Liverpool may be dominant now, but if Jurgen Klopp neglects his duty and fails to rebuild for the future then he could find his side slumbering to the depths from which he dragged them.

Developing youth is an essential part of the programme. It helps develop a clubs identity, excites fans to the prospect of ‘one of their own’ ‘making it’ and has countless financial benefits – be that through selling players or saving in the market.

Liverpool, at the moment, have a lot of young talent making waves in the game, the likes of Ryan Kent and Harry Wilson, for example, are turning heads at their respective loan sides.

Then there is Ki-Jana Hoever, Bobby Duncan, Rhian Brewster and Rafael Camacho kicking about in the youth system – waiting for their big opportunity.

For the latter, Rafael Camacho, however, ‘pending star’ status may be the only thing he achieves at Anfield.

He’s produced nine goals and eight assists in all competitions for the Under-23s this season.

Indeed, despite Camacho being handed a club debut in Liverpool’s ill-fated FA Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a substitute appearance in the league, there appears to be no future in Merseyside for the Portugal under-20 winger, with contract negotiations reported to have stalled (as per Sky Sports).

To allow top class talent to so easily slip through the net is a major concern. If Liverpool are to win the Premier League this season, which is looking likely, Klopp will want to build on upon that success for years to come, but this simply will not be possible if he keeps throwing away his brightest young players.

Liverpool fans, should tying Rafael Camacho down to a new contract be your priority? Let us know in the comments below…

The difference between Liverpool now and in the pre-Virgil van Dijk era is astonishing, to say the least.

The world’s most expensive defender has lived up to the massive transfer fee Liverpool shelled out for him in December of 2017, and although van Dijk has grabbed the headlines this season and has asserted himself as one of the best centre-backs in world football, little has been said about his defensive partner Joel Matip.

The Cameroonian international has quietly built up a good reputation for himself in recent months with Joe Gomez out of the sideline with injury. Matip was once seen as Liverpool’s defensive saviour when he joined the Reds from Schalke on a free in 2016, and although on his own the defender has not set the Premier League alight, partnered with van Dijk the duo have been one of the best centre-back pairings in Europe.

And with reports from Football Insider emerging that the defender is set to be offered a new deal for his improved performances this season, it is likely we will see Matip take the number one spot in the Liverpool team for being the man to play alongside van Dijk in the starting XI.

There’s no question that long-term Gomez will be the player to lead the Liverpool backline, but for now, Matip has won over Jurgen Klopp and the Reds fans as the man to partner alongside van Dijk, and a new deal will be a testament to that statement.

Liverpool fans, has Matip been van Dijk’s best partner this season? Let us know!

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Chris Waddle does not believe that a move to Manchester United instead of Tottenham Hotspur would have solved Paul Gascoigne’s many problems, per The Football Faithful.

What’s he said?

Gascoigne, affectionately known as ‘Gazza’ by many fans, has long been regarded as one of the most gifted players England has ever produced.

A World Cup semi-finalist in 1990, he played for Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, Gansu Tianma and Burton Albion in what turned out to be something of a nomadic career.

However, prior to his move to Spurs, he was heavily linked with a switch to United, and many have claimed that the stabilising influence of Sir Alex Ferguson could have saved Gascoigne from his demons, namely his drinking.

But Waddle does not believe that to be the case.

He said: “He would have driven Sir Alex Ferguson up the wall! I’m going no. I think Paul was very much an individual. He liked Terry Venables, I think they had a great relationship. Terry knew what buttons to press with Gazza. He knew he was a loose cannon.

“If you just got him on the park that was the safest place to put him because we didn’t know what else he’d be doing if he wasn’t on the park. You just look back and think Terry handled him very well. I think maybe Sir Alex with his Iron Fist, I don’t think Gazza would have enjoyed that. Gazza wouldn’t have enjoyed being bullied and intimidated at times.

“There was a lot of players coming towards the end of their time. I remember Viv Anderson was there, Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside, and Paul McGrath and I think at United they were sort of known as liking a drink.

“Would that have helped Gazza? He would have been tagged on to it because that’s how he was. Nobody knows, I’m saying no, even though Man United were brilliant, and yes I could be wrong. Alex Ferguson could have been the manager that Gazza needed. But with Gazza, he got on better with managers who were a little bit more laid back.”

An arm around the shoulder

Gazza’s favourite manager has always appeared to be Sir Bobby Robson, the legendary boss who took England to the last four of the World Cup.

Ferguson, as Waddle claims, was not that type of manager, the one who constantly reassured his players of their own talents.

And, boy, was Gazza talented.

He was a maverick, a brilliant midfielder who could change games in an instant.

But his problems, so well documented, may well have been his downfall at United; who knows how long Ferguson would have humoured him.

It would have been mightily fun, though.

To call tonight’s game against Napoli as the biggest match of Arsenal’s season might seem like a stretch, but it certainly feels like it.

A 2-0 win last week against the Italian giants has set the Gunners up for a brilliant opportunity to not only knock out one of the competitions biggest teams, but to establish themselves as the club to beat in the Europa League this season, but it won’t be an easy task.

Sure going into the game in Naples with two goals is a great advantage for the Gunners, but this is Arsenal we’re talking about, and mistakes are bound to happen tonight.

We have seen the club crack under the pressure of playing a big side on the road this season already, with Unai Emery’s side going from 1-0 up to 5-1 down against Liverpool in December as an example, and Arsenal will know that Napoli are almost guaranteed to get goals tonight.

Clean sheets away from home are rare for Arsenal, with their first in the Premier League coming last Monday against Watford, and this weakness on the road will lead to Emery facing an uphill battle tonight in Naples, but all is not lost.

Arsenal’s record against Italian teams is fairly good, winning against the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli in recent history and only losing twice to sides from the country, one of them being their opponents tonight.

Last season, the Gunners went to Milan the underdogs and ended up walking away as 2-0 winners at the San Siro, and although the environments between the iconic Milan stadium and the San Paolo, the history backs Arsenal to get something from Naples in their biggest game of the season.

Arsenal fans, can the Gunners progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League? Let us know!

It has been a roller-coaster of a season to be a Middlesbrough supporter, hasn’t it?

Having looked certain to finish in the play-off positions at the turn of the year, a shocking run of six defeats in a row resulted in them falling out of contention earlier this month. However, three wins in their last four games has given Tony Pulis’ side a strong chance of extending their season past the 46-game mark in May.

Although the Smoggies boast the joint-best defensive record in the Championship alongside Sheffield United, their struggles this year have been directly linked with a lack of attacking prowess.

With the likes of Britt Assombalonga, Ashley Fletcher and Rudy Gestede all struggling for form in-front of goal, it would be surprising if the club do not bring in a new forward when the transfer window opens in July.

Having previously been linked with a move for Genk forward Mbwana Samatta earlier on this season (via the Daily Mirror), Pulis should consider re-igniting his interest in the summer.

The 26-year-old has fired in a remarkable total of 31 goals in all competitions for the Belgian side this year and would be a considerable upgrade on Boro’s current options. Rated at £8.1m according to Transfermarkt, it may be worth splashing the cash to convince him to make the move to the Riverside Stadium.

Any possible deal for Samatta may, however, depend on the outcome of the Smoggies’ current campaign.

Whereas promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs would make the club a much more desirable destination for the forward, another season in the second tier of English football may not be enough to convince him to join.

What do you think Boro fans? Should Pulis go all-out to try and sign Samatta in the summer? Or is too much of a risk to sign a player who has no previous experience of playing in English football? Get in touch below.

رشح حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي لاتسيو، بيبي رينا، أحد زملاءه السابقين في نابولي من أجل الانضمام إلى عملاقي الدوري الإسباني برشلونة أو ريال مدريد في المستقبل.

ويلعب رينا في الوقت الحالي مع لاتسيو بعد انتقاله إليه في الميركاتو الصيفي الماضي قادمًا من ميلان، بعد إعارة لمدة 6 أشهر في أستون فيلا.

وأشاد الحارس الإسباني المخضرم بزميله البولندي السابق، بيتور زيلينسكي، الذي يعتبره إحدى المواهب الفريدة في نابولي ويستحق الانتقال إلى برشلونة أو ريال مدريد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ديشامب يدافع عن فاران: ليس المسؤول الوحيد عن هزيمة ريال مدريد

وتحدث رينا عن وجهة نظره في تصريحات لإذاعة “كادينا سير” الإسبانية، وقال: “أنا معجب بزيلينسكي كثيرًا، أراه لاعبًا في برشلونة أو ريال مدريد”.

وتابع: “بيتور لاعب خارج عن المألوف ويستطيع إحداث الفارق خلال المباريات”.

ويعد زيلينسكي أحد اللاعبين المميزين في الدوري الإيطالي ويمثل منتخب بولندا منذ عام 2013 وشارك معه في 53 مباراة دولية.

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Leeds United fans are feeling very pessimistic about their chances in the playoff semi-finals after a stat emerged that pointed in their favour.

The stat that was the subject of an article in the Yorkshire Evening Post stated: out of the 17 sides who have won the first leg away from home in the second tier, all 17 teams have gone on to qualify for the final at home.

This means that if Leeds were to follow that trend then they would be headed to Wembley at the end of this month.

Rather than fill supporters with hope however, it has instilled a sense of pessimism amongst the fanbase as they believe it would be typical if their club were the ones to buck this trend.

The Yorkshire club have already broken a spell of teams at the top of the Championship at Christmas going on to be promoted, so it makes sense for fans to be worried after this record emerged.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

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Pep Guardiola is renowned for his unparalleled man management skills and a recent update from BBC journalist David Ornstein suggests that he could yet work his magic on one of England’s most exciting young prospects, per 5 Live Sport.

What’s the word?

Ornstein appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday to give a breakdown on what the top clubs are likely to do in the transfer window this summer.

Manchester City have been tipped to sign a left-back in recent months due to Benjamin Mendy’s chronic fitness problems, but Ornstein believes they are also interested in recruiting a new right-back, per 5 Live Sport 14/05/2019 (20:15).

“Aaron Wan Bissaka is very much on Manchester United’s radar as well as Manchester City’s.”

One point separated City and Liverpool but twenty-five separated them from the rest! Fans discuss who could reduce the deficit next season in the video below?

Man City’s long-term Walker upgrade?

That a player of Wan-Bissaka’s profile is on City’s radar is far from a surprise. He is just 21-years-old and would contribute to the homegrown quota as an English citizen, while his breakthrough campaign at Crystal Palace underlines his exceptional defensive quality.

Kyle Walker has endured a tumultuous season at the club, with a handful of individual errors in December causing supporters to question the true extent of his ability.

There is no disputing his marauding class and effectiveness in the final-third, but his defensive contribution often leaves plenty to be desired.

The same, however, cannot be said of Wan-Bissaka – a player who has affectionately been nicknamed ‘the spider’ by virtue of his incredible ability to tackle his opposite number.

He has completed an average of 3.7 tackles per game this season and 2.4 interceptions, per Whoscored, so there is no doubt City would be acquiring a player with a more natural ability to thrive in the defensive third than Walker.

However, the Palace academy graduate will need to adapt to City’s style to become a success at the Etihad Stadium and make significant improvements to his contribution in the attacking phase.

For Guardiola, the prospect of moulding Wan-Bissaka into a complete full-back will be a mouthwatering one for him to mull over, and under his guidance the aspiring England international could blossom into a superior talent to Walker.

Raheem Sterling has been one of Guardiola’s biggest man-management projects to oversee in recent years and, with that task effectively considered complete, his next one could be on the horizon in the shape of Wan-Bissaka.

أعلن الاتحاد الأيرلندي لكرة القدم، إصابة أحد لاعبيه بـ فيروس كورونا “كوفيد – 19″، وذلك بعد مُشاركته في مباراة إنجلترا الودية، مساء أمس الخميس.

وكان المنتخب الإنجليزي قد فاز على نظيره الأيرلندي وديًا بثلاثية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما مساء أمس، الخميس على ملعب “ويمبلي” وديًا، ضمن استعدادات منتخب الأسود الثلاثة لدوري الأمم الأوروبية.

وقال الاتحاد في بيانه: “نستطيع أنّ نؤكد أنّ الاختبارات للاعب الوسط آلان براون، لـ كوفيد – 19 جاءت إيجابية”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ضربة مزدوجة.. راشفورد وكوادي يغيبان عن مباراتي إنجلترا أمام بلجيكا وأيسلندا

وأوضح الاتحاد أنّ براون سيغيب عن مباراتي أيرلندا القادمتين في دوري الأمم الأوروبية، حيث سيتم وضع صاحب الـ25 عامًا في الحجر الصحي.

براون شارك في مباراة الأمس ولعب لمدة 90 دقيقة، وربما يكون نقل العدوى للاعبي منتخب إنجلترا، الذين من المتوقع أنّ يخضعوا لفحوصات للكشف عن كورونا، خلال الساعات القادمة.

Everton fans will be happy to see the back of Theo Walcott! He’s been bang average this season, but Marseille Lucas Ocampos could be about to give the Goodison faithful something to get excited about.

The 24-year-old has played 30 times in Ligue 1 this season, scoring four and making eight assists. He’s an exciting forward with plenty of pace who could work wonders in the final third where Everton have been hit-and-miss this season.

Calciomercato believe Everton are targeting the Argentinian and that would most likely spell the end for Theo Walcott on Merseyside. He’s even been likened to Cristiano Ronaldo when Liverpool and Chelsea were reported to be interested, so he can’t be that bad!

Marco Silva is building a squad full of quick, youthful and dynamic talent. Oscampos fits this bill perfectly and would have the freedom down the left to supply any forward Everton can bring in too. Next season could really be exciting if this winger wants to play for the Toffees.

Anyone would be better than Walcott in the eyes of Everton fans, so he’ll have some patience initially to find his feet in a new country. His confidence on the ball should mean he’ll have no issue settling in among like-minded players such as Bernard.

Buying Lucas Ocampos, who’s rated at just £12.6m on Transfermarkt, could kill two birds with one stone. It’d get rid of Theo Walcott and finally give the Goodison faithful s more youthful and exciting winger to get them on their feet.

Everton fans, who do you want to start on the wings next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…