Marseille midfielder Joey Barton claims his time at Loftus Road was up even before the end of last season.
The 30-year-old moved to Marseille in August, after being given a lengthy suspension for a red card in the 3-2 defeat by Manchester City on the final day of last season.
He has already said he wants to stay with the Ligue 1 club, although claims that a deal is already in place have been denied by the French outfit and QPR owner Tony Fernandes.
He now claims his move to Loftus Road never worked out and it was over long before he was sent off against his old club on the final day of last season.
Barton tweeted: “QPR was over for me way before the Man City incident. I really hope they stay up. I have all season.
“Stay up/go down. Harry stays/goes. I don’t want to be part of it. Marseille is my home now.”
“It was a move for me that just never worked out. I played a part in keeping them up last year,” he added.
“This year, I was banished.
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“From the first day of pre-season training [I was] treated like a leper. Some will say deservedly so.”
Arsene Wenger has done little to silence his transfer policy critics so far this summer, with his failed pursuit of Gonzalo Higuain and the Gunners’ only successful off-season acquisition of former Ligue 2 starlet Yaya Sanogo collectively epitomising the Frenchman’s stale and unrealistic approach in the transfer market over the last decade.
If it wasn’t for Chelsea and Manchester United being similarly dormant by their usual standards so far this summer, Arsenal’s very public but fatally flawed attempts to sign Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, and the fact deadline day is still just under a month away, there’s every chance the Gunners gaffer would be hung, drawn and quartered by now for failing to deliver on integral promises made to the Emirates faithful earlier in the season regarding a certain £70million summer kitty and the need for an established goal-scorer.
But we are all well aware of Wenger’s spendophobia by now, and to be honest, few Premier League fans would find it particularly surprising if the North London outfit started the season without breaking their rather miserly £16million record transfer fee on a new centre-forward, or even begun their campaign, with the Arsenal boss apparently eyeing the domestic title, without a single change in personnel.
Equally as concerning as Wenger’s rather limp, ineffective and outdated philosophy when it comes to signing new recruits however, is the Frenchman’s approach to letting players go. This summer alone, the Gunners have released Sebastien Squillaci, Andrei Arshavin and Denilson for free – three players who originally cost the club a collective £22million in transfer fees alone, and even more in wages.
[cat_link cat=”arsenal” type=”tower”]
Over the past two years, instead of Arsene Wenger relinquishing any of the trio for nominal fees in a bid to recoup at least some of Arsenal’s original investments, Arshavin has performed a rather costly cameo role, with 26 Premier League appearances since summer 2011 costing the Gunners around £85k-per week, Squillaci has been the most lavishly paid reserve in England, mucking around at the Arsenal training ground for a £60k per week salary, and Denilson has plied his trade for two seasons consecutively in a completely different continent, on loan to Sao Paulo, with the Gunners still supplementing his £45k-per-week contract.
Overall, Arshavin, Squillaci and Denilson have cost the Gunners somewhere near the £50million mark, considering their three exits alone will save Arsenal £10million on next year’s wage bill, according to The Telegraph. And what does Wenger have to show for it? No silverware, no titles, not even a nominal outward fee to spend on yet another African or French-born teenager.
Park Chu-Young and Andre Santos can also be added to the list of Arsenal flops who the club failed to move on effectively, with both also leaving for free this summer. Santos, who joined the Gunners for around £5million, has been allowed to return to Brazil after attempts to flog him back to Fenerbahce in January fell on death ears, and Young, bought for £5.5million in 2011 and making just a single Premier League appearance since, was officially written off as a loss in the Arsenal account books last year.
Rather than learning from his mistakes, history is set to repeat itself, with Wenger lining up yet another loan move for Yohan Djourou next season despite the defender’s Arsenal career at this point being well and truly over. The same can be said for Francis Coquelin, who is now being farmed out to SC Freiburg after spending two years failing to break into the first team at the Emirates.
In fact, Arsenal’s only good pieces of business this summer come from two unlikely sources. Winger Gervinho and Goalkeeper Vito Mannone both received their fair share of criticism over a lack of quality during their stays in North London, the former earning specific boo-boy status last season, but they’ve collectively added £9million to Arsenal’s summer jackpot via their transfers to Roma and Sunderland respectively. The Ivorian in particular left for £7million – just £3million less than the Gunners bought him for in 2011.
Selling players for the wrong price – or for that matter, no price at all- is not a recent trend for the Gunners, or exclusive to Arsenal players belonging to the lower price ranges. Patrick Viera was sold for just £14million in 2005 and went on to play for Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City over the next six years of his career, claiming five Serie A titles and an FA Cup along the way, Thierry Henry left for Barcelona for £20million in 2007, despite his subsequent contract at the Nou Camp containing an £84million release clause, and Ashley Cole, upon refusing to sign a new contract, was handed over to divisional rivals Chelsea for £6million plus William Gallas in 2006.
The Telegraph revealed earlier this year that since Arsenal’s last trophy win in 2005, those departing from the Emirates, including the likes of Henry, Viera and Cole, as well as Kolo Toure, Jose Reyes and Cesc Fabgregas, have claimed 67 pieces of silverware between them at their respective new clubs, whilst Arsenal’s biggest fee received for a single player remains at just £30million.
But nothing highlights Arsenal’s inability to sell players better than the current situation at local rivals Tottenham. Daniel Levy is known for his negotiating skills, and whilst the Gunners have been selling established Champions League stars for around £20million a piece and often less, Spurs have flogged the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Luka Modric for in excess of £30million, despite their lack of proven track record on the European stage.
And now, Real Madrid are now offering £86million for Gareth Bale. The Welsh wonder is by all means an exceptional and rare talent that deserves such a groundbreaking price-tag, but his single sale to Real Madrid would trump Arsenal’s collective revenues for the departures of Fabregas, Robin Van Persie and Samir Nasri – the club’s three biggest stars in the last five years – by nearly £10million. That’s the first team’s nucleus from 2008 to 2011, who all briskly jumped ship to divisional and continental rivals, sold for less than a single player at a club Arsenal have continually finished above in the Premier League since it’s incarnation.
Something quite simply doesn’t add up. At the bottom end, Arsenal are unable to turn around their stop-gap talents, largely due to the fact no potential suitors are willing to offer Gunners flops the same range of salary they received at the Emirates. It’s put the club in an impossible position in the transfer market, where they’re forced to let contracts run down instead of cashing in, which in turn restricts their capacity to sign new players because of their lofty wage bill.
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But most concerning is the top end of Arsenal’s roster, and the club’s inability to get full value for their want-away stars. They’re fast becoming a selling club, with a reputation for being soft around the negotiating table, for the rest of the European elite to exploit as they please. In fact, so many top class talents have left the Gunners in recent years, that Wenger is in a rare position this summer where he’s not obliged to sell anyone.
The Frenchman sees it as good news, and a justification for going back on his word regarding investments in new recruits this summer. I however disagree, as it suggests that Arsenal’s selling policy has been so fatally flawed, that the club now has no one to sell, even if they wanted to, and not enough talent on the roster to attract better players.
Until Wenger and Ivan Gadizis wise up in the transfer market, on the inward and outward front, it will be impossible for Arsenal to move forward.
Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has confirmed that fitness coach Benoit Delaval has left the club.
The Lowdown: Clavijo’s exit
It has been a week of change at Elland Road, with the Whites parting ways with Marcelo Bielsa after a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham on the weekend.
Jesse Marsch has since been announced as the Argentine’s successor and is set to keep goalkeeper coach Marcos Abad and head of analysis Guillermo Alonso.
Performance analyst Andres Clavijo, known better for being Bielsa’s translator, confirmed on Wednesday that he would be leaving the club, and Hay had more exit news for supporters.
The Latest: Hay’s under the radar news
Hay was asked by a fan on Twitter regarding Delaval and if he is set to follow Bielsa and Clavijo out the door at Thorp Arch.
The reliable reporter simply said, ‘he is, yes’, with his update going under the radar due to being part of a thread rather than an original tweet, receiving just two likes.
The Verdict: Marsch to make his mark?
It doesn’t exactly come as a shock that Delaval has left with Bielsa, his assistants and Clavijo, with the Frenchman joining alongside the enigmatic Argentine back in 2018.
He worked wonders on the club’s fitness levels, which allowed the Leeds squad to cope with Bielsa’s intense demands across three-and-a-half seasons, earning promotion to the Premier League in the process.
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However, his departure will now allow Marsch to put his mark on the backroom staff setup, with Cameron Toshack already coming in as his assistant.
In other news: ‘Heard…’ – talkSPORT drop on-air Leeds claim as presenter shares Marsch news before Leicester.
Rangers academy product Allan McGregor enjoyed a fantastic night at Ibrox on Thursday as he saved a penalty in the club’s 3-0 win in the Europa League.
The veteran shot-stopper brilliantly kept out a spot kick in the first half to prevent the away side from mounting a comeback, as goals from James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and Leon Balogun secured the win.
McGregor started his career by coming through the academy in Glasgow and spent a number of years in Turkey and England before returning to Ibrox in 2018 to be the club’s number one again.
However, the Gers have not always got it right with their young prospects, and this is highlighted in the case of central midfielder John Fleck.
Huge blunder
The Scotland international came up through the ranks at Ibrox and made 56 first team appearances for the club before being released in 2012 as he joined English side Coventry on a free transfer, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £450k at the time of the move.
Fleck then moved on to Sheffield United and that is where he has made his name in football. He has made 235 competitive appearances for the Blades so far, registering 14 goals and 46 assists and racking up 61 Premier League outings. This shows that he has been a crucial part of their team over the years and was regularly selected to play in their most recent two-year stint in the English top flight.
At the time of writing (11/03/22), Transfermarkt value him at £3.6m, and he was valued at £7.2m in October 2020 whilst playing in the Premier League. This illustrates how far he has come since leaving Rangers, with the midfielder earning plenty of praise along the way.
Speaking to FourFourTwo upon the midfielder’s maiden call-up to the Scotland squad, his former Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder previously said: “He (Fleck) thoroughly deserves it as he’s been incredible. We brought him in on a free transfer from Coventry when we were in League One and he’s embraced every level since and moved forward.
“He got injured, which was disappointing for him and us, but got back in the team and has kicked on. Being called up again is a great reward for him and hopefully he can do himself justice when he goes up the road.”
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In the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, the £23k-per-week Scotsman averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.01 for the Blades. He produced five goals and two assists from central midfield as he made two tackles and interceptions per game, showing that he has the quality to provide top-quality performances at an elite level.
Along with his soaring value since leaving Ibrox, this suggests that the Gers made a huge blunder by allowing Fleck to leave for nothing. He may have been able to fulfill his potential at Ibrox if he were allowed more time to find his feet at senior level and Rangers fans may now be wondering – what if?
AND in other news, 71% duels lost: £21k-p/w Rangers passenger was carried by his team-mates on Thursday…
Despite still being just 16 years of age, there is a great deal of excitement surrounding the future of Celtic’s young attacking midfielder Rocco Vata.
Indeed, the Republic of Ireland under-17 international has been earning rave reviews for his performances in both the Hoops’ academy and the B team this season, with Darren O’Dea recently stating of the teenager: “I’ve known Rocco for a while, naturally I’ve been with the U18s for the last two seasons so he’s someone I know really well. The most impressive thing about him is probably his mentality, his attitude to the game.
“He’s someone that has a killer attitude that never stops, he has a fantastic ability to beat people and create chances. On top of that, he’s someone who has a really strong mind. He’s going in the right direction, it’s a case of supporting him.
“I’m confident to say that if he reaches his full potential which is our goal as a staff to do that, that potential could take him to the top.”
However, it is not only those in the know at Celtic who are aware of Vata’s potential. The youngster has also caught the eye of Football Talent Scout’s Jake McGhee, who said of the Bhoys sensation in December: “On the ball it is clear to see that Rocco is an incredibly talented and naturally gifted footballer, possessing excellent close control and skill.
“Rocco has a keen eye for goal and has shown his ice-cold finishing from all over the pitch, he definitely has a long-range strike in his locker. His dribbling and flair are reminiscent of James Rodriguez.”
While the 16-year-old still has some way to go before he hits the heights of the player who Real Madrid signed for €90m (£71m) back in the summer of 2014, it is not difficult to see why McGhee has drawn comparisons between the two players. Vata possesses extremely impressive close control, the ability to sit down a defender and a rocket of a shot, as evidenced by the teenager’s spectacular strike for Ireland under-17s back in October, which can be seen below:
However, the youngster appears not only to be a scorer of great goals but also a great goalscorer, having bagged seven times for Celtic B in the Scottish Lowland League this season – a very impressive return for an attacking midfielder/winger.
As such, while Vata may well be a couple of years off becoming a first team regular at Parkhead, Postecoglou recently called up the academy prospect to training with the senior squad, so a Celtic debut might just be on the cards before the season is out.
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Should the Bhoys boss put his faith in the 16-year-old, he may well be rewarded with the discovery of Celtic’s next world-beater.
AND in other news: Sold for “cheap”, now worth £12.5m: Celtic had a nightmare on £58k-p/w “role model”
During his post-match press conference following Tottenham’s 3-1 victory over West Ham, Antonio Conte hailed the improvements made by Lilywhites youngster Dane Scarlett.
The Lowdown: Scarlett’s rise at Spurs
The 17-year-old has made tremendous strides over the past year after impressing with Tottenham’s under-23 side.
As a result, he has been included in the Lilywhites’ first-team matchday squad 17 times this season, coming off the bench in the 4-0 win over Leeds in February.
Conte is a keen admirer of the young striker – indeed, last month the 52-year-old publicly labelled him as “the best prospect from the academy”.
During his post-match press conference after the win over West Ham on Sunday, Conte sang Scarlett’s praises, claiming that the 17-year-old will play a big part in Spurs’ future.
As quoted by football.london, the Tottenham manager stated:
“I’m seeing a lot of improvement today in [Dane] Scarlett honestly if I have to tell you. Seeing that this guy is improving a lot, he’s only 17-years-old but I can tell you that he is a really important prospect for Tottenham. He has to be patient and work behind these very important players and continue to work in this way because about Scarlett, I can tell you that I see a brilliant future for him.”
The Verdict: Huge praise
These comments should come as a huge fillip for the 17-year-old, who has had piecemeal action in the FA Cup and Europa Conference League this season. Judging by the manager’s glowing praise, Scarlett may yet be handed more senior game-time in the closing weeks of the campaign.
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Indeed, the Italian is not the first Spurs coach to sing the teenager’s praises. Scarlett was previously hailed by former Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho, who claimed that “he will be somebody in a few years” and is already a “phenomenal” player.
The teenager even featured in the Europa League twice under Mourinho, so following Conte’s latest comments, he will be hoping to receive further opportunities under the Italian, who it’s fair to say is a massive admirer of this particular ‘one of our own’ in N17.
In other news: One Tottenham player may have risked incurring the wrath of Conte and the Spurs hierarchy
A huge Newcastle United claim has been dropped regarding Fabian Schar’s future at St James’ Park…
What’s the talk?
According to i News reporter Mark Douglas, the centre-back is eager to put pen to paper on a contract extension with the club.
The report claimed that there have been positive talks between the two parties in the midst of interest from clubs in Serie A. It is said that the Swiss defender’s wages will not be an issue for PIF as they attempt to prevent him from leaving for nothing at the end of his current deal in the summer.
Elation
This news will surely leave Eddie Howe elated, as keeping Schar heading into the 2022/23 campaign will be a major boost to his Newcastle squad.
The Switzerland international is now in his fourth season for the Magpies and is currently a regular starter alongside Dan Burn at the back. Schar has started 10 league games in 2022 and only lost two of them, scoring one goal and setting up another whilst helping his side to record three clean sheets, which shows the impressive form he is enjoying at the moment.
In the 2018/19 campaign, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 as he scored four goals in 24 top-flight appearances. The centre-back averaged a whopping 5.3 tackles and interceptions per game in that campaign as he showcased his defensive prowess for the Toon.
He is a proven Premier League performer who also has the ability in possession to be a part of a progressive system moving forward. As per FBRef, he ranks in the 91st percentile for attacking touches, 81st for dribbles completed, 97th for assists and 82nd for shot-creating actions amongst centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days.
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This shows that he has the quality in possession to do more than just clear danger and worry about the next attack to defend. For example, Jamaal Lascelles ranks in the 12th percentile for dribbling, 30th for assists and 12th for shot-creating actions, as per FBRef, suggesting that he is not as influential in possession in comparison to Schar.
Therefore, Howe will be buzzing to retain the 30-year-old, and this news suggests that the defender will be staying at St James’ Park beyond the end of the current season. The ex-Bournemouth coach will surely be eager to lean on him again at the heart of his defence next term, both for his out-and-out defending and his use of the ball to build attacks for Newcastle.
AND in other news, NUFC eye £49.5m-rated “phenomenon” who’s a “work of art”, he’d ignite St James’ Park…
Celtic have cashed in on a number of players over the past few years such as Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer, Moussa Dembele and Kieran Tierney, to name but a few.
One other player that the Hoops sold in recent memory but they may now be regretting is full-back Jeremie Frimpong, who moved to Bayer Leverkusen in January 2021 in a deal worth a reported £11.5m.
After joining from Manchester City’s youth ranks in 2019, the defender went on to make 51 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing eight assists along the way.
Since moving to Germany, the 21-year-old – who is currently picking up £25k-per-week according to Salary Sport – has racked up 47 appearances for Leverkusen in total, finding the back of the net twice and delivering nine assists in the process.
With 25 Bundesliga appearances under his belt this season, the right-back has scored one goal and set up another six, earning himself an overall performance rating of 6.88/10 from WhoScored. That makes him Leverkusen’s sixth-highest rated outfield player, showing how important a figure he is for his current club.
To highlight just how much of an attacking threat he has been this term, no other Leverkusen defender has made more key passes per game (1.2) than the former Hoops youngster, who also has his team’s joint-second highest number of dribbles per game (1.9).
In January 2021, shortly before calling an end to his Celtic career, Transfermarkt had Frimpong’s market value listed as £3.6m. It now stands at a massive £18m, highlighting a significant increase of 400%, which shows just how much of a boost his career has enjoyed since waving goodbye to the Parkhead club.
This current value would comfortably make him Celtic’s most valuable player, eclipsing Callum McGregor’s current value of £6.75m at the top of the tree. Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that the Hoops lost a valuable asset when they sold Frimpong.
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However, with the player reportedly adamant that he wanted to leave the club, perhaps they should have done more to try and convince him to stay where he was, even if they still managed to accrue a decent transfer fee for him.
In other news: Ange can axe “infectious” ace as Celtic become “serious contenders” for “massive” deal
Crystal Palace have now joined the race to sign a “fantastic” £22m forward, who is pushing to leave his current club in the January transfer window.
Palace looking to sign Zaha-esque forward
No player has scored more Premier League goals for Palace than Wilfried Zaha, who found the back of the net 68 times in the top flight, prior to leaving to join Galatasaray back in 2023.
Since the winger moved on, the Eagles have been enjoying the most successful period in their history, winning their first-ever major trophy courtesy of a 1-0 FA Cup final victory against Manchester City last season, which means they are now in the midst of a maiden European campaign.
However, Oliver Glasner could arguably do with a player like Zaha, given that Jean-Philippe Mateta is way out in front at the top of the South Londoners’ goalscoring charts, having scored seven in the Premier League, with right-back Daniel Munoz and Ismaila Sarr tied in second place on just three.
Chelsea join Daniel Munoz race as Crystal Palace star reveals true "dream" move
The Blues know all about his quality.
ByTom Cunningham
Last week, Crystal Palace made contact over a deal for Tottenham Hotspur forward Brennan Johnson, and another exciting British winger is now being targeted, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states they have now joined the race for Chelsea’s Tyrique George.
George is pushing to leave the Blues during the January transfer window, with the winger looking to ‘accelerate his development’ elsewhere, having been a sporadic member of Enzo Maresca’s starting XI’s this season.
Palace’s London rivals are said to be holding out for £22m for the 19-year-old, with a whole host of English clubs now queuing up to secure his signature, including Leeds United, Everton, Fulham and Southampton, while RB Leipzig and AS Roma headline the interest from abroad.
"Fantastic" George catching the eye in Europe
Although consistent game time has been limited, the Englishman has impressed when given the opportunity, with scout Jacek Kulig hailing him for scoring his first Champions League goal in Chelsea’s 5-1 victory against Ajax earlier this season.
Kulig has also praised the teenager for his pace, creativity and shooting abilities, while likening him to Zaha and Tottenham Hotspur legend Son Heung-min.
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With Chelsea signing the likes of Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho in the summer, it would make sense for the left-winger, who is also capable of playing at centre-forward, to move on in January.
£22m seems like a fair fee for George, given the level of some of his performances this season, and Selhurst Park may be an attractive destination, with Palace currently fighting for Europe.
Liverpool have rekindled their connection with their academy in recent years. There is Jurgen Klopp to thank for that. The German manager’s illustrious tenure oversaw the birth of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and a host of prospects emerged too.
Toward the end of his journey, ‘Klopp’s Kids’ played an instrumental role in steadying the ship in 2023/24, winning the Carabao Cup against Chelsea, odds stacked against the injury-hit Reds, who prevailed all the same against the “billion-pound bottle-jobs”, as infamously asserted by pundit Gary Neville.
Arne Slot parted with many of Liverpool’s up-and-comers when replacing Klopp in 2024. FSG were reworking Liverpool’s strategy, and such youngsters would be afforded little more than bit-part roles.
However, the Anfield side have ushered in a new wave. They might not be getting much of a look in right now, but there is young talent abundant in this team, and Rio Ngumoha is the new cream of the crop.
Rio Ngumoha's future at Liverpool
Liverpool sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for about £65.5m in August, and they did not directly replace him. Partly, this was because sporting director Richard Hughes had already added a host of attacking talent to the squad, and Alexander Isak was still to come, but the emergence of left winger Ngumoha was another important factor.
Now, the Reds are setting their sights on Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause in his contract and is being lined up by all the Premier League’s heavyweights.
Ngumoha has such talent and potential, and he has been a part of Liverpool’s first-team squad for the duration of the campaign. Despite this, his match action has been limited, only featuring eight times. Moreover, he has recently featured for Rob Page’s U21 side, ostensibly to build up match fitness.
After scoring a dramatic winner at St. James’ Park in August, Ngumoha, 17, announced himself as a new star-in-waiting for the Merseysiders.
Youngest Scorers in Premier League History
#
Player
Age
1
James Vaughan
16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days
2
James Milner
16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days
3
Wayne Rooney
16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days
4
Rio Ngumoha
16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days
5
Cesc Fabregas
17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days
He is the most exciting youngster Liverpool have, but that’s not to say those lower down the pecking order don’t have what it takes to leapfrog the former Chelsea prospect, with one in particular standing out.
The Liverpool youngster who could rival Ngumoha
The pathway from the youth group to superstardom in Liverpool’s senior side is not a particularly well-trodden one, but Joshua Abe has the quality to mimic Ngumoha and those before him in taking the leap.
Aged 15, Abe is punching well above his weight, having established himself in the U18 side, and The Secret Scout called him “the best winger in the country” for his age bracket. High praise indeed, that.
In the U18 Premier League, Abe has already scored two goals and provided two assists across five outings. He has scored three times across five caps for England U16s.
A natural scoring sense and desire to cut inwards from the right wing, arcing toward the centre and striking on goal, Abe has the directness and explosiveness to become Liverpool’s own version of Semenyo down the line, with one scout suggesting he has the potency and natural physicality to emulate the playing style of someone like Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.
Perhaps that is why the Gunners have developed a reported interest in the wide forward, with their scouts having watched him this season ahead of a potential swoop in 2026. Liverpool cannot allow him to join a rival, even with plans to sign someone like Semenyo.
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If Abe can translate his potency onto the major stage, taking the baton from the legendary Mohamed Salah, he might just become a more exciting asset than Ngumoha for the Reds.
Liverpool’s interest in Semenyo is real, but perhaps they will only forge ahead with plans for the two-sided winger if Salah leaves in January, as is feared.
But with prospects like Ngumoha and Abe on their way to the fore, you can understand the hesitance.
Bad news for Wirtz: Liverpool have made calls to sign "world-class" PL star
Liverpool are in the market for attacking reinforcements this January.