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Liverpool are not the same team that they were last season. Quite literally. Many changes were rung before the 2025/26 campaign, and perhaps Arne Slot and co have bitten off more than they can chew as the Merseyside outfit struggle for fluency and form enough to secure

Forget the Premier League title. Liverpool are not stable enough, and they have too many holes across the backline. Defensively, it’s been a bit of a mess this year.

Liverpool did sign a centre-half last summer. In August, sporting director Richard Hughes wrapped up a £27m deal for Parma prospect Giovanni Leoni. The Italian is billed as one of the most talented young defenders in the world, but he ruptured his ACL on his Reds debut.

Loeni, 19, will be a key asset when he returns, but Liverpool cannot wait for reinforcements at the rear, with plans drawn ahead of the January transfer window, which is now upon us.

The latest on Liverpool's plans to sign a centre-back

Liverpool need a centre-back, with defensive mistakes and a lack of security and composure at the back forming the crux of the Anfield side’s problems.

It was a fantastic summer transfer window, but the failure to land Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace does appear to have come back to bite an imbalanced and discordant side.

Should Liverpool fail to secure Guehi’s signature at the end of the season (or in January), FSG have drawn plans to land Club Brugge rising star Joel Ordonez, with the Equadorian, 21, touted with a move to Merseyside last month.

Reports even stressed that the Reds are among the frontrunners, with Ordonez even described as “something remarkable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

After all, he scrubs up pretty cleanly against Virgil van Dijk; even if they play at different levels, it tells us something of the South American’s potential.

However, Liverpool remain intent on tying the struggling Ibrahima Konate down to a new deal, and with Leoni supposedly good enough to nail down a spot, the Reds may want to hold fire on their transfer plans, especially when one of the most exciting up-and-coming talents has quietly been secured.

Liverpool already have a future defensive superstar

As per transfer insider Ben Jacobs, Liverpool have agreed a deal with Austria Wien for the transfer of 17-year-old defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe at the end of the season.

The Austria youth international is a towering centre-back with a prodigious command of his technical faculties, already described as “one of the most exciting young talents” in his country by scout Jacek Kulig.

While he will be expected to link up with Rob Page’s U21 side, Ndukwe has made the bench on a number of occasions, and Slot has shown that he is willing to give young stars their debuts.

Youngest Liverpool Debutants under Arne Slot

Player

Competition

Age

Rio Ngumoha

FA Cup

16 yrs, 04 mths

Trey Nyoni

Carabao Cup

17 yrs, 04 mths

Trent Kone-Doherty

FA Cup

18 yrs, 07 mths

Giovanni Leoni

Carabao Cup

18 yrs, 09 mths

Amara Nallo

Champions League

18 yrs, 02 mths

Data via Transfermarkt

Hailed by journalist Bence Bocsak for his “really impressive” start to life on the major stage, the 6 foot 6 prospect is endowed with steely, snappy agility and natural prowess in the air.

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While Liverpool won’t want to overburden this young talent, he turns 18 in March and won’t arrive on Merseyside until the summer. And he’s got the right frame of character, having name-checked Van Dijk as his idol during an interview with Austrian television in October, also saying, “in five years I’ll be playing professionally in the Premier League.”

It looks like he’s on the fast-track with that one.

It is hardly out of the question that he could leapfrog a few and emulate Leoni by establishing himself in the senior side next season, perhaps allowin FSG to forget about an equally unpolished talent in Ordonez and maybe even Guehi too.

Related Their new Xabi Alonso: FSG want to sign £61m "cheat code" for Liverpool

Liverpool are in dire need of fresh quality amid a laborious campaign in Arne Slot’s system.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

2026 can’t come soon enough, with Manchester United rounding off a dismal 2025 in desperate fashion following Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The start of a new year provides the chance for Ruben Amorim and co to turn over a new leaf, however, with the start of the January window also marking the perfect time to implement such change.

As the recent stalemate showcased, the United boss must surely consign his much-maligned 3-4-3 set-up to the past, with the same also perhaps true of midfield struggler, Manuel Ugarte.

The Uruguayan – who ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles per 90, as per FBref – can’t be faulted for effort, but his quality in possession is sorely lacking, having also scored just twice since his arrival back in August 2024.

Reportedly given a dressing down by Amorim following last season’s Europa League final, the 24-year-old is already on borrowed time, with midfield replacements now in the works.

Man Utd lining up potential Ugarte replacement

The suggestion was that after the Bilbao showpiece in May, in which Ugarte was an unused substitute, he was targeted by Amorim for looking like a different player to the one he had coached at Sporting CP.

Is there truly any way back from such criticism? Well, if recent reports are to be believed, perhaps not, with United said to be open to offers for their £42m signing.

Turkish giants Galatasaray are among those believed to be ready to strike in January, bringing a possible end to a disappointing 18 months in Manchester for the ex-Paris Saint-Germain man.

In need of midfield depth, the Daily Mail has named Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher as one of the players on INEOS’ January shortlist, with the Red Devils said to have already made an enquiry regarding the Englishman over the summer.

The report suggests that the 25-year-old would be available for a fee of around £35m, with Diego Simeone’s side unlikely to sanction a loan exit for the former Chelsea man.

Why Gallagher could be the perfect January signing for United

If the Istanbul-based interest in Ugarte does ramp up in the near future, there is an argument to be made that the Wolves draw could have been his final outing for the club, not least with Kobbie Mainoo nearing a return to action.

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Unfancied by Erik ten Hag from the off, the defensive-minded asset appears to lack the quality required to thrive at the elite level, with scout Liam Canning suggesting that he “doesn’t even look like a Premier League footballer”.

Gallagher, while cast off by Chelsea in the same summer as Ugarte arrived in Manchester, has at least proven he can thrive in England’s top tier, with his final season at Stamford Bridge proving particularly fruitful.

Indeed, the eye-catching all-rounder scored and assisted 16 goals in all competitions in 2023/24, while even captaining the Blues on occasion, with it having been of some surprise when he was moved on by Todd Boehly and co that summer.

The midfield “machine”, as hailed by ex-teammate Moises Caicedo, had first truly caught the eye while on loan at Crystal Palace in 2021/22, registering 13 goals and assists for the Eagles across league and cup.

That box-crashing quality has again been evident in the Spanish capital, with Gallagher chalking up 14 goals and assists in 75 games for the LaLiga side, having creditably made himself a reliable presence under the enigmatic Simeone.

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Unlike Ugarte, who has scored just six senior career goals, there is an end product to Gallagher’s game, while he too compares favourably in a defensive sense, after ranking in the top 3% for interceptions.

Conor Gallagher – LaLiga record

Stat (*per game)

25/26

24/25

Games

18

32

Starts

4

19

Goals

2

3

Assists

0

3

Big chances created

1

1

Key passes*

0.2

0.4

Pass accuracy*

90%

87%

Total duels won*

2.1

49%

Recoveries*

1.8

3.3

Stats via Sofascore

He is the type of player that United seemingly need in the centre of the park, someone who can win the ball back in high areas and press effectively, as shown by how he ranks in the top 5% of LaLiga midfielders for tackles won in the final third.

It’s fair to say he isn’t the creative type, ranking in just the bottom 23% for assists and bottom 34% for shot-creating actions, but with Bruno Fernandes and Amad in tow, that burden is already being shouldered elsewhere on the pitch.

Simply put, having witnessed Ugarte toil for so long now, Amorim just needs a Premier League-proven talent to re-energise the midfield department.

Related Amorim must never start £470k-p/w Man Utd duo together again after Wolves

Manchester United rounded off 2025 with a typically limp performance at Old Trafford.

Posts ByRobbie Walls

Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been provisionally suspended under the ICC’s anti-doping code for testing positive for a banned substance. A sample taken from Yasir on November 13, when Pakistan played an ODI against England in Abu Dhabi, was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA’s prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents.While he is provisionally suspended, Yasir cannot play – or be involved in any capacity in – international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members. He can request for his B sample to be tested, and if that test does not confirm a positive result then the entire test will be considered negative and the suspension will be lifted with immediate effect.Yasir can also request for a hearing before an anti-doping tribunal through a written application that must be received by the anti-doping manager within 14 days. Should he want a hearing, Yasir must state in his application how he responds to the charge and his explanation for the same.Yasir, 29, has become a key member of the Pakistan team since debuting in Test cricket in October 2014. Currently ranked No. 4 in the Test bowlers rankings, he has 76 wickets from 12 Tests at 24.17. Forty-nine of those wickets have come in 2015, making him the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker overall this year till date.Pakistan’s next international assignment is a limited-overs tour of New Zealand in January.

Shoaib Akthar said he made a mistake ‘in the heat of the moment” when he hit Mohammad Asif and has apologised to him and his Pakistan team-mates for the dressing-room scuffle that saw him being sent home from South Africa. He vowed to make a comeback and said he was hopeful of playing in next month’s home series against South Africa.”I’m human and made a mistake in the heat of the moment,” Shoaib told , an Indian news channel. “Asif said something to me that made me lose my temper. I apologised to him, but I was very upset.”He asked the media not to paint him as a villain and said, “I’m feeling bad that two minutes of temper have ruined my comeback. Sometime you do things in a fit of temper. I will explain the situation to everyone and apologise. I will address a press conference and apologise for my actions. I will try and make it back for the series against South Africa next month.”He likened the incident to the headbutt by the French footballer, Zinedine Zidane, in the final of the World Cup in Germany last year and said what happened was not intentional.

Jhulan Goswami has room to celebrate after picking up the Special Award at the Castrol Awards in Mumbai © Getty Images

Jhulan Goswami, the fastest bowler in women’s cricket, has received the Castrol Special Award for her outstanding bowling on India’s recent tour of England.India lost the one-dayers, but claimed the Test series, the first time India have ever beaten England in a Test. It was in that match, the second Test at Taunton, that the player of the match Goswami became only the second Indian, and first woman, to take ten wickets in a Test on English soil.Goswami received her award at the ceremony in Mumbai on Friday. “I’m happy that we beat England on their home ground,” she told Rediff, “it was a really big win and a special one. It is really special that I played a part in it.”Success has not come easy. Women’s cricket demands heavy commitment from players, many of whom must juggle jobs and study, and Goswami’s dedication is no less significant. At the age of 15 she would get up at 4.30am to catch the train for a five-hour round trip of practising. “Many times I missed the train and used to reach late for practice; but I never lost heart.”Now aged 22, she feels there is still room for improvement in her game. “I am focusing on my accuracy.”

Rahul Dravid: ‘We have got to play good cricket, focus on ourselves and not worry about the opposition’ © Getty Images

India would emerge as the runaway winners if they play to their potential and not worry about Zimbabwe – their opponents – in the upcoming two-match Test series, according to Rahul Dravid, their vice-captain.”If we play good cricket, we should win,” Dravid said in the run-up to the first Test beginning on Tuesday. “We have got to play good cricket, focus on ourselves and not worry about the opposition. It is very important from our point of view to win the Tests against Zimbabwe and win them well.”Dravid acknowledged the quality of Heath Streak and Tatenda Taibu in the opposition ranks but also admitted that they knew little about the rest of Zimbabwe team. “Streak and Taibu have been around for a while, they have got some experience. But, to be honest, we don’t know much about the other cricketers.”Dravid felt the pitches at Bulawayo and Harare would be similar to the track they played in Mutare – against the Board President’s XI – over the weekend. In that respect, he believed the three-day warm up game was a good work-out for his side. “The track was a good wicket to bat on and was a bit slow. It was a similar kind of wicket we might get in Tests as well.”It was a good three days from our point of view,” he continued. “Anil [Kumble] bowled a good spell. For people like Balaji who have not played for a while, it was good to have a go in these conditions. In the end it was a good work-out.”Dravid also said that he was concerned over the way he was out bowled out four times in the tri-series. “It happens. Sometimes you do get out in the same fashion. But it’s pretty unusual to get out in the same way. There were different ways of getting bowled, also a couple of inside edges and a couple of misses. I am not really concerned about it. I will keep on improving.”

The defeat to India may still rankle but can Inzamam-ul-Haq’s side overcome Sri Lanka in the two-Test series?© AFP

The champagne might still be flowing in the Sri Lankan camp, after their resounding win in the final of the Paktel Cup, but the hangover time allotted was just three days. After strangling Pakistan’s run-chase with their masterful use of their part-time spinners, Sri Lanka get another shot at glory with the two-Test series beginning at Faisalabad tomorrow.Marvan Atapattu may be embroiled in a heated controversy with the selection committee, but he starts the series with a legacy to uphold. Arjuna Ranatunga’s men came back from the dead in 1995 to become the first team to win a series in Pakistan for nearly 15 years. That win triggered off a glittering period, with the 1996 World Cup triumph and victory in the one-off Test at The Oval in 1998 the highlights. Sri Lanka returned to Pakistan in 2000, this time under Sanath Jayasuriya, but the series result read just the same: 2-1 in their favour. Neither team has managed to win at home in the five series they have played over the last ten years. Home disadvantage will suit Sri Lanka just fine.But history and figures may not mean too much to Pakistan. Bob Woolmer will be in charge for the first time in a Test and there have been clear signs of revival in the one-day version. He expressed his disappointment over Saturday’s defeat when he spoke to a few journalists after practice. “It’s a shame to have lost in the final. It was very disappointing to see the team lose despite having the potential to turning the tide. In fact they should have won the tri-series.”More importantly, the scars of losing to India earlier in the year might not have healed and their batsmen will need to show more gumption than they did in March. Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami have shown the ability to produce shocks in bursts, but Woolmer would want the intensity sustained throughout the series. Pakistan are likely to open the batting with Yasir Hameed and Imran Farhat and both have a chance to show that promise, if persisted with, can deliver results when they matter.Sri Lanka will rely on their top four to get them the big scores, which would then enable the spinners to get stuck in. Thilan Samaraweera has managed to cross fifty just twice in his last 14 innings and Romesh Kaluwitharana can exhilarate and exasperate in a span of a few minutes. Either Thilina Kandamby or Jehan Mubarak are set to bat at No. 6. The bowling line-up, though, may not be as spin-dominated as earlier Sri Lankan teams, with Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando, both capable of making top-quality batsmen hop, backing up the canny Chaminda Vaas.The second Test will be played at Karachi, which will host a Test for the first time after May 2002 when New Zealand abandoned their tour midway. Karachi remains a Pakistani fortress where they have lost just one Test, when England pulled off an astonishing run-chase in the twilight in 2000. But Sri Lanka will fancy their chances to go one-up at Faisalabad. After a gritty showing in Australia, they overcame South Africa in a home series and have tasted success in two one-day tournaments in the subcontinent.And if Sri Lanka are in need of inspiration, they will do well to remember the squad of 1995, who levelled the series at Faisalabad and went on to win it soon after.Pakistan (probable) 1 Yasir Hameed, 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Asim Kamal, 4 Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Yousuf Youhana, 6 Abdul Razzaq, 7 Shoaib Malik, 8 Moin Khan (wk), 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Mohammad Sami, 11 Danish Kaneria.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Marvan Atapattu (capt), 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Jehan Mubarak, 7 Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), 8 Upul Chandana, 9 Chaminda Vaas, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Dilhara Fernando.

Hampshire host table topping Worcestershire at the Rose Bowl in the final Frizzell Championship match of the season at The Rose Bowl. Play on all 4 days start at the earlier September time of 10:30am.Simon Katich and Chaminda Vaas return for the match. Katich has recovered from his flu, Chaminda Vaas returns after being rested for the match at Taunton.Robin Smith is already ruled out for the remainder of the season, John Francis still suffering from shingles and Alan Mullally is still troubled with an ankle injury, but is expected to play in the National League match against Lancashire on Sunday (12:00 noon start).Hampshire Team: James Adams, Derek Kenway, Simon Katich, John Crawley (captain), Nic Pothas, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shaun Udal, Chaminda Vaas, Lawrence Prittipaul, Chris Tremlett and James Tomlinson.

Western Australia’s last batsman Brad Williams struck a six with two balls to spare to give the Warriors a stunning win over South Australia in their limited overs day-night cricket match at Adelaide Oval tonight.Chasing SA’s 7-235 from 50 overs, the Warriors passed the target, reaching 237 from 49.4 overs with just one wicket in hand.Williams came in with four runs required to win off the final four balls – with left-arm spinner Brad Young bowling – and failed to score off the first ball he faced.But he struck a massive six which easily cleared the mid-wicket boundary off the next ball to give WA the victory, which had looked highly unlikely at several stages throughout their innings.Openers Chris Rogers (39 from 53 balls) and Ryan Campbell (20 from 22 balls) got the Warriors off to a flying start to be 0-39 eight overs into the innings.They were particularly severe on SA debutant Matthew King, whose opening four over spell cost 32 runs, including 15 from his fourth over.But Mark Harrity replaced him and picked up the wicket of Campbell in his second over and then dismissed Rogers in his fourth over, on his way to 2-40 from 10 overs, while young paceman Paul Rofe conceded just 23 from his 10 overs at the other end.The required run-rate was up to almost six per over 28 overs into the innings and, when SA captain Darren Lehmann had WA counterpart Simon Katich stumped inthe 35th over, the Warriors were in deep trouble.The required rate was up to eight per over with 11 overs remaining with SA looking headed for victory.But Stuart Karppinen smashed 22 from 22 balls to keep WA in the match, with 12 coming from the 40th over the innings bowled by Mike Smith.Wickets fell steadily as the run-chase continued, but it did not slow the Warriors, with Smith conceding 16 runs in the 45th over.With three overs to go WA needed just 17 runs with three wickets in hand.Young trapped Marcus North (17 off 16 balls) lbw in the 48th over while conceding just four runs to make it 13 needed from two overs with two wickets remaining.Smith conceded seven runs in the 49th over to Brad Hogg and Matthew Nicholson, meaning just six runs were needed in Young’s last over.A wide on the first ball meant WA needed five off six balls, but Hogg was run out off the next ball, leaving Nicholson and Williams to score five runs from five balls.Nicholson scored a single, and Williams blocked the next ball straight back to Young, building the tension, before striking the killer blow with the next ball.Young finished with 4-55.Greg Blewett was named man of the match for his top score of 73 from 101 balls in SA’s innings.

Bangladesh wasted no time in racing to a seven wicket victory overNamibia in the Plate Championship of the under-19 World Cup at theUyanwatte stadium in Matara on Wednesday.Namibia were plainly outplayed. Put in to bat, they were shot out for57 in 28.3 overs. The fact that extras with 22 provided the top scoretells the sad tale of the Namibia innings. None of the batsmen reacheddouble digits with S Gericke top scoring with eight. Interestinglyenough, they were no ducks in the innings, Hannan Sarker was quiteunplayable as his final figures of 10-4-15-5 will illustrate.Bangladesh reached their easy target in only 11.1 overs as probablythe most lop sided encounter in the tournament came to a quick end.