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Liverpool hope emotional pull can convince Trent Alexander-Arnold to reject Real Madrid move

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Liverpool are set to make a last-ditch effort to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold at Anfield, drawing on his deep emotional ties to the club in a final attempt to prevent him from joining Real Madrid this summer, according to reports from Spain.

The 26-year-old right-back is out of contract in June, fuelling persistent links to the Spanish giants.

Madrid reportedly made multiple bids for him in January, all of which were rejected.

While reports suggest Alexander-Arnold has already agreed to a move to the Santiago Bernabéu, Liverpool have not given up hope.

According to Spanish outlet AS, Liverpool have exhausted their financial options and now hope that the emotional significance of playing for his boyhood club will sway his decision.

The Reds believe that Anfield’s atmosphere and the prospect of ending the season with silverware could “soften him up and make him change his mind.”

Liverpool are currently in contention for major honors, sitting atop both the Premier League and their Champions League group with an almost fully fit squad.

Alexander-Arnold has already been presented with the specifics of his potential Real Madrid contract, including salary and duration, with reports claiming the deal is “90% done” and awaiting only his signature.

Born and raised in Merseyside, Alexander-Arnold grew up near Liverpool’s former training ground, where he once peeked through cracks in the walls to catch glimpses of his heroes.

The club’s iconic open-top bus parade following their 2005 Champions League triumph even passed his childhood home.

By 2019, he was on the other side of the celebrations, having won every major trophy with Liverpool by the age of 23.

However, one ambition remains: winning the Ballon d’Or. Only one Liverpool player – Michael Owen – has ever claimed the prestigious award, while Real Madrid have produced a record eight different winners.

Liverpool will be hoping that the allure of adding to his legacy at Anfield outweighs the prospect of following in the footsteps of Madrid’s legends.

Read more: Chelsea’s January move for Murillo rejected by Nottingham Forest

Arne Slot praises Liverpool’s performance staff for keeping squad fit during crucial period

Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli to undergo MRI scan after hamstring injury

Chelsea’s January move for Murillo rejected by Nottingham Forest

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Chelsea’s search for a centre-back in the recently closed January transfer window reportedly included a failed attempt to sign Nottingham Forest’s standout defender, Murillo.

The 22-year-old Brazilian, who joined Forest from Corinthians in 2023 for £15million, had made fewer than 30 senior appearances in Brazilian football before moving to England.

Since then, he has played a crucial role in Forest’s survival fight last season and their impressive challenge for Champions League qualification this term.

Murillo’s value has skyrocketed, with reports suggesting he is now worth around £80million, making him a prime example of Forest’s successful recruitment strategy, which has benefited from lessons learned after their costly signings in the 2022/23 campaign.

Chelsea have been keeping a close eye on Murillo, with the Daily Telegraph reporting that the Blues targeted the Brazilian “early” in the January window.

However, Forest’s refusal to consider selling him would have led to a “record sale” for the club – one that would exceed the £47.5million fee received for Brennan Johnson in 2023.

Forest’s priority in January was to retain their high-performing squad in the hope of achieving their best league finish since placing third in 1994/95.

Chelsea’s interest in Murillo came after Wesley Fofana was ruled out for an extended period with injury at the start of January.

Furthermore, Axel Disasi was not in favour with manager Enzo Maresca and was eventually loaned out on deadline day, prompting the Blues to target a new centre-back.

In addition to Murillo, Chelsea considered Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, who was sold by the Blues for £18million in 2021 and had a significant bid from Tottenham Hotspur late in the window.

Chelsea also recalled Trevoh Chalobah from his loan at Palace on January 15, likely following their failed attempt to sign Murillo.

At present, Chelsea’s centre-back options include Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Josh Acheampong.

Benoit Badiashile is recovering from a thigh injury and could make his return this month, while Aaron Anselmino has joined the squad but is yet to be assigned a shirt number.

Read more: Arne Slot praises Liverpool’s performance staff for keeping squad fit during crucial period

Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli to undergo MRI scan after hamstring injury

Arne Slot confirms Liverpool’s flexible transfer plans for the summer

Arne Slot praises Liverpool’s performance staff for keeping squad fit during crucial period

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Arne Slot has praised Liverpool’s performance staff for their efforts in ensuring he has nearly a full complement of players as the team enters a crucial part of the season.

Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Bournemouth saw the Reds boss able to select from a fully-fit squad.

As a result, Federico Chiesa and Joe Gomez were named as left-backs on Merseyside, missing out on the 20-man matchday squad.

While Trent Alexander-Arnold is sidelined with a thigh injury sustained during the win at the Vitality Stadium, he is expected to be back in action soon.

This means Liverpool could have a full squad available for selection when they face Everton next week, with the opportunity to extend their Premier League lead to nine points over Arsenal.

Before that, however, Slot’s focus turns to cup competitions.

The Reds will host Tottenham in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday night, followed by a trip to Championship side Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Aside from Alexander-Arnold’s absence, Slot has a wealth of options at his disposal for the semi-final second leg.

This is a stark contrast to February 2024, when Jurgen Klopp was navigating a severe injury crisis, with 13 players sidelined at one point.

“I hope there is more to it than luck because we try to work in a certain way,” Arne Slot says of the lack of absentees at present.

“Yeah, it is a bit difficult to tell you how we work and I cannot compare to how it was beforehand.

“I can only say the staff I have been working with at Feyenoord and now, there is a very good cooperation there and now here.

“And that has led to the fact that at Feyenoord and now here, we haven’t had many injuries.

“We do have clear ideas about how we work and it’s about which training session you do and when you do it.

“And also when you do it if you play two or three games in a week.

“But we would have to sit down for a few hours to explain all the things we do.

“Fortunately for me they (the staff) have a lot of knowledge of what to do and when to do it and then they just tell me every single day.”

Slot added: “There is definitely an idea behind it and I cannot compare to last year, I don’t know what happened.

“That could have been bad luck, was it always a bad situation?

“Maybe one year was bad luck if in all the other years he (Klopp) didn’t have a lot of injuries.

“That I don’t know, I don’t know how they worked.

“The only thing I know was why I wanted to bring my own performance coach (Peeters) with me as well, who is working in great cooperation with the ones we had over here and he is showing that also at Feyenoord we kept our players fit – available is a better word – but we were always one of the fittest teams in the league as well when it came to running or the last 25 minutes of the game.”

Read more: Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli to undergo MRI scan after hamstring injury

Arne Slot confirms Liverpool’s flexible transfer plans for the summer

Alejandro Garnacho’s Napoli move collapsed due to wage demands

Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli to undergo MRI scan after hamstring injury

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Gabriel Martinelli is set to undergo an MRI scan on Thursday after suffering a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, Mikel Arteta has confirmed.

The Gunners entered Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final trailing on aggregate and found themselves behind once again when Martinelli appeared to injure his hamstring.

The Brazilian forward immediately signaled to the bench before gingerly limping off the pitch.

Arsenal went on to lose the match 4-0 on aggregate, ending their hopes of securing silverware this season.

In the aftermath of the defeat, Arteta suggested the club’s situation could worsen depending on the severity of Martinelli’s injury.

Speaking post-match, Arteta said: “He felt something, I think it was his hamstring and he wasn’t comfortable to continue.

“So we will have to have any MRI scan tomorrow to see the extent of the injury.”

Losing Gabriel Martinelli for an extended period would be another significant blow for Arsenal, who are already missing their talisman, Bukayo Saka.

Gabriel Jesus is also sidelined for the rest of the season following an ACL injury sustained last month.

Despite the injuries to Saka and Jesus, the Gunners did not strengthen their forward options in January, despite speculation that they might.

However, they did make a bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, which was quickly rejected by their Premier League rivals.

Goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon in either half were enough to condemn Arsenal to a defeat.

With a 10-day gap before their next match against Leicester City, Arsenal will fly to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp before returning to action later this month.

“We need to swallow this one, it’s a tough one,” Arteta admitted.

“We had a lot of expectations, we knew the difficulty of the task because of the result that we brought from London but there’s nothing we can do right now.

“What we could do is, we were on the pitch a few minutes ago, now we have to look forward.

“First of all I think this is going to be a painful one and while we are in Dubai, recharge and then go again because we have still a lot to play.”

Read more: Arne Slot confirms Liverpool’s flexible transfer plans for the summer

Alejandro Garnacho’s Napoli move collapsed due to wage demands

Tottenham’s new signings available for Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Liverpool

Arne Slot confirms Liverpool’s flexible transfer plans for the summer

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Liverpool’s Arne Slot has revealed that the club are actively planning for the summer transfer window, but their approach remains adaptable.

Slot admitted that several factors could influence the Reds’ business at the end of the season, including player performances in the coming months, the ambitions of squad members struggling for minutes, and the contract situations of key figures such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk.

Despite speculation, Liverpool made no signings in the January window, and their only addition last summer was the £10m acquisition of Federico Chiesa.

Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Van Dijk are all out of contract this summer, though negotiations with the club are ongoing, and there is optimism that they will commit their futures to Anfield.

Liverpool were unable to secure Martin Zubimendi last summer, leading to a reassessment of the defensive midfield role.

Ryan Gravenberch has since adapted to the position and is now thriving, which could reduce the club’s need to target a No.6 in the upcoming window.

However, Slot emphasised that any new signings must meet the club’s high standards – an approach he fully aligns on with Liverpool’s new sporting director, Richard Hughes.

Slot said: “It would be a bit weird if I said I was so happy with this team in the summer window and this winter window that now in the next window we bring 15 new players in.

“But you always have to be prepared for all the new things coming up. Will the players that don’t play a big part at the moment, will they be able to do this another year? Will they fight for their place or will they [want to] go somewhere else? So we have to be prepared for the next window and what we can do.”

“Of course we have some contractual situations that you don’t probably don’t know about,” joked Slot.

“But Trent, Mo and Virgil haven’t extended yet. So we are aware of the fact that we have to be sharp and ready for things that can happen.”

“I think Richard said this already and maybe I said it once or twice as well that with the ‘new regime’ coming in, with Richard, me and some others, the first thing we wanted to do was see what we had over here,” added Slot.

“What could we do with them? Ryan Gravenberch is a great example of that, he quickly became the No.6 just by working with players and every single day or a lot of days, we constantly adjust asking: where are we?

“What quality do we have? Can we add something? Yes or no.

“And then there is the question: is that quality available? Only so many players are good enough to play for this team.

“That is also not so easy. If you are at Feyenoord, there are more players available than if you are at Liverpool for the right price.

“But at the moment, we are very happy with what we have.

“But in football, things can change as well.

“If in the upcoming three months, a certain player who has done so well starts to play poorly, then you might have to adjust.”

Read more: Alejandro Garnacho’s Napoli move collapsed due to wage demands

Tottenham’s new signings available for Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Liverpool

Pep Guardiola frustrated over Kyle Walker’s exit talks with Man City hierarchy

Alejandro Garnacho’s Napoli move collapsed due to wage demands

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Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho missed out on a transfer to Napoli due to the Serie A club’s wage structure.

Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna revealed that the Italian side engaged in talks with the 20-year-old and came close to reaching an agreement with Manchester United.

However, Garnacho ultimately stayed at Old Trafford, despite interest from both Chelsea and Napoli.

United were open to selling the winger for the right price, but Garnacho has remained part of manager Ruben Amorim’s recent team selections.

The Red Devils could have been persuaded to sell if Napoli had returned with an improved offer.

Despite selling Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli did not attempt to revive their pursuit of Garnacho after their initial offer. Manna explained that the player’s salary expectations were too high compared to the wages of their current squad members.

“There were many who didn’t leave. We dealt with Garnacho even before Kvara’s departure,” Manna explained, per Corriere dello Sport.

“We made an important offer and came close to United’s demands.

“The player wanted to be satisfied financially, but I didn’t find that fair to the other players. We have an average wage level.”

Manna also disclosed that Napoli came close to signing Borussia Dortmund star Karim Adeymi.

“We also dealt with him [Garnacho] before the sale of Kvara,” he added.

“We work by characteristics. Garnacho was really credible, we were close, like with Adeyemi.

“We don’t want to create expectations and throw smoke in the eyes.

“We are sorry that everything we try comes out, you are probably good.

“When things change during the course I am sorry.

“Let’s stay focused and not get lost in negativity.”

Read more: Tottenham’s new signings available for Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Liverpool

Pep Guardiola frustrated over Kyle Walker’s exit talks with Man City hierarchy

Harry Kane’s release clause could bring him back to the Premier League in 2026

Tottenham’s new signings available for Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Liverpool

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Tottenham Hotspur will have their two new loan signings available for the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Liverpool on Thursday.

The London club, plagued by injuries throughout the season, were active in the transfer window, bringing in Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel on temporary deals.

Centre-back Danso, a former Southampton player, has joined from Lens for the remainder of the campaign, while teenage forward Tel has arrived on loan from Bayern Munich.

There had been uncertainty over whether the pair would be eligible for the Anfield clash, as neither player was signed before the first leg, which took place in early January.

However, the EFL has confirmed that both players are available, as long as they were registered in accordance with Premier League regulations — which they now are.

Tottenham had already bolstered their squad with the signing of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague.

The 21-year-old Czech international made his debut in the Carabao Cup first leg against Liverpool, earning man-of-the-match honors as the Londoners secured a controversial 1-0 victory.

Read more: Pep Guardiola frustrated over Kyle Walker’s exit talks with Man City hierarchy

Harry Kane’s release clause could bring him back to the Premier League in 2026

Arne Slot satisfied with Liverpool’s squad despite no January signings

Alphonso Davies signs new contract at Bayern Munich, ending Real Madrid speculation

Trent Alexander-Arnold to miss Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham

Liverpool told to focus on themselves in Premier League title race

Mikel Arteta ‘disappointed’ as Arsenal end January window without signings

Pep Guardiola frustrated over Kyle Walker’s exit talks with Man City hierarchy

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Pep Guardiola was left frustrated after Kyle Walker approached Manchester City’s hierarchy to push for a January exit rather than discussing it directly with him.

The England defender, who had spent nearly eight years at the Etihad Stadium under Guardiola, ultimately joined AC Milan during the transfer window.

The Catalan coach was disappointed that Kyle Walker chose to speak with Txiki Begiristain instead of approaching him directly.

Pep Guardiola, who has maintained a close relationship with the player, believed Walker would have been open enough to bring the matter to him first, according to The Athletic.

The 34-year-old admitted that when he eventually spoke to Guardiola, it wasn’t an easy conversation.

Reflecting on his departure from Manchester City, Walker acknowledged his deep attachment to the club.

“When I spoke with Pep, it wasn’t a very comfortable conversation – mainly because of the respect we have for each other,” he said.

“What he’s won at Manchester City, I’ve won it too.

“I like to think he knows what I bring to a dressing room, the atmosphere I create.

“City was my family – from the cooks to the cleaners, the kit men and physios.

“I like to think I was liked and helped everyone blend in.

“But things weren’t going well there and I wasn’t playing enough football.

“Hopefully I can play a bit more here.”

Walker added: “It’s what I have to do. With my age and my experience, I can pass this message to the younger ones, but I can’t do it alone.

“There are also other leaders, but maybe there’s a lack of confidence. Consistency in results is needed.

“The coach changed, but I believe Conceição has good ideas, solid foundations to build the team.

“Sometimes, discipline is needed, that fire inside that must be transmitted to others and that has perhaps been lacking lately.

“I hope Rubs (Loftus-Cheek), Fik (Tomori), and Tammy (Abraham) can have confidence in me.

“I hope my teammates can follow me on the field.

“I’ve won a lot in my career, but I come here hoping to win many more trophies with Milan.”

Read more: Harry Kane’s release clause could bring him back to the Premier League in 2026

Arne Slot satisfied with Liverpool’s squad despite no January signings

Alphonso Davies signs new contract at Bayern Munich, ending Real Madrid speculation

Harry Kane’s release clause could bring him back to the Premier League in 2026

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Harry Kane’s release clause will become active next January, potentially allowing a Premier League club to secure his services in a cut-price deal.

The Bayern Munich striker is currently in his second season in the Bundesliga after completing a club-record move from Tottenham.

The transfer paused his pursuit of the Premier League’s all-time goalscoring record, but Kane had a release clause inserted into his contract.

At 31, Kane remains at the peak of his powers, having scored 44 goals in his debut season in Germany.

A club could have triggered his release clause in the January transfer window, allowing him to leave Bayern for around €80 million (£67million).

While that window has now passed, another release clause will be activated in 12 months, reportedly at a reduced price of €65million (£54million), according to Bild.

Despite the clause, Kane, who has a contract with Bayern until June 2027, is content in Germany.

Harry Kane’s averaging nearly a goal per game, having scored 72 times in his Bayern career.

Earlier this season, he became the fastest player to reach 50 Bundesliga goals, breaking the record previously held by Erling Haaland.

Kane’s move to Bayern was driven by his desire to win major trophies, having previously been denied silverware in England.

Bayern endured a rare trophyless season last year, and Kane will be keen to make up for that before considering any future moves.

A return to England remains an enticing prospect for the England captain, especially with Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goalscoring record within reach.

Kane has scored 213 Premier League goals, just 47 behind Shearer’s record.

Several top strikers, such as Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski, have demonstrated that forwards can remain at the top of their game into their 30s, meaning time is still on Kane’s side.

He has previously stated his intention to break the Premier League record before leaving England and emphasized that he still has time to return and pursue that goal.

Kane said: “People will talk about the record and Shearer, but I’ve got plenty of football left in my career.

“For now, it’s about trying to achieve things here and trying to push myself and the team to try and reach new levels with this club.

“That’s all my focus is on right now.”

Read more: Arne Slot satisfied with Liverpool’s squad despite no January signings

Alphonso Davies signs new contract at Bayern Munich, ending Real Madrid speculation

Trent Alexander-Arnold to miss Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham

Arne Slot satisfied with Liverpool’s squad despite no January signings

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Arne Slot has expressed no concerns about Liverpool’s lack of January signings, stating that he feels his squad is the envy of many managers.

While several of Liverpool’s rivals made significant investments last month, it was a quiet transfer window at Anfield, with no new arrivals.

This might have frustrated some fans, especially following a summer window in which only Federico Chiesa joined the club, and Giorgi Mamardashvili remained on loan at Valencia.

However, ahead of Thursday’s clash with Tottenham, Slot made it clear that he is “happy” with the current situation, appreciating the quality of the squad he already has at his disposal.

Arne Slot said: “I’ve said it many times, we have a very good squad and if you look at the league table I think the players have shown that the trust we have in them was correct and – apart from Trent [Alexander-Arnold] now maybe for a few days – we don’t have many injuries, not long-term injuries, in moments that the window is open.

“So, we did have some injury problems with Alisson [Becker], with [Diogo] Jota and with some others.

“But at the moment I think – apart from Trent – they are all available again today, so there’s not a reason to add something to the team unless you have a chance in the market.

“That’s something we saw last time with the goalkeeper we brought in which is not here but we did bring him in because we saw that as a chance in the market.

“But for now we are happy with the team we have.”

Read more: Alphonso Davies signs new contract at Bayern Munich, ending Real Madrid speculation

Trent Alexander-Arnold to miss Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham

Manchester United’s Tyrell Malacia joins PSV Eindhoven on loan