Since Nottingham Forest's play-off final victory against Huddersfield Town on 29th May 2022, they haven't been shy of splashing the cash.

After a 23-year absence from the Premier League, the East Midlanders have displayed their intent to retain their top-flight status by backing manager Steve Cooper in the transfer market.

They've spent in excess of £200m across 34 signings and Football FanCast has compiled a list which details all of those additions.

Serge Aurier – Free transfer

Former Tottenham Hotspur right-back Serge Aurier was brought into the City Ground on a free transfer in September 2022.

Considering Forest didn't have to outlay a single penny to land the 85-cap Ivory Coast international, other than his wages of course, this move was pretty risk-free.

Aurier made 24 Premier League appearances last term, and was a key member of their survival campaign.

A success by all accounts, then.

Loïc Badé – Loan

Quite a bizarre deal, this one.

Loïc Bade, a France Under-21 international, had just come off the back of his first season at Rennes, where he made 21 appearances across all competitions, helping his side achieve a fourth-placed finish.

Newly-promoted Forest signed the young centre-back on a season-long loan deal, with an option to buy, but he failed to make a single appearance at the East Midlands side, before being shunned back to his parent club in the January transfer window.

Now, the 23-year-old is at Sevilla, where he has already won the Europa League with the Spanish outfit, starting and playing all 120 minutes of the final in Budapest against Jose Mourinho's Roma.

Dean Henderson – Loan

Forest signed Dean Henderson on a season-long loan from Manchester United in the summer of 2022.

He appeared 18 times in the league before having his season cut short due to a thigh injury. Nevertheless, it will certainly go down as a solid signing.

If reports are to be believed, Forest appear eager to resign the United goalkeeper on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but Crystal Palace are also in the race to land the 26-year-old.

Adnan Kanurić – Free transfer

Bosnian Goalkeeper Adnan Kanurić joined the club from FK Sarajevo last summer.

The young shot-stopper didn't make a senior appearance for Forest but he did appear twice for the Under-21s.

He was shipped out on loan in February to National League South side Oxford City, where he started 13 games, helping the club gain promotion to the National League.

He was released by Forest in July and is now without a club.

Wayne Hennessey – Free transfer

Veteran keeper Wayne Hennessey was signed, like Kanurić, to facilitate the number one, at the time, Henderson.

He's an experienced international and a safe pair of hands, a sensible addition to the ranks.

Hennessey still has one year remaining on his contract at the club, and is expected to predominantly feature in the cup competitions, barring any injuries.

Cheikhou Kouyaté – Free transfer

Like many of the transfers so far, they've all been pretty risk-free given no fee has been paid and Cheikhou Kouyaté's transfer is no different.

Kouyaté joined the club upon the expiry of his contract at Crystal Palace last summer and has been a valuable member of Cooper's side since.

A sensible signing.

Jesse Lingard – Free transfer

Jesse Lingard is in a slightly different boat from a lot of the other free transfers on the list. The former Manchester United forward joined the club on big wages, on a one-year deal.

His short stint in the East Midlands was underwhelming, particularly given the excitement around the deal when he first arrived.

Many fans had high expectations for the 32-cap England international, but he failed to live up to those. The 30-year-old didn't register a single-goal return in his 17 league outings.

A miss.

Brandon Aguilera – £812k

Forest signed the 2003-born attacking midfielder Brandon Aguilera last summer on a four-year contract from Costa Rican side LD Alajuelense.

He was immediately loaned back to his home nation with AD Guanacasteca, before joining Estoril Praia Under-23s setup in Portugal for the remainder of last season.

The Costa Rica international is now back at the City Ground and has made two appearances in the Premier League 2 (Reserve League), scoring one and providing as many assists in two outings.

Time will tell how successful this signing will be.

Josh Bowler – £2m

Josh Bowler became The Tricky Trees' 28th signing of the summer last year when he joined from Blackpool for a reported £2m.

Like Aguilera, he was immediately shipped out on loan. Firstly to sister club Olympiacos before rejoining Blackpool in January for the final four months of the campaign.

The winger was again sent out on loan this summer, this time joining Cardiff City.

Bowler doesn't appear to be in Forest's plans at all, so this transfer was another strange one.

Maybe they could profit on his sale further down the line should his spell at the Bluebirds be successful.

Harry Toffolo & Lewis O'Brien – £10m

Forest completed the signings of Huddersfield Town duo Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien last summer in a reported £10m deal.

It's fair to say neither of the pair have really worked out. Toffolo was limited to just nine league starts last term whilst O'Brien made six before being loaned out to D.C. United in March.

They are both yet to feature in any of Forest's opening two games this season.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and fiancee Perrie Edwards have revealed they are expecting a second child. The Little Mix favourite posted a beautifully shot black-and-white clip to Instagram, where the pop star, Oxlade-Chamberlain and their four-year-old son Axel joined her in a moving family moment.

• Edwards expecting second child joy
• Singer bravely opened up on miscarriages
• Oxlade-Chamberlain faces uncertain football future

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The video showed Perrie turning to the camera in a white T-shirt emblazoned with the lyrics from her new single If He Wanted To, He Would. Beaming with joy, she revealed her growing bump before Alex wrapped his arms around her. Little Axel then added the sweetest touch, kissing his mum’s stomach before the trio embraced in a tender family hug. Her caption? A simple, cheeky line: “Guess what hunnies…” – enough to send fans into a frenzy of congratulations.

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  The announcement comes after a painful journey for Perrie and Alex, who have suffered not one but two devastating miscarriages. The singer bravely opened up earlier this year on Paul C Brunson’s We Need To Talk podcast, admitting that her first pregnancy ended almost as soon as it began.

  “So I had a miscarriage very early on with my first ever pregnancy, and it was so early,” she said. “I remember finding out I was pregnant. Obviously, I started bleeding not long after, and I went to the hospital and I had the scan and they were like, ‘There’s no baby.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve made this up. Maybe I got a false positive or something.’ And I remember being on my own at the appointments because nobody was there.”

  When she later carried Axel, born in August 2021, Perrie admitted she was constantly fearful of history repeating itself. She confessed to feeling “on edge” throughout the pregnancy, longing just to make it past the 12-week scan. That fear became reality again during Little Mix’s farewell tour in 2022, when Perrie miscarried at 20 weeks. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN?

  While Perrie celebrates, her fiancee Oxlade-Chamberlain faces uncertainty in his professional world. The former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder recently had his contract with Besiktaş terminated on 27 August 2025, with the Turkish side paying him €1.75 million in severance. The 32-year-old remains a free agent and is now weighing up his next move. Reports suggest Leeds United are monitoring his situation, while Birmingham City are also believed to be interested in bringing him back to English football.

Bravo backed Pooran following his ball-tampering ban, saying the youngster is “far from that type of player”

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2019

Nicholas Pooran sweeps for four•Getty Images

Former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo has called Nicholas Pooran’s attempts at altering the condition of the ball during West Indies’ third ODI against Afghanistan a “silly mistake”.”I know Pooran since he was 17 years old and he is not that type of player,” Bravo said on Thursday in Abu Dhabi where he will be playing in the T10 tournament as Maratha Arabians’ captain. “Yes, that (ball-tampering) happened, the evidence is there. But deep down inside he doesn’t mean anything [bad] to cheat or anything.”ALSO READ: Dwayne Bravo hints at international comebackPooran was banned for four T20Is after video footage showed him scratching the surface of the ball with his thumbnail. He admitted to the offence, a breach of level 3 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad.In his defence, the young batsman said it was an “isolated” incident, which would not be repeated as it was an “extreme error in judgment” on his part.Pooran will now miss the ongoing three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the opening match of the subsequent exchanges against India.Bravo said Pooran needed to be given time to understand his mistake. “It is just a silly mistake on his part,” Bravo said. “He accepted it. But I know the individual personally, and that is not something he will ever do or encourage anyone to do. It is just a simple mistake, he gets caught, he accepts it, but he is far from that type of player.”

Since securing promotion back to the Premier League in 2019, Aston Villa have spent millions in order to maintain their status as a top-flight team.

Under Unai Emery, this spending has taken on new heights, and with it, potentially bigger rewards. During the summer transfer window, the Spaniard splashed out £51.9m to sign Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen, while another £31.5m was spent in order to secure the services of defender Pau Torres from Villarreal.

With the Midlands side currently in touching distance of the top four in the Premier League table, while also through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, it's safe to say that the money has been well spent.

Might some of their recent success be down to a player who was bought before Emery joined the club, however, as John McGinn has emerged as one of their prized assets during their recent ascent up the league table.

The Scot has seen his value rise steadily over the years, and he is now worth more than some of his more esteemed teammates, with Leon Bailey being a notable example.

Leon Bailey’s market value

The Jamaican winger joined from Leverkusen in the summer of 2021, yet this has been his most productive season as a Villa player, and he could owe this success to Emery, who has given him plenty of freedom to express his attacking qualities.

Indeed, since the start of the campaign, Bailey has scored ten goals and registered nine assists in all competitions and has established himself as Emery’s first choice on the right side of the midfield, despite the presence of Diaby.

The Frenchman has often been pushed further forward into a more advanced role to make way for Bailey, such is his impressive form of late.

While his displays have been excellent, Bailey is valued at just €16.5m (£14m) according to Football Transfers.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Of course, this could certainly increase should he maintain his current form in front of goal, but at this moment in time, McGinn is worth a lot more than his 26-year-old teammate.

John McGinn’s market value at Hibs

The Scot began his career with St Mirren before sealing a move to Hibernian in the summer of 2015, and he became an immediate hit by helping the Easter Road outfit win the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902 with a 3-2 win over Rangers in 2016.

Just before he left Edinburgh to move to the Midlands, his market value was a modest €2.7m (£2.3m) according to Football Transfers, and Villa managed to sign him for just under this, spending only £2m to bring him to the club in the summer of 2018.

Following two years in the Championship, Steve Bruce needed someone to help bolster Villa’s chances of making a return to the top flight, and McGinn proved to be the catalyst as they defeated Derby County in the 2019 Play-off final to reach the promised land after a three-year absence.

Bruce even went as far as lauding him as one of his finest ever signings, saying: "A club like Villa – we didn't have £2m, but in the end we got him.

"How we got him out of Celtic I don't know because his grandfather was the chairman. It took a couple of games of golf at the Belfry with his dad until we could muster the money together!

"I am delighted for the kid because he is a smashing lad. He has to be one of my best ever signings because he has a determination to do well.”

John McGinn’s market value at Aston Villa

The 29-year-old thrived during his first few years in the Premier League as Villa maintained their status, but his displays since Emery arrived have hit a new level and this has seen his value skyrocket recently.

Indeed, the midfielder is now currently worth €39.5m (£33.7m) as per Football Transfers and this is over double that of what Bailey is worth, showing how vital he is to the club.

There is no doubt this value could continue to rise if he leads the club to the Champions League group stages next season, or even helps them win the Europa Conference League.

Steven Gerrard even made him captain in the summer of 2022 and this is a role he continues to hold under Emery, signifying just how impressive a job he is doing.

Why John McGinn is valued so high

Hailed as a “relentless creature” by journalist Mat Kendrick during his first season at the club, McGinn has embodied those qualities during the 2023/24 campaign.

In the Premier League this season, McGinn has recovered 4.7 balls per game while winning 5.3 total duels per game as he continues to show dogged resilience in one-on-one battles.

€51.3m (£43.8m)

€48.2m (£41.1m)

€47.4m (£40.4m)

€45m (£38.4m)

€39.5m (£33.7m)

It is his attacking qualities which are shining through, however, and in the Villa squad, the 5 foot 10 gem currently ranks fourth for goals and assists in the top flight (eight), while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.7), third for big chances created (eight) and fourth for key passes per game (1.4), certainly showcasing his talents going forward.

With eight goals and four assists in all competitions, his desire to find a way into the opposition penalty area on a regular basis has been an added bonus for Emery, and it proves he is one of his most important players.

Having cost the club just £2m nearly six years ago, McGinn has certainly repaid this fee many times over and Villa have hit the jackpot on the Scotland sensation, who could still get even better.

While the likes of Diaby, Douglas Luiz and even Ollie Watkins are perhaps more established names, no one can underestimate just how crucial the former Hibs talent is to the club and their future ambitions.

The next few months could see the Midlands side qualify for the Champions League and secure a first major trophy in 28 years, and McGinn could be the captain to lead them to such important achievements.

da pixbet： A worrying new update regarding Everton's points deduction in the Premier League has emerged, courtesy of journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Everton's ten-point deduction

da dobrowin： The Blues have suffered so many disappointments this season, with off-field issues threatening to completely derail Sean Dyche's side's campaign as they desperately fight for survival between now and May.

While results have been adequate for much of the season, the ten-point penalty that has come Everton's way has rocked the club, throwing them into the relegation zone in the process. The Merseysiders have never dropped into the Championship since its former Second Division days, but there is now a genuine threat of that happening.

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Some reports have even suggested that further punishments could come Everton's way due to their financial breaches, and another deduction would surely be too much to come back from in the relegation battle.

There has also been the ongoing issue surrounding the takeover of the Blues, with 777 Partners still not getting a deal over the line to replace Farhad Moshiri as owner, so it's fair to say that Goodison Park is a tense place to be at the moment.

Worrying new Everton update

According to a new update from Football Insider's O'Rourke, Everton may not be successful in appealing their points deduction, with a decision expected very soon.

"Everton are not likely to receive good news when the results of their appeal against the 10-point deduction for Financial Fair Play breaches is announced, sources have told Football Insider.

"The verdict is set to be announced in the middle of February. That means news on Everton’s potential fate for the 2023-24 campaign may be just days away."

This is another blow in what feels like a constant stream of negative updates this season, although it may not come as a huge surprise that an appeal is unlikely to be successful.

It is a hugely frustrating situation for Dyche and his players, whose performances this season don't warrant being in the relegation zone at all, with a mid-table spot coming their way currently without the 10-point penalty. It can't be easy to remain focused on on-pitch matters, but Everton have to do all they can to get themselves away from danger, preserving their Premier League status for another year.

The idea of dropping into the Championship doesn't bear thinking about, considering the impact it could have on the potential takeover and their finances in general, while the move to Bramley-Moore Dock next year needs to happen with the Blues playing in the top flight, not the second tier.

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The hope is that the appeal does end up being successful, but the manner of this season suggests that good news won't come Everton's way, making for what could be a stressful next few months in the league, with big matches arriving every week.

Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared some news on West Ham United and technical director Tim Steidten's transfer plans for January.

West Ham tipped for busy January

As reported elsewhere, West Ham are backed to be one of the busier sides in January, with defender Thilo Kehrer already sealing a loan move to Monaco for the rest of the season.

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Both in terms of incomings and outgoings, other reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano have stated that West Ham chiefs have been working on this transfer window long before its official opening. It is believed that the Hammers could make multiple new signings this month (Wayne Veysey), including a new striker and centre-back, with West Ham believed to hold an interest in Wolves defender Max Kilman.

Supporters are eager to hear about West Ham bringing in a new number nine in particular, though, especially after they failed to replace Gianluca Scamacca last summer.

Michail Antonio's injury, combined with David Moyes' lack of faith in Danny Ings, has forced star winger Jarrod Bowen to play a makeshift striker role for large parts of the campaign.

While the Englishman has shone in that position, there is very little cover behind him, barring youngster Divin Mubama and Ings. West Ham, like half of Europe, are therefore taking a real liking to Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy.

The Guinea international's sensational 2023/2024 season has turned heads from all over the continent, with Guirassy netting 17 league goals in just 14 Bundesliga appearances so far.

ExWHUemployee shares Guirassy to West Ham update

Speaking on his West Ham Way podcast, reliable club insider Ex has shared an update on West Ham's chances of signing the in-form striker this month. He says transfer chief Steidten has worked on signing Guirassy for West Ham, but the competition for his signature is fierce given the £15 million release clause in his deal.

“As we have reported for some time, Serhou Guirassy is still a top target for the club this January,” said Ex.

“Tim Steidten has worked on this potential deal, although I must stress there are many others keen on the player.

“Not only has his performances attracted other top clubs to look at the player, but the fact he’s got a £15m release clause makes the competition for his signature fierce. Another stumbling block is the player is part of the Guinea side at the AFCON, although they are not expected to advance far due to a tough group they are in.”

Barring his goals, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has also called Guirassy a "leading figure" in his club's dressing room.

"He is very strong physically," said Plettenberg to Sky.

"He knows how to score and he is known as a leading figure in the dressing room. However, what you do have to say is that it is a very good first season. So, there is a chance it is a one-season wonder but I'm not sure that will be the case.

"He's a good age, very experienced and very focused. He also has good and tough management in the background."

Somerset fight back after disastrous morning as Keshav Maharaj claims another five-for against them

Paul Edwards at Taunton10-Sep-2019
It is all too easy for folk in the West Country to fall in love with Somerset cricket and all too tempting at times to think their heroes have spurned such devotion. It is not so, of course; the players share that love, but as Yorkshire’s bowlers took six wickets for 85 runs and seamers’ cloud gave way to batsmen’s sunlight on this first morning many spectators at the County Ground feared this would be another September in which their hopes of a first title would founder.They may yet do so, of course. Yorkshire are only 129 runs behind the home team’s 199 and still have seven wickets in hand. But the day finished rather more evenly poised than had seemed likely when Somerset were in their lunchtime doldrums. Moreover, supporters have enjoyed unforgettable occasions at Taunton in recent years and few are more clearly printed on the mind than the morning four years ago to the day when Tom Abell reached his maiden first-class century. So perhaps it was fitting that it should be Abell, now Somerset’s captain, who rescued his team against Yorkshire with a patient innings of 66 which revealed all the nous the young skipper has picked up during four years in which his own resources, both mental and physical, have been tested to their limit.On a pitch offering slow turn and help to seamers who adhered to their disciplines, Abell eschewed the rashness which brought the downfall of Steve Davies, who was caught at point off Steve Patterson for 11 in the ninth over of the day. He also exhibited little of the technical looseness which caused James Hildreth to be bowled through the gate for a single by Duanne Olivier. Instead, he played late and watchfully, rarely driving through the V, wisely preferring to wait for the balls that were either too short or too wide.Somerset needed Abell’s vigilance. This is a game the home side may need to win if they are to sustain their dreams of the title. It is certainly a match Yorkshire must win if their own slender chances are to be anything more than arithmetical. So imagine the glee with which Abell and his players greeted the news that slow left-armer Keshav Maharaj would be available for this game. It may be compared to the joy likely to be felt by Andrea Leadsom were she to be told that John Bercow was dropping round for a cuppa and a chinwag. Maharaj, you see, took eleven wickets when playing for Lancashire in the tied match at Taunton last year; he then took another ten for Yorkshire in their innings victory over Somerset in July. And on this first day, he remained true to form by picking up another five, thus taking his total against Abell’s team to 26 in five innings at an average of 10.88.After the seamers had taken the first four wickets Maharaj was summoned to bowl at the River End ten minutes before lunch. His first wicket was something of a charity donation when George Bartlett decided it would be a good wheeze to reverse sweep the second ball after lunch. He duly edged a catch to Adam Lyth at slip. Young cricketers perceive reverse sweeps and scoops very differently to the old pro’s. They are part of their stock in trade. But it is still fair to ask whether the risk against reward equation worked in Bartlett’s favour on this occasion.In truth, Abell had little help until Jamie Overton joined him in a 51-run stand for the ninth wicket. Six of the first eight batsmen dismissed by Yorkshire’s bowlers reached double figures but none could manage more than the 15 notched by Dom Bess before he carelessly drove Maharaj to Tim Bresnan at short cover in the same over in which he had hit two fine fours. Bess was the seventh batsman dismissed but the fourth to be complicit in his departure. Overton, on the other hand, selected the ball to hit and celebrated the award of his county cap, after 153 games in all formats if you please, by clumping six fours in an unbeaten 40. Maharaj, of course, had the last word, removing both Abell and Josh Davey leg before wicket in the space of three balls to leave Somerset one run short of a batting point.Yorkshire began their innings as if intent on taking a first-innings lead this evening. Lyth hooked and pulled Davey for two sixes in the same over, thus taking him past 10,000 first-class runs for Yorkshire. But both he and Will Fraine were caught behind in the first six overs and after Gary Ballance had accumulated 35 runs in a little less than an hour, Dom Bess had Yorkshire’s top scorer leg before wicket ten balls before the close. We are thus set for a close contest, although no one is betting it will last into a fourth day.

MatériaMais Notícias

da gbg bet： Depois de uma trajetória construída através de 131 compromissos com a camisa do Internacional, chegou ao fim nessa terça-feira (16) a passagem do lateral-esquerdo Uendel pelo clube do Beira-Rio.

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da betano casino： >Classificação atualizada do Gauchão

Em uma nota curta, o Inter oficializou o acordo entre as partes chamado de “rescisão amigável”, exaltando o profissionalismo demonstrado pelo jogador de 32 anos de idade desde 2017, data em que chegou para o Colorado depois de passar pelo Corinthians.

– O Sport Club Internacional comunica que rescindiu amigavelmente o contrato com o lateral-esquerdo Uendel. No Inter desde de 2017, o jogador atuou por 131 vezes. O Clube agradece o período em que o atleta defendeu o Colorado, com muita dedicação e profissionalismo, e deseja sorte na continuidade da sua carreira – comunicou o Internacional.

A tendência é que, nos próximos dias, ele seja anunciado como reforço do Cuiabá para a disputa da primeira temporada da história dos mato-grossenses na Série A do Brasileirão.

Segundo o portal ‘ge’, existia a possibilidade de Uendel ser apenas emprestado pelo Inter visando mais oportunidades. Porém, falhas cometidas principalmente na reta final da temporada 2020 acabaram pesando para a longeva relação receber um ponto final.

Com isso, agora o técnico espanhol Miguel Ángel Ramírez tem a sua disposição no setor Moisés, atual titular, e o jovem Léo Borges, cria do Celeiro de Ases.

Liverpool football club have been knocked out of countenance by the news that Jurgen Klopp will end his trophy-laden tenure at the club at the end of the season.

The German manager came and conquered and will be forever remembered as one of the most influential figures in Anfield's distinguished history, winning the whole gamut of silverware and taking the club from mediocrity to the apex of European football.

Still, the 56-year-old leaves the club in a good place, first in the Premier League, into the Carabao Cup final, and competing in the FA Cup and Europa League, and he will lead the charge for success across all four fronts.

The news is raw and comes as a shattering shock but Klopp has admitted that he informed FSG of his decision in November and, with that in mind, it's clear that work has been conducted behind the scenes.

The managers that could replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool

While Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is the early frontrunner to succeed Klopp on Merseyside – with SPORT BILD confirming that there is a clause in his contract that would allow Liverpool to swoop in in the summer – the Spaniard is not the only boss on Liverpool's radar.

Indeed, Fabrizio Romano recently relayed a response from Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi who confirmed that his "focus is on the end of this season" after being questioned on Liverpool job links.

And while this in itself is insubstantial, the Reds were reportedly interested in appointing the Italian last year when Liverpool were in a rut and speculation about Klopp's future emerged.

He could now be a dream alternative to Alonso in the dugout due to his Premier League pedigree and his similarities to Klopp in the way that he sets his team up.

Roberto De Zerbi's tactical approach

De Zerbi joined the Brighton project back in September 2022 after Graham Potter left the AMEX Stadium to take to the dugout at Chelsea.

The 46-year-old has taken the bricks laid by Potter and sculpted a truly remarkable team on the south coast, leading Brighton to a fifth-place Premier League finish last year that secured European qualification for the first time in the club's history.

Whereas, Alonso is yet to manage in England it remains to be seen whether or not his work at Leverkusen would translate to success in the English top-flight.

Described as a "genius" by former player Maxime Lopez, De Zerbi's system is built on fluency in possession and domination across all areas, with his preference for in-cutting wingers something that aligns with Klopp's approach.

While De Zerbi and Klopp's systems are not diametrically opposed, the former does implement more of a passing game than Klopp's suffocating pressure, unrelenting and electric in recycling the ball and darting toward the final third.

Nonetheless, both managers offer an exciting offensive style and Klopp has even gone as far as to remark that De Zerbi is a "very influential" leader for the Seagulls.

Club

Matches played

Passes made

Brighton & Hove Albion

21

13,414

Manchester City

20

13,370

Liverpool

21

12,050

Chelsea

21

12,003

Tottenham Hotspur

21

11,950

Source: Premier League

Moreover, Liverpool aren't exactly averse to ball-playing and a collection of first-rate players at Anfield would be more than capable of adapting to a new style.

It remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool will move for De Zerbi but he has proven his mettle in the Premier League and could be the perfect fit due to his similarities with Klopp's style of play.

Namibia’s net run-rate takes a hit too as they lose their second in a row, this one by 81 runs

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Dubai20-Oct-2019PNG’s biggest partnership in T20Is, between Tony Ura and Assad Vala, left Namibia battered and bruised and without an escape route, as they slid to an 81-run defeat at ICC Academy Oval 2 on Sunday. Ura and Man of the Match Vala added 125 in just 12.2 overs as they punished poor lengths from Namibia, who cycled through eight options with the ball but found little success.The pair got off to a relatively quiet start, reaching 23 in three overs after opening the innings, before they plundered a trio of fours first off Christi Viljoen’s medium pace in the fourth over and then in the sixth, bowled by captain Gerhard Erasmus. It wasn’t until the eighth before the first six came, and Ura followed up the first with a second, in three balls off Pikky Ya France’s offspin, and then cleared Bernard Scholtz straight for another in the ninth. A bottom-edged four past the keeper brought up his 50 in 30 balls in the tenth over, and then brought up the team 100 at the end of the over when he smoked a drive over extra cover off Craig Williams for his fourth six.Viljoen struck twice in the space of three balls to finally send both players back to the pavilion – Vala hooking to deep square-leg two short of a fifty and Ura feathering an edge down the leg side for 71 – but the PNG opening combo had put Namibia well behind the eight ball. Sese Bau and Lega Siaka provided sharp bursts to keep the pressure on before Jan Frylinck’s triple-wicket 19th applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, though the damage was already complete.Early pressure from Nosaina Pokana with the new ball produced a wicket for Bau’s new-ball offspin at the other end as Nico Davin gave a catch to mid-off in the fourth over. The desperation for quick runs resulted in the run out of JP Kotze two overs later as Bau struck again with an underhand flick at the striker’s end after charging in from backward point. Williams was bowled two balls later for a duck by Norman Vanua before Erasmus pulled Damien Ravu’s medium pace softly to Vala at short midwicket to complete a slide of three wickets for no runs in five balls.Rather than try to mitigate their net run-rate hit with a victory becoming hopeless, Namibia continued to try to hit their way out of trouble only to spiral faster to defeat. Vala brought himself on and struck three times in four balls in the 12th: JJ Smit driving to long-on, Zane Green bowled playing back to a good length ball and Zhivago Groenewald missing a flick across the line to have his stumps rattled as well to make it 86 for 7.A deflection on to the stumps by Riley Hekure to run out non-striker Bernard Scholtz for the final wicket summed up the day for both sides as Namibia failed to bat out their final 17 balls. It resulted in a crushing net run-rate blow to 0-2 Namibia and a massive boost on the tie-break formula for 2-0 PNG.