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Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Matheus Nunes this summer, and following the injury crisis in the midfield, they may now be ready to advance on their interest in the player before the transfer window closes.

What’s the latest?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has given a detailed assessment on Liverpool’s chances of landing Sporting CP midfielder Nunes this summer, claiming the club already have “scouting reports” on the player.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“There’s Matheus Nunes at Sporting. That’s one to look out for if they do go into the market. He would be a good fit. I know that Liverpool have got some scouting reports on him made up already.

“He’s the perfect profile that they would normally look for in a signing. I’m not convinced that they will go ahead with this before deadline day, it might just be one that they’ve got on the back burner, but it’s probably a name to look out for if they do.”

It’s time to forget about Thiago

With Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both already sidelined ahead of the Premier League opener for Liverpool at Craven Cottage, the last thing Jurgen Klopp needed was Thiago Alcantara sustaining yet another injury, alas the Spanish midfielder now joins his teammates on the injury table for the next six weeks.

This is the seventh instance of injury for the former Bayern Munich midfielder who joined the club in 2020, spending 197 days on the treatment table so far over the last two years and failing to play more than 25 Premier League games per season, so it’s time for the club to stop relying on injury prone players and start investing in young talent that can offer reliability.

Nunes has been speculated with a move to Merseyside throughout the summer and it comes as no surprise as he is the perfect profile of midfielder to slot into the squad at Anfield, proving over last season in Liga Portugal that he could be a valuable asset to the Liverpool manager over the season ahead.

The £51m gem delivered a 92% pass completion rate in his own half, creating six big chances, winning 55% of his duels and successfully completing the large majority of his dribble attempts too (70%). That was all combined with three goals from his central midfield role over 33 appearances.

Thiago offers a very unique dynamic in the midfield for Liverpool which gives the team a great edge when coming up against opponents, but his lack of availability is a cause for concern, as is the age range of the players in the squad, with the starting XI vs Fulham the joint oldest in the Premier League last weekend.

Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Thiago, Joel Matip, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino are all in their 30s now, so the recent injury problems in midfield could be a great opportunity for FSG to start introducing more young players into the centre of the pitch, with Nunes just 23-years-old.

With that being said, the powers at Anfield have a lot to consider in terms of getting in another player before the transfer window. They would be making a big risk in terms of the fitness in midfield if they do not advance on Nunes or any of their other midfield target.

For now, they must forget about Thiago and swoop for the ever-improving Portuguese. His passing ability and composure on the ball would make him the perfect replacement for Klopp.

Manchester United could be set to bolster their midfield options if reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who states that Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot is available in the summer market.

He said to GIVEMESPORT: “I mean, it’s just a realistic option. Rabiot has been touted around the Premier League for the whole of the summer.

“So, United would know that he is available. He’s been touted around the rest of Europe too, and I know Monaco had a look at signing Rabiot but didn’t progress yet. But Rabiot is there, and he is available.”

The Athletic have previously claimed that United may well be getting closer to signing the Frenchman.

Time to move on from de Jong

A summer courtship that has unsurprisingly ended in tears, at last the Frenkie de Jong transfer saga seems to be drawing to a close for United.

Having spent most of their time trying to sign the Dutchman, it appears that they are now scrambling to find anyone who can upgrade a midfield that has been crying out for improvements for years now.

Although all the stats suggest he was the perfect man for Erik ten Hag, perhaps in Rabiot, a man dubbed “exceptional” by Zinedine Zidane, they could find a cheaper alternative who can do the job until they can find that world-class talent they clearly are seeking.

The Frenchman featured 45 times across all competitions last season for Juventus, outlining him as a constant presence throughout their domestic and European campaigns.

Despite standing at 6 foot 2, he remains silky with his feet, outlined in his 4.75 progressive carries per 90. Although de Jong boasts a much higher 7.08, both mark a huge improvement on Fred’s 3.01. This would be integral for ten Hag, as he is clearly desperate for a press-resistant midfielder to break the lines.

Not only this, but the 27-year-old also offers a defensive element, making him a well-balanced option in the Red Devils’ decidedly unbalanced midfield.

The £175k-per-week earner offers 3.00 tackles, 2.11 blocks and 22.87 pressures per 90, further supporting the idea that he can offer at both ends of the pitch for ten Hag, and could be a “wonderful” – in the words of Daniel Storey –  buy for them.

It is time for United to cut their losses on de Jong, and start focusing on the tangible rather than the fantasy. As Jones alludes to, this move is one with a tad more sense of realism.

West Ham United take on newly-promoted Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this afternoon, with David Moyes’ side looking to pick up their first points of the season having suffered a gruelling 2-0 defeat at the hands of champions Manchester City last weekend.

That meeting at the London Stadium saw City’s marquee summer signing Erling Haaland net a clinical brace to ensure a comfortable victory for the Etihad outfit, with the hosts having been simply outplayed by such elite opposition – recording just 26.4% possession in total.

One notable high in an otherwise uncomfortable encounter was the eye-catching cameo of new arrival Gianluca Scamacca, with the imposing Italian having been a “real positive” for the east Londoners, in the words of long-serving defender, Aaron Cresswell.

The 6 foot 5 menace – who signed on a £35.5m deal from Sassuolo earlier in the window – notably won 75% of his aerial duels in that brief, 33-minute outing, showcasing just a flickering of his standout hold-up play and attacking threat.

The 23-year-old also forced opposition stopper Ederson to pull off a stunning save having powered a brilliant, bullet header towards goal, albeit with the Italian ace having been in an offside position regardless.

Even so, that moment demonstrated just what a potent force the £27m-rated gem is in attack, with the hope being that he can replicate the 16 Serie A goals that he netted last season in what was a real breakthrough campaign.

In order to do so, the “complete” marksman – as described by former Italy U21 coach Luigi Di Biagio – will need to be handed regular game time in order to adjust to life in the Premier League, with it somewhat futile to keep such a statement addition resigned to the substitutes bench.

Supporters will be hoping to see a potentially lethal partnership develop between the one-time Genoa man and current West Ham regular, Jarrod Bowen, with Scamacca likely to be the figure to shoulder the goalscoring burden alongside the Englishman.

Last season saw Bowen score 12 goals and provide ten assists in 36 league games, proving himself a real dynamic and deadly asset from his right-wing berth – subsequently earning international recognition as a result of that stunning form.

Having another lethal asset in attack will no doubt ease the pressure on the former Hull City man to perform, with Michail Antonio the only other player to have reached double figures for goals at the club last season in the league.

The latter man has endured a real dry spell in 2022, however, scoring just three league goals after the turn of the year, with doubts still remaining over his long-term suitability as a centre-forward option.

Against Forest later today then, it could represent the ideal chance to hand a start to Scamacca, as the Irons prepare to take on a side who are enjoying only their first top-flight campaign since 1999.

Excitement will be brewing at not only watching the towering hotshot in action, but also in seeing just how he does link up with the aforementioned Bowen.

That duo has the makings of being a real devastating and complete forward line, one capable of terrifying their newly-promoted opposition today.

Tottenham Hotspur star Ivan Perisic has been the subject of praise by members of the media after a brilliant individual display against Wolves this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites seal win…

The Lilywhites sealed a 1-0 victory against Bruno Lage’s side in north London but were made to work for the opening after a tricky first half.

Tottenham struggled to take control over the first 45 minutes with Wolves even threatening to take a shock lead through a deft header from their new signing Matheus Nunes.

However, after digging deep, Antonio Conte’s side managed to take the encounter by the scruff of its neck and started to dictate play in the second half – eventually making more chances than the Premier League visitors and dominating play.

They were rewarded for their efforts when Harry Kane buried the game’s opening and only goal mid-way through the second period, thanks to an assist from Perisic.

The Latest: Journalists blown away by Perisic display…

The Croatia international, after his influential showing at wing-back, has been praised by various members of the media.

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They stated:

“This game by Perisic is the best performance by a wingback under Conte at #Spurs. Game changer.” – John Hayes, The Athletic.

“Ivan Perišić with the assist for Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon, two assists in two games for him,just holding his position just in line with the front three. He’s a beautiful footballer, really intelligent and precise in everything that he does. Won everything that he’s faced.” – Josh Bunting, Islington Gazette.

“What a footballer Ivan Perisič is” – Jamie Weir, Sky Sports.

The Verdict: Great outing…

Having supplied Kane for the winner, Perisic also finished the match as Tottenham’s joint-best performer on the day with a 7.5/10.

The 33-year-old also created three chances, won the most duels and challenged most successfully over the 90 minutes (via Squawka), and if he continues performing like this, there is no doubt Perisic will endear himself to the Spurs faithful permanently.

Wolves winger Pedro Neto has been subject to a lot of interest from Arsenal in recent weeks but it seems as if he could still remain with Bruno Lage’s side this summer.

What’s the word?

Reports have suggested that Mikel Arteta’s side have submitted a £50m bid for the Portuguese winger and that he could be on his way out of Molineux before the transfer window shuts later this month.

However, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has suggested that he could still be lining up for the Old Gold in a few weeks’ time, as he revealed in an interview with GIVEMESPORT.

He said:

“As far as Wolves are concerned, he’s not going to be sold in this transfer window. That’s the information I was told – this transfer window.

“Maybe in the future, Arsenal could go back in. Who knows? Neto could be the longer-term target, but there is definitely interest to strengthen that forward line.”

Huge boost for Lage

After missing much of last season through injury, fans may have been hoping that Neto would be the catalyst to unlocking Wolves’ attacking potential this season.

The Old Gold managed just 38 goals in the top flight last season, the fewest of any side to not be relegated, which suggests that a lot of their problems lay in the attack.

So far, only Goncalo Guedes has arrived to strengthen Lage’s attacking options, while Fabio Silva has departed for Anderlecht, so to lose another attacker could be a big problem for the Portuguese manager.

Neto emphasised in the 2020/21 season how dangerous he can be for Wolves, as he hit five goals and six assists in the Premier League, averaging a superb 7.11 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

His displays that season earned him the praise of Premier League legend Alan Shearer, who described Neto as:

“A huge talent who is having a fine season. He changed the game and scored a great goal.”

While he is yet to score or assist in the top flight this season, with Wolves hitting just one goal in their opening three Premier League fixtures, Neto looks likely to be a key figure again in this campaign, so Lage will surely be desperate to keep him at Molineux.

From what Sheth suggests, Arsenal will struggle to prise him away from Molineux this summer, and hopefully for Lage, Neto can go on to have another excellent, injury-free campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Dan Kilpatrick has reacted to ‘a lot of frustration’ from fans regarding the quiet end to the club’s transfer window.

The Lowdown: Deadline Day silence

Spurs completed the majority of their summer business early on, with Fabio Paratici eventually totting up seven fresh faces, alongside sealing temporary exits for some out of favour first-team stars.

Destiny Udogie was the final newcomer but was loaned straight back out to Udinese, with no incomings or outgoings taking place on deadline day, signalling a quiet end to the Premier League giants’ activity.

The Latest: Kilpatrick’s Spurs praise

Taking to Twitter, Kilpatrick was full of praise for Tottenham and declared that he was happy with the deals completed.

After asking fans what they thought about the business done, he wrote:

“A lot of frustration in the replies but Spurs were earning praise for their summer a few weeks ago. Would the reaction be different if, say, Bissouma & Richarlison had signed this week? Or has the (unbeaten) start spooked fans? Think it’s been a pretty good window all told.”

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The Verdict: Strong start says it all

Combining all of the new additions, Antonio Conte now has cover in all areas of the pitch should any key members of the starting XI pick up injuries, so overall it has been a positive window.

The boss previously admitted that he would only consider last-minute signings if he needed a replacement for a departing player which was the right thing to do, rather than buying someone for no reason other than to make up numbers.

Spurs are currently unbeaten in the top-flight this season, which suggests that the Italian has a really strong squad at his disposal, and he will be hoping that his side’s run of form can continue once the European fixtures kick in.

Everton’s interest in Ben Brereton Diaz has ‘accelerated’ ahead of tonight’s transfer deadline, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Brereton Diaz links

According to a report by The Express, the 23-year-old Blackburn Rovers forward is expected to leave Ewood Park ahead of the transfer deadline amid Premier League interest from Leeds, Newcastle and the Toffees.

The report claims Everton lead the race for the former Nottingham Forest man, who has amassed 42 goals since becoming a regular at senior level – 41 of which were netted in the Championship.

Despite the arrival of Brighton forward Neal Maupay at Goodison Park, Blues boss Frank Lampard is still hoping to bring in another attacker before the 11pm deadline.

The Latest: Blues speeding up

Phillips has shared an update on Everton’s striker search, revealing a deal is ‘definitely’ still in the pipeline for the Blackburn star.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist said the Toffees have sped up their interest since last week:

“Brereton Diaz is definitely still an option for Everton. He was looked at last week and that has accelerated since then.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

Despite never having played in the top-flight, Brereton Diaz has produced a fantastic goal-scoring record in the Championship, indicating he has the clinical finishing ability needed to succeed in the Premier League.

At just 23 years old, the striker netted an impressive 22 goals in 37 league games last season, blowing his previous season’s seven-goal tally out of the water.

Former Blackburn Premier League winner Colin Hendry has heaped praise on Brereton Diaz’s transformation since breaking into the Chile setup. As per Tribal Football, he exclaimed:

“He’s come on leaps and bounds since he’s been playing international football, there’s an edge to him and he has a great knack of scoring goals.

“He’s in a rich vein of form at the moment and he could be the catalyst for Blackburn this season.”

Chile manager Eduardo Berizzo recently hailed Brereton Diaz for his ‘many qualities’, having singled him out for a fantastic performance against South Korea in June.

With such high praise, if Everton can get a deal over the line for the Blackburn ace, this seems like it could be a brilliant signing for Lampard.

Glasgow Rangers are not only one of the biggest clubs in the Premiership but also in Europe, with some of the world’s best-known celebrities supporting the Gers.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is currently in charge at Ibrox, reaching last season’s Europa League final and generally bringing a feel-good factor to the club as they look to wrestle back the league title from their arch-rivals.

Rangers have enjoyed extraordinary success throughout their history, winning a record total of 55 league crowns, among many other trophies along the way.

The size of the Gers as a club means that their appeal is worldwide, with famous personalities from all corners of the globe opting to support them, some of whom are huge fans.

The question is: how much do you know about celebrity Rangers fans? Test your knowledge in our quiz, as we pick out 10 celebs and ask you if they are Light Blues supporters or not.

Best of luck!

Leeds United made some of their most unpopular transfer decisions over the summer and there is no doubt that the Elland Road faithful would’ve been fearful for what the Premier League season ahead was going to hold when both Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha were sold.

The sale of the Brazilian winger was much anticipated, as transfer rumours surrounding Raphinha’s future were non-stop last season, but the thought that Leeds would sell academy graduate and prodigy Phillips was something that would’ve been out of the question to supporters this time last year.

Without a care for the backlash that awaited them, the powers at the club made their decision to sell the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ to Premier League powerhouse and title-winners Manchester City for £42m back in July.

Despite the obvious sentiment of being a local lad and the clear-cut quality that the England midfielder possesses, Orta will be counting his blessings that he did take the risk of letting go of such a talented player, a decision that appears to be somewhat of a masterclass given what the player has gone through this season.

Noel Whelan has spoken out on the “massive” blow to Phillips, as the player has now had to undergo surgery on a shoulder injury that could leave him unable to compete for a spot on the plane to Qatar for the World Cup – as the timescale remains unclear on when he will be able to return.

The £150k-per-week ace, who Yannick Bolasie dubbed a “monster”, has completed just 13 minutes of action over three substitution appearances for the Premier League champions this season, and injury problems plaguing his ability to perform will be nothing new to Leeds supporters.

Phillips spent 99 days last season recovering from a hamstring injury that saw him miss 16 fixtures for Leeds, and the Whites’ heavy reliance on the midfielder certainly contributed to their struggle to comfortably compete. Indeed, another season spent relying on him could’ve cost the club dearly, so they look to have hit the jackpot selling him when they did for so much money.

Marsch’s side are currently 11th in the Premier League table after six outings, and although supporters may have been worried initially with the loss of such an important player in the heart of the team, the recruitment and new signings have been hugely impactful so far.

With that being said, selling Phillips may have been a blessing in disguise for Leeds as, had they not sold him, it could’ve been another difficult season for United, but there is no doubt that his quality is something that will be sorely missed by supporters for a long time.

Glasgow Rangers defender John Souttar has been let down by the club’s medical staff, Frank McAvennie has told Football Insider.

The lowdown

Ibrox manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst recently confirmed that the 26-year-old, who arrived in the summer on a free transfer from Hearts, would be missing until after the World Cup.

The Gers boss said that Souttar ‘brought the problem with him’ from Tynecastle and then had to be substituted in the second half of his debut against Livingston in July (via Sky Sports).

Having now undergone surgery, the Scotland defender won’t be back in action until the end of December at the earliest.

The latest

Former Scotland marksman McAvennie feels that the Rangers medical staff should have identified the enduring issue affecting Souttar and treated it earlier. He also expressed his sympathy for the 26-year-old, who is left waiting for his Ibrox career to truly get underway.

McAvennie told Football Insider: “I don’t think the fans will be too annoyed because you can’t compensate for an injury.

“It’s the injury that he had when he signed and that is bad management. The medical team, if there was a problem, should have spotted it.

“It is horrible. I feel sorry for him because he got his big move to the club that he wants to go to and he got injured and can’t play for another six or seven months. But if it is something that has been there the Rangers medical staff should have noticed it.

“I feel for him more than anything. I think the fans will be disappointed that he is not playing but they will understand. I was out injured for a year and it was horrible, you feel like you are not part of anything. Especially for Souttar, it is a new club so he will think he is on his own.” 

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The verdict

In Rangers’ defence, Souttar was actually back playing before the end of last season. He played against Van Bronckhorst’s side on the final day of the Premiership campaign and also in the Scottish Cup final.

The defender was on the pitch for all 120 minutes at Hampden Park, so the Light Blues might have assumed that he had overcome the issue.

On the flip side, though, it may have sensible to take extra precautions, with both parties now losing out as a result.

The Gers are without another centre-back in the form of Filip Helander, so Van Bronckhorst’s squad looks a little thin in that particular area, and you’d hope that lessons have been learned from Souttar’s misfortune.