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Liverpool haven’t had the best start to their Premier League season, however, Jurgen Klopp may have the opportunity to invest in his squad over the next few transfer windows, and now a new potential target has been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to The Guardian, the Reds are tracking Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount ahead of his contract talks being put on hold at Stamford Bridge.

As per the report, the West London club have struggled to reach terms to keep hold of their talented player and now the club have put contract talks on hold until after the World Cup in a situation in which Liverpool and Juventus are keeping a close eye on.

Huge Naby Keita upgrade

There is no doubt that Liverpool’s main area of concern in terms of personnel in the squad is in the centre of the pitch, with many key players out of contract alongside several midfielders reaching the latter stages of their careers.

Naby Keita, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and James Milner will all be out of contract in June 2023, whilst Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson and former Bayern Munich star Thiago Alcantara are both well into their 30s at this point, proving that reinvestment into the midfield is becoming a very pressing issue at Anfield.

As a result, a move for Mount could be a fantastic solution to replace Keita not just in regards to his quality shown at Chelsea but also his availability and consistency to show up for his team when it matters the most, something the Guinea international has struggled to deliver over his four-year stint on Merseyside.

Keita has had 18 instances of injury that have seen him sidelined for over a year of his contract with the club and has not been seen for the entirety of the season so far due to ongoing injury problems yet again with the most recent coming from training where he picked up a muscle problem.

Mount, on the other hand, has missed just four fixtures with minor injury issues at Chelsea since November 2019, but it’s not just his availability that would make the young talent the perfect fit for Liverpool.

Over last season the £70m-valued gem – who was hailed a “generational talent” by journalist Daniel Childs – outperformed Keita in many attributes including goals scored (11 v 3), assists (10 v 1), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.57 v 3.53) and progressive passes received (212 v 30), proving that he will offer an attacking upgrade on the Liverpool midfielder, via FBref.

With that being said, the powers at Anfield will surely be watching the player closely when he competes with England at the World Cup in Qatar over the next few weeks and will be monitoring his future at Chelsea closely ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Football Insider pundit Paul Robinson has been reacting to how Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was treated against Newcastle United on the weekend.

The Lowdown: Premier League wants answers

Martinez collided with centre-back Tyrone Mings following a shot from Joelinton in Saturday’s defeat and was examined by Villa’s medical staff.

The Argentine initially carried on but went down again shortly after and was brought off for Robin Olsen.

Reports since have claimed that the Premier League are now demanding a response from Villa about why Martinez was allowed to play on before eventually being replaced.

The Latest: Robinson’s comments

Robinson, who now contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding the incident involving Martinez and the update from the Premier League. The former goalkeeper wasn’t happy and described what unfolded at St. James’ Park as ‘absolutely ridiculous’.

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“It is absolutely ridiculous.

“It would be so easy to get it right. Why can’t people see that?

“There needs to be a neutral doctor on the touchline who is there specifically for head injuries. The neutral doctor would make an assessment on the field and if he wants to further assess the player in the dressing room a temporary substitution would be allowed.

“Club physios and doctors are under pressure. They are paid by the club and they want their team to win and their players to perform. A doctor will sit there and tell you until he is blue in the face that he has the players’ best interests are at heart. Not everyone is neutral though.

“It has to be an independent doctor who makes the decision on medical grounds only.”

The Verdict: Big talking point

Martinez never looked 100 per cent following the collision with his teammate, but you’d like to think he would have passed the club’s concussion protocols to carry on for a short period of time.

The NFL use independent head injury spotters as Robinson suggests, and they are still embroiled in controversies due to players continuing with injuries, so it clearly isn’t some quick fix.

Sides can now use concussion substitutes as well, so it wasn’t as if Villa would have needed to worry about losing one of their five allocated subs.

You can see why it remains a talking point and why the Premier League want answers, but Villa’s response on what happened with their star goalkeeper should clear up any confusion.

During his tenure as Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez managed to win both the Champions League and FA Cup, while narrowly missing out on the Premier League title in the 2008/2009 season.

The Spaniard brought the likes of Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, and Javier Mascherano to the club during his reign; however, he might have won more if a move materialised for a future Premier League legend…

Liverpool missed out on Aguero back in 2006

Benitez revealed in 2016 that Liverpool were once offered the services of Sergio Aguero, saying: “I was Liverpool manager. They offered him to us as a young player for big, big money. He signed for Atletico Madrid.

“He was a player that we knew. We were following him. We knew he was a very good player.”

Aguero instead moved to Atletico Madrid, with Independiente pocketing €23m (£20m) and his journey to the top began in Spain.

Five years and 101 goals later, he moved to Manchester City for a fee of £38m where he went on to become a club legend.

His decade-long spell in Manchester was extremely successful, to say the least, as he won five Premier League titles alongside a hatful of other domestic honours, but his goalscoring abilities will ensure he has a place in the City history books.

He netted a remarkable 260 goals in 390 appearances and became the club’s all-time top scorer in 2017 and left Manchester in 2021 to join Barcelona.

Unfortunately, due to a heart condition, the frontman, who was earning €200k per week (£174k), had to retire from playing in December 2021.

His former manager Pep Guardiola described him as “unique” and Benitez certainly made a massive howler by not stumping up the cash and bringing him to England in 2006.

There’s no doubt he could have thrived for the Anfield side, and they may have won another few trophies during the Spaniard’s reign if the Argentinian was leading the line.

Instead, he created history at Man City and it must be one of the Spaniard’s biggest regrets when looking back at his time at Liverpool.

Manchester City signing Kalvin Phillips ‘will be gutted’ with his latest injury as he races against time for full fitness, says Sky pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Phillips sidelined…

The England international, after he put pen to paper on a £42 million move from Leeds United, has barely seen a minute of action due to injury issues.

Phillips has been suffering from a ‘persistent problem’ in his shoulder which has required surgery, meaning the midfielder is in a race against time to be fit for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The 26-year-old has just weeks to get back on the grass in time to be featured in Gareth Southgate’s plans, yet at club level, City supporters will also be hoping he can play a significant role towards the back-end of 2022/2023.

The Latest: Robinson says Phillips ‘will be gutted’…

Pep Guardiola was forced to play club captain Ilkay Gundogan in the single pivot during last weekend’s Manchester derby in the absence of Rodri and Phillips.

The latter man, you’d assume, would’ve come in to replace Rodri yet Phillips’ injury meant Gundogan had to play in a less advanced role than usual.

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson says the ex-Elland Road star will be gutted at missing the opportunity to impress in such a big occasion.

He explained to Football Insider:

“He will be gutted.

“It has not been a good start for him at City. He has been unfortunate.

“It is always going to be difficult to break into that team. A shoulder injury is the last thing you need.

“He needs to get himself fit before the World Cup. He needs to play games.

“Gundogan is an outstanding player but Phillips would have quite likely replaced Rodri for the Manchester derby had he been fit. It would have been the ideal time for him to start a game. It’s a shame.”

The Verdict: Very unlucky…

Phillips has been unlucky since his big money move from Yorkshire, mainly due to his fitness issues but also because he has to contend with Rodri for a starting place.

Last weekend’s derby would’ve been an unbelievable opportunity to impress in the Spaniard’s absence, yet due to being unavailable, the Three Lions ace was forced to watch as Gundogan thrived in the position.

Once Phillips is available again, it will certainly be interesting to see if he can battle past two star City mainstays for regular football – especially given his reputation as a ‘top player’.

Real Madrid could challenge Manchester United and their Premier League rivals in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Bellingham interest

Whilst both United and Liverpool have been touted with strong interest in the 19-year-old for several months, The Athletic have claimed that Manchester City and Chelsea also retain a keen eye on the England international.

It is believed that Dortmund will remain adamant on their £131.6m valuation of the midfielder, which would make him the most expensive British footballer in history.

However, it now appears that interest has emerged outside of England, throwing a potential move to the Premier League in doubt.

The Latest: Jones’ claim

Jones believes that Champions League holders Real Madrid could come in and disrupt the English clubs’ battle for Bellingham’s signature.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist claimed: “Bellingham is the most exciting prospect of next summer and the expectation is that United, Liverpool and Chelsea battle for him – but I heard from a very good source this week that Real Madrid also like him and could yet come into the equation.”

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The Verdict: Worth the fight

When looking at Bellingham’s underlying statistics, it is easy to see why many of the biggest clubs in world football are battling it out to secure his services next summer.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the top 3% for dribbles completed and touches in the attacking penalty area, and also in the top 4% for assists and progressive passes received.

Having been hailed as a ‘world-class’ player by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the 19-year-old’s stock is certainly at its all-time high, and the above figures mark the teenager out as a player who likes to take on opponents and get into the final third to make an impact for his team.

Therefore, the Red Devils could be in for a tough fight if they are to win the battle for his highly desired signature, but considering Bellingham’s extraordinary talents, he is worth every bit of the fight that United might put up for him.

Manchester United’s incoming business is done after the capture of Martin Dubravka and Cristiano Ronaldo will stay put at Old Trafford, according to Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Ronaldo saga

While the Red Devils have made some significant signings this summer, from Casemiro to Antony, the future of Ronaldo has been one of the biggest talking points.

It has been made clear that the 37-year-old’s preference is to leave United and join a Champions League-playing club, but not many suitors have emerged.

While a late-summer exit has always felt possible, a new update suggests that Ronaldo isn’t going anywhere.

The Latest: Legend set to stay

Writing on Twitter on Thursday, talkSPORT’s Crook said that Dubravka is United’s final piece of incoming summer business, adding that Ronaldo will remain at the club:

“Once Dubravka is officialy confirmed I’m told that will be the end of #MUFC summer incomings. Ronaldo stays as expected.”

The Verdict: Squad role moving forward?

Whether or not this is good news for United remains to be seen but Erik ten Hag has been strong in his approach, not starting Ronaldo since the woeful 4-0 Premier League defeat away to Brentford.

The Portuguese legend may have to accept that he isn’t in his side’s strongest starting lineup moving forward, with his age and inability to be an all-round force now working against him, as the last few matches without him have shown.

That’s not to say that there won’t still be some trademark Ronaldo goals and celebrations to come, however, but a January exit cannot be ruled out at this point.

One of West Ham United’s transfer targets could now be set to sign for a fellow Premier League club…

What’s the word?

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Justin Kluivert is “one step away” from joining Fulham, who earned promotion after winning the Championship last season.

West Ham had shown an interest in the Dutchman in July, but it appears that he is now set to join another London club instead.

A fee of around €10m (£8.4m) is due to be sent Roma’s way, but with the Hammers seemingly opting for Maxwel Cornet instead after agreeing a deal for the Ivorian, they will not feel too aggrieved to miss out on the Giallorossi winger.

Cornet is the better option

Although it may seem a shame to miss out on a young talent with a big name, it appears that David Moyes has made the smarter albeit more expensive move by opting for the Burnley man.

With Kluivert labelled a “special talent” by football writer Ryan Baldi, some may question the decision to prioritise the Ivorian over him.

The Dutchman impressed on loan at Nice last season, scoring four goals and setting up five in 27 league appearances in a campaign which was also scuppered by injury.

Meanwhile, one man who made the move from Ligue 1 last year was Cornet, who enjoyed a fine debut season in the Premier League despite his team’s relegation. His nine league goals saw him top the scoring charts at Turf Moor and he was instrumental in putting up such a brave fight with the likes of Leeds United and Everton in the fight to avoid the drop.

That battle-hardened Premier League experience will be a huge motivator for Moyes in prioritising this deal, but it is not just Cornet’s goals which will have intrigued the Scotsman.

With Cornet averaging 1.13 tackles and 0.84 clearances per 90, this level of off-the-ball work rate could well have had an impact on the 59-year-old’s thinking.

The Ivorian not only offers a reliable goal threat, his stint at Burnley has proved that he is willing to get stuck in when it requires.

With Kluivert unproven in the English top flight and less prolific than Cornet in front of goal last term, Moyes appears to have chosen the smarter option in choosing which of the two to try and lure to the London Stadium.

An update has emerged regarding Sunderland’s pursuit of Matthew Hoppe in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Kristjaan Speakman is reportedly eyeing up a move for the USA international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, according to MLS insider Tom Bogert.

The reporter has also claimed that one of the Black Cats’ Championship rivals have made a bid in the region of £2.5m for the attacker.

He tweeted: “Middlesbrough have made an offer to Mallorca for USMNT forward Matthew Hoppe, per sources. Offer is around $3m (including add-ons). Sunderland interested as well. Hoppe, 21, has six caps with the USMNT. Joined Mallorca last summer from Schalke.”

Forget about Nathan Broadhead

The Black Cats are said to be keen on a deal to bring Nathan Broadhead back to the club from Everton after his loan spell on Wearside last term. However, nothing is imminent, and Hoppe has now emerged as a potential alternative to the Welshman.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the Toffees loanee caught the eye as he scored 10 goals in 22 League One outings for Sunderland. He proved that he fits how Alex Neil wants to play and that he can perform alongside the players currently at the Stadium of Light.

However, it remains to be seen how Broadhead would handle the step up to Championship football. He has only proven himself in the third tier of English football, and it would be a gamble to expect him to replicate his form at a higher level.

Conversely, Hoppe would be dropping down a tier to arrive at the Stadium of Light. He played in La Liga for Mallorca last term, albeit that he only featured in five games, and he was in the Bundesliga with Schalke 04 for the 2020/21 campaign before his move to Spain.

The American, who was once dubbed “complete” by Jacek Kulig, caught the eye in Germany as he found the net six times in 15 starts, whilst setting up one goal for his team-mates. He has shown that he can score goals in a major European league, which suggests that he has the quality to perform in the second tier in England.

Therefore, the 21-year-old dynamo has the potential to be a superb signing for Sunderland if Speakman can beat Middlesbrough to his signature. Fans will quickly forget all about Broadhead if Hoppe comes through the door and starts banging in the goals week in, week out in the Championship.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops 12-word Sunderland transfer claim that’ll excite supporters…

Journalist Paul Brown has now claimed that Everton could sign Morgan Gibbs-White for a ‘brilliant bargain’.

The Lowdown: How much would Gibbs-White cost?

90min reported last month that Nottingham Forest were hopeful of completing a club-record £20m deal for the player, although The Athletic have recently claimed that Wolves will demand in the region of £30m for his services, with the Toffees also interested in his signature.

A 22-year-old Englishman playing in the Premier League, a fee of between £20m and £30m could be a good price for the central midfielder.

The Latest: ‘No-brainer’

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown has now claimed that signing Gibbs-White on a potential cut-price deal would be a ‘no-brainer’ and a ‘brilliant bargain’ for Everton, but he does not think that they would have enough money to sign the 22-year-old if Wolves demand a ‘big fee’.

The journalist said: “I think if there was some way of doing that for a brilliant bargain price, it will be a no-brainer, because of his age, but if it’s to command a big fee, I don’t think Everton have the money for that when they need to strengthen in other areas more.”

The Verdict: Get it done

If Everton can persuade Wolves to let Gibbs-White leave for closer to £20m, then it would be a deal that they must look to get done as soon as possible, in order to fend off competition from Forest and other potential suitors in the Premier League.

Hailed as ‘unreal’ last season by European football expert and journalist Alex Barker when he was on loan at Sheffield United, the midfield dynamo helped the Blades to reach the Championship play-off semi-finals.

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He scored an impressive 12 goals and registered 10 assists from the middle of the park (Transfermarkt), subsequently being named the club’s Player of the Year.

Nonetheless, this potential deal will be one to watch out for as the new season draws closer.

Liverpool are reportedly still interested in signing Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry as a replacement for Divock Origi this summer.

The Lowdown: Gnabry superb for Bayern

The German has excelled in a Bayern shirt in recent years, winning the Champions League and scoring 64 goals in 171 appearances for the Bundesliga champions.

Gnabry scored 14 goals and registered five assists in the league alone last season, while he will also be hoping to star for Germany in the upcoming World Cup.

His current Bayern deal expires next summer, however, and it could be that a fresh challenge comes his way before then.

The Latest: Reds still in the mix

According to Sport, Julian Ward and Co are keen on acquiring Gnabry’s signature this summer, seeing him as the right man to come in for the departed Origi and also Sadio Mane.

He is also seen as an alternative to Marco Asensio, who the Reds have also been linked with recently.

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The Verdict: Ideal fit, but is he needed?

Gnabry is a fantastic player who has been hailed as ‘world-class’ by Rio Ferdinand, so the idea of him in a Liverpool shirt is undoubtedly exciting.

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That being said, the former Arsenal man does turn 27 this summer and wouldn’t necessarily be a long-term acquisition – something Jurgen Klopp often looks for in his signings.

On top of that, Gnabry would surely be expecting to start every week but he would have Luis Diaz ahead of him in the pecking order in his left-sided attacking role. For that reason, it feels unlikely that a move happens immediately, but perhaps he could arrive and switch to the right flank if Mohamed Salah leaves next summer.