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Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar is reportedly available for £25m this summer, and Liverpool must swoop for the talented technician as they seek a replacement for Gini Wijnaldum.

What’s the story?

According to French outlet L’Equipe, the 22-year-old’s value has plummeted after an underwhelming campaign with the Ligue 1 giants, meaning a potential bargain is there to be had.

The report claims that Aouar would be open to offers coming his way, but with Arsenal also thought to be interested in acquiring his services, Jurgen Klopp may have to move quickly to secure his signature.

Liverpool must swoop

Liverpool will be glad to see the back of a testing 2020/21 campaign, where serious injuries to several key players destroyed their hopes of retaining their Premier League crown. The Reds recovered admirably in the latter stages of the season, winning their final five games to secure a Champions League qualification spot.

However, there are still expected to be several changes made by the Merseyside club over the coming months as Klopp looks to freshen up his first team squad, and a successor to Wijnaldum should be  top of the wish list.

The Dutch international is expected to join Barcelona on a free transfer once his current contract expires, leaving a substantial hole in the Liverpool engine room.

Wijnaldum offered a unique combination of skills which will be hard for any player to replicate, with the 30-year-old often impressing through his work rate, technical ability and eye for goal.

Nevertheless, when comparing the two midfielders’ numbers, there are some surprising similarities.

Despite Aouar regularly playing a slightly more advanced role at the Groupama Stadium than the one Wijnaldum often played in Klopp’s system, the France international still matched the Liverpool man’s 0.6 tackles per league game this season, and his total of 0.6 interceptions per league game was only just under Wijnaldum’s 0.7.

In an attacking sense, Aouar completely outperformed his counterpart. Admittedly this is partly down to the tactical responsibilities placed upon Wijnaldum, but it’s still telling all the same.

Aouar recorded 2.3 shots per league game compared to Wijnaldum’s 0.8, made 1.3 key passes where the Dutchman made just 0.6, and also pulled off 1.5 dribbles in contrast to Wijnaldum’s 0.9.

After Manchester City found life tough against an impressive Lyon side back in 2018, Pep Guardiola was quick to lavish praise on Les Gones’ midfield maestro.

“Houssem Aouar is a very good player. He is incredible. We talk a lot about (Tanguy) Ndombele, but Aouar is also excellent. He’s always very calm with the ball at his feet, with an excellent technical quality,” marvelled the City boss.

With Aouar having a market value of £45m (Transfermarkt), Liverpool could solve their midfield problem with a clever cut-price deal this summer. Their director of football Michael Edwards must swoop for the Frenchman and provide Klopp with the tools he needs to mount another title tilt next year.

In other news… Liverpool heading for massive transfer mistake over £30m liability, Klopp must avoid 

Backing reports of Tottenham Hotspur eyeing Lyon defender Joachim Andersen, Sky Sports (via Football Daily) have now shared their update on the situation with an enticing piece of news.

The Lowdown: Andersen linked to Spurs

Numerous claims have come out over the past week detailing Tottenham’s interest in Andersen, who is currently playing on loan at Fulham in the Premier League.

Indeed, reliable sources like Mike McGrath have indicated that Spurs are in ‘pole position’ to land the 24-year-old as they search for defensive options to bolster their shaky backline (The Telegraph).

Meanwhile, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold also reiterated Tottenham’s fondness for the defender, who he described as a player who “Spurs like a lot”.

The Latest: Sky Sports back Andersen interest

Sky Sports have since come out with their own breaking update on the situation, and their sources also believe that the 1.92m (6 foot 3) powerhouse is indeed a firm target for Spurs.

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“Some transfer news just in to us and this will interest Tottenham fans,” they explained (via Football Daily).

“It will also interest Fulham fans, although, not positive for Fulham. We’re told that Tottenham are keen to sign Joachim Andersen this summer, he’s currently at Fulham but only on loan, on loan from Lyon.

“He’s a Denmark international, he’s done really well for Scott Parker’s side this season, but their relegation means he may not end up at Craven Cottage.

“Tottenham are keen to sign him and we’re told he’s valued at around £20 million”.

The Verdict: Great news for Spurs fans…

Andersen has been a shining light in an otherwise disappointing first full season back in the Premier League for Fulham.

Indeed, the 24-year-old has averaged the joint-fourth most clearances in the English top flight over 2020/21 and wins the most offsides per game out of every regular player in the Cottagers’ squad (WhoScored).

At just £20m, he could be an absolute steal for Spurs, and it appears that their interest is genuine given these reports from multiple reliable outlets.

Therefore, we won’t be surprised if Andersen does become a Tottenham player this summer, and his form this season suggests that he could be a fine addition if he moves to north London.

In other news: 45 y/o manager now open to joining Spurs, find out more here.

Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United were unable to back up their 1-0 win against Everton with another away triumph on Wednesday night, as the Blades fell to a 1-0 defeat.

On-loan Arsenal man Joe Willock scored the only goal of the game for Steve Bruce’s Newcastle side, his sixth Premier League goal in six games, to consign the Blades to defeat.

Heckingbottom’s side had chances, mainly through David McGoldrick who should have done better when fed through by Enda Stevens in the first half, whilst he hit the bar from an excellent effort in the second 45.

One man who disappointed in the defeat against the Toon was Oliver Norwood.

As per SofaScore, the 30-year-old midfielder would earn a shocking 6.2/10 rating for his display, which was joint with Chris Basham as the worst of any player to feature in the game.

During the 90 minutes, the Northern Ireland international would complete 53/65 of his passes, resulting in an 82% pass accuracy rate, slightly below the 83.7% he has averaged in the Premier League this season.

He would contribute just one key pass, whilst only two of his nine attempted long balls would find their mark. In comparison, Norwood’s midfield partner John Fleck would manage four key passes and one out of two long balls, suggesting that the Scottish midfielder was more successful in keeping things simple and on the ground, which is reflected in his superior 7.1/10 rating.

Perhaps most disappointingly, the £6.3m-rated Norwood would win just two out of his nine total duels in the game, resulting in a less than impressive 22% success rate, which emphasises that the Newcastle players simply had the better of him.

Norwood also lost possession on 17 occasions, the most of any Sheffield United player, whilst he and Fleck suffered the ignominy of being dribbled past five times each, as they were both tormented by the game’s outstanding player, Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Frenchman would impressively complete 13/14 of his dribbles on Wednesday night and earned a superb 8.1/10 rating for his performance, which suggests that he gave Norwood nightmares with his pace and dribbling ability.

Fortunately for Norwood, he won’t be coming up against too many players of Saint-Maximin’s ability when the Blades return to the Championship next season, where he will, hopefully, produce much better displays than he did at St James’ Park.

And, in other news… Sheffield United suffer huge blow as CL giants eye 7-goal beast

After tasting defeat to Manchester United last time out in the Premier League, Aston Villa boss Dean Smith may look to freshen things up for tonight’s clash Everton.

Despite taking the lead thanks to a stunning strike from Bertrand Traore, Villa were once again on the wrong end of a penalty decision against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with Douglas Luiz being penalised for a foul inside the box.

That led to a United fight-back in the second-half, with strikes from Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani enough to see United home.

And it’s Luiz who Smith must consider dropping from the starting line-up when the Toffees come to town at Villa Park, with his mindless moment on Sunday, and his actual poor form in recent weeks, surely warranting him from being taken out of the firing line.

Writing in his post-match player ratings for The Birmingham Mail, Ashley Preece gave the £50k-a-week earning ace a four, and said: “The Brazilian did well to sprint back to put Fernandes off which typified his work off the ball. Douglas’s passing was off a tad and he should have done better to feed El Ghazi in during an attack.

“The birthday boy, 23, was brave and wasn’t afraid to press United high, often leaving McGinn to mark Fernandes in case of a counter-attack. Douglas was stupid and foolish to allow United a way back into it as he bundled Paul Pogba over inside the box – as he did at Old Trafford as well. Struggling for form of late, is Douglas. Replaced by Jacob Ramsey with a little over half-hour to go.”

That sentiment was echoed by The Athletic’s Gregg Evans, who branded it a “really stupid” foul from Luiz when he conceded the penalty.

And when you look at his form, the Brazilian just hasn’t been at the races for Villa, much like the side as a whole in truth.

As per Whoscored, the midfielder has only registered a match rating of above seven in one out of his last ten Premier League games, and that’s a damning indictment for someone who has been a regular starter for Smith all season.

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With the likes of Jacob Ramsey waiting in the wings to be given more starts before the season is over, now seems like the perfect time for Smith to make the ruthless call and axe one of his favourites.

He’s just been shocking for far too long now.

Meanwhile, Villa are interested in this recently relegated Premier League star…

As Sri Lankan players rest their weary limbs after five months on thegruelling international circuit, the prolonged struggle for control of thecountry’s ruling cricket body rumbles on with an intensity that thecricketers would struggle to surpass

Charlie Austin03-May-2001As Sri Lankan players rest their weary limbs after five months on thegruelling international circuit, the prolonged struggle for control of thecountry’s ruling cricket body rumbles on with an intensity that thecricketers would struggle to surpass.Thilanga Sumathipala, the president of the sacked cricket board, revealedthe latest twist to an increasingly tiresome tale, when he announced todaythat he had filed a complaint at the Cinnamon Gardens Police station whichaccused the Interim Committee, who were appointed by the Sports Minister fourweeks ago, of fraudulently distributing the cricket board’s funds and takingunlawful possession of board property.This is just the latest in a string of legal petitions, orders, and actions.It is a devilishly complicated affair and, in a country where the legalsystem is notoriously cumbersome, a simple resolution is unlikely.The logic of the outgoing cricket board’s argument is quite clear, even ifthe legal uncertainty is frustrating. Sumathipala’s clan believes that theSports Minister made a blunder. He dismissed them on a proceduraltechnicality, but then made a procedural mistake of his own.If he had suspended the board, as happened after the 1999 AGM, thenSumathipala would have had to have accepted that he was now out of politicalfavour and gone back to attend to his burgeoning commercial empire.As it was, however, the Sports Minister dissolved the board and broke theSports Law, which states that the Minister can order the dissolution, butthe board must then wind up its affairs. Moreover, Sumathipala’s legalteam is convinced that the subsequent appointment of the Interim Committeewas unlawful.Legal nit-picking perhaps, but there is some logic. If the Board of Controlfor Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has been dissolved, then how can theInterim Committee dig into the board’s financial coffers? Sumathipala isconfident they cannot and as soon as the Interim Committee signed theirfirst cheque he marched down to the police station to complain.Some of the country’s cricket clubs and associations met this weekto continue the attack on the Sports Ministry. They passed a resolutiondemanding a return to democracy and appointed a steering committee torepresent the membership until the BCCSL is reinstated.Tomorrow, it’s back to the courts, as the secretary and treasurer of thedissolved board argue in the Court of Appeal that the dissolution of theboard was unlawful and that they should be immediately reinstated.The Interim Committee, led by Vijaya Malalsekera, have remained tight-lipped. They, like others, are awaiting with interest the outcome oftomorrow’s hearing in the Court of Appeal. With the support of the SportsMinister, who allegedly has the full support of the government and the mainopposition party, one suspects, however, that they are quietly confident.The crucial test of the Interim Committee’s legitimacy will be the banks,who operate the cricket board’s accounts and will want to protect their backsfrom Sumathipala’s hungry lawyers. If their legal advisors believe thatthe Interim Committee does not have the necessary authority to distribute theboard’s funds then the Minister may well be forced to reinstate theboard.In the meantime, it is the cricketers who are likely to lose out. A powervacuum in Sri Lankan cricket’s controlling body will slow downdecision-making and water down policies. The players will become frustrated,and beating a resurgent Indian side in the forthcoming Test series willbecome an even greater challenge than it already is.

Daniel Pinder, editor-in-chief of Get German Football News, has exclusively told Football FanCast that Taiwo Awoniyi would score goals at Celtic, providing he has the right players around him.

Back in January, Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers were ready to battle it out for the young striker, who’s currently on loan at Union Berlin from Liverpool.

Despite a slow start to his loan spell in the German capital, Awoniyi has scored five times and added three assists in 19 Bundesliga appearances, with those five coming across a seven-game period, including the opener in the victory over Borussia Dortmund.

A muscle problem has kept the Nigerian out of Union Berlin’s last 10 matches, but he’s still made a significant impact during his second loan spell in Germany having spent last season at Mainz.

And Pinder told Football FanCast that Awoniyi would be a good addition for the Hoops, should they lose Odsonne Edouard this summer, with the Frenchman reportedly wanting out.

“I haven’t seen much of Edouard play, but looking at his stats, he scores plenty of goals, and I think Awoniyi could get the goals, but he needs the right players around him as he has at Union Berlin this season.”

This could prove a shrewd piece of business for Celtic, but they’ll need a far bigger name to please the fanbase providing Edouard departs this summer.

The Frenchman has been their talisman for the previous four seasons, and if the Hoops want to bridge the gap to Rangers next term, an established striker on top of Awoniyi is required.

Newcastle United have received a big blow before their game away at Leicester City in the Premier League on Friday night.

The Lowdown: Newcastle are not safe yet

The St. James’ Park faithful may feel as if they are safe in the Premier League for one more season, but it is still mathematically possible for them to drop into the relegation zone at the end of the 2020/21 term.

Both West Brom and Fulham can still catch them with four games left to play, and it does not get any easier for the North East club as they play Manchester City after the Foxes.

The Latest: Schar red card stands

As per the official website of the Tyneside club, the red card that was given to Fabian Schar against Arsenal in their 2-0 home loss last time out in the top flight still stands after an appeal, in what will come as a huge blow to Steve Bruce.

The Verdict: Schar loss a big blow

The loss of Schar not just for the match against Brendan Rodgers’ side, but for the next three fixtures in total will be a big blow to the Magpies as they look to clinch one more win to guarantee their safety.

The Switzerland international ranks high among his teammates for both clearances (2.9) and blocks (0.7) so far in the division this season (Whoscored), showing he is a leader at the back for them.

A character like his would have been useful in the run-in, but the Toon will have to try and find a way to cope without him, while Jamaal Lascelles also remains out through injury.

In other news, find out what enticing transfer claim has been dropped by one Magpie here!

Some old emails revealed by The Chronicle have shown just how close a decision was to being made on the potential takeover of Newcastle United.

As per the news outlet, in emails sent to the Premier League, officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated many times that sources believed that a decision on the proposed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group was ‘imminent.’

On June 21st 2020, the top flight reportedly confirmed that a decision to be made on the takeover was ‘possible’, although they did also claim that they could need more time.

The KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) eventually pulled out of the deal after a growing impatience with the top flight’s meandering, and it is not clear why the Premier League suddenly made a U-turn in terms of thinking that a decision was ‘possible’ and then not.

Can the Newcastle takeover be revived?

Given just how close a decision on the potential takeover in the North East was seemingly to being made, it is very much still possible that the bid can be revisited.

It will be interesting to see what the Premier League’s stance is come the pending arbitration case between them and the Tyneside club, and the result of that could make it a lot clearer with regards to whether the takeover can still be revived.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope’s latest update seems to suggest a deal is still in the offing, as the journalist claimed on Wednesday that Ashley’s decision to let go of retail staff may have been in cohorts with potential new owners, which you can read about below.

Find out what revelation Craig Hope has dropped on the potential new owners here!

Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League campaign came to an end on Wednesday evening at the hands of Real Madrid.

The Reds were not able to overturn their 3-1 deficit from the first-leg, eventually earning a stalemate against Los Blancos at Anfield.

We take a look at how Jurgen Klopp’s men rated:

Starting XI

Alisson – 7/10: Whilst not forced into too many saves by Zinedine Zidane’s men, the Brazilian performed at exactly the right time for Liverpool by denying both Vinicius Jr. and Karim Benzema in quick succession in the second-half.

Andrew Robertson  – 6/10: It was a solid if unspectacular night from the left-back. He coped well with the threats of Ferland Mendy and Marco Asensio down the Real Madrid right but his final product ended up disappointing on one too many occasions.

Ozan Kabak – 6/10: The Turk did not do all too much wrong having kept Los Blancos quiet in his time on the pitch. He was replaced somewhat out of consequence with Liverpool pushing for a couple of goals after a steady hour.

Nathaniel Phillips – 7/10: The 24-year-old produced what was arguably one of his most impressive performances in a Reds’ shirt by keeping the likes of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio and Vincius Jr. quiet. He was evaded late on by the French striker but in the end was not punished for that. Phillips eventually produced a team-high four interceptions.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8/10: By far the best of Liverpool’s defence, the Reds’ academy graduate was hugely impressive going forwards and in defence. According to WhoScored, he produced two tackles and three interceptions, whilst also contributing a huge six key passes. Alexander-Arnold will certainly have felt unfortunate to have not at least notched a couple of assists.

Fabinho – 6/10: Whilst the former Monaco man was an ever-solid presence in the Liverpool midfield, he did not stand out too much. His defensive awareness was probably not what the Reds needed.

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James Milner – 5/10: Retaining his spot in place of Thiago Alcantara, the veteran midfielder did not contribute all too much but for a booming effort from range that was well tipped over from range. He was the victim of a crunching challenge from Casemiro in the first-half and did not appear to regain his footing, eventually being replaced by Thiago.

Georginio Wijnaldum – 6/10: Having previously starred against another Spanish club in the form of Barcelona a few seasons ago, the Dutchman could not replicate that performance against Real. Wijnaldum was tidy on the ball with his 87.9% pass accuracy but simply did not threaten enough going forwards.

Sadio Mane – 5/10: Another hugely quiet evening for the Senegalese as his inconsistent run in front of goal continues. Mane certainly looked off-colour again versus Real having had just one shot and lost the ball on five occasions with poor touches. The £90m-rated star was eventually replaced late on after his shocker.

Mo Salah – 6/10: His impressive Champions League record has finally come to an end. Having scored in each of his last four games in the competition, he looked the most likely to find the net having had three shots but he was not accurate enough. His evening was summed up with a second-half left-footed effort that drifted harmlessly over.

Roberto Firmino – 6/10: Another of the Liverpool attack to have an under-par evening, Firmino also did not seem to have his shooting boots on. He really should have scored midway through the second-half but was replaced by Xherdan Shaqiri.

Substitutes

Thiago Alcantara – 5/10: As has been seen in the past, the Spaniard really did not affect the game all too much against Real Madrid. He played some nice cross-field passes but that was the limit of his contribution after he replaced Milner.

Diogo Jota – 6/10: Initially looked a threat after his introduction with his pace and was somewhat unfortunate to maybe not have scored but faded towards the closing stages.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6/10: Despite not being on the pitch for long enough to really get a fair rating, the former Arsenal man turned one of his typical performances, being full of effort and endeavour.

Xherdan Shaqiri – 5/10: Did not have enough time on the pitch to have a contribution.

AND in more news, Liverpool made the wrong choice in signing Kostas Tsimikas last summer…

Celtic are thought to be readying a move for Motherwell defender Declan Gallagher.

That’s according to an exclusive report from TEAMtalk, who claimed that the interest from the Hoops has turned the 30-year-old’s head.

Gallagher a man in demand

Celtic aren’t the only club keen on the Scotland international, though. The report claimed that Burnley, Sheffield United and West Brom have all shown an interest this season, along with Aberdeen, Hearts, Dundee, Cardiff City and Barnsley.

Gallagher’s Fir Park deal expires at the end of the season, meaning he may well be available on a free transfer this summer should his situation remain the same.

Transfer Tavern take

It seems as if the Hoops have been tracking Gallagher in recent months. Nick Hammond watched the centre-back in action back in January, with the Hoops failing to add to their centre-back ranks during the winter transfer window.

A cut-price deal for Gallagher could prove a solid piece of business over the coming years. He has made 113 Scottish Premiership appearances, with 89 of those coming in the last three seasons.

Although he may not be the first name on the team sheet each week, bolstering their defensive options with the acquisition of Gallagher without paying a transfer fee could be a smart move from Celtic.

In other news: Club open talks with Celtic defender ahead of permanent summer deal, find out more here.