AC Milan have reportedly entered talks with Liverpool over the loan signing of a “world-class” attacking player in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool rebuff Barcelona approach for Luis Diaz
It has been a busy period for Luis Diaz off the field since the season ended, with doubts persisting over his future at Anfield amid a fresh approach from Barcelona – the Colombian reportedly dreams of playing for the Catalans despite his affinity for the Reds.
The La Liga giants have been rebuffed in their efforts, however, with Liverpool holding firm and saying he isn’t for sale, even though they aren’t planning on handing him a contract extension.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz
Diaz himself hasn’t exactly poured cold water on a possible Reds exit this summer, though, discussing his future during international duty with Colombia.
“I’m very happy at Liverpool, I’ve always said so. They’ve welcomed me very well from day one. We’re currently in contact with Liverpool because we’re talking to clubs, and that’s normal given the transfer market that’s opening. We’re trying to work out what’s best for us. I’m just waiting to see what happens. If Liverpool gives us a good renewal or I still have the [two] years left with them, I’ll be happy and content there.”
Now, a new exit rumour regarding another Liverpool attacker has emerged, ahead of a summer of change in that area of the pitch.
AC Milan in talks over signing Liverpool forward
According to journalist Orazio Accomando [via Sport Witness], AC Milan are in talks with Liverpool over signing Federico Chiesa on loan this summer.
The 27-year-old is believed to be “open” to the idea of returning to his homeland, but on the flip side, the Reds don’t like the thought of him leaving on a temporary basis, potentially wanting to seal a permanent exit instead.
Liverpool's FedericoChiesaand Alexis Mac Allister
Chiesa has been disappointing for Liverpool since making a surprise move from Juventus last summer, with injuries not helping him in his efforts to impress Arne Slot.
Just one start came the £150,000-a-week winger’s way in the Premier League in the whole of 2024/25, and a total of only 104 minutes, so there is some sense in allowing him to move on.
That said, keeping hold of Chiesa would still be no bad thing, with the Italian a positive character in the dressing room who has so much ability, with Alessandro Pierini once heaping praise on him during Euro 2020.
“He’s world-class. He has all the ability and desire of a great player. If he improves then he’ll be even better than his father [Enrico]. I have loads of respect for Enrico and all he has done to help Federico come on as a player until now.”
FSG set to grant Liverpool record-breaking £250m+ summer transfer spree
Finance expert Kieran Maguire has shared an exciting update involving Liverpool and this summer transfer window.
ByBrett Worthington Jun 5, 2025
If the right permanent offer arrives for Chiesa, Liverpool may accept it, but a loan move doesn’t feel like the right choice, so they should retain him for one year if the desired interest doesn’t come.
The summer transfer window is fast approaching, and Liverpool are set to spend big as they prepare for Arne Slot’s second, Premier League title-defending season at the helm.
Of course, the top-flight trophy isn’t yet wrapped up, but the Reds need just two wins from their remaining six fixtures to put things beyond Arsenal’s reach.
Sporting director Richard Hughes has wrapped up Mohamed Salah’s new contract; captain Virgil van Dijk’s fresh deal is soon to follow. Now, focus can be turned to the upcoming transfer window, with Liverpool expecting flurries of activity through the summer months.
While signing a centre-forward, left-back and central defender are the priorities for the Reds, Slot would be wise not to neglect his midfield.
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Liverpool’s midfielders have been immense through the 2024/25 campaign, but they aren’t infallible. There’s been a lack of bite and physicality at times of late that suggests a new addition to the engine room could go down a treat.
Why Slot shouldn't neglect Liverpool's midfield
When Liverpool fell from grace under Jurgen Klopp in 2022/23, the German manager knew he needed to repackage his side’s long-serving midfield.
Jordan Henderson was a first-standard leader but was starting to look a weak link from a technical standpoint, while Fabinho’s legs had gone after so many years serving as a world-class anchor at the heart of one of the highest-octane squads on the globe.
Jordan Henderson and Fabinho
Their replacements, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, have been immense this season (and last) as Liverpool’s mainstays in the middle, but there’s no denying Liverpool have lacked a combative sheen and that extra bit of dynamism at times recently, namely being overrun by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Newcastle United at Wembley.
Liverpool have won more duels than their opponents in just one of their past 11 matches across all competitions, denoting fatigue and a lack of sharpness that opponents are capitalising on.
Though packing quality across more needy areas will ultimately hold sway for Liverpool, there’s no question that a high-class midfielder would elevate an already immense team.
It’s something FSG are bearing in mind.
Liverpool lining up marquee midfielder
According to Italian outlet InterLive.it, Liverpool’s interested in signing Nicolo Barella this summer is said to be ‘serious’, with Inter Milan anticipating offers for their midfield linchpin after yet another standout campaign.
Nicolo Barella for Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich.
Now, Barella, 28 years old, is contracted to the San Siro until 2029 and thus Inter are in a commanding position regarding his future and have listed him at €100m (about £87m).
Liverpool’s interest is confirmed to be serious, however, and given the Serie A leaders are keen on Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa, a deal wouldn’t be out of question.
What Nicolo Barella would bring to Liverpool
Described as “the best Serie A midfielder of the 2020s” by journalist Zach Lowy, Barella has already won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles with Inter Milan, joining from Cagliari in 2019.
Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella
Having featured 277 times for I Nerazzurri, Barella has scored 25 goals and supplied 59 assists. He’s not the most prolific of midfielders, but then that’s not really his jurisdiction.
With Simone Inzaghi’s side battling it out with Napoli for the Italian title, Barella has been the architect of his team’s challenge, averaging 1.9 key passes, 4.7 successful duels and 5.2 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, illustrating his wide range of quality.
Of course, the Italian has also been immense in Inter’s quest for the Champions League trophy, with outlets stating that he delivered a career-defining performance at the Allianz Arena last week, taking a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich back to the San Siro.
Talent of this level suggests that Liverpool could be getting their mitts on one of the most gifted midfielders in many years, one who could stand out above the current Anfield crop.
He might even prove to be Liverpool’s best midfielder since Fabinho.
douglas-luiz-fabinho-liverpool-opinion
For the uninitiated, Fabinho was absolutely spellbinding in his role as Klopp’s number six, so cultured and commanding as he held together a hard-grafting midfield that worked around the clock to facilitate the attacking successes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Bobby Firmino.
Once hailed as “one of the best in the world” by Klopp, Fabinho truly was a core part of the most illustrious era in Liverpool’s modern history, joining from Monaco for roughly £40m in May 2018 and going on to play 219 times for the Reds before his legs finally failed him.
When in his pomp, the Brazilian was truly one of the most dominant forces out there, and now Barella could emulate him and become Liverpool’s new centrepiece, perhaps unlocking the next level in Slot’s existing options.
Tough-tackling, tenacious and iron-willed, Fabinho performed dutifully and blended his natural qualities with a sharpness of mind and quickness of reaction that differentiated him from his positional rivals.
The Italy international has the experience and the multi-skilled ability to be a real standout for Liverpool over the next several years, with his FBref data discussed above suggesting the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Pedri are among his most statistically similar players.
Such ball-playing specialists, maestros and conductors wrapped into one, would fit snugly into Slot’s system – just look at how Gravenberch has got on this term.
Italy'sMoiseKeancelebrates scoring their second goal with Italy's Nicolo Barella, Italy's Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Italy's Giacomo Raspadori
Barella, then, would fit right in. He’s a world-class player, dubbed a “genius” on the pitch by sports editor Mike Pielluci, and a trophy winner besides, and if Inter are willing to discuss deals containing the likes of Nunez and/or Chiesa, Liverpool might just sign their best midfielder since Fabinho.
Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid
Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.
Chris Sutton admits he is “not sure what has happened” to an “excellent” Celtic player, following the weekend defeat away to St Johnstone.
Celtic suffer disappointing Scottish Premiership loss
Brendan Rodgers’ side produced a strangely below-par display on Sunday afternoon, losing 1-0 away to their bottom-of-the-table counterparts, in a result that few saw coming. The manager himself was livid at what he saw, sharing his unhappy comments after the game and making it clear his players had been read the riot act.
“There’s definitely anger. I’m trying to control it. And listen, I look at my own self first and foremost. I’m proud of my career and how I teach players and how I inspire them and how I motivate them. Am I doing the very best job I possibly can to inspire these and motivate these to get over the line? So that’s my first look.
“But I just think there’s a comfort there I don’t like. And it doesn’t matter if you’re 13 points or three points ahead. It’s not enough. We have to be much better than where we were in our ambition in the game.”
Rodgers sets high standards at Celtic and it is good to see him lambast his players, rather than go easy on them because of the state of the Scottish Premiership title race. The Hoops may be 13 points clear of Rangers, but it is clear that the 52-year-old is taking nothing for granted, not enjoying seeing his players perform with complacency.
Sutton bemused by "excellent" Celtic player's form
Taking to X after Celtic’s loss to St Johnstone, Sutton gave an assessment of the form of winger Nicolas Kuhn, among others, admitting he doesn’t know what has happened to him.
Sutton has every right to question the form of Kuhn, who made such a bright start to life at Parkhead, being lauded by Rodgers upon his arrival: “We believe he is a dynamic player who has an excellent level of quality and all the attributes to fit well into our style of play He has the profile we are looking for, he has a real attacking intent, a player with great pace and ideas, the ability to create and score goals and a player with a great energy and work ethic.”
Worse than Kuhn: Celtic must axe star who lost the ball every 4 touches
Celtic slipped to a shock defeat to bottom side St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon
ByRobbie Walls Apr 6, 2025
The German, thought to be on around £12,000 a week at Parkhead, has only scored twice since early January though, coming in 14 appearances, with a couple of assists also coming his way in that time. A long campaign may simply have caught up with him, but it is clear that he isn’t the force he was.
Pro-Israel comments from former Under-19 captain draw CSA into choppy waters
Firdose Moonda15-Jan-2024David Teeger’s removal as South Africa’s Under-19 captain, a week before the home age-group World Cup being held here, has popped the cork on the connection between sport and politics at a high-octane moment for the country.Officially, Teeger was stood down over concerns for his and other players’ safety after he expressed views in support of the Israeli army at an awards ceremony in October last year. Complaints against him dedicating his Rising Star trophy to “the young soldiers in Israel” were lodged by the Palestinian Solidarity Alliance (PSA) and several stakeholders in South African cricket, including sponsors, clubs and concerned citizens, who demanded his removal from the national team. CSA appointed an independent advocate, Wim Trengrove, to determine whether Teeger had breached their code of conduct and it was found that he had not. But the story did not end there.Since Teeger’s comments, the South African government has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on a charge of genocide, and pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrations have taken place countrywide. In almost all instances, these protests have been peaceful, including at Newlands on January 3 on the first day of the New Year’s Test between South Africa and India, and a mass march on January 13, though there have been occasional instances of police involvement. Several sources confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they expect picketing at the Under-19 World Cup to be organised, non-violent and outside the stadium, with no access to the players. The PSA confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they have applied for the right to protest and expect no objections.CSA’s official reason for Teeger’s removal as captain, however, was to mitigate the risk of “conflict or even violence” during the tournament. CSA’s CEO Pholetsi Moseki told ESPNcricinfo that the decision had been taken to “lower the temperature”, even though a recently concluded Under-19 triangular series between South Africa, India and Afghanistan was played at a club ground in Johannesburg, Old Edwardians, without any obvious security concerns.Instead, it seems there is an ideological reason for Teeger’s removal, which is not so serious that he cannot be part of the squad but serious enough that he is considered not fit to lead it.When Trengrove was appointed, on November 26, it was to determine whether Teeger’s acceptance speech had breached the code of conduct of either CSA or his provincial team, Lions. His report referenced Teeger’s constitutional right to freedom of expression, and concluded that he had not participated in any unbecoming or detrimental conduct. On December 7, CSA confirmed that Trengrove’s findings had been “received, considered, and accepted” and Teeger was cleared to continue as Under-19 captain. Five weeks later, that changed.In the time since, South Africa presented their arguments to the ICJ. On the same day as their submission, CSA’s board met and, the following day, it was announced that Teeger would be removed as captain, citing the security threat. That rationale was immediately met with suspicion. “It was political” were the words used by the Afrikaans weekly on their front-page lead, while a spokesperson for the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) criticised the move as “shameful”.In Teeger’s response to Trengrove, submitted in November last year, he had stated: “My personal and honestly held view is that Israel and its soldiers have not committed genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity.” His view, he added, was “held by many people and democratic governments around the world”, and could not be construed as support for genocide, “because in my view Israel is innocent of all these allegations”.On Tuesday last week, South Africa’s sports minister Zizi Kodwa addressed the Under-19 team, handed over the national flag and in a seemingly impromptu speech said: “Whatever you do now, you are no longer yourselves. You are ambassadors for South Africa.”It’s not unthinkable that, with the knowledge of the ICJ case and Kodwa’s words, CSA was forced to consider whether Teeger would be the best captain for the national Under-19 side in the current circumstances. One could imagine a similar upshot if, say, an England captain had been stood down for making homophobic statements, given the UK’s stated advocacy for LGBTQI+ rights.It has been learnt that Teeger was asked to stand down last week and refused. He has also privately rejected requests for a retraction or an apology for his statements. At a CSA board meeting on Thursday night, it was decided to remove Teeger as captain and the message was communicated to the team on Friday morning.Where CSA messed up – not for the first time – was with their messaging and timing. Instead of communicating the debate around Teeger as captain, they issued a statement on security threats that appears to be disingenuous, and have since refused to comment further despite it leading to damaging accusations of anti-Semitism. They could and should have been honest about the reasons behind their decision, for themselves and for Teeger.Far from turning the spotlight away from Teeger, it has now been shone directly onto him. At the age of just 19, he has become – at least in some circles – the face of an issue that ought to be way beyond the remit of a national captain of any age. Ultimately, there is a duty of care that CSA has failed to discharge in allowing this row to escalate in such a fashion. Teeger is young, and hopes to forge a long career in cricket. This does not preclude his statements from scrutiny beyond the boundary, but he does not deserve to be the symbol of this situation.
He’s always been able to beat batters with flight and turn. Now he’s doing them in for pace too
Shashank Kishore27-Mar-2022Six overs. Mumbai Indians 53 for 0. Rishabh Pant throws the ball to Kuldeep Yadav, who is making an IPL comeback. He last played the tournament 17 months ago, in UAE. That season had been a living nightmare. He’d bowled all of 12 overs across five games for Kolkata Knight Riders. He wasn’t the force he once was.Until IPL 2019, he had averaged 19.43 with an economy rate of 7.32. Now, he couldn’t even get a game. His stocks had fallen alarmingly. When you thought it couldn’t get worse, IPL 2021 came along. In the first half, he didn’t fit into the scheme of things. In the second, he aggravated a knee injury that required surgery. He was set back another five months.Sunday’s return somewhat completed his re-initiation into top-flight cricket. Last month, he was part of India’s white-ball squads for the home series against West Indies. He did well in the limited opportunities he got but was far from the threat he had become in partnership with Yuzvendra Chahal over a two-year period between 2017 and 2019.Now, he is back with a new team on a ground with short straight boundaries. Kuldeep knew bowling full would be asking for trouble. On a surface where the ball skidded on and batters hit through the line without fear, the left-arm wristspinner needed to quickly settle in and find his lengths. Ishan Kishan had already turbocharged his way to 22, Rohit Sharma was just switching gears. This was no soft introduction.Kishan is itching to tee off, but Kuldeep quickly pulls his length back and forces him to the longer leg-side boundary with two men back. By bowling a lot quicker and still managing to give it revs, Kuldeep got the ball to break away as well, something that seemed to have fizzled out of his repertoire when he went through a prolonged rough patch.”We’ve been excited by what we saw in the lead-up to the tournament,” the Capitals assistant coach Shane Watson told during a flash interview. “He’s been hungry to prove a point. We know he’s highly skilled in all conditions. He doesn’t have to turn the ball, he has his variations, changes in lengths, bowls the wrong’uns. He has been bowling a little quicker.”By keeping Rohit quiet, Kuldeep forces the Mumbai captain to re-think. Rohit’s release shot turns out to be an attempted reverse sweep, something he doesn’t play very often. But because Kuldeep’s in-between length has been hard to hit, Rohit tries to use the away drift to his advantage. He can’t hit it clean. Rohit lets out a cry of anguish. He knows the Capitals are trying to make him hit towards the longer boundary, and he does exactly that to pick out deep midwicket.Delhi Capitals pulled off a rousing chase against Mumbai Indians•BCCIKuldeep’s confidence is on the rise, clear in his toying of Anmolpreet Singh. Having beaten him in flight one ball, he induces a leading edge off the next. It just eludes his fingertips. Then he brings out his magic ball – the wrong’un – the kind of ball wristspinners can at times over bowl. Anmolpreet is beaten. The ball spins from leg to off. Kuldeep’s wry smile tells you he enjoyed that. And in his next over, he deceives Anmolpreet in flight and has him caught at long-off.”Since joining the Delhi Capitals camp, I’ve been working on hitting good length area,” Kuldeep said after his spell. “I’ve chatted a lot with Ricky [Ponting] about this. I also had a lot of discussions with Rohit [during the West Indies series] about varying lengths in T20 cricket. I’ve been working hard, and the results are showing.””When you’re in good rhythm, the pace [through the air] comes. When I wanted to push it further, it was going up. I was able to control it. Maybe that’s why batters didn’t get much time [to line him up]. The wicket was very good, there was not much help for the bowlers. You needed to vary your length. It was important to not give batters time. If you did, then they would have had enough time to step out and score. Varying your length and pace was key.”If the first two wickets were a result of planning, the third was down to oodles of luck. And someone who bowled as well as Kuldeep did deserve some. Off the penultimate ball of his spell, he had Pollard nail a pull, except it was intercepted superbly by Tim Seifert at square leg. Pollard picked the bones out of what was no more than a long hop. On another night, it would’ve landed on the streets outside. Instead, Kuldeep, who finished his spell, with a slip and leg slip encouraging him to spin it past Tim David, finishes with 3 for 18. Seventeen of his twenty-four balls were around a length or a tad shorter, only twice did he err on the fuller side.On a night where batter after batter showed they were never out of the game, where the scoring rate hovered around nine an over, and where not even the prospect of needing 75 off 42 deterred the Capitals, Kuldeep’s figures stood out. Enough for him to be adjudged Player of the Match. It capped off a happy return to the IPL, too.
The Miami Marlins were able to beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-3, on Sunday to avoid being swept at home. After the game the pitcher who closed it out, Tyler Phillips, gave one of the most intense interviews you'll ever see that left the team's sideline reporter a bit scared.
Phillips pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Marlins while not allowing a ball to leave the infield. A groundout to first, a grounder back to the pitcher and a popup to second sealed the deal and gave the Marlins their 61st win of the season.
Stephen Strom, who works for the Marlins radio broadcast, was the reporter who got to talk to Phillips right after his outing and this was easily one of the best interviews you'll ever see.
Some highlights:
Strom: "Tyler you threw 32 pitches yesterday. When did you know you were going in tonight?"
Henry Nicholls has been called up as cover while Mark Chapman is also part of the squad
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2025Daryl Mitchell has been ruled out* of the remainder of the ODI series against West Indies having picked up a groin strain during his match-winning century in Christchurch.Mitchell, who made 119 off 118 balls in New Zealand’s seven-run victory, remained in Christchurch to undergo a scan, which confirmed a minor left groin tear. He is expected to need two weeks of rehabilitation but should be in contention for the first Test, also at Hagley Oval, starting on December 2.”It’s always tough being ruled out of a series early on with injury, particularly when you’re in hot form like Daryl is,” New Zealand head coach, Rob Walter. “He has been our standout performer in the ODI format so far this summer, so he’ll be missed for two important matches.”The positive is that the injury is only minor, and we should see Daryl recovered and fit for the Test series.”Left hander Henry Nicholls, who played the most recent of his 81 ODIs in early April, has been called into the squad for the second match in Napier on Wednesday. Nicholls is currently the leading scorer in the Ford Trophy with 306 runs at 76.50 including back-to-back centuries against Otago and Auckland.”Henry has been in top form in the Ford Trophy and is an experienced international cricketer, so it’s great to welcome him back into the side,” Walter said. “It’s always pleasing to be able to reward players who are in good touch, and we know Henry will be raring to go if given an opportunity.”Mark Chapman is the other spare batter in the squad and is averaging 101.33 from four ODIs this year.Mitchell has been in fine form this season, taking the player of the series award against England.”He is a man for crisis,” captain Mitchell Santner said after the century. “He played extremely well, on one leg at the end.”New Zealand are without several players for this series including Mohammad Abbas (ribs), Finn Allen (foot), Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Ben Sears (hamstring).Kane Williamson, who picked up a groin niggle against England, was also not considered as he focuses on preparing for the Tests against West Indies.*8pm GMT – This story was updated with confirmation of Mitchell being ruled out
Manchester City are probing in the hunt for reinforcements and could now lodge a record bid for a star who is keen to work under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
Coming back from the international break, the Citizens would’ve been keen to continue their recent winning form in the Premier League as Arsenal and Chelsea continue to push for title glory, though a defeat away to Newcastle United probably wasn’t in the script.
Despite having their fair share of openings, Manchester City couldn’t make them count and were punished by Harvey Barnes, leaving Guardiola’s men third in the table and seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.
Of course, there is a long way to go before any prizes are handed out. However, Ruben Dias believes the Citizens will recover swiftly after their frustrating defeat, citing Newcastle’s excellent home record as a factor behind the result.
He told BBC Sport: “It was difficult in all ways for both teams. It was a very intense game and chances both sides. We had loads of chances and didn’t score more and we have to do better there. They scored theirs and we have to do better.
“Everyone knows how strong they are at home. First game after internationals is a tricky one and we fought as well as we could. It’s always a period of adaptation. We simply have to do better.”
In the face of a frustrating evening, Manchester City face a swift turnaround before clashes against Bayer Leverkusen and Leeds United this week, offering two chances for redemption after a rude introduction to life after the international break.
With the Premier League title race hotting up, Guardiola may now have an ace up his sleeve as the Citizens look to make up ground with their competitors at the top of English football.
Man City willing to submit record Desire Doue offer
According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are willing to submit a record offer for Desire Doue worth over £158 million and they see him as an ideal solution to provide pace and creativity within their forward line.
Intriguingly, the France international is keen to work with Guardiola due to his ability when developing talent, and contact has already been made with his representatives to try and open lanes to complete a deal.
Five similar players to Desire Doue (FBRef)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Paris Saint-Germain
Michael Olise
Bayern Munich
Bradley Barcola
Paris Saint-Germain
Jamal Musiala
Bayern Munich
Leroy Sane
Galatasaray
Making a solid start to the campaign, Doue has registered three goals and three assists in eight appearances across all competitions, though his contract in Paris is set to run until 2029, meaning his current employers hold the cards in negotiations.
Man City are brewing their own homegrown Erling Haaland
Manchester City appear willing to smash their transfer record to land the man in question and are said to be in an encouraging position, though it remains to be seen whether they can edge themselves past Luis Enrique’s hardball stance to bring in another premium option in the wide areas.
Everton have now been told that they’ll have to pay a record price to sign an attacking reinforcement, who’s also in the sights of German giants Bayern Munich.
Everton plotting attacking additions
Whilst Thierno Barry certainly did his job against Manchester United, his run for a first Everton goal only continued. The fact that the Toffees were down to 10 men didn’t help his chase for that vital goal, but questions about continuing to arrive as to whether David Moyes should look to January for key reinforcements in the striker’s position.
Ahead of the winter window, several names have already been linked with a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, including Troy Parrott. The Republic of Ireland striker has been in sensational form for club and country this season and grabbed Everton’s attention by scoring five goals in two games to help Ireland into the World Cup playoffs earlier this month.
The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster would be an excellent addition, but so would Celtic’s Daizen Maeda. The Japan international reportedly wants to leave the Scottish club and could do so for as little as £15m in January – allowing Everton to land a bargain deal.
At his best, Maeda scored 33 goals in all competitions for Celtic last season, before struggling to replicate that in an inconsistent side in the current campaign.
So, Everton certainly have options if they do want to add competition to Barry and Beto this winter. So much so that they may not even need to turn towards Parrott or Maeda. Instead, they could sign Franculino Dju from Midtjylland.
Everton told to pay record fee to sign Franculino Dju
According to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, as relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have been told to pay €35m (£31m) to sign Franculino in January, which would break Midtjylland’s transfer record.
Everton line up January move for England international who Alan Shearer called "world class"
The Toffees have spotted a low-cost opportunity.
ByHenry Jackson Nov 22, 2025
Joined by Bayern Munich and Manchester United in pursuit of the forward, it remains to be seen whether the Toffees are willing to pay such a price to secure his signature after sending scouts to watch him recently.
The Friedkin Group certainly weren’t afraid of splashing the cash in the summer, having made Tyler Dibling their second most-expensive ever signing at £42m and spent £27m on Barry’s arrival.
Dubbed “unstoppable” by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this month, Franculino is well worth the chase for Everton. The 21-year-old has recently taken his total to 19 games in 28 games for the season and that clinical form makes him someone to watch ahead of January.
Everton ready to replace £120,000-a-week star with key January signing
Love it or hate it, agents play a crucial part in modern football. They shape the path of some of Europe’s top stars and come at quite the cost as a result. But just how powerful are they?
Last summer, alone, some of the top agencies in European football helped broker some of the most expensive deals around as Manchester United completed an attacking overhaul and Liverpool tied star man Virgil van Dijk down to a new contract.
Now, Sportingpedia have taken a deeper dive into the likes of Wasserman, CAA Stellar and Jorge Mendes’ famous GestiFute, ranking their power in the modern game based on the market value of their clients.
10 HCM Sports Management – €0.63bn
With Viktor Gyokeres and Frenkie de Jong as their standout clients, HCM Sports Management remains one of the top agencies in the world of football. Their portfolio stretches far and wide across Europe, with Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger also amongst their clientele. They, of course, also enjoyed quite the summer transfer window last time out when Gyokeres was at the centre of attention, before sealing a £55m move to Arsenal.
9 ROC Nation – €0.64bn
Just ahead of HCM, ROC Nation are currently valued at €0.64bn in the world of football and can boast clients such as Vinicius Junior and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli. Interestingly, it’s also not just football that they’ve had great success. In the music industry, they also manage A$AP Rocky, Alicia Keys and more – showcasing their success across two industries.
8 AS1 – €0.78bn
Based in London, AS1 have a number of Premier League stars in their portfolio, including Moises Caicedo and Bruno Fernandes. They also played an important part in Luis Diaz’s transfer from Liverpool to Bayern Munich in the summer, which cost the German club around £65.5m and has since proved to be a successful move. In total, 285 players are signed up with AS1 agents.
7 Bertolucci Sports – €0.86bn
Just below the €1bn-mark, Bertolucci Sports do not boast the same portfolio as AS1 and others, but their main clients have more than helped their rise in value. Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes is now one of the best defenders in world football, whilst Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes is one of the best midfield stars that the Premier League has to offer and Matheus Cunha just sealed a £63m move to Manchester United.
6 ROOF – €1.07bn
Although ROOF have a clientele which includes established stars like Van Dijk, who recently penned a new deal at Liverpool, and Leon Goretzka, it was their rising stars who enjoyed eventful summers as the agency used their power to full effect.
Tyler Dibling, for example, completed a move to Everton worth as much as £42m, Thierno Barry joined him to become one of Everton’s most expensive ever signings at £27m and Mohammed Kudus joined Tottenham Hotspur for £55m.
5 Unique Sports Group – €1.21bn
With 654 clients, Unique Sports Group is one of the most powerful agencies across football. They’ve signed Anthony Gordon, Brennan Johnson and Malick Thiaw in recent years to see their value soar.
They also came within hours of seeing their client, Marc Guehi, complete a move to Liverpool in the summer before the deal broke down late on. Now, the Crystal Palace star is a man in-demand with his contract expiring next summer.
4 CAA Base – €1.36bn
Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, Pedro Porro, Rico Lewis and a number of others all make up CAA Base’s impressive portfolio of 658 players and staff, which has helped their value reach €1.36bn. Signing Palmer has proved to be a particular stroke of genius, given how he’s thrived since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023.
They also manage former Real Madrid manager and current Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti, who will be looking to add a World Cup to his stunning list of achievements next summer.
3 Gestifute – €1.62bn
Although Cristiano Ronaldo split from super-agent Jorge Mendes in 2022, he remains a Gestifute client with their value soaring. The iconic forward led the way with Mendes to become one of the most successful players of all time and the agency can now boast the likes of Lamine Yamal, Vitinha and Joao Neves.
The fact their portfolio includes two of the 2025 Ballon d’Or’s top three highlights their impressive impact on top stars, whilst their list of managers is also impressive. Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Benfica’s Jose Mourinho are all Gestifute clients.
2 CAA Stellar – €2.01bn
One of just two agencies to hit the €2bn-mark, CAA Stellar manage players such as Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, who is their most valuable client at €75m. Their portfolio ranges to as many as 896 clients, with Eduardo Camavinga, Ibrahima Konate and Rayan Ait-Nouri all standing out as impressive coups.
CAA Stellar’s value could also increase in the summer if Konate moves on from Liverpool and Nottingham Forest’s Eliott Anderson secures the big-money move that he has earned in recent months
1 Wasserman – €2.23bn
At an eye-watering €2.23bn, Wasserman top the list as the most powerful agency in football. They manage as many as 1,238 players, which includes stars such as Federico Valverde, Curtis Jones and John Stones.
The agency has also left its mark in the technical area, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta signed up alongside Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe. They remain the most influential agency around and that is only likely to grow as European football continues to reach new heights in the transfer market.
All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)