinforcements over the coming months

The loss of veteran defender John Terry over the summer has become clear and speculation has suggested that Villa are keen on signing his former Chelsea team-mate Gary Cahill, who left Villa Park for Bolton in 2008.

With Villa in need of defensive reinforcements, we asked fans whether they would like to see Cahill, who earns £100,000-a-week according to Spotrac, brought back to his childhood club and the results finished as a landslide.

A whopping 89% of polled supporters expressed their desire for the 32-year-old defender to be signed in 2019, with the veteran’s contract due to expire at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, while just 11% want Bruce to snub a move for the 61-cap England ace.

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