Newcastle United defender Sven Botman was dubbed “utterly embarrassing” after the role he played in Brentford’s third goal on another afternoon to forget for the Magpies on their travels.

Tierney took centre-stage, the former denying Brentford what looked a clear penalty for a foul by Dan Burn – instead booking Dango Ouattara for a dive – and the latter surprisingly agreeing.

But, lo and behold, a few minutes later when Ouattara went down again under Burn’s challenge, Attwell this time pointed to the spot and showed the hapless Burn a second yellow card.

Igor Thiago rolled in the penalty and added a third in stoppage time to condemn Newcastle to more misery on their travels on the fourth anniversary of Eddie Howe’s appointment as manager.

The big controversy erupted when Ouattara tumbled, Burn protested his innocence and Attwell waved away Brentford claims for a spot-kick and flashed the yellow card instead.

Replays showed Burn had clearly made contact with Ouattara’s foot before he went down but Tierney upheld Attwell’s decision, “minimal contact” was the official explanation.

Then came the reprise; Ouattara brought down again by Burn. This one was maybe less convincing, but Attwell pointed to the spot.

Sven Botman dubbed "utterly embarrassing" in Newcastle defeat

A lot of the blame will be put on Burn for his second yellow card and the penalty that he conceded as a result, but the rest of the Newcastle squad didn’t exactly enjoy excellent outings, either. Nick Woltemade came away with an assist, but largely struggled to make the ball stick for the Magpies going forward and Sven Botman looked a shadow of his best self.

At the centre of criticism, Sky Sports’ commentary team took aim at Botman after Thiago scored his second of the afternoon, saying: “Sven Botman, I don’t think he knows that Thiago is behind him, he thinks Ramsdale is coming, he stops running, it’s going to end a sorry afternoon this for the Geordies.”

The criticism didn’t end there, either. Newcastle reporter Joel Bland dubbed Botman “utterly embarrassing” for Brentford’s third and final goal – a verdict that is hard to dispute.

The Dutchman was all too casual before Thiago took full advantage to leave Newcastle on just three Premier League wins in their opening 10 games. Alan Shearer accused the Newcastle squad of being “lazy” when they lost 3-1 against West Ham United last week. Now, a week later, Botman has been accused of not running.

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3 ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2025

Whilst they continue to thrive in the Champions League, Newcastle remain in the bottom-half of England’s top tier following a disastrous start.

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

Scott McTominay has urged Napoli boss Antonio Conte to pursue reported interest in Kobbie Mainoo next month. McTominay is one of a number of former Manchester United outcasts currently shining in Naples, with Rasmus Hojlund and Romelu Lukaku also impressing for the defending Serie A champions. The Scottish midfielder has been instrumental for the Italian side since joining last summer.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  McTominay has thrived since leaving United

  The 28-year-old was named Serie A MVP for his instrumental role in Napoli's title triumph under Conte last season. McTominay has taken to Italian football like a duck to water and he's not the only former Manchester United star that has caught the eye for Conte's side.

  Lukaku, who spent two years with United, was also key for the Partenopei last season, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists as Napoli pipped Inter to the Scudetto. The Belgian is yet to play for Napoli this season, though this has presented Hojlund with the chance to shine in Italy after the Dane returned to Serie A on a season-long loan.

  And McTominay believes that Napoli should pursue a move for Kobbie Mainoo in the New Year as Conte's side challenge for the title once more. Mainoo has struggled for game time this season, registering just 138 minutes of league action, while his only start came in the EFL Cup defeat to Grimsby back in August.

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• 'He would fit straight in'

  Mainoo, who missed United's 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Saturday due to injury, had hoped to secure a summer move away from Old Trafford as he looked to garner regular minutes in a World Cup year. The youngster hasn't featured for England since coming on as a substitute against Ireland in the UEFA Nations League last September, however United's failure to bring in a midfielder, despite links with a move for Carlos Baleba, saw the club turn down the 20-year-old's request to leave earlier in the year.

  United are expected to bring in a new midfielder in January, with Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson among those on the club's radar, and a new body in the middle of the park would likely see Mainoo depart. And according to SunSport, a source close to McTominay has told Conte to sign Mainoo in the New Year.

  "Scott has been to see Conte and told him to get Kobbie. He’s told him all about his strengths and what an outstanding player he is. He knows all about him from his time at United and thinks he would be a great addition to the squad, whether it’s on loan or a permanent deal.

  "Kobbie has been brought up the right way at United having been in the academy since he was a little boy. He would fit straight in and give Napoli a boost."

• AFP
  

  De Bruyne injury may force Napoli's hand

  Napoli signed one central midfielder from the Premier League over the summer as Kevin De Bruyne made the move to Italy after his departure from Manchester City. The experienced Belgian has made an immediate impact for Conte's team but is unlikely to play again this year.

  That's because De Bruyne suffered a thigh injury after scoring a penalty in Napoli's 3-1 win over title rivals Inter last month. The 34-year-old has scored four league goals for Napoli following his arrival over the summer.

  De Bruyne's injury is likely to force Napoli into the market in January, with Mainoo already an established target for the Serie A giants.

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• Napoli gunning for top spot

  Napoli will hope to reclaim top spot in Serie A on Sunday afternoon as they take on Bologna at the Renato Dall'Ara. Conte's side dropped to second in Italy's top tier as AC Milan threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 draw with Parma on Saturday night.

  Elsewhere, Roma host Udinese and Inter welcome Lazio to San Siro on Sunday in an incredibly tight Serie A title race. Indeed, just one point separates the top four ahead of the final international break of the year.

A few months before they play their first game in Sacramento, the Athletics dished out the largest contract extension in franchise history.

Ken Rosenthal reported Monday night that slugger Brent Rooker agreed to sign a five-year contract extension worth $60 million. Per Jon Heyman of , the deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and can be worth up to $92 million over six years if incentives are met.

Rooker's new deal is the largest contract extension doled out in A's history in terms of average annual value ($12 million), edging out the $11 million mark that third baseman Eric Chavez landed in 2004 on his six-year contract extension worth $66 million.

The A's have built a reputation as one of the most frugal organizations in all of professional sports over the years, especially since owner John Fisher bought the franchise in 2005. But now that the A's are leaving Oakland and plan to play at least the next three seasons in Sacramento as their proposed Las Vegas ballpark is built, the team is finally starting to spend some money. Along with the Rooker deal, the A's signed right-handed pitcher Luis Severino to a three-year deal worth $67 million in December.

Rooker, the No. 35 pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 MLB draft, bounced around the big leagues from 2020 to '22 before finding a home in Oakland. He was named an All-Star in 2023 and batted .293/.365/.562 with a career-high 39 homers in 145 games last season.

After their shocking act in Game 4 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees on Oct. 29, two Yankees fans have formally received their punishment.

MLB has banned Austin Capobianco and John P. Hansen from all of its events in perpetuity after they interfered with Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts's attempt to catch a foul ball, it told WCBS-TV in New York Friday afternoon.

"Based on your conduct, Major League Baseball ("MLB") is banning you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices, and other facilities. You are also hereby banned indefinitely from attending any events sponsored by or associated with MLB," the league said in a statement. "Please be advised that if you are discovered at any MLB property or event, you will be removed from the premises and subject to arrest for trespass."

In the first inning of Game 4, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres fouled a 1-0 Ben Casparius pitch down the right field line. As Betts jumped for the ball, Capobianco and Hansen attempted to jostle it out of his hands; umpires alertly called Torres out. The fans were ejected from the game and later banned from attending Game 5.

New York went on to win the game, but went on to lose the series in five games.

Middlesex teenager Sebastian Morgan narrowly misses maiden career hundred after sharing 179 stand with his captain

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Gloucestershire 146 for 3 (Charlesworth 63) trail Middlesex 634 for 9 dec (du Plooy 263*, Morgan 97, Cracknell 64, Singh Dale 5-108) by 488 runsTeenage tailender Sebastian Morgan narrowly missed out on a maiden career hundred as Middlesex racked up the joint fifth-highest total in their history against Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Morgan, who turned 18 last month and is making his third first-class appearance, was out for 97 after sharing a partnership of 179 with his captain Leus du Plooy – a county record for the eighth wicket against Gloucestershire – to help Middlesex amass 634 for 9 declared.Du Plooy also posted his best first-class score, an unbeaten 263, to put the visitors firmly under pressure in their final Rothesay County Championship game of the season, despite Ajeet Singh Dale’s return of 5 for 108.Gloucestershire openers Ben Charlesworth (63) and Joe Phillips (36) responded with a century stand before three wickets fell for eight runs, two of them to spinner Zafar Gohar against his former team.Singh Dale, stuck on four wickets since the previous afternoon in his farewell game for Gloucestershire, lost no more time in completing a five-for, with Joe Cracknell taken low at slip for 64 in the seamer’s first over of the morning.He might have claimed a sixth victim soon afterwards when former team-mate Gohar swished outside off stump, but this time slip fielder Ollie Price could not cling onto the chance.It was spinner Graeme van Buuren who eventually removed Gohar, dragging on from a long way outside off stump and his dismissal seemed to dispel any Middlesex thoughts of making a dart for a fifth batting bonus point.Instead, Du Plooy sidled towards 200 while Morgan kept the scoreboard ticking along with an early brace of sweetly-struck fours off Marchant de Lange and went on to dominate the partnership.Du Plooy eventually emerged from his shell, charging down the track to drive Price over the top for four to seal his double ton from 294 balls, while Morgan’s half-century arrived soon afterwards courtesy of a leg-side clip to the fence off Singh Dale.Despite a spell of playing and missing to Matt Taylor just after lunch – and a return chance on 72 that De Lange was unable to grab – the teenager continued to flourish, expanding his repertoire to include a slog sweep and reverse sweep.Both were productive against Gloucestershire’s spinners, with a six off Jack Taylor ushering the total past the 600 mark shortly after identical tactics by Du Plooy had lifted his personal score beyond 250.But Morgan’s decision to attempt another reverse sweep against Price proved his undoing as he overbalanced while James Bracey took off the bails and, after a quickfire 19 by Toby Roland-Jones, the declaration soon followed.That left Phillips and Charlesworth to navigate 10 overs until tea and they did so with little cause for concern, the left-hander looking strong off his pads as well as punching Roland-Jones for two cover boundaries.Successive fours off Noah Cornwell took Charlesworth along to 50 at just under a run a ball and he continued on the offensive, using his feet and dispatching Gohar over the top twice in an over.Phillips gained a life when Roland-Jones found the edge, only for Sam Robson – diving across from slip – to shell the chance, but the seamer did achieve a breakthrough in his next over as Charlesworth tried to cut and Cracknell snared a tumbling catch behind the stumps.Gohar then struck twice in quick succession, pinning Phillips lbw before a looping bat-pad catch accounted for Miles Hammond, but Price and Bracey guided Gloucestershire to the close with another 339 needed to save the follow-on.

A win will take Afghanistan to the top of the Group B points table

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-20252:26

Abhinav Mukund impressed by Afghanistan’s on-field trial

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat against Afghanistan in their Asia Cup clash in Abu Dhabi.Bangladesh captain Litton Das said the pitch looked a bit on the slow side, despite the Abu Dhabi surface having been better for batting recently. Rashid Khan said Afghanistan would have liked to bat first as well.Bangladesh made four changes with Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed coming in. Mahedi Hasan, Pervez Hossain Emon, Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan missed out. Afghanistan, meanwhile, named an unchanged XI.Related

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A win for Afghanistan On Tuesday will take them to the top of the Group B points table.Bangladesh: 1 Tanzid Hasan Tamim, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Nurul Hasan, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Shamim Hossain, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedAfghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sediqullah Atal, 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Karim Janat, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Everton’s stance on selling Tim Iroegbunam in the January transfer window has now been revealed, amid a key decision from manager David Moyes.

Moyes has implemented a 4-2-3-1 system with two holding midfielders this season, giving the likes of Kieran Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye licence to push forward, with the former grabbing his second assist of the campaign against Fulham prior to the international break.

Idirissa Gueye has remained one of the first names on the team sheet, despite being 36-years-old, finding the back of the net in the 2-0 victory against the Cottagers, but Moyes has been unable to settle on a regular partner for the defensive midfielder.

James Garner has predominantly been given the nod, but the Toffees boss has also used the Englishman at right-back, meaning Iroegbunam has slotted in alongside Gueye intermittently, making eight appearances in the Premier League so far this season.

However, there has now been a significant update on the midfielder’s future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, having seemingly not done enough to impress Moyes…

Everton planning to accept January offers for Tim Iroegbunam

According to a report from Football Insider, Everton are now planning to accept offers for Iroegbunam in the January transfer window, with Moyes making the decision that he is no longer a key part of his future plans.

The Toffees may even be willing to take a loss on the midfielder, who arrived from Aston Villa for a fee of around £9m back in 2024, such is their desire to get him off the books, while the Merseyside club could also sanction a loan move.

Gueye and Garner’s promising start to the campaign has meant the former Villa man has often been limited to appearances as a substitute, with Moyes perhaps not as fond of the central midfielder as former manager Sean Dyche.

Speaking after the EFL Cup victory against Doncaster Rovers last season, Dyche said: “Tim’s slightly different [to the new signings] because he’s had a full pre-season, I think he’s been different class. I think his equivalent minutes in the Premier League last season was about two games so to be having a full pre-season and to be doing what he’s doing – I’m very pleased with that.”

However, it may be a little early to cash-in on the 22-year-old, given that he is still very young, and has impressed from both an attacking and defensive point of view when given the opportunity over the past year.

Tim Iroegbunam’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Assists

0.34 (99th percentile)

Tackles

3.38 (97th percentile)

Interceptions

2.54 (99th percentile)

Blocks

3.38 (98th percentile)

Iroegbunam may need a consistent run in the starting XI to prove himself, and with Garner moving to right-back against Fulham, he may have a chance to save his Everton career over the next month and a half.

Everton exploring move for James Ward-Prowse amid Tim Iroegbunam uncertainty Everton now exploring Ward-Prowse move with January exit expected

The midfielder desperately needs a winter move.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph in the 2024/25 campaign allowed numerous players to write themselves into the club’s history books forever.

The Lilywhites ended their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware, and did so in tremendous fashion after defeating fellow Premier League side Manchester United in Bilbao.

Ange Postecoglou handed the fanbase memories to last a lifetime with the triumph, but it wasn’t enough to maintain his position as manager in North London.

Thomas Frank was elected as the man to take the reins during the summer, with the Dane handed the responsibility of taking the club to the next level after the European success.

However, his appointment has prevented numerous players from kicking on in their careers, with the first-team members often struggling to replicate the form they demonstrated under the Aussie.

The biggest losers from Thomas Frank's appointment at Spurs

Yves Bissouma was often one of Postecoglou’s first names on the teamsheet during the 2024/25 campaign, as seen by his tally of 44 appearances across all competitions.

The Malian international featured in 11 of the 15 club’s European outings last campaign, but it’s safe to say his spell under Frank has been far from successful to date.

He was left out of the club’s UEFA Super Cup final after being late numerous times, resulting in missing out on the club’s Premier League squad for the current 2025/26 campaign.

However, he’s not alone in that regard, with Brennan Johnson one of the Lilywhites’ most important players in the previous campaign, as seen by his phenomenal goalscoring record.

The Welshman scored 18 times across all competitions – even netting the winner in the Europa League final – subsequently ending the year as the club’s top goalscorer.

Like Bissouma, he’s struggled for consistency this time around, with the 24-year-old only starting five league games out of a possible 11 since Frank took charge in the summer.

Mohammed Kudus’ arrival has no doubt pushed him down the pecking order, with the manager seemingly preferring the Ghanaian international over him at present.

Spurs star is no longer "one of the best in the world"

Spurs’ £120m spending spree during the summer window has made competition for places even tougher in 2025/26, with the first-team now having incredible depth in certain areas of the squad.

Given the number of competitions the Lilywhites are currently featuring in this season, it’s crucial Frank has the ability to rotate and rest certain players when needed.

Competitions such as the Premier League and Champions League will likely take priority, which has seen numerous players have to settle for minutes off the bench as a result.

Djed Spence has taken his career in North London to the next level over the last couple of years, with the full-back taking advantage of the injury crisis last campaign.

The Englishman made himself a regular starter under Ange last campaign, which has resulted in the 25-year-old now becoming an international regular under Thomas Tuchel.

His starts at right-back has provided competition for Pedro Porro in such an area of the pitch, with the Spaniard often missing out from the starting eleven as a result in recent months.

The 26-year-old has become known for his ability in possession rather than out of it, with Spence the complete opposite and making him an excellent fit for Frank’s system.

In 2024/25, Porro registered nine assists across all competitions, the most in a single season since his move to England – resulting in one journalist labelling him the “best in the world”.

However, in the ongoing campaign, the full-back has only registered one assist to date – showcasing his struggles – with his underlying stats also a cause for concern.

He’s completed just 72% of the passes he’s attempted to date, with such a tally ranking him in the bottom 8% of all players in England’s top-flight this season.

Games played

11

Goals & assists

1

Passes completed

72%

Crosses completed

17%

Duels won

3.9

Times dribbled past

1.3

Fouls committed

1.3

Dribble success

42%

Porro’s crossing success has also taken a massive hit in recent months, as the Spaniard has only completed a total of 17% of his efforts as of the middle of November.

Out of possession, he’s struggled just as much, as seen by his tally of just 3.9 duels won per 90, with such a figure placing him in the bottom 25% of all defenders in the league.

His lack of defensive talent is also evident in his tally of being dribbled past 1.3 times per 90, which is higher than 82% of other full-backs in the division at present.

Such numbers will certainly be a cause for concern to the manager, especially given the quality of players such as Spence already on the books in North London.

Despite his form under Ange, Porro could now find himself on borrowed time in the near future, with the hierarchy potentially tempted to cash in on him and invest in other areas of the squad.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

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ByEthan Lamb Nov 19, 2025

Arne Slot will surely be under more intense pressure in the Liverpool hot seat if he cannot turn around his side’s disastrous Premier League form after the international break concludes.

Last season, the Merseyside giants romped home to the title, with a bumper 25 wins secured, having also only lost a meagre four games all campaign long.

Now, however, it’s a grim five defeats on the menu from 11 outings, with former Reds attacker Peter Crouch even stating that there must be “some serious question marks” as to whether the ex-Feyenoord boss should remain in the Anfield post for the long term, if the losses continue to stack up.

He does have the January transfer window on his side to try and arrest this slide, though, as Liverpool prepares to splash the big bucks again…

Where Liverpool could strengthen in 2026

The disappointing Reds are now eight points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, which has led many pundits to state that the reigning champions are in a crisis at the moment.

Still, uprooting to Anfield will be seen as an attractive next career step for many promising talents around the world.

One target includes AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit, as rumours persist that the £22.5m-rated midfielder is on their agenda.

Alongside Smit, Liverpool are also reportedly still keen on adding Marc Guehi to their ranks in January, after a failed summer move, as Crystal Palace brace for Liverpool to reignite a deal, despite their current bruised status.

Palace are not the only Premier League club that could be on the receiving end of Liverpool attempting to spend big to turn around their dismal fortunes, however, with TEAMtalk revealing – via their sources – that Slot’s men are favourites to land AFC Bournemouth superstar Antoine Semenyo, despite intense interest also popping up from Tottenham Hotspur.

The report goes on to state that a £65m release clause will be activated when the window opens, which has alerted both Liverpool and Thomas Frank’s outfit, with the Reds ready to meet that price to win themselves an explosive, Premier League-proven forward.

Liverpool desperately need some deadly firepower, having been burnt by deals for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak in the summer, as Slot and Co’s excessive spending – £415m to be exact – looks very rash.

Semenyo could well offer up some much-needed entertainment; therefore, with the Ghanaian also going down as Slot’s new Luis Diaz if a deal is secured, who was a departure in the summer, now overloaded with regret.

How Semenyo compares to Diaz

Diaz leaving Liverpool has certainly hurt the Reds more than they might have initially anticipated.

Of course, the lavish spending in the summer with Isak and Wirtz coming through the door was meant to see in the start of a new-look Liverpool attack, with Diaz discarded to Bayern Munich in the process.

Unfortunately, with the aforementioned pair regularly fluffing their lines and the revitalised Colombian already sitting pretty on 11 goals and five assists from 17 games in Bavaria, it does feel as if Liverpool have dropped a clanger getting rid of an attacker once branded as “unpredictable” and hard to contain at his Premier League best by ex-Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman.

Diaz blew hot and cold on English shores, hence his exit and Seaman’s unpredictable assessment, as 29 Premier League goals fell into his lap at Anfield. Semenyo is only three short of that amount right now for the Cherries, as another gung-ho, direct talent emerges that can wreak havoc at the peak of his powers.

Liverpool saw first-hand how blistering their £65m target can be at full pelt right at the start of the season when powering home that high-energy equaliser, with his Cherries teammate in Marcus Tavernier stating that he is “unplayable” when operating at his devastating best.

Thankfully, the goals and assists have followed in abundance, away from just simply bombing forward with pace to burn, with six goals and three assists in Premier League action alone this campaign, even resulting in Chris Waddle’s claiming that he’s currently “the best winger in the country.”

The similarities don’t just stop with their comparable styles, though, with both attacking stars in question also capable of being adaptable and malleable when needed, as seen in Semenyo swapping between left wing and right wing duties regularly for Andoni Iraola’s men.

Diaz would also happily oblige in this regard at Anfield, with eight goals even coming his way from a centre-forward spot for his ex-employers.

Semenyo will, further, hope he can replicate Diaz’s career at Anfield even more closely in lifting a Premier League title down the line, past the current slump in form.

Liverpool star is "the best finisher in the PL" and he's not even a forward

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Real Madrid have now set their sights on signing Dominik Szoboszlai in another blow for Liverpool, with the Reds working to set up obstacles to prevent the move.

It’s been a disastrous season for those at Anfield. After spending over £400m and breaking their transfer record twice to welcome Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, the Premier League champions have looked a shadow of their best. Sat as low as eighth as the November international break begins, the pressure is growing on Arne Slot for the first time in his Liverpool tenure.

Last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at the Etihad against Manchester City was another game in which Liverpool were physically outmatched, and that’s a major concern. That’s the one thing that they could never be accused of under Jurgen Klopp, but Slot’s technical side simply haven’t been able to compete out of possession.

Club legend Jamie Carragher shared a similar view on the Overlap Fan Debate, claiming that Slot’s attempts to build a more entertaining side have come just when the tide is changing in the Premier League.

It’s difficult to pick out many players who have still thrived for the Reds in recent months, but Szoboszlai is certainly one of them. He has had no trouble adjusting to this so-called new version of the Premier League and his form has not gone unnoticed.

Real Madrid now targeting Dominik Szoboszlai

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now targeting Szoboszlai in a move that could cost them as much as €80m (£71m). Given that they’re already linked with a move for Ibrahima Konate, it would be a major blow for the Reds if they lost their star midfielder alongside the Frenchman in 2026.

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Unlike in Konate’s case, however, Liverpool have handed Real Madrid an obstacle in the way of Szoboszlai’s signature in the form of his contract, which doesn’t expire until 2028, and have already opened talks over a new deal with the Hungary international.

Those at Anfield know more than most just how much the Spanish giants love a free deal, but it looks as though they’ll have no choice but to offer a premium fee if they want to sign the midfield star.

That said, after Slot dubbed Szoboszlai “unbelievable” back in August, it seems unlikely that he will be going anywhere anytime soon.

Liverpool star is quickly becoming their biggest "disaster" since Keita