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For all the work that Ange Postecoglou has done in transforming the style of play at Tottenham Hotspur this season, the former Celtic boss also deserves credit for his astute moves in the transfer market, having enjoyed far more hits than misses in that department to date.

In fact, it is hard to think of any new arrivals who have not hit the ground running at N17, with Guglielmo Vicario proving a "revelation" in the sticks – according to pundit Jamie Carragher – while Micky van de Ven has proven himself to be a real "Rolls-Royce" at centre-back, as per Dutch journalist Suleyman Ozturk.

James Maddison has dazzled following his £40m move from Leicester City – providing ten goals and assists thus far – while Brennan Johnson is beginning to catch fire with two goals from his last three Premier League outings.

With even Timo Werner – who has two assists from his first four league appearances for the club – getting off to a promising start in Lilywhite, it would appear that Postecoglou has the Midas touch at present when it comes to recruitment.

The same could not always be said during Mauricio Pochettino's fondly remembered stint in charge, however, with one of the Argentine's last signings having particularly underwhelmed in recent years in north London.

Pochettino splashed out on teen talent

Just a matter of months prior to his shock sacking in November 2019, the current Chelsea boss oversaw the capture of promising teenager, Ryan Sessegnon from London rivals Fulham, with the youngster joining for a sizeable fee of around £25m.

That costly capture looked to be an astute move at the time, with the versatile gem – who can feature in a variety of roles down the left flank – having particularly impressed in the Championship in 2017/18, contributing 24 goals and assists to help fire the Cottagers to promotion.

A further haul of eight goal involvements the following season in the top-flight was enough for Spurs to make their move, with the young speedster looking set to have "a massive future" in the game, according to then-teammate Matt Targett, amid comparisons to a certain Gareth Bale.

Despite memorably scoring away to Bayern Munich during his first Champions League start in December 2019, Sessegnon's time at the club has never reached such heights again, with injury and a lack of game time having been central to his downfall.

That stark decline for the 23-year-old can be particularly seen in his plummeting transfer value, with it hard to see Daniel Levy and co being able to recoup anywhere close to that £25m figure if the wing-back is to depart in the near future.

Ryan Sessegnon's market value

With just a year left to run on his existing deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Englishman appears to be coming to the climax of a frustrating spell with the Lilywhites, having even been tipped for a loan move away from the club last month.

Despite reported shock interest from rivals Manchester United, the 5 foot 10 dynamo ultimately stayed put in Postecoglou's ranks, having only recently made his first appearance of the season against Burnley in the FA Cup, following a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

If the club are to push for a permanent exit for the player over the summer, amid his expiring contract, the suggestion is that they will have to sell him on the cheap, with CIES Football Observatory valuing the once-promising talent at just €5m (£4m).

While time is still on his side to revive his career, be it at Spurs or elsewhere, it is not as if Sessegnon has particularly impressed when he has been fit and available for the club, even being described as "a Championship player" by club insider John Wenham, as he "can’t beat a man, has no pace, has no strength and cannot deliver a cross".

The worst 10 Spurs transfer signings under Mauricio Pochettino

Football FanCast takes a look back at the worst signings the Argentine made as Spurs boss.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 22, 2023

With only three goals and four assists to his name in 57 appearances in just under five years at Tottenham, the £55k-per-week man has certainly not proven value for money, with a fresh start in new surroundings arguably the best solution for all parties.

Lionel Messi hit the bar with a failed spot-kick attempt in Argentina's Copa America quarter-final shootout win against Ecuador Thursday.

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• Argentina captain pinged penalty off the bar
• Emi Martinez spared blushes with shootout heroics
• Albiceleste will play in semi-final next week

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi endured a rare big-moment slip-up in Argentina's Copa America quarter-final clash with Ecuador, pinging a penalty off the bar in La Albiceleste's shootout win. Ecuadorian goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez consoled the Inter Miami forward immediately after, but it was a shocking start to the shootout.

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  His blunder ultimately mattered little as Emi Martinez provided yet another memorable shootout performance, stopping two Ecuador attempts, while Julian Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolas Otamendi all converted for Argentina in a 4-2 shootout win.

  Still, it's a haunting moment for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. One can't help but think of his missed attempt in the 2016 Copa America final – a moment that saw him briefly retire from the national team.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND ARGENTINA?

  La Albiceleste have secured a spot in a fifth-straight Copa America semi-final. They will face the winner of the Venezuela vs Canada tie Tuesday evening.

West Ham United right-back Ben Johnson is out of contract at the end of the current season, which means that, as it stands, he'll be leaving as a free agent come 1 July.

Hammers sporting director Tim Steidten is pushing to keep him at the London Stadium, but members of the club hierarchy have expressed reluctance to hold further talks after seeing the Englishman reject two offers.

Johnson may still end up staying with the Irons, but at this stage, his team have a responsibility to start assessing potential replacements, and one candidate for the role has already emerged.

West Ham "checking out" exciting Santos

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, West Ham are one of the sides "checking out" Tiago Santos at Lille as interest in the youngster grows ahead of the summer transfer window. They're not the only Premier League side in the race, though, with Aston Villa and Spurs admirers too.

In an article for Sports Lens, Jones reports that Santos was expected to spend more time in France after his £5.5m move from Estoril last summer, but his progression up the football ladder may now be accelerated. There's a feeling that his price tag will "take off" if he's allowed to remain with the Ligue 1 club for too long.

West Ham have been keeping "a close eye" on talent in the French top tier and are impressed by Santos' "skill set and potential to push himself higher". They appear to be more sure on the Portuguese defender than Spurs, who may lean towards a more "versatile defender" instead.

"Complete" Santos has already announced himself

Santos, who's now a Portugal under-21 international after making his debut in September, has played 28 games for Lille so far in all competitions. He's currently enjoying a joint-season-best run of five straight league starts, and has begun 10 of the last 12 overall, so his value to the team is clearly growing.

Latest West Ham United injury news, return dates and suspensions

FFC keeps you up to date with all the latest West Ham United news involving injuries and suspensions.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 10, 2024

After opening his account for the club with a "special" strike in a 2-0 win over Lyon in late November, he got on the scoresheet again in a remarkable 12-0 win over Martinique champions Golden Lion in the French Cup last month.

Described as a "complete" full-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Santos combines effective chance creation (he's in the 71st percentile for expected assisted goals among right-backs) with an enthusiastic approach to defending (he's in the 80th percentile for tackles).

His standout attribute, however, is his dribbling – he ranks 10th in the league for successful take-ons with 39 and only one player, Montpellier's Teji Savanier, has drawn more fouls. A tricky little player, he could be a smart long-term addition for David Moyes or indeed whichever manager is in the hotseat next season.

Jadon Sancho is set for a fresh start at Manchester United as Erik ten Hag has put aside his long-running feud with the English winger.

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• Sancho had a public fallout with Ten Hag
• Was subsequently frozen from first team squad
• Pair ready to mend their relationship

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 24-year-old winger was thought to be on the verge of leaving United after a tumultuous period that saw him loaned to Borussia Dortmund for the second half of last season. Sancho was excluded from the first-team squad in September after a public fall out with Ten Hag. The United boss had claimed that Sancho’s training performances were below par, which Sancho vehemently denied on social media. The England international's refusal to apologise for his public comments led to his banishment from the first-team group, and he was forced to train alone before moving back to Dortmund in January.

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  However, Sancho has rejoined first-team training at United following a series of candid discussions at their Carrington training ground last week. These talks have seemingly resolved the tension that had built up between Sancho and Ten Hag, allowing both parties to move forward as the new season approaches.

• WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Ten Hag remained cautious about discussing Sancho’s long-term future at the club, but revealed that the pair have mended their relationship.

  "As we said, we draw the line. Manchester United need good players and Jadon is a good player. We have drawn that line and we move on," Ten Hag remarked, signalling a fresh chapter for the winger.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  During his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, Sancho managed to rekindle some of his best form. He scored three goals and provided an equal number of assists in 21 appearances across all competitions, helping them reach the Champions League final. However, the Bundesliga club have not submitted a formal bid for the English forward, and have already assigned Sancho's No. 10 shirt to Julian Brandt, which indicates that they have closed their doors for a possible permanent transfer.

The sky is blue, the grass is green and Arsenal have scored four or more in a game again.

It was only a couple of months ago that Mikel Arteta's side were in the midst of a goalscoring crisis, with just a single goal coming from 63 shots at one point.

However, in the intervening months, the Gunners have quickly turned into the most lethal team in the country and, after dispatching Sheffield United 6-0 on Monday night, currently possess a goal difference of plus 45 – the best in the league.

It was the sort of performance in which each and every player could leave the pitch with their heads held high, but there were two in particular who deserved to be singled out for praise, the first of which was the captain.

Martin Odegaard's game in numbers

Yes, Martin Odegaard put in what might be one of his best performances of the season at Bramall Lane last night and was justly rewarded with the Man of the Match award.

The mercurial midfielder was involved in practically every aspect of the game, whether through his silky passing, thunderous shots or tireless pressing. He was everywhere, and the Sheffield United players will be having nightmares for weeks.

The Norwegian's brilliance was recognised by the Standard's Simon Collings' who gave his performance a 9/10 on the night, writing that he 'ran the show in midfield' and that the Blades 'couldn't lay a glove' on him.

It's a very complimentary assessment, but one backed up by the numbers, as in Odegaard's 95 minutes of action, he scored a goal, registered 0.21 expected assists, took a mammoth 115 touches, made four key passes, was accurate in both of his attempted long balls, created one big chance and succeeded in all three of his dribbles.

In all, it was about as close to a perfect game as fans will see from their 25-year-old wizard, and while he fully deserves all the praise he's received, there's another starter who deserves just as much credit.

William Saliba's game in numbers

The other player in question is French international and "Rolls-Royce of a defender", as dubbed by The Athletic's Aaron Catterson-Reid, William Saliba.

Now, from looking at the score alone, fans might assume that the 22-year-old had very little to do on the night, and while that might be somewhat true from a defensive point of view, that doesn't mean that he was just sitting in the Arsenal half twiddling his thumbs all game – far from it.

In fact, when looking at his statistics from the match, it becomes quite clear that he was busy throughout, as in his 95 minutes of action, he took 180 touches, was accurate in 169 of his 174 passes, won two of his three duels, lost possession just six times, made one clearance and one interception.

The standout statistics are the number of touches and passes made by the Bondy-born "monster", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while they're impressive in isolation, they are even more remarkable when compared to the historical data.

According to Orbinho, the head of Optajoe, the Frenchman's 169 passes ranks as the most completed by an Arsenal player in Premier League history, surpassing Santi Cazorla, who held the record previously and sitting behind just three Manchester City players for the most passes in a Premier League match ever.

Incredibly, that tally of passes also happened to be more than the entire of the Sheffield United team combined (142) on the night, a stat that truly sums up Arsenal's dominance in Yorkshire.

In all, while it might not look like the former Saint-Étienne man was doing much considering the score, he was very much involved in the game, so Collings' 6/10 rating and assessment that he was 'rarely called upon' doesn't entirely ring true.

Ultimately, Odegaard fully deserves all the praise he received for his unreal performance last night, but Saliba should also get recognition for his contribution with the ball at his feet.

Chelsea have announced the signing of USMNT left-back Caleb Wiley from MLS side Atlanta United.

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• Wiley joins from Atlanta United
• Transfer worth £8.5m
• Defender signs six-year deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wiley has joined Chelsea in an £8.5 million ($11m) deal, signing a long-term contract until 2030, with the option of a further season. The 19-year-old had been with Atlanta since the age of 11 and made his MLS debut in 2022.

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  Wiley stands to provide left-back depth in Enzo Maresca's new look Chelsea squad. Marc Cucurella is likely to be the starter after a cracking Euro 2024, but it could be a problem for vice-captain Ben Chilwell, whose injury record has limited him to 106 Chelsea appearances in four years at the club.

• WHAT ATLANTA SAID

  "Caleb epitomises the pathway that we envisioned when we started this club," Atlanta Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said, via the team's website. "Born and raised in Atlanta, he joined our Academy at 11 years old, played for ATL UTD 2 and went on to earn every step in his path up to signing as a Homegrown. Over that time, he debuted for the U.S. Men's National Team and was chosen to represent our country at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now he can continue his career at a top club in Europe. We wish Caleb the best in this next challenge of his career and look forward to following his journey. For our club moving forward, we're continuing our efforts to immediately reinvest in the team during the Summer Transfer Window."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WILEY

  Before he gets going in Chelsea colours, Wiley will spend up to the next three weeks in France with the United States' Under-23 squad, having been selected for the Olympics. The American team kicks off on July 24 against the hosts, before further group games against New Zealand and Guinea on July 27 and 30 respectively.

Declan Rice has been tipped by Arsenal legend Ray Parlour to benefit from Mikel Merino's £25 million move to the Emirates.

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• Mikel Arteta wants more steel in midfield
• Pushing to sign Merino from Real Sociedad
• Parlour believes Rice will benefit from Merino's incoming

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Merino, currently with Real Sociedad, has an impressive track record, including a stint at Newcastle United during the 2017/18 season. His recent contributions to Spain's Euro 2024 victory in Germany further highlight his capabilities. Arsenal, in need of a new midfielder following Emile Smith Rowe's move to Fulham, sees Merino as a valuable addition to Mikel Arteta's squad.

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  Merino's versatility allows him to play as a left-sided No. 8 or in a double pivot, making him a strategic fit alongside Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard. He is being touted as a natural successor to Granit Xhaka, who transferred to Bayer Leverkusen last year, and Parlour's endorsement comes amid ongoing discussions between Arsenal and Real Sociedad over a £25 million (€30m/$32m) deal for the Spanish midfielder.

• WHAT PARLOUR SAID

  Speaking on the talkSPORT Breakfast Show, Parlour said: "They're looking at Thomas Partey, he might be on his way out, so they do need a little bit of strengthening in that midfield. It [Merino transfer] gives Declan Rice a little bit more license to go forward if you've got another holding midfielder in there. I know he plays like that for England in that holding role, but I like to see Declan get forward. And as I've said before, I'm a little bit of an old-fashioned midfielder, I like the box-to-box players. It's just using your common sense as a midfielder, if someone runs past you that is playing alongside you and gets forward, you just fill in for him, and vice versa, it's very, very straightforward."

  Parlour continued to praise Merino, saying, "He's a top player, performing well for both Spain and Real Sociedad. At 28, he's at an optimal age, making this a good investment for Arsenal. With £25 million, it's a solid deal, and their good relationship with Real Sociedad, especially with [Kieran] Tierney's loan, facilitates this transfer."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Merino contributed eight goals and five assists across all competitions last season and demonstrated his defensive prowess by winning the most duels in Europe's top seven leagues, totalling 326.

Aston Villa are currently in the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League while battling it out to secure a top four finish in the Premier League.

It is safe to say the season has exceeded expectations, but if Unai Emery can claim a Champions League berth for next term along with winning the Conference League trophy, he will go down as a Villa legend.

His savvy in the transfer market has been a big factor in their recent rise, with the Spaniard luring the likes of Moussa Diaby, Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres to the club last summer.

Could a decision he made last summer come back to haunt him, however? The 52-year-old moved on a talented youngster who is shining for his new club – Jaden Philogene.

Jaden Philogene’s statistics for Hull City

The youngster made a total of six appearances for Villa before deciding to join Hull City last summer for a transfer fee of just £5m.

While on the surface it looked like a deal that benefitted both parties, his performances in the second tier perhaps indicated Emery moved him on too hastily.

In 23 appearances for Hull, Philogene has scored eight goals and registered six assists in the Championship as the club currently occupy seventh spot in the league table.

His 14 goals and assists would rank him fifth in the current Villa squad, while among his Hull teammates, Philogene ranks first for big chances created (five), shots on target per game (1.3) and successful dribbles per game (2.8), demonstrating how vital he has been to their cause this season.

How Jaden Philogene's wage compares to Villa squad

There is not a lot separating the young winger from Villa’s record signing, Diaby. Indeed, Philogene’s tally of 14 goal contributions is only one behind the Frenchman, while the current Hull gem has scored eight goals to his seven efforts for the Midlands side this term.

The former Bayer Leverkusen winger is currently earning £130k-per-week since making the move to the Premier League from the Bundesliga nine months ago, but his displays have been a far cry from this sort of salary.

Philogene, on the other hand, is earning just £9k-per-week following his arrival from Villa in 2023 and this is a staggering difference considering their attacking output is fairly similar.

This means Diaby is currently earning 14 times more than the 22-year-old. With his performances for Hull gaining the youngster plenty of plaudits, may Emery rue moving him on so soon rather than giving him a chance in the senior squad?

The Spaniard will be able to go out and splash the cash on young talent in the summer transfer market to soften the blow, but that is not the point. He had a player of considerable talent at the club who was knocking on the door.

Philogene – who has been lauded for his "ridiculous" talent by manager Liam Rosenior – has enhanced his reputation this term and should Hull gain promotion, he could even come back and haunt Emery and Villa during the 2024/25 campaign.

For just £5m, the Championship side have secured themselves a wonderful bargain, no doubt about it.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been given a “good” injury update on Paul Mullin, with Wrexham waiting on the return of their star striker.

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• Frontman underwent spinal operation
• Being eased back to full fitness
• Red Dragons boast strength in depth

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mullin, who has netted 105 goals for the Red Dragons across three productive campaigns, underwent minor spinal surgery at the end of last season. He was forced to sit out another series of friendly dates in North America as a result.

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  Wrexham have opened the 2024-25 season without their talismanic No.10, with Jacob Mendy another of those currently stuck on the sidelines. They were able to claim a 3-2 victory over Wycombe in the club’s first outing at League One level in 20 years.

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  WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  More shrewd recruitment, funded by Hollywood co-owners, means that Phil Parkinson boasts plenty of strength in depth. He has said of nursing walking wounded back towards full fitness, with no new knocks picked up in a 4-2 Carabao Cup first round defeat to Sheffield United: “Everyone got through the game well. Mulls is continuing his progress. He didn't travel with us to Sheffield but was working really hard back in Wrexham so that is good. Jacob is getting ever closer to being available for selection so we have got a good squad to choose from and we will think long and hard about the team for Sunday.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Wrexham will be heading out on the road again in their next fixture, with Parkinson taking his side to Bolton. Mullin is not in contention for that clash, with no risks being taken in his rehabilitation, but the Red Dragons will soon be back to full strength.

Liverpool languished last season but have been reborn after broad changes were made to the struggling midfield last summer. It was a new chapter, supporters knew that, but few foresaw Jurgen Klopp's decision to not be a part of it.

The revered manager has handed in his notice and will step down from his position at the end of the campaign, and having already won the Carabao Cup in February, he is targetting further triumph in the Premier League and Europa League both.

Klopp isn't the only person to be draping the curtain on their Anfield career this year, with stalwart Joel Matip likely to depart at the end of the contract in several months.

The 32-year-old Cameroonian has been a rock in defence since joining from Schalke on a free transfer back in 2016 (he was Klopp's first permanent signing), but bleakly he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in December and is not expected to feature again before the end of the term.

Thiago Alcantara is also out of contract in June; the distinguished Spaniard arrived on Merseyside as one of Europe's most impressive midfielders, and while he has exhibited his sparkling quality since signing from Bayern Munich in a £25m transfer back in 2020, injury woes have restricted him severely.

Thiago Alcantara's performances for Liverpool

Thiago was once described as "the most gifted player I've seen in the Premier League" by talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino, and there really is no disputing that his range of passing, control and intelligence is on par with any midfield orchestrator across Europe.

Glittering stays with Bayern Munich and Barcelona have seen major honours such as two Champions League titles, seven Bundesliga championships and four La Liga trophies placed in his personal cabinet spoke of his pedigree, and, in fairness, he's added the FA Cup and Carabao Cup since completing a transfer to Liverpool.

But as he nears the culmination of his fourth campaign on English shores, Thiago has never completed more than 20 starting appearances in a single Premier League season, playing just five minutes of action this term, against Arsenal in February, before aggravating the injury that had shackled him in the darkness for so long.

They say that the best ability is availability and given Thiago's age, torrid track record on the fitness front and sizeable salary, opting against renewing his current terms is something of a no-brainer.

While last summer's sweeping changes have alleviated the worry of trying to replace the Spain international, with Alexis Mac Allister namely fit for purpose in a similar type of deep playmaking role, Liverpool appear keen to find a fresh star regardless.

Indeed, recent reports suggest Liverpool are interested in working on a deal for Atalanta midfield Teun Koopmeiners, with the Dutchman valued at £52m by his Serie A outfit after revealing that he wishes to leave this year.

Liverpool eye move for £52m Endo partner who's like Bellingham

Edwards and Hughes would complete the Anfield midfield with this exciting addition.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 25, 2024

Is this worth it? Koopmeiners is an impressive and multi-functional player but he's probably not what Liverpool need, especially when the likes of Stefan Bajcetic are ready to take the step up and assume Thiago's place in the first team.

Why Stefan Bajcetic could replace Thiago

Spaniard Bajcetic joined Liverpool from Celta Vigo as a 16-year-old for just £224,000 back in December 2020, and after several years honing his craft within Liverpool's development ranks, he was handed his professional debut off the bench during Liverpool's 9-0 dismantling over Bournemouth in 2022.

His veteran countryman might be more polished and elegant in his distribution but Bajcetic has the trappings of a top player and has already proved himself worthy of a place in Liverpool's squad after shining among rusty senior peers last term, leading to one writer remarking: "Staggering that Liverpool look most in control this season when 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic is playing."

Last year, Bajcetic competed in 11 Premier League games in total before an abductor injury ended his campaign in March, bagging off the bench against Aston Villa after the mid-season pause for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, notably succeeding with 64% of his attempted dribbles as he sought to progress the play and inject some youthful avidity to a withered team.

This season, the teenager did feature twice in the early phase of the campaign and was praised for his "brilliant" effort in a makeshift right-back role against LASK in the Europa League by reporter Neil Jones, but niggling problems have precluded him from enjoying the true breakthrough campaign he will envisage.

Thiago may well have never quite fitted Klopp's system perfectly but his world-class attributes shone through regardless, though given that his ship has clearly sailed it presents Bajcetic with the perfect opportunity to cement himself during the months to come.

It's been frustrating for all involved that the 19-year-old has been limited to just two appearances in almost a year after such an incredible start to life on the major stage, but Bajcetic has developed physically in that time and now looks ready to tackle the rigours of top-flight football henceforth.

Rangy, lean and adroit, Bajcetic is the complete package and has the energy and enthusiasm in his play to assume Thiago's position in the squad and make a lasting impression.

Given the buzz that trailed his efforts last season, thrown in at the deep end, it's hardly surprising that such a furore is being stirred up as Bajcetic awaits his return. And Liverpool awaits him too.