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Players' union, FIFpro and top European leagues have made an official complaint against FIFA's "abusive" international match calendar.

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FIFPro file lawsuit against FIFAComplaint made against growing fixturesEuropean leagues also involved with FIFProFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

In the past few years, players and pundits have addressed the oversaturated football schedule frequently and it has become a major topic of discussion. Players such as Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois, and Rodri have opened up about the same over the last few months. The boards of FIFPro and European Leagues, the organisations that represent clubs in over 30 nations throughout Europe, agreed to pursue legal action in July.

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FIFpro has officially lodged a complaint against FIFA, targeting the expansions of both the FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA World Cup, which will grow to 32 teams in 2025 and 46 teams in 2026, respectively. The complaint argues that the extended football calendar violates European Union competition law, poses risks to player safety and well-being, and describes FIFA's actions as "abusive" and "unjustified."

WHAT FIFPRO EUROPE PRESIDENT SAID

Speaking to the media, FIFPro Europe president David Terrier said: "FIFA refuses to listen and engage with the players, the main labour resource of our industry, who are there on the pitch, creating a powerhouse of European and global entertainment culture, and pushing their bodies to the limit.

"But we have listened to our players, have received the same messages for a long period of time, that they are playing too much and do not have enough time to recover. Ahead of the worst season ever for workload, many have also decided to talk in public with the same message: enough is enough."

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GettyWHAT THE PREMIER LEAGUE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAID

Earlier this month, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: "It is getting to a tipping point. The feedback we have from players is that there is too much football being played and there is constant expansion.

"The Premier League hasn't changed shape. What has changed over the last few decades is the march of international and regional football competitions."

Sam Cook provides final-day breakthroughs to all but confirm Essex’s place at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network08-Sep-2020Unbeaten Essex all but confirmed their place in the Bob Willis Trophy final as South Group victors with an emphatic nine-wicket win over Middlesex.Sir Alastair Cook, Paul Walter and Tom Westley knocked off the 53 required in 13.5 overs, after wickets for Sam Cook (two), Aaron Beard and Simon Harmer, had bowled Middlesex out for 150.Essex’s place at Lord’s seemed to have been confirmed when Derbyshire failed to get a batting point in their North Group fixture against Lancashire, which was met by cheers from the Essex dressing room. It meant Derbyshire could only match Essex’s 90 points if they manage to win at Aigburth, but Essex’s superior win record would still take them through.However, due to the Covid-related abandonment of Northamptonshire’s match with Gloucestershire, the ECB may yet decide to use net run-rate rather than matches won to determine the finalists. Essex are currently top in that respect too, although a freakish set of final-day results, including a rapid Derbyshire run-chase at Aigburth could yet derail them*.Nevertheless, Essex will almost certainly face the winner of the Central Group – either Somerset or Worcestershire – for a five-day match starting on September 23 at Lord’s.Middlesex resumed with a slim lead of 25 runs, six wickets down, with the hope of the tail setting Essex a tricky fourth-innings chase.It didn’t pan out how they would have dreamed overnight; instead, Sam Cook’s fantasies were realised.The fast bowler, who had taken four wickets in the first innings, beat James Harris’ edge of the bat to uproot his off stump with his second ball of the morning, and he only needed another 13 balls to strangle Blake Cullen down the leg side, as the 18-year-old tickled through to wicketkeeper Adam Wheater – his first second-innings catch having pouched five earlier in the match.He thought Thilan Walallawita had top-edged a bouncer behind three balls later, but the umpire correctly adjudged the ball to have deflected off the batsman’s shoulder.Cook was replaced at the Hayes Close End by Beard, on the back of three wickets in 21 balls on day three, who also struck immediately. Walallawita saw his leg stump cartwheeling towards the River Can as Beard unleashed a yorker – the 22-year-old ended with career-best figures of 4 for 21.And in the next over, Tim Murtagh swung wildly and was stumped to hand leading wicket-taker Harmer his 34th scalp of the Bob Willis Trophy. Middlesex lost their last four wickets in just under 15 overs, as John Simpson was left unbeaten on 26 off 123 balls.That left Essex needing 53 to seal an 11th straight first-class victory at Chelmsford. Alastair Cook and Walter marched to 41 as both struck four boundaries apiece in what appeared to a procession to victory.Murtagh castled Cook to slow Essex, but Walter (20) clipped the winning runs off Nick Gubbins, who bowled his legspin while wearing a cap.”It has been a shorter season and given the format we knew we needed three or four wins to get to the final, so to win four out of five and the other was rained off? You can’t ask for much more,” said Anthony McGrath, Essex’s head coach.”We have carried on from last season; it has been unbelievable consistency from everyone, and now we can look forward to a Lord’s final. I was critical after the second day against Kent [the first game of the season] but since then we have been very good.”In hindsight, today looks good but at the time you never know in cricket. The guys were straight on it this morning with the early wickets. Porter and Harms tend to get the plaudits, so Sam Cook and Beard go under the radar a lot. The way Cook has bowled this year he could easily have another 15 wickets, while Beard’s spell really cracked the game open for us – he is improving all the time.”We are mathematically in the final so the guys can relax and get a bit of lunch now. To play a five-day final at Lord’s is special – you don’t tend to get that in red-ball cricket, and it might not happen again.”*Permutations correct to close on Day 3

David Capel, the former England allrounder and stalwart of Northamptonshire as player, captain and later coach, has died at the age of 57 following a long illness.Capel, who played 270 first-class matches for Northants between 1981 and 1998 as well as 300 List A games, enjoyed an unbroken 32-year association with the club. In 1999, he was appointed the club’s director of excellence in the wake of his retirement, and later succeeded Kepler Wessels as head coach in 2006.In 2018, the same year in which he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Capel was inducted into the club’s hall of fame – joining such illustrious club names as Frank Tyson, Colin Milburn, Allan Lamb and Bishan Bedi. It was due recognition for a player who, in 1987, became the first Northamptonshire-born cricketer to play for England since George Thompson in 1910.Capel played 15 Tests and 23 ODIs for England in a brief but eventful career, in which time he was saddled – as with several other players of the era – with the burden of stepping into Ian Botham’s shoes as an international allrounder.He did, however, play a part in a success that at the time had eluded even Botham, in England’s astonishing victory over West Indies in the first Test of their 1989-90 tour of the Caribbean – a result that remains one of the most remarkable upsets of all time.Selected as one of four seamers in a new-look England attack under Graham Gooch, Capel claimed 2 for 31 in West Indies’ first-innings 164. He would later be one of England’s not-out batsmen in the final moments of the third Test at Port-of-Spain, where England claim so close to securing a 2-0 series lead, only for rain and some controversial West Indies delaying tactics to deny them their final victory push.While Capel’s eventual Test averages of 15 with the bat and 50 with the ball told their own story, he did have a habit of getting the better of the great Viv Richards, whom he dismissed three times out of his total of 21 scalps.On Test debut against Pakistan at Headingley in 1987, Capel came to the crease with England reeling at 31 for 5, with Imran Khan and Wasim Akram on a roll. He responded with a gutsy half-century, and added a Test-best 98 against the same opponents in Karachi five months later. However, he never again passed 40 in Test cricket.Domestically, however, Capel remained an immense influence at Northants, for whom he scored 10,869 first-class runs and claimed 467 wickets. After joining the county staff as an apprentice in 1980, he made his debut against the touring Sri Lankans at Northampton in 1981 and claimed an illustrious first Championship victim the following summer against Yorkshire when he dismissed Geoffrey Boycott at Middlesborough.In limited-overs cricket Capel scored 6,274 runs and 237 wickets. He was named Man of the Match on five occasions including the NatWest Trophy semi-final against Leicestershire at Grace Road in 1987, in which he made 46 not out and claimed 3 for 43 in an 85-run win. He scored 97 off 110 balls against Yorkshire in the Benson and Hedges Cup final at Lord’s that same year, but finished on the losing side after Yorkshire’s Jim Love blocked the final ball of the match with the scores level, and secured the title on fewest wickets lost. “This is hugely shocking and sad news for the English Cricket family and particularly those connected with Northants CCC,” said Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive. “David was one of the finest allrounders of his era and spent an astonishing 33 years at Wantage Road.”I had the privilege of playing with David, a hugely competitive and determined cricketer who was never beaten – an attitude he took into his battle with his illness. A complex and private man on the surface, a kind and gentle one to those who knew him well. I will miss his friendship.”Following his departure from Northants in 2012, Capel remained actively involved in cricket, taking up a role as assistant coach to England women’s team in 2013. He went on to serve as Bangladesh women’s coach from 2016 to 2018.”Very sad to hear my former team mate passed from a long suffering illness,” wrote Lamb, Capel’s team-mate for Northants and England, on Twitter. “”David Capel all round person and a true gentlemen both on and off the field we are going to miss you buddy . RIP and condolences to your family.”

The vice-captain has been a success opening the innings but would be content in the middle order

Andrew McGlashan06-May-2020Australia Women’s vice-captain Rachael Haynes is willing to take on any role asked of her at next year’s ODI World Cup even it means giving up the opening position where she made her maiden century at the start of the last season.In three matches against Sri Lanka, which were the only ODIs Australia played during their summer as they focused on the T20 World Cup, Haynes scored 56, 118 and 63 while opening alongside Alyssa Healy, having initially returned to the team in 2017 in a middle-order capacity after a four-year absence.But whether she retains that role for the World Cup in New Zealand next year – an event that now has some doubt around it due to the Covid-19 pandemic – remains to be seen after national selector Shawn Flegler said he was not wedded to a particular combination at this stage.ALSO READ: Covid-19 crisis could force Australian players to be more self-reliantHaynes has an impressive record in a variety of roles, averaging 37.92 opening the batting and 33.13 at No. 5 where she has batted 17 times in ODIs.”Since I’ve come back into the team, especially in the ODI set-up, I’ve played different roles – had a role at the top of the order alongside Alyssa Healy and also through the middle as well,” Haynes said. “I don’t have my heart set on one position in particular but I certainly feel as a batter that’s what I bring, flexibility in terms of what Matthew [Mott] and Meg [Lanning] would like the line-up to look like.Rachael Haynes celebrates her maiden ODI century•Getty Images”We’ve got Ellyse Perry coming back from injury as well and by all accounts she’s tracking really well so that might come into the decision-making as well. From my point of view I’ll certainly fill whatever role Meg and Motty think is best for the team.”Beth Mooney opens alongside Healy in T20Is and added 115 for the first wicket in the T20 World Cup final against India. She averages 35.36 as an ODI opener but 47.89 in the middle-order roles at Nos. 5 and 6. It would appear that Meg Lanning and Perry are locked in for the three and four positions although Perry’s recovery from hamstring surgery may yet leave it tight for the ODI series against New Zealand in September should that go ahead as scheduled.”I don’t think it’s been 100% decided,” Flegler said of the batting order. “Beth Mooney has been unbelievable in domestic cricket and has a great record in T20 internationals for the past few years. Sophie Molineux is another option, we love the left-right combination. I think our No. 3 and No.4 with Meg and Ellyse, depending on when Ellyse comes back we might need to change it up a little.”Most of Australia’s focus last season was on the T20 World Cup, but if the pandemic allows next summer to go ahead as planned, a change of format does not necessarily mean a vast change in thinking.”We’ve had some great success in this format of the game. In terms of a game plan and how we take on that format, it doesn’t change too much,” Haynes said. “We want to make sure we’re nice and attacking and aggressive with bat or ball and take the game on.”That’s been our blueprint over the last couple of years and seen us have an enormous amount of success. So I’d definitely like our team to continue that and push what’s possible in terms of our game, the scores we can put out, and what we can defend as well.”

A European giant has reportedly made their move to sign a Celtic player this summer and are awaiting a response.

Celtic transfer rumours

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers are now in pole position to seal another Scottish Premiership title ahead of Rangers, however, away from the pitch, plans are already being made ahead of the transfer window.

It is believed that those at Parkhead want a new goalkeeper, winger and striker, with a replacement for the retiring Joe Hart at the top of the agenda.

Celtic have dream £110k-p/w transfer target they'd love to sign this summer

Brendan Rodgers’ side would have to break their transfer record to sign him.

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In regards to specific targets, a number of shot-stoppers have been linked with moves to Celtic, such as Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher, Trabzonspor's Ugurcan Cakir, Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson and Werder Bremen's Michael Zetterer.

There could also be some outgoings in Glasgow, though, and it looks as if one player may have received an offer.

Lazio make Rocco Vata move

According to reports from Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Lazio have now made a move for Celtic youngster Rocco Vata. It is claimed that they are awaiting a response over a potential cut-price transfer which could come at the end of the month or the beginning of May, with Vata currently set to be a free agent at the end of May.

Vata, who is still just 18 years of age, can play in a variety of attacking roles such as on either wing or as a second striker.

He’s scored 12 goals in 15 Lowland League games during the current campaign, while also making three senior appearances under Rodgers. In fact, Vata scored his first senior goal back in January in the 5-0 Scottish Cup win over Buckie Thistle.

The teenager appears to be catching the eye in Italy, and he also received praise from Rodgers back in pre-season, who called Vata "strong" and "quick".

“I remember Rocco as a young player when I was here last”, said Rodgers. “He’s developed physically. There are aspects of his game that he needs to work on to make the next jump but his attitude is good. “He’s strong, quick, he wants to score goals. There is lots of development he needs, if he’s willing to do that.”

Meanwhile, captain Callum McGregor said earlier this year: “He’s showing really good promise in the academy. He’s scored a few goals for the B team, which is great.

“Rocco has been around the first team since pre-season and he’s done great so hopefully he can recover from his injury. It’s great to see the guys coming, pushing and training with the first team.”

His long-term future in Scotland appears to be in doubt, though, following the update regarding Lazio's move, making this one to watch over the coming weeks.

Al-Ittihad are "pushing" to sign Al-Nassr star Sadio Mane after Karim Benzema expressed his desire to play alongside the Senegalese star.

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Al-Ittihad wants to sign ManeHave approached Al-NassrRonaldo could lose strike partnerWHAT HAPPENED?

Journalist Ben Jacobs reports that 2022-23 Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad have shown strong interest in signing former Liverpool star Mane in the ongoing transfer window. Al-Ittihad have already approached Al-Nassr with an offer and the two clubs are now negotiating the terms of the deal, which could come in the form of a permanent deal or a loan.

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Jacobs further claimed that Al-Ittihad decided to chase Mane after their star striker and former Real Madrid player Benzema expressed his desire to play alongside the Senegal international. He believes the winger's addition to the squad will help them challenge for the league title again in the upcoming 2024-25 season.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Mane had an impressive debut season in Saudi Arabia after arriving from Bayern Munich last summer. He appeared in 46 matches across all competitions for Al-Nassr where he scored 19 goals and provided eight assists. Mane's departure would be a big blow to his club as he had built a solid attacking partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR Al-NASSR?

After suffering a heartbreaking loss in the Saudi Super Cup final against Al-Hilal, Ronaldo and his colleagues will be back in action on Thursday as they take on Al-Raed in their Saudi Pro League opener.

Daniel Farke has hailed the Leeds United academy for yet another gem on the cusp of the first team ahead of Leeds' trip to Coventry City this weekend.

Leeds chasing greatness despite injury troubles

Most seasons, 90 points would be enough to secure automatic promotion from the Championship back into the English top flight, but this is no ordinary season. As it stands, Leeds sit on 86 points with six games left to play, but face the very real possibility of having to make do with a play-off spot come the end of the campaign.

A point behind Ipswich Town, they are also only a point ahead of Leicester City, but crucially the Foxes have a game in hand on their Championship rivals.

The Championship end of season run-in

Ipswich Town

Leeds United

Leicester City

Norwich City (A)

Coventry City (A)

Birmingham (H)

Watford (H)

Sunderland (H)

Millwall (A)

Middlesbrough (H)

Blackburn Rovers (H)

Plymouth (A)

Hull City (A)

Middlesbrough (A)

West Brom (H)

Coventry (A)

QPR (A)

Southampton (H)

Huddersfield (H)

Southampton (H)

Preston (A)

N/A

N/A

Blackburn (H)

With none of the three sides locking horns again before the end of the campaign, they will all be relying on each other to drop points against other sides in the Championship, but one will certainly find themselves among the sides in the play-offs come the end of the campaign.

It is likely to set a new record too. 90 points is the highest number any side has achieved without automatic promotion, with that honour going to Sunderland in 1998. With third-placed Leicester needing just five points from seven games to hit that mark, it seems certain that one side will become the new owners of that unfortunate landmark.

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Young talents – the likes of Archie Gray and Mateo Joseph – have helped breathe life into a Leeds side that has been weakened by injuries to key players throughout the campaign, and Farke has excited fans by vowing that another sensation is on the way, even if he isn't quite ready yet.

Midfield maestro waiting in the wings

Ahead of his side's clash with Coventry City at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday, Farke was quizzed on the make-up of his midfield and specifically the injury timeframe for influential Ilia Gruev, who has missed the last two games with a swollen ankle.

Though he waxed lyrical about the Bulgarian, the German boss also dropped a hint that will excite Leeds fans over young midfielder Charlie Crew.

"Charlie Crew plays in a similar role, perhaps a bit more offensive but due to his age he can’t fulfil the role Ilia has done", he explained. "You can’t dictate the rhythm of a side wanting promotion on the back of a few first-team training sessions but he’s a talent full of potential. We try to improve him.

"We see him as a high potential young player, there’s a long way to go, you can’t take it for granted a 17 year old plays day in day out like Archie. It would be unfair to put the same weight of expectations on Charlie Crew’s shoulders."

Crew has been a key cog for the youth set up at Leeds this season, with the teenager appearing 17 times in Premier League 2. Though he may not be ready to be thrown into a Championship promotion battle, Leeds fans will certainly be happy to hear Farke talk about him in such glowing terms.

Sunderland continue to be plagued by issues at the back, with Mike Dodds unable to find a consistent starter at left-back alongside having Luke O'Nien out of action for the Queens Park Rangers clash.

Versatile January recruit Callum Styles was given a start down the left-hand flank in the 0-0 draw against the visitors from West London last time out as a result, whilst Leo Hjelde – who was meant to be the answer to their woes on the left with Niall Huggins and Dennis Cirkin sidelined – awkwardly slotted into the heart of defence.

To stop Dodds reshuffling with the back four constantly at the Stadium of Light, the interim Black Cats boss could opt to give one exciting youngster some minutes in the first-team fold soon.

It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the 37-year-old coach to catapult this starlet into the senior mix, with Chris Rigg finding his chances increase since Dodds took over the temporary reins.

Oliver Bainbridge's statistics at youth level

The Wearside outfit will keep their fingers crossed that 18-year-old Oliver Bainbridge is next on the conveyer belt of young gems who can make the jump up to the men's side, with the teenager tipped to have a big future at the Stadium of Light.

Described as being a "strong" defender by Academy manager Robin Nicholls, when putting pen to paper on a new contract last year, Bainbridge has shone at youth level for Sunderland for some time now.

Bainbridge has notched up 70 appearances in the youth ranks at the Black Cats, with the 18-year-old proving himself to be a confident finisher even whilst playing at left-back over four seasons.

From 16 games in the U18 Premier League last campaign, Bainbridge would help himself to six goals from 16 appearances whilst his efforts this season in the U21 age bracket has seen him pick up two assists from 11 Premier League 2 contests.

It's resulted in the likes of Everton taking a keen interest in how Bainbridge is developing on Wearside, as has been reported by Alan Nixon.

Sunderland, despite their poor 12th placed standing in the Championship currently, will still strive to keep their promising starlet around and could well begin to integrate him into lineups slowly but surely to see how he copes with the hustle and bustle of the second tier.

Oliver Bainbridge's future at Sunderland

Bainbridge will be encouraged by Sunderland's reputation at giving youngsters chances to shine in the first-team fold, with Dan Neil once just a wide-eyed academy product aiming to make it big at the Stadium of Light alongside 16-year-old Rigg.

The 18-year-old could find that he's thrust into the spotlight sooner than he thinks, having made up the numbers on the substitutes bench against QPR last game watching the likes of Neil and Rigg play with a slight inkling of jealousy.

Hjelde will know he needs to up his performance levels with Bainbridge breathing down his neck now, the ex-Leeds United man shaky against Martí Cifuentes' visitors.

Deployed at centre-back, Hjelde – who is only 20 years of age himself – would squander possession 22 times to the detriment of his side whilst stand-in full back Styles didn't come away from the contest putting in the most convincing display either with a lacklustre 65% passing accuracy registered.

The door could open for Bainbridge to come into the starting lineup soon consequently to replace either Hjelde or Styles, with Sunderland not abandoning their approach of utilising youngsters any time soon despite their torrid season to date.

Javier Mascherano has claimed that Argentina's Olympic base was robbed before their shock defeat to Morocco.

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• Robbers barged in while the team were training
• A police complaint has been filed in Lyon
• Mascherano fuming at "disagreeable" incident

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Albiceleste's campaign in Paris has sunk into further chaos as their training base was allegedly burglarised. Among the stolen items is allegedly a watch belonging to Thiago Almada. Subsequently, the Argentine delegation lodged a police report in Lyon, according to the prosecutor's office in Saint-Etienne.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT MASCHERANO SAID

  Mascherano confirmed the incident, stating, "They went into training and robbed us, in the Olympic Games. We didn't want to say anything after training, I don't think it helps anything. But obviously, it's a bit disagreeable that these kinds of things happen."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Argentina have had a chaotic start to their Olympic campaign in Paris as their opening match got suspended for nearly 75 minutes after Moroccan fans stormed the pitch and threw bottles to protest an equalising goal by Cristian Medina during the 16th minute of added time. When play resumed after a lengthy gap, the goal was later disallowed for offside by VAR and Morocco managed to hold their lead during the remaining three minutes of play. Mascherano labelled the event "a circus" and the Argentine Football Federation lodged a formal protest with FIFA.

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• Getty/ GOAL
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Argentina will hope to put behind their troubled start in Paris and focus on the next game against Iraq on July 27 to keep their hopes of a knockout berth alive.

As the Anfield faithful prepare for life without Jürgen Klopp, it seems that Liverpool have already faced a major set back in their quest for a new manager.

Liverpool braced for rebuild this summer

It appears that the sudden news of Klopp's departure was the starter pistol for a mass exodus at Liverpool with a number of top talents now linked with a move away from the Premier League side.

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With rumours swirling about who will occupy the dugout from next season, Liverpool are also preparing for a slew of key players to also walk out of the door at Anfield. The contracts of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all set to expire in 2025, with the latter two already tipped for a move away from Liverpool.

Whilst the playing staff focus on the domestic and European competitions still up for grabs, it appears that FSG have begun their mammoth task of shaping the post-Klopp era on Merseyside. Liverpool have looked to tempt ex-sporting director Michael Edwards back into his old post, although there is no guarantee that he would be interested in returning.

Facing a to-do-list a mile long, FSG appear to have been dealt a significant blow in their quest to find the man to suceed Klopp at Anfield.

Development in Liverpool's manager search

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, well-placed sources have stated that Xabi Alonso currently prefers a move to Bayern Munich rather than Liverpool. The current Bayer Leverkusen manager played for both sides during his illustrious career however, now appears to favour staying in Germany rather than moving to Merseyside.

The sources told the outlet that Alonso and his family are “happy and comfortable” in Germany in a "big" update in Liverpool's search for a manager. It is an open secret that the Spaniard is FSG's first choice to take over next season but it is reported that the club are also looking at other options.

The Spaniard's Leverkusen side currently sit top of the Bundesliga with a ten-point lead over Bayern Munich. Scoring almost 2.5 goals per game, it is clear that Alonso would be well-equipped to inherit and continue Klopp's brand of 'heavy metal' football.

Alonso's Leverkusen Stats 2023/24

Total

Bundesliga Rank

Points

64

1st

Goals Scored

59

2nd

Goals Conceded

16

1st

Clean Sheets

12

1st

The 42-year-old already received a massive vote of confidence from Klopp himself earlier this month when the German tipped Alonso to become one of the great managers.

With the praise of an Anfield legend and one hand on the Bundesliga title, there is no doubt that Alonso would be a celebrated arrival on Merseyside. However, with the competitive and often ferocious nature of the Premier League, Alonso staying in Germany to wrap up a couple more league titles may not be the worst idea.