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Leeds United invested heavily into their U23s this summer.

Joe Gelhardt, Cody Drameh, Sam Greenwood and Crysencio Summerville were all signed for decent fees, and the club will be hoping to get a decent return on their investment in the years to come.

United’s U23s have been brilliant over the past few years, lifting the PDL National Title back in 2019, while a number of young stars such as Jamie Shackleton and Leif Davis have gone on to make first-team appearances over the past two years.

However, that was all under the tutelage of Carlos Corberan, and his good work at U23 level earnt him a shot at senior management as he left Leeds this summer to take over as Huddersfield Town’s new manager.

That left Leeds in a predicament, they needed a replacement to carry on the Spaniard’s good work, and in the end, they decided to promote U18s manager Mark Jackson.

So, can we expect Jackson to carry on the good work Corberan started? All the signs seem to point towards the answer being yes.

Corberan may have won the PDL National Title at U23 level, but just a year prior, Jackson’s U18s were winning the PDL North league title, so he clearly has the ability to turn his sides into winners.

Away from his successes with the U18s, his peers can’t speak highly enough of him, with Paul Hart, the man who handed him his first coaching job at Leeds, giving him a glowing review.

“When I was there [at Leeds] the last time, I was aware that he was around and I have tremendous respect for him so I employed him as a coach.

“He was fantastic, I have complete trust in him. Good values, honest and just a thoroughly reliable guy.

“As a coach, he was well prepared, handled the detail, worked hard, eager to learn, everything you want.”

When Jackson first took charge of the U18s in 2016, he did it alongside former teammate Andy Gray, and he also had some kind words to say about Jackson’s coaching ability.

“He was very good, very organised, knew the game, very good with the players and getting the best out of them,” said Gray.

“He’s suited to the role in terms of developing players – he’s had a hand in helping the likes of Jamie Shackleton and Robbie Gotts get into the first team. He’s been hard but fair with them, you know where you stand. He gets his point across really well. It’s a logical next step up for him and one he’ll do very well in.”

With Leeds finally back in the top-flight, the players they develop will have to be of a very high-standard if they want to get into the first-team, and if Jackson does his job well, his efforts could be huge in United’s quest for sustained success at the Premier League level.

According to Goal, Tottenham have asked about signing Juventus defender Merih Demiral before the end of the transfer window on Monday.

What’s the word?

With time running out for clubs to bring in the players that they want, Spurs are still looking to add a new centre-back before the window shuts.

Goal claim that Demiral was the subject of an enquiry by Spurs about his potential availability, but that Serie A heavyweights Juventus knocked it back.

The report adds that the Bianconeri view him as a key part of their plans, with the defender only just working his way back to full fitness recently.

Mourinho’s new John Terry

Whilst it appears Spurs’ chances of landing Demiral before the transfer window deadline are fading, there can always be a few twists and turns as clubs become more desperate and make quick decisions.

One thing is for certain though, is that Demiral would be a superb acquisition for Jose Mourinho’s side. The Spurs boss of course had John Terry as a key part of his early title-winning Chelsea reign, and when you look at the way people talk about Demiral now, you can see some very clear similarities between the two centre-backs.

Turkish football expert, Emre Sarigul, said: “He is the type of defender the fans love because he is brave and loves to tackle and when attacking players have a beast like Merih lunging at them they think twice about trying to dribble past him. He is very difficult to beat in the air. The kid is fearless but isn’t arrogant. A real warrior who never gives up. He managed to keep the likes of Mbappe, Griezmann and Giroud quiet just last month when Turkey beat World Champions France 2-0 in the 2020 Euro qualifiers.”

Demiral was also badly wanted by Brendan Rodgers earlier this year, with the Leicester boss not being shy in his praise of the Juventus defender. When asked about the possibility of a deal, he said: “There’s nothing to add, only that he’s a very good defender, and a very good player.” His comments came just a couple of weeks after he played it coy, and simply said that the 22-year-old is a “talented player”. Reports had even suggested that the Foxes saw two bids rejected for the Bianconeri star.

If Spurs can somehow convince Juventus to part ways with the centre-back before Monday, then it would be a massive coup.

And in other news, Daniel Levy may have missed a trick with this man.

لم يستقر بعد، خوان لابورتا، رئيس مجلس إدارة برشلونة، على المدرب الذي سيقود الفريق الأول للنادي الكتالوني، خلفًا للمدرب الهولندي، رونالد كومان.

ويرغب خوان لابورتا، رئيس مجلس إدارة برشلونة في إقالة، رونالد كومان، من تدريب الفريق، وخاصًة بعد نتائج المدرب الأخيرة المُخيبة للآمال مع الفريق.

واتخذ لابورتا قرارًا لا رجعة فيه بإقالة كومان من تدريب الفريق، وذلك وفقًا لما ذكرته صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية، في تقرير لها، مساء أمس الخميس (طالع مزيدًا من التفاصيل).

وحسب شبكة “ESPN” العالمية، فإن لابورتا يدرس إمكانية تسليم زمام الفريق الأول، للمدرب للإسباني، ألبرت كابيلاس، مدرب أكاديمية برشلونة حتى نهاية الموسم.

وأشارت الشبكة إلى أن لابورتا يريد التعاقد مع مدرب من المدربين الكبار، ويعلم أن هُناك إمكانية بأن تتواجد أسماء أخرى كبرى مرشحة لتدريب الفريق، لذا يفكر في كابيلاس كحل مؤقت. 

وأوضحت الشبكة أن هُناك اسم جديد، ضمن القائمة المُختصرة لـ لابورتا، وهو المدرب الألماني، رالف رانكيك، المدير الفني السابق لنادي لايبزيج.

رانكيك في الوقت الحالي، يتولى منصب المدير الرياضي في نادي لوكوموتيف موسكو، ولابورتا يرى أن سيكون خيارًا جيدًا وخاصً بسبب الألقاب التي حققها في ألمانيا مع شالكه وسالزبورج في النمسا.

رانكيك خلال مسيرته التدريبة حقق ثمانية ألقاب، ثلاثة منها مع شالكه، حيق فاز بكأس الدوري الألماني وكأس ألمانيا وكأس السوبر الألماني، كما فاز مع ريد بول بلقب الدوري النمساوي وكأس النمسا في مناسبتين.

According to Transfer20, Tottenham are in the race to sign Real Betis midfielder William Carvalho this summer.

What’s the word?

Despite their reported interest in Southampton ace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, it appears Spurs are casting their net far and wide, with Carvalho the latest man to be linked with a switch to north London.

Transfer20 claim that along with the likes of Leeds United and Leicester, Jose Mourinho’s side are keeping tabs on the Portugal international’s long-term future at Betis.

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The report adds that whilst Carvalho is unlikely to force a move this summer, he does remain an asset that could bring in some much-needed cash to the Spanish side.

Cristiano Ronaldo wanted him at Real Madrid

Carvalho’s name is one that has dominated the transfer headlines for a number of years now, particularly since his time at Sporting CP.

Such was the early promise that he showed that reports back in 2017 claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo had urged Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to bring his Portuguese compatriot to the Santiago Bernabeu as he was impressed with his versatility and deemed him to be a good fit.

His former Portugal teammate Tiago raved about Carvalho’s abilities as an anchor man, saying: “He’s an amazing player with fantastic passing ability for such a strong holding midfielder.” And after watching his performance in a EURO 2016 clash against Austria, Rio Ferdinand lauded him as a “giant” with a “calmness” on the ball.

If Spurs feel like they are getting priced out of a move for Hojbjerg by Southampton, then they can do a lot worse than going after the 6 foot 2 Carvalho this summer.

أعلن ناثان آكي، لاعب مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، وفاة والده، عقب لحظات من تسجيله أول أهدافه في منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسجل آكي الهدف الأول لمانشستر سيتي أمام لايبزيج الألماني، في الدقيقة 16 من عمر المباراة بالجولة الأولى في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وعبر حسابه الرسمي على موقع “إنستجرام”، كتب آكي: “كانت الأسابيع القليلة الماضية هي الأصعب في حياتي، كان والدي مريضًا جدًا ولم يكن هناك المزيد من العلاج، كنت محظوظًا لأنني تلقيت الكثير من الدعم من عائلتي وأصدقائي”.

وأضاف: “أمس، بعد وقت صعب سجلت فيه أول أهدافي في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وبعد دقائق قليلة فقط رحل والدي بسلام، وكانت والدتي وشقيقي بجانبه، ربما كان ذلك مقصودًا”.

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وأتم آكي: “مشاهدتي ألعب دائمًا تجعله يشعر بالفخر والسعادة، أعلم أنك معي دائمًا، وستظل دائمًا في قلبي، وكان هذا من أجلك يا أبي”.

يُذكر أن مانشستر سيتي حقق فوزًا كبيرًا أمام لايبزيج وحسم المباراة لصالحه بالفوز بنتيجة (6-3). أهداف مباراة مانشستر سيتي ولايبزيج

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With the likes of Willian and Jan Vertonghen out of contract this summer, there has been plenty of speculation about where the two of them may end up.

Both players have been impressive Premier League operators throughout their careers and as a result there seems to be no shortage of suitors.

Vertonghen is said to be currently assessing his options, while there seems to be a tug of war between Chelsea’s rivals over Willian.

While both have undoubtedly been good servants to their clubs, it remains to be seen how a move to a close rival would affect their relationship with the fans.

They would not be the first players to cross the divide between two of England’s big clubs though, with a number of big names choosing to join a direct rival during the Premier League era.

Here, we look at 20 players who risked their status at their former club by joining another top-six club directly…

Sol Campbell

After more than 250 league appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, Campbell did the unthinkable in 2001 by crossing the North London divide to join Arsenal. The defender went on to win two titles at the Gunners but his reputation among Spurs fans was forever damaged.

Ashley Cole

A player that came through the academy at Arsenal, the club developed Cole into one the best left-backs in the world. However, this attracted the attention of newly rich Chelsea and their boss Jose Mourinho, who sealed a deal to sign Cole in the summer of 2006.

William Gallas

A player who crossed the divide twice, Gallas was a makeweight in the deal that saw Cole to join Chelsea. He went onto become Arsenal captain but is best remembered for his outburst at Birmingham City and was sold to Spurs in 2010.

Joe Cole

A supremely talented footballer, Cole arrived at Chelsea at the start of the Roman Abramovich era and ended up winning plenty of honours with the club. However, his career was cruelly blighted by injury and in 2010 he joined Liverpool.

Teddy Sheringham

Another player who swapped one big six team for another twice, Sheringham joined Manchester United in 1997 after an impressive spell with Spurs. His time at Old Trafford is best remembered for his part in the 1999 European Cup win, but two seasons later he returned to White Hart Lane.

Danny Welbeck

With Arsenal in need of a forward, they made a deadline day move for Welbeck in 2014. The United academy graduate completed the move and spent five years at the Gunners, although his game time was sadly limited due to injury.

Kyle Walker

Walker’s Spurs career was a slow burn after his move from Sheffield United, but the right-back really came into his own under Mauricio Pochettino. His improvement was clearly noticed and in 2017, Pep Guardiola paid a record fee for a full-back to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.

Kolo Toure

One of Arsene Wenger’s greatest finds, Toure was signed as a midfielder but converted into a speedy centre-back by the Frenchman. His transformation was so impressive that in 2009, the big spending Manchester City spent £14m to bring him to the Etihad. Toure would repeat the feat a few years later too when he moved to Liverpool.

Emmanuel Adebayor

After an impressive goalscoring season for Arsenal during the 2007-08 campaign attention around Adebayor reached fever pitch, but a move was blocked by Wenger. However, that did not stop the Togo international leaving the club the following summer for City. After three years at City, Adebayor moved onto the Gunners arch rivals Spurs.

Michael Carrick

Arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2006 after making his name at Spurs, Carrick’s United career was a slow burn. However, he slowing gained more respect for his displays and after a 12-year spell at the club he joined the coaching staff.

Robbie Keane

Another player who made more than one move between top six clubs, Keane joined Liverpool in 2008 in what looked like a canny piece of business at the time. However, things did not work out and he returned less than a year later.

Nemanja Matic

A player who excelled at Chelsea under Mourinho, the Portuguese boss than brought him with him when he became United boss. The former Chelsea boss paid £40m for the Serbian who remains a part of the team today.

Raheem Sterling

After making his name at Liverpool with some fantastic performances during their ill-fated 2013-14 Premier League campaign, Sterling became one of the most sought after young players in the division. The following summer City paid £49m for his signature and he has since developed into one of the league’s best players.

Robin van Persie

With much of his Arsenal career disrupted by injury, Van Persie finally got a good run of game during the 2011-12 campaign and scored 30 league goals. That summer though he left for United and won his first Premier League title, bagging 26 league goals in the process.

David Luiz

After Laurent Koscielny left the Gunners right at the end of the summer of 2019, the club swooped to secure Luiz, who looked to be out favour under Frank Lampard. The move has been moderately successful so far, with Luiz finding some good form under Mikel Arteta.

Gael Clichy

Another Arsenal player who jumped ship, Clichy joined City in the summer of 2011 as the Gunners’ squad was slowly dismantled.

Samir Nasri

Like Clichy, Nasri swapped the Emirates for the Etihad in the summer of 2011 after his best season to date for the Gunners. The Frenchman started life in Manchester well, but has seen his career derailed in recent years.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Another Arsenal man who jumped ship, Oxlade-Chamberlain was a year out from his contract expiring and chose to join Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. A player of great ability, he has been held back by injury.

Fernando Torres

Torres shocked everyone when he swapped Liverpool for Chelsea in a move worth £50m in January 2011. The move famously failed to work out and Torres’ has not been able to find his best form since.

Bacary Sagna

A reliable defender, Sagna left Arsenal in 2014 on the expiration of his contract to join City to join up with former teammate Clichy.

ألمح المدرب الفرنسي، زين الدين زيدان، المدير الفني لنادي ريال مدريد، بشكل واضح هذه المرة، إلى أنه سيرحل عن الملكي، مع نهاية الموسم الجاري، خلال حديثه لوسائل الإعلام قبل مباراة فياريال في الدوري الإسباني.

ريال مدريد يستقبل فياريال غدًا السبت، على ملعب “ألفريدو دي ستيفانو”، ضمن لقاءات الجولة الثامنة والثلاثين والأخيرة من الليجا.

العديد من وسائل الإعلام ذكرت أنّ زيدان اتخذ قرارًا بالرحيل وسيُعلن ذلك عقب نهاية الموسم، وهو ما ألمح إليه المدرب الفرنسي.

وقال زيدان: “غدًا بالنسبة لنا سيكون يوماً خاصاً، إنها آخر مباراة في الدوري، مررنا بالكثير من الصعوبات، سنلعب ضد فريق صعب، وقوي ويؤدي أداءً جيدًا للغاية، سنسعى جاهدين للحصول على النقاط الثلاث”.

وبسؤاله “ما هو الأسهل بالنسبة لـ ريال مدريد أنّ يكون بطلًا أم أنّ يستمر زيدان؟”، أجاب: “أهم شيء هو الفريق، مباراة الغد وما نريد تحقيقه، إنها الحقيقة بالنسبة لنا، فقط التركيز في مباراة الغد مع كل شيء حدث هذا العام، نحن خلال 90 دقيقة سنظهر بمستوى عالٍ للغاية للحصول على لقب الدوري”.

وردًا على “هل تُخطط للتحدث مع النادي حول قرارك قبل المباراة؟”، أجاب: “لا، الشيء المهم ليس ما سأفعله، ولكن الأهم الفريق، أنا أكرر نفسي، أنا آسف ولكن لا توجد إجابة”.

وبسؤاله “هل اتخذت قرارًا؟”، أجاب: “نفس السؤال!، لن أجيب على ذلك، غدًا سنلعب مباراة هامة وهذا ما يهمنا”.

وعندما سُئل “هل اتخذت بالفعل قرارًا بشأن استمراريتك؟” قال: “مرة أخرى!، نحن سنلعب غدًا، هذا هو الشيء المهم، لدينا الوقت للحديث عن ذلك؛ هذا ليس الوقت المُناسب للحديث عن أشياء أخرى، يجب أنّ نبذل كل طاقتنا غدًا من أجل المباراة بعد 37 جولة، نحن لن نضيع الوقت للحديث عن العام المقبل، نركز فقط على مباراة الغد”.

وأردف: “لقد عدت إلى ريال مدريد والجميع كانوا حنونين معي، وبالكثير من الطاقة أعطيت كل شيء، ريال مدريد هو أفضل شيء حدث لي في حياتي، وبالطبع يُمكن أنّ يكون الفريق أفضل بدوني كمدرب، بالتأكيد دون شك، نحن محظوظون لأننا في هذا النادي، أستفيد من كل لحظة، بعد موسم مثل هذا سنكون بحاجة إلى الراحة قليلًا”.

وتابع: “أنا أحب لاعبي فريقي كثيرًا، لقد أنقذوني في الملعب، بمعنى أنهم قدموا دائمًا كل شيء في كل مباراة”.

وأكمل: “هُناك وقت انتقدتموني فيه كثيرًا، وهذا جزء من كرة القدم، طلبت منهم التركيز والعمل أكثر، لقد حاولنا جمعيًا تغيير الأوضاع، والآن في المباراة الأخيرة سنقدم أقصى حد”.

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واسترسل: “لا يُمكن إلقاء اللوم على لاعبي فريقي إذا فشلنا في الفوز باللقب، لقد أصيب الكثيرون بـ كوفيد، وكانت هُناك أشياء كثيرة، لقد حاولنا دائمًا القيام بعمل أفضل معًا، أنا لدي نقد ذاتي، انتقد نفسي دائمًا، لا أحب الخسارة في حياتي، أقاتل وأبذل قصارى جهدي لتحقيق الفوز، وهذا ما يريده اللاعبون أيضًا”.

وبسؤاله “ما هو تقيمك للموسم مهما حدث؟”، أجاب: “في عام 2017 فزنا بالدوري في الجولة الأخيرة، ولهذا السبب فإن كرة القدم والدوري الإسباني جميلان للغاية”.

وأنهى: “هذا الموسم قدمنا كل ما لدينا، وفعلنا أفضل ما لدينا على أرض الملعب، سنرى غدًا ما إذا كان تقييمنا سيكون 10 أو 9.5، ونحن على ثقة أننا سنبذل قصارى جهدنا”.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Manchester United are interested in signing Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana.

What’s the word?

The Red Devils were linked with a number of goalkeepers over the summer transfer window due to the uncertainty surrounding David de Gea’s long-term future at the club. Reports had claimed the Spaniard could be set to leave the club, but in the end, the former Atletico Madrid man put pen to paper on a bumper new deal.

However, that development does not appear to have deterred from the Red Devils from pursuing another shot-stopper. According to De Telegraaf, United, PSG and Tottenham have contacted Onana’s agent, Albert Botines, in order to inform him of their transfer interest.

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The report claims Ajax would be looking to receive a fee in the region of €40m to €50m (£34.5m to £43.2m) for a player who is under contract in Amsterdam until the summer of 2022.

End of De Gea

If United do end up fending off competition for the signature of Onana, that could well spell the end of De Gea’s career at Old Trafford. Whilst the Spain international may have only recently signed a new deal, the Red Devils would be loathed to lavish big-money on a goalkeeper simply to be second-choice.

Indeed, the current United number one has arguably endured one of his worst spells at the club – last season he made four errors directly leading to goals, whilst this season he has similarly made some crucial mistakes like against Crystal Palace at home.

In Onana, United would be getting someone who is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet – akin to Ederson at Manchester City. As more and more sides look to play out from the back, the Cameroon international is the archetypal modern goalkeeper. The 23-year-old has an impressive pass accuracy of 77.3% in the Eredivisie this season, whilst De Gea averages just 68.5%.

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So whilst De Gea may be the man in between the sticks for now, if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side bring in Onana, they could have a goalkeeper to play for the next decade or so. It would mark the end of an era, albeit also the beginning of a new one.

Paul Pogba is a curious case. He is perhaps one of the most enigmatic men in world football and it’s highly unlikely that will ever change.

The water at Old Trafford may be clearer after Manchester United drew with league leaders Liverpool, but there are still huge questions marks lingering over the direction they are heading in under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The fact the former Cardiff manager has the job has been an ongoing debate all season and his shoddy record in charge must surely come to a head soon.

United have changed managers on a regular basis since Sir Alex Ferguson walked out the door but have they ever had someone so out of their depth since he departed? Probably not.

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The Norwegian is cult-hero in Manchester. Famed for scoring a Champions League-winning goal, United have arguably never been so far from winning English football’s most prestigious title in a long time.

Is that down to the manager? Yes. Is it down to the players? Yes. Ed Woodward must also take a large portion of responsibility.

It’s no secret the club have gone considerably downhill; the very fact Ashley Young is club captain attests to that.

But what if there was a brighter horizon? It seems difficult to picture but there could be a starkly contrasting future for both Pogba and the Red Devils.

It hinges on a new manager and one that the Frenchman was one of the best in the world under – Max Allegri.

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The manager who only recently relinquished the reigns in Turin has been linked with the United job and you’d have to dig deep to find a free agent with better credentials.

In Italy, Allegri won multiple titles and also took his side to a European final, all with Pogba in the team.

His record under the Italian in Serie A and beyond makes for rather pleasant reading.

Whether it was an outrageous goal shared across Twitter or a slick moment of ingenuity going viral on Vine, Pogba was your typical social media footballer at Juventus.

The things he could do with a football was sublime and that remarkable dipping and swerving effort he netted against Udinese was simply stupendous.

Rarely have we been treated to those moments in England, even if he did score 13 times in the Premier League last term.

That goes under the radar but the way he’s never really been able to settle makes it unsurprising he’s been the subject of interest from Real Madrid. Pictures have recently surfaced of him and Zinedine Zidane together so a departure may finally be on the cards. Only time will tell whether that is the case.

However, United would be foolish to let him slip through the net for a second time if Allegri is potentially on his way because he could transform Pogba’s time on British shores.

Playing in a more advanced role in a 3-5-2 formation with Mario Lemina and Sami Khedira beside him, one of his best games for the Old Lady came in a Turin derby in which he showcased his elite mentality, scoring a goal and assisting two in a 4-1 demolition.

Pogba was a regular big-game player in Italy. He claimed assists against Dortmund, Madrid and Man City in the Champions League while scoring versus Bayern Munich too.

As for league action, the dynamic France international laid on strikes against Roma, Milan and Fiorentina during his two years under Allegri.

He was sublime when it came to tackling and creativity, making 168 of the former across league and European fixtures.

With that in mind, is it really any surprise his technique and physicality have been described as “extraordinary” by Allegri.

The Italian has given him glowing plaudits, even praising his maturity at the World Cup.

Pogba was still very much a raw talent under the stewardship of his former boss but now he’s grown up the combination of the two could prove even better. That’s a scary prospect.

Man United long for Pogba in full stride and they could finally discover that if Allegri walks through the door.

The Red Devils have his career in the palm of their hands. What happens next could be down to one or two simple decisions.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Liverpool are reportedly battling with Merseyside rivals Everton to sign Wigan prospect Joe Gelhardt.

What’s the story?

According to TEAMtalk, the 17 year-old forward has attracted interest from many top clubs with his showings so far this season.

He has already made four appearances for the senior side this campaign, scoring once despite being on the pitch for just 73 minutes in total.

The report claims the teenager will be left to decide between the red and blue half of Merseyside, with a vacancy opening up in Liverpool’s under-23 squad after the departure of Bobby Duncan.

Polar opposites

Could there have been a more ridiculous way to leave a club than Duncan’s exit at the start of September?

The striker’s agent had a public spat with Reds legend Jamie Carragher on Twitter, accused the club of “mentally bullying” his client and even took a swipe at sporting director Michael Edwards.

Fiorentina’s gain was hardly Liverpool’s loss, as from the outside looking in it appeared to be nothing more than a young player throwing his toys out the pram because he wasn’t getting the money or first-team opportunities he thought he was worth.

Then you have Gelhardt, who for all intents and purposes seems to be the polar opposite of Duncan.

The teenager is paying his dues in the Championship, one of the most competitive and physically demanding leagues in the world, and Wigan manager Paul Cook’s comments about him after his first senior goal really say it all.

“He’s got that unique talent to find space in a telephone box,” he said. “He’s such a natural, good footballer. To get a goal like that in front of his own fans was a special moment.

“A lot of young footballers coming into the game are not very nice people. We’re just lucky to have a boy with his humility playing for us – the game is easy for him.

“He’ll be starting soon if he carries on like that. He’s a young boy that needs minding though. It’s a very special goal from a very special player.”

While only time will tell who is the superior talent, there is absolutely no doubt Liverpool would be receiving an upgrade in character by replacing Duncan with Gelhardt.