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Liverpool have held a meeting with the representatives of Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram regarding a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Are Liverpool signing Khephren Thuram?

Thuram has made a total of 138 appearances at the Allianz Riviera since joining from AS Monaco back in 2019, and despite his contract not expiring for another two years, in recent weeks, he’s been highlighted as an ideal target for Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside.

Back in April, The Independent first credited the Reds with an interest in the 22-year-old with the boss thinking that he perfectly fits the profile of central reinforcement that he’s looking for having pulled out of the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham.

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, journalist Jonathan Johnson has since claimed that the France international is still very much being “looked at” by FSG, and if the following update is to be believed, there’s a strong chance that he could be imminently on his way to Anfield.

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Liverpool have been in talks over a summer deal for Thuram for a “few weeks” to discover what it would take to complete a switch and have made their move “more concretely” than others.

The Reds have even already “held a meeting” with the defensive midfielder’s camp, and it’s stated that the idea of joining is “liked”. Nice “aren’t ready to sell”, and whilst it remains to be seen what his price tag would be, there is expected to be a “lot of competition” for his signature.

Should Liverpool splash the cash on Thuram?

Liverpool are clearly serious about landing Thuram, despite seemingly being close to signing Alexis Mac Allister, having progressed to the stage of negotiations that they have and it’s no surprise that he’s being targeted having been dubbed a “tenacious tackler” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should the board be able to successfully secure his services, it could be a shrewd move.

Nice’s 6 foot 4 colossus, who pockets £14.5k-per-week, averaged 1.5 tackles per league game last season hence his nickname, but was also a threat at the opposite end of the pitch having recorded ten goal contributions (eight assists and two goals) across all competitions.

Even if he’s not always on the scoresheet, Thuram is constantly looking to produce moments of quality for himself and his fellow teammates having made 84 shot-creating actions in 2022/23 which was higher than any of his peers, via FBRef, so for someone who possesses the ability to positively impact the game both defensively and offensively, FSG could be making a smart move.

Celtic centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered a knee injury earlier this month and has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Hoops have conceded 30 goals in 36 Scottish Premiership matches this season, an impressive defensive record, but five of those goals have come in the last two games – without the American international.

Ange Postecoglou's side lost 3-0 in the Old Firm clash before being held to a 2-2 draw by St. Mirren last weekend in the top-flight, which shows that the back line has struggled without the ex-Tottenham man.

Speaking on PLZ Soccer, pundit Alan Rough criticised Carl Starfelt in the absence of his central defensive teammate. He said:

“They (St Mirren) looked at the Rangers game and said ‘right, if you have a go at this defence, no Cameron Carter-Vickers, no Johnston there.’

“Starfelt looks lost without Carter-Vickers there. He looks all over the place and I don’t know what he was trying to do at the second goal. He never even challenged the header."

The 27-year-old Sweden international was particularly poor in the Rangers defeat as he lost four of his seven duels and made one error directly leading to a goal.

As such, Postecoglou could ruthlessly ditch the £19k-per-week dud from the starting XI next season by securing a swoop to sign Xavier Mbuyamba this summer.

Who is Xavier Mbuyamba?

He is a 21-year-old central defender who is currently playing for FC Volendam in the Dutch Eredivisie and is a reported transfer target for Celtic and Watford heading into the summer window.

The former Barcelona and Chelsea academy prospect has enjoyed an excellent debut season at senior level after arriving in his home country from Stamford Bridge, where he played 21 Premier League 2 matches, last year.

Mbuyamba averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 27 matches in the Eredivisie and made 3.5 tackles and interceptions and 5.3 clearances per game. Starfelt, meanwhile, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 across 26 Premiership outings but only made 2.1 tackles and interceptions and 4.2 clearances per match.

The current Celtic centre-back has also won 67% of his duels in comparison to the Dutchman's 52% success rate in his physical battles, which suggests that the Hoops defender is more efficient in his defending.

However, he is also six years older than the ex-Chelsea enforcer and Mbuyamba could come in as a player who is able to hit the ground running whilst also having the potential to improve and develop as he gains more experience at first-team level.

The titan, who was lauded as "complete" and "dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, won 73% of his aerial duels in five appearances in the Football League Trophy last season and this shows that the defender has the ability, at 6 foot 5, to dominate players in the air.

He may have work still to do to reach Starfelt's level but Postecoglou could place faith in the 21-year-old's development and bring him in as a starter, ditching the 27-year-old, next season in the hope that the gem can improve his efficiency whilst remaining active in making tackles, interceptions, and clearances more frequently than the Swedish dud.

Teenage left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson took three wickets on debut as a depleted Derbyshire attack responded impressively to adversity on the first day at Leicestershire

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2016
ScorecardNed Eckersley held the Leicestershire first innings together•Getty ImagesTeenage left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson took three wickets on debut as a depleted Derbyshire attack responded impressively to adversity on the first day of the Specsavers County Championship match against promotion candidates Leicestershire.With pacemen Will Davis and Ben Cotton both injured, and overseas player Hamish Rutherford perhaps surprisingly left out, Derbyshire gave a first-class debut to wicketkeeper Alex Mellor, on loan from Warwickshire, as well as to Parkinson. There were also first first-class appearances of the season for seamers Alex Hughes and Tom Milnes.Foxes’ skipper Mark Cosgrove won the toss and chose to bat, but Milnes struck early, finding the edge of Angus Robson’s bat with a delivery which swung away from the right-hander. Wayne Madsen held a sharp catch low down at third slip.The experienced pairing of Paul Horton and Neil Dexter batted solidly, however, with Dexter looking in particularly good touch. He had hit six fours, mostly driven through the off side, when an uncharacteristic flash at a wide delivery from former Leicestershire allrounder Shiv Thakor shortly before the break saw him edge a catch behind.Leicestershire resumed after lunch on 102 for 2, but 19-year-old Parkinson – twin brother of Lancashire legspinner Matt – first bowled Cosgrove, who went back to a ball which turned and stayed a touch low, for 14, and then had Paul Horton caught behind for 42 with a delivery which bounced more than the opener expected.Thakor then picked up the wicket of Mark Pettini for 13, leg before to a well-pitched up delivery which also stayed a fraction low.A stand of 68 for the sixth wicket between Niall O’Brien and Ned Eckersley saw Leicestershire pick up their first batting bonus point, but O’Brien became the third Leicestershire batsman to reach 40 but fail to go on when he went leg before to the very occasional offspin of Wayne Madsen, playing for turn that was not there.Eckersley looked in good touch, however, and found a positive partner in Clint McKay. The big Australian pulled Thakor for a massive six early in his innings, and had hit 40 from 42 balls in adding 83 with Eckersley for the seventh wicket when he swung and missed at Parkinson, who finished with 3 for 64 from 26 overs.Eckersley was unbeaten at the close, on 73 – comfortably the highest score of the day – made from 160 balls.

Referee Nick Walsh and his VAR assistant Willie Collum may have made a huge mistake in the most recent Celtic game as they decided to send off Alex Cochrane.

What’s the latest on VAR and Celtic?

The Bhoys had the chance to seal the Scottish Premiership title on Sunday afternoon as they made the trip to Tynecastle Park to take on Hearts.

However, Ange Postecoglou and co were unable to accomplish much in the first half as they were held by their opponents pretty efficiently.

That was until shortly before the break when Daizen Maeda latched on to a ball over the top but was then tugged back by Cochrane.

As this footage shows on Sky Sports Scotland, the Celtic man had yet to bring the ball down and there were other Hearts players racing back, so there was no guarantee he would have been able to clearly get a shot away at goal.

This seemed to be the immediate opinion of Walsh who awarded a freekick and simply booked Cochrane but VAR quickly got involved.

Was it a fair red card for Cochrane against Celtic?

Seeing as VAR is only supposed to get involved when a referee has made a clear and obvious mistake, Collum had no reason to intervene and ask referee Walsh to upgrade it to a red card.

Despite that, VAR evidently felt as though Cochrane deserved the red as he was just about the last man – ignoring the fact that other Hearts players would have been on the scene, covering the situation in seconds.

When speaking on Sky Sports, co-commentator Andy Walker immediately condemned the decision, saying: “He is going to send him off and that is harsh.” He then added:

“This is a horrible use of VAR and the game has been ruined.”

While former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart was even firmer with his judgement on the situation, telling BBC Sportsound: “That’s an utter nonsense as a red card, but nothing would surprise me.

“Did you see any Celtic players complaining? No. Everyone had a sense that a yellow card was the right decision.

“Utter garbage. What an absolute shambles.”

And even former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner agreed, also telling the BBC: “I don’t think it’s a red card, I’ll be honest. There’s no malice, there’s other players coming back.”

All in all, it’s fair to say VAR completely got this one wrong and Cochrane and his Hearts teammates will have every right to feel aggrieved.

Scottish champions Celtic continue to march on toward a second successive league title under manager Ange Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old having fashioned a truly rampant outfit at Parkhead.

A key feature in the Greek-Aussie's tenure thus far has been his "exceptional" recruitment record thus far, according to former Hoops skipper Scott Brown, with the Old Firm outfit having only recently been able to ease the loss of Croatian star, Josip Juranovic by landing a "definite upgrade" in the form of Alistair Johnston, as per club legend, Stiliyan Petrov.

That transfer success, in particular, has showcased just how effectively Postecoglou has been able to move players on and bring in players in recent times, with such astute deals having been vital in the Glasgow side's current domestic dominance.

That being said, however, there may be those that the former Yokohama F.Marinos will ultimately regret allowing to leave during his tenure, with Scotland international Ryan Christie among those to have thrived elsewhere in recent times.

The 28-year-old – who made the move to Bournemouth on a £2.5m deal back in the summer of 2021 – first proved vital in steering the Cherries to promotion from the Championship last season, providing 11 goals and assists in the league alone in that 2021/22 campaign.

The one-time Aberdeen ace has also since blossomed amid the step-up to the Premier League, having been hailed as a "really important player" for the south coast side by manager Gary O'Neil.

That being said, however, Postecoglou may well have had little choice but to cash on the 37-cap playmaker at the time with just over a left to run on his existing deal, while the Inverness native had at least been able to mark his mark at the club, providing 85 goal involvements in just 151 games in all competitions.

The same cannot be said of another ex-Celtic talent who is beginning to flourish south of the border, however, with Luca Connell now looking "unbelievable" for League One side, Barnsley, according to manager Michael Duff.

Where is Luca Connell now?

It could well be argued that it was something of a mistake for the Hoops to have allowed the young midfielder to depart without ever giving him a chance to impress, with the Liverpool-born maestro remarkably never making a first-team appearance during his three-year spell at Paradise.

It had initially looked like a real coup when the Scottish Premiership side snapped up the then-teenager back in 2019, with Neil Lennon and co forking out around £350k in compensation to sign the youngster from Bolton Wanderers – amid rival interest from a 'number of clubs'.

Having been hailed as 'highly-rated' by Celtic's official website amid his arrival in Glasgow, Connell was ultimately something of a spare part over the next few years, after never being given a look in by either Lennon or Postecoglou.

That "bizarre" treatment of the 5 foot 11 ace – as per The Sun's Paul Dollery – culminated in his exit on a free transfer last summer, with the player himself admitting that the move to Scotland "didn’t go exactly as planned."

Since that release, however, the 22-year-old has thrived back in the EFL at Oakwell, having already scored twice and provided nine assists in 43 games for the promotion-chasing outfit this season.

The former Queen's Park loanee has made such an impression in his new surroundings that the aforementioned Duff suggested that the £4k-per-week dynamo will "definitely be a captain of a football club at some point", such is the "way he drives it and carries himself" both on and off the pitch.

For Celtic supporters to have not ever even seen the former Republic of Ireland youth international in action – unlike Christie – will be something of a headscratcher such is his current form, with it looking as if Postecoglou and co have let a truly exciting gem slip through their fingers without even raking in a transfer fee.

Images from the most recent Arsenal game suggest that VAR and the referee may have missed a possible red card and penalty for an elbow on Leandro Trossard.

What's the latest Arsenal issue with VAR?

It was a pretty comfortable day for the Gunners in the end as they played host to relegation candidates Leeds United at the Emirates.

Indeed, the home side managed to extend their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with another convincing victory.

After an even start to the game, Gabriel Jesus won and then scored a penalty to open the scoring and give Arsenal the lead going into the break. In the second half, an effort from Ben White and another for Jesus put Mikel Arteta and co out of reach.

Rasmus Kristensen did pull on back for the Whites but Granit Xhaka cancelled that out and so the Gunners picked up all three points with a 4-1 victory.

However, before that final goal, with Arsenal looking to fend off any potential Leeds comeback, there was a pretty interesting off-ball incident.

Indeed, opposition midfielder Marc Roca can be seen – in this footage – digging Trossard in the back with a nasty and deliberate elbow.

Was it a foul and a penalty on Trossard?

Seeing as FA rules state that a foul cane be given if a player "charges an opponent, even with the shoulder", or "strikes or attempts to strike an opponent", it's fair to say this elbow could have been classed as a punishable offence.

What's more, the ruiles also note: "A penalty kick is awarded if a player commits any of the aforementioned offences inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball but provided that it is in play."

And so, had the referee spotted the incident – or if VAR had seen it and opted to intervene – it's likely that Roca would have been punished and a penalty would have been awarded.

On top of that, it could have fallen into either the S1 "guilty of serious foul play" or S2 "guilty of violent conduct" category of offences worthy of a red card.

And so, Leeds can probably count themselves pretty lucky that Roca wasn't sent off and they didn't have to face their second penalty of the game.

Journalist James Benge, also noted the incident and wrote on Twitter: "At the time this just seemed to be nothing but watching the game back and seeing clips on here it appears that Marc Roca elbowed Trossard in the back off the ball. I can't see any way you can see it in video form and thinks it's an accident."

In the end, it didn't change much as the Gunners still got the win but Trossard – who is paid

£90k-p/w – might be nursing a bruised back today, so he'll likely be annoyed not to have seen any punishment here.

Leeds United's financial difficulties in the early 2000s were well-documented, and this woe translated into their devastating fall from grace.

In what seemed like an instant, the Whites went from Champions League semi-finalists and Premier League challengers to relegation fodder, culminating in their 2004 slump into the Championship.

During this period, in a desperate attempt to balance the books, many of their top assets were sold at a cut-price as other top clubs came circling around their sinking ship.

They saw opportunities to pick at the bones of this flawed institution that held no bargaining power, and as such their rivals essentially took what they wanted.

This did not end with their relegation though, as a year after then-manager Kevin Blackwell oversaw one of their most frustrating sales as academy graduate Aaron Lennon left for Tottenham Hotspur. Whilst his departure alone stung, the tiny fee paid only served to further twist the knife into their gaping financial wound.

How much did Aaron Lennon cost Tottenham Hotspur?

Having scored only once for the Yorkshire outfit, the 5 foot 5 winger had still captured the attention in their first season in the second division. His electric pace and quick feet made him a threat to any full-back, so it was unsurprising to see him coveted by the likes of Spurs.

However, because of their aforementioned fiscal deficiencies, the Lilywhites would only have to part with £1m to secure this diminutive speedster.

Given how important the 35-year-old became for them, a staple of the Premier League, marks just how big of a blow this turned out to be. Lennon would go on to feature 364 times for Spurs, scoring 30 and assisting 79.

Such was his influence on not just this club but the league as a whole, journalist Joao Vitor Castanheira branded him a "legend" despite only winning a sole EFL Cup.

He truly was capable of the spectacular, with fellow journalist Alasdair Gold reminiscing on the times when the winger would be "tearing defences to shreds with his pace" before finishing things off with a stunner; or as writer Ian Mitchelmore put it, an "absolute beauty".

A nomadic figure who is now synonymous with the English top flight, Lennon would also go on to play for Everton and Burnley whilst becoming a true pioneer in the mental health sphere within the sport.

His work on and off the pitch has made him a true cult hero figure at every club he has graced, but Leeds have the right to feel the hardest done by given the manner in which he was snatched from them only to be turned into a legend for everyone but them.

Chelsea have a special agreement with Roma to sign former striker Tammy Abraham if they meet a pre-agreed price, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Abraham return mooted

The Englishman enjoyed five years at Stamford Bridge between 2016 and 2021, scoring 30 goals in 82 appearances, as well as registering 12 assists.

Abraham eventually left in order to enjoy more regular playing time, however, joining Serie A giants Roma and bagging 17 league goals in his first season there.

It could be that he leaves the club this summer, however, with his form and minutes dropping off slightly from the previous term, and he has been linked with a reunion with Chelsea.

The Latest: Romano confirms buyback agreement

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Romano confirmed an €80m (£70m) clause in Abraham’s Roma contract that exists only for Chelsea:

“Chelsea have €80m buy back clause for Tammy Abraham valid in summer.”

The Verdict: Is he good enough?

There is no denying Abraham’s pedigree as a striker – Gary Lineker once called him ‘classy’ – considering he has represented Chelsea and Roma, as well as scoring three goals in 11 caps for England.

Whether or not he is at the level required for the Blues this summer is up for debate, however, with the club needing to bring in a genuinely elite attacker to lead the line.

Abraham isn’t that, despite his aforementioned goalscoring prowess, with Napoli star Victor Osimhen on another level, having netted 19 times in 20 league starts this season, not to mention being linked with Chelsea also.

If the former Blues man is happy to come in as a backup option then that would work, but it is highly unlikely that he will be content with that, given the stage of his career he is at.

Liverpool could potentially sign both Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount during the summer transfer window, according to an exciting new update.

The Lowdown: Bellingham and Mount rumours rife

The Reds have been endlessly linked with new midfield signings this summer, with the club surely set to make significant additions in that area.

Bellingham and Mount are perhaps the two most prominent links at the moment, with the England international duo’s future up in the air.

The former is widely expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, while the latter is refusing to accept Chelsea’s current contract offer to him.

The Latest: Pair could both join Liverpool

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool could actually sign both Bellingham and Mount in the summer, with the Chelsea man ‘not viewed as an alternative’ to his international teammate.

The report states that Jurgen Klopp will be given a ‘significant transfer kitty’ for new signings and that the English pair could be two main additions.

The Verdict: Perfect summer business

If Liverpool managed to sign both Bellingham and Mount this summer it would be magnificent business – the type that could completely transform Klopp’s team moving forward.

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The duo already have 58 England caps between them, despite only being 19 and 24 respectively, and they possess both the technical brilliance and energy to make the Reds’ midfield a force again.

Bellingham is clearly the bigger star of the two, considering he is one of the best young players in the world – Roy Keane has said he ‘has everything’ – but Mount could also be a really shrewd signing.

Granted, he isn’t having his best season for Chelsea – who is, in truth? – but he can operate as a No.8, No.10 or even out wide, and his tactical nous is well-documented, with Jose Mourinho once calling him a ‘very, very intelligent’ player.

West Brom are ‘interested’ in signing Chelsea attacking midfielder Omari Hutchinson before the January transfer window closes, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Hutchinson an impressive youngster

The 19-year-old is arguably one of the Blues’ most exciting young players currently, scoring six goals and registering nine assists in 18 appearances for the Under-21s.

Hutchinson is struggling to force his way into Graham Potter’s first-team plans, however, appearing just two times for the senior side to date.

It may be that a loan move this month is most beneficial to the Jamaican, although Chelsea are fast running out of time to move him on.

The Latest: West Brom eyeing late move

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Phillips claimed that West Brom are keen on signing Hutchinson before deadline day ends:

“So, there’s a late push from clubs to take Omari Hutchinson on loan from Chelsea in the final hours. They’re taking an interest now.

“Two strong clubs that are interested are West Brom and Watford. Both are keen to sort out a loan deal before the end of the window, so that’s another one that could develop in these final hours. Other clubs also interested.”

The Verdict: Good for squad depth

Granted, Hutchinson is a very unproven player at senior level, with those aforementioned couple of games for Chelsea his only taste of it, but he could still be an astute signing by the Baggies.

Carlos Corberan could feel that he can improve the teenager by handing him more playing time and the midfielder would add depth in attacking areas, having once been praised by none other than Pele as a 12-year-old.

Hutchinson has 24 goal involvements (11 goals and 13 assists) in 32 appearances in Premier League 2, highlighting his prowess at youth level, and he could be ready to take that next step and aid West Brom’s Championship promotion hopes.