Going into Arne Slot's first summer as Liverpool manager, the big question is which star players the Reds are going to lose, and which ones they going to choose to replace them.

Liverpool must prepare for life without star players

Liverpool appear to have already decided who they want as their successor to Virgil van Dijk, with the Reds set to compete with multiple clubs for Leny Yoro. Whilst the Lille man once looked destined for a move to Real Madrid, recent developments have seen the Reds put themselves in a prime position to pay the 18-year-old's £51m release clause.

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Despite rumours of Mohamed Salah leaving Anfield seemingly cooling off in recent weeks, the Reds are still eager to find their next star player on the wing. A move for boyhood Liverpool fan Anthony Gordon has been doing the rounds in recent weeks, though the club may struggle to agree on a price with the Englishman's current club, Newcastle.

Whilst Van Dijk and Salah are the two biggest names nearing the end of their time at Anfield, Liverpool are also planning for the scenario of another of their important players leaving this summer.

Reds ready to replace Alisson with Madrid man

As first reported by TEAMtalk, journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed that Liverpool have earmarked Real Madrid 'keeper Andriy Lunin as a possible replacement for Alisson. Recent reports have linked the Brazilian shot-stopper with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer.

Alisson arrived on Merseyside in a £65m move from AS Roma back in 2018. The fee paid to bring the Brazilian to Anfield was a world record for a goalkeeper at the time.

Whilst Alisson's departure has not progressed beyond these initial rumours, it appears that Slot and co are not taking any chances as they work to find a suitable replacement for the 31-year-old.

Despite spending many years as a second and third-choice goalkeeper at Real Madrid, Lunin finally got his chance to shine for Los Blancos during the past season. As a result of Thibaut Courtois' injury issues over the course of the campaign, the Ukrainian keeper was able to make 31 appearances in all competitions as Carlo Ancelotti's side won domestic and continental trophies.

Lunin's exploits in Madrid saw him earn the praises of Ancelotti, with the legendary coach discussing the player's suitability to replace Courtois in a press conference back in August 2023:

"We have total confidence in Lunin, who is a great goalkeeper,

"He's been very good during pre-season. He's talented and what he lacks is what all young players lack – experience, which he's going to gain day by day."

With Courtois returning to fitness at the end of the last campaign, all signs point towards Lunin returning to his role as deputy going into next season. Whilst few among the Anfield faithful will want to see Alisson leave, there is no doubt that the Ukrainian could once again prove that he is more than capable of stepping up when needed.

Wolves have been handed a boost on the transfer front as it has emerged that one of their targets will definitely be sold this summer as things stand.

Tricky summer for Old Gold

It has been a mixed summer for Gary O'Neil's side so far. They parted ways with club captain Max Kilman, with the Englishman joining Premier League rivals West Ham United and former boss Julen Lopetegui in a £40m deal. Though it provided welcome funds for the Midlands outfit, it is certainly a massive hole to fill in the Molineux rearguard, with Kilman having played every minute of their Premier League campaign in 2023-24.

But there have been additions to give Wolves fans hope too. They beat Chelsea to a deal to sign highly rated full back Pedro Lima, while they also shelled out 15m euros (£12.6m) to sign SC Braga talent Rodrigo Gomes.

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Meanwhile, O'Neil's side have made Tommy Doyle's loan move from Manchester City permanent, and have added Norweigian attacker Jørgen Strand Larsen on loan from Celta Vigo, who has already set himself the challenge of outscoring friend and compatriot Erling Haaland.

There remains a fear that more outgoings could be on the way though, with all of Matheus Cunha, Joao Gomes, Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-Chan having been linked with moves away already this summer and interest likely to be formalised between now and the end of the transfer window.

That money will be able to be reinvested in the side, but for now it seems as though they remain on the hunt for bargains. And in their search for one particular option, they may have been handed a boost.

Striker exiled from training amid contract standoff

Now, reported Wolves target Tommy Conway has been made available following a contract standoff. The Bristol City striker scored 10 times in the Championship last season, and was part of the Scotland squad at EURO 2024, though he did not make it off the substitutes bench.

Tommy Conway in the Championship 2023/24

Appearances

39

Goals

10

Minutes per goal

229

Shots on target per 90

0.91

Now down to the final 12 months of his £2,500 a week deal in the South West, he has refused to pen a new deal and has as a result been asked to train with the U21 side, his manager Liam Manning explained.

"Tommy has had a contract offer on the table, which is an excellent offer," said Manning. "This has been turned down, and not negotiated with the player expressing a desire to leave.

“The decision has been made for him to train with the U21s, with the focus wholly on players who are fully committed to what we are trying to achieve".

Bristol City are therefore keen to sell him this summer, with the club only set to receive compensation were he to leave on a free transfer in 12 months time. Valued at £3m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old may be a savvy pickup for O'Neil's side if they can fight off competition for his signature. However, it is added at this point that no "tangible" offers have been made for the youngster as of yet.

Yadav has to undergo a fitness assessment before linking up with his team-mates

Shashank Kishore17-Feb-2021Umesh Yadav has been drafted into India’s Test squad for the Ahmedabad leg of the England series, replacing Shardul Thakur, who has been released to play for Mumbai in the domestic 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. Yadav, who will undergo a fitness assessment at the NCA before linking up with the Virat Kohli-led squad, is returning to competitive cricket after recovering from the calf injury he picked up during the Boxing Day Test against Australia.If cleared, Yadav will join the fast-bowling group comprising Ishant Sharma, who is one short of 100 Test appearances, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill’s presence in the squad might serve as an indication that the forearm injury that didn’t allow him to take the field on the fourth day of the second Test isn’t too serious. As such, India have a stand-by in the form of Mayank Agarwal, who is the third opener. And KL Rahul, who was drafted in for the second Test as a batting reserve, has retained his place.Two members in India’s squad – Bumrah and Axar Patel – could potentially feature in front of their home supporters at the revamped Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera. A third Gujarat cricketer, Priyank Panchal, who was part of the reserves, has been released to play in the domestic 50-over competition alongside fellow opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and Thakur. Quicks Sandeep Warrier, Avesh Khan and Ankit Rajpoot, and spin twins K Gowtham and Saurabh Kumar now complete the net-bowlers’ contingent, while wicketkeeper KS Bharat and legspinner Rahul Chahar are stand-bys.Hardik Pandya, who hasn’t played Tests since September 2018, is slowly progressing to bowling at full tilt after recovering from a shoulder surgery, which has forced him play much of his cricket in recent times as a specialist batsman.The four-Test series is currently tied at 1-1 after two games, both in Chennai. England won the first Test by 227 runs, and India bounced back to win the second by 317 runs.The result of the next two Tests are of great significance not just for the ongoing series, but the race to take on New Zealand in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship at Lord’s in June. Both the teams are trying to get past Australia’s points percentage of 69.17. India need to win the series, by any margin, so a win and a draw (or two wins) serve them fine. The loss in the second Test, meanwhile, has hurt England, because they can only make the final if they won both the remaining Tests. Australia are in with a shot too – they would be hoping England don’t win both the remaining Tests; a 1-1 or 2-2 draw or a 2-1 England win work great for them.The third Test of the ongoing series, a pink-ball affair, will start on February 24, and the final one on March 4.

استغل جمهور فريق مانشستر سيتي الفرصة خلال مباراة اليوم ضد إيبسويتش تاون، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، من أجل السخرية من جاره مانشستر يونايتد.

واستضاف ملعب “بوتمان رود” مباراة الفريقين في الجولة الثانية والعشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث حقق مانشستر سيتي فوزًا كاسحًا بستة أهداف دون رد.

وارتفع رصيد مانشستر سيتي بعد ذلك الفوز إلى 38 نقطة في المركز الرابع، بينما تجمد رصيد إيبسويتش تاون عند 16 نقطة في المركز الثامن عشر.

اقرأ أيضًا | “غير مقبول ولن أتغير رغم معاناة المشجعين”.. أموريم يعلق على هزيمة مانشستر يونايتد أمام برايتون

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ديلي ستار” الإنجليزية، فإن جماهير مانشستر سيتي رددت هتافات ساخرة من مانشستر يونايتد خلال مباراة اليوم ضد إيبسويتش تاون.

ورددت جماهير مانشستر سيتي لـ إيبسويتش تاون: “ستهبطون مع مانشستر يونايتد”، قبل أن يغنوا بعد ذلك: “سيتي يفوز، يونايتد يخسر، لقد جعلتمونا نغني يا بلوز”.

ولم تتوقف الجماهير عند هذا الحد، بل واصلت بعدما سجل جيريمي دوكو الهدف الرابع حيث قالت: “نحن سنبقى”، في إشارة إلى كون مانشستر يونايتد مهدد بإمكانية الهبوط على العكس من مانشستر سيتي الذي يتواجد في وضع آمن.

وجاءت سخرية جماهير مانشستر سيتي بعد خسارة مانشستر يونايتد اليوم أمام برايتون بنتيجة 3/1 على ملعب “الأولد ترافورد” في الجولة نفسها.

وتجمد رصيد مانشستر يونايتد عند 26 نقطة في المركز الثاني والعشرين في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي، أي بفارق 10 نقاط فقط عن المراكز المهددة بالهبوط.

Graham Thorpe, England’s batting coach, believes that the team that adapts quickest to the changed circumstances of day-night Test cricket is the likeliest to come out on top, as England and India prepare for an unfamiliar challenge in a brand-new stadium at Ahmedadad.Despite being comprehensively beaten in last week’s second Test in Chennai, Thorpe was confident that England can reassert themselves in the series, and expecting a full complement of players to choose from, including James Anderson and Jofra Archer in the bowling stakes – the latter after receiving a cortisone injection in his right elbow after being omitted from the second Test – and Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow as candidates to fill the No. 3 berth.Crawley was ruled out of the first two matches when he skidded on a marble floor at the Chepauk Stadium and damaged his wrist, but Thorpe believes his form in the nets shows he’s back “in the mix”, while Bairstow – who impressed at No. 3 in the 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka last month – is back with the squad after flying home to the UK for a ten-day break during the Chennai leg of the tour.Related

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“All the players are fit so we have a choice to make going into this match,” Thorpe said. “We know what Jonny’s credentials are. He’s a good player of spin. He has got a decent record, he played well in Sri Lanka. He is certainly going to be in with a shout. But we are still a day out from the Test match and we still want to have a proper look at the pitch as it comes closer to the match as well.”The ECB’s focus on rest and rotation has come in for some criticism in recent days, particularly in the wake of Moeen Ali’s departure from the squad after an eight-wicket haul in the second Test. However, Thorpe believes that the benefits of giving England’s players a break from the bubble outweigh the drawbacks.”They do come in a little bit more mentally fresh, possibly,” Thorpe said. “They do seem to be more rejuvenated when they have been out, and then come back in after that break. Jonny has practised very well over the last few days. Maybe a few weeks ago he was playing but he’s looked fine in the nets. Maybe that mental freshness can be a real positive as well.”Either way, the challenge that both sets of players can expect to face in this next Test is far removed from the events at Chennai. India have played just a solitary pink-ball Test, a one-sided encounter with Bangladesh in 2019, while England’s most recent experience came in Auckland in March 2018, when they were routed by an innings after being rolled aside for 58 on the first day of the match.”The nature of it, it’s half-day, half-night,” Thorpe said. “The challenge of facing the pink ball in the changing conditions – we’ll have to react and adapt well. It’s a slight unknown quantity but often the pink ball does a little more in the evenings than it does in the afternoons for the seamers. But we’ll also have to take a look at the pitch with regard to the spinners during the day time.”England are quietly optimistic that the prevailing conditions at Ahmedabad play more to their seam-bowling strengths, with Anderson and Archer both impressing in the first Test of the series.Joe Root talks to Graham Thorpe ahead of a training session•Getty Images

“It’s possible, without looking into a crystal ball,” Thorpe said. “The ball generally does swing more under the lights. They don’t have a huge database of pink-ball cricket in India, this is the second one. We’re looking forward to it, it is a fantastic stadium. We’ve prepared as well as we can and we have one more night of practice tomorrow.”So far, England have had one practice session by day and one by night, and from a batting perspective Thorpe said the focus had been on picking up length at different phases of the day. “Purely from that factor, it’s really about how well the players adjust to those conditions, whether they are batting or bowling,” he said. “The team who reacts the best will probably have a good chance of coming out on top in it.”After England were dismissed for twin scores of 134 and 164 in the second Test – their lowest aggregate for a completed Test since 1995 – a lot of the focus was on their execution of the sweep shot, and the need for more robust support for the captain, Joe Root, whose double-century in the first Test had been the bedrock of England’s 227-run win in that contest.Thorpe, however, has called on his players to learn from their mistakes in that second match, and reassert themselves in the series.”I certainly wouldn’t say to any of our players ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’,” he said. “But I’d ask them to look at all their options and the key thing for all of them is being able to execute the shot to the right ball, that’s from a defensive point of view just as much of an attacking point of view.”That’s the challenge which is really presented to us, playing against good spinners on turning pitches in India. But I’ve encouraged the players to view it as a challenge and one which they should embrace and excite them as well, because if they do well and score runs against this Indian attack in their own country, then they know they’ve worked very hard and earned their runs.”

Southampton are believed to be in talks to complete the signing of a player they are "in love with", although his current club are refusing to budge easily.

Southampton transfer news

The player who is at the top of Saints' summer wishlist currently is Fabio Carvalho, with Russell Martin hoping to bring him to St Mary's before the new Premier League season gets underway. A new bid of approximately £20m has been tabled for the 21-year-old's services, but it looks increasingly as though Liverpool want to keep hold of the attacking midfielder for the time being.

Youssoufa Moukoko is another rumoured target for Southampton between now and the end of the summer transfer window, with the teenager an exciting prospect at Borussia Dortmund. He has already scored 18 times for the Bundesliga giants, making 99 appearances, which is hugely impressive considering he is yet to turn 20 years of age.

At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is seen as an eye-catching option to bring in, as the England international looks to seal a move away from the Gunners this summer. David Raya is the undisputed first-choice between the sticks at the Emirates now, so moving elsewhere to be a regular makes complete sense, and Saints signing him would be a real coup.

Meanwhile, Southampton continue to show interest in signing Celtic star Matt O'Riley, who is wanted by a host of clubs in the current window. Brighton are one of those in the mix, but neither side are making huge progress in their efforts to snap up the Dane currently.

Southampton in talks over move for 19-year-old

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri on X, Southampton are in talks with KAA Gent winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo over a move to St Mary's, with a clear obejctive to lower the average age of the squad this summer.

Fernandez-Pardo isn't exactly a household name, considering he is a young player not plying his trade in one of Europe's biggest leagues, but that's not to say that he couldn't be an excellent addition to Martin's squad this summer.

The fact that Southampton seemingly adore him as a player is a good place to start, and it is easy to see why, considering he has already registered 11 goal contributions (nine goals and two assists) in 24 appearances for Gent, holding his own at senior level.

Fernandez-Pardo has also been capped for Belgium at three different youth age groups, including the Under-19s, for whom he has netted three times for in 10 caps.

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While predominantly a left winger, Transfermarkt also point out that the teenage attacker can operate as a second striker, so Martin could see him as a strong squad option, covering two key positions and representing a long-term investment.

Real Madrid have stepped up their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz as they search for a Toni Kroos replacement.

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Real Madrid eyeing summer move for WirtzSpanish giants keen to sign a Kroos replacementAlexander-Arnold also being monitoredFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Los Blancos decided not to sign a replacement for Kroos in the summer, instead choosing to stick with their current midfield options. But after an inconsistent start to the 2024-25 campaign, the club have reportedly ramped up their interest in Wirtz and will keep a close eye on the 21-year-old, with a view to signing him next summer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Replacing Kroos was always going to be a tough challenge, but a midfield featuring Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos has left Carlo Ancelotti without a dynamic, ball-playing central player. This concern has been highlighted by staff at the club, according to , with Madrid's interest in Wirtz intensifying in recent months as a result.

DID YOU KNOW?

Real Madrid will monitor Wirtz's performance in the Champions League to gauge his ability, considering he only played in the Europa League last year. Early scouting reports on the Germany international are positive, though, and he's impressed in Europe with three goals in four games this season.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

It's likely to be another exciting summer for Real Madrid, with the club also linked with moves for full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alphonso Davies. However, there may be some regrets over the decision not to add a Kroos-like midfielder to their ranks this year after seeing Barcelona storm to the top of La Liga.

Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad among potential venues

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Mar-2021The rising number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra is likely to rule out Mumbai as an IPL venue for the first time in the tournament’s history. Originally Mumbai, which is the home base of defending champions Mumbai Indians, was meant to be the central hub in hosting the 2021 IPL, but ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI is thinking about staging the tournament outside of Maharashtra.Although a final decision remains to be taken it is understood Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Delhi have been tentatively earmarked as possible venues. A final decision is likely to be taken by the BCCI senior management along with the IPL governing council soon. The IPL will also finalise the tournament dates, which have not been announced yet but are likely to start anywhere between April 8-12 and stretch until end of May-early June period.Related

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At the IPL auction, held on February 18, franchises were informally told that the 2021 edition was likely to be largely based in Mumbai, along with Pune for the group phase and the play-offs in Ahmedabad.However, at a meeting last week in Ahmedabad during the third Test of the England series, top BCCI officials including board secretary Jay Shah, treasurer Arun Dhumal, IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel and interim board chief executive officer Hemang Amin, discussed the viability of Mumbai as a venue with concerns raised over the latest spike in coronavirus cases.As per the latest data published on the Indian government’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website on Monday evening, Maharashtra had reported nearly half of coronavirus cases in India. Out of the nearly 169,000 cases in India, Maharashtra had 78,212. There were 4,478 new cases officially reported in the western state compared to Sunday, with 62 additional deaths.Last week’s meeting decided that the tournament could be played in multiple cities, but a final plan would only be arrived after the Election Commission of India announced the poll dates in various state including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, which will conducted during the league phase of the IPL. West Bengal elections will be conducted across eight phases between March 27 and April 29 with the votes counted between May 2-4. The election in Tamil Nadu will be a day-long affair on April 6 with results on May 5.Even though a question mark hangs over Mumbai, the IPL has not included Mohali and Jaipur in the list of tentative venues. It could not be confirmed exactly the reasons behind the omission. The uncertainty over venues as well as the delay in announcing the tournament dates has left franchises disgruntled. Several confirmed that they are yet to receive any update formally from the IPL on either front.Some, including Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, contacted Amin asking him to shine light on the venues. Senior officials at both the Kings and the Sunrisers confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that after reading reports in Indian media at the weekend about the omission of their home bases of Mohali and Hyderabad they were curious.Satish Menon, the chief executive officer at the Kings, said the franchise wanted to know on what grounds the IPL had shortlisted the potential venues and left Mohali out. “We have written to the IPL asking them to throw light on how they have decided on these venues and why also have they decided not to hold the IPL in Punjab,” Menon said.K Shanmugham, the CEO at Hyderabad, said he also had checked with the IPL whether Hyderabad was included as a potential venue or not.

There was strong social media reaction to Ricardo Pepi's game-winner, but there were concerns about the USMNT's overall performance

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• U.S. beat Jamaica 1-0
• Ricardo Pepi scored game-winner
• Social media had mixed reaction to win

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The U.S. beat Jamaica 1-0 thanks to a stunning assist from Christian Pulisic to find Ricardo Pepi for a clinical finish. On social media, there was excitement about Pepi's form, though there were some concerns about the Americans' performance.

  Here are the best reactions from X.

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• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

• WHAT PUNDITS AND EX-PLAYERS ARE SAYING

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• WHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?

  The U.S. will look to pad their 1-0 advantage in the quarterfinals when they travel back stateside to play Jamaica in leg two in St. Louis Monday.

Chelsea have spent a couple of Premier League seasons embroiled in muddy mediocrity, but every dog has its day and Todd Boehly’s scattergun spending might just be shaping into something more streamlined.

Replacing Mauricio Pochettino with Enzo Maresca was a move that raised eyebrows, but the Blues now have a project manager who is inculcating a ball-playing style in the mould of his former master Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola, football’s tactical doyen, has seen his influence stretch into a host of corners across Europe, with Maresca his latest disciple to take the reins at a high-profile club with more than just shades of his playing style.

Maresca’s new imprint has seen divisive rumours surrounding Conor Gallagher’s future, with the England international seemingly the latest Cobham graduate to be shown the exit door.

Conor Gallagher's Chelsea future

It’s a convoluted situation. Gallagher has turned down a contract extension at Chelsea but remains open to extending his stay at Stamford Bridge.

The issue is that the 24-year-old, who started 37 top-flight matches last year, will be consigned to a squad role if he remains, something he is unwilling to agree to.

Gallagher’s strengths ostensibly do not align with the fluent design of Maresca’s set-up, and so, with one year left on his deal, Chelsea are searching for a solution.

Should the cogs all fall into place and Gallagher be shipped on, the west Londoners may well seek a replacement, and there might be no more suitable transfer target than Morgan Gibbs-White.

Why Morgan Gibbs-White could replace Conor Gallagher

Nottingham Forest signed Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a figure rising to £42m in 2022, and he has established himself as one of the Tricky Trees’ most important players since his arrival.

There have been several outfits sniffing around for the Englishman, with Nuno Espirito Santo and his transfer team consequently listing their midfield talisman at £60m earlier in the window. Gibbs-White still has three years left on his deal, so completing a move this summer will come with its difficulties.

And indeed, according to transfer specialist Graeme Bailey – as reported earlier this week – Chelsea continue to show an interest in the £80k-per-week talent (alongside a host of rivals including Aston Villa and Newcastle United), though Forest are unwilling to sell their star man in the middle.

His ability to split opponents in two with incisive deliveries highlights the kind of strengths that have seemingly arrested Chelsea’s interest of late, and if Gallagher is sold to Atletico Madrid, there may well be a revised sense of optimism that the financial means to sign the player are within reach.

After all, despite Forest spending both of their two top-flight campaigns struggling against the threat of the drop zone, Gibbs-White has still posted 11 goals and 18 assists for his outfit, even being praised for his “sensational” performances by journalist Josh Bunting.

Matches (starts)

37 (37)

37 (35)

Goals

5

5

Assists

7

10

Pass completion

92%

77%

Big chances created

11

16

Key passes*

1.4

2.0

Ball recoveries*

6.0

5.1

Dribbles completed*

1.3

1.2

Total duels won*

5.7

5.3

As you can see, Gallagher is a more accomplished box-to-box midfielder, but he’s not as naturally creative, is not capable of unlocking backlines with the same kind of fizz and sharpness.

Gibbs-White – who “adds the chaos” according to data analyst Ben Mattinson – ranked among the top 13% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for passes into the final third and the top 14% for through balls per 90, as per FBref.

One analyst has also hailed him for being a “monster in transition”, which further corroborates the point that he has the requisite skillset for success under Maresca’s wing, with the Italian tactician dominating on the ball with Leicester City last season en route to winning the Championship, retaining 62% of possession on average.

The Foxes also completed 48 progressive passes per game last term, as opposed to 42 per match for Chelsea in the Premier League. This speaks of faster, more fluid play at Stamford Bridge this year, with Gibbs-White sure to flourish in the system.

There’s no denying Gallagher’s influence in Pochettino’s midfield last season, with his high-level athleticism and tenacious approach providing the kind of energy and optimism needed – the Argentinian manager even hailed him as “priceless”, though such wording seems to have been negated in hindsight.

But he was also found to lack a clinical touch in final phases, with a bit of technical quality lacking at crucial moments; Chelsea football writer Will Faulks said that he ‘is going to have to add that technical polish to his game’, and now that the managerial cogs have shifted, it seems he has been left behind.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo operate in deep-lying positions in the Chelsea engine room and complement each other with contrasting individual strengths. Gallagher, perhaps, is understandably being viewed as a utility option of sorts by the club’s new boss, who is shouldering the weight of responsibility to lift a fallen giant back to the limelight.

Gibbs-White would dovetail into the central triumvirate, more seamlessly, more successfully, with his ball-playing expertise serving as a conduit between the midfield base and the final third, enhancing and enriching ahead of a new era.

It’s tough, and Gallagher’s prospective departure will understandably rankle more than a few staunch Chelsea supporters, but if Maresca can’t promise him a regular starting berth, perhaps it could be a move that works out for all parties – especially if Gibbs-White makes his way down to the capital.

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