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Alisson has arguably been one of Jurgen Klopp’s best signings since joining the club.

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The Brazil international was purchased last summer from AS Roma for a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper of £67m. Yet he has repaid that money fantastically, and it may even ending up being a bargain. He was recently named by ESPN as the best shot-stopper in the world, and he also won FIFA’s best goalkeeper’s award. With a save percentage of 76.8% so far at Anfield, he has shown himself to be a rock between the sticks.

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His signing came after troubles with the other goalkeepers at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal. Both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius failed to convince the former Borussia Dortmund manager, with the former being sold to Club Brugge and the latter being shipped out on loan to Besiktas.

Now, according to Fanatik the Super Lig club want to sign the 26-year-old on a permanent deal, and they are willing to pay €8m (£6.9m), albeit in four installments. Considering the Reds spent £4.7m to sign him from Mainz, that would represent a profit of over £2m.

The club’s supporters, it seems, are delighted with the news, and it is Michael Edwards who is receiving a lot of praise. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

In other news, one Liverpool star turned down Manchester United and Manchester City before joining the Reds.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

West Bromwich Albion are back in action again this week ahead of a Championship double-header where they will be looking to come away still sitting top of the table going into December.

First up is Bristol City at the Hawthorns this evening, and manager Slaven Bilic has been handed a mega triple boost ahead of the tie as he can welcome back skipper Jake Livermore, Romaine Sawyers and the emerging talent Nathan Ferguson back to the fold following suspension.

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The midfield duo should undoubtedly return to the starting line up having started every single game before the Sheffield Wednesday victory, but for Ferguson, it might not be so simple. Here’s why…

On the Chalkboard

A transfer saga has begun to evolve with the 19-year-old at the centre of it all.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the season, and with no reported news over a new deal, the Baggies have already accepted fate by preparing to sell him in the January transfer window so that they can make some money on him.

The attraction of Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid or Juventus may be all too much for a young player, which is understandable, but it ultimately doesn’t help Bilic’s promotion plans.

It is time to play hardball with him by not allowing him an instant return to the starting line up, especially as his red card against Charlton Athletic proved he still has a lot to learn,

Such a decision would be rather harsh on Conor Townsend, who has deputised admirably in his absence barring a blip against the Owls at the weekend, while Kieran Gibbs offers up another potential option considering he too is actually a natural left-back.

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Ferguson should be made to battle with summer arrival Darnell Furlong for that right-back spot or dropped entirely as he’s yet to show any form of commitment to the club that has given him his first taste at senior football.

Bilic might as well plan ahead for his likely departure by involving the players that are going to be here past January.

Meanwhile, one Baggies ace has just five weeks remaining to prove his worth to Bilic…

Amidst all of Liverpool’s recent successes both domestically and in European football, it is easy to forget Jurgen Klopp’s first few months in charge at Anfield.

The German of course has arrived in mid-season following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers, and whilst he has gone on to spend big-money on several high-profile players in the transfer market, Marko Grujic was the first player he brought to the club.

The midfielder joined from Serbian side Red Star Belgrade back in January 2016, and Klopp spoke glowingly of the kind of attributes he possesses. He said: “He’s a good boy, a young boy but plays an important role at the moment at Red Star, who are the best team in Serbia. He’s a tall boy, but quick and good at technical things. He can play passes and can dribble.”

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But since then. Grujic has found first-team opportunities on Merseyside rather hard to come by. As per Transfermarkt, he has made just 14 appearances for the senior side, and it has been no surprise to see him spend time elsewhere in order to stay in rhythm.

And this season, whilst on loan at Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin, he has performed impressively. He has featured 22 times across all competitions, scoring three times and providing a further two assists, whilst his 6.91 average match rating places him sixth amongst all his teammates.

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The £16.2m-rated ace deserves at least one final chance to shine, and if he does make good on his opportunity, then it would save Klopp and Michael Edwards some major money in the transfer market this summer.

Grujic’s ability to play as a holding midfielder or further advanced makes him such a useful option to have, and as the Reds have seen with injuries to the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, having someone who is a natural in playing the deeper role can be a major blessing for them as they chase trophies in multiple competitions.

He may be out of the picture for now, but Grujic should be knocking on the first-team door at Anfield this summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to this James Pearce tweet. 

Plenty of Aston Villa fans have taken part in a debate via Twitter on who they think has been the club’s worst ever player.

Villa’s Premier League safety is currently a big concern for fans of the club, but with football at a current standstill, those fans have been able to take their mind off the club’s current league standing of 19th.

A play-off final win over Derby County saw the Claret and Blue side gain promotion to England’s top flight, and focus will very much be on boss Dean Smith to improve results when and if, football returns.

Involving themselves in club debates via social media, fans have now taken part in a question that sparked numerous responses about who they thought has been the worst player to play for the club in recent years.

Countless names were mentioned with the likes of Bosko Balaban, Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater all mentioned.

The latter arrived at Villa Park in January on loan from Premier League rivals Chelsea, but he struggled to find the form which saw him help Leicester City win the league title in 2015/2016.

Reacting to the question posed by Twitter account @VillaTil1die, multiple fans took part in the debate…

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Villa discussion going on in the Vital Villa Forum! Click here to get involved!

Moise Kean has endured a tumultuous debut season at Everton.

He first was dropped for disciplinary breaches in November after being late for a meeting for the second time, and then he became the substitute that got substituted just a month later.

But more recently, he’s been in the news for breaking the government’s lockdown restrictions. On top of that, the striker has only managed one goal in 26 appearances.

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It’s certainly not gone to plan at Goodison Park for Kean, and now fans have been discussing his future at the club after fresh reports emerged from Italy.

According to newspaper La Nazione, via Sport Witness, the Italian’s agent Mino Raiola is trying to bring him back to the Serie A this summer with Roma a touted destination should they move on from Patrick Kluivert.

The Toffees faithful are torn about whether the 20-year-old should be sold or not, only causing him to be an even more divisive figure amongst Merseyside.

Kean is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt less than a year after paying Juventus an initial €27.5m (£24m) for his signature.

Here’s what has been said so far…

AND in other news, Everton must strengthen in this CRUCIAL area next season…

Newcastle United’s prospective takeover by Amanda Staveley’s Saudi Arabia-backed consortium is dragging on and on this month and it has clearly left fans eagerly awaiting any sign of official confirmation.The Athletic’s George Caulkin has delivered a fresh update on the deal, claiming that nothing has changed yet and that supporters will need to be a little more patient.In response to one member of the Magpies faithful on Twitter, he replied:

Caulkin also claims that he is still ‘as positive as ever’ which should come as huge words of encouragement considering it’s all gone a bit quiet in the past few days.

The takeover has been left in the hands of the Premier League for most of May, but they have also had ‘Project Restart’ to deal with also, so these things have taken a lot longer than usual, especially given the current situation across the country.

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It’s surely now only a matter of time after Paul Smith suggested last week that the PL found no wrong-doing during the owners and directors test.

AND in other news,ÂNewcastle United fans react to ‘soul-destroying’ takeover update…

Manchester United have extended Odion Ighalo’s loan from Shanghai Shenhua until January 2021, via BBC Sport.  

Ighalo initially joined United in January from the Chinese Super League side but he will now be allowed to stay at Old Trafford until next year. However, the Red Devils do not have the option to buy the striker.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “It’s been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish what he started and win a trophy with us. Shanghai Shenua have been great towards us, allowing him to play for his dream club.”

The Nigerian was initially brought in to provide cover for injured duo Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial but he has more than stepped into their boots, scoring four goals in eight games for Solskjaer’s side, including a brace against Derby County in the FA Cup at the beginning of March (Transfermarkt).

Although he is yet to score in the Premier League this season, his work-rate will no doubt make him a useful asset to bring on as a substitute, as he has averaged 2.7 shots, made two key passes and completed 1.7 dribbles per game on average in the Europa League (WhoScored). He is currently valued at £4.68m via Transfermarkt.

In contrast, Martial has taken 1.8 shots on average, averaged less than one key pass per game and completed roughly 1.5 dribbles in the European competition this season (WhoScored).

Meanwhile, Rashford is the club’s leading goalscorer this season, even though he spent a significant spell on the sidelines with a back injury before football was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite his young age, it should be noted the England international has suffered from a high number of injuries throughout his career so far, including a hip injury at the start of the campaign.
Therefore, the board’s decision to extend Ighalo’s loan could turn out to be a shrewd move, as he has demonstrated that he is more than capable of leading the line in Rashford’s absence. Furthermore, the Nigerian can continue to help to ease the goalscoring burden on the Englishman and reduce the risk of injury to the 21-year-old as a result.
United fans, do you think Ed Woodward has made the right decision in extending Ighalo’s loan? Let us know by commenting below!

With many rumours linking Bertrand Traore to Crystal Palace recently, it suggests that the Eagles are in the market for an attacker, and many of their fans have reacted to the latest update in this ongoing saga.

Earlier in the week, Foot Mercato suggested that the Eagles have made an enquiry about the availability of the Lyon ace and could look to use Mamadou Sakho in some sort of swap deal. Sakho is of heavy interest to Lyon, who have been looking to make a deal with Palace for the last couple of months, per L’Equipe via GetFootballNewsFrance.

Fresh reports suggest that Crystal Palace could be willing to pay in excess of £22m for Traore, as BuzzSport has claimed that the Lyon forward could be set to come to the Premier League.

It wouldn’t be his first time in the Premier League as the winger played for Chelsea in the past. He didn’t get much of a go at the Blues but did managed to score four goals in his 16 appearances, per Transfermarkt. Also, at just 24, it could be the perfect time for him to come back and show that he can make it in the English top flight.

Here is what these Palace fans had to say following the update:

Palace fans, what are your thoughts on this transfer update? Comment below to have your say!

Manchester United have been chasing Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho for several years now, but seem to be no further forward. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear that Sancho is his top priority as he seeks to rebuild the Red Devils.

According to The Daily Mirror, Sancho will have to angle for a move away from the Signal Iduna Park. Chief football writer John Cross claims the winger will have to take matters into his own hands.

Talks between the two clubs have stalled, as they have not been able to agree on a suitable fee.

Recent reports had suggested that the Red Devils were leading the race to sign the Bundesliga ace, but this no longer appears to be the case.

Sancho, 20, is the club’s top scorer this season, scoring 20 goals and supplying 18 assists in all competitions so far.

Dortmund are demanding £120m for the Englishman, and they have made it clear they will not sell him for any less than £100m, even though Ed Woodward has warned Man United will not be spending heavily this summer due to the unprecedented circumstances.

While United will have money to spend in the summer, there is an understanding that this could have a knockdown effect on player valuations, and they could face another long wait if they fail to sign him in the transfer window.

Everything hinges on whether or not Solskjaer’s side will qualify for the Champions League, which will make the club more attractive in the market.

The Yellow and Blacks believe he wants to return to England, amid interest from Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Failing to sign Sancho would be a huge blow for Solskjaer, as he has been pursuing the youngster for three years now, with seemingly no end in sight.

If he does want to leave, he will have to push for a move to put plans in motion.

United fans, do you think Woodward will sign Sancho in the summer? Let us know down below!

Brentford winger Said Benrahma could be set to join Chelsea this summer after a huge transfer hint was dropped by a close friend.

During a recent Instagram Live session, Moroccan footballer Fahd Moufi commented on Benrahma’s feed congratulating him on an apparent move to the London outfit (relayed via Sportsmole).

Chelsea are interested in signing the 24-year-old from the Championship side as they continue to bolster their squad ahead of next season (per Todofichajes, via TEAMtalk).

Moufi, who plays for Tondela in Portugal, wrote: ‘Congratulations on Chelsea my brother’ on Benrahma’s live feed, which hints that either a deal has been done or advanced talks are underway.

Frank Lampard has already welcomed attackers Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner to the club and could be adding another at Stamford Bridge.

The Algeria international has impressed for Brentford this season, scoring 14 goals and supplying nine assists for the Bees in the Championship (via Transfermarkt).

Chelsea look like they are going to be a very frightening team next campaign and aren’t messing around when it comes to challenging for silverware.

The addition of Benrahma could be an ideal signing to flesh out their attack. The left-winger plays in the same position as Christian Pulisic and would provide excellent cover for cup games or rotation in the Premier League.

Benrahma is also tallying similar numbers to Pulisic before he joined the Blues. The former Dortmund man racked up seven goals and six assists during his last season in Germany and caught the eye of the Chelsea board (via BBC Sport). Lampard is also impressed by the American’s form, so he will likely have the same attitude towards bringing Benrahma to Stamford Bridge.

A signing of the Algerian’s calibre who won’t cost the earth to secure (he is valued at just £9.45m by Transfermarkt) looks like an ideal move for the Blues, particularly as they seek to play in the Champions League next season and push to challenge for the Premier League title in 2020/21.

Should Chelsea sign Said Benrahma this summer? Join the conversation in the comments below!