Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on Dusan Vlahovic ahead of his contract expiry as the Catalan side eye him as Robert Lewandowski's potential successor. The Blaugrana are desperate to find a long-term replacement for their Polish goal machine, whose deal runs out next summer, and the Serbian sharpshooter has become an option.
From Juve outcast to hot property
Only months ago, Vlahovic’s Juventus future looked dead and buried. After refusing to extend his contract on reduced wages, the club slapped him on the transfer list. But with no serious bids forthcoming, he was forced to stay put in Turin. Now, Vlahovic has exploded into form this campaign, smashing in four goals and providing an assist in just four outings, including a jaw-dropping brace against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League opener. His resurgence has transformed him from a cast-off into one of Europe’s hottest properties.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportAtleti & United join the chase
According to Barcelona aren’t alone in the hunt. Atletico Madrid already tested the waters in the summer, enquiring about the striker’s availability in case either Julian Alvarez or Alexander Sørloth had packed their bags. While both stayed, Diego Simeone remains a keen admirer and could reignite his interest.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s striking situation continues to be a merry-go-round. The club is crying out for a consistent No.9, with Joshua Zirkzee failing to fully convince. Old Trafford chiefs are keeping tabs on Vlahovic as a marquee fix for their frontline.
Barcelona's clock is ticking
For Barcelona, the urgency is even sharper. Lewandowski turns 38 in August 2026, and the Catalan club knows his reign at the top can’t last forever. With his contract winding down, Joan Laporta and Deco are scouring the market for a figurehead who can lead their line for years to come.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesPremier League dream & price tag
Vlahovic’s heart is set on a move to the Premier League when the transfer window opens next summer. The striker’s camp is reportedly demanding a whopping €10 million annual salary plus a €10m signing bonus to sweeten the deal. That price tag alone may narrow the field to England’s financial heavyweights. But Barcelona, struggling with their economic headaches, will need creativity and possibly sacrifice to pull off such a signing.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had three top targets in mind for the club in a variety of different positions during the summer window, but new sporting director Andrea Berta didn’t sign any of them.
It was a solid first ever window at the Emirates for Berta, who’s only grown his reputation as an adept deal-maker since replacing Edu Gaspar in late March.
Arsenal spent over £250 million on an array of key signings under Berta’s debut watch, including the centrepiece addition of prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres after two seasons free scoring in Portugal.
The north Londoners also sensationally hijacked Tottenham’s deal for England international playmaker Eberechi Eze right after Kai Havertz’s knee injury, showing how determined Berta was to back Arteta in the market.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
£5m
Martin Zubimendi
£60m
Christian Norgaard
£15m
Noni Madueke
£52m
Cristhian Mosquera
£13m
Viktor Gyokeres
£55m
Eberechi Eze
£67.5m
Piero Hincapie
Loan
However, the pair didn’t always agree on everything.
There were credible reports that Berta and Arteta were in disagreement over signing Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko, with the latter a long-time target for Arsenal before he was forced to join Man United instead — rejecting Newcastle in the process.
Arsenal made a proposal for Sesko in the summer of 2024 and tried again in January (Ben Jacobs), only for Berta to come in and sway the hierarchy into swooping for Gyokeres instead (The Athletic).
Gyokeres
An initial £55 million for a striker who bagged 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP, not to mention a forward who also has some experience in English football, could be seen as a great move by comparison to Sesko’s far more limited return.
By swapping Sesko for Gyokeres, Arsenal chose to pursue an immediate upgrade rather than one for the future.
Arteta wanted Mbeumo, Garcia and Huijsen at Arsenal in the summer
According to The Athletic and journalist James McNicholas, Sesko wasn’t Arteta’s only personal target.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetacelebrates after the match
Indeed, McNicholas reports that Arteta personally wanted Bryan Mbeumo, Dean Huijsen and Joan Garcia — who all moved to different clubs this summer for a combined total fee of around £137 million.
Mbeumo has impressed since joining Man United from Brentford after a long-winded transfer saga, whilst Berta was apparently hesitant to pay Garcia’s £21.5m release clause to sign him from Espanyol — instead opting for the much cheaper Kepa — with the former eventually signing for Barcelona.
Real Madrid triggered Huijsen’s £50 million release clause and ended all hope of Arsenal keeping him in the Premier League, with Mbeumo’s move to United setting them back an initial £65 million.
There is little denying this trio of stars would’ve also reinforced Arsenal’s ranks to great effect, but Arteta doesn’t appear to have any ill feeling towards Berta, who worked very hard to sign Piero Hincapie on loan at the end of the window as a direct replacement for Jakub Kiwior.
“It’s an easy thing to have as a throwaway line that guys don’t train enough when results aren’t right”
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-20252:28
Buttler: ‘We’ve done plenty of training throughout the tour’
Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, has rejected suggestions that his players did not take their preparation seriously on the tour of India, saying it was “factually incorrect” that the team had not done enough training during the T20I and ODI series, both of which ended in one-sided defeats.During a discussion on TV commentary for the third ODI between Ravi Shastri and Kevin Pietersen, it was claimed that, with the exception of Joe Root, England had not netted during the ODI series. England had trained before the first ODI in Nagpur, but opted not to do so ahead of the second and third games in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.With the Champions Trophy looming, a 142-run defeat in the final game saw England go down 3-0 in the ODIs, having previously been beaten 4-1 during the T20I leg.The tourists have also had to deal with injuries, with Jacob Bethell ruled out by a hamstring strain and Jamie Smith nursing a sore calf – meaning that assistant coaches Marcus Trescothick and Paul Collingwood were named as substitute fielders in Cuttack.Related
Ben Stokes declares he's ready for England return after hamstring surgery
Ben Duckett passed fit for Champions Trophy after groin scan
Jacob Bethell 'ruled out' of Champions Trophy, Tom Banton called to India as cover
McCullum promises focus on entertainment as England white-ball era begins
Missing in action: Players injured and unavailable for the Champions Trophy
“Firstly, it’s factually incorrect, the whole statement that we don’t train,” McCullum told talkSPORT after the third ODI. “We’ve trained plenty right throughout, guys have come from a lot of cricket as well. I think it’s an easy thing to have as a throwaway line that guys don’t train enough when the results aren’t right.”But we’ve got a style and a method that we believe in. We’ve got guys who are battling injuries and trying to make sure that we’ve got enough bodies out on the field, knowing that we’ve got a huge assignment coming up in a week or two. Ultimately it’s factually incorrect what’s been said and we’ll stay true to what we believe in.”Jos Buttler, England’s captain, also denied that the poor results in India had been down to “lack of effort” when speaking to reporters after the Ahmedabad game.”We’ve had a reasonably long tour, a few long travel days,” Buttler said. “There have been a couple of times we have not trained but we have done plenty of training throughout the tour. We try to create a really good environment but don’t mistake that for a lazy environment or lack of effort. The guys are desperate to perform and do well and improve.”McCullum only took on the role of white-ball head coach in January, having previously had sole responsibility for the Test side, and said that the tour had provided valuable lessons ahead of the Champions Trophy, which gets underway in Pakistan next week.England will spend the next few days in the UAE before beginning their campaign against Australia in Lahore on February 22. They have confirmed Tom Banton in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad as a replacement for Bethell.”I’ve learned a lot,” McCullum said. “There’s guys in our team who are incredibly talented, if we can add a little bit of craft and give ourselves a bit of confidence within the dressing room, which is ultimately the task of us as coaches, then we’ll see some of that talent will flourish. It’s been a good tour, so much good will come from it, albeit the results are very disappointing. But that’s the nature sometimes when you come up against a very good side in their own conditions.”Ultimately you’re judged on results,” he added. “From our point of view, we’ve got to strip away the fear of failure that results can bring. Guys are fiercely determined and competitive… how do you allow an environment to provide the freedom and clarity of thought to go out there and allow your talent to come out?”That’s what we’re trying to do in the group we’re building and that’s what we’ll try and do over the next week as well, give the guys a freshen-up in Abu Dhabi, make sure all the bodies are fit and ready to go, we’ve got a full squad to pick from come that first game against Australia. We do that, hopefully we walk a little taller and play a little better and end up getting better results as well.”
Brentford manager Keith Andrews has been targeted with bizarre criticism by former Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill following the Bees' dominant win over Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday. Andrews' team dominated proceedings against a struggling United side and handed them their third defeat of the 2025-26 season.
O'Neill's feud with Andrews continue
O'Neill's feud with Andrews dates back to the time when the former Northern Ireland midfielder was in charge of the Republic of Ireland side and Andrews kept criticising him as a Sky Sports pundit. O'Neill has publicly stated that he does not like the new Brentford boss and has taken the spat to a next level by labelling him as a below-par head coach.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'He’d be alongside Guardiola'
Appearing on RTE's Late, Late Show last night, O'Neill said: "I don’t any more. The criticism at the time… Keith had not, with respect, played at the top level in the game, that’s fine and he’s still entitled to his opinion. But he was saying that we relied on set pieces, then [said] when you put a couple of forwards on that’s not the right way to do it. This was a man who hadn’t really done it.
"Then he got his opportunity alongside Stephen Kenny and it didn’t work out, even though he kept saying that the team was being prepared by elitists, that they had ‘elite preparation’ and then they go and lose to Luxembourg."
He added: "If you are talking the talk you have to walk the walk. That was the whole point. This whole thing about set-pieces, now Brentford throw it longer than Rory Delap but it doesn’t matter. He is starting now into a difficult business. “He’s not short of self-confidence, if he had a tenth of the ability that his confidence suggested he had, he’d be alongside Guardiola."
Brentford piled on United's misery
On the night O'Neill verbally attacked Andrews, his Brentford side delivered a dominating performance against Ruben Amorim's United as they beat the Premier League giants 3-1. Benjamin Sesko finally opened his account by scoring his maiden goal for the Red Devils in the first half, but Bruno Fernandes' missed penalty cost United crucial three points.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty/GOALUnited told replace Amorim with Southgate
Amorim's journey at Old Trafford, since joining them in November 2024, has been a nightmare so far and things have not improved in the 2025-26 campaign, despite spending heavily on rebuilding the squad in the summer. Several experts have expressed their displeasure over Amorim's way of running the team, while ex-Chelsea star Joe Cole has urged them to bring in former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate to replace the Portuguese.
Manchester United are now planning to smash their transfer record for a £100m “powerhouse” in 2026, having identified him as their prime target for Ruben Amorim’s system.
INEOS' decision to appoint Amorim questioned by Carragher
It has been far from an ideal start to the new season for Man United, having been dumped out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town, and won just one of their first three Premier League games, and Jamie Carragher has now questioned the decision to appoint Ruben Amorim.
Speaking on a new edition of The Overlap (47:39), the Liverpool legend claimed the board are to blame for hiring Amorim, given that they always knew he was going to instill a three-at-the-back system.
Carragher said: “So Manchester United right now, let’s say they’re a team in the middle of the table quality-wise, so they get asked questions defensively, at this moment the manager can’t answer. It’s too easy to play against.
“That’s my thing, but he’s never gonna change. So when we keep saying change, and I do think Manchester United have the players to play 4-3-3 more, you’re asking a manager who doesn’t believe in something to do something. That’s his thing – the guy that brought him in, it’s his fault.”
Man Utd agree personal terms with 109 career-goal striker wanted by Wilcox
The Red Devils are making progress in their pursuit of a new centre-forward.
ByDominic Lund Sep 3, 2025
The three-at-the-back system clearly isn’t working, with Amorim averaging just 1.37 points per match since arriving at Old Trafford, but INEOS are continuing to search for players who they believe would be a perfect fit in the formation.
That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Man United are now planning to smash their existing transfer record with a £100m+ move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba in 2026.
Baleba has been identified as a prime target to enhance Amorim’s system, and the Red Devils made contact in the summer to ensure Brighton are well-aware their interest is concrete, with the £100m+ asking price failing to deter them.
"Powerhouse" Baleba would be statement signing for Man Utd
Despite their struggles last season, United had no trouble competing for some highly sought-after players in the summer, winning the race for Benjamin Sesko, despite Newcastle United being well-known to hold an interest.
As such, Amorim’s side may still stand a chance of being able to sign the Brighton star, who would be a real statement signing, having made a name for himself with the Seagulls over the past three seasons.
Journalist Ryan Adsett was left particularly enamoured by the 21-year-old’s performances in the 2023-24 campaign, saying: “Carlos Baleba isn’t a Moisés Caicedo replacement. He’s very different – an agile powerhouse in midfield. Very entertaining watch, strong in the tackle and more than comfortable on the ball.”
With United identifying Baleba as an ideal fit in Amorim’s system, it is little wonder they are planning to make a huge bid, but it remains to be seen whether the Portuguese manager can make it to the January transfer window…
Jaiswal was originally picked in India’s Champions Trophy squad before missing the final cut
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2025Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had missed the final cut for the Champions Trophy, is set to play for Mumbai in their semi-final clash against Vidarbha in Nagpur. Jaiswal’s presence bolsters a Mumbai side that already has a number of other internationals in captain Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur.Dube is part of the non-travelling reserves for the Champions Trophy and will travel to Dubai if required.Related
Mumbai ride on Dias, Rahane, Shardul efforts to make semis
Jaiswal out of India's CT squad
Jasiwal was originally picked in India’s Champions Trophy squad in January before making way for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy when the final squad was announced on February 11. Jasiwal had made his ODI debut in the first match against England, also in Nagpur, in place of Virat Kohli, who had missed that game with a knee niggle. Opening the batting with Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal scored 15 off 22 balls before Jofra Archer had him caught behind.Before joining the India squad, Jaiswal had already played a Ranji game against Jammu & Kashmir, which they lost at home. Incidentally, that fixture also marked Rohit Sharma’s return to the Ranji Trophy.Mumbai, the defending champions, could face a challenge against Vidarbha in a rematch of last season’s final. In this season, Vidarbha had dominated the group stage, winning six of their seven games – the one against Gujarat was drawn with Vidarbha coming away with first-innings points – before crushing Tamil Nadu in the quarter-finals.Mumbai squadAjinkya Rahane (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester D’Souza, Royston Dias, Atharva Ankolekar, Harsh Tanna
Following Inter Miami's 4-0 win over NYCFC Wednesday at Citi Field, manager Javier Mascherano highlighted that the team had accomplished their first objective of the season – securing a place in the MLS playoffs. He added that while some players will get rest, the Herons will also aim to finish as high as possible in the Eastern Conference standings.
Getty Images SportA big boost of confidence
Miami proved dominant in their win in New York. Lionel Messi scored twice, Baltasar Rodríguez added a goal, and Luis Suárez converted a penalty as the Herons secured another win, moving up to third in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. Mascherano’s side also notched a rare clean sheet, a feat they’ve struggled with this season.
“We achieved our first goal, it was very important for us. We have to keep pushing forward. We still have two games left, so we’ll try to rotate the squad a bit, but we also want to win and secure the best possible playoff position,” Mascherano said. “We want to fight for the Supporters’ Shield, but first we need to focus on Toronto, recover our players, and keep our mindset that the next match is always the most important.”
AdvertisementMessi’s team-first spirit
Mascherano also praised Lionel Messi’s unselfishness after the Argentine star once again gave penalty opportunities to his teammates.
“We need goals more than he does, and that’s exactly how he wants it. He likes to share, to involve everyone. Suárez needed to score, and that’s really good for the group,” he explained.
Getty Images SportValuable clean sheet on the road
Another positive takeaway for Miami was keeping a clean sheet, something the team has only done five times this season.
“The next games we’ll work hard to avoid conceding. That will help us a lot in the playoffs,” Mascherano said.
He also acknowledged the club’s next target, which is climbing as high as possible to secure home-field advantage.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportTraveling to Canada
The Herons look to keep their strong run going in MLS as they visit Toronto FC this Saturday.
He has spent the past year exhausting every option for a possible return but has taken the medical advice
Alex Malcolm08-Apr-2025Will Pucovski has announced his retirement from cricket due to concussion saying it was a “humongous disappointment that is hard to deal with”.Pucovski, 27, played one Test in 2021 against India and had been touted as a long-term mainstay at the top of the order in the Australia Test team having dominated first-class cricket for Victoria from a young age.But Pucovski’s career has been cut short due to his long-term concussion issues. He had not played since March 2024 when he suffered a severe concussion after he was hit by Tasmania’s Riley Meredith in a Sheffield Shield game.Related
Bird flies back to Tasmania to continue Shield career
Decision on Pucovski's future delayed after extended concussion symptoms
Pucovski retires hurt after being struck by bouncer
An independent medical panel was convened to assess Pucovski’s future last year after the number of concussions that he had in his sporting career were estimated in the mid-teens dating back to his first head knock while playing Australian rules football as a teenager.That panel recommended Pucovski retire from the game although he took some time to make a decision while there has also been an negotiations with Cricket Australia on his contract, insurance and potential lost earnings which have yet to be concluded.Pucovski went on SEN radio in Melbourne on Tuesday to announce he would not play cricket again.”I wish I was coming in maybe under better circumstances,” Pucovski said. “I’m not going to be playing cricket again. It’s been a really difficult year to put it as simply as possible.”I’d need a few hours, I think, to take you through the whole journey…but the simple message is I won’t be playing cricket at any level again.”Will Pucovski made a half-century in his one and only Test•AFP via Getty ImagesPucovski said the decision was particularly hard given he felt he was back on track in the 2023-24 season, having played the most first-class games in a season that he ever had and having made a century in his second last match against New South Wales.”After that century in Sydney, I thought from a personal point of view things were starting to click for me,” he said. “I put a mountain of effort into getting things right off the field to be good on the field.”It had always been my dream to play for Australia, I found myself in that position in 2021. My ambition didn’t stop there. I wanted to be that guy that was a leader of the batting unit. I wanted to play 100 Tests.”Unfortunately, one Test is where it ends.”Pucovski detailed the difficulties he had last year following the latest concussion. He revealed the symptoms lasted longer than he had ever experienced before and it made for the toughest year of his life to-date.”In the couple of months post that [last concussion] I struggled to get anything done, walking around the house was a struggle,” he said. “My fiancée was annoyed because I didn’t contribute to chores. I was sleeping a lot.”From there it’s been a tough year, a lot of the symptoms didn’t go away which has led me to this decision. The first few months were horrendous, but things didn’t leave me.”I’ve only just turned 27, the space of concussion is very young. Speaking to a lot of specialists, this is a difficult space to deal with.”The technology isn’t quite there to understand what is what. When you have symptoms for over a year and I’ve had others for numerous years, it can be quite difficult to see how can I get out to play professional sport again when I’m struggling to live my life how I want to.”Despite the recommendation of the medical panel for Pucovski to retire last year he did not want to make anything official until he had exhausted all possible scenarios that might give him a chance to play again.”In my head, I didn’t want to make an official call until I was symptom-free,” Pucovski said. “When you’re struggling it’s hard to make a huge decision. The medical panel recommended I retire and that was really difficult to come to terms with. I felt like I was coming over the hill with a few things.”Technically you can’t make anyone retire from anything…it got made clear to me it was a strong recommendation but the final decision ultimately was up to me.”Since then I have spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to find answers, trying to understand what the brain injury is that I have and why have I had all these problems.”There probably wasn’t a moment that I thought ‘This is the day’ but things haven’t changed. I wanted to hold on to the dream as long as I could but the flip side to that is you want to feel better and live your life normally.”I just don’t want to risk doing any more damage to my brain than I’ve already done.”Pucovski revealed that the retirement is not the end of his journey with the symptoms. He is still battling issues that will remain in his life for years to come.”It’s complicated,” Pucovski said. “There’s the mental health symptoms which is one part of it. Then there’s the fatigue, which is quite bad, I get regular headaches.”I really struggle with things on my left side. If I have things happening in my left I feel sick and dizzy. I struggle with motion sickness.”At 27, I have so much ahead of me and I have so many things I want to achieve in my life. I wanted to play another 15 years and that gets taken away which is bad enough. At least I know I won’t get hit in the head again, but when the symptoms are ongoing, it’s frightening.”I know what I was like before these concussions and I know what I am now. My family and friends have noticed a difference in me and that’s scary for me and for them.”Pucovski said he will remain involved in the game. He has already committed to taking the head coach role with his Victoria Premier club Melbourne for season 2025-26. He has previously done some television commentary and may return to that at some point.Overall in first-class cricket, Pucovski scored 2350 runs at 45.19 with seven centuries, three of which were doubles.
Harry Kane provided an update on his condition after suffering an injury scare during Bayern Munich's 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. Kane, who scripted yet more Bayern history with a goal, had to be subbed off towards the end of the game after he picked up an ankle injury. The knock certainly left the English fans sweating as he is scheduled to link up with the national team.
Kane suffers injury scare
Kane suffered an ankle injury and had to be substituted in the 85th minute following a challenge from Kaua Santos. He returned to the pitch for a few seconds before Vincent Kompany replaced him with Nicolas Jackson to protect the England captain.
AdvertisementAFPEngland captain provides update on his condition
Speaking to reporters after the match, Kane said: "I'm okay. It was a contact to the bone. I had it a few weeks ago, and it was in the same spot today. A few days and it'll be fine."
When asked if he would join the England team on Monday, the Three Lions star added: "Yes I'll be there Monday."
Kane created more Bundesliga history
The prolific star scored the second goal for his side just three minutes before the half-hour mark with a brilliant strike. In the process, he became the first player in history to score 11 goals in his six league appearances in a season. Former Liverpool star Luis Diaz also had a fabulous outing as he contributed with a brace.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportRelief for Tuchel ahead of World Cup qualifier
Thomas Tuchel will breathe a sigh of relief after Kane's statement as he needs his captain to be in his best shape ahead of England facing Wales in a friendly match on October 9, before taking on Latvia in a World Cup qualifier five days later.
Liverpool’s summer has been a whirlwind of activity, both in the transfer market and on the pitch.
The reigning Premier League champions kicked off their title defence with three wins from three.
They started with a 4-2 home victory against Bournemouth, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 win away at Newcastle, and a 1-0 success at home against Arsenal before the international break.
Alongside this, Liverpool have been busy in the transfer market, bringing in reinforcements like Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Geovani Leoni, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Alexander Isak.
While the club invested heavily in top-tier talent, they also opted to cash in on a number of established first-team players and youth prospects.
Luis Diaz departed for Bayern Munich, and Darwin Núñez moved to Al-Hilal, leaving gaps in attack that the new signings are expected to fill.
Meanwhile, Liverpool also demonstrated strategic acumen in monetising young talent, turning promising academy graduates into substantial profits.
Selling young talent for big fees
This summer saw Liverpool secure impressive deals for their emerging stars.
Harvey Elliott joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan, with a £35m obligation to buy next summer, while Jarell Quansah departed for Bayer Leverkusen, also for £35m.
Ben Gannon Doak moved to Bournemouth for £25m, and Tyler Morton headed to Lyon for £15m.
These deals illustrate how Liverpool balance long-term planning with immediate financial prudence, often selling young players at the peak of their market value to reinvest in first-team quality.
Where Are They Now
Liverpool’s approach highlights their willingness to nurture talent in-house and then sell at the right time.
By capitalising on these transfer opportunities, the club can maintain squad balance while generating funds for strategic signings.
Liverpool’s original Wirtz is a fine example of that.
Liverpool's original Wirtz
One of the standout examples of Liverpool’s successful youth sales is Fabio Carvalho.
The 23-year-old midfielder joined Liverpool from Fulham in 2022 for just £5m, having made 44 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring 12 goals and registering eight assists.
Jürgen Klopp was a fan of the young talent, seeing in him a player with the vision and technical ability that the Bundesliga’s official website claimed was reminiscent of Florian Wirtz.
Carvalho’s time at Anfield, however, was challenging. Like Wirtz in the embryonic stages of his Anfield stay, he has struggled.
The former Fulham man made just 21 appearances for Liverpool, scoring three goals, including a dramatic last-minute winner against Newcastle, but he struggled to cement a regular starting role.
Loan spells at RB Leipzig and Hull City followed, before a permanent move to Brentford last summer for £27.5m.
The sale represented a 450% profit on Liverpool’s initial investment, showcasing the club’s ability to develop talent and sell at the right moment.
Carvalho’s statistics highlight why Liverpool’s decision to sell him made sense.
Matches Played
13
Minutes Played
347
Goals
2
Progressive Carries
9
Progressive Passes
12
After making the switch to the Bees, he averaged 1.76 progressive carries per 90, completed 3.33 progressive passes per 90, and managed 2.37 shots per 90 with a shot on target percentage of 41.7%.
He completed 34.9 passes per 90 minutes with a pass completion rate of 70.8%, and his progressive passing distance per 90 was 86.7 metres.
His shot-creating actions per 90 sat at 1.97. While these numbers indicate promise, they also illustrate the gap between Carvalho and his elite contemporaries.
While Carvalho’s technical style was previously likened to Wirtz, particularly for his first touch, vision, and ability to turn quickly under pressure, it’s safe to say there is a seismic difference in quality.
Indeed, the German superstar enjoyed a stellar season last year with 22 goal involvements.
He averaged 5.02 progressive carries per 90, 6.74 progressive passes per 90, and 2.83 shots per 90 with 47.3% on target.
The Germany international completed 52.5 passes per 90 with a pass completion rate of 78.3% and accumulated 198.1 metres of progressive passing per 90.
He also generated 5.66 shot-creating actions per 90. The statistical comparison underlines why Liverpool opted to sell Carvalho.
Fabio Carvalho Liverpool
Wirtz clearly outdoes him in multiple attacking metrics, particularly in goal contributions, progressive play, and chance creation.
However, Carvalho’s style, combining technical vision and composure, suggests that with regular game time he could still flourish in a competitive Premier League environment, as he has begun to at Brentford.
Ultimately, the sale of Carvalho demonstrates Liverpool’s dual strategy: build a squad capable of competing at the highest level, while monetising promising academy talent to reinvest in first-team needs.
Whilst it may be upsetting to see promising talent move on, the club’s market strategy highlights a balance between ambition and smart business.
Slot can bench Wirtz by unleashing Liverpool star who's "Gerrard-esque"
Florian Wirtz has endured a tough start at Liverpool.