كشف تقارير صحفية وجود تطور مفاجئ في موقف انضمام ليونيل ميسي لاعب إنتر ميامي إلى أحد أندية الدوري السعودي خلال الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة.
ويستعد ميسي للمشاركة مع إنتر ميامي ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025، والتي ستنطلق خلال أيام بمواجهة قوية أمام الأهلي المصري.
طالع | الأسطورة ميسي وأصحاب الأرض.. كل ما تريد معرفته عن إنتر ميامي منافس الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية 2025
وتٌلعب منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، خلال الفترة من 15 يونيو حتى 13 يوليو 2025.
وتضم المجموعة الأولى في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، فرق الأهلي، وإنتر ميامي الأمريكي، وبالميراس البرازيلي، وبورتو البرتغالي.
وأفادت صحيفة “اليوم” السعودية، أن الساعات الماضية شهدت تطورًا في ملف التفاوض مع ليونيل ميسي تمهيدًا لانضمامه لأحد فرق الدوري السعودي خلال الموسم المقبل 2025-2026.
وأوضحت أن ميسي تلقى عرضًا للتواجد بالموسم المقبل في الدوري السعودي؛ حيث يعد الأهلي الوجهة الأقرب هذه المرة للنجم الأرجنتيني حال موافقته على العرض المقدم له.
Arsenal have a proud history of producing incredible talent through their youth system.
Hale End has been responsible for legends from years past, such as Liam Brady, David O’Leary, and David Roecastle.
That tradition has carried on through the eras, with Cesc Fàbregas, Ashley Cole and even the injury-riddled Jack Wilshere all spending time in the famous academy.
That same system also produced arguably the club’s best player in the current squad, Bukayo Saka, and it looks like there is another wave of promising prospects coming through, including one youngster who is already worth millions more than a former youth player now making a name for himself in France: Mika Biereth.
Biereth's impressive rise
Arsenal signed Biereth from Fulham’s academy in the summer of 2021, and following several loan moves to RKC Waalwijk, Motherwell and finally, Sturm Graz, he was sold to the latter for just £4m plus add-ons in the summer.
Now, it could be said that agreeing to that much money plus a sell-on clause for a youngster who’s never even played for the first team was smart business from the Gunners.
Yet, considering he had racked up a tally of nine goals and four assists in 22 games at the back end of last season, it did feel like they could have asked for more.
This season has proven that to be true, as the Danish youngster was able to chalk up a tally of 14 goals and five assists in just 25 games for the Austrian outfit before the winter transfer window opened, in which he secured a £10.8m move to AS Monaco.
On the French Riviera, the former Gunners’ prospect has simply gone from strength to strength.
In just ten appearances, totalling 688 minutes, the 22-year-old has been able to score ten goals and provide two assists, meaning he’s averaging 1.2 goal involvements per game, or one every 57.33 minutes.
That means that in 35 appearances across both clubs this season, Biereth has scored 24 goals and provided seven assists, which begs the question: was selling him a mistake?
Biereth’s 24/25
Appearances
35
Minutes
2659′
Goals
24
Assists
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.88
Minutes per Goal Involvement
85.77′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Well, regardless of the answer, Arsenal can at least rest assured that one of their new academy stars is already worth considerably more than him.
The Hale End star worth millions more than Biereth
One of the few positives from this season is that when we are talking about a new Hale End star, at least a couple of players could come into consideration.
However, in this instance, it is most certainly Ethan Nwaneri who has gone from an exciting prospect for the future to an essential part of the first team at just 17 years old.
Granted, the injury crisis in attack has somewhat accelerated his integration, but from how well he’s played this year, you’d have no idea this is his first proper campaign of senior football.
The often “unplayable” teenager, as dubbed by Wilshere, has made 26 appearances for the first team this year, totalling 948 minutes, in which he’s scored seven goals and provided one assist, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 3.25 games, or every 118.5 minutes.
Unsurprisingly, this has seen his valuation soar, with Football Transfers pricing him at up to €37.5m, which comes out to around £31m, or just over £20m more than Monaco paid for Biereth in January.
Nwaneri’s 24/25
Appearances
26
Minutes
948′
Goals
7
Assists
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.30
Minutes per Goal Involvement
118.5′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, with how badly Arsenal need a striker at the moment, there is a strong argument to be made that selling the young Dane was a mistake.
However, any annoyance stemming from that decision should be quickly forgotten, as in Nwaneri, it looks like they could have a future superstar on their hands.
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He joins the national men’s set-up after four seasons at the Johannesburg-based Lions team, where he won five titles
Firdose Moonda12-May-2023
Wandile Gwavu (extreme left) won five titles with the Lions•Cricket South Africa
Three days after securing automatic qualification to the 2023 World Cup, South Africa are filling up their backroom staff ahead of the tournament. Wandile Gwavu has been named white-ball fielding coach and will work under Rob Walter, who was appointed earlier in the year, and alongside batting coach JP Duminy.A permanent bowling coach is yet to be identified after Rory Kleinveldt did the job in an interim capacity last summer.Gwavu joins the national men’s set-up after four seasons at the Johannesburg-based Lions team, where he won five titles. He has also worked with the Jozi Stars in the now defunct Mzansi Super League and with the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20. In addition, he been involved with South Africa’s Under-19 and A sides.”He brings a wealth of experience at the highest level in South African cricket with a coaching career that speaks volumes,” Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director of cricket said. “With the fine margins and the ever-increasing stakes in 50-over and T20 cricket, fielding has become a critical part of any successful team and we strongly believe Wandile’s expertise will help the Proteas maintain their strong tradition of fielding excellence across both formats.”Gwavu replaces Justin Ontong, who was part of Mark Boucher’s coaching staff and is understood to have applied for the vacant position at Paarl, where Duminy was head coach. Both Paarl and the Lions are now searching for new head coaches ahead of the 2023/24 season. Gwavu’s first assignment with the team will be the white-ball series against Australia which starts on August 30 and includes three T20Is and five ODIs.
In a bid to complete Eddie Howe’s frontline, Newcastle United are reportedly working on signing an attacking reinforcement whose release clause is as expensive as £67m.
Newcastle set sights on big-money winger
After winning the Carabao Cup final, PIF are seemingly keen to accelerate Newcastle’s progress using the summer transfer window if they find themselves free from their PSR shackles in the coming months.
Without that concern, those at St James’ Park will be in their best position to flex their financial muscles since PIF’s first few months in charge and the rumours are already arriving as a result.
Names such as Francisco Trincao and Fikayo Tomori have already been mentioned in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that both options would hand Newcastle key upgrades at opposite ends of their strongest side.
Tomori would, of course, be a particularly interesting option given his previous Premier League spell at Chelsea. Having lost his starting place at Milan this season, the defender could find himself on his way back to English football for the first time since leaving Stamford Bridge.
AC Milan's FikayoTomoriand Slovan Bratislava's Idjessi Metoko react
Meanwhile, Trincao isn’t the only winger on the Magpies’ radar. According to The Boot Room, PIF and Newcastle are now working on a deal to sign Yeremy Pino, who has a release clause worth as much as €80m (£67m) at Villarreal.
Still just 22 years old, Pino is a rising star and an attacking addition that would complete Newcastle’s frontline once and for all. Likely replacing Jacob Murphy, the La Liga forward has the star power to stand alongside Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak to form a deadly front three.
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ByAngus Sinclair Mar 19, 2025
With Arsenal also reportedly interested in the Villarreal man, the Magpies will have to make their move as soon as they can if they want to steal in ahead of the Gunners this summer.
"Unique" Pino has received Sancho comparisons
Earning positive comparisons to Chelsea loanee Jadon Sancho by The Scouting App, who compared Pino’s close control and incisive passing to that of former Bundesliga star as relayed by The Boot Room, the Newcastle target is certainly one to watch.
When it comes to goal involvements, meanwhile, the 22-year-old is also improving, having created seven goals and scored once himself in 25 appearances in all competitions this season. Earning praise from Antonio Mango as a result, the U23 scout went as far as dubbing Pino a “unique talent” in the summer of 2023.
Whether Newcastle win the race to sign that the “unique” Pino remains to be seen, especially if they are told to trigger his hefty £67m release clause, but there’s no doubt that his talent is worth looking at. When the summer arrives, the Villarreal star may have to make the biggest decision of his career yet.
يستعد فريق بورتو البرتغالي لخوض مباراة مصيرية ضد نظيره فريق الأهلي المصري، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، نسخة 2025.
ويلتقي الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور مجموعات البطولة، المُقامة حاليًا في أمريكا، لحساب المجموعة الأولى وذلك على ملعب “ميتلايف”.
ويدخل بورتو تلك المباراة وهو يمتلك نقطة في المركز الثالث في المجموعة الأولى، وهو نفس رصيد الأهلي في المركز الرابع.
ويحتاج بورتو إلى الفوز على الأهلي، مع انتصار إنتر ميامي على بالميراس، من أجل التأهل إلى دور الـ16.
في حين أن الأهلي يسعى إلى الفوز على بورتو، بفارق هدفين على الأقل، مع انتصار بالميراس على إنتر ميامي، للتأهل إلى الدور المقبل.
وتحوم الشكوك حول قدرة حارس مرمى بورتو، ديوجو كوستا، على المشاركة في مباراة الأهلي، بعدما غاب عن مباراتي بالميراس وإنتر ميامي للإصابة. تشكيل بورتو المتوقع أمام الأهلي اليوم في كأس العالم للأندية
حراسة المرمى: كلاوديو راموس.
خط الدفاع: مارتيم فرنانديز، بيدرو، ماركانو، فرانسيسكو مورا.
خط الوسط: جواو ماريو، فاريلا، فابيو فييرا.
خط الهجوم: فيجا، رودريجو مورا، أوموروديون.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
Em comemoração ao título da Copa do Brasil de 1999, o Juventude aproveitou para criar uma camisa especial para os torcedores. Denominada “Invasão de Copa”, a camisa foi pela 19Treze, marca própria do clube, na Nação Jaconera do Jaconi, e representa o dia da conquista histórica do Jaconero.
Na ocasião, o Juventude empatou por 0 a 0 com o Botafogo, no Maracanã – após vencer o duelo de ida por 2 a 1, em casa -, e conquistou o inédito título da Copa do Brasil. Na manhã da decisão, dezenas de ônibus que partiram de Caxias do Sul formaram uma extensa fila na orla de Copacabana. O momento único do clube fez com que torcedores descessem dos ônibus e estendessem um bandeirão na areia da praia, um marco na história alviverde.
‘Buscamos criar linhas diferentes de camisas e produtos junto à 19Treze e surgiu a ideia de homenagearmos cidades que, para sempre, estarão marcadas na história do clube. E, nada melhor do que iniciarmos com o Rio de Janeiro, palco da nossa maior conquista, valorizando uma cena que está guardada eternamente na memória daqueles que estiveram presentes’, afirma Fábio Pizzamiglio, vice-presidente de marketing e comunicação do Juventude.
O episódio se tornou uma inspiração para a primeira camisa da linha City Collection. Confeccionada em poliéster e elastano produzidos a partir de garrafas pet provenientes de reaproveitamento, a nova camisa traz elementos puramente cariocas, com destaque justamente para a praia de Copacabana, já que as tradicionais listras verticais foram recriadas de forma especial para remeter à famosa calçada turística.
A peça é um item raro nas coleções alviverdes, pois apenas 300 unidades, numeradas, foram produzidas. A nova camisa segue à venda nas duas lojas físicas – estádio Alfredo Jaconi e Shopping Villagio -, nas versões masculina e baby look, no valor de R$ 249. Sócios-torcedores do Ju têm 10% de desconto na compra. A camisa também está disponível no site da 19Treze (www.19treze.com.br).
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Na primeira partida das quartas de final do Brasileirão Feminino, oCorinthians venceu o Real Brasília por 2 a 0, no estádio Mané Garrincha, em Brasília.Adriana e Vic Albuquerque marcaram os gols da partida.
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+ GALERIA – Erro de Fagner custa caro em Dérbi; veja nota dos jogadores do Timão
O próximo desafio da equipe treinada por Arthur Elias é na quinta-feira (18), às 17h, contra a Portuguesa, pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Paulista
O duelo de volta contra o Real Brasília acontece no domingo (18), às 11h, na Fazendinha. Quem avançar irá enfrentar o vencedor de Grêmio ou Palmeiras.
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O JOGO
O técnico Arthur Souza escalou a equipe com:Lelê, Paulinha, Gi Campiolo, Andressa e Tamires; Diany, Gabi Zanotti, Jaqueline e Vic Albuquerque; Gabi Portilho e Adriana.
O Corinthians iniciou bem a partida e abriu o placar aos 21 minutos do primeiro tempo.Vic Albuquerque achou grande passe para Gabi Portilho, que cruzou rasteiro. A bola passou por Gabi Zanotti, mas Jaqueline conseguiu rolar para Adriana, que fez o primeiro gol
Aos 30 minutos, Arthur Elias teve que fazer a primeira alteração na equipe, colocandoJheniffer na vaga de GabiPortilho, lesionada.
O Real Brasília respondeu nos minutos finais do primeiro tempo, com Dani Silva. Ela fez boajogada pela esquerda, invadiu a área e finalizou no gol, mas Lelê conseguiu fazer espalmar para escanteio.
>>> Assine o Premiere no Prime Video e acompanhe todas as emoções do seu clube no Brasileirão<<<
Logo aos três minutos do segundo tempo, Adriana se desentendeu com Laíne, e ambas atletas foram amareladas. Como Laíne já tinha amarelo, ela foi expulsa e o time da casa passou a jogar com uma jogadora a menos.
Para piorar a situação do Real Brasília, Mylena, que entrou na vaga de Gabi Zanotti, sofreu pênalti cinco minutos após a expulsão. Acamisa 19 invadiu a área e foi derrubada por Carol. Vic Albuquerque bateu no canto direito e ampliou a vantagem do Corinthians.
Com uma jogadora a mais, as visitantes cresceram na partida e passaram a controlar as ações da partida. Sem reação, o Real Brasília passou a jogar de forma mais defensiva, e a partida terminou com vitória das visitantes.
تحدث جونزالو جارسيا، لاعب فريق ريال مدريد، عن قيادته النادي الملكي إلى ربع نهائي بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، بعد مباراة صعبة أمام يوفنتوس، مساء أمس الثلاثاء.
وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، حيث حقق ريال مدريد فوزًا بهدف دون رد.
وجاء هدف فوز ريال مدريد عن جونزالو جارسيا، بعدما سد كرة رأسية عقب تلقيه تمريرة من زميله ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.
وقال جونزالو جارسيا، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “مشاعري؟ حسنًا، أنا سعيد للغاية، ولكن السبب الأكبر هو الفوز، كيف قاتلنا ونافسنا”.
وأضاف: “كنا نعلم أنها ستكون مباراة قوية، لقد تحسن أداؤنا، احتفظنا بالكرة ونجحنا في إجهاد الخصم”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد القادمة في كأس العالم للأندية بعد فوزه على يوفنتوس
وواصل: “التسديدة الرأسية؟ إنها إحدى أقوى صفاتي، أسعى دائمًا للتواجد داخل منطقة الجزاء، لا يهم كيف سأسدد، سعيد جدًا بالهدف، هدف آخر بذلك القميص، ولكن كما قلت، سعيد أكثر بالفوز والتأهل إلى ربع النهائي”.
واسترسل: “لقد رأيت تمريرة رائعة قادمة من أرنولد، رأيت أن رودريجر لم يسددها، قلت لنفسي (تلك هي كرتي)، ضربتها بكل قوتي ودخلت المرمى”.
وعن ارتفاع رصيده من الأهداف في تلك النسخة من البطولة إلى 3، قال: “إنه أمر لا يمكن وصفه، أنا سعيد جدًا بتلك الأهداف، ولكن الأهم هو ما أظهرناه كفريق وموقفنا، هذا ما منحنا الفوز والتأهل”.
وعن مقارنته بـ راؤول، نجم ريال مدريد السابق، قال: “إنها مجاملة كبرى أن أُقارن به، كان مدربي لمدة عامين (ريال مدريد كاستيا) تعلمت منه الكثير”.
Virat Kohli feels he is playing his “best T20 cricket again”, following his back-to-back IPL tons
ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-2023
Virat Kohli scored a 60-ball century•AFP/Getty Images
Virat Kohli feels he is playing his “best T20 cricket again”, having scored back-to-back hundreds at the end of the league stage of IPL 2023, and helped Royal Challengers Bangalore to 197 for 5 in their must-win game against Gujarat Titans. Kohli’s unbeaten 101 off 61 balls steered RCB, especially in the last six overs of the innings, after they were 133 for 5; he put together 64 runs off the last 34 balls with Anuj Rawat to give his side a formidable total.When asked by Ravi Shastri after the innings how he’d felt at the crease, Kohli said: “Ya, I felt great. A lot of people feel my T20 cricket is declining, but I don’t feel like that at all. I feel I am playing my best T20 cricket again. I’m just enjoying myself, this is how I play T20 cricket. I look to hit gaps, hit a lot of boundaries and the big ones in the end if the situation allows me to.”Strike rates, all those kind of things like I said in the past as well… You have to read the situation and rise up to the occasion when the situation demands, and that’s something I take a lot of pride in doing, and I’ve been doing it for a while now. I feel really good with my game at the moment and how I’m batting out there in the middle.”Kohli overtook his former RCB team-mate Chris Gayle for most centuries in the IPL and became the third batter to score consecutive hundreds in the IPL after Shikhar Dhawan (2020) and Jos Buttler (2022). Later in the night, Shubman Gill too joined that club.Kohli and Faf du Plessis gave RCB a rapid start with an opening stand of 67 in 7.1 overs before RCB lost three wickets – including those of du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell – to Titans’ spinners in the space of 13 balls.”Spin wasn’t easy to get away and I think the strength of a lot of our fast bowlers is also taking pace off,” Kohli said of the score they finished on and the conditions. “There’s enough in this pitch for our bowlers to make a dent through the [chase], and hitting big shots as you saw in the middle overs wasn’t as easy when the field spread out. So you have to hit a lot of gaps and run twos. If we can cut down those boundaries and now allow them to run twos from those gaps, then it’ll be a very difficult chase.”But Gill’s unbeaten 104 off 52 made sure that was not the case, knocking RCB out of the tournament as Titans chased down their target in 19.1 overs.”Obviously very disappointed,” du Plessis said after the game. “You get to the last game of the campaign, you want to make sure you get through. But we played a very strong team tonight, Shubman Gill played an amazing innings to get a hundred. We were a little bit off in one or two areas and when you are playing a team like this, they will capitalise on it.”The conditions were really wet in the second innings but I think it was also wet in the first innings with a lot of moisture from the rain [which delayed the start by 55 minutes]. So we changed the ball three times, there wasn’t a lot of grip in the second innings. But I thought 195 was a good score, Virat played an unbelievable knock to give us a chance, but we needed that wicket of Shubman to feel like we were really in the game.”One of the biggest positives for RCB this season was the opening partnership of Kohli and du Plessis. The pair added 939 runs in 14 innings, equalling Kohli and AB de Villiers’ record of most runs by a pair in a T20 tournament, set in IPL 2016.”He [Kohli] has played really good cricket throughout the season,” du Plessis said, “and as a partnership, I think there was not one game where we didn’t score 40 for the opening stand [they failed to add 40 in four out of 14 innings]. So that was really pleasing for both of us that we got the team off to a really good start. But it just shows you Virat has got a lot left in the tank in T20 cricket; he is playing really well still.”
With Trent Alexander-Arnold injured, Liverpool’s focal England presence has been absent during the latest interminable international pause. However, Thomas Tuchel’s squad hasn’t been devoid of Merseyside representation.
Early days yet, but Curtis Jones has shown the first signs of being a mainstay through this new Three Lions era, starting Thursday evening’s win over Albania and featuring late on against Latvia on Monday.
He’s everything Slot and Tuchel wants in a midfielder, endowed with technical quality and an attacking outlook.
FBref’s data from the past year even suggests he bears a likeness to Manchester City’s Phil Foden, who may not be having the best of seasons but is certainly one of the most talented players this nation has produced in a generation.
Liverpool's answer to Foden
Jones, 23, will take delight in having chalked up 140 senior appearances for Liverpool already, directly involved in 39 goals and the lifter of five major honours – with a sixth said to be on the way.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones celebrates
Technically gifted, fit as a fiddle and wearing the tenacity of one playing for their club, Jones has gone from strength to strength since the managerial baton was passed, making his England debut and scoring back in November.
He’s now a fully-fledged member of the Three Lions set-up, given the nod by Tuchel this month and starting during last week’s 2-0 victory over Albania.
Given that Jones is somewhat similar to his countryman on the tactical front while also being a 24-year-old midfielder looking to make their name in the German’s new set-up, you might say that Jones is Liverpool’s own version.
Foden has received a share of flak in recent days after another uninspiring performance for his nation. The 23/24 Premier League Player of the Season is one of the most gifted footballers in the business, but he can’t seem to bring it together in white.
However, Lee Carsley and now Tuchel’s desire to unleash Jones in starting line-ups makes an interesting comment on the whole ordeal. As per FBref, Jones’ technical skill and eye for a goal make him one of Foden’s most tactically similar midfielders, corroborating the decision to feature him prominently for England.
Foden might have his struggles on the international stage, but he’s still been tipped to become “the best English player in history” by his Manchester City teammates Rodri and Erling Haaland, highlighting his abundant talent.
This all goes to show that Slot has quite the useful player on his hands in Jones, and that Liverpool will continue to benefit from his skill for many years.
However, Jones does play deeper than he was once touted – and that’s just fine – but with such glaring issues up top, such a player, one with a forward focus, would be relished given Liverpool’s current issues.
Well, Liverpool had such a player, but Klopp sold him a few years ago. Like Jones, this ace has a tactical likeness to Foden, but his more natural attacking game suggests he could have been the perfect tonic for the Anfield side’s problems in recent weeks.
The Former Liverpool star who is now similar to Foden
Dominik Szoboszlai is a terrific attacking midfielder and Harvey Elliott has that natural spark in the final third too, but Liverpool could have done with another part this term. Recent losses are cases in point.
The man in question, you might be surprised to read, is none other than Takumi Minamino – here’s why.
Now plying his trade at AS Monaco, Minamino joined Liverpool from RB Salzburg for a smart £7m fee in January 2020 and he went on to lift a number of trophies and play 55 times for Jurgen Klopp’s side, scoring 14 goals.
Only ever a bit-part player, Minamino, now 28, was sold to the Ligue 1 club for about £15m in June 2022 as Klopp repackaged his frontline.
Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Minamino was a good player but hardly on Foden’s level, hardly hitting the same heights as the illustrious Englishman.
But Minamino can be cut from the same tactical cloth, a lesser version. The Japan international’s role as an attacking midfielder is one reason behind the semblance, with both capable across the frontline and indeed being utilised as such at Monaco.
Takumi Minamino – Monaco Stats by Position (24/25)
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Attacking midfield
19
4
4
Right winger
6
1
1
Left winger
4
1
0
Centre-forward
2
1
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
But, moreover, it’s the way he plays the game that has drawn FBref to liken the two players. Minamino ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 17% for assists, the top 17% for progressive carries and the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.
This is a marker of his prolific nature. Indeed, Minamino didn’t earn that many chances to impress at Anfield but he earned his keep. In 2021/22, for example, the nimble winger scored three times in the top flight despite only starting once. He also bagged seven goals across FA Cup and Carabao Cup campaigns – Liverpool went on to win both titles.
Monaco's Takumi Minamino
Turning back toward Liverpool’s present concerns: Minamino’s positional flexibility suggests he could have been an underrated part of the Slot machine, filling in across attacking midfield and wide positions with a potent style not dissimilar to Foden’s.
Most of Liverpool’s frontline stands at risk of exclusion this summer; Mohamed Salah is one of the greatest goalscorers in the club’s rich history but he’s overloaded with responsibility.
Liverpool’s Frontline in 2025 (all comps)
#
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
Mohamed Salah
17 (17)
12
5
Cody Gakpo
13 (9)
5
1
Luis Diaz
18 (15)
1
2
Diogo Jota
14 (9)
2
1
Darwin Nunez
16 (4)
3
4
Federico Chiesa
5 (2)
2
1
Data via Transfermarkt
Such a dynamic attacking option could have been welcome to be sure. Journalist Josh Bunting once commented that Minamino was “undervalued” during his time on Merseyside, and maybe that’s the case.
He’s enjoying life in France and certainly has enough about him to have given Liverpool a bit more oomph in the final third this season. Perhaps it could have made all the difference in sustaining an unflagging multi-title charge.
Alas, Slot will have to settle for ‘just’ the Premier League title.
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